I've lost my fire....

[SoulFrenzy]

When I first entered into the hobby I had a fire that as almost annoying to those around me, but as of the past 6-7 months I have almost lost it. I still enjoy the topic of astronomy and I still read up on it as much as I ever have but I just don't seem to put as many hours behind the eyepiece of my telescope as I once did. My main problem is that I have no good site to set up and my driveway offers only a minimal view of the western sky and the things that track through it. So needless to say my knowledge of that small slice of the sky is exceptional... and other than that I just haven't seen that much stuff. I was wondering if any one else has been through or passed through this slump before and how did you get through it? I want to rekindle that passion tat I once had. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[leemanley]

I had this same problem a couple of months back when I was gearing up to replace my whole set-up, in my case it was more a case of trying to justify spending a couple of grand on a load of kit when I hardly got the chance to get the scope I had out due to the weather/location.

Felt exactly the same, unsatisfied in my hobby !

However, after numerous helpful posts from our friends here at SGL, I was reassured that the passion/interest would come flooding back.

Well, it did, and I am so glad that I replaced my stuff (see sig).

Have been out at 5.30 this morning for a catch up with Jupiter, having not seen it for some time It feels completely fresh seeing it in the new scope.

This is where Ive got my mojo back !

Sure you'll pull through it, how much effort would it take to get your scope out and about ?

[sunshine185]

Same here, even listed my gear on Ebay for a few days. I hardly ever got out because of the weather, I went on holiday where the skies were much darker than I have at home, I got very disheartened. It was the missus and kids who told me not to sell up . Then I got a beautifully clear night and all the enthusiasm came flooding back, now I'm buzzing again.

[jason.p]

I've been through this with other hobbies, esp fishing. I went for a year without going, then tried one trip out and I was like a kid again!

At the time everyone said to never sell your gear, you'll only want it back when it's gone. Very good advice indeed.

[Stu]

I've been observing for nearly 13 years now, and whilst I always maintain an interest, the amount of time I spend varies greatly. Sometimes I go months without observing, but I know that it is something that I will always enjoy, and will always come back to. I try not to see my kit as money sitting there, but as a something which I will never sell so it will always be there.

The weather this year has been dreadful which really doesn't help, and may explain why you are feeling this way. I say hang in there, take a break if you want, but know that the best time of the year is approaching fast and hopefully that will fire your enthusiasm again.

Stu

[Stu]

Another thought, go and join an Astronomy club, one that has an active observing section and that will help you get out to darker sites where you can see the whole sky.

Cheers

Stu

[Capricorn]

Cannot supply a solution but a few go through this and a good number leave he hobby as they go quiet and I eventually see their equipment come up for sale.

You can buy a scope and go out and observe at first. After a while all the easy to find objects have been seen, probably 2 or 3 times. Then what ?

Next is people have expectations of Hubble images, strange that they are all grey, fuzzy and tend to be tiny, they are not BIG, BRIGHT and cover a wall.

Next come actual getting outside and obsrving. Playing squash or badmington is easy - ring up book a court. Heading out to a restaurant is easy - ring up and book that. Astronomy has a bit of a problem with the weather - cannot ring up and book a clear night. Also it has a problem with when the (if any) clear night occurs as really unless it is a Friday or Saturday then there is often work the next day so staying up until 2:00 or 3:00 isn't really practical.

In effect we need a clear sky every Friday and/or Saturday., we also need it at about 10:00pm to make the choice to stay up or not.

Socal life also interrupts, friends and family often expect to do things at the weekends and that gets in the way, and there is not much you can do about it.

Seems you are in a hobby that is going to get you one way or another. I suspect that many need a reason for continuing to do astronomy. If you are of the mind set to do it I would say that being in the US you have a "suitable" route. Something like the Astroleague do these observing certificates. Ever thought of one of these?

http://www.astroleague.org/

Froint page - Observe - Observing Programs

My idea is look through the options they have and pick one that interests you and really is easy. Then have a go. The certificate may be a little pointless but the idea being you have a reason and you have a plan and aim. Thinking about it you may have to make your own plan.

Their certificate groups also means you can select one you may not have thought of. If you have looked at the easy Messiers then try Double Stars or Variable Stars.

As I say the certificate may be a little pointless but the intention is to use the certificate to have a defined set of items to observe and a reason to complete it.

Any clubs in your area that you could attend?

If there are kids at the club maybe do one of the certifiactes with them, help them out a bit.

