I've lost my sparkle

[starnut]

The fire has gone out and there is not a glimmer of hope, can I be saved.

The trouble is my dark site is 10 miles away and it seems too much hassle getting all my gear into the car I have Celestron C6-SGT XLT GOTO, not the lightest kit I agree.

The trouble is after watching Prof Cox on TV I got hooked, I did my research on a dark site well before I bought all the gear and I think I knew what I was letting myself into i.e. cold dark nights ect up to now I've seen the moon and a few planets, but it hasn't really lived up to it's expectations or maybe it's me being lazy, I don't want to sell it just yet, but I need (a kick up the ass) inspiration, a challenge, something that will be exhilarating, is that possible.

I was going to buy a dedicated web cam the ZWO ASI120MM Camea to see if that would give me the push I need.

[Uranium235]

Take it to the next level - become an imager.... hardcore

You will see a lot more than you ever would peering through an EP.

edit: Additionally, imaging (with the right filters) can be done from your back garden. You dont even need to leave the house! Well.... except when your guiding goes TU. Imaging can be very exciting (and frustrating), you can even do a practical demonstration of special relativity by imaging a lensed quasar at over 8 billion LY distant (can be done with an 80mm frac). I remember doing that one gave me quite a buzz. And at the end of the night... they are your photons collected by your gear, to keep forever.

[estwing]

if I was you i'd sell your scope and with the money go and buy some birch ply and make a dob...there's a challenge,just think of the app fever!

[Scooot]

Do you have to go to a dark site all the time? I know dark skies are best but I don't think I'd use my gear that much if I had to do a 20 mile round trip every time. My skies aren't that dark and I spend most of my time viewing in my back garden. I could barely see all stars in the hercules key stone last night and I think the dimmest is about mag 4ish, so not very good.

i just look at other things such as double stars, planetary nebulas when its too light but generally just enjoy being outside, even if its for just an hour.

[Naemeth]

I agree, you don't necessarily have to go to a dark site. I've been into amateur astronomy properly since March 2012, and have only once done any actual stargazing in a dark site (even that was a minute at most looking at Jupiter), the rest has been in the suburbs of major cities.

[Moonshane]

I'd recommend more aperture and less gimmicks. the C6 is a great scope I am sure but honestly I feel that a manual 12" dob is just superb even from light polluted sites like my back garden.

also, chasing lists keeps the enthusiasm going. I am looking currently at several, Messier, NGCs, Herschel, etc etc. something new to add every single time I observe.

[Pig]

Wait for the cold dark winter nights to set in, that will make your mind up.

I cant wait to see the stars of Orion and the Pleiades again,couple that with annoying the Mrs every time I open the doors and let the cold in its looking pretty rosy.

[JamesF]

also, chasing lists keeps the enthusiasm going.

This is very true. I've managed the entire Messier list from my own home since I started with an ST80. Many of them were with the ST80, ST102 or ST120. Now I want to go back and do the entire list again with my 10" dob because to be fair some of them you can "see" with an ST80, but it's tough to really say you've "observed".

And there's the Lunar 100 which doesn't need a dark site at all and is well-suited to attacking with a C6. And if you fancy it, a bit of white light solar observing too.

James

[Davey-T]

The trouble is my dark site is 10 miles away

Wow only 10 miles I wish

Dave

[foundaplanet]

I'd rather get out six nights a year somewhere dark and be enjoying every moment than feel like I have to be on some sort of mission with it but then the appeal to me with astronomy is the peace of it, if I wanted to tick boxes I'd do the lottery...... It's good to remember that it is a hobby, there is nothing wrong with only getting out sometimes..

A bit of imaging is nice addition, bit of moon, bit of solar, a bit of wide field and I should think a bit of planetary can be a bit of a whizz....

[Kai]

I cant wait to see the stars of Orion and the Pleiades again,couple that with annoying the Mrs every time I open the doors and let the cold in its looking pretty rosy.

Set your alarm for 4am and you can get your fix now

[Pig]

Set your alarm for 4am and you can get your fix now

I just about saw the Pleiades a couple of weeks back but annoyed the Mrs only a couple of mins ago 2 out of 3 isn't so bad.

