Jump to content

Narrowband

Does it *ever* get relaxing?


Girders

Recommended Posts

My time outside is extremely relaxing. It's usually limited to an hour of sky scanning rather than following maps though as my kids don't believe in sleep so after bedtime, dinner for me, chores etc there is little time left. The hour is all I have so I can get some sleep before the 5.30am wake-up screams from the progeny trying to kill each other.

Scope lives in the garage though so at least it is at temperature.

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 88
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Thanks for all the replies.  At least I know I'm not alone.  I think it's got to me a bit this week with waking up to a couple of clear mornings despite forecasts of wall to wall clouds.  In the three months of doing this I've realised just how limited the opportunities really are and it's hugely frustrating to miss them.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Girders said:

Thanks for all the replies.  At least I know I'm not alone.  I think it's got to me a bit this week with waking up to a couple of clear mornings despite forecasts of wall to wall clouds.  In the three months of doing this I've realised just how limited the opportunities really are and it's hugely frustrating to miss them.  

I try not to worry about when I get to observe. If it's clear out (or probably going to be) and I feel like it then I go out and observe. If it's clear but I want to do something else or I'm too tired or whatever other reason then I just don't go out and don't worry about missing a session. Trying to force it is what ruins it and if you're not forcing it, then it can be relaxing. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the word missing is "excitement" !

It's hard to relax with so many beautiful targets . A comfy seat  , warm clothes and a hot drink and as soon as you get drawn into a view  everything else drifts away.

I think some folk get disappointed especially from light polluted skies. It's better to select targets that you can observe , rather than chasing big aperture , dark site fuzzy things.

Open clusters , globular clusters , bright planetary nebulae and endless binary stars should fill your sessions . That's in addition to planets and the Moon. Any reasonable aperture will get results that outmatch your light pollution, enjoy under ,

Clear skies !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go out and just see what you can see. Forget specific targets, detail, doubles etc. Scan the sky and chill (not literally).

When hobby becomes obsession is when you start to stop enjoying the experience. I know if you have invested in gear you might find the need to justify that "earning" reward for your choices. But it's good to just gaze around using low power, then if something interests you go more into it. 

Hunting down specific objects or details,  just to tick off a list, is just counting "kills", as is purely accumulating data for its own sake.

Or maybe take a break altogether. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Girders said:

will this hobby ever be relaxing

Sometimes no! .........too much planning and the reliance for perfect weather and seeing,  even when forecast's are predicted to be good, its somehow different here? but reclined with wide field binoculars,  very relaxing, can't get enough.

Ive too many projects and hobbies, so there's always an alternative for me, but when the seeing does not allow, and I still want to see the Stars, I can  always use  Stellarium to plan and learn from its features. 

Why not take a visit to the Planetarium at the science centre? that was good boost for me, interesting too! although when they showed the difference between Glasgow and a dark site, you might just give up altogether!

Its trying to find somewhere that provides you with the best that you and your scope can achieve. I used to live quite a bit to the left of Glasgow, and I'm aware of some of your viewing conditions, but up here it seems lighter during the Summer?
I've been observing a few Years now,  yet I only manage a few sessions, due to conditions, but somehow, there's still enough enthusiasm to continue.

Despite my local conditions, its a different world overhead when conditions allow, not much more than a mile away, and gets better the further away from the city.
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few years ago I nearly give it all up I had a 150p on a eq3-2 mount and was struggling to find anything albeit I was under the illusion I would be able to see all the fuzzies. 

I then went to a star party and met Nick who has been a great help. 

I now go out in my light polluted skies and go for clusters bright nebulas and especially doubles. 

I can go out now and loose track of time just viewing all the great objects out there I never thought of. 

I leave the fuzzies now for when I go a dark site. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

I leave the fuzzies now for when I go a dark site. 

I had considered only looking at the Moon from home this season!
Not only that, I have the option too see the Moon during the day.
When conditions allow, and at the extremes of what my scope is capable of, I'm just waiting for something to move up there? if only!
I don't think I'll get bored looking at the Moon.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Ricochet said:

I try not to worry about when I get to observe. If it's clear out (or probably going to be) and I feel like it then I go out and observe. If it's clear but I want to do something else or I'm too tired or whatever other reason then I just don't go out and don't worry about missing a session. Trying to force it is what ruins it and if you're not forcing it, then it can be relaxing. 

I have been dealing with this lately.  It's been a lot cloudier than usual here, and the last couple of clear nights I have been just totally warn out.  I have been telling myself that when I am not "all in", it's ok to just skip it without feeling guilty.  Part of me wants to take advantage of these few clear nights, but part of me is tired and not in the mood to go out into the freezing temps and lose sleep.  I think your point that "forcing it is what ruins it" really hit home with me.  I need to keep it light and pleasurable!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

There is a sense in which, I think, it never does. There is so much to see and we only have one lifetime in which to see it :icon_biggrin:

That said, I think that it is possible to manage the pressure. 

