Understanding why people give up

[m.tweedy]

When I broke my back and had it bolted back together and I was very limited in my mobility it helped with my sanity just to sit out (in my Bortle 8 skies) and look at the stars with Mk1 eyeballs. My telescopes were at that time just useless pieces of metal and glass. I guess I am trying to say enjoy the hobby for what it is. "Gear" no matter what its quality are just aids which should enhance the enjoyment.

[Tenor Viol]

1 hour ago, wookie1965 said:

Well I have been thing of giving up I can count the amount of times I have been out this year on one hand, I have not been out now for over 3 weeks and the weather does not show any sign of changing for the better over the next two weeks.

I'm in Shropshire and most of my weather comes via the Welsh mountains and I get a lot more cloud than people 40 or 50 miles north or south of me. I've had three clear nights in the last 6 weeks.

But... that's the UK's weather for you. This time of year is notoriously volatile. Eventually there will be good weather, it just takes time.

[wookie1965]

57 minutes ago, Tenor Viol said:

I'm in Shropshire and most of my weather comes via the Welsh mountains and I get a lot more cloud than people 40 or 50 miles north or south of me. I've had three clear nights in the last 6 weeks.

But... that's the UK's weather for you. This time of year is notoriously volatile. Eventually there will be good weather, it just takes time.

I got out 23 times last year even winter well wet Autumn was lousy just checked my observing logs. 

[wookie1965]

1 hour ago, merlin100 said:

I've not done any decent observing since early June. 🤬

This weather is upside down wasn't like that when I started this hobby,  winters night where cold and crisp wonderful now its either raining or cloudy no freezing nights. 

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, wookie1965 said:

This weather is upside down wasn't like that when I started this hobby,  winters night where cold and crisp wonderful now its either raining or cloudy no freezing nights. 

Global warming, etc...

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

4 hours ago, merlin100 said:

I've not done any decent observing since early June. 🤬

Same here. I'm so glad I bought the 10x50s. They have kept me going during those fleeting clear patches.

[Moonshed]

12 hours ago, merlin100 said:

I've not done any decent observing since early June. 🤬

I can remember so many days or even weeks of continuous cloud cover when I lived in Scotland. I kept a note book of my observations and one dreadful year I recorded only 6 occasions when I could do any observing. Ayrshire is the wettest place I have ever lived.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Moonshed said:

I can remember so many days or even weeks of continuous cloud cover when I lived in Scotland. I kept a note book of my observations and one dreadful year I recorded only 6 occasions when I could do any observing. Ayrshire is the wettest place I have ever lived.

No kidding!  I think that's due to both the Mull of Kintyre and Arran being a rain magnet, as well as being on the west coast facing the Atlantic!  I've got 2 ponies and they've started to quack and grow webbed hooves because of this bloody weather!🤬

[Guest]

This was filmed on location, here in Ayrshire (on the land, not the sea)!🤣

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_from_Atlantis

[Macavity]

Probably a bad sign, but... I get so absorbed "preparing" for Astronomy...
(modding equipment etc. ) I don't feel TOO bad if I don't get to observe? 😛

BUT I still enjoy the night when "it all comes together" and I get a "decent
enough" image etc. As I near the end of my (personal!) "days", I sometimes
wish I had a "sorcerer's apprentice" to TEACH... leave all my Astro Stuff?!? 🤔

I sometimes feel that "youngsters" don't have some of the "benefits"... or
opportunity I had... "NO user servicable parts inside"? 😕 But who knows?

I SALUTE those who can buy (expensive) "off the shelf" equipment ... and
can make really *use* of it! I think theirs is a far BETTER strategy... 😎
Don't give up if you are "disabled"... on "benefits"... "minimum wage" etc.

Edited August 5, 2020 by Macavity

[badgerchap]

13 hours ago, tomato said:

And if you do get deep into the equipment side, it can be very rewarding designing and building ancillary equipment. 

l second this. If I'm honest the vast majority of the time I spend "doing astronomy" is actually tinkering time. 

