Biggest annoyances in astronomy

[Moonshed]

Here’s my short list, in no particular order:  

1) The weather

2) Bumping into the tripod

3) Tripping over the cables 

4) Popping indoors for a quick cuppa and loosing night vision, hence  2 & 3

5) Processing an image too much so it looks ridiculous after hours of work

5) Setting up, polar aligned, star aligned, focussed, tracking, it clouds over.

What things annoy you the most?

 

 

[rnobleeddy]

The weather, the moon, and equipment that stops working on the only clear night of the month! 

Also weather apps - if you just go by what they say, you miss the nights that were forecast to be cloudy but turn out to be clear.

 

 

[Paz]

It's cloud when you can't do it, and it's light pollution and sleep deprivation when you can do it!

[Moonshed]

34 minutes ago, rnobleeddy said:

Also weather apps - if you just go by what they say, you miss the nights that were forecast to be cloudy but turn out to be clear.

I never rely solely on weather forecasts, I  stick my head out the back door and have a quick look, often there has appeared a break in the clouds long enough for me to do some imaging.

[Sunshine]

DEW!

[Marki]

That juddering sound when your mount grinds to a halt and you realise you forgot to top up your power tank after last time.... .

[PXR-5]

The cold

[Voyager 3]

The big sticky clouds .

[BrendanC]

Clouds, clouds, clouds, clouds, clouds, clouds, clouds. And the moon. 

[Craney]

Clear nights !!!!!

.......when,

1)   I have work the next day

2)  It's windy

3)  Object of interest is now behind a tree

4)  Electronics (which have worked fine on every partially cloudy night)..... now do not work.

5)  My partner has obviously not looked at the long term forecast when arranging that "not to be missed" social event......

6)  Greater than 75% Moon

7)  ... and so on....

[RobertI]

The minor annoyances I get during observing sessions are almost too numerous mention! I usually manage to work around them though, including neighbours and the foibles of the equipment. Although I like slow motion controls, they are a pain when moving around the sky and bash into the scope and each other. I would love a mount where the slow mo cables move with the scope. 

Edited December 4, 2020 by RobertI

[rob_r]

Absolutely, the seemingly persistent cloud cover for me. Then when it is a clear(ish) night, it's either a full moon or a work day the morning after. 

[Synchronicity]

The people on astronomy or science forums, social media etc who think its funny to post "Aliens" every time someone asks about something they don't understand.

After that, clouds, mistakes that waste hours worth of imaging time, made through inexperience.

Clouds again.

Michael

[Oldfort]

Light pollution.

[JeremyS]

My top 3:

1. Cloud

2. Cloud

3. Cloud 

[teoria_del_big_bang]

6 hours ago, Craney said:

Clear nights !!!!!

.......when,

1)   I have work the next day

2)  It's windy

3)  Object of interest is now behind a tree

4)  Electronics (which have worked fine on every partially cloudy night)..... now do not work.

5)  My partner has obviously not looked at the long term forecast when arranging that "not to be missed" social event......

6)  Greater than 75% Moon

7)  ... and so on....

I am glad thats the norm, I thought it was just me 🙂 

Steve

Edited December 4, 2020 by teoria_del_big_bang

[Luke]

1) Solar Minimum

It should be illegal for the sun to have no spots for even a day.

2) Clouds

I don't think I need to explain this one here...

3) Late Nights

I'm more of a morning person. What was I thinking getting into this hobby?

4) Coldness

I hope the neighbours do not spot me doing kung-fu at 2am in the morning.

5) Cost of Gear

£50 for a finder scope? I'll knock one up out of toilet rolls and a jam jar, thanks.

'Tis an amazing hobby, though! I did swear my next hobby would not depend on the weather, which turned out to be board games. Looking at the weather forecast, looks like I have time for another game of The Campaign for North Africa.

[callisto]

Neighbours security lights and people saying to me "I've always been interested in Astronomy....What's your star sign?"    

[Marvin Jenkins]

My biggest annoyance is making a fool of myself, easily done. I had a couple friends come to stay and with clear new moon skies they were enthusiastic about there first views through a scope.

I did the ‘full Brian Cox’ so they would have some understanding of what they were going to see. Second part of the speech was, do not kick the tripod, do not pull on the scope, it’s all electronic and tracking.

First thing I did was trip over the power cable, pulled it out of the mount! Fell on my face in the venture and had to re-align everything again in front of the beginners!

Not my greatest moment.

Marv

[Marvin Jenkins]

5 hours ago, Luke said:

1) Solar Minimum

It should be illegal for the sun to have no spots for even a day.

2) Clouds

I don't think I need to explain this one here...

3) Late Nights

I'm more of a morning person. What was I thinking getting into this hobby?

4) Coldness

I hope the neighbours do not spot me doing kung-fu at 2am in the morning.

5) Cost of Gear

£50 for a finder scope? I'll knock one up out of toilet rolls and a jam jar, thanks.

'Tis an amazing hobby, though! I did swear my next hobby would not depend on the weather, which turned out to be board games. Looking at the weather forecast, looks like I have time for another game of The Campaign for North Africa.

Point 4. Perfect. I luckily do not have neighbours so I am free to Bruce Lee at my leisure which is a gift that keeps on giving.

By the way I love your rosette. I tried to get one of those but didn’t make the podium.😂

[andrew s]

Not having a 1 m class telescope at a first class location for my personal use.

(Which goes to show how lucky I am to have the rig I do in Castillejar) 

Regards  Andrew 

[Moonshed]

20 hours ago, andrew s said:

Not having a 1 m class telescope at a first class location for my personal use.

(Which goes to show how lucky I am to have the rig I do in Castillejar) 

Regards  Andrew 

You would settle for only 1 metre? 😄

Edited December 5, 2020 by Moonshed

[andrew s]

Just now, Moonshed said:

You would settle for only 1 metre?

I not unreasonable.  Regards Andrew 

[Moonshed]

20 hours ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

By the way I love your rosette. I tried to get one of those but didn’t make the podium.😂

 That’s one of those idea I look at and wish I had thought of it, I love it!  

[mark skelton]

On 03/12/2020 at 23:47, Moonshed said:

Here’s my short list, in no particular order:  

1) The weather

2) Bumping into the tripod

3) Tripping over the cables 

4) Popping indoors for a quick cuppa and loosing night vision, hence  2 & 3

5) Processing an image too much so it looks ridiculous after hours of work

5) Setting up, polar aligned, star aligned, focussed, tracking, it clouds over.

What things annoy you the most?

 

 

My biggest pet hate is cloud cover. As for point 2 I got red led's under each leg so I can see where they are, point 3 all my cables go down the pillar then they're buried under gravel so I don't trip over them, When I go indoors for a cuppa I use a red light when I put the kettle on.