Am I alone in my self doubt about spending on astro gear in our climate???

[kirkster501]

I know I keep banging on but good grief is this grey sky weather ever going to clear? !!!! Gee-whiz its been about six weeks since we had a proper, decent night in Nottingham. The last two nights in succession were back at the beginning of December!

I have just sold a scope and realized £2100 and I am seriously considering NOT investing it back into astro gear - the weather is a joke. I love the hobby and subject, I always will but I am starting to doubt if i can justify spending that much on an hobby that is so sporadic in nature. Not sure whether to get a carbon fiber racing road bike instead... A real shame since this money is earmarked for astro. I am starting to have doubts.

Am I alone in this self doubt???

[JamesF]

At the moment I think it's a perfectly reasonable question to ask, and I'm sure you're far from alone. Could be tempting to hang onto the cash for a while to see what the weather looks like over the next few months...

James

[Stu]

It can't, and won't stay like this forever. I tend to view my kit as a long term investment and even if I don't use it for a while I know it is still there ready for me to have some time, or for the weather to clear.

That's not to say it isn't blooming frustrating though

[Andymac79]

Not at all, its the reason I have an EQ3 with a camera and not an EQ6 with a scope, it sits around inside for soooo long. But when the moonless clear skies come we are all back in the swing of things.... for a while.

Keep the faith, dont give up on imaging, its so rewarding. But get the bike aswell......

[Obi Wan Ken00bi]

One good night for me makes up for a month of bad weather. Besides, if I would go out every other night my GF will probably start complaining. The bad weather allows for a life besides astronomy

[Pete Presland]

thats partly why i spent some cash on a coronado for the odd sunny day.also i seem to spend so much time processing it soon fills in the cloudy nights

[K3ny0n]

I've not long been in to this hobby, I must of came in at the worst period. With work commitments I must of been out observing about 5 times, 2 of them being worthwhile.

That didn't stop me buying a Megrez 90 though. (Hopefully).

Chin up, "keep calm and carry on".

Rob.

[The Sailor]

I have spent quite a bit over the last couple of years and the thought did cross my mind but I quickly dismissed it as the nights I have spent outside have been wonderful and this keeps me going. As astronomy is now my main pastime I am actually in the process of building a new observatory because of nights already spent outside and what photos I see here on SGL but for other people the problem may be more acute and maybe a need to look at the coffers in more detail as to where the money is spent.

Jim

[kirkster501]

My intention after the sale of my CPC was to buy a C9.25 OTA and some bits for it and a 300p Dob for visual (yes I am a tall and strong bloke ). I am going to hold fire and keep my options open. I still have my ED80/NEQ6 and imaging setup.

[JamesF]

I have spent quite a bit over the last couple of years and the thought did cross my mind but I quickly dismissed it as the nights I have spent outside have been wonderful and this keeps me going. As astronomy is now my main pastime I am actually in the process of building a new observatory because of nights already spent outside and what photos I see here on SGL but for other people the problem may be more acute and maybe a need to look at the coffers in more detail as to where the money is spent.

One of the reasons I particularly want an obsy is so that I can take advantage of those days when we might get the odd hour break in the clouds. If all the gear is there, cooled down and ready to go I can make far more use of it than if I have to spend half an hour or more setting up, plus whatever time I allow for the scope(s) to cool.

James

[Marki]

I really understand where you are coming from Kirkster. I don't dare to think what my "cost per wear" is (as my wife puts it)... . On the otherhand, I have made most of my planned astro investments now, so shoudln't need to spend too much in the future...except for the obsy, the large aperture 'frac, the really nice ccd camera, a better mount etc., etc., . Thought about getting some solar kit together, but I haven't seen any star including our nearest for so long it didn't seem worth it! So frustrated!

But as Obi Wan KeNoobi put it above, one good night makes all the bad times evaporate in one go!

[Pig]

Kirkster,

I have just sold My carbon framed racing bike because of lack of use, mainly due to the weather and potential death because of Rubbish drivers.

I have kept my single speed mountain bike as the weather does not play a negative factor, as it is almost impossible to break, and I dont go on the road.

Cycling is an extremely expensive and addictive hobby, you wont get as good a bike as you will a scope for £2k

My point is:

I dont think it matters what hobbies/interests you have there are always doubts and reasons why we dont / cant pursue for reasons you cant control.

Do what you love doing, the weather isnt always going to be bad,

[nightfisher]

Like a couple of others have said, the odd decent night when it all comes together makes it worthwhile, also for me i am purely solar system and double stars, deep sky objects fail to impress me, to any great extent, i remember finding the dumbell neb, and thinking "is that it" so sticking to planets and my favourite item Luna, keeps me happy, and if i was out under clear skies most nights my lass would dump me

[John]

I've been in the hobby 30+ years but I have to admit seriously considering "downsizing" my collection of gear a few times over the past few months.