[igorigs]

Hi mate, a newbie here! 

Few days ago I bought my first telescope. Used Skywatcher Evostar 90. 

I was same as you, I imagined when looking through it that I would see Jupiter as it was right in front of my face, and Saturn ring as I could grab it! Boy was I mistaken. After reading a lot of posts at this forum and talking with A LOT of friendly folks I realized that it's not everything in the magnification. 

Right now I have "trained" my eye and can see GRS on Jupiter but it is realy small. Same goes with Saturn. But hey, how many people can see that? 

And I always stop when I am not satisfied and say to myself "Imagine what did Newton, Galileo see? They had even smaller scopes!" 

For learning even a pair of binoculars can bring those butterflies in your stomach, but having the opportunity to see everything even closer is just amazing.

With a scope and patience, sky is no longer the limit.

Edited August 5, 2020 by igorigs

[igorigs]

For weather try checking this out if you haven't already.

https://clearoutside.com/forecast/50.7/-3.52

There is also an app for iOS and Android.

Just put your location...

Also check 

"Nightshift" app. Not sure if there is iOS version but can confirm for Android. It can be very useful.

 

[AstroMuni]

2 hours ago, igorigs said:

And I always stop when I am not satisfied and say to myself "Imagine what did Newton, Galileo see? They had even smaller scopes!" 

And I go on to say ... I wish I had the light pollution levels of their time 😉

[igorigs]

@AstroMuni Couldn't agree more.. 

Although in town where I live light pollution ain't that bad as it's a small town so I can get like 3-4km from it and the seeing is much better.

[AstroNebulee]

On 05/08/2020 at 10:36, igorigs said:

Hi mate, a newbie here! 

Few days ago I bought my first telescope. Used Skywatcher Evostar 90. 

I was same as you, I imagined when looking through it that I would see Jupiter as it was right in front of my face, and Saturn ring as I could grab it! Boy was I mistaken. After reading a lot of posts at this forum and talking with A LOT of friendly folks I realized that it's not everything in the magnification. 

Right now I have "trained" my eye and can see GRS on Jupiter but it is realy small. Same goes with Saturn. But hey, how many people can see that? 

And I always stop when I am not satisfied and say to myself "Imagine what did Newton, Galileo see? They had even smaller scopes!" 

For learning even a pair of binoculars can bring those butterflies in your stomach, but having the opportunity to see everything even closer is just amazing.

With a scope and patience, sky is no longer the limit.

I agree, the butterfly feeling when you finally get a good view of Jupiter, Saturn, moon craters or dso's, makes up for the disappointing and frustrating times. There's so much joy to be had and you don't have to spend hundreds to get that satisfaction, if I don't get a chance to get the scope on a night I regularly use my 7x50 old binoculars and can see so many things, meteors, satellites, learn the constellations and where to look. I've only been seriously into this great hobby since April 2020 and the satisfaction I've had on the few nights it's been clear (and I live in North Cornwall and we have well ropey weather off the Atlantic only being 3 miles in from the coast where I am) have far outweighed anything else. I showed my partner Jupiter and its 4 moons through my scope last week and she was blown away, so don't give up as many have said and you are seeing much more than many many others will ever see in their lifetime in the night sky 

[turboscrew]

On 01/08/2020 at 16:21, Stu said:

First thing, forget Pluto, I’ve yet to see it after 20 years in the hobby; tiny and very faint so you need a big scope and dark skies to see it, plus bags of patience.

There are some good value beginner scopes out there. The Heritage 130p and 150P are excellent value and also excellent quality scopes. They have sturdy Dobsonian mounts which are so much better that the flimsy EQ mounts on offer, and which you have. Wobbly scopes are frustrating enough to put people off.

There are things you can do to reduce vibration on the scope, and I would just recommend you take your time and be patient. Astronomy is a life long hobby and you are always learning, that’s what makes it so interesting.

BTW, the angular size of Pluto is about the same as the angular size of Betelgeuze. No wonder it's hard to observe.