The financial impact of discovering this great hobby

[ubertank]

I was just thinking about the stuff I have accumulated in the last few months since starting astronomy and thought it worth posting how insane things can snowball once the bug hits you.

Started middle of November with a 200p dob, went out with the 15mm and 25mm EP or the first time ever with a telescope. Got infected with the bug, want to image and so buy “Making Every Photon Count”. Read front to back, twice. Buy a Canon 1100D, tripod and remote shutter cable.

Bought a 7mm Celestron EP and a 2 x barlow a week or so later along with thermals and camping chairs. Went out again, bought a red LED torch, an eyepiece case, a collimator, a Rigel Quickfinder, spare batteries and a 17mm Celstron EP.

Had another great night with the scope. Bought an SPC900 and modified it. Went to record the moon and couldn’t get prime focus with the 200P tube due to its length.

Planned an imaging upgrade so bought a year old NEQ6 pro. Sold my dob for £230 and bought an Evostar ED80 pro set along with Bahtinov mask -This comes on Friday so I'm really, really excited! Now need to buy a focal reducer.

Along the way I have a subscription to Sky at Night Magazine, many books such as “Turn left at Orion” and I’m sure there are lots of other stuff I’m forgetting.

This has all been while the weather has been bad..

I’ve not been brave enough to add it all up. I'm as smart as I can be, buying second hand and trying to get good deals but this hobby is as expensive as it is addictive.

Absolutely no regrets as I love it and find it so rewarding. I was just adding it up in my mind and it made me chuckle so I thought I'd share.

[Mr Spock]

Once you start spending, it's a bottomless pit

[sologuitarist61]

This hobby can suck up money like there is no tomorrow! I think places like this don't help a great deal as everyone seems to have better kit than you do

Possibly the best way about getting your gear is to decide what you want to do and then get a middle of the road scope, eyepieces etc. For most people they are more than good enough.Leave the expensive stuff to those who have the money.

I think that what brought this home to me was a star party at a school where I had my trusty StarTravel 120 set up on a cheap Alt/Az mount whilst others around me had there thousands of £'s worth of gear. It was decided to all look at M42 as it was placed well and I was pleasantly surprised by how many of the kids asked why it looked better through my scope. I had no answer, but it brought home to me that expensive isn't always the best.

[majapala]

Don't even get me started!

[E621Keith]

The cost of amateur astronomy can be terrifying. More so if you are into imaging.

The hobby is relatively cheap to get into, but the cost can grow the more and more.

However, astronomy is no more expensive than many other hobbies. Motor racing, scuba diving, anything to do with horses, private aviation, golf ...

I'm pretty sure the content of my uncle's golf bag cost much more than the combined cost of all my astro gears.

[JonF]

As with so many hobbies. I'm sat in a room surrounded by about ten grand's worth of saxophones........

[cotterless45]

Bang for bucks on the visual use, this pastime is great value. For a reasonable amount you can get superb results.

I've put a hold on spending as after an appalling season there has been rare occasions to observe. Thinking about that might temper the desire for spending, especially if you're already kitted out. Besides as you get older you just get meaner!

Nick.

[nightfisher]

Its imaging that sucks up the cash, i dont do this but still spent a fortune

[scarp15]

I think that eventually, in my case approx 5 years, you do reach a point in which you can rationally say that is it. Fortunately I too am only into visual and the simpler the set up the better, so for now I am satisfied.

My other hobby is cycle touring, so with the absense of much astronomy lately I can at least plan on using my bike for short trips come rain or shine.

[DaveS]

Don't even start on imaging! It's not called the Dark Side for nothing.

Possibly Dark Slide would be more apposite, into a black hole of banckruptcy.

[fondofchips]

My budget was £500 all in, only £275 over budget so far & the scope/eyepieces/barlow/right angle adaptor were secondhand, some good pointers on here saved me some money at that.

Need to use it now to find out if I need anything else, (after the fog & rain has cleared).

Not even thinking of the Dark side............

