Lockdown astronomy

[carastro]

Can only ditto all the above comments about admiration and respect for all of you in the NHS working through this terrible crisis.

Quote

“am I the only one who has spent an excessive amount of money on this hobby in the last 3 months” ? 

It is a money drain as every-one on here will agree, I haven't spent so much recently,  but have spent a 5 figure sum over the last 10 years.

It's a great hobby, just check in to the Anybody playing tonight thread and see us all chatting away during an active evening.

Carole  

Edited May 28, 2020 by carastro

[Dantooine]

Just now, carastro said:

Can only ditto all the above comments about admiration and respect for all of you in the NHS working through this terrible crisis.

It is a money drain as every-one on here will agree, I haven't spent so much recently,  but have spent a 5 figure number over the last 10 years.

It's a great hobby, just check in to the Anybody playing tonight thread and see us all chatting away during an active evening.

Carole  

Thank you for your kind words and the info on where all the main chatter is. 

[banjaxed]

Hi Dan, welcome to SGL. Hope you enjoy your new hobby and it doesn’t cause you to go bankrupt 😀. Seriously you can spend as much or as little as you want as long as you enjoy it. Another big thank you for your selfless work.

[Floater]

Welcome. I hope you have lots of fun ... and that you don’t spend too much money! 🙂

Power to you and your colleagues. I hope there’s a reckoning after this crisis wanes and that you receive more than just hand-clapping in recognition of your efforts on our behalf. 👍

[Dantooine]

37 minutes ago, Floater said:

Welcome. I hope you have lots of fun ... and that you don’t spend too much money! 🙂

Power to you and your colleagues. I hope there’s a reckoning after this crisis wanes and that you receive more than just hand-clapping in recognition of your efforts on our behalf. 👍

Thank you. Already spent too much. Not put the tv on in months. Just reading things on here. Reviews etc. Gotten me a liking to tv eyepieces. If it’s too cloudy I get them out and just examine them. Not sure if it’s sad or some strange ocd thing. 🙄

[Alan White]

5 minutes ago, Dantooine said:

Thank you. Already spent too much. Not put the tv on in months. Just reading things on here. Reviews etc. Gotten me a liking to tv eyepieces. If it’s too cloudy I get them out and just examine them. Not sure if it’s sad or some strange ocd thing. 🙄

Oh dear, an expensive direction, a liking for eyepieces and premium ones too.
 

[Dantooine]

41 minutes ago, Floater said:

Welcome. I hope you have lots of fun ... and that you don’t spend too much money! 🙂

Power to you and your colleagues. I hope there’s a reckoning after this crisis wanes and that you receive more than just hand-clapping in recognition of your efforts on our behalf. 👍

Thank you. I’ve always looked up mainly binoculars. Last October I bought a reflector as always wanted a telescope. Stock eyepieces were just bits of plastic but I thought that’s what they were like. In February along came a strange existence and I didn’t really know what my future held so I thought.. get what you want. Along came my 4inch Ed and I’ve amassed a nice collection of Delos and a couple of ethos. They seem to be a little better than the ones I got free either the first telescope !

as for the work, we really are just doing our job. Heroes to villains in one page turn of the British media. 

[carastro]

Quote

we really are just doing our job

Yes but in extraordinarily scary, exhausting, upsetting and dangerous circumstances. 

Carole 

[Floater]

2 hours ago, Dantooine said:

Heroes to villains in one page turn of the British media. 

I worked in the Press. And you ain’t wrong, sir. 

But here is not the place for politics or polemics. It is the place for optics, however ... so enjoy your TVs. 🤗

[Dantooine]

11 minutes ago, Floater said:

I worked in the Press. And you ain’t wrong, sir. 

But here is not the place for politics or polemics. It is the place for optics, however ... so enjoy your TVs. 🤗

I will try. Frustrating looking at clear sky’s knowing I have to bed down shortly as I’m up at 5am. Just have to wait, it’s all going to still be up there. 

[richard ashbee]

Not spent the money yet but ordered, that's on Solar stuff

[Dantooine]

1 minute ago, richard ashbee said:

Not spent the money yet but ordered, that's on Solar stuff

😎 same thing. Keep to the plan. 

[Dr Strange]

Welcome aboard! I work for a USA .gov that puts me in situations that are not very nice. I too use the hobby as a way to clear my mind of the bad things I face regularly at work. Glad you have found a way to decompress and take time to address the stress of your job. And with that said thank you very much for doing what you do for your fellow citizens! You are a hero! 