[JamesF]

Part of the point of lists is that they give you a target and something to plan around, and if you have a goal it's often a driver to get out and look at things when you might otherwise decide against it. There are times when the sky looks a bit marginal that I'm tempted not to go out, especially when I've had a rubbish day at work or I'm feeling fairly tired, but if I know what I want to do and make the effort then often I find I really enjoy myself.

James

[foundaplanet]

Part of the point of lists is that they give you a target and something to plan around, and if you have a goal it's often a driver to get out and look at things when you might otherwise decide against it. There are times when the sky looks a bit marginal that I'm tempted not to go out, especially when I've had a rubbish day at work or I'm feeling fairly tired, but if I know what I want to do and make the effort then often I find I really enjoy myself.

James

Part of the point of lists is that they give you a target and something to plan around, and if you have a goal it's often a driver to get out and look at things when you might otherwise decide against it. There are times when the sky looks a bit marginal that I'm tempted not to go out, especially when I've had a rubbish day at work or I'm feeling fairly tired, but if I know what I want to do and make the effort then often I find I really enjoy myself.

James

Yes that's fair comment James and I understand why some folk need em, just trying to say to OP that having a scope is not an obligation and that astronomy can and does exist in many forms and that they are all grand..

[ronl]

That's why I don't like GOTO systems, it takes all the fun out of finding

the object you are searching for, working out the best way by star-hopping

is to me, the best and most enjoyable, sometimes it is frustrating, but when

you have found the object, that to me gives you a sense of achievement, I

can see why you have lost the fire as you say, all the travelling and humping

your kit to and fro, but my light polluted garden gives me some great views,

and it gives me a challenge whether it's my 90mm frac or my 200p, give yourself

a challenge I'm sure you will enjoy it more, rather that let a piece of technology

do it for you.

[Scosmico]

It seems to me that you went straight to a moderate telescope. In theory, nothing is wrong with that, but in practice naked eye astronomy and binocular astronomy can pave the way for many years of Astronomy excitement. I would join BAA or any other of your taste and join some observational campaigns. It gives you some objectives to keep you going as you see different stuff time to time, like doubles, Novas, meteor shower, sketching, etc.

I agree that the distance to a dark sky makes things a bit more challenging. However, you will admire more each opportunity and become a dark sky campaigner.

And don't forget to share your views. It is quite moving to give a WOW moment to somebody.

The fire has gone out and there is not a glimmer of hope, can I be saved.

The trouble is my dark site is 10 miles away and it seems too much hassle getting all my gear into the car I have Celestron C6-SGT XLT GOTO, not the lightest kit I agree.

The trouble is after watching Prof Cox on TV I got hooked, I did my research on a dark site well before I bought all the gear and I think I knew what I was letting myself into i.e. cold dark nights ect up to now I've seen the moon and a few planets, but it hasn't really lived up to it's expectations or maybe it's me being lazy, I don't want to sell it just yet, but I need (a kick up the ass) inspiration, a challenge, something that will be exhilarating, is that possible.

I was going to buy a dedicated web cam the ZWO ASI120MM Camea to see if that would give me the push I need.

[helicalwave]

That's why I don't like GOTO systems, it takes all the fun out of finding

the object you are searching for...

That may be true when you have stars to hop to and from, but in light-polluted London, you'll hop from Arcturus to Vega without any stars in between. The goto at least shows you where the object ought to be. The ring nebula hangs above my head every night at this time of year, and I have only once seen the stars that make up Lyra. No amount of hopping will land me there.

Imaging the moon and planets keeps me interested, is a good way to share my hobby with others, and I can see planetary objects from Central London.

[starnut]

Thanks I'll give it another go or three see how I get on.

[JamesF]

astronomy can and does exist in many forms and that they are all grand..

Very true

James

[Stu]

I've recently acquired an Argo Navis and some encoders for my Giro mount, and must say that I am beginning to really enjoy using it as a halfway house between manual and goto. It's very simple and quick to setup, and easy to use.

