What do your neighbors think?

[Paz]

I've been out in the back garden observing quite often recently and sometimes I wonder what the neighbors think given I'm dressed in black from head to toe and I'm fumbling around in the dark.

Do your neighbors know you do astronomy or do they just think you like hanging out in the dark for some strange reason!

[mcolbert]

our neighbour is an early riser so - early to bed, she just doesn't see us.

Other than that we have several paddocks then a school in one direction, another school in the opposite direction and a one man transport depot on the fourth side of us and he's usually out by 0600 and back by 1700.

We could be doing anything!

That being said, it is sad to say that in many of the places we have been we simply haven't seen who the neighbours might be or even if there are any!  This is especially so in the cities and larger towns we have been to.

Smaller towns/hamlets/villages are best.

michael

[damnut]

Our next door neighbour is a convert, knock on the door one eve, could I help polar align, the good thing is there is now one less insecurity lamp and a fence panel we can lift out if we want a sess!

[mikeDnight]

My neighbours are well aware of my nighttime eccentricities. A few years ago, I was sat in a garden chair on my back lawn just browsing the rich star fields with my NP101. There was about 6" of snow on the ground and I was wrapped up like a geriatric Teletubby. My next door neighbour, who is a lovely lady but a bit bonkers herself, came out to put some rubbish in her wheelie bin, when she caught sight of me sat there, looking like an escapee from One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. She said "You have got to be mental!" The temperature was about minus 12°C. I politely reminded her that I'm not the one who lies on a sun lounger in the heat of summer, with my feet aimed sunward and not wearing any sunblock.

Mike :-)

[todd8137]

Mine all have been for a look at some point ,either on a might or when looking at the sun ,they do not seem to worry part from the one night I had the reflector out and around two in the morning the dew heaters died and I got the hair dryer out ,but when I explained my story they understood since then I have never used the thing after midnight

Pat

[Dave In Vermont]

Mine are well-trained. When they see my red-lights switch on - they know I'm about. They switch off their outside lights. Have a new neighbor who just arrived. I guess it's time to make my introduction. Now where did I put my space-helmut and roller-skates.....

Clear Skies,

Dave

[damnut]

Hi Dave,

I think most neighbours feel more secure if they see folk they know in their own gardens at stupid o'clock in the morning

[Pig]

Why wait until night time  

My neighbours often see me in the garden solar observing dressed in my black peaked balaclava, eating wine marinated melon, playing the guitar and singing songs (that's when I haven't got a black towel over my head shielding the views from any stray light) On a couple of occasions I have caught them singing along.

Most have been in the garden with me to view the Sun and a couple have been in at night to view the Moon and planets.

Bradley, the six year old boy now believes the Moon is full of holes, even the sweet old lady that walks by no longer believes I am a peeping tom since having a look through my solar set up 

[Piero]

In my new place I don't have a garden. Therefore, I pack, get the bike and cycle to a field. The good thing is that it is like having a 'big garden'! On the other hand, there is a chance to meet new neighbours. Last time a few cows woke up and came nearby to inspect what I was doing when I was about to live the field. No big issue, but they were pretty interested!

[cotterless45]

More importantly , what do I think of the neighbours ?

The elderly lady one side got carted off , after counting lumps of coal and bringing around a shopping list . This was scrawled in pencil and headed by "Brandy" followed by "sandwich" and a £10 note.Thats one less security light.

The other side seem to be stuck in tv land. Himself coming out for a cigarette break in the adds under his ex Stalag X security light.

Two doors away are the air gun shootists. Luckily they can't shoot in the dark. They're not too hot in the light either.

Then there's more distant ones. A couple of keen bonfire lighters, usually polystyrene or Leylandii .

.(good job I haven't include the amorous noises in the dark . All bleached hair and bingo wings in daylight)

There's not many calm nights without the pungent smell of illegal substances being smoked. Enough to make the eyes water, but hyperventilating helps.

Not many have curtains, so. I know when they'll asleep.

It's quite peaceful when they've retired for the night. Just the cargo flights from E Midlands and my snuffling hedgehog,

Nick.

[wxsatuser]

Don't know or care that the neighbours know if and when I'm in the obsy.

