As far as Hobbies go... its not that expensive

[Kevdan]

Hi all,

Just starting to convince the wife that the 10" explorer on the NEQ6 is not expensive and Im even convincing myself,

i.e.

man with no hobbies goes to pub 3 times per week spends £20 each night totalling £60 per week , £3120 per year and over 5 years £15,600

Man with scope spends in my case what I want is around £1400 + £250 for new eyepieces etc totalling £1650 ok call it £2000 to make it simple. £2000 over 5 years = £400 per year which working on using the scope just once a week due to clouds etc = £7.69p per night.

Now when I used to go fishing for a day I had to spend at least twice that for a good day ticket then theres the cost of fishing gear, A mate of mine in his stupidity goes to watch Aston Villa with his season ticket at £800 per year average and thats just home games

By now you've probably realised I have indeed convinced myself to buy an even bigger scope than the 10" and to get an observatory for it as well.

Im not saying that its a waste to spend time in a pub (what else we going to do when its cloudy) or go to watch the football, but after a good few years using your kit, if for some reason you've given up on the hobby or want to upgrade then this kit if looked after will be resaleable.

So im off now to ask the wifey if theres anything she needs doing around the house like clean the windows or the ironing or clean the oven...

well you get the idea, im creeping LOL

Ive had my rant now,

Kev.

[huggiebear]

Do it man, get it....I didn't tell my wife when i ordered my scope. Thought its easier to beg forgivness than seek approval. Everything is fine in my house hold and we still talk (sometimes)

[Tiddles]

Like it, good luck!!

[KevG]

Your quite right... I was, until very recently into Sports bikes, had Two of em, all in must have been spending in excess of 5k a year, by comparison astro kit is very economical, and unlike a pair of 'sticky' tyres, lasts a lot longer too (do miss the bikes though).

[Ags]

Be careful of aperture fever... that is a monumental setup you are contemplating. If you go for it, I think for practicality it needs to be in an observatory :-)

[Kevdan]

I think for practicality it needs to be in an observatory :-)

Now Im telling her its all your idea LOL.

[ArmyAirForce]

Astronomy can get expensive if you want to take it to extremes. In general, you can get good views of the universe without spending a fortune, so it is a pretty cheap hobby. Certainly my cheapest hobby.

[Photosbykev]

I think your thinking is slightly flawed. Assuming you will get one night a week to view the stars, the other six nights will be spent down the pub drowning your sorrows or fishing lol

but I won't say anything

[JamesF]

So you need to take up home brewing as a hobby as well, and make a big pond in the garden. In fact, make a *really* big pond with an island in the middle and put the obsy on the island with a drawbridge

James

[ronin]

You don't stand a chance.

From her point of view:

Seeing a £1000 handbag for sale at £600 is a saving of £400

You buying £500 of astro equipment is a loss of £500.

She "saves" £400 by spending £600, you just spend £500.

[Ags]

Ronin, too true - this is how everyone understands everyone else's purchases...

[182570]

You don't stand a chance.

From her point of view:

Seeing a £1000 handbag for sale at £600 is a saving of £400

You buying £500 of astro equipment is a loss of £500.

She "saves" £400 by spending £600, you just spend £500.

Ithink you've got it spot on with that post:headbang:

[jonathan]

I would look at it this way - the NEQ6 is likely to be the only mount you'll need, it could last you 20 years. The explorer should satisfy you for at least a year... by which time her much-loved £600 handbag has worn out, the handle is coming off, and is generally rather tatty looking. Probably bought six pairs of shoes in that time too.

[Jon Sales]

I can spend what I like

[Philip.]

go for it, no-one could argue with those calculations...........could they?

[jonathan]

I can spend what I like

Me too.

[Kevdan]

I'm very fortunate, my better half is very low maintainence, Handbags and shoes at £600 She would run a mile from, However I must say she still looks amizing and keeps herself nice and trim and tidy, and no she isnt standing behind me while I type this, But she would rather spend the money on the grandkids. I will argue the fact that the grandkids could easily be the next Brian Cox or Patrick Moore given the right guidance(they are all girls though).

Kev.

[Saleratus]

Good astronomy equipment holds it's value extremely well, so especially if you buy 2nd hand, you can make a good argument that the cost of this hobby in the long term is really only about 15% of what you put into it.

Anything you tire of, you can sell to get back most of what you paid for it.

[littlebeagle]

Wish I only spent £20 a night in the pub.

[legoalan]

Just read through the thread which was pretty entertaining As for the price of astronomy its not really that bad at all; I got my 250 dob 2nd hand off ebay for a respectable £265 and an eyepiece kit brand new for £90.

[Steve 1962]

If you want to feel really good about it - you could compare it to smoking - 20 a day at £7(ish) per day = £2555 per year gone up in smoke.

..or you could just buy it and then, when your wife notices it, just say "Oh that old thing - I've had that for years" .

Go on - it's a great set of kit you're looking at.

Good luck

Steve

[Simms]

You don't stand a chance.

From her point of view:

Seeing a £1000 handbag for sale at £600 is a saving of £400

You buying £500 of astro equipment is a loss of £500.

She "saves" £400 by spending £600, you just spend £500.

Jeez! If my other half spent £600 on a handbag she wants to pray its big enough to sleep in.

[Carl M]

The way I look at it is that it's a hell of a lot cheaper than tuition fees

[Tribal-Wolf]

I know motorcycling is a blumming expensive hobby, so that's two hobbies I can;t afford lol.

[Kevdan]

I know motorcycling is a blumming expensive hobby, so that's two hobbies I can;t afford lol.

I also keep marine fish, probably spent £5000 over 5 years and thats a never ending cost, just to run my 5' x 2' x 2'6" tank cost about £90 per quater in Electric, then about £25 per month on food then £10-20 per month on test kits salt etc...

Anyone want to buy a 5'x2'x2'6" marine set up

Kev.