AP - Is it insanity?

[Astro Noodles]

So, this morning I said - "You have got six sewing machines. Does that mean that I can have six telescopes?"

She said - "Ah yes, but I only paid for two of them. So you are only allowed to buy 2 telescopes, the others have to be free, or gifts or inherited. Is that fair?"

 

[ollypenrice]

'We do not do these things because they are easy...'

Olly

[MKHACHFE]

On 22/05/2021 at 10:06, Astro Noodles said:

My missus is concerned about my sanity in pursuing astrophotography as a hobby.

She said "When you said that you were going to take photographs of space, I thought you were going to take pictures of the moon and maybe some nice constellations."

Later she said "I don't understand why you have spent so much time, money, and disrupted both of our sleep to take pictures which are a hundred times worse than anything you can get on the internet."

And finally she said "it has gone way past the stage where I can even see the point in it."

Is she right, or missing the point? Or has the last year of lockdown pushed me over the edge?

P.S. Don't tell her I've posted this or I'm dead. 

I'm sad for you that your wife isn't even trying to support your hobby. 

Mine does and I would say that AP is not insanity in any way. It's awesome.

Good luck

[Guest]

Perhaps the problem your wife has is not the money but your time. You spend too much time on your hobby and not enough on her. Just an idea.

I bet quite a few of us have had that conversation about getting another telescope. "You've already go three. Why do you need another one."  Likewise - a new guitar, a new golf club, etc etc.

 

 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

My wife knows I am insane. AP in this climate requires a masochistic streak, combined with a dose of OCD. However, if she complains about any new kit arriving I just start counting her shoes. 

[iapa]

On 22/05/2021 at 14:54, bottletopburly said:

Times I’ve bought stuff and wife says  I thought you said you have everything you need .

I get asked sometimes if there is anything else I need now, and i can reply “no dear”.

The response to that is why are you looking then…..

Waiting for the question to become “is there anything else you want?”

[R26 oldtimer]

I've had the same conversation with my father a couple of years ago. He asked me why spend all of this money, time and effort to get an image while you can see many more and far better images on the internet.  I replied why would someone like him spend equal amount of time, money and effort to fish while he can buy all the fish he wants. I still remember that happy/guilty grin on his face.

P.S. I like fishing too! 🎣

Edited June 1, 2021 by R26 oldtimer
typo

[bish]

Buy her an AP set up for christmas (make it a combined birthday present due to the cost)

[Astro Noodles]

Just now, bish said:

Buy her an AP set up for christmas (make it a combined birthday present due to the cost)

I don't think I would get away with that.😄

[DaveS]

Heretical to say, but I think I have all the telescopes I need at the moment.

"Big Bertha", the ODK 12 light bucket on the DDM85

"Slim Jim" the 130 apo on the DDM60

"Old Faithful", the Megrez 90 that was the first 'scope I bought for visual on the AZ-GTi

And the unnamed cantankerous cuss, the 80mm f4/4 "astrograph".

Together they cover pretty much all eventualities.

[Orange Smartie]

10 hours ago, woodblock said:

Perhaps the problem your wife has is not the money but your time. You spend too much time on your hobby and not enough on her. Just an idea.

I bet quite a few of us have had that conversation about getting another telescope. "You've already go three. Why do you need another one."  Likewise - a new guitar, a new golf club, etc etc.

 

 

I agree with this sentiment.  I'm lucky to have a wife who is very supportive of my many hobbies and even encourages me to buy stuff for them.  She does get fed up with me when I'm TOO focused on them or obsessive and I can understand why.

 

[iapa]

3 hours ago, bish said:

Buy her an AP set up for christmas (make it a combined birthday present due to the cost)

And include a trip up to Orkney.

Clear skies, when not cloudy, fairly temperate climate, distilleries, breweries and jewellers, lots of jewellers.

Great locally produced food.

 

[Gfamily]

17 minutes ago, iapa said:

And include a trip up to Orkney.

Clear skies, when not cloudy, fairly temperate climate, distilleries, breweries and jewellers, lots of jewellers.

Great locally produced food.

 

Unfortunately, very little astronomical darkness through the summer months. 

We were able to read a newspaper at 11:30pm inside our tent in July

Beautiful scenery, but astronomy would have to wait until later in the year

Edited June 1, 2021 by Gfamily

[iapa]

I agree with you re Summer, but we were talking Christmas

we go there April, Oct or Dec. Bar last year of course.

[kirkster501]

Your missus is absolutely right, it is nuts doing astrophotography - especially deep sky - in the UK, especially if you are not retired.  It is hardly ever clear, quarter of the year it is too light, winter is a complete cloud out in recent years, it costs the earth and many of us have to be up for work the following day.  Yep, it is nuts!

[iapa]

1 minute ago, kirkster501 said:

Your missus is absolutely right, it is nuts doing astrophotography - especially deep sky - in the UK, especially if you are not retired.  

Not