To sell or not to sell, this is the question???

[bigbox]

I have rather a big problem at the mo. Do i sell or do i not sell?

I never thought astronomy would grab me in the way it has over the past year.

I now have to make a very hard decision on whether to give up my favorite sport & past time, GOLF... Astronomy very very close 2nd...

For a future of cold, dark sleepless & mostly lonely nights, trying to capture that image known as the universe to share with others...

I know what lots of you will say " Golf, spoils a good walk".

Mmm decisions decisions...

[Charon]

Pack the golf in! Mind you it is easy for me to say that as I have no interest in the sport.

[callisto]

NO!.....Dont give up Golf, I did once for Astronomy and boy did I regret it, had to buy all my clubs again (better ones though:D).

There is plenty room for both

[Duns]

Don't give up golf - its a frustrating but enjoyable game. Hmmm similar to astronomy in some respects with all these cloudy skies. plenty of time for both:)

[x6gas]

Both it has to be!

No point in selling your clubs or resigning your club membership for better astro gear - you'll end up resenting in on the clear golf days that are followed by cloudy nights! Hope you find room for both.

To be honest, I can see the similarities... I once spent a small fortune on a driver that was - according to the marketing spiel - going to double the length of my drivers and every one would be straight down the middle. Didn't work, of course! No subsitute for patience and practice. Same with astro kit - I'm the biggest limiting factor in my imaging results by a very long way! Still enjoy it though!

Cheers, Ian

[JB80]

You can cut down on golf, I don't see the need in selling anything you already own as it shouldn't be costing anything just taking up space.

Have the best of both worlds, you'll regret it down the track.

[Moonshane]

if you are like me then funds available dictates that you have to sell something to buy something? should this be the case I would sell the gold gear if you are sure you are 'well into' astronomy.

if you buy used equipment of good quality, there is always a ready market for this sort of gear. you may lose a little bit but it's relatively easy to 'cash in your chips' and rebuy other equipment in the future.

do what makes you happiest.

[pastiche]

Golf when it's light...

Astronomy when it's dark...

Where's the problem?

[sabana]

If you do you can always watch Alan Shepard playing golf on the lunar surface.

http://stargazerslounge.com/members/sabana-albums-alan-shepard-picture14931-alan-shepard-apollo-14-playing-round-golf-lunar-surface.jpg

[ronin]

Keep the clubs. All you need is a slightly better mount, say EQ5 as a step up from the EQ3-2. Save £5-10 a week and you'll soon get there.

Say this as astrophotography in a serious manner far exceeds the cost of clubs and what you have at present. So selling whatever you have isn't going to get you close to a serious AP kit.

Keep what you have, get a better mount eventually and keep the clubs.

Golf may have been described as a good walk spoil, but it is still a good walk of about 4 miles a time.

[Caldwell 14]

If you like Golf, play Golf. I had the same dilema with fly fishing, and thats not the cheapest sport in the world either, on a par (excuse the pun) with Golf I would say, anyway I still have my collection of Hardy fly rods, keep your clubs

[LukeSkywatcher]

No reason why you cant keep both hobbies up. I'd imagine that golf is a hell of a lot cheaper then astronomy.

[rowan46]

It's also very difficult to play at night

[LukeSkywatcher]

It's also very difficult to play at night

Very true and astronomy is all but near impossible during the day.

[Rapallokid]

Both are expensive, but remember the golden rule of any golf club purchase, they all work well until you pay for them.

[Freff]

Pack them both in and take up fishing.

[Quatermass]

Do both but give one a break for a while that way you can come back to it later.

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk

[Pete Presland]

astronomy?,i remember that its something you do when the clouds disappear,good luck with your decision

[ScubaMike]

Both are expensive, but remember the golden rule of any golf club purchase, they all work well until you pay for them.

You can substitute AP gear for golf club purchase in that statement too.

Both require patience, so if you have had the patience to play Golf well, you may find a lot of similarities.

[glowjet]

I would have thought that even though it may be a question of finance, never burn your boats, you would not want to miss those lovely frustrating moments in golf to change for ones in the dark why not enjoy both, there may be ways in the future that allow you to overcome this dilemma, golf you play during the day, Astronomy at night, no contest

[SlipperySquid]

Honestly mate, Don't sell the clubs! I have taken up astrophotography and it is a money pit as you are always chasing the better image! Give it a year with the gear you have and then make a decision as the clear nights are far and few between AND the problems you have once you get a clear night will have you chewing your own face off in frustration!

It is rewarding though the learning curve can be steep and I'd say that Astrophotography is more of an obsession than a hobby it's very rarely relaxing and will have you deciding to make a bonfire with all your gear on more than one occasion

Keep the golf for when you want to chill out and use the astro when you need the challenge!

Matt.

[Carbon Brush]

Stay with both. Why?

A you a member of a golf club?

Do they have reasonably dark skies on the course?

There is potential there for having access to a dark site for observing.

[Grunthos]

astronomy is all but near impossible during the day.

Not so.

e.g. Solar and Remote/robotic astronomy are quite possible.

Planning observing sessions, modding scopes, DIY projects, studying for a formal qualification, visiting research centres (like Jodrell) also spring to mind...