The shame....

[SoulFrenzy]

Ok...here it goes. I have kept this to myself for as long as I possibly can, but can I even call myself an astronomer when....... I hate being outside by myself outside at night? I'm not scared of the dark. I just get jumpy cause its generally so quiet and my attention is so fixed to the view through the eyepiece that any sound behind or around me takes almost ten years off my life. Anyone else have this affliction??

[Ags]

Take up solar observing?

[sologuitarist61]

Regardless of what people say, I think that to a degree we are all a little wary in the dark - after all, we weren't designed for it. I wonder what advantage nature saw in not giving us like a cat so that we could see as well in the dark as they do?

[bingevader]

I was going to say you should join one of the local UK groups and then you'd never be alone!

Then I noticed your location is Birmingham, Alabama!

But I suppose the same applies.

How big is Birmingham, there must be a few other nutters who share your passion?

Cheers

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I think we all are to a degree. Even when in my own garden, i get freaked out by noises. All its needed is a moth to fly past my ear and im wafting my arms around like im in some kinda of strange disco. When you are actually at a dark site, if your site is made up of a country lane and a layby like mine is lol, its becomes alot more freakier. never been there alone because of the increased danger from lunatics etc lol.

Im sure they're will be other people where you live who share the interest, just a matter of finding them.

[Pete Presland]

Regardless of what people say, I think that to a degree we are all a little wary in the dark - after all, we weren't designed for it. I wonder what advantage nature saw in not giving us like a cat so that we could see as well in the dark as they do?

we may not have cat like vision in the dark, but once your eyes are adjusted they do function quite well.as for "nutters" mostly media induced paranoia to be honest.

i do use a dark site myself and have had few scares from some of the wildlife though

[Epicyclus Dave]

After my friends go home and i stay out at a remote countryside site to finish off my dark frames & tidy up etc. i become self aware of noises around me , usually some pheasants scrabbling about in the heather or bats that are attracted to the high frequency sounds of a tracking NEQ6.

I find switching on the car mp3 player and a moderate volume level early Slayer album or other good classic metal album usually puts me at ease , i don't know how that would work on a big wild cat or an angry rattle snake in USA tho .

Dave.

[Atlas]

You have every right to be jumpy. In the south, roam some pretty nasty critters/people. I spent 13 years in Northwest Florida...not far from you. I never went outside at night without a .357 on my person.

Even now that I'm up in the northwest US, the mountain lions and bears we see occasionaly on base here, force me to keep a rifle close by at all times.

[Novarius]

Ok...here it goes. I have kept this to myself for as long as I possibly can, but can I even call myself an astronomer when....... I hate being outside by myself outside at night? I'm not scared of the dark. I just get jumpy cause its generally so quiet and my attention is so fixed to the view through the eyepiece that any sound behind or around me takes almost ten years off my life. Anyone else have this affliction??

In the back garden I'm fine, although a constant rustling sound was annoying, grabbed the torch and saw it was a Hedgehog. I live in the countryside, and there are some darkish sites near, but close to forests, I will not go near forests at night, never know who may be lurking there, and I have seen some Horror films.

[JamesF]

I've had a badger creep up on me once, which was a bit of a change-of-underwear moment for both of us I think, and regularly hear foxes howling and other creatures of the night padding about on the drive. Birds can make an awful lot of noise at night, too, and with the trees losing their leaves at the moment a slight gust of wind can cause an enormous racket as a bunch of dried leaves fall through a tree. I think you mostly get used to it in time. For most people the scariest thing they're going to have to deal with is their own imagination.

James

[Pete Presland]

You have every right to be jumpy. In the south, roam some pretty nasty critters/people. I spent 13 years in Northwest Florida...not far from you. I never went outside at night without a .357 on my person.

Even now that I'm up in the northwest US, the mountain lions and bears we see occasionaly on base here, force me to keep a rifle close by at all times.

ahh Birmingham USA must learn to take more notice of poster's locations! i think i probably would not feel safe even in my obsy with the wildlife you are mentioning!

[Mike73]

I've had a badger creep up on me once,

James

haha Yep me too but it sounded like he was charging at me with the noise it made and as I was only armed with a 2B pencil I did a runner! The only time I have ever been spooked at a dark site.

[Beulah]

I'm OK with being out in the dark on me own - the only time I got freaked out was when I was listening to the Pink Floyd track Meddle for the first time on the MP3 player - listening to the last few minutes of the track in complete darkness in the middle of nowhere ain't fun!

[Matt Scunthorpe]

I have tried listening to my ipod while in the garden, but wouldnt do it at a dark site, that would change my thoughts from 'oh my god whats that noise' to 'oh my god im going to get attacked without hearing my girlish scream!'