[John]

It's my only hobby and I'm only going to get one go at life so, if I have the £'s available I'm happy to spend it on astro equipment

[Naemeth]

My scope was around £90 (used). I must've spent easily over £400 extra :Envy: . I've gone to the dark side too...

This hobby can be incredibly expensive, but it's cheap compared to being a musician (specifically an oboist, which I am)

Cost of instrument = ~4k (2nd hand)

Cost of service (yearly) = ~£200 - £300

Cost of reeds (1 per 6 weeks) = £15-£20

Cost of music = ~ £20 per score

Cost of tuition = ~£15 to £60 per hour (believe me, some of my course mates were charged this much!)

Cost of exams = Quite a lot, depends on the qualification but can be up to ~£2k

So yeah, astronomy isn't cheap, but neither is being a musician.

[Kropster]

I only spend what I make selling my other stuff on ebay....... that way it limits expenditure and doesn't feel like yet more money flying out of your pocket, just a redistribution of hobby assets!

[kirkster501]

What would you rather do? Stare at a load of numbers in a bank book (and be paid zero interest and use it to pay for your own care in x years) or follow your passion.....?

[allcart]

Well lets see.

I used to be an avid C..arp fisherman. I spent a couple of thousand on C..arp gear. Then I got hooked on catfish, so upgraded my rods and reels etc. Another thousand plus permits to C..arp and catfish lakes.

Then I took up photography. Cameras and lenses. Then better cameras and better lenses. Then I became a wedding photographer....multiple top of the range cameras, pro lenses and studio gear. Multiple flash guns and backup equipment.....This cost me over £20k in 5 years.

Got into astro again, sold my photography kit and am spending a small fortune on astro and solar scopes. Then there is the dark side........................

Strange that you can't write C..arp.

[ubertank]

I agree totally. I've sold a lot of my stuff to fund the hobby as I wouldn't spend wages etc.. with three young children.

I don't feel any guilt at all. Some people spend this kind of money on really pointless stuff. Like John said, you get one go at life and spending it on a hobby that gives you a feeling of connectivity to the universe in the way astronomy does is money well spent in my book.

[jam1e1]

agree with points above. in my view would rather spend money on decent scopes, mounts, eyepieces (and maybe soon solar scope ) than say a 10k car. also a lot of people show genuine interest when talk through with them about what can see/learn etc - its something unique. at first the cost seems prohibitive...but then again its a hobby and only live once

[Khw]

Hi übertank , I enjoyed reading your post, indeed this is an expensive hobby but what the hell it's only money I bought my scope after kicking my girlfriend out, she gave me so much stress she had to go , now I am at peace and with my scope I cannot get enough! Treating myself to a bst 8mm eyepiece next week , things are looking up pardon the pun kev

[Teslar]

I started out with a £600 budget and a year later I'm £4000 lighter

[Stargazer_00]

Started a year and 3 months ago and spent around £3000 so far.

Looking to spend £1500 this year on a scope upgrade

No point being the richest man in the graveyard, you live one time only so if you have the cash then spend it.

[skir]

I'm not going to add up what I've spent as I'll just scare myself! However I've bought virtually everything I have second hand which has saved me a lot. Most of the info I've based those purchases on has been gleaned from here. I was going to go on a skiing trip but owing to an injury that couldn't happen so what I've spent on a scope and all the bits has come from not doing that. That's how I'm justifying it anyway.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

[Luke]

I used to think my Dad was mad for blowing so much money on gambling. But now I think, well, that was his passion, you might as well spend it on what floats your boat!

If I started again and wanted to keep spending vaguely sensible, I'd get a 10 inch dob, a powerful telescope that is great bang for buck! And I'd stay well away from imaging!

[laser_jock99]

However, astronomy is no more expensive than many other hobbies. Motor racing, scuba diving, anything to do with horses, private aviation, golf ...

Agreed- this is a cheap hobby compared to boating.

[sologuitarist61]

As with so many hobbies. I'm sat in a room surrounded by about ten grand's worth of saxophones........

Ten guitars for me!!