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Lost my motivation


Garethr

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Hi there  I feel ya pain ,I did the same thing I was,visual for years and I wanted to do imaging ,brill a thought,spend a silly amount of cash and of I go and to be fair my images looked just like every one else's did same old nebula or galaxy or cluster sat in the house waiting for subs to land is boring!, I then sat in the obsy some times falling a sleep  and waking up,cold,and frosty on some nights .so I went back to,visual and really enjoy it more than I ever had I'd never go back to imaging for a,few reasons I can go and get another image rig to to produce the same image as the next guy it's rewarding that's a fact and the images are just amazing. The thrill for,me was getting every thing to work right soon as you have cracked that and got a few decent images ,the shine soon dulls and like me I just thought PFTtttttttttttttt can not be bothered tonight

pat

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Enthusiasm overcomes laziness I have found but where's the enthusiasm gone?

Quite a nice afternoon here with occasional bits of sunshine and I have been clearing soggy wet cardoard that was boxes from my "sun lounge" that now lacks part of the roof following recent storms.  The missing roof section has totally disappeared - I've looked all over my property and my neighbour who owns the surrounding fields has also made a search and found nothing.  Trouble is that although the roofing would cost just a few GBP, I don't have a vehicle capable of carrying it and delivery would add something like £30 :(

The door frame needs repairing too where the storms ripped the door out - fortunately that didn't disappear and I have it fixed temporarily with a G clamp but the door is not usable :( This used to provide the best access to my observatory with a relatively flat route.  The alternative is either much further (right round the house) or down a steepish slope which is too risky from slipping and falling with all the mud.  Once the door frame is fixed it should provide access to the observatory again.

The main problem I have now is that I can't do much without getting out of breath - my lungs are not in the best condition :(  I also made my back ache reaching down to pick up the wet cardboard and the odds and ends that used to be in the disintegrated boxes.  Have to say I miss not being able to do what I used to :(  I'm determined not to be totally defeated though and do what I can.  I guess it's little wonder that my enthusiasm is flagging what with the weather to contend with as well!

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Good luck with those plans Gina and take your time to get through those jobs.

I know that it has been mentioned a few times but Spring does feel like it is very gradually trying to emerge. Time to plan and put right damage from the storms, our roof is still full of holes and with no further storm forecast for the time being, will try and enthuse our roofer to fit us in. Besides a few forays into the backyard, astronomy continues to be appreciated by reading many of the great reports on here. I am resigned to the fact that my winter pursuits have all been missed, but as said enjoy to read the successful accounts of others on here - for those still able to walk the walk. I am also committed to a non closed season. Two or three years ago, I went to a 'dark' location on the Summer solstice, I wasn't the only one and it was very rewarding observing the globulars in the less than astronomical dark short period, I am quite content to do the same again, as ever and when ever possible. 

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42 minutes ago, Gina said:

Enthusiasm overcomes laziness I have found but where's the enthusiasm gone?

Quite a nice afternoon here with occasional bits of sunshine and I have been clearing soggy wet cardoard that was boxes from my "sun lounge" that now lacks part of the roof following recent storms.  The missing roof section has totally disappeared - I've looked all over my property and my neighbour who owns the surrounding fields has also made a search and found nothing.  Trouble is that although the roofing would cost just a few GBP, I don't have a vehicle capable of carrying it and delivery would add something like £30 :(

The door frame needs repairing too where the storms ripped the door out - fortunately that didn't disappear and I have it fixed temporarily with a G clamp but the door is not usable :( This used to provide the best access to my observatory with a relatively flat route.  The alternative is either much further (right round the house) or down a steepish slope which is too risky from slipping and falling with all the mud.  Once the door frame is fixed it should provide access to the observatory again.

The main problem I have now is that I can't do much without getting out of breath - my lungs are not in the best condition :(  I also made my back ache reaching down to pick up the wet cardboard and the odds and ends that used to be in the disintegrated boxes.  Have to say I miss not being able to do what I used to :(  I'm determined not to be totally defeated though and do what I can.  I guess it's little wonder that my enthusiasm is flagging what with the weather to contend with as well!

