Meet Your Committee Team
Chair
Mark Hughesdon
I grew up at a time when the Americans and the Soviets were racing each other into space, David Bowie was singing “Starman” and the Clangers were on TV. The instant James T. Kirk described space as the final frontier, I was hooked.
My childhood was spent under the dark rural skies of Lincolnshire where the stars stretched from flat horizon to flat horizon. As a boy I remember seeing shooting stars in the night sky and being amazed when I was shown sunspots projected through a small telescope. I later used the same technique, and my grandfather’s WW2 binoculars, to project a partial solar eclipse onto my bedroom wall.
I made my first telescope (a 6” Dobsonian) out of a piece of drainage pipe and bits of wood, using an old LP (appropriately Boney M – Night Flight to Venus) as the azimuth bearing. The joy of seeing the rings of Saturn through this home made telescope was a real “Wow” moment.
I recently moved to the Cranborne Chase area and I’m loving the dark skies. I spent a lot of time at the start of my career in the Arctic Circle, but I never once saw the Northern Lights; since living here, I’ve seen them 3 times!
Still a keen visual observer, I have recently been experimenting with Electronically Assisted Astronomy with a smart ‘scope and I’m trying to master the dark art of astrophotography.
Vice Chair, Community and Outreach
Tony
My first interest in astronomy was through a book I received, aged 11, about Galileo. Secondary school had an observatory and astronomy club and I remember my amazement at first viewing the brightness and features of a full moon.
University and most of my career happened in big cities so the sky receded a little from my focus, although Brasilia and the deserts of Tunisia reminded me it was there.
On retirement I joined the Torquay Astronomy Society - a large and active group with access to an observatory, which rekindled my interest. Moving to Shaftesbury I was surprised, being on a hill near a Dark Sky Area, there was no club, so I decided to start one. The rest is (recent!) history.
My main interest has continued to be the Moon, on which I have given talks and had photos and sketches in a couple of astronomy journals (and the TAS Calendar for 2016!)
Social media
Niky
My interest in astronomy probably began in Girl Guiding - I was in the Cassiopeia patrol! Growing up in the London suburbs I was always fascinated on holiday when I looked up and saw the twinkling skies but it wasn't until 2012 that I got more serious about it. It was around then that Professor Brian Cox did his Wonders of the Universe series followed by him and Dara O'Briain doing Stargazing Live. I was living in Frome where there was a telescope shop and I requested one for my 40th birthday. I have to admit it mostly remained in its box so when I moved to the Cranborne Chase and its Dark Skies I resolved to make more use of it. I got in touch with Tony Deyes via This Is Alfred and we decided to see if there were any more people around the area who were also interested in astronomy and the Cranborne Chase Astronomy Club began.
Club and Technical Assistance Secretary
Gareth
I have been interested in astronomy and all things space science since reading about the upcoming Halley's comet when I was 10. I never did manage to see it due to having no idea what I was doing but it has led to an interest in spotting & imaging comets, supernovae, close passing asteroids and other ephemeral stuff going on in space (still waiting for my first supernova in this galaxy - might be here a while).
More recently I mostly enjoy deep sky observing under dark skies with a simple manual dobsonian telescope and helping newcomers find their way around the sky.
Membership Secretary
Dave
When I look back on first thinking about the sky above, I can only recall watching the Moon landing and being interested in Patrick Moore’s Sky at Night programme both on a black and white television!
I became more interested in what is above me when I moved to Shaftesbury in 2021.
On our first summer evenings, relaxing with a glass of wine or three after a BBQ, it was incredible how inky black the sky was and how amazing the planets and constellations looked – I had to find out more.
I was introduced by a friend on the Shaftesbury Walking Group to our Astronomy Club and the rest is history.
I have a 102mm Maksutov-Cassegrain Goto telescope and more recently a ZWO Seestar S50 compact smart telescope for deep sky objects.
My background is in Civil Engineering, taking an honours degree at a London University and later specialising in Structural Engineering. In 2006 I set up my own Consultancy practice, however, I took the decision to retire in Summer 2025.
Treasurer
Jo S
My Dad inspired my interest in Astronomy with his admiration for Patrick Moore and the Sky at Night . I have inherited his telescope (the scope and I are roughly the same age … don't ask !) and try my best to observe when the skies are clear.
I enjoy observing and learning from more experienced astronomers and try to watch as many space documentaries as I can.
I also enjoy painting and some of my art is inspired by the amazing images coming from the James Webb Telescope, there aren't enough hours in the day to paint everything but I am having great fun trying.
Membership Representative
Ania
Web Manager
Jo W
My passion for astronomy, like most, started when I was young. My elder brother calling me over to his telescope and showing me Saturn's rings. I said the obligatory 'wow' and I was hooked.
Then life just got in the way until 2023 when I decided to join an astronomy club. Now I had a telescope given to me and have been borrowing equipment all over the place.
I love photography but have found overserving planets and stars as much as a pull as taking photos of them.
Workwise I'm a web developer so basically build and edit websites all day. I work in HTML, CSS and a bit of JavaScript. I also found I dream in CSS. I also love film and go to the cinema a few times a month. Home life evolves round my husband and my mentalist dog.