Your biggest regret or mistake?

[Peter Drew]

No real astro regrets as everything has brought me to here. One regret I do have is that I only put £1 on the winner of the Grand National around 1982, still it's the only time I've bet on a horse so I do have a 100% winning record.    ?

[paulastro]

18 hours ago, markclaire50 said:

Stu, I could have given you any of the emoji symbols for this. But laughing felt so wrong!  

 

Ditto, but you saying that has made me do it anyway!! 

[Rob]

Selling my Orion Optics SPX 200 f6 Newtonian. My god the mirror in that scope was unreal!. viewing Jupiter with near true colour, and red ish great red spot and watching moon transits is something I'll never forget. Only sold it as I could not afford a HEQ5 (which it need really as wobbly on the GP). miss it badly

Rob

[markclaire50]

1 hour ago, Rob said:

Selling my Orion Optics SPX 200 f6 Newtonian. My god the mirror in that scope was unreal!. viewing Jupiter with near true colour, and red ish great red spot and watching moon transits is something I'll never forget. Only sold it as I could not afford a HEQ5 (which it need really as wobbly on the GP). miss it badly

Rob

Hi Rob. 

Would you find it a problem to use an 8 in f6 newt on a gem? Many members advise against newts on gems but just wondered what you think. And do you think orion optics vx range of mirrors are as good? 

Thanks 

Mark 

[niallk]

18yrs ago, I wasn't into astronomy - but I visited some remote parts of Australia... man what I'd give to view those skies with even a small scope now!! Someday...

Yup, pretty much missed Hale-Bopp too!

[John]

7 hours ago, markclaire50 said:

Hi Rob. 

Would you find it a problem to use an 8 in f6 newt on a gem? Many members advise against newts on gems but just wondered what you think. And do you think orion optics vx range of mirrors are as good? 

Thanks 

Mark 

Pending Rob's reply - the SPX range preceded the VX range. The SPX's had better optics options than the more basic Europa range and a better standard of fittings. The tube from my 12 inch dob (which you will see pictured around the forum here and there) is an SPX.  I think what OO did was to bring the SPX and Europa ranges together into a single range available with optics ranging from their standard 1/4th wave PV to their Ultra 1/10th wave PV (or better) mirrors.

 

[Demonperformer]

My ongoing (vaguely) astro-linked regret is not being able to predict each week's lottery numbers. I reckon there are no problems in this hobby that could not be beaten to death with a sufficiently large bag of money (and I include LP and clouds in that!)

[clarkpm4242]

Selling my 18" Obsession dobsonian.  Quality performer.  Perfect height/size for observing.  Goes deep into deep sky but...

...seemed to get too heavy to manage in/out of storage and transport, or was is the lure of a Takahashi TOA 150 APO...

...now also sold on.

Cheers

Paul

 

[Marvin Jenkins]

Biggest regret. Always looked up in awe but waited thirty years to get a scope and start astronomy.

[Paul73]

17 hours ago, Peter Drew said:

One regret I do have is that I only put £1 on the winner of the Grand National around 1982,

Don’t worry Peter. It doesn’t work with more than £1.

Paul

[Astro Imp]

1 hour ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

Biggest regret. Always looked up in awe but waited thirty years to get a scope and start astronomy.

I can relate to this. I also came into the hobby late in life and regret not having been able to build a wealth of experience as some of the members here.

[Paul73]

2 hours ago, Astro Imp said:

I can relate to this. I also came into the hobby late in life and regret not having been able to build a wealth of experience as some of the members here.

Likewise. I was interested as a boy. Even did a GCSE in Astonomy. If it hadn’t been for random multi pint eBaying (accidentally bought a 10” Dob), it may have been another 30 years before I came back to Astro!

Paul

[JamesF]

6 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

My ongoing (vaguely) astro-linked regret is not being able to predict each week's lottery numbers. I reckon there are no problems in this hobby that could not be beaten to death with a sufficiently large bag of money (and I include LP and clouds in that!)

I'm not greedy.  I'd settle for being able to predict the Euromillions numbers just once, at a time of my choosing :)

James

[markclaire50]

12 hours ago, niallk said:

18yrs ago, I wasn't into astronomy - but I visited some remote parts of Australia... man what I'd give to view those skies with even a small scope now!! Someday...

Yup, pretty much missed Hale-Bopp too!

Hi Nialk

I visited the Ayrs Rock astronomy event back in 1998. We were shown where to look for the magellanic clouds, best viewed with naked eye. Orion upside down (that did confuse my brain a bit!!).But the piece de resistance that night, was when we all had a look through their SCT at Saturn. I'm not sure if it was meade or celestron, but reckon it was 11" or maybe more. I do know one thing - Saturn looked superb( and I mean, Superb!) like a sharp photo of it hanging in space! Good advert for large SCTs! 

