UKAI Closure Announcement

[afm038]

Chris,

PM sent.

Thanks,
Andy

[swashy]

I joined UKAI back in March 2005, after being a lurker for a couple of years, because at the time I was primarily interested in visual astronomy, using my home build 10" dobsonian to find the majority of the Messier list and searching for those feint comets that come by every so often, I used to look at images on UKAI and dismiss them as unachievable for myself as I have never really been all that good with technology and computers, so I saw astro-imaging as a specialist artform,  one for those with the technical know-how, and also for those who had lots of spare cash, something I had neither of, but in the end, I joined UKAI as an imaging novice, I invested in a refractor (an ED80), and bought an EQ5 which I modified with some Meade DS motors, to give me a tracking mount, and all this seemed complicated enough compared to my red-light starcharts and telrad to show me where to go.

Before I knew it I had bought a Steve-Chambers (SC1) Modified Toucam webcam, and my first night out I still remember now when I saw M42 arrive on my screen. Well as they say the rest is history because I was well and truly hooked. I traveled my way through many telescopes and mounts, dslr cameras and spectrum modifications in that search for better images, and countless late nights on a school-day-night where I should have been in bed, and many disappointments of seeing the images in the cold light of dawn too.

 But the kind fellows at UKAI back in the old days, with the likes of Rob, Nick, Coxy and Arthur allowed me to become a moderator, and then admin of the forum, and my purpose was primarily to make the graphics and suggest new ideas. I have helped create many of the imaging competitions and promotions through the years, and I do hope that you the members have enjoyed my input to the forum. 


The membership personnel has changed many times throughout my time, people come and people go, I have seen many changes on UKAI, seen good friends disappear and then re-appear several years later, seen friends loose the interest, and also sadly seen friends die. UKAI has been part of my life for a long time, and I have gained so much from the experience of many, who have helped me on my journey through astro-imaging, even if I am happy to admit that I am not particularly good at doing it.

When the current admin team discussed the closure of UKAI and the transference to facebook, I felt like a small part of my life's work was dying also, and I was heartbroken to absorb the realization that this was to be the fate of the UKAI forum.

I recently sold all of my astronomical equipment, and converted my old observatory into a space which is more befitting with my new hobbies, as some of you will testify, but I continue as a member of UKAI and hope to help the group grow in its new future within the facebook environment, and if you decide to join the UKAI facebook group, you will see me there, continuing as a great friend of what has been an absolutely wonderful group of people - which is UKAI

Viva-la-Resolution!

Ade

Join us on Facebook now... 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukastroimaging/

[Annie]

Lovely write-up Ade.

Have already joined the Facebook group and finding it helpful and still responsive to my naive questions having come to astro imaging extremely late in life with little useful/relevant experience! Long may it continue in that vein!

All the best
Annie

[psjshep]

I joined UKAI waaaaay back in November 2004 as I had been taking some digital images & wanted to learn & share.

My first astro image was taken October 1998, with a self built "cookbook camera" which uses a Texas Instruments TC245 CCD, of Jupiter through a Meade LX90! This was originally designed by Richard Berry & James Burnell with every bit of it needing to be soldered together! This was the start of a LOOOONG and sometimes expensive journey! I had purchased a huge book on Astronomical Image Processing also by the same people which came with image processing software - AIP4WIN... anyone remember that?

Once I had learned what I could from that book (highly theoretical & mathematical!) it was suggested by a friend of mine to join a "forum"... whatever that was??... There, I found other people taking similar (& often much better) images to myself... & found it was an excellent place to swap ideas & learn. I reckon it took me 3 or 4 seasons to get to a stage that I thought I knew what I was doing.... but learned at least as much again during the first couple of months on the "forum".

At some point in time (I forget when), I was asked to help out with the MySQL databases behind the forum software as I am an Oracle DBA by day.... I also helped to run a number of the "Image of the Month" competitions and some of the day to day admin....

I have met up with quite a number of the UKAI members over the years, especially at Kelling Star Party & a number of the UKAI "Gravity" events... always good to put a face to the names!

I will miss the forum, although Facebook does seem to be working for us.... despite my (& I know a number of others !) hatred of the data slurping monster - there is a use for it....

Hope to see you all on the dark side!

Phil

Join us on Facebook now... 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukastroimaging/

[SunBlack]

Read about the closure. I am an old member over here. I imagine it would happen sooner or later. I also noticed a heavy decrease in activities here. Another forum I partecipate is knowing such a decline. See ya all in FB group then.
Sincerely
LUCA
Italy

[Einari]

With all the latest about FB, ie
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/facebook-hack-50-million-view-as,37868.html
I am less enthusiastic to join...

[g8ina]

Do we have a date for closure yet, and will admins automatically close all accounts or should we *leave* the forum ? If leave, how ?

[koootzz]

Hi David and all.

You don’t need to do anything, everything will be removed just before closedown.

Join us on Facebook now... 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukastroimaging/

[swashy]

Official Closure date is 1st of November 2018 - the forum may be online for several weeks after but it will not be maintained after this date
The best advice, if you wish to still remain part of the continuation of UKAI is to join our thriving Facebook group, were we have over 300 members to date, many who have made the switch from the forum to Facebook

Click this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukastroimaging/

if you are a new user of Facebook, you will need to register an account with them, and you can then add UKAI as one of your groups, register as a new member and the team will approve you to join, and then continue to enjoy UKAI as you always have :)

Any problems, just send an email to robuk@ukastroimaging.co.uk and we will do our best to help you guys out

See you all on the Facebook site :)

Ade

Join us on Facebook now... 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ukastroimaging/

[Nomis Elfactem]

With all the latest about FB, ie
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/facebook-hack-50-million-view-as,37868.html
I am less enthusiastic to join...

Hey Tapio - yeap, news like this really doesn't help the cause does it and we totally understand your nervousness.  It's worth noting however that 99% of these types of hacks occur because a user/member has in effect "opened the door" to the hacker by clicking on a link that is infected, just like opening a dodgy email that has an attachment that then loads a trojan.  It's not due, as a lot of people believe, due to hackers getting into FB's systems and stealing the data.

We've actually also had our share of attacks on the forum, which thankfully we managed to repel, but the risk is everywhere sadly, not just on FB.

As per my email we now have quite a few members on FB who ONLY use it for membership of the UKAI FB Group and no other reason.  As long as you only stick with us and don't go "off the beaten track" the risks are quite negligible and certainly no more than anywhere else (including this forum  )

Best wishes
S.