 

8 hours ago, Littleguy80 said:

You’ll pick up this experience with each session and then you’ll start to notice that you’re more relaxed. Time will still pass quickly though ;) 

 

3 hours ago, Grumpy_Git said:

My time outside is extremely relaxing. 

 

2 hours ago, 25585 said:

Go out and just see what you can see. Forget specific targets, detail, doubles etc. Scan the sky and chill (not literally).

All the above. As you do it more, the thinking about setup, what you're going to look at, and how to go about it, get easier and more automatic, just like anything else that you practice doing.  As your child gets older, her patience will improve, so it's not so much pressure trying to keep her attention and "riding herd" on her while you're getting things ready.

If you haven't already done so, download the free Stellarium for those cloudy nights when you can't go outside. It's a great thing to play with, and a great learning tool as well. I use it to make "action lists" of things to focus on (pun intended) when I do get a good night for viewing, so I don't have to figure it out once outside. It allows you to find many objects in a particular area of sky so you're not wasting time skewing around the cosmos.  I keep an eye on both short-term (5 day) and long-term (15-30 day) weather forecasts, to plan possible viewing nights around the other chores of living, and then revise them as those possible times approach with the daily forecast, and finally, by sticking my head out the window, so to speak.

 Always start viewing on a particular object with low power; it's easier to find the object in a wider field, if you don't have go-to, and then you can ramp up the magnification when you find something interesting. Another good reference for this is the book Turn Left at Orion, an invaluable addition to any astronomy text collection. 

Above all, approach the whole thing as a challenge and have fun with it. Some nights are washouts even in good weather, some nights you find a diamond mine of glittering objects to admire. Don't let the washouts keep you from searching for diamonds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have invested in a lot of money in kit to try and eliminate such frustrations. Here are my top tips.

1.  If light pollution is a problem don't invest in ever more expensive eyepieces and filters. They can assist, but you will never beat light pollution through mere visual astronomy. Dark skies is a pre-requisite, and if like me that means at least two hour round trip it inevitably makes life difficult.

2. Imaging can assist, but it is easy to spend a fortune on DSLR's wedges, GEM mounts; autoguiding and similar paraphernalia that takes a considerable amount of time to set up and where weather (clouds) is a constant interruption that adds to frustration, particularly as long exposure photography often takes hours.

3. I now use a CMOS camera (Atik Horizon) on Hyperstar and am in "EAA heaven".  I just wish I had by-passed step 2 and invested in merely two expensive eyepieces instead of a boxful during phase 1. I leave my gear assembled and it takes a couple of minutes to add camera/Hyperstar. It cuts through light pollution like a knife and I require only 2s to 5s exposures to see what I never saw through an eyepiece.

So, if new to the hobby, I recommend spend nothing on any (extra) expensive gear until you know the direction you finally wish to go, be that Visual, Imaging or EAA. Everybody will have a preference and none is better than another. Just understand the limitations of each and limit expense until you know where you truly want to be..

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Biggest killer is using a German Equatorial Mount. Alt azi (but stable enough) is how to start. Dobsonian for Newtonian scopes, manual metal for others.

Another turn-off is small FOV mid to high magnification eps. Start widefield, low mag. 

Higher than 10x and heavy binoculars held manually is also a bad start.

Overambition and going for too much too soon often leads to disappointment and disincentivisation. I suspect loads of scopes on ebay are from disgruntled once budding stargazers.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, noah4x4 said:

1.  If light pollution is a problem don't invest in ever more expensive eyepieces and filters. They can assist, but you will never beat light pollution through mere visual astronomy.

There are plenty of ways of enjoying visual astronomy even under light polluted skies. Lunar and planetary observing, solar and also double/multiple stars, all are very rewarding even with LP and are worth (careful) spending to get the best results.

I've found that having a settled set of kit does help with relaxation as you are not constantly changing eyepieces or seeking a different view, but are happy with what you are seeing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, 25585 said:

Biggest killer is using a German Equatorial Mount.

Generally I agree, but a simple EQ mount with tracking can actually help significantly with a relaxed view of the sun, moon or planets as it avoids constant nudging. Simple to set up, no need to polar alignment accurately. That's why I shall purchase another Vixen GP when I get the chance.

For star hopping I agree with you, alt az all the way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its never relaxing when you are setting up in the dark (even by torch light). When gear goes wrong, its even worse. I like to keep things simple. Less gear =  less problems. Ive never planned a session either. If i feel like it and the sky is clear, i'll go out and just browse the night sky. Its amazing what you can see when you're not looking for anything in particular. Binoculars make for a very relaxing time. Being dressed properly is also a big part of it. Sitting down helps.

I dont have any incline for night observing for the last yr or so (life gets in the way for most). Im starting to concentrate on Solar observing. Im just waiting for the Sun to get a bit higher up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's not relaxing, I wouldn't force it!

My life in astronomy has come in fits and starts.

Got into it as a teenager and then had a break until I got married, another break when the children came along and now, at the moment it's very piecemeal, too tired from work mostly, add to the miserable weather last year.

