whats your passion?

[johngccfc]

so far all my star gazing hobby has comprised is this forum, various pricing and speccing sales sites and a book, with a couple more on the way.

oddly, i've found it fascinating and very compulsive. as with any hobby its about passion. i'd appreciate it, and find it interesting and hopefully inspiring if you'd care to share a little about your passion for the subject. what makes you tick, what makes you stay out on a cold night., what do you look forward to as you set up your scope? thx

[ian_j_kirk]

for me, i get a lot of enjoyment from What i am looking at rather than the actual image. For example, a galaxy so far away the light has taken millions of years to reach us, and there is possibly someone looking back at us thinking the same thing.

[Paul M]

My interest in astronomy as a hobby has ebbed and flowed over 40 years.

I've never been a big spender and I'm not into imaging so don't have loads of kit.

Although I certainly get a buzz from seeing things through my telescope I'm not a passionate telescopic observer.

So without doubt my passion is just looking up at a dark, starry sky and just contemplating.

Anyone who comes to our BBQ's up at our caravan in rural cumbria will have witnessed that passion and it never wanes

[breezy]

For me it's the thought that there is nothing quite like looking up and seeing the multitude of shapes formed by different brightness/ colour variations of things that are so far away it makes my bonce spin , cold crisp winters nights I love the most , dunno why

[RT65CB-SWL]

For me, the passion is that it takes me away from all problems on planet that we see, hear & read on the news.

[johngccfc]

this conversation inspired me to look at google sky just now, though mainly all out of sight, the sun, moon, venus, jupiter and mars are alll pretty much in a line in the same part of the sky. things like that add to the wonder of it all

[nightfisher]

My passion is the luna surface, after all these years i should be able to name all the craters but only know a few, i like imaging and observing the luna surface

[dcwales2012]

For me its Orion. Brilliant Constellation, with two of the best nebula, plus there's an outside chance that Betelgeuse may go Supernova, between now and 100,000 years, but I'll not hold my breath.

[scarp15]

As a visual astronomer, it can, on a clear dark night, become an intoxicating sense of discovery, whether the object is familiar or new. Then, whilst spending a period of time absorbing the photons, visually digest and make a connection exploring the image. perhaps the closest I may get to re-experiencing something of that sense of childhood wonder.

[twotter]

For me it's viewing the Moon and planets Those moments when I can make out the subtle details are really special.

[John]

These days I like to try and see things that are right on the edge of whats possible with my scopes / eye / seeing conditions. Supernovae are exciting although visually they don't look more than a faint pinpoint of light. Spotting the small chunk of rock that is Asteroid 2013 LR6 as it passed Earth just 65,000 miles away was also very satisfying. I got a real buzz from splitting Sirius and spotting the Pup star earlier in the year, which was a first for me. My targets for the future include spotting the Horsehead Nebula and the central star in M57.

[Ags]

My interest in astronomy waxes and wanes but never quite goes away. I spent a few years drooling over expensive equipment, but hopefully i am over that now. I live in a city so many targets are difficult, but my two favorites by far are simply Jupiter and Mars, they are both so wonderful and changeful.

[ScottS]

It's the distances that fascinate me. Looking at light that has just reached my telescope, having left it's source before humans existed. And that's the closer stuff. Crazy!!!

[Polar Bear]

The enormity of the it all. So much to see, so little time..

[Scott]

as a relative newcomer to astrophotography, nothing gives me a buzz like the one I get after spending all night collecting photons, stacking and processing them and finding I've got an image that I'm happy with. sure, I've got a long way to go but thats good too, I would hate it if i'd "done it all". then what would I look forward to? I also love it when I find another target with my little dob that i've not found before. there's plenty of time for visual while the camera is doing it's thing

[johngccfc]

its great how everyone is into different aspects of stargazing

[Bubbles82]

For me it has to be as strange as it sounds the fact that its a hobby that you can't do all the time.I have quite a few hobbies and due to the shifts I work I do have a lot of time to enjoy my other hobbies (music,cars and bodybuilding) although bodybuilding is more of a lifestyle than a hobby,so when I say can't do all the time I mean more the fact that because its so rare its genuinely exciting when the sky is clear when it starts to get dark and you know that this is one of the few opportunities we get in the uk to head out and enjoy clear sky's and for me another chance to try to learn more about this addictive hobby

[starnut]

I'm beginning to think my “passion” is not in the stars any more with so many cloudy nights, it's like having a dog and barking yourself.

[wxsatuser]

It is a passion, not just observing or imaging, there is so much you can do as well as these two things.

Although I have always had an interest in astronomy it's amazing the things I have learnt and still

learning, thankfully we have the net and some mighty fine books to use in the pursuit of this wonderful

hobby.

Just because seeing is naff, does'nt mean there is nothing else to do......live and learn.

[farunj]

For me it's the feeling that we are so damn insignificant as compared to the universe! We are on a small planet orbiting a small star which is located on the outskirts of a galaxy of millions of stars! This perspective really takes my mind away from daily problems! Also, the beauty of the objects that we observe adds to the sense of wonder and beauty!

[Scott]

An average planet orbiting an average sun in an average galaxy in what is quite possibly an average universe and look what we can do...hell, we've even got the capabilities to wipe out species (including our own). It's every mans right to choose how they view their existence so I choose NOT to be insignificant . What effect will my demise have on the universe? Probably none, but it'll hopefully be viewed as a loss to my family and friends so in my eyes, that's significant.

Just my opinion, make of it what you will .

edit- I do realise that you said "compared to the universe" but my existence is here on good old planet earth

[Beulah]

A clear, dark, quiet night and my telescope. That's all I want.

[Wolfgangwand]

Everything

[K3ny0n]

My passion is the luna surface, after all these years i should be able to name all the craters but only know a few, i like imaging and observing the luna surface

I agree, So much to look at on the lunar surface and its always easy to find!

Rob.

[farunj]

An average planet orbiting an average sun in an average galaxy in what is quite possibly an average universe and look what we can do...hell, we've even got the capabilities to wipe out species (including our own). It's every mans right to choose how they view their existence so I choose NOT to be insignificant . What effect will my demise have on the universe? Probably none, but it'll hopefully be viewed as a loss to my family and friends so in my eyes, that's significant.

Just my opinion, make of it what you will .

edit- I do realise that you said "compared to the universe" but my existence is here on good old planet earth

Well that's quite well put!