What is it about astronomy?

[Manok101]

Granted seeing conditions weren't great but it was good to get the scope out after what seems like a month, just to gaze at anything. I've always wondered why it always makes me feel better when I'm feeling down to go out, and just look at a star for an hour or so, if you were wondering, tonight's target was Vega. I didn't bother with the goto portion of the scope, but to me there's nothing more relaxing than listening to a good book and looking at the stars.

[Mr Bond]

For me it's just the timeless connections. The very tides that made it possible for us to evolve are caused by the Moon. The Sun that makes our food grow.

Everything is bound up in this complex puzzle. And it's free at the point of delivery (ymmv!).

Also after spending the day mending forklifts, it's a lovely quiet distraction. :-)

[sbooder]

For all their violent activity at such a distance it all seems so peaceful and such a contrast to daily life that it melts your worries away for a short while, until the light of day slaps you in the face with life.

[twotter]

It's the timeless, endless, majesty of the night sky. Then the peace and quiet late at night when everyone else is asleep and it's just me, my telescope and the heavens.

Quite moving sometimes

[nicnac]

for me, it brings a sense of awe and wonderment and knowing that mankind hasn't screwed too much with it yet.... un-spoilt

[bish]

My girlfriend can't understand why I find it interesting. I can't understand why she doesn't. Looking at whole different galaxies millions of light years away. How can that not be interesting?

[JamesM]

It's simply the ability stand back and view both space and time - a rare commodity these days.

James

[rowan46]

I like the privacy. I often go to the canal to observe as its darker than my garden, Just me the ducks , bats, badgers , foxes and police helicopter

[Astro Imp]

I think a bit of all the above and just concentrating on something away from the hum-drum daily grind.

[MorningMajor]

I like the privacy. I often go to the canal to observe as its darker than my garden, Just me the ducks , bats, badgers , foxes and police helicopter

I've got a hedgehog that visits me, the other night it came right up and started sniffing my shoes!

[Multi-Coated]

Love Physics ........ Love astronomy...... Answers so many questions about who I am and where I am in the grand scheme of things. ( Although I'm probably totally lost !)

[Lorne]

Love Physics ........ Love astronomy...... Answers so many questions about who I am and where I am in the grand scheme of things. ( Although I'm probably totally lost !)

Is that you Professor Brian????

[Tim]

the thrill of the chase????

[Si W]

For me it's the whole rytham of the universe and the clock work like motion of the sun, moon and planets, beautiful, sometime's i just sit there, look up and marval at it all and feel part of it, it's the fact that i know were it's come from and were it's all going.

[MorningMajor]

After last night, when the clouds rolled in just after I had set up - it's the frustration, tempered with the thrill that next time it will be different - hopefully!

[Adamski]

I find that going out and viewing helps me forget about all of lifes woes and gives me a great sense of something much bigger and more important to think about. To quote Douglas Adams " what is the answer to the ultimate question, life, the universe and everything?" I know the answer was 42 but it's the actual question that provokes so much thought.blah blah blah. lol.

[Multi-Coated]

Is that you Professor Brian????

LOL .I could answer with a great profile shot of me on top of the whole world , but i'm not sure how to upload pictures a billion billion billion times.

[PortableAstronomer]

I find it bizarre that people on cruise ships pay extra $$$s to get a cabin with a sea view , in order to see plain blue water stretching out to the horizon ; and then compare that to the night-sky view which is not only free, has far more to see, and far more inspiration, and yet most people choose to turn a blind eye on the latter.

For us astronomers , we have the capacity to appreciate things out there in the universe that we can't touch in our hands. Joe public probably doesn't.

[nicnac]

[quote=PortableAstronomer;1822711most people choose to turn a blind eye on the latter.

probably doesn't.

for most people, all they can see is orange goo.

i think if the government were to experiment, turn off all the lights for an hour in wintertime, FLO would run low on stock again

[Vicky]

I feel there's something primeval about it. And of course it negates the noise and hectic parts of the rest of my life. And its free!