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Is astronomy like Marmite ?

spaceboy

By spaceboy
in The Astro Lounge

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Floater

Floater

Posted
Posted

Oh, Spaceboy (Nick?). You made a mistake by putting Marmite in the subject title!

Your post should not be treated so lightly. A wonderful, eloquent paean to our shared hobby.

Power to your pen.

And thanks.

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Stu

Stu

Posted
Posted

Oh, Spaceboy (Nick?). You made a mistake by putting Marmite in the subject title!

Your post should not be treated so lightly. A wonderful, eloquent paean to our shared hobby.

Power to your pen.

And thanks.

Well said that man :)

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Qualia

Qualia

Posted
Posted

I think the heat must be getting to you down there Rob ;).

 I do get a little frustrated by the desire for instant gratification and for everything to be easily accessible.Stu

p.s. Marmite on toast. Yummy :)

Great post, Stu and very thoughtful. I agree with you that good things take time but just as you noted, the concepts of patience, virtue and perseverance have effectively been erased from many people's lexicon.

The marmite skin rub was a bit odd, I agree :grin: but there was a leftfield logic to it. A popular myth is that eating marmite (high count in vitamin B1) acts as a mosquito repellent and I just imagined folk clicking onto the idea and giving themselves a little marmite-moisturising before heading off on their summer hols... :icon_razz:

Okay, yes, the heat really has pickled my brains.....I'll get my coat :grin:

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Sp@ce_d

Sp@ce_d

Posted
Posted

Well, there's a connection for me. Whenever I get a migraine I absolutely crave Marmite on toast.. it's usually preceded by a few frustrating nights when things go wrong in the obsy!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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mikeDnight

mikeDnight

Posted
Posted

I've found that some people can have everything offered on a plate, the finest scope, eyepieces, mount etc, but if its not in their heart, they will not succeed. Others can have the hardest time using less than ideal equipment, having the poorest observing site and having limited financial means, yet because they love the subject, they will succeed no matter what obsticals they face.

Such ones are the true amateurs.

The late Grahame Hosty back in the 1970s, a true amateur from Huddersfield, discovered a Nova while using half a pair of 10x50 binoculars mounted on a flimsy wooden tripod from his humble garden shed observatory. Despite using less than ideal equipment, he succeeded in following his hobby passionately. There are many such examples as Hosty and we all come at the hobby from slightly different perspectives. None are wrong providing they feed our passion.

For me it gives me a thrill to see with my own eyes the thin sliver of ghostly light that is an edge on galaxy. To know that the photons of light that set off on their journey hundreds of thousands if not millions of years ago have ended their journey as they impact my retina. I'm in awe as I sketch Jupiter, Mars or Saturn and see over time, as the intricate detail begins to reveal itself in fleeting moments of good seeing.

I've often showed the night sky to others and most are very appreciative, some however remain unmoved. I'm also aware that most people who look through my scope don't see what I see, only those who've clocked up mileage at the eyepiece can be expected to have acquired the necessary observing ability to really get the most out of the image.

I've also had peaks and troughs in my enthusiasm, but after 35years of playing under the stars I think I'm stuck with astronomy for some time to come, hopefully!

Mike

PS I prefer Bovril.

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bish

bish

Posted
Posted

I used to think that astronomy is like marmite. My wife thinks I am daft looking at the sky with my scope and finds space programs boring. She agreed to come on a flight to see the eclipse this year and said it was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. She wants to book a trip for the 2017 eclipse now. We also went to see Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov speak at the Science Centre and she really enjoyed it. She still has no interest in star gazing the way that I do but is partly converted.

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Floater

Floater

Posted
Posted

There's no doubt that it has to be in you to begin with.

I took my solar scope along to my local one sunny evening a week or two back to show the folks what I'd been banging on about for ages. Some couldn't even be bothered to come outside; others looked through the scope and said 'oh yeah' (think seeing the Mona Lisa and saying 'it's a picture of a wumman wi a grin').

But some were gobsmacked and couldn't get enough of it, wanting to know more. And that was good enough for me.

One man's poisson is another man's poison ...? Vive la difference!

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mikeDnight

mikeDnight

Posted
Posted

I used to think that astronomy is like marmite. My wife thinks I am daft looking at the sky with my scope and finds space programs boring. She agreed to come on a flight to see the eclipse this year and said it was the most amazing thing she had ever seen. She wants to book a trip for the 2017 eclipse now. We also went to see Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov speak at the Science Centre and she really enjoyed it. She still has no interest in star gazing the way that I do but is partly converted.

I feel like the odd one out here as I never, ever, thought to equate astronomy with Marmite. Maybe I'm thick!

Mike

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Stu

Stu

Posted
Posted

I feel like the odd one out here as I never, ever, thought to equate astronomy with Marmite. Maybe I'm thick!

Mike

Mike, I'm certain you are not thick, but I'm equally certain Nick (Spaceboy) is wishing he had thought of a different analogy to put in his title!! [emoji6]

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happylimpet

happylimpet

Posted
Posted

Its always a surprise who bites and who doesnt..... last year was my 40th and a clear sky so I had my 12" in the garden all night during a rather large houseparty (with DJs, last stragglers left 11am...you get the idea)...I spent several hours of the night showing folk Mars, Saturn, perhaps some other things (I forget!) and towards dawn the moon...