Couple times had the police helicopter buzz around, they must have seen me with their FLIR.

Was waiting for a bang on the door but it never came, assume they were after something more interesting.

As Nick, we have loads of insecurity lights, a couple of bonfireaholics and yep plenty of weed being smoked.

We have a bus stop out front of the house and sometimes the pile roaches is incredible.

[nightfisher]

I have yet to meet my neighbours, as i hope to move into the new house in the next 3 or 4 weeks, i will let them know what i get up to, and i am lucky that an astro friend lives 50 yards from new house

[Macavity]

Most of mine (I live in N.Wales) do have notions of what Astronomy is about!

I even had one neighbour who (eventually!) went to significant lengths to FIX 

a rogue security light. Took a few "attempts", but the spirit was ever willing.

There is ONE ignoramus (envy perhaps) who "takes the expletive". To some,

Astronomy is a "clever clogs" thing? <Grrr>. And I strongly deny my shed has

"thousands of pounds of wasted benefits money" like HIS ilk ever assume! 

(Yours truly paid for all of it out of a very modest early-retirement pension)

These days, I tend to share far less about my "doings" with the neighbours.

Once bitten, twice shy? But my local Astronomy Soc (replete with cool folk!)

suffices for that. Astronomers stick together... Who *else* could stand us! 

[Mr Spock]

On the right of me there are two girls. They have the patio door open and spend the entire night giggling accompanied by a strange smell.

The lady to my left I never hear from. I think she might be a vampire or something.

Opposite left is an old lady who likes to know everyone's business - I'm probably low down on her list of interesting people.

Opposite right is hidden by a 500' leylandii so I have no idea who lives there.

Incidentally, the leylandii is now so big it blocks my view of polaris despite being to my west...

[reddoss]

My neighbors security lights go off so often, I can't do any observing (let alone imaging) in my back garden!

[Bubbles82]

I got a few looks when I was wandering about in the garden with my Xbox controller. The next day I was chatting to her and explained it all, she did laugh and said" I thought it was strange to be playing video games in the garden at 1am

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[nightfisher]

On the right of me there are two girls. They have the patio door open and spend the entire night giggling accompanied by a strange smell.

The lady to my left I never hear from. I think she might be a vampire or something.

Opposite left is an old lady who likes to know everyone's business - I'm probably low down on her list of interesting people.

Opposite right is hidden by a 500' leylandii so I have no idea who lives there.

Incidentally, the leylandii is now so big it blocks my view of polaris despite being to my west...

can you not arrange for the tree to get a trim

[osbourne one-nil]

I don't have neighbours. Both sets of retired folk either side of my house moved out within months of my family with 3 kids moving in. Weird that. 

[martin_h]

A now empty house on one side, 2 empty derelict houses behind and a family on the other side  who are all night owls themselves, who apart from a stonking great tree in the garden are ok. 

[scarp15]

Having got back into undertaking some backyard astronomy, the old circumstances remain the same. My immediate neighbour likes to keep their landing light on all night with no curtain across the window, they do have two young kids but it is quite ridiculous. It does a good job at illuminating a part of the yard. I have cultivated bushes over the years and this helps block out some stray light. Two council non LED lights in the back lane are a bit of a nuisance to. However at the 'dark side' of the yard things are acceptable except for the occasional smell of 'wacky baccy' drifting from two doors down, for which I just cap the scope and go inside for a spell, gets the rabbits a bit lively. Observing on my allotment is much better.

[cotterless45]

It appears that wacky baccy fumes pervade the urban air ! Thought that I was alone in taking the air !

It's an absolute pleasure to observe from isolated dark sites without interference,

Nick.

[swamp thing]

They can use all the insecurity lights they want as I have no intention of observing from home anyway. The LP makes it a complete waste of time.

[JB80]

My neighbours only come on the weekends in summer so for the most part it's fine.

[scarp15]

It appears that wacky baccy fumes pervade the urban air ! Thought that I was alone in taking the air !

It's an absolute pleasure to observe from isolated dark sites without interference,

Nick.

Hel'l yes

This is what I get to do more off (picture one)

And this is what I live for (picture two)

[Pig]

That is a rather large rabbit you have there and was the DOB grown from a seed