But yes, sky was so dark. I got to see the Southern Cross to. 

[John]

Thats reminded me of another (minor) regret - in November last year we toured Australia including Uluru, Cairns, and the SE of the country. We did have a couple of star gazing sessions but mainly we were clouded out. With my 8x56 binoculars I did get to see the Megallanic Clouds and the fanatasic globular cluster 47 Tucanae plus "upside down" Orion of course but I wish we had more clear nights. Overall it was an amazing trip though so we will certainly return

[happy-kat]

14 hours ago, niallk said:

18yrs ago, I wasn't into astronomy - but I visited some remote parts of Australia... man what I'd give to view those skies with even a small scope now!! Someday...

Yup, pretty much missed Hale-Bopp too!

Oh got that one too, Australia fairly remote area and the Maldives. I was very fortunate to see hale-bopp every night from my garden at the time in rural Sussex thankfully I did see that. Oh gosh and many camping trips to both Alderney and Sark before I thought to look up!

[LukeSkywatcher]

My biggest regret and mistake was my first scope. It was a 90mm (f11) refrac on an EQ mount. Never got on with the EQ. Hate them to this day.

 

 

[scarp15]

I don't quite get into the; arriving into this interest at a later stage of life as a regret. I got into this myself in my early forties, a fascination in astronomy in my earlier / former years probably doesn't relate, as much as had been an emerging interest related to spending many outdoor trips under the stars through wildcamping. Undoubtedly there had been frustrating episodes and mistakes but no lingering regrets. Each circumstance part of an evolving (sometimes expensive) and learned experience, some misfortunate episodes can still make for a good story, such as one or two read on here. I feel comfortable in my mid fifties because I know that I can, so long as I have motivation, continue to participate through late middle age and hopefully considerably beyond. Demographics on this forum clearly indicate a large number of members who are middle or post middle age. The point I am trying to convey, is that as some doors in life may close, for example due to a physical condition, an interest for amateur astronomy does not necessarily become improbable or restricted, it can in one form or another continue to be enjoyed through to later periods in life. Equally having the patience and presence of mind to hang around fairly static for considerable lengthy spells outside alongside a scope, whilst gazing up at the sky, is not necessarily the prevailing attribute for much younger people, as it may be for well many of us who are happy to hang around and contemplate.

[Mognet]

No regrets so far, although I should have booked some time off work for the recent lunar eclipse as it turned out to be clear when the forecast was saying otherwise in the run up. There will be another one along in about ten years, so I'm not worrying about it too much!

[markclaire50]

14 minutes ago, Mognet said:

No regrets so far, although I should have booked some time off work for the recent lunar eclipse as it turned out to be clear when the forecast was saying otherwise in the run up. There will be another one along in about ten years, so I'm not worrying about it too much!

Hi Mognet

Yes. I'm hoping for better luck when iwamoto next returns! ?

Mark 

[John]

I first read about the 1999 total solar eclipse when I was a lad reading "The Observers Book of Astronomy". I made a mental note that I wanted to see that one. 40 years later I was in the right place (Marazion, Cornwall), at the right time but we were (mostly) clouded out !

Halleys Comet in 1986 was rather underwhelming visually but thank goodness I had a 6 inch newtonian back then and saw it a few times. I'll be 101 when Halleys next returns.......

 

[Demonperformer]

5 minutes ago, John said:

I'll be 101 when Halleys next returns.......

104 for me ...

[Geoff Barnes]

7 minutes ago, Demonperformer said:

13 minutes ago, John said:

I'll be 101 when Halleys next returns.......

104 for me ...

...and 105 and a half for me so pushing it a bit ! Then again, my grandmother reached nearly 103, so there's hope, though my eyes may be pretty shot by then !  ?

[markclaire50]

25 minutes ago, John said:

I first read about the 1999 total solar eclipse when I was a lad reading "The Observers Book of Astronomy". I made a mental note that I wanted to see that one. 40 years later I was in the right place (Marazion, Cornwall), at the right time but we were (mostly) clouded out !

Halleys Comet in 1986 was rather underwhelming visually but thank goodness I had a 6 inch newtonian back then and saw it a few times. I'll be 101 when Halleys next returns.......

 

Hi John 

Yes I remember thinking the same about halley. I'll be 96.good luck to us both! 

[markclaire50]

Just now, markclaire50 said:

Hi John 

Yes I remember thinking the same about halley. I'll be 96.good luck to us both! 

Reading some of the other replies looks like I'll be the spring chicken! ? ??