More of the same , giving up.

[cotterless45]

Another load of snow dumped on Middle Earth.

I have noticed an increase in whole set ups for sale where folks are giving up.

This season for observing hasn't been great but I don't think of giving up, just waiting for clearer

skies,

Nick.

[paraletic mirror]

it seems (if you love it) a regretable decision to sell EVERYTHING!!!!

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

It is sad when people give up. Understandable, but sad

[swamp thing]

No chance am I giving up. Far to many things to see yet

[dtr42]

r its not just weather, but maybe financial as well, with the economy being so poor then luxury goods may need to go to pay for essential items and a £600-1000 kit may no longer be essential also the bad this season has outweighed the good . but as i have spent very little then i will hang on to my scopes but i can understand why the selling may have increased

[nightfisher]

I have to be honest i do consider selling most of my gear, just keeping the Tal and AZ4, as this is my most used set up, but no need to sell and im sure i would regret it

[JB80]

No chance am I giving up. Far to many things to see yet

This, and I'm only getting started.

At least it feels that way anyway despite having my gear for a few years now.

[David Smith]

I can't simply give up! Even if I sold all my kit (which I am not going to) somehwere down the line I would walk out to a clear sky and think "Wow! I need a new scope!" And it would all start over again. It might be weeks, months or possibly longer (but I doubt that) but it would happen. I have been through periods of inactivity before and I always end up back out there.

I don't quite understand how you just give up? For me it's a passion that I cannot just switch off

[Macavity]

I get the impression that even good quality (budget priced) second hand Astro Gear is quite HARD to shift. Astronomers are either poor [probably] or too picky [teasing].

But I sense "giving up" would be too much of a one way process for me! Aside from eyepieces, I've rarely re-bought equipment... Circumstances, weather, technical problems, crazed neighbours... Ain't QUITE got me beat[en] yet.

[Charon]

Never say never is what I say.

[Stargazer_00]

I find the worse the weather gets the more I spend

[The Sailor]

Well afraid I've gone down, I came to the conclusion yesterday that I am not getting what I wanted from the hobby and have relegated it down below more important things. My garden observatory is now deserted and in the attic I have packed up the astronomy gear and made way for other hobbies. There will be no sale, if I am going to get rid of it I will give it away, freebies go quicker , there may be other days when I may drag it out but not yet.

Jim

[tich]

Well afraid I've gone down, I came to the conclusion yesterday that I am not getting what I wanted from the hobby and have relegated it down below more important things. My garden observatory is now deserted and in the attic I have packed up the astronomy gear and made way for other hobbies. There will be no sale, if I am going to get rid of it I will give it away, freebies go quicker , there may be other days when I may drag it out but not yet.

Jim

Sorry to hear that Jim although I must confess with my finances being so grim at the moment due to redundancy & no light in sight the thought has crossed my mind to sell up. It's a pity really as I worked hard for the gear I have but if nothing turns up soon I may not have a choice.

I know the weather has been dire to say the least but I won't be selling up because of that.

[Naemeth]

I've got 50 or so years left to observe, I certainly wouldn't sell anything now

I understand why people sell up, it's just sad when they do.

[The Sailor]

Sorry to hear that Jim although I must confess with my finances being so grim at the moment due to redundancy & no light in sight the thought has crossed my mind to sell up. It's a pity really as I worked hard for the gear I have but if nothing turns up soon I may not have a choice.

I know the weather has been dire to say the least but I won't be selling up because of that.

Understand you Tich, have to say with the problems you have had and what you have put up with you have done well with what you have published certainly put me to shame . No, I won't be selling just putting the gear back on the shelves and making room for other hobbies which I can do at anytime, when and if the clear skies return it won't take long to but things back, I want to make better use of my time.

I've got 50 or so years left to observe, I certainly wouldn't sell anything now

I understand why people sell up, it's just sad when they do.

50 Years left, you young pup

Jim

[Naemeth]

Understand you Tich, have to say with the problems you have had and what you have put up with you have done well with what you have published certainly put me to shame . No, I won't be selling just putting the gear back on the shelves and making room for other hobbies which I can do at anytime, when and if the clear skies return it won't take long to but things back, I want to make better use of my time.