Gina,

I thought you had started to put projects on the back-boiler?.Lately, im seeing you just adding more to the list again. I'd be happier though to see you adding small,non-physical projects back on the list instead of rather bigger physical ones where you could actually injure yourself. I know you pretty well though and you are not a back-seat driver. You want to be at the wheel. I admire that, but for God sake woman..........learn to relax and know your limitations. 

Please please please just find it somewhere in your cash flow to pay for the delivery and then if possible get a neighbour in to do the DIY for you. Most obliging neighbours would not dream of charging you if you are unable in yourself to do the job. I have found this out first hand. 

Dont be getting up to any heroics..........especially when there is wet mud and slippery surfaces involved.

You put us all to shame, and in your case its anything but laziness.

 

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Thank you very much Paul :)  I very much appreciate your concern - and you are right, yes, I need to relax more :) 

Which small, non-physical projects were you thinking of?  The clocks and 3D printers are not particularly big or physical (except maybe the Giant printer which is on hold ATM and could stay there indefinitely).  Admittedly, the 400mm triple imaging rig is a bit of a beast and quite heavy but I'm only doing little bits to that ATM. 

You're right about just paying for delivery for the roof section - I think I probably can grab funds for that :) 

No, I wont be taking ang chances with slippery mud and the observatory can wait as can AP. 

Thanks again Paul - you're one of the best and a perfect example of the wonderful people that make up the SGL membership :) 

P.S. Hope I haven't embarrassed you by my last comment :)

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"Which small, non-physical projects were you thinking of? "

Some of your 3D printing projects. 

Tim loved analogue clocks, so i think you should complete that one.  "You're right about just paying for delivery for the roof section - I think I probably can grab funds for that :)".

Exactly. Ive paid that for small meteorites (which are nice to look at, but they have not enhanced my life in the way so to speak).  In your case it will be money better well spent.

Spring is just around the corner and all the sloppy wet dangerous mud will dry out and you can safely go about your business. The universe aint going anywhere. 

 

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Thought I'd do some 3D printing on my Titan printer which is the only one I had working since the UP electronisc died on me.  Set it all up, heated hotend and changed filament all fine, then stepped back, tripped over the USB cable and dragged the works out of the printer!! :(  Broke the brackets that held the electronics box and pulled several wires out, also bent the USB connector on the laptop :(  Now I don't have any 3D printers working :eek:  Won't try to do anything else tonight and think I'll have an early night! groan!

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Yes, I'm alright - thank you :)  Bit shaken up, that's all.  I shall have some repairs to do tomorrow - I'm not toughing it tonight.  Taken a photo and that's all.  Doubt there's any serious damage.

56e336708f1c9_Damage2016-03-11.thumb.jpg

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18 hours ago, Gina said:

Thought I'd do some 3D printing on my Titan printer which is the only one I had working since the UP electronisc died on me.  Set it all up, heated hotend and changed filament all fine, then stepped back, tripped over the USB cable and dragged the works out of the printer!! :(  Broke the brackets that held the electronics box and pulled several wires out, also bent the USB connector on the laptop :(  Now I don't have any 3D printers working :eek:  Won't try to do anything else tonight and think I'll have an early night! groan!

Hi Gina - Oh no! I can empathise - did something similar a while back with my Star Adventurer. Tripped over the usb cable and ripped the mini usb socket from the SA pcb. Felt so stupid. I normally complain about usb looseness... Sigh. I've tried to repair it with a replacement socket but it's still not working via usb power. Have put it to one side for now. I don't have the patience or the eyesight to do those sort of repairs anymore :( 

Louise

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Thank you Louise :)  Damage isn't as bad as it looked.  The USB connector is bent but still works :)  I've repaired the broken plastic bits and I'll solder the wires back on shortly.

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Well I have to say I was a bit miffed the other night:  when my NEQ6 kept choosing Capella as part of the three star alignment process because it knew I had a splint on my ankle and centering Capella would require me to lie under it on freezing cold paving slabs, when my laptop froze up and the gorilla glue securing the screen to the hinge-because I sat on it when I was drunk- crumbled away,  when I dropped a thumb screw out of an extension tube which then vanished from the face of the earth and finally when every bit of my expensive but often unpredictable kit was working as it should - the clouds rolled in off the North Sea to prevent me from taking a few blurry videos of Jupiiter.  I also have reasons to believe and compelling evidence that someones cat has recently weed on my Telegizmo 365 all weather cover.

