Immersion in other worlds

[Captain Caveman]

I'm very new to this stargazing lark but really enjoyed the clear cold nights of last week with naked eye and small bins. I hope that this is a hobby that will last for a long time to come.

It has struck me that gazing/astronomy is an immersive hobby that has some comparisons with some of my previous activities: SCUBA diving and high altitude walking/climbing

With stargazing you need not actually go to a different location, but on a good night, you can be transported from our humble earth and feel like we are just standing on a viewing platform in our huge cosmos. The change in thinking that occurs is similar to be 30m underwater and finding yourself in a new world, goverened by new rules on nitrogen narcosis and restricted by decompression guidelines. The same goes for going to altitude in that you can't go up too quick and have to wait for physiological changes to occur - a bit like the dark adaptation

When gazing there seem to be "new rules" like not having other lights around and other ways of optimizing viewing

With the mountains and sea you are physically transported to a new environment with different rules, but with the stars you transport yourself to a new place, that everyone else seems oblivious too

It feels like the world is a different place when observing the skies and puts the rest of life on this planet into a new perspective, as can the other activities I described

Just thought I'd share a bit of navel gazing, and hope that I continue to enjoy this new hobby

Clear skies!!!

[LukeSkywatcher]

Nice thoughts. When i observe i get lost in both time and space. Hours pass by in the blink of an eye. For me its not so much about what i am seeing. That is a small part of it. For me its more about how big,far away things are and how small and insignificant our little blue marble is in the grand scheme of things.

We literally are looking back in time. I try to explain this to non astronomers and they all think i am nuts and tell me to take a long walk off of a short pier. They just dont understand that a LY is a measure of time rather then distance.

[ecosse]

It's great to be able to forget about everything else and just let your imagination take over.

It's amazing to think how far away the objects we are viewing actually are!

[Lorne]

Nice thoughts. When i observe i get lost in both time and space. Hours pass by in the blink of an eye. For me its not so much about what i am seeing. That is a small part of it. For me its more about how big,far away things are and how small and insignificant our little blue marble is in the grand scheme of things.

We literally are looking back in time. I try to explain this to non astronomers and they all think i am nuts and tell me to take a long walk off of a short pier. They just dont understand that a LY is a measure of time rather then distance.

[Double Kick Drum]

I'd like to echo your sentiments on immersion into other worlds.

Losing yourself in something you really enjoy is the greatest therapy compared to the rigmarole that is life (especially working life!)

That makes me sound right on the edge of the abyss....it's not like that, i'm just stuck expressing it in a more eloquent way.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Did i say something wrong?

[hes not well again]

It seems to me that imagination is an indespensible part of astronomy. I have noticed that for some people when you show them the more obvious dso's they regard them as just faint blobs. Which they are if you want to look at them that way. The difference is when you try to imagine just how huge and far away they are. When you look at Andromeda and try and imagine how many civilisations must have flourished orbiting its billions of stars. Thats when the wonder of it all comes in. An interest in astronomy is definately good for recapuring that childlike sense of wonder that we all lose to a certain extent as we grow up.

[Shibby]

I think that finding DSOs on your own is a major factor in how fascinating you find it. If you just tell someone to look through your (targeted) scope to see a blob, it's far less interesting even once you have tried to explain how unfathomably far away these objects are!

Did i say something wrong?

Yeah technically that's the wrong way round, but we know what you're getting at

[Bart]

I agree that you become immersed in something, not sure if its the peace and quiet or the transportation to a place far away. I also agree its a way of recapturing the sense of wonder. I have often exclaimed WOW when I finally found a beauty glide into the FOV. I don't do that all that often in 'real life'

Bart

[LukeSkywatcher]

Whoops. My mistake. Stupid me.

A LY is a measure of distance.

I'll get my coat.

[Captain Caveman]

Officially, yes, a light-year is the distance light travels in 1 year, but you are also correct that for every light year distance away the object you are watching, that is how long ago you are watching it from

[Chris H]

It can be a very relaxing hobby, a long observing session on my own in a good dark spot can make me feel extremely chilled out.

[Rob1961]

How many times have you thought 'I'd better head in now' thinking you'd been out for about 30 minutes had passed, you go in look at the clock and two and a half hours has gone by! Happens way too often to me.....