I've not taken any action as yet though and when a good night does come along it's really motivating again. Trouble is there is usually a long wait until the next one ....

[Gary70]

Like a couple of others have said, the odd decent night when it all comes together makes it worthwhile, also for me i am purely solar system and double stars, deep sky objects fail to impress me, to any great extent, i remember finding the dumbell neb, and thinking "is that it" so sticking to planets and my favourite item Luna, keeps me happy, and if i was out under clear skies most nights my lass would dump me

Yup

I use the time compiling a wish list of stuff and reading reviews and articles so I am ready when the chance arises.. Plus if the skies were clear this forum would dry up, I need you guys indoors answering my dumb questions,,,,

[laser_jock99]

I take the view that putting up with the UK weather is all part of the challenge- no good moaning too much about it, you'll just stress yourself out.

I am also all the more impressed with decent astro photos taken in the UK in the face of the all adversity (light pollution and weather).

Having Namibian Desert skies just makes it too easy!!!

[nightvision]

I agree things seem pretty poor these days but it does fit in with the AMO phase we are in the middle of (see below for links). The Atlantic is in the middle of a warm phase so we get cool summers and more cloud cover and rain. It's about a 29 year cycle, I think the current warmer Atlantic phase started around 1995. Some data indicates a brief cooling event about half way through the warm phase, so may be a ray of hope there! I have pursued other outdoor interests for over 40 years and I have noticed a definite cooling over the last 15 years or so.

Tony.

Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO):

http://en.wikipedia....dal_oscillation

http://www.google.co...iw=1243&bih=860

[Neeken]

What I've noticed the last 5 years or so, here in Norway, is that the spring often gets warmer than the summer periods. ie. Late April or May often has very hot couple of weeks. Then it's rubbish all the way untill August or something. Last year we didn't really get a summer at all, apart from the summer'ish spring

[Radscanner]

It has been dreadful, but I recall many times in the 1970's when it was similar: Long periods of grey, lank weather then in other years unusually clear skies. Not long ago we were told to prepare for a severe drought by the met office, record temperatures and a barbecue summer. A few months later we had deluges, floods and an uncommonly cool summer. These oscillations have been going on for a long time and I think they are normal, whatever the tabloids and knee jerking media tell you. Interesting to see the AMO phenomenon graph. As for astro expense, the current weather suggests that a simple, modest set up is sensible and I'm trying hard to resist buying more gear since what I have has barely been used twice since I bought it!

[starnut]

I've only been doing astronomy for 10 months now and I learnt more from Stellarium than looking through my scope I really feel now that the £1500 could have been spent more wisely on a different pastime/hobby

[fondofchips]

Good optical equipment is always a joy to use when you get the chance. It is there when you have time to get the use out of it. Wildlife watching is just the same, some days you see nothing and others there is so much wildlife around you can hardly remeber all that you have seen. I have had plenty of good days that more than make up for the bad ones.

[bomberbaz]

I have just sold a scope and realized £2100 and I am seriously considering NOT investing it back into astro gear - the weather is a joke. I love the hobby and subject, I always will but I am starting to doubt if i can justify spending that much on an hobby that is so sporadic in nature. Not sure whether to get a carbon fiber racing road bike instead... A real shame since this money is earmarked for astro. I am starting to have doubts.

You could always invest in some radio astronomy gear. When I first got told about this I thought, how boring. But I have read so much about this branch of our hobby and what it is you can actually do I have changed my mind. Not that I am considering it yet, but who knows in the future it could end up being an option I choose to persue. And at least the weather wouldn't matter.

I havn't looked into the cost of this btw, but this might help anyone interested as a starter http://www.radiosky.com/faq.html#cost

Baz

[Stu]

As mentioned before, solar is a good option. Many times last year I managed some decent viewing with my PST only for it to be cloudy at night.

Stu

[RikM]

With the poor skies over the past months I have been having great fun with a little scope on a grab and go mount. Why not get a small manual mount for your ED80 to take advantage of any clear patches? Visual is quicker than imaging (unless you have an obsy) and with little to no cooling time, you are laughing.

[bomberbaz]

With the poor skies over the past months I have been having great fun with a little scope on a grab and go mount. Why not get a small manual mount for your ED80 to take advantage of any clear patches? Visual is quicker than imaging (unless you have an obsy) and with little to no cooling time, you are laughing."

I am lucky in some respect in that i can simply pick up my scope, lift it into garden 10 feet and away i go. Scopes in a cold place so not much cooling. On the downside my eastern side is so light poluted its next to useless but other than that, it could be worse.