Truth is even if I had videoed Jupiter, it would not have been as good as most  of the tremendous images I regularly see gracing this site, so why on earth do I freeze myself, aggravate my spinal arthritis, prolong the healing process appertaining to the detached tendons in my ankle, upset the neighbour's dog and test my partner's patience to the detriment of our joint bank account?  I have no answer to any of these questions but I suspect after a few warmer, clear and steady nights,  we will all be returning our respective observatories, sheds,  back yards, balconies or favourite viewing sites to marvel at the grandeur of the universe!

Clear skies everyone!

George

On 07/03/2016 at 23:25, Garethr said:

Not sure why but I seem to have lost my mojo at the moment for the whole star gazing thing.

Last year I loved spending time in my obsy even just "tweeking things" but this year hmmmmmmmmmmmm,   personally I think I may have hit a wall with the whole imaging thing.

I appreciate that I am using kit right on the limits of what it's able to achieve and living just to the West of London was always going to be a challenge but lately I have found myself glad when it clouds over and this can't be right.

Spent time tonight re-alingning the scope and re mapping sky using eqmod and CDC, checking polar alignment and focus.  Set focus,double checked, then set  to run a short set of images on M81 only to discover the scope is probably out of collomination as I'm getting dodgy shaped stars despite PHD showing the best graph to date.

ARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGH.

Astrophotography as a hobby you don't make life easy.

Just me having a moan but has any one else gone through this phase and if so how did you get though it.

 

Gareth 

 

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I was losing some motivation recently for deep sky observing. Cold conditions, illness, lack of clear sky at convenient times, liife getting more busy, another hobby pulling strongly that I can do in the cosy indoors, starting to process SDO solar data that I don't need to capture  myself.

The motivation is better now after coming to the SGL11 star party. We had a decent session one night and the enthusiasm of others is contagious! I think a star party can bump things up, I usually come back from them more fired up and I still remember views from my very first star party, SGL IV (especially M13 in Rob's 14 inch SCT) and other star parties, like seeing the Horsehead nebula at a later SGL with Mark!

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Been having a bit of a tinker this weekend adding a second monitor a friend gave me and buying a £5 adaptor from flea bay I now have twin monitors and won't have to keep minimising windows to check things,  even thinking of adding a 3rd to review subs as they download. 

Although clear tonight tomorrow's a "school day" so won't be playing tonight but at least I'm thinking about getting out there again so that's progress.  Thanks for all the supportive ideas.  

 

Gareth. 

 

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Cloudless here but misty.  I'm not pushing myself to get astro stuff working though - just taking it easy - playing with clocks instead and watercolour painting :)  At least I managed a walk up the hill this afternoon and feel better for it :)

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Fingers crossed I'm getting First Light with my new 80mm f/4.4 six-element Astrograph from TS. Even though there's a moon in the sky I'm hoping for a bit of H-alpha on the Rosette. This is the first semi-usable night we've had since it arrived.

I did find it was par-focal with both red and blue Baader filters, due to a bit of stupidity on my part regarding what was where in the filter wheel. D'oh!

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Thanks Gina, no mist here yet, though we have a couple of brooks nearby which can do their bit!

This won't go to a finished image, as I think the Rosette is done with now for this year. I'm thinking the first "real" image from this 'scope will be an LRGB on Markarian's Chain a bit later, when there's no moon.

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Very few stars showing through the mist to the naked eye here, perhaps seven or eight in the entire sky without much dark adaptation.

If I'd realised it would be passable earlier I would have tried the moon, but it looked like it would be as fuzzy as last night earlier.

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Well I got an hour on the Rosette in 10 min subs as I intended. Packed up for the night as I can see a fair bit of high cloud coming over. Will process tomorrow or Tuesday.

Still, it was a boost even to get that much after the dire weather we've had, plus this is the first night when my cold has subsided enough for me to risk it.

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