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4 minutes ago, AmatuerStargazer said:

When I take my telescope out at night one thing that usually stops me from staying up late is tiredness. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for staying up.

 

A 20-30 minute power nap earlier in the evening followed by coffee usually does the trick for me . 

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Plan it out. I think when I saw Saturn it was like 3am in the morning.

I planned when I needed to get up, had the telescope ready alarm set and went to bed an hour early. Once awake I made sure I was only out for an hour then straight back to bed. I woke up slightly later than usual but as long as you dont have work or something on the next day its normally not to bad.

Staying awake untill those times Would be impossible for me lol

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Actually, it's the mornings the next day that get me. 

On the other hand, it's only this time of year that I have to be out late. By the end of August I'm hoping to have some good sessions and still be tucked up in bed around eleven o'clock.

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Honestly sometimes when your engaged with the wonders of the cosmos she can be a tough mistress ?

Myself for instance I've been on cover at work these past few weeks and the night was clear in between my transition from day shifts to night a 24 hour gap.

I checked the sky at 22:00 and it was clear I had been up from 4:00am but I couldn't resist I ended up going to bed at 2:30am in the morning up at 6:00am with the kids then doing a 18:00pm-06:00am night shift the same night.

Was it worth it? You bet it was, you do what you have to do because of the passion to explore the cosmos.

Failing that as pointed out above planning your sessions is key, but sometimes the best sessions are the ones you don't plan for ?

Clear skies ?✨???

Richard

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Eating something reasonably substantial and a strong cup of tea or coffee late at night gives me the energy and helps me stay awake for several hours beyond the normal time I'd go to sleep. 

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4 minutes ago, Ouroboros said:

Eating something reasonably substantial and a strong cup of tea or coffee late at night gives me the energy and helps me stay awake for several hours beyond the normal time I'd go to sleep. 

Yes absolutely. Lack of food (and warmth) is a real limiting factor for me when I'm not at home. I can't do caffeine after about 4pm but a flask of something hot even on warm nights is invaluable. 

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Great question, I tend to be an early starter for the early commute to London. By the time it's dark I only have the energy levels for short viewing sessions. Roll on retirement when work won't get in the way.

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14 minutes ago, Wpit said:

Great question, I tend to be an early starter for the early commute to London. By the time it's dark I only have the energy levels for short viewing sessions. Role on retirement when work won't get in the way.

Oh yes, I can definitely recommend retirement as the best aid to this weird hobby of ours. 

Also our weather in Britain is such that we quite often get a series of clear nights between long periods of cloudy weather.  Staying up late for several nights can be quite difficult. Personally I can't lie in after a late night. My body clock still makes me wake up more or less at the normal time. Having a power nap in the afternoon though really helps recharge the batteries when clear nights occur on successive nights. 

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Retirement in the US means being laid off in your early to mid 50s, not finding steady work for several years, and then coming to the realization that you can only find low paying part time work in your late 50s and early 60s.  At some point you say to yourself, "I guess I'm retired, and I didn't know it until now."  Only government workers and union members still have pension plans, and even those are massively underfunded and in danger of collapse.

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47 minutes ago, Louis D said:

Retirement in the US means being laid off in your early to mid 50s, not finding steady work for several years, and then coming to the realization that you can only find low paying part time work in your late 50s and early 60s.  At some point you say to yourself, "I guess I'm retired, and I didn't know it until now."  Only government workers and union members still have pension plans, and even those are massively underfunded and in danger of collapse.

That's just about what is happening to me. I have a trapped nerve in my spine and I cannot continue with my job. After 33 years service it's retire or be dismissed. 55 years of age and thrown on the scrap heap. Good job I have a works pension. 

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I work shifts. 2 x 12 hour day shifts then 2 x 12 hour night shifts followed by 3 days off. Every 8 weeks I get 18 days off. The fatigue slowly builds over time to the point that other than on my 18 day breaks I have little energy to even notice the night sky.