50 Years left, you young pup

Jim

Could be 60, who knows?...

Sorry to hear that Jim although I must confess with my finances being so grim at the moment due to redundancy & no light in sight the thought has crossed my mind to sell up. It's a pity really as I worked hard for the gear I have but if nothing turns up soon I may not have a choice.

I know the weather has been dire to say the least but I won't be selling up because of that.

Hope things improve for you Tich and everyone else in this situation!

[ollypenrice]

Well, in a change of kit for the business I had four CCD cameras to sell, two budget ones and two posh ones, and they went in about half an hour... Ditto a high quality camera lens. There are folks out there still twichin' to get up and at 'em....

The weather for the last six months has been particularly cloudy. Even here in Provence we've not had our usual weather but these things are like that. Just ride it out. Read some good astro books. Stroke your nice telescope. Dream of the stars!

Olly

[nephilim]

Wow, what a depressing thread I've just got home after getting stranded on the 'now closed' A66 & cannot belive this is supposed to be ******* spring!?!

I got my first scope last Oct & have already up graded due to apperture fever BUT, I'v barely used any of my kit at all & several times I've seriously thought about selling it all. But the couple of times I've had clear skies & known what I was actually doing (Not easy when ur first starting out & have no one to show you, altho this forum & the members of it have constantly been very helpful, understanding, patient & encouraging & without all your help I WOULD have sold up by now) have made all the dissapointments worthwhile, seeing Jupiter & Saturn for the first time, M42 with my UHC filter & counless other wonders remind me why I do this utterly frustrating (& equally fantastic) hobby

The other week when I saw M13 for the first time (found it all by myself ) persuaded me to shell out more money for a 32mm PanaView because aswell as M13, seeing the double cluster & clusters in Auriga recently have given me a bit of an obsession with Globs etc.

The thing is, with Astronomy there's so much more to it than just observing (I'm trying to make myself believe this here ) theres always something new to learn, mods to carry out & been on here helps considerably with any problems/questions I ALWAYS have plus countless pieces of very relevant info.

As David_the_Bears_fan mentions above, as soon as anyone gets rid of their kit, the skies will clear FACT So I'm sticking with it, Ive had this interest/obsession with all things Astro for over 30yrs so I cant see it ever leaving me & I'd definatley regret getting rid of all the kit.

@ Jim (The Sailor), I've followed your attic build with interest recently & its a shame your thinking of giving up but I do understand that other hobbies can be a bit more reliable, if you do decide to 'give' your gear away, make sure its to someone who'll give it back when the bug bites again

Clear (one day) skies

Steve

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

..... Stroke your nice telescope..............

Olly

Niccce telesssscopessssss, gollum!!!

[Cath]

Never say never is what I say.

Theirs a paradox if ever their was

[Stargazer_00]

I've got 50 or so years left to observe, I certainly wouldn't sell anything now

I understand why people sell up, it's just sad when they do.

I'd love to be able to say for sure that I have 50 years left. I'd like to think so being 33 currently but I could be gone in 10, who knows? There's a meteor coming back in 2040ish..maybe that'll put paid to us all!

[Stargazer_00]

Also a good reason to own a large dob, you can go out and collimate it every few days for something to do.

[Naemeth]

I'd love to be able to say for sure that I have 50 years left. I'd like to think so being 33 currently but I could be gone in 10, who knows? There's a meteor coming back in 2040ish..maybe that'll put paid to us all!

Well, not for sure. But I'll be rather annoyed if I only get to 71 or 72 .

[Stargazer_00]

Well you'd be dead so not much time to be annoyed :D this all went a bit macarbe for a friday afternoon lol

[DaveS]

I'm not giving up, but I'm not spending more than small change for a while, even though I could make a case for an autoguider set-up. The only thing even remotely astro-related is a new lappie to run the control software, and also for on-the-road image processing for straight photography.

I'm now concentrating more on getting two short film into production, both of which will be needing props to be made, and one needing scale models and green-screen comping.

Pushing astro down the priority levels.