There didnt seem to be any way of knowing who of the many people, mostly good friends, would really be gobsmacked and impressed, or simply look, say 'oh' and walk away.  I wonder if its about imagination, and thinking about what you're seeing.....anyway, it was great to finally share my hobby with lots of people...most of my friends know my interests and often ask to look so glad it happened.

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Paul M

Paul M

Posted
Posted

Back in the 90's a colleague's son showed some interest and I showed him the sky with Ye Olde Fullerscope.

He seemed to get the bug and the next thing I heard he was on the committee of a local club trying to talk me into going along. I went a few times but I never got the club bug. Clubs have never been my thing.

I saw him a while later and asked how he was doing with the astronomy and was told he'd moved on. Burned out in no time.

I've seen that a few times in other pastimes too. The number of people I've known who got into scuba diving and bought all the kit only to find they actually only enjoyed the kit purchasing side of it.

That's something quite common in astronomy too. It can be as expensive as you like or free of charge. Some people are attracted only by the tech aspect and aren't really into stargazing. If their kit doesn't deliver or they reach a peak from where they can see no further progress they lose interest.

I think it's a trait I see a lot on SGL. Many of us have a life long passion and have dipped in and out over the years. Astronomy came first and the kit much later. I never tire of looking at a starry sky. I can't always be bothered (read, "rarely") getting the scope out. My new 10" GOTO Newt is lovely but wasted on my light polluted sky. I can imagine a newby taking advantage of the price and availability of modern scopes but not taking the time nor have the passion to find a use for it.

I'm not saying it has to be driven by a love of the stars, I know there are a growing number of imagers who specialise in the tech aspect, but for longevity I think it's important. 

And once again, I'm not sure if I've answered the question or whether there even was one ... :)

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stu640

stu640

Posted
Posted

Fascinating discussion. As a newbie it's really made me think about why I'm interested in astronomy and the concerns I have for my future with it. Ever since a master at school took some of us boys out stargazing with his telescope back in the mid-80s I've always enjoyed looking up. That master even took us to a lecture by Patrick Moore and I felt really privileged to have met a hero.

Fast forward 25 years and I'd done nothing about this hobby except look up occasionally and watch Brian Cox popular science documentaries. I found myself in Afghanistan under some awesome dark skies which made sentry duties bearable! I knew the enthusiasm was there, but no time to do anything about it.

Fast forward again, to this April and I get a telescope for my birthday and high-fiving a mate who joined me on only my second outing when we saw a moon shadow transit Jupiter sealed it for me - I'd left the hobby for 30 years, but it hadn't left me! Something innate about the wonder of it all? I think so.

What concerns me, however, is how long will I still enjoy trudging out to find a suitably dark spot for observing? I have a track record here. I used to be an HF radio operator. Establishing HF comms is a dark art, much like finding that DSO I guess, and I got a real buzz out of it, especially when the Yeoman, told me, 'don't bother, it won't work tonight' to then prove him wrong. That buzz faded, to be replaced by the buzz of training others to achieve the same, but even that faded and I changed job.

I hope it won't be the same with astronomy, though I know if it turns out that way I'll still always look up in wonder and I'll always like marmite (thinly spread and not too often!)

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Stu

Stu

Posted
Posted

Back in the 90's a colleague's son showed some interest and I showed him the sky with Ye Olde Fullerscope.

He seemed to get the bug and the next thing I heard he was on the committee of a local club trying to talk me into going along. I went a few times but I never got the club bug. Clubs have never been my thing.

I saw him a while later and asked how he was doing with the astronomy and was told he'd moved on. Burned out in no time.

I've seen that a few times in other pastimes too. The number of people I've known who got into scuba diving and bought all the kit only to find they actually only enjoyed the kit purchasing side of it.

That's something quite common in astronomy too. It can be as expensive as you like or free of charge. Some people are attracted only by the tech aspect and aren't really into stargazing. If their kit doesn't deliver or they reach a peak from where they can see no further progress they lose interest.

I think it's a trait I see a lot on SGL. Many of us have a life long passion and have dipped in and out over the years. Astronomy came first and the kit much later. I never tire of looking at a starry sky. I can't always be bothered (read, "rarely") getting the scope out. My new 10" GOTO Newt is lovely but wasted on my light polluted sky. I can imagine a newby taking advantage of the price and availability of modern scopes but not taking the time nor have the passion to find a use for it.

I'm not saying it has to be driven by a love of the stars, I know there are a growing number of imagers who specialise in the tech aspect, but for longevity I think it's important.

And once again, I'm not sure if I've answered the question or whether there even was one ... :)

I think what you say is very true. I've been interested in astronomy for probably 25 years now, but only really started observing 15 years ago. I've never seen it as a race to view all the Messier objects (I still haven't), or NGC's etc, nor do I pressure myself to observe all the time.

To me it is just always there as a passion and sometimes I do more of it, sometimes less. I doubt I will ever lose interest but I'm sure how I observe will evolve.

Kit buying certainly comes into it! It can be a little obsessive but my desire is actually just to get to a stage where I have what I need, and to be settled and happy with it. I equally sure that will not happen for a long time!!

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Sp@ce_d

Sp@ce_d

Posted
Posted

Beer by product.......hmmmmm!

Loved it since a kid.

Marmite and salad cream sarnies, lovely! :grin:

Beer yes but urghhh... Salad Cream! Can't stand it... Now Mayo... oh yes. Don't you just love diversity ;)

So I'm now not sure the analogy is correct. Marmite is Either Or. There are so many different facets to Astronomy.. Hmmm

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