What is it with gear and temptation?

[Moonshane]

I am off this week and was going to help with some of the groundwork planned for the next few days to finish off the Nursery play equipment. Unfortunately the wet weather has defeated us and we have abandoned hope until next week.

This left me with an hour or so in the computer and as we all know this is dangerous.

In this short time and despite me having three fantastic scopes and a box full of eyepieces to die for (and of course little enough time to use them as it is), I have gone through the following cycle:

• mmmmmmm Televue 70mm pronto for sale on AB&S
• I'll offer a swap for my 13mm Ethos - rejected
• I'll sell my 13mm Ethos to buy it
• Cannot sell my Ethos surely!?
• OK settle for an 80mm Optic Star f5 also for sale on AB&S
• Do I really need another scope, let alone a frac?
• But it would be useful when I cannot fit in a 'normal' scope (newt) on hols etc.
• What about a ST80?
• But mounting it, diagonals, wrong way round images.......
• OK what about my original idea of a 114mm f4 newt? made into the cutest truss dob ever?
• Oooooohhh but that pronto
• stop it Shane!! you 1) have no spare cash 2) have a number of current projects to finish including the creation of a 12" suitcase dob  3) want to remain married 4) are just bored and obsessing about gear you don't really need

[emadmoussa]

LOL, I'll be damned....same story everywhere.

[John]

A familiar story Shane - you are not alone in such thought processes

I'd add a warning though - having a couple of beers or glasses of wine is dangerous as that seems to make the rejection bit a little harder

[Moonshane]

LOL very true John. thankfully I am early enough for this to be avoided if I was plastered at this hour I'd be more worried about that than what gear I desire

[chiltonstar]

Maybe it's because most amateur astronomers have a tendency a tendency to OCD. I suspect if we had a better climate we'd spend more time obsessing about the stars rather than obsessing about the kit we have/don't have.....

Chris

[Moonshane]

true Chris

this sort of process does seem to raise its ugly head when astronomy rations have been paultry.

[Luke]

Let alone a frac?

The funny thing is I could do with finding something to buy at the moment (long story), but I can't think of anything around the £500 to £2,000 mark that I think I will get a good lot of use out of. It's the only time I have been stumped! I'm sure when I don't have the need any more to find something, the list will grow rapidly!

A CaK telescope for imaging the sun in purple light is tempting but I think I will find the seeing a bit of a hassle with the lower wavelength being affected more compared to white light.

• Do I really need another scope, let alone a frac?

[Moonshane]

you could buy me a Pronto 70mm?

[emadmoussa]

A familiar story Shane - you are not alone in such thought processes

I'd add a warning though - having a couple of beers or glasses of wine is dangerous as that seems to make the rejection bit a little harder

I'm teetotal and still find the rejection hard :D

[emadmoussa]

You know the urge when you end up with a bit of spare cash and you keep itching until you have spent it on some astro gear you didn't think you really needed?! )

[Space Dragon]

I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. And you know all the way through the thought process that you're obsessing again.

I suddenly have the urge to buy a 12" Flex- tube Dob.

Do i really need it/have space for it/can I afford it ......? No.

But I bet I end up getting one.

The enemy of good enough.....is more betterer.

[John]

LOL very true John. thankfully I am early enough for this to be avoided if I was plastered at this hour I'd be more worried about that than what gear I desire

I should have said that was during evening pondering - I've given up wine and beer for breakfast since I was a mad teenager 

[emadmoussa]

Ironically, you always find ways to fund what you're after...speaking from experience ...

[Naemeth]

A familiar story Shane - you are not alone in such thought processes

I'd add a warning though - having a couple of beers or glasses of wine is dangerous as that seems to make the rejection bit a little harder

Also makes astro purchases easier to make without much consideration .

I get this all the time, I always think I should because the space is there in my room. My problem is whether I'd actually be able to get anything bigger than a 10" dob down the stairs . For some reason I keep thinking I want:

4" refractor (Long Achro)

Solar scope (PST / Lunt 35 maybe)

~6" Mak

New DSLR (for daytime shots)

C8 (Along with suitable mount such as HEQ-5)

I also want to rebuild my Heritage

Lots of temptation to resist, can't afford to have 9 scopes at the moment.