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi there, welcome. 

[ronl]

Hi and welcome to the community , with this addiction we have with our hobby, money slips through your fingers every month,

and as for stress, that comes with the clouds, as from all, thank you for all your hard work at this time , and I hope you enjoy your time with us.

I will see you around the forums.

Clear Sky's.

[xt8dobguy]

Welcome. I just signed on here as well. I've got plenty of gear, but yes, the temptation to add to the collection is real during the lockdown. The kicker for me is, our club has to pivot to virtual methods of outreach, so I invested in a planetary cam and a new solar scope (thanks to the tax refund we received this year). Already had the NexYZ phone cradle ready to go. Already doing live streams on social media along with fellow club members. 

Not being able to interact with the general public like we always do is going to change the way we operate for a while. For some of us, that means new equipment. 

[Dantooine]

37 minutes ago, xt8dobguy said:

Welcome. I just signed on here as well. I've got plenty of gear, but yes, the temptation to add to the collection is real during the lockdown. The kicker for me is, our club has to pivot to virtual methods of outreach, so I invested in a planetary cam and a new solar scope (thanks to the tax refund we received this year). Already had the NexYZ phone cradle ready to go. Already doing live streams on social media along with fellow club members. 

Not being able to interact with the general public like we always do is going to change the way we operate for a while. For some of us, that means new equipment. 

I’m just trying to get ready for October. Planet sessions. 

[Dantooine]

1 hour ago, ronl said:

Hi and welcome to the community , with this addiction we have with our hobby, money slips through your fingers every month,

and as for stress, that comes with the clouds, as from all, thank you for all your hard work at this time , and I hope you enjoy your time with us.

I will see you around the forums.

Clear Sky's.

Thanks. I just think I’m there with the equipment then I think,, ah maybe I’ll get this too. 

[Dantooine]

1 hour ago, ronl said:

Hi and welcome to the community , with this addiction we have with our hobby, money slips through your fingers every month,

and as for stress, that comes with the clouds, as from all, thank you for all your hard work at this time , and I hope you enjoy your time with us.

I will see you around the forums.

Clear Sky's.

Thank you. The thing I’ve noticed on here is people are actually listening. That’s nice. 

[Dantooine]

18 hours ago, Dr Strange said:

Welcome aboard! I work for a USA .gov that puts me in situations that are not very nice. I too use the hobby as a way to clear my mind of the bad things I face regularly at work. Glad you have found a way to decompress and take time to address the stress of your job. And with that said thank you very much for doing what you do for your fellow citizens! You are a hero! 

Thank you. As a kid I always had the interest. Just taken me many decades to do something about it. I’m old enough to make more of it now. 

[Dantooine]

On 28/05/2020 at 13:54, Alan White said:

Hi Dale,
Sorry I called you Dan.
Enjoy the sky when you can.

No problem. I have been wondering who I am lately too 🙄

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Peter in  Bedfordshire  🙂

[PeterCPC]

Hello and welcome.

Peter

[Steve Clay]

Hi Dale,

Thank you for your service in these unprecedented times. No, you are not alone in spending an inordinate amount of money in the last few months on astro gear. My computer is so used to hitting the add to basket button that I swear it's buying stuff automatically.

Steve

[Dantooine]

11 hours ago, Steve Clay said:

Hi Dale,

Thank you for your service in these unprecedented times. No, you are not alone in spending an inordinate amount of money in the last few months on astro gear. My computer is so used to hitting the add to basket button that I swear it's buying stuff automatically.

Steve

 

11 hours ago, Steve Clay said:

Hi Dale,

Thank you for your service in these unprecedented times. No, you are not alone in spending an inordinate amount of money in the last few months on astro gear. My computer is so used to hitting the add to basket button that I swear it's buying stuff automatically.

Steve

Steve it’s scary 😮

I had a set of es82’s 14mm downwards and an es68/24.

Since I went on emergency shifts I’ve been buying almost one tv eyepiece a week. 

Started with Delos 8, liked it so much I then got.. d14, d10, d8, d6, ethos 4.7, d3.5, d4.5 and ethos 8.

Its been a challenge finding some in stock as they’ve not been made since tv closed its factory in March. 

stopped buying this week (I think). However I have given all but 2 of my es82’s away to stargazing work mates. Still have my Es92’s and a Es 100/5.5 but may off load soon as I’ve got some eyepiece overkill now.

Best Buy some food instead next time I get paid. 
 

above is the reason I started off this topic. 🧐