I see that The Astroleague have one marked "End of the World" better read that first as if it is soon you may not feel it worthwhile starting.

[red dwalf]

i think we`ve all had the same feeling at least once, i work shifts which makes time for the hobby hard but we now have a little group that`s growing , east midlands stargazers, and we have regular meets at a dark site when on a good night the milkyway is in view and thats when the scope is a totally different beast, it`s unbelivable the amount of objects that you can clearly see, these moments make it worth while for me, i`m hopeless at reading books and understanding how to work my equipment properly, took me ages to polar align correctly, so when you have other people to help it`s great.

i also try do do as many starpartys as i can, these are great for meeting like minded people to share your experiance with, and of course they are always at dark sites, my first Kelling meet 4 years ago was still one of the best nights i`ve ever had even with my then modest scope i could see all the things i couldn`t when i`m at home in amazing detail.

[Essex Stargazer]

A little gift from me to you

Hope it helps you

Its all in the words :grin:

enjoy and be re lighted

[PorkyB]

Like so many things in life, you get out what you put in. There are many people on this forum who say they haven't been out observing in months - I have been out six times this month (all 10 days of it). These range from popping out into the garden for an hour with bins, to a couple of full nights out at a dark site with the 200p.

Maybe you should look at the obstacles that are stopping you getting out. Some thing you can't do much about - most of us have families and jobs, but there is usually a compromise to be made, I can stay up late once or twice in the week without it impacting badly on the rest of my life. The view from my garden is very restricted and seriously light-polluted, however if I am pushed for time then it will have to do. I might just get the sun lounger out and lie down in the garden with my bins. If I have a bit more time I will get my little scope out.

I do make an effort to keep a couple of nights each week free for a full night out. This takes negotiation with the family and also relies on the weather, so it frequently doesn't pay off, but the successes massively outweigh the failures. It also pays to be optimistic, a number of times friends have called off a night out because the weather looks poor, I have gone out anyway and been rewarded with excellent conditions. OK, there have also been times when I have driven out to a dark site, looked at the clouds for a couple of hours and driven home again, you can't be lucky all the time.

If your equipment is stopping you getting out to a dark site then it may need to be changed (or added to). My 200p was bought becuase it is the biggest scope that would fit into the boot of my car. I realise that not everyone has the luxury of a car, for a site that I have to walk to I use my 90mm Mak. If I want to really travel light, perhaps to visit a site where I would feel to vunerable to be surrounded by kit, I take my bins and a monopod.

I short: make opportunities, take opportunities and you will be rewarded.

[Tom2012]

Don't sell your stuff!

I haven't been in to Astronomy that long tbh. Fishing is another story though! Been into that for about 13/14 years and this year I've hardly been at all. Lost almost all interest in it, the feeling has gone, the excitement, planning sessions days in advance, everything has almost disappeared. I'd never sell my stuff because I know one day, maybe not soon, maybe in a month, it'll come back. I've hear many stories of people selling their stuff and getting back into it a year or two later and they've had to buy all the stuff again.

Put it away, come back to it later on but don't sell it!

Tom.

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

I did not do very much for 7 or 8 years, just the occasional short session, picking out some Messiers I had seen before, before the fire suddenly rekindled (shortly before joining SGL). I am very happy I never sold my kit. What really has kept me goig is seeking new challenges, outside the well-trodden paths of the Messier list.

[gooseholla]

I hadn't observed since March when I purchased a 12 inch scope three weeks ago! I went about 2 years with an 8 inch scope not really observing. My problem was discouragement of not finding anything decent to look at i.e. bored with the normal objects. However, education and perseverance helped, as did setting goals. In my case, it was working through the deep sky observer's guide, trying to find the objects and tick them off. Drawing at the scope also helped, as it gave me something to focus on, and stopped the temptation of trying to find an object, then another, then another etc. in a night. Limiting it to two or three objects helped immensly.

I think as someone posted above, a routine or certificate program, basically a goal, of objects to look at would help immensly. As would sharing your current knowledge with others, maybe an observing partner or joining a society can help.

[Moonshane]

My advice would be drive with a mate or two to a darker site. Does not have to be inky black but just more expansive and darker than at home.

you don't even need to take a scope (but better if you do). Sit there and look up at the Milky Way and other sights and see how you feel. If you feel uplifted then there's still hope. If not, maybe it's not the hobby for you. I find that dark sites give me a real push to want to see more.

