I deem this a useless hobby

[azrabella]

Practical visual astronomy is virtually off the agenda here in the south west of the UK - no clear night skies for several months. A fortune wasted in equipment and nothing to show. I have ben a visual astronomer since 1960 and have now given up on this pastime - 60 years of observations yet prctically nothing for most of this year. I'm too old now to move to sunnier climes so the only other option is to take up ASTROLOGY - at least that is not weather dependent.

[Craney]

Well, with the astrology bit,  you might be able to predict a clear, dark, handsome evening ahead......

[gilesco]

There's a cold snap coming up, should get rid of all this rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, rain...

[Skipper Billy]

During a recent check up at the quacks I mentioned to him that I was into astronomy and he said well Mercury is in Uranus, I said NO! that's Astrology!!  He said no, the thermometer has broken.....

In the last 7 years the winter weather has got noticeably worse here (NW Scottish Highlands) but the summers have got better. Bad for astronomy but great for a seasonal leisure business like mine 😉  It enables me to buy all manner of nice things to not use over the winter!!!

[Peter Drew]

All hobbies can be deemed "useless".  Unless you are actually enjoying them.    🙂

[azrabella]

I really did enjoy for more than 50 years - but no longer.

[Neil H]

Shame your giving up after a long time in the hobby you have probably forgotten more than i will ever know 

This year with lock down gave some very good nights weather patterns are changing over the years so you may start to get some good night again 

I did see some one selling remote access  to a telescope in spain and in Norway  so may be an option 

[ollypenrice]

Why give up? Why not do something else until clear skies return?

Olly

[heliumstar]

I am slowly giving up as well. It's either cloudy or stars dancing (seeing). I went out exactly once in last 30 days. Looking into various remote telescope options but not sure what is out there to be used for EAA. Most of these remote telescopes are more proper imaging oriented...if anyone has any ideas I am all ears.

[Shaun_Astro]

It's kind of like rare wildlife watching, if you could see the animals all the time, where would the appeal be?

[BrendanC]

I completely sympathise. I've only been 'at it' for about two years but the weather has been truly shocking, and I'm still seriously contemplating whether I want to pursue/spend more on a hobby that I can only actively enjoy once a month at best. I used to have a classic soft-top car and only then did I realise how few times I could get about in it because of the amount of times it's too cold/wet. So, I sold it. Now I have a telescope, I've realised how few times I can use it because it's too wet/windy/cloudy.

[ollypenrice]

46 minutes ago, Peter Drew said:

All hobbies can be deemed "useless".  Unless you are actually enjoying them.    🙂

Let's think of some useful items:

Dish washer.

Vacuum cleaner.

Pan scourer.

Umbrella.

Wheelbarrow.

Now let's think of some useless items:

Penny farthing bicycle.

Photograph of Brigitte Bardot in 1961.

Caterham Seven.

Hang glider.

Observatory.

Need I say more on the subject of usefulness???

🤣lly

 

 

[andrew s]

11 minutes ago, heliumstar said:

I am slowly giving up as well. It's either cloudy or stars dancing (seeing). I went out exactly once in last 30 days. Looking into various remote telescope options but not sure what is out there to be used for EAA. Most of these remote telescopes are more proper imaging oriented...if anyone has any ideas I am all ears.

There might be some leads here . Regards Andrew

[DaveL59]

Funnily enough when a friend in the US recently asked "Does it always rain there" I replied that sadly a lot, so many scopes and little chance to use them...

Does get frustrating for sure but  then there's other things to fiddle with so I'll just grab opportunities as they make themselves available 🙂

[andrew s]

What are hobbies for? I would offer my view which is "to enrich ones life". That can involve lows as well as highs, frustration as well as elation. 

I can drift in and out of hobbies and even sub topics within a hobby but so what as long as I am largely content.

Regards Andrew

 

Edited October 29, 2020 by andrew s

[andrew s]

14 minutes ago, ollypenrice said:

Let's think of some useful items:

Dish washer.

Vacuum cleaner.

Pan scourer.

Umbrella.

Wheelbarrow.

Now let's think of some useless items:

Penny farthing bicycle.

Photograph of Brigitte Bardot in 1961.

Caterham Seven.

Hang glider.

Observatory.

Need I say more on the subject of usefulness???

🤣lly

 

 

Utilitarian philosophy is so dull. Regards Andrew

[Beulah]

The secret is to have other interests....or sometimes you just burn out....

[azrabella]

Burn out indeed. Yes, I think I just went supernova - we'll see what's left behind. Maybe only an event horizon.

[Monty]

I took up wargaming for the cloudy night only to find wargaming is way more expensive than astronomy! On the plus side, nearly every time we finish gaming the skies have cleared.

[Synchronicity]

3 hours ago, Skipper Billy said:

During a recent check up at the quacks I mentioned to him that I was into astronomy and he said well Mercury is in Uranus, I said NO! that's Astrology!!  He said no, the thermometer has broken.....

There's a thread for that! 🤣🤣

[Louis D]

Time to convert the basement/garage into a woodworking shop, I guess.  Totally weather independent hobby. 😉

I didn't take up astronomy until I moved from New York to Texas.  I lived with 30 miles of New England's western edge.  They don't call in NEW England for nothing.  The weather is pretty similar, if a bit snowier.  Astronomy was never much of an option there due to the weather and both air and light pollution. 🌧️

[Tiny Clanger]

The origin of the word amateur is from the French, meaning lover of something, i.e. you pursue the hobby for enjoyment , not for payment. If the enjoyment goes, and disillusion sets in only you can decide if it's likely to be permanent or not, and if there will be any point in having money sat uselessly tied up in unused kit.

Living on the western edge of the landmass means you get more precipitation then we do in the middle or east of England, not a dramatic difference like relocating to the Canaries or Arizona I know, but perhaps a more plausible move .

In the final analysis, one of my rules of life is 'If it's not fun, don't do it.' 

Heather

[kerrylewis]

I’ve been astronomising for longer than my memory and I give up on average twice a year. But I always come back - usually the next morning 😀

[Paz]

I've only been observing seriously for 5 years or so and the weather has been cloudy the majority or vast majority of the time which is bad but as I've never known it any better it doesn't bother me much.

My set ups are designed with opportunism in mind and if I manage to get out and observe for 10 minutes before being clouded out that's a win for me.

I have often gone for weeks on end with no opportunities at all but then appreciate it more when I do go out. 

I agree with the comments about having other things to do when it's cloudy, which does reduce the resentment.

Edited October 29, 2020 by Paz

[dweller25]

5 hours ago, azrabella said:

Practical visual astronomy is virtually off the agenda here in the south west of the UK - no clear night skies for several months. A fortune wasted in equipment and nothing to show. I have ben a visual astronomer since 1960 and have now given up on this pastime - 60 years of observations yet prctically nothing for most of this year. I'm too old now to move to sunnier climes so the only other option is to take up ASTROLOGY - at least that is not weather dependent.

That’s a shame, I don’t know what kit you have but perhaps a lightweight, quick cooldown setup would help you get out more in-between the poor weather ?