How much have you spent over the years? - Astronomy might be cheaper than you think.

[Roy Challen]

The way I see it is that the cost of something isn't really about the £s, €s or $s spent. Buying anything also costs time, effort, and sacrifice.

When someone says they've spent X amount on something I feel nothing until they can tell me how many hours they needed to work to pay for X. In that way, I can better evaluate the time (the hours of their life), the effort and sacrifice they really paid for that item. 

No matter what material footing we're on, the more stuff bought, the more one ends up exchanging life for those things. The question, then, is how much of one's life is one willing to give up for those things purchased?

In a sense, it would be a sorry story if one replied that they had laboured only to end up accumulating dross that they couldn't find the time to use or enjoy. The real cost of those purchases would be more than mere money.

Likewise, what a joyful story to hear that the hours of drudegry, sacrifice, scrimping and saving for astro-gear paled into insignificance when stargazers reflected on the hours of pleasure, knowledge, friendships and creativity which come from it. The choice to sacrifice a portion of our everyday life and the hours we must work for the things we own, have, after all, been worth it.

Surely that is the real cost of something?

Completely agree Qualia,

I consider myself extremely lucky that I have a job I love doing (using optical and metrological equipment that makes the total cost of this entire thread disappear into insignificance), get paid for doing it, and then get to spend the proceeds on something I love doing even more.

I haven't bothered adding up my expenditure for this hobby, but all I had for about 10 years was a Meade ETX 70 and the standard issue eyepieces, which I eventually sold on for around £60. I hope my current setup lasts even longer!

Roy

[Gina]

Interesting thread   When thinking about how much I've spent on this hobby, I didn't think of counting the secondhand value and taking that off.  I have bought a few things secondhand and have sold on at little loss but most things I bought new and some are worth little to sell on.  eg. I doubt my strange garden shed with two rooms is worth much   I did use my astro gear as a bank a little while back though when I had unexpected cash flow problems (as they call it) - sold a camera I didn't really need and had bought secondhand - dropped a ton (£100) on it for quick sale but it got me out of a hole

With the weather we get in this country I can't really say that my astro images warrant the money I've spent but it isn't just that.  The friendship I find in SGL has been a great reward for my efforts.  Also, I enjoy making things and modifying things for my own use.  I guess the joy of a pretty image can hardly be the biggest benefit of this hobby though the few I have managed have made me very happy

[mikeDnight]

As far as I can remember I've spent around £13,629.00 over a 35year period, which works out at £389.40 per year. Which isn't a lot for such a fantastic hobby.

That amount of course is only for the scopes I can remember and doesn't include my delvings into the magical world of eyepieces. That alone must amount to several thousand pounds over the years. Still, I think its worth all the suffering. A friend of mine pays over £1000 each year to be a member of a golf club, and then he has to pay £20 per game. And I think he has to provide his own bats!

Astronomy's a cheap hobby when compared to many others, and the scopes we buy will last several lifetimes. That's value for money!

Mike

[LukeSkywatcher]

Do you have any piccies of his observatory as it sounds good and an obsy could be my next celestial investment.

Feast your eyes on this. The good stuff is towards the end of the thread:

http://stargazerslounge.com/topic/155833-asign-observatory-ii-is-back-on-track/

[griz11]

Another 1.8K added the other day. Getting close to 10K now. I think I'm at a stopping point for awhile anyway. The coolness of being able to point to a spot on a map and have the scope put it right in view hasn't gotten close to wearing off yet either. I still have the wow effect everytime I hit a new target. And I expect that to get even better with the new scope. This is about the only thing I spend money on  though. I've never been shy about spending money if I'm going to learn something in the process. I just have one rule and that is not to go into hock to buy equipment. No money saved up no new equipment. Can't take it with you.

Griz

[A40farinagolf]

Hi Griz,

What have you bought as it sounds interesting?

You'll find it easier to justify a new purchase if you change it into £GBP as it will be a smaller figure.

[griz11]

About to drop 2K more on a camera and filters. That will bring me up to 10K. But 2K of that is the 7D2 and I use that for other things so 8K just for astro stuff. Just put a WO 102GT on the mount as well. I'm going all in

Griz

[OneEyedSam]

I recently added my kit up for insurance purposes. ~13k

Cost me £30 a year to top up my home contents cover to covert the,whole lot properly

[A40farinagolf]

I haven't bought anything for several days now (been on holiday) and 2 retailers have recently closed in the UK - I hope it's not my fault.

The designers of this website have given us all a signature space of 5 lines so I've loads of purchases to make before I run out of space.

Any suggestions on what to spend about a £1k on to add value to what I already have? Looking at Canon IS binoculars 10 x 42L series?

[LukeSkywatcher]

I just added up the cost of my solar observing kit: (some old and some new)

70mm refractor (100 euros)

Hershel Wedge (140 euros)

ND3.0 filter,Solar Continuum filter,Variable Polarising filter(140 euros)

Horizon 8115 Tripod (100-150 euros).