 

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45 minutes ago, Paul M said:

I work shifts. 2 x 12 hour day shifts then 2 x 12 hour night shifts followed by 3 days off. Every 8 weeks I get 18 days off. The fatigue slowly builds over time to the point that other than on my 18 day breaks I have little energy to even notice the night sky.

 

Similar to what I do apart from the 18 days off part.

I do 2x days 2x nights 12 hour shifts, then have 4 off.

But they do a set holiday system so each shift is off at a particular time.

A shift was off for instance the last 2 lots of 4 which meant D shift my shift had to do they're nights.

This means we had to do 2 days 4 nights 2 off 2 days 4 nights 2 off 2 days 2 nights and finally on my 4 off now.

But in between this cover I still managed to get out inbetween my transition from days to night shifts I was up until 02:30am I was tired but it was well worth it ?

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20 minutes ago, Richard Hather said:

Similar to what I do apart from the 18 days off part.

 

But in between this cover I still managed to get out inbetween my transition from days to night shifts I was up until 02:30am I was tired but it was well worth it ?

I look forward to the 18 day breaks but they are fixed and that is when we have our holidays. Sounds like a lot of time off but over the year we are actually on the job for more hours than non-shift workers with their 37.5 hr week.

We became foster carers just about a year ago and that in itself is a full time job. When we attend training and so forth it amazes me that I'm the only one that has a full time job out of all the other attendees.

So it's a combination of shift work and children that flattens my battery!

My best opportunity for stargazing is during my breaks when we get up to our caravan in Cumbria. Time to relax with nice dark skies right outside the door! :) 

I keep Ye Olde Fullerscope up there full time just in case I get the urge (although the village pub is often more attractive :) ).

 

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2 minutes ago, Paul M said:

I look forward to the 18 day breaks but they are fixed and that is when we have our holidays. Sounds like a lot of time off but over the year we are actually on the job for more hours than non-shift workers with their 37.5 hr week.

We became foster carers just about a year ago and that in itself is a full time job. When we attend training and so forth it amazes me that I'm the only one that has a full time job out of all the other attendees.

So it's a combination of shift work and children that flattens my battery!

My best opportunity for stargazing is during my breaks when we get up to our caravan in Cumbria. Time to relax with nice dark skies right outside the door! :) 

I keep Ye Olde Fullerscope up there full time just in case I get the urge (although the village pup is often more attractive :) ).

 

It does leave very little time for sessions I have to admit.

I have 3 children 2y/4y/6y and they are exhausting in the best possible way ?

But I use that to motivate me to get out because it relaxes me and honestly makes me appreciate life a lot more ?

Add the piece and quiet and the time to myself from not only the family but the whole world I find it very therapeutic to get out ?

Even so it can be hard the next day when getting up at 06:00am with the kids, but I'm always happy I did it because of the amazing objects I get to observe ?

Clear skies ✨????

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I find that I'm alright the next day so long as I get 7-8hrs sleep - it's when I'm outside that I get tired. I often find that a nap before can help, but more often than not I can't get up when the alarm goes off, and then feel gutted the next morning.

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Getting a bit overdue, travel to dark sky locations with a set agenda is where I feel I am most alive to visual astronomy. These trips can be a commitment, up to an hour travel each way and anticipating a good clear forecast, I want to get the most out of it. Adrenaline, a sense of expectation, concentration, mixed up with coffee and snacks defies time and fatigue. A good radio station on the way home is necessary and then more adrenaline to haul everything out of the car to air off in the back room for the remainder of the night. I am self employed and my work pattern can often be patchy, which means that if there is a good opportunity for a mid week new moon trip out I just might be available to go for it. The flip side if I do have work the following day then at best a short scope or binocular session locally or from home will do.  

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Those are the days I usually get out: Thursday to Monday. I try to avoid the middle of the week because it's to hard to restore my sleep from there (unless I am full of energy after 1 week of rain). I have an espresso machine and drink only a small sip of espresso coffee just before the observation, like 1/3 of a tiny espresso cup. this will keep me up for 1 hour.

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