Astronomy Hobby and your Wife/Husband/Spouse/GF/BF

[Mr_Si]

Hi all,

Out of interest...

How do you all handle the Astronomy Hobby vs spending time or going to sleep at the same time as your partner thing?

I guess it could lead to frustrations...?

I can see the potential for this to happen.

Or are all your partners supportive and interested?

Any special techniques to reveal?

Many thanks,

Simon

[pallas15]

personally speaking its about balance.If the evenings are nice the mrs will sit outside with me ,observing stars by eye.She is really only interested in planets so when shes off work she will observe the moon and jupiter with me.She starts work at 6.00 am so when were off together we always get up around 4ish and obseverve or take the rotty for a drag.I usually view from sunset until maybe 1 or 2 and she doesnt mind unless I wake her up to view a "smudge" Ive been searching for for hours.

I think what puts our partners of is boring them silly by going on about things and forcing them outside to view our proudest moment wich is usually met by "is that it"..also the money side can cause friction but as I said,its about balance..I try and involve her as much as poss, you know a nice cold bear and a bacon sarnie was just the job at 2.30 this morning whilst viewing the moon Pleiades and jupiter in the same part of the sky..used my green laser pointer to point and explain the different things she/I was seeing...I think she applauded the thought and effort rather than being ignored whilst I did it...doesnt always work but if she turns down the offer then its her choice...can do no more ....

[Mike73]

I found that shes perfectly ok with astronomy and late nights as long as I dont put my cold feet on her when I get into bed.....but I just cant resist it!!!

[breezy]

Well mine spent half hour with the bins looking around last night and she said it was rather enjoyable ... Not told her I'm planning on expanding scope collection already ; )

[mallorcasaint]

Fortunately my wife is also a member of the Norman Lockyer Observatory although she is in the "Observer" group while I tend to hang around the Imaging gang. She's not that keen on standing around for hours in the middle of the night but she enjoys all things Universe related ( she a mathematician).

[allcart]

My wife wasn't keen or very interested. Me staying up till 3am on freezing cold nights, and coming in and out for coffee didn't help much.

Getting into bed at 3am freezing cold didn't help at all.

[pvaz]

Usually I sleep in the morning and work the afternoon. When the wife and kid get home I take a break to help with the house stuff 'till 10:30pm then get back to work up to 4 or 5am (self employed software developer).

When I decide to take a break to observe that usually doesn't affect our routine.

[breezy]

i work shifts so the wifes used to having the bed to herself, and she goes to bed way before i do normally anyway so the standing in the gardens not a prob.

just the potential cost, but i have pointed out she has a fair sized shoe and handbag collection so its only fair i treat myself !!!

[lhuchison]

My wife enjoys the time on her own to watch girly films while i,m outside in the garden. Says something about my company I,m thinking!

[Peter Drew]

My wife is interested and supportive but no longer actively involved.

[RikM]

My wife quite likes solar observing. I had planned to buy her a solar scope this year but a CCD camera came up at a decent price instead and she wasn't even cross how's that for supportive

[Moonshane]

+ 1 for balance. I tend to spend too much time on astronomy though and occasionally get a flea in my ear. my wife likes looking at moon and planets etc but cannot raise interest in smudges.

[Tim]

I haven't posted this in a while, seems like a good opportunity

The Torn Astronomer

A tale I feel I have to tell,

It may well make you weep,

About a problem faced by man,

Whilst others are asleep.

Our man is an “Astronomer”,

Or so he tells his friends,

He likes to gaze up at the stars,

But that’s not where it ends.

For his life is rarely simple,

When a starry night appears.

And an evening at the eyepiece,

Can often end in tears.

So here is the dilemma,

Our Astromoner must face,

He took a wife in marriage,

And she doesn’t know her place.

Imagine this scenario,

Orion’s on the rise,

Pluto’s in acension,

And a comet adds surprise.

The seeing was the best for years,

The sky is crystal clear,

A waning moon quite hidden,

The perfect night is here!

His telescope is duly raised,

Polaris shows the way,

And all that money spent on kit,

Would FINALLY start to pay!

However….

Remember when we said that,

“Lifes’ road’s not always straight”?

Well, although the Heavens beckon him,

A Tigress lies in wait.

Purring from the shadows,

Her eyes survey her prey.

He looks so cold and lonely,

She’ll surely have her way!

The dark arts of seduction,

Which are never known to fail,

Are practised now upon our guy,

A helpless, hapless male.

A flash of a suspender belt,

A generous glimspe of cleavage,

The powers of the woman,

That give her massive leverage.

He does try hard to concentrate,

And slews around to Saturn,

But his fingers start to tremble,

Its the old familiar pattern.

Telescope abandoned now,

The Tigress claims her prize,

And the only stars seen twinkling,

Are the ones found in her eyes.

And so it goes, most every time,

Though you might think it corny,

That when the skies are at their best,

His wife is always horny.

So if it’s telescope or passion,

Cold stars or hot romance,

The enticements of the female form,

Don’t give the stars a chance.

A zillion years of Suns and Moons,

They’re going no place fast.

And my advice is, if you’re torn,

ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS!!!

[Tim]

My wife wasn't keen or very interested. Me staying up till 3am on freezing cold nights, and coming in and out for coffee didn't help much.

Getting into bed at 3am freezing cold didn't help at all.

+1, but she loves me and makes a LOT of allowances, bless her

[estwing]

no interest at all....bliss

[Teslar]

My partner is very supportive. Happy to take a look at anything I've imaged and likes to do visual on anything new to her. I'm fortunate that money isn't a problem between us and she understands that there is a need for more than one scope. So I guess I have the perfect partner . It's her birthday tomorrow to a special treat is in store

[Mr_Si]

Loving the poem. My wife is too.

Sent from my GT-I9100

[astrofox]

She accepts what I do and is occasionally interested in the wow objects. So long as the total number of my scopes is below a threshold she is fine with it

[Rakanishu]

Great poem

[luna 2011]

my fiancee is very keen to have a look at anything i have in the eye piece when i give her a call.very supportive,do get funny comments tho about the red light in the shed

[Scott]

+1 for the poem. (a chance would be a good thing)

my wife is happy i'm happy as long as i don't try and drag her into it. saturn was a wow, jupiter got a mmm. venus and mar was "is that it?". it goes downhill from there i'm afraid.still, i don't love all her hobbies either. as for the money side of things, as long as everyone in the house gets an even spread of "treats" then alls good.

Scott

[RikM]

as long as everyone in the house gets an even spread of "treats" then alls good.

Scott

I think that's the trick.

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[NGC 1502]

I take the wife to events/places that she likes, and she comes to astro events, and likes looking at moon/planets & the sun through my L35.

It's compromise, and my marriage is more important than my astronomy.

Regards, Ed.

[Mike73]

I think that's the trick.

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

My wife now has so many shoes it's unbelievable and since I decided to upgrade to a new 16" I think she has enough shoe tokens to last a lifetime!!

[paul schofield]

My other half is totally supportive of my hobby & lets face it, its not like there has been much opportunity over the last 6 months or so for me due to terrible sky conditions. If I find something impressive in the skies I will show her and she will ask a couple of questions generally then back into the warm comfy indoors on the p.c or watching tripe DVD's ha, bless her. But yes I agree it is all about balance, most of my observing is done late at night when all but me are asleep, as I work weird shifts and get lots of days off.