The Age Profile...

[Mark Henthorne]

I doubt there is any "scientific" data available, so simply doing a straw poll here, how does everyone read their own situation? Is the average age of those attending your astronomical society meetings, or maybe just your circle of astronomy friends, increasing year by year, remaining static, or getting younger, and what reasons do you believe are attributable to your perception?

[George Jones]

In the city in which I used to live, I attended very lively astronomy club meetings. Unfortunately, I moved away from this city eight years ago, and, as I now am an astronomy "lone wolf", I can only a somewhat off-topic comment.

I work as an instructor, and I prefer to look at it as follows (which I call Jones's theory of relativity): every year the first-year students get a year younger.

[Macavity]

I get the impression it's mostly "old guys"... I hoped for more "non-blokes"? lol 😉
It is *difficult* to optimise the location of Astro Socs... But I was totally impressed
by the enthusiasm of our LOCAL *stalwarts*... Sadly I don't have transport now. 😐

Edited May 15, 2019 by Macavity

[L8-Nite]

I find the age profile to be mainly mature and older adults in my encounters with other observers. For me this has been mostly a go it alone hobby which started long before the internet.

[carastro]

The age profile is mostly older/retired members at my astro group with a smattering of younger guys.  Females are in the minority.

Carole

[DirkSteele]

Bit more of an informal club, but the Baker Street Irregular Astronomers in London has a real mix in both age and gender.  I imagine the average age is somewhere in the late 30s to early 40s, and while we have plenty pushing into their 50's and 60's, we also get quite a few in their late teens and twenties.  While there are certainly more men, on any one month perhaps 25-40% will be female.

[Mark Henthorne]

Thank you to everyone for their interesting and varied responses.

I think the wider range of members indicated by DirkeSteele at Baker Street Irregular Astronomers may reflect that "you are where the people are" and therefore achieve a better balance. Possibly the same for George Jones before he left the city. Our observatory here in the Isle of Man is out in the wilds, with no public transport in the vicinity, so we obviously start with the disadvantage of limiting ourselves to those with private transport and children with parents who are prepared to ferry them to the observatory and remain with them until the end of the meetings.

Interesting observation from L8-Nite. I think there are a lot more "go-it-alone" astronomers around than we realise with little or no contact with the astro-community. I've recently bought an old Pulsar 2.1m observaatory from such a gentleman. Sorry to hear Chris Macavity does not have transport. There must be a lot of wannabe astro society members in a similar position, but the upside of the internet is the Astrolounge meaning you at least maintain online contact with fellow astronomers. Carole's observation about females in the minorty is sadly still true at 25%+ perhaps, but hey, you're flying the flag here for active female observers which can only encourage yet more.

Hopefully, all your comments will go some way to helping others popularise our hobby more effectively.

Mark

 

[Ags]

My only contact with others in the hobby is when buying/selling second hand equipment 😃

I did try the local "sterrenwacht" but the lectures were a bit hard to follow in Dutch. But, looking round at the group, I did feel nice and young for a change! 

For me the hobby is about spending time alone with the stars, not socializing. But I like SGL!

Edited May 19, 2019 by Ags

[Paz]

The demographic of astronomy groups I've been to are mostly retired and male.

I've seen very few young or middle aged astronomers at clubs.

[johninderby]

Perhaps it’s the more mature people that belong to clubs and the yonger ones tend to go it alone or maybe don’t have the time / opportunity to attend.

Edited May 19, 2019 by johninderby

[CraigT82]

I used to attend the Bristol Astro Society a couple of years ago, but they meet on a Friday evening mostly and I really struggled to get there on time after work, so stopped going. There was a mostly retired Male attendance but there was a few younger members (30s). 

[John]

19 minutes ago, CraigT82 said:

I used to attend the Bristol Astro Society a couple of years ago, but they meet on a Friday evening mostly and I really struggled to get there on time after work, so stopped going. There was a mostly retired Male attendance but there was a few younger members (30s). 

It's still a similar balance. A small core group of active observers and imagers and a larger group who pursue their interest in astronomy though reading and attending talks.

We try and cater for all

[Paz]

1 hour ago, johninderby said:

Perhaps it’s the more mature people that belong to clubs and the yonger ones tend to go it alone or maybe don’t have the time / opportunity to attend.

I think this is true. I'm middle aged and so am not in the main demographic and I really struggle to get to meetings given other commitments.

[AdeKing]

At one of the clubs I attend, being in my forties I'm definitely a younger member, but in the other group there is a more even spread but nobody really under 30 I'd guess.

I manage to make the monthly meetings with talks but struggle to attend the observing sessions due to them mostly being during the week and me having to be up early in the morning and all that.

[ollypenrice]

I don't belong to a club but do run an astro guest house. The march of time makes it more and more difficult for our guests to be older than me... 

lly