What do your neighbors think?

[theghettostylus]

My older neighbours used to go to bed early so they didn't know but the new ones saw me out in the garden once and just said is that a telescope? I said yeah. He then replied "are you into all that stuff?" Made me laugh. I've just got it because its a nice ornament for the garden. I have since moved my observing position to behind some trees closer to the house and use the little boys football net with trap on to keep myself hidden. Plus they have a spot light that comes on far to often.

[JamesF]

Neighbours.......?

That's not dissimilar to my situation.

There is one house just off the left of the shot with an insecurity light that I can make out easily when it's on despite being over a mile away, but being to the north it's of little bother.

Otherwise my neighbours are limited to cows, pheasant and the local cricket club.

James

[JB80]

All those crickets must get noisy come night time though?

[JamesF]

They mostly go home when the bar shuts at 11pm.

James

[ollypenrice]

Since 'most neighbours' are a subset of 'most people' I suppose they will think that not watching telly all night would be devient, subversive and possibly illegal. I don't know what my neighbours think of me but I suppose I could drive over and ask them...

lly

[JamesF]

Since 'most neighbours' are a subset of 'most people' I suppose they will think that not watching telly all night would be devient, subversive and possibly illegal. I don't know what my neighbours think of me but I suppose I could drive over and ask them...

I was having a filling replaced last year during the time the World Cup was taking place and whilst making idle chatter to give the anaesthetic time to work the dentist asked if I was going to watch the football on television that evening.  I admitted that my interest in football comes somewhere below that in scrubbing my own eyeballs with a wire brush.  "In fact, I don't even really watch television very often."  The utter incredulity in his voice when he asked what else I might actually be able to think of to do came as something of a surprise.

James

[Roysten]

Astronomy isn't exactly a mainstream pastime of the majority of people, would be interesting to know what perceptions are like. Would suspicious neighbours be concerned if we sat outside doing something else like woodwork in the shed?!

[cathouse42]

Astronomy isn't exactly a mainstream pastime of the majority of people, would be interesting to know what perceptions are like. Would suspicious neighbours be concerned if we sat outside doing something else like woodwork in the shed?!

Peeping toms.

[ArmyAirForce]

Neighbours know I'm the local wackadoodle, and my scopes are the least of their worries! 

[cathouse42]

Neighbours know I'm the local wackadoodle, and my scopes are the least of their worries! 

When does the invasion start?

(under a full moon no doubt)

[Johannes]

Hi all Many years ago I lived over a shop and the back yard was huge next door was retirement flats. When I was outside with my scope and two children looking skywards a policeman came into the yard and asked stargazing. I said yes. somebody from the flats must have rung the police after seeing us there at night. john

[Roysten]

Wow, not something you see everyday!

Ever get tempted to play draughts on the side?

[Naf]

I have neighbors either side and two over  back fence all of which are friendly and keep to them selves. On my southern horizon in my neighbors corner of their yard was a ever growing tree which was becoming a problem as its roots we're pushing the fence over, this had gone on for decades which obstructed my view south limiting time to polar align( I live in the southern hemisphere) then a little over a fortnight ago an east coast low pressure system formed  on the coast close to me and dumped  400mm of rain in two days and winds up to 135klm an hr. Consequently the said tree fell down taking out the fence landing on a shed, destroying an aviary and smashing a chook house and run. Fortunately the insurance will take care of any repairs and I've lost that beautiful tree on my southern horizon, clear skies. :laugh:

[Macavity]

"In fact, I don't even really watch television very often."  The utter incredulity in his voice when he asked

what else I might actually be able to think of to do came as something of a surprise.

Heheh. But it reminds me so much of the "coffee lounge conversation" with Particle Physicists. 

Of course *they* never watched "idiot TV" or engaged in plebian cultural things like... Football!

If they happened to know the current plot of East Enders, it was "THE wife" that watched it!

Sometimes I wish I had transport. That I could more actively give support to my local Astro Soc.

My sex-pest-weirdo-anti-science neighbour (qv) is a non-starter (lol) - But I still feel that we can

do more to attract *ordinary* people to Astronomy! E.g. I don't care if they watch "stupid" TV. 

[Roysten]

I find that it's one of those hobbies that is easier to get into than you realise but just doesn't cross a lot of people's minds. A lot of people have very little inherent interest in space and the stars even though there are quite a few TV shows that try to promote it. What we need is a Mars landing to get everyone engaged!

[Stu]

We have had an uneasy relationship with our neighbours for about 4 years since we put a planning application in........

Things are easier now, and the husband has expressed some interest in astronomy after seeing my scopes out in the garden.

The other day I had the Quark out and the views were stunning, so I gave him a shout and he popped round. It was well worthwhile, I don't think he could quite believe what he was seeing once he got sorted with focus and eye position. Quite a few wows, and perhaps a little more of that bridge built.

[Roysten]

I can see it being a good way to build bridges, hoping to try it for that purpose! In my experience once people take a look and realise what they're looking at and how far away it is then they're usually very impressed and amazed at what is possible.

[JonC]

I think my neighbours are starting to wonder what I am up to, luckily they don't turn on the outside lights so all is good at the moment. If it looks like we will have a reasonable night I will invite their kids round for a look. Next step is to sort out portable power and get mobile, about half a mile away is disused WW2 airfield, so higher than home and flat, and there are no streetlights around here.

[cathouse42]

I can't wait for people to start putting WiFi Smart lights around their houses,

Imagine, the flick of a switch, you can black out the neighbourhood for a few hours and enjoy the stars

Smart houses, Smart streets; bring it on

[Helicon]

I've got great neighbours ,they all know of my interest in astronomy and some do come and have a look when I have the scope out especially during the day if I am solar observing, in fact one of them put me in touch via facebook with one of our members on here (Badgerchap ) . 

I have also managed to get some of them to see the ISS for the first time and regularly get asked when it's back over our skies !

[russ.will]

My neighbour loves coming round to have look when I'm out in the garden. As a bonus, she normally brings Ale too.

The other side isn't interested, but tends to arrive with Pimms or gin, so it's win, win. 

Russell

[Pleiades M45]

I think they know what i am doing since the telescope is sometimes out during the day for solar observing. but maybe they just don't care! I personally don't like my neighbors.

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[hockaye]

I must admit that my neighbours are for the most part very good apart from the odd rendition of star man and noon shadow from the young ones its quiet, one of my other neighbours closes the blinds when I am out to cut down stray light ( think it helped when I gave them a pair of solar specs to watch the eclipse ) so on the whole quite lucky but that could change just as quickly as the weather.

[Branden_Rapp]

I actually had the police called on me by a neighbor. I had my scope set up at the baseball diamond across the street from my house (no trees in the way there). I was minding my own business, observing Bode's Galaxy and the Cigar Galaxy in Ursa Major. Unfortunately, astronomy in my area is something that nobody has heard about apparently, as well as a millennium old tool as a telescope!!! Lol. (Sad considering the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center is only 20 minutes away....) Next thing I know, A local police patrol car, county sheriff, and state trooper are pulled up to investigate a call concerning "suspicious activity with an object dangerous in appearance". Once I explained what this highly lethal object was and what I was doing the situation was calmed down... Almost arrested over a telescope... our tax dollars at work my friends. Lmao