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Choosing direction ?


cotterless45

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I note that some gear is often sold as folk change direction. Is it a requirement to have direction or enjoy the whole range of what's available ?

I went for big aperture and faint galaxies. This has proven hardly achievable with increasing light pollution. I switched to refractors, planets, lunar,double stars and bright dso's.

I think that's it's highly likely for folk to get lost on the great range of targets and choice of scope. Perhaps it's a way forward to specialise in a few areas of interest, changing direction. Perhaps the out of season all night observing is time to review.

Nick.

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Only my personal opinion but there's absolutely no requirement for a specific direction, do what you enjoy doing and don't worry about anything else. Although I'm still quite new to astronomy, I'm finding new avenues to enjoy and isn't that the point of any hobby/interest?

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I have a chosen direction Luna and planets, when i first got into astronomy i wanted to hunt galaxies, but this has never happened, other than M31

I change kit as i seek perfection for my needs, maybe i should just put up and shut up with the kit i own, the silly thing is just about any telescope will show the moon in some detail

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I note that some gear is often sold as folk change direction. Is it a requirement to have direction or enjoy the whole range of what's available ?

I went for big aperture and faint galaxies. This has proven hardly achievable with increasing light pollution. I switched to refractors, planets, lunar,double stars and bright dso's.

I think that's it's highly likely for folk to get lost on the great range of targets and choice of scope. Perhaps it's a way forward to specialise in a few areas of interest, changing direction. Perhaps the out of season all night observing is time to review.

Nick.

This is a smart move Nick as it provides you with rewarding sessions all the time. From home I look at those same targets and use similar scopes. My dob might get a little more use than yours though! :grin:

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I started out wanting to be a lunar and planetary observer. I saw myself with a long focus refractor housed in a domed observatory. 

Boy was I wrong, I found planetary observing totally unrewarding. Later I was to find I also hated observing from a domed observatory. A horrible claustrophobic experience IMO.

I've found I'm far happier out under the stars with a big newt for company cruising the galaxies and diffuse nebulae. I still like the moon on occasions but Planets .........nah your welcome to them.

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I'm not sure how relevant this will be, but for most of my life, my main hobby was (I'm not entirely sure it still is) photography, rather than astronomy. Anyway, I often found that I would get stuck in a rut, inspiration-wise, and that an excellent way to get out of it was simply to take off for the day and try a completely unfamiliar genre of photography. Sometimes it opened up a new area of interest, sometimes it just enabled me to go back to what I knew with a different, maybe fresher, perspective. Either way it seemed to be quite effective. Most effective of all was when, twenty-odd years ago, I had to move from Edinburgh to Dorset for work, and was forced to completely reinvent myself entirely - photographically speaking. Turned out to be quite liberating, contrary to my expectations.

Anyway, as it happens I think one of the good (even if sometimes frustrating) things with astronomy is that the changing seasons, the lunar cycle, the coming and going of comets, etc. means that my observing sessions are always changing, whether I want them to or not!  :rolleyes:  Well, it's all still comparatively fresh to me - perhaps I just haven't yet reached the point where I'm in that rut, let alone where I need a conscious change of direction.

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I tend to look at a bit of everything but with the winter being not the best and working shifts I've added a lot more lunar and will continue with it in the summer months instead of packing up and waiting for the dark clear winter nights which rarely come around.

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It's funny how I have kind of found myself slotted into solar system imaging with a lot of solar stuff and am taking more of an interest in planets and lunar. I am somewhat restricted by the limitations of my kit and I don't tend to upgrade as often as I'd like but I'm really enjoying it so I have never felt the need to do anything else.

As far as I can tell my future direction is going to be down this path too and in an ideal world that means upgrading the solar kit and also something with a lot more aperture, maybe it will happen but until then I'm enjoying exploring the capabilities of what I have now.

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Perhaps when you have established a kind of sense of direction, it becomes more about evolving. Each (fairly infrequent) time I get to venture to a dark site in the countryside, my adrenaline and excitement builds up. Yet if it was not for more occasional backyard astronomy, I would feel increasingly detached from participation in this hobby.  Whilst evolving largely through selling and buying equipment, there is unlikely to be any further direction I can pursue in visual astronomy. Solar would be tempting, but unless we move, my outdoor space is too restrictive for this and setting up anywhere else would become too public. 

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I tend to go for checklists, such as the Messier catalogue, Caldwell, Hershalls etc, i like an end goal and something to work towards or else i lose motivation, so i picked the best all rounder to achieve this in the newt, and soon to be dob!

Matt.

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I think that I have all the direction of Dark Star. :)

I've always been drawn to the photographic side of DSO's but enjoy the lunar and planetary observations.

I suppose that this shows in the choice of instrument.

michael

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I started out wanting to take photos and such like, but now just looking up and seeing the stars of all sizes and such like that may well be home to others is more than fascinating enough.