[VigdisVZ]

I almost soiled myself when I went out in the fields to my usual wide field spot and heard a snarl closeby. Must have been a badger or a cat. Otherwise I'm more worried I'll crep someone else out and they'll call the cops on me.

[Hawksmoor]

I generally observe the stars from my back yard so other than my wife creeping up on me I'm quite relaxed at the eyepiece. I sometimes go to the church yard at night to take photographs of the night sky and that can be a bit off putting. The church is reasonably remote located on an escarpment overlooking the marshes and river. Strangely enough I've found it less spooky since a friend of ours died and was buried there. As a creative person, I wouldn't be without imagination but it can be your worst enemy.

Even though we live in a quiet, safe sea-side town, I'm always more concerned about taking expensive kit at night to places like the seafront (best place nearby to see Mercury above eastern horizon) where the over enthusiastic drunk can be very disconcerting!

Trouble with feeling jumpy (irrational anxiety) is that there is nothing you can identify 'to face'. I find it easy to get into loops of obsessional behaviour so I have adopted strategies for dealing with it. Once I recognise that I have checked the house doors twice and am going for a third look. I stop in my tracks and recall the day, 40 years ago, when I was revising for my University finals and had twelve baths in a day. The shear nonsense of it all, degrees,baths and weird behavior just makes me laugh and I no longer feel the need to check the locks again. Perhaps you might find it helpful to develop a strategy for dealing with the unease e.g hum a tune youv'e always liked. It doesnt have to be anything seismic, just some behavior, memory or artifact that evokes another emotional reaction to supplant the feeling of unease.

Hope helpful and clear skies.

[Hanuman]

I live in Birmingham, UK and observe from my garden. Even though I'm in a city I still get wildlife visits that have spooked me - an owl in our oak tree and an occasional badger. First time brock growled, I did a waaah!! out loud. I'm used to both sounds now. Mind you it's not really that dark. Cat continues to surprise me. She's quite a hunter so will sneak up silently before pouncing into my eyepiece case.

[space3]

I have never felt at ease while out observing, on my own with expensive equipment, sometimes a passing car will spot my car and pull in to try and see whats going on, I would have no problem with someone coming over to have a look out of interest, but not the dodgy people, if one of these people landed on you what does one do?

as I dont have a fire arm licence and getting one wouldnt be easy, and im not sure would I like to have one really, Id certainly never want to use it, but I would feel and be safe,

some people may feel thats extreme, but with the way things are Im not so sure that it is extreme,

but I am going to look into getting one of those Taser guns, you no the thing that gives one a serious shock, it wont kill a person but it will leave me able to defent myself,

the girl in the office at work has just got herself one, its just the size of a mobile phone, she carries it in har hand bag especially if shes out at night

A very weary Sligo man.

[Epicyclus Dave]

And also seen on the news last year , Sweden has drunken Elk that like munching on fallen apples, i bet antlers & a mount don't mix well

[Welrod50]

I try to imagine that I am top of the food chain, hence everything else out and about should really be scared of me. But then again, the British countryside does have wild puma's, wallabys, fiersome badgers and other people in it.

Mmmm, maybe you've got me thinking.

Clear skies (and be safe)!!

Scott.

[LukeSkywatcher]

My house was broken into almost 2 yrs ago. Ever since then i have had my confidence knocked with regards to being out in the garden alone at night. If i let it bother me too much i may as well just give up the hobby and stay inside and watch tv. My dog is a good anti-burglar system and i usually have her outside with me. She generally barks for the first ten minutes or so when we go out but then she just wanders around the garden sniffing everything out and looking for some wildlife to hassle.

[jammo]

I had a scare in a churchyard in deepest darkest Norfolk once while trying to shoot a silhouette of the church against the Milky Way, probably a large Hedgehog lol

Though i could imagine the call of a female Fox would be blood curdling to the unaware :eek:

[Tinker1947]

Take up Photography, mainly Churches when there illuminated at night, wondering around the grave yard makes a trip to your back garden a real treat.....

[sunshine185]

I am ok in the back garden, but we have a gated alleyway at the back, shielded from any lights, I'd love to set up there but its a bit too spooky.

[sologuitarist61]

we may not have cat like vision in the dark, but once your eyes are adjusted they do function quite well.as for "nutters" mostly media induced paranoia to be honest.

i do use a dark site myself and have had few scares from some of the wildlife though

True enough, as long as you don't keep switching the torch on see what made that last noise!! Hedgehogs in the undergrowth are worst - they scratch away for ages and take no notice of you (or your torch - for that matter).