It's been better recently, but that's still mostly weekends and holidays, if it's clear and only when time and tiredness permit.

I no longer think, "Oh, it's clear, got to get out!"

I know our time on this little blue planet is limited, but a hobby has to be enjoyable and the night sky isn't going any where.

Had a cracking night last night with the nephews after the rugby!

It was quickly clear that the moon was washing out most other objects, so we concentrated on that!

Beautifully clear and still night, stuck the 2x barlow on the 6mm with the 8", wow!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm middle aged with all the usual commitments one ends up with. I follow some principles to make sure it stays enjoyable...

I tend to only go for a small number of targets in a session.

Lots of refining of how and where I store my kit and how I set up has drastically reduced my set up times compared to when I started.

My sessions are often very short.

I don't do dark sites (shock!). I will when I have time in the future but right now it's light polluted backyard observing or no observing.

I very often don't bother with cool down as I can't often foresee that I will be able to go out.

I will go for any target with any scope which means there's always something I can have a go at.

I'm philosophical, I have had sessions with a 100℅ failure rate but I'm just grateful to be out there doing it at all so that doesn't phase me.

I've have long stretches where clouds prevent any activity but I just focus on being ready for the opportunities.

Any session where I'm just focusing on astronomy and not thinking about anything else is a good session.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, noah4x4 said:

 

1.  If light pollution is a problem don't invest in ever more expensive eyepieces and filters. They can assist, but you will never beat light pollution through mere visual astronomy. Dark skies is a pre-requisite, and if like me that means at least two hour round trip it inevitably makes life difficult.

 

About two months ago I would have agreed with this statement, but using Night Vision monoculars has changed everything for me. NV does beat light pollution and NV is visual astronomy. From my back garden in SW London I have seen in real time Horsehead, Rosette, Monkeyhead, and even the Cone, all objects I would have no chance with a standard eyepiece. And NV doesn't require any computers - its just like using a normal eyepiece, ie stick it in the diagonal and off you go. However it is expensive. Saying that, I've bought some good APO refractors, but in terms of value for money, the NV monoculars have been better and had more of an impact for me.

A few months ago Stu said that he would not let the fact that he normally observes from a LP site impact on his enjoyment of the hobby. A very sensible statement, but I reflected a lot on this at the time. I'd just spent about 3 evenings in a row observing from a 21+ SQM Isle of Wight house back garden. The contrast with my back garden in SW London was ridiculous. At the time, I felt observing in London was a bit pointless particularly given that the planets are so low for many years.

I'm a late starter to this hobby, getting my first scope 5 years ago. Being based in London, I initially focused on bright objects such as Jupiter and M42 which I enjoyed but found it a bit "samey" so only observed a few times a month.

Joining an Astro club just over a year ago and getting out to a dark site occasionally really increased my motivation. But I felt the dark site experience "spoilt" me and I wondered how often I would observe from my London back garden. So for me the move into NV has been very important.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As with most people, 'Turn Left at Orion' is the beginning (and the middle and continuum), it provides reassuring guidance and structure and produces harmony to an otherwise frustrating start, which is perfectly natural. Gaining 'relaxation' takes some effort and is dependent on the extent of motivation and excitement. Making errors, feeling as though missing out, is quite an ordinary part of the process. If you do grow into the hobby, you will get to develop a kind of momentum, this can be accomplished entirely independently or jointly sharing with others. At whatever stage you get to, there will be occasions, lengthy or momentary, that are completely absorbing, just as becoming lost inside reading a good book. Those times are worth striving for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with the "probably not, exactly" camp. 

You can reduce frustration though in a number of ways :

Choose targets according to conditions - faint stuff is no good when the moon is out or transparency poor . Planets are not good when seeing is poor etc. Try to decide what sort of night it is before you start.

Don't have a long list of objects. I often have a new easy one, a new hard one and a couple of old faithful ones. 

You always have something to fall back on then.

Try to choose objects in the darkest bit of the sky.

I sketch new items. This can also be frustrating. Handling the scope, a torch, pencil, notepad and maybe reading glasses makes for realisation that you don' have enough hands ? but is is very rewarding too and can lead to confirmation of those tough objects after the event.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am i alone in my thinking that astronomy is not just a "hobby", but rather a part of the person i am?. Ive been observing since i was 6 yrs old (i'm now about to turn 44). 

Ive just always been into it (even if i dont observe for months/years on end). My connection with the universe is always there.

Absolutely, i am not in the frame of mind that i have to get outside on every clear night. If you think like that..........astronomy become a task/chore.............never enjoyable/relaxing.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Young Luke is right. If it becomes a chore or same-y (the Moon can be for me) then the desire dims. 

Just looked around tonight. Even the Pleiades are washed out. Orion is setting, Arcturus is same altitude in the east. Sky too lit up to even get bins out. But such conditions are a good exercise in magnitude assessment. Tonight the sky is too bright for even the brightest stars to dazzle. That's it for February. 

Why do UK astronomers buy so much stuff? Must be to fuel our dreams. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.