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Maybe it's a symptom of still being just a novice, but I just enjoy experiencing the variety of objects visible from my back garden. I think I've gone for good 'all-rounder' scopes... Moon/planets/comets/multiple star systems/planetary nebulae/reflection nebs/emission nebs/dark nebs/open clusters/globular clusters/galaxies/galaxy clusters... I enjoy seeing them all with my very own eyes, a couple of mirrors, and glass. Then there's a little bit of solar - with baader solar film mask - amazing (some day I'd love a Ha). Now I want to track down a Quasar per John's intriguing thread...

I admire people who are more like real astronomers and have specialised in subject and equipment.

I'm not there yet - and maybe never will be. Time will tell. I still just enjoy the stillness of the wee hours, leaving the world behind to the excitement of expanding on what I've seen, and continuously revisiting objects to try to see more. Always looking for those perfect nights for seeing incredible detail on Jupiter...

I love reading up on what I have seen, and reading up on equipment. When my eyes fail me, and I'm older with more time - I could see myself trying out AP, or I think a Mallincam looks like fun on DSOs...

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I started off wanting to image and got my kit accordingly. I blame all of those great photos that made me think it would be easy to just put a camera on the back and do it myself :D

My direction has remained firmly in imaging - I have looked through a scope perhaps 6 times (usually when my sister in law comes out to stay and she want to look through it) but apart from that the camera remains firmly on. Only interested in DSO's as well, planetary, solar and lunar isn't my bag. 

Perhaps that shows my stubborn streak - This lady is not for changing ;d

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I started on planets and the moon with a neat little Frac that I still own..not bothered about any other targets and now it's the other way round faint stuff for me with a great big mirror.To be fair it has only taken me 30 years to find out where my interest really is so I'm lucky!!!

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I think its what ever floats your boat at the time!

Over the years I've been passionate about deep sky, comets have enthralled me and I love binary star observing. Im now equally thrilled when observing the Moon and planets.

I know that should I ever try my hand at variable star or solar observing, I'd become equally hooked as I have been with most things astronomical.

Of course being passionate about different aspects of this terrific hobby doesn't mean I'm any good at any of it, but that doesn't matter in the least. As long as I find enjoyment in a particular field of interest I'll keep merrily tootling along.

As a natural consequence of following a particular direction, I feel certain that each one becomes - at least to a certain degree - a specialist in his field. However, I'm not certain that that's the same as specialising in a particular field of study. Does this make any sense, or am I talking rubbish 'again'?

Mike

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I think it really goes with disposable income :- refractor to sct to imaging to light bucket and those with a predilection for TV ep's.. :grin: However in this great journey there is so much room for all. (a universe in fact)

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My direction is solar, lunar, planets, DSOs, doubles and imaging (widefield, DSO and planetary). Also a bit of DIY astronomy and computational astronomy. As you can see I am trying to keep a focus on just a few complementary areas, as i have a tendency to spread myself too thinly.  :grin:

Not that I have suitable kit for any of that :-)

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Using the MAK I'm all about Luna, Planets, Doubles and Bright (but compact) DSO's such as Globulars

I use the ED80 for wide field such as NGC 869, M31/41/45 and the Beehive Cluster.

I must say the Frac with quality optics and zero central obstruction give pin sharp stars that make scanning the sky an absolute pleasure. I tend to read up on the characteristics of the objects prior to observing and form a plan of viewing. That reminds me that I'm looking at an amazing object which in turn enriches the whole experience

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My only direction is upwards. I have never set out a plan on which celestial objects to concentrate on. Thats too limiting for my liking. If i can see it, i'll observe it. I do like looking at nebulae more because they are just beautiful. 

Solar is my latest "avenue" because i'm sure to get more days when i can see it, then nights when i cant see anything. That was the "plan". Its working out pretty well.  

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Changed direction is certainly one of reasons people selling their gears., Another reason is changed circustomces (unexpected happenings, income changes)., Aslo some are very curious by nature, interested in trying out different stuffs, and getting easily bored with the same gears.

I'm of cheapo type, tried to live within the means I have, reading a lot before decissions, Still having all the scopes and  kept most of things I bought, and reason wide options for different observations.

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I have allways enjoyed looking at whatever is available at the time and have over the years collected together enough different telescopes to cover most bases. Having exceeded my allotted " Three score Years and Ten" I now find solar observation more comfortable.  :smiley:

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I like to keep my options open,but due to all too prevalent light pollution,I now tend to focus more on Planetary and Double Stars,rather than DSO's (most of which are decidedly underwhelming from my location). Funnily enough,at first,I pooh-poohed the idea of Doubles,thinking that they'd all look the same,and who'd want a copy of 'The Cambridge Double Star Atlas'? Roll on the publication of a second edition!

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