Covid 19 astronomy

[Ken82]

I don’t know if it’s been my constant talking    over the years or a bit of boredom from the lockdown months (perhaps both). But I’ve had 4 non astronomy friends of mine recently ask me advice buying a telescope (3 of which have now bought).

From what FLO are saying I gather sales are very good and other retailers are likely similar. 
 

I feel like an ambassador now to our hobby, it’s my mission to help and encourage these friends and new members! This is such great news more people to talk to about astronomy 😀

Note - my wife still isn’t convinced ☹️

[Victor Boesen]

I'm a member of a small (slowly increasing) Danish group on Facebook and I've also noticed that a lot of people have decided to buy their first telescope during this lockdown. It's always a pleasure to see newcomers to the hobby being so excited about their first telescope, and it very often reminds me of how I felt myself. Let's hope even more people will find interest in this beautiful hobby! And perhaps we'll even start to see more people care about light pollution

[Ken82]

49 minutes ago, Victor Boesen said:

And perhaps we'll even start to see more people care about light pollution

Good point Victor it would be very nice to think that ! Maybe wishful thinking 🤔 

 

[DaveS]

I recently had my heating engineer knock on my door and ask for advice on a beginner telescope (He was just  passing and thought to ask my advice) after seeing his first ISS passover. so I pointed him in the direction of the FLO beginner telescope page and SGL.

[markse68]

I wonder if perversely we might have Elon Musk to thank for this- the starlink passes were trending on Twitter a few weeks back and I think a lot of people were looking up for something different to do with their kids in lockdown. That and ISS and the rocket launches of course. Or maybe the surreal existential threat of the virus is making people think a bit more deeply about life the universe and everything 🤷‍♂️

Edited June 7, 2020 by markse68

[Ken82]

11 hours ago, markse68 said:

I wonder if perversely we might have Elon Musk to thank for this- the starlink passes were trending on Twitter a few weeks back and I think a lot of people were looking up for something different to do with their kids in lockdown. That and ISS and the rocket launches of course. Or maybe the surreal existential threat of the virus is making people think a bit more deeply about life the universe and everything 🤷‍♂️

Yea maybe your right. 
 

A few weeks back one of my neighbours was peering out his window at Venus. He said to me that it was a starlink satellite so I kindly explained it was in fact the planet Venus and got my large binos out. 😀
 

 

[bf79]

Ive had it a few times recently, in particular the night of the crewed space x launch there was a few neighbours out trying to see it and I was getting my scope set up so had a few folk come to speak to me about it. 

Even gave one of my older scopes i dont use to one of my neighbours kids to get him started 😀