I live near Heathrow, so my skies are not brilliant, although to the South isn't too bad. I can use the Argo in a number of different ways; to guide me straight to an object which is sometimes useful when time is short, or just have it running in an identify mode. With this mode, I can star hop and search myself, but just have it there for verification that I am indeed on a particular object.

Although I like the idea of working my way through the various object catalogues, I still find myself coming back to old favourites frequently and enjoying them each time, I don't seem to grow tired of this.

As said, it shouldn't be onerous and you just need to find something which reignites the enthusiasm for you

EDIT I have often thought of going down the imaging route, but have always been out off by the fact that it demands lots of time processing to achieve the amazing results we seen on here. I guess it depends on what you enjoy, that may be of interest to you. Another halfway house is video astronomy to allow you to see far more detail in DSOs but in a live manner which avoids the processing.

Cheers,

Stu

[Laurie61]

You could always try live video astronomy, your kit would be suitable, eq mount, although you might want a focal reducer for the scope.

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/188315-phil-dyer-pd-colour-camera/page__st__20

http://www.opticstar.com/Run/Astronomy/Astro-Accessories-Imagers-Opticstar.asp?p=0_10_5_0_3_8

[tich]

My dark sky site is about 15 miles away but I much prefer to go there than try anything other than planetary imaging at home due to LP & obstructions. I've seen Uranus, Neptune & possibly Pluto a few times now objects I'd never be able to see at home. It's nice when a few guys from the group are there as we can all look through different scopes & have a chat, is there not a local group or folk who are into astronomy who would go along with you?

Although I will say being there on my own doesn't faze me anyway, I guess the only restriction I have is when I'm imaging is power running a laptop so I've gone down the synguider route instead (fingers crossed I'll get it to work). Whether I'm just observing, imaging or sometimes both I can't think of a better place to be.

The sky did clear honest!!!

[Macavity]

Another vote for Video Astronomy. A modest challenge for a portable setup. But "dark site" suggests transport... and a source of electrical power. The possibility of seeing a whole host of new things, albeit on a screen (and via GoTo) was the reason I carried on. Looking at the "same old stuff" (a few objects per season over almost 50 years!) had begun to pall slightly. And independent of enthusiasm, fitness (financial or physical) or "work ethic" (maybe).

[Stargazer_00]

I hit a similar wall once before thinking it lost it's charm and it occured to me that I was spending too much time reading about it and planning and thinking about it and I believe it wasn't so much losing charm than it was burning out via obsession.

My advice if you're feeling this way is just store all your gear away for 3-6 months and do other things. Find other things to excite you and keep your focus. There is obviously an attraction for you in astronomy and that doesn't go away. I've found that the things you find later in life typically stay with you unlike childhood. The sky isn't going anywhere and if you got rid of all your gear you might find yourself wishing you hadn't in 6 months or even a few years.

I like to have a number of hobbies of which astronomy is one. I'd say my main hobby is actually gaming! I've been gaming since I was 8, maybe even earlier. Astronomy came to me 2 years or so ago and is now my primary money sink but I spend many many more hours gaming compared to astronomy. And many many more pounds on astronomy than gaming I also taught myself to play guitar and I enjoy reading books. This helps me keep the shine on the astronomy as I tend to go a bit all out on things and lose interest by focusing too much time and energy on singular things.

[AlexB67]

Set your alarm for 4am and you can get your fix now

This

To the OP. Perhaps go to a meeting or star party, talk to others, read some books about astronomy or the universe in general. It may get the juices going again I would say don't force it, if the passion isn't there for something, doing things by force is no longer fun or a hobby. If after trying some more or following the above suggestions does not do it for you, perhaps it is time to let go or just give it a break.

Personally I would not suggest investing a load in astro/imaging equipment or building a scope as an instant cure, if you are not sure you'd like it anyway as a solution to try and fix the problem. Wallet depletion does not bring happiness, just a much as hording money under the carpet and doing nothing with it , Perhaps to begin with buy and read some books about imaging, or scope building, then who knows, the hunger may return.