[sologuitarist61]

When I first entered into the hobby I had a fire that as almost annoying to those around me, but as of the past 6-7 months I have almost lost it. I still enjoy the topic of astronomy and I still read up on it as much as I ever have but I just don't seem to put as many hours behind the eyepiece of my telescope as I once did. My main problem is that I have no good site to set up and my driveway offers only a minimal view of the western sky and the things that track through it. So needless to say my knowledge of that small slice of the sky is exceptional... and other than that I just haven't seen that much stuff. I was wondering if any one else has been through or passed through this slump before and how did you get through it? I want to rekindle that passion tat I once had. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I think what you describe has affect many of us in recent years (especially in Britain which, being a small country, means you are never far from street lights, and it is a pain to have to pack all your gear into the car and drive 20 - 30miles to a darker site only to start to set up and then find that you have left an important piece of kit behind!

[ollypenrice]

I do this for a living and still get a gigantic kick out of it. I'm often asked if I go out when we have no guests. You bet I do! I'd say I wimp out on no more than three clear moonless nights a year. However, I think you do need a project. Maybe to get down to a certain magnitude in a certain area, etc. As an imager there are more projects than I have the slightest chance of living to see completed so imaging is a good field from that point of view.

But there's a good phrase in cycle racing, one of my earlier obsessions; 'It isn't compulsory.' Often these things feel as if they are! Why not take a break and come back when you want to?

Olly

[David Smith]

I absolutely know how you feel. I have been observing for over 20 years, some years are great years (150+ obs/ year) and other I have hardly been out at all (2006 was probably the worst with just 14 for the whole year!) Occasionally I have thought that maybe I had lost the interest for good but each time it has come back stronger and the last 5 years have been the most consistent with over 100 obs / year.

I've come to the conclusion that from time-to-time I just need a break and at other times life just gets in the way!

[scarp15]

How does that saying go; 'one percent inspiration and ninety nine percent perspiration'.

[LeeB]

When things get me down I try making stuff, get an old scope no one loves, do it up at almost no cost and then you have a new toy. All my scopes are second hand rebuilds and I even spend time working on friends scopes, there is more to this hobby than time at the eyepiece.

Even grind your own mirror the satifaction is enormous. Don't give up you will regret it.

[CFC]

Wettest summer ever?

Limited patch of sky?

And you're surprised you've lost a bit of your mojo?

What you need is:

A clear dry night - pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease!

Go somewhere you can see a different bit of sky!

[SoulFrenzy]

Thanks for all the advice... I greatly appreciate it. My equipment is in no danger of being sold. lol I love my gear and I value it greatly. Yeah I think I am going to give myself objectives and a "to do" list of things to find. I have a Messier map on my study wall and I used to check off all my finds but I got lazy and stopped. I am going to restart that so I can get a visual on what I am finding. My old high school has a field and I am going to try to secure the their permission to use it, the main problem is they want to know when I will be coming and as we all know the sky sometimes dictates when we view and I may not know until basically Im ready to walk out of the house. Its good to know that Im not alone. I am think I am going to start building some stuff. I love to make things and I made a little "copy scope" a few weeks ago. Its practically useless but its something I made and that makes it awesome to me. Next on my list is I want to make a tripod for it and my bino's ... My interest is still alive just maybe not in actually observing time... but its a phase and I'll pass through it. Thanks for the help!!

[Mr Moff]

I think many people feel a little deflated with the weather in recent months here in the uk.

But check out the bright side. I don't have to wait until 12.30am to go out for a couple of hours viewing. I can go out at 10 now,woohoo.

Soon we will all be able to go out at tea time for a play.

The best advise I can give though is to buy some eyepieces. That always cheers me up.

[cotterless45]

I've seen a lot of folk spend too much money. What starts as a hobby becomes an obsession, then turns into an obligation. Then they can't be bothered and sell to try something else.

It's good to focus on different projects. I spent a long time searching for galaxies, then planetary nebulae,clusters etc.

I'm now doing charts of the best bits, constellation by constellation.

There's also the interest in background reading, if you read Burnham's , you'll be surprised at what we are looking at.

This summer in the UK has been awful, I'm now setting up earlier and earlier and we've just had 7 clear nights.

There's also the pleasure of showing and inspiring newbies and popping down to a good friend who mends everything I buy or break!

Nick.

[Quatermass]

good advice it does us all good to take a break and then come back later same with most hobbies and interests.

Sent from my GT-S5670 using Tapatalk 2

[Moonshane]

one good project if you are any good at DIY / woodworking is an observing chair. google denver chair and you'll get some ideas. your back will thank you.