How does work interfere with your stargazing ??

[breezy]

The rains stopped, there's stars in the sky and its not too chilly , fantastic .

But wait where am I? At flaming work that's where and can't really use a scope here ... Bah humbug

[GlassWalker]

Can't stay up late before weekdays as it's an early start. Also I got travel ahead, so guaranteed they'll be clear nights while I'm away from home.

[nightfisher]

I work as a truck driver, and i get a lot of early starts, i can almost predict clear skies when i have to get an early night

[jimmyjamjoejoe]

I'm a chef. I get up at 7am, and finish at around 22:30. It's very rare i get to observe anymore.

I usually get a break in the afternoon, but that's usually just enough to eat and smoke. Sometimes i'l do some solar observing.

Waiting to hear back about an interview i had last week for a software testing position. 37 hours a week and flexitime.... No evenings, no weekends, no stinking like a deep fryer, no moody girlfriend, and definitely no minimum wage. Fingers crossed!

[LukeSkywatcher]

I'm my own boss. I make my own work hours. I always meet deadlines i set and deliver on time.

[John]

I took early retirement last year so it's not an issue now. I did have to exercise some restraint when I was working though, especially if I had to travel or had early meetings the following day.

I guess it's a hobby at the end of the day (quite literally !) so it has to take it's place.

[yeti monster]

They shine bright lights everywhere, the place is hardly ever still and the main engine exhausts seem to always be churning out mugg just where I want to be looking....

[Solar_observer]

it interferes with my astronomy a lot. i work nights and only get Mon/tue off. When I'm off its mostly cloudy and when I'm working its clear, just like it is tonight. (stuck in work looking through The window at a stunning clear sky)

Going to have to get a day job;)

tony

[Laowei Tony]

Retired five years ago so my time is my own. Keeping SWMBO happy is another story as she always has a list of things for me to do. As I am just starting in this hobby she hasn't been a hindrance yet. I'd put my foot down if she objects but she's smaller and quicker than me!

[Lorne]

It affects me a lot too, in both good and bad ways, I work a 3 shift pattern so if Im early shift I cant do late observing sessions, If Im late shift I can go straight out observing at 22.30 staying out as late as I can. Nightshift has its moments too as I keep a set of bins in the car so during quiet spells I can nip out and have a peak at the sky... Orion has been stunning this past week in the pre dawn sky

[Darth Takahashi]

It sends me away from home when the skies are clear and brings me back when there cloudy

[K3ny0n]

I work shifts, two days - two nights then 4 days off, almost certain that it is clear on my four working days. I do get 17 days off every 8 weeks which gives me plenty of nights to pick from.

Rob

[Capricorn]

If working then realistically observing means Fridays and Saturdays. To me this "seems" obvious but I only know of one club, in a total of 4, that actually has the sense to arrange their observing on this basis. Friend who sails said that astronomy is like sailing, best considered when retired.

Earlier nights mean you can do some earlier in the evening, however a large scope and complicated setup tends to work against this. One of the reasons for a small grab and go set up. Which is where a half reasonable 80mm achro of say f/7-f/8 would be a good instrument. A 150 Dobsonian is another small and quick option. Cool down is not an option for consideration.

It has to be understood that you are talking that about a convenient and opertunistic hours viewing. Annoying when you get that clear stable night but with work the next day. How many bought their scope with the idea "Can I take this outside and be observing in less then 10 minutes?" Because for 1.5 hours possible one Tuesday evening that is what you need in equipment.

On CN it was once asked: Will I see more through a 10 inch reflector or an 80mm refractor? The 10" has the higher potential but the 80mm will get used a lot more. I guess many 10" and 12" scopes do not get used owing to the hassle, have read it here enough times. Equally for a small scope you still need the bits.

For short durations there is also the situation of being prepared before hand, spending 20 minutes locating all the bits is lost time. I now have all the bits for one scope in a trolly bag for that scope, eyepieces (not your best, I use the TMB clones), tripod accessories, book, torch, anything. Oddly enough it works. Preparation also means having an idea of something to go look at. Standing there thinking "What, Where? " as I have found is not a great deal of use. Have you a list of 5 things?

If like myself you are in a town then knowing somewhere dark(ish) is useful. Easy to have a 20 minute drive and observe with binoculars, although more sensible if single. Relevant other halves would i guess find it odd. Also getting all bits in a car and organised is time.

I have an ETX-70 for this, tripod and scope are one unit and easy to drop in the car, 3 eyepieces, power lead from car to scope. 5 minutes to set up and align and I am viewing. Accessories when in a car are easier in a plastic storage box on the rear seat,

Don't expect to see the whole of the Messier catalogue either in an hours viewing.

[nxrc]

I get up at 5ish and get home between 19:00 and 20:00, because I work quite a way from where I live. I tend to feel quite tired in the evenings, so it's usually just dinner and bed. It was a shame last night, because it looked like there were good conditions (i.e. no clouds!) here.

[earth titan]

Well work definitely gets in the way, but without it, I wouldn't be able to afford to do it!

My best bit of kit is my obsy, which means I can be up and going inside 5 minutes. Without that I don't think I would get half as much done.

Typed by me, using fumms...

[onesmallstep]

I keep office hours so have evenings free through to 1 or 2am. I can still make it into work on time without being wiped out through exhaustion / post-observing fatigue (how many work colleagues are hungover from an evening spent in the pub???). Also, a lot of UK astronomy is based around cloud vs clear patches so a grab and go set up like the one Capricorn mentions is a good idea for ad-hoc observing and a larger / main scope for extended observing sessions at clubs / skycamps.

[estwing]

i have to get-up half an hour before i go to bed,but only work 1hr a day with 50mins lunch-break...so it can be hard.

[Mike73]

I work 2 weeks on 2 weeks off so I get plenty of time for late nights.

[VigdisVZ]

I can usually shift my work window to later if it fits with the current work-load we have. So I could stretch the nights a bit from time to time. And it gets dark early in Sweden during the winters so there's still a lot of time half of the year (compared to the other half when the blumming sun barely sets before it gets bright again).

[The Sailor]

Retired so have plenty of time, only thing that stops me is the old body, bones can't take the pace of the brain .

Jim

[Brighton Belle]

I work 2 earlies, 2 lates and 2 nights then get 4 days off. Many's the time I've nipped outside at work for a smoke and seen crystal dark skies. But what happens on my days off?? You've guessed it...

[m.tweedy]

Missed Kielder this year due to changing jobs 3 weeks ago. But it was worth it as the job change has kept me sane (but tired-i am now officially old at 55 and on the last tick box on forms that ask your age). Now a postie working from 9.20 am until 2.20 pm 5 days out of 6.

There will be other star parties.

[ollypenrice]

I run an astronomy holiday place so work can't get in the way...

What's it like turning your fun activity into a job? It is totally, utterly, fantastic!!

Olly

[breezy]

Wow , some interesting insights into how people manage to fit the hobby around their lifestyle

[RikM]

I live in denial. Work doesn't affect my viewing

If it is clear I will always do my best to get out and have a look. Either an 80mm refractor or a 10" Dob. Both take about 5 min to get set up, so are 'grab and go' enough for me. I don't need too much sleep. If I am in bed for 2.00am I can still get up and cycle to work for 8.00 the next morning. If we get a run of good weather though, three days is my max keeping these hours. Last year I did a whole week with 2-3 hours sleep per night and got a ticking of from the boss. I thought I was okay but cycling in traffic and excessive tiredness don't mix, so after that warning, I am more sensible these days.