[Luke]

I wouldn't mind one myself   How do you see yourself using it? Not that I am offering to buy it

I think I'm heading into new territory of wanting to make sure I will get good usage out of gear, that it significantly betters or adds to what I already have, and that it's very practical, instead of the previous rushes of blood to the head. Or maybe I am just kidding myself.    I was tempted to go for a CCD but then I just don't think I will get enough usage out of it, as I have no obsy and can't do too many long nights any more. Nice problem to have, though!

you could buy me a Pronto 70mm?

[Naemeth]

I wouldn't mind one myself   How do you see yourself using it? Not that I am offering to buy it

I think I'm heading into new territory of wanting to make sure I will get good usage out of gear, that it significantly betters or adds to what I already have, and that it's very practical, instead of the previous rushes of blood to the head. Or maybe I am just kidding myself.    I was tempted to go for a CCD but then I just don't think I will get enough usage out of it, as I have no obsy and can't do too many long nights any more. Nice problem to have, though!

Luke, you're in the lucky position of having an OH who is equally into amateur astronomy. Could you not take it in turns? .

[Luke]

Luke, you're in the lucky position of having an OH who is equally into amateur astronomy. Could you not take it in turns? .

I should let Sarah do all the choosing as everything she wanted, that I was not that bothered about at the time (e.g. ED100, giro mount) has been brilliant.   I think I picked most of the stuff we have sold or are selling!

[Naemeth]

I should let Sarah do all the choosing as everything she wanted, that I was not that bothered about at the time (e.g. ED100, giro mount) has been brilliant.   I think I picked most of the stuff we have sold or are selling!

There you go then. I was going to say you could surprise her, but there is no point in that as she's on SGL . Sorry Sarah for spoiling your surprise....

[Moonshane]

I was thinking of it as a finder for my two bigger scopes but also as a small grab and go and for family holidays either at home when there's (almost) no space or abroad when weight matters. I was thinking of selling my 13mm Ethos and possibly my 2x 9x50 finders to fund it but then I think about what I am gaining vs what I am losing and then the process starts again with a £100 or so 80/90mm short achro serving the same purpose and there we go again.

[Naemeth]

I was thinking of it as a finder for my two bigger scopes but also as a small grab and go and for family holidays either at home when there's (almost) no space or abroad when weight matters. I was thinking of selling my 13mm Ethos and possibly my 2x 9x50 finders to fund it but then I think about what I am gaining vs what I am losing and then the process starts again with a £100 or so 80/90mm short achro serving the same purpose and there we go again.

But what would you mount it on?   

[Moonshane]

I was going to make an adjustable system to connect to the tube rings but also make an alt az mount like the gibraltar out of 12mm plywood.

[Naemeth]

I was going to make an adjustable system to connect to the tube rings but also make an alt az mount like the gibraltar out of 12mm plywood.

I'm sure they are great scopes, but I wouldn't sell an Ethos to fund them .

[nytecam]

Maybe it's because most amateur astronomers have a tendency a tendency to OCD. I suspect if we had a better climate we'd spend more time obsessing about the stars rather than obsessing about the kit we have/don't have.....Chris

How very true but directly related to disposable income or not!.  Resolved in my case my NEVER taking credit card to astro shows and it seems to work and I haven't fully explored the gear I've got but loving every minute especially my brief exposure imaging that saves my old eyes eyeballing  impossible deepsky objects

[Moonshane]

as it happens neither would I in the end, although if I want one I'd have to! I suspect in the end I'll either get a 114mm newt or just rely on my bins.

[Naemeth]

as it happens neither would I in the end, although if I want one I'd have to! I suspect in the end I'll either get a 114mm newt or just rely on my bins.

If only you still had the 6" F/5 suitcase dob

The 114mm made as a truss dob would make an interesting project, nice and light too