There's the guts of 500 euros for the most basic of solar observing set-up. This is twice as much then i spent on my first ever scope (90mm refractor).

[jnb]

What's really disconcerting is to add up everything you have spent and then look at scopes in that price bracket.

[A40farinagolf]

Just agreed to buy a Delos 3.5mm eyepiece - keep it quiet though as my sanction manager doesn't know about it.

It's never ending!!!!!

[Liquid360]

Enough to buy a new Ferrari. The choice was there, no brainer.

I LOVE me some astrogear, but if forced at gunpoint to pick between a Ferrari and my gear... I'd get shot.

I bought my current rig/gear all at once from OPT. I've never spent this much on any single endeavor in my life, car included. My total tab: $35,000 and change [emoji57] it wouldn't have upset my stomach so much had it been staggered, but seeing that big number all at once hurt.... Lots. I'm certain a wife would've acted as a healthy buffer, but I'm single and damage has been done.

[gooseholla]

About £5k I reckon, most of that on a mirror for a custom scope. If you add it up per hour, yes, it is expensive, but divide it by say 50 or 60 years and it isn't so bad per year. A couple of rounds of golf, a football shirt every year, 1 drink in the pub per week, a couple of month's gym membership. So yeah, it isn't really that expensive if you think about it over a lifetime.

[A40farinagolf]

My spends have just increased again as I'm hoping to start guiding soon so just purchased a precision camera focusser from Altair Astro, I've been waiting for them to come back into stock for months and it arrived yesterday.

What have you bought recently?

[Piero]

I guess around 2k, but one day I am adding a dob 200 or 250, although the 200 is more likely unless I opt for an Orion Optics, which costs more but the weight is reduced. 

Anyway, I am not really concerned about money.  ... ok better rephrase this as it sounds dangerous! 

If something is really important, one should not feel too sorry to spend a reasonable amount of money. Eventually we earn something for enjoy ourselves. Of course, I am careful about my finances and what I need, and I save money on a lot of other things which I do not consider really necessary (although for many people are..).

My TV60 was bought new. Quite rare to find one second hand and it is still the least expensive top class refractor.

I would not advise it generally as main telescope or for a person just starting. There are more powerful and complete tools which are also much cheaper. However this is the telescope I want and that I can carry around in this moment of my life. It has been giving me fantastic wide field views (which I am interested in) and I just love having this portable and unique tool.

From this prospective, I do not consider it very expensive, actually, but just a little treasure which is allowing me to see a few treasures. 

I believe when one achieves a similar satisfaction, money are well spent.

If one smokes 1 packet of cigarettes per day (let's say 8 pounds), this person spends ~240 pounds per month, or ~2880 per year. And all this huge amount of money for paying the country (via taxes) and tobacco companies which are actually getting your money and giving you diseases. Satisfaction from smoking? Well, after smoking a person does not even remember why he / she started a cigarette.. so all this transient idea of relax actually stays unsatisfied and goes quickly away with the smoke. 

This to me is even worse than just wasting money because this person is actually buying for selling away his/her health. 

Think about how much one can do in a year with that amount of money to really enjoy himself (stargazing or whatever is positive and constructive)! 

Piero

[A40farinagolf]

Piero,

I like your logic, your TV60 is a nice piece of kit and will devalue very slowly making it even better value.

My kids will spend their inheritance very quickly once I'm "pushing up the daisies" so I don't plan to leave them too much. (if anything  )

[Piero]

Piero,

I like your logic, your TV60 is a nice piece of kit and will devalue very slowly making it even better value.

The fact that a second hand tv60 is quite rare to find was the reason why I bought one new.

Mine is not and will never be in the second market!   

I love it and I love what it allows me to see too much! 

[Tonynexevo925]

Live for today, plan for tomorrow.

No point being the richest man the graveyard!

Divorce cost me way more than any mere

[Snaxmuppet]

Crickey! You have forced me to tot it up... not something I intended to do because I know I wouldn't like the result... anyway...  the answer is many times more than I intended and that is in the past 2 months as I am buying everything from scratch!!!

I started out thinking I might spend £2k on an imaging setup... yeh... right...

[damnut]

I'm pleading the fifth amendment.....

[awestruck]

TO MUCH at least in proportion to the tuition im also supposed to be paying. Around £1400. I fear to think what that number will be in another few years.

[Moonshane]

to my mind 'spent' suggests you will never get it back. I tend to buy quality used items and would think I'd get almost every penny back if I had time to sell. so therefore I can confidently say that my 16" dob, 12" dob, 6" dob, 80mm ED frac, 120mm ED frac and PSTAL Ha scope as well as my finders, filters and a case full of TV eyepieces cost me around £100-200.   

[A40farinagolf]

Great logic - If they cost you around £100 - 200 I'll be generous and offer you £300 for the lot.

I don't suppose it works that way does it? 

[Moonshane]

LOL

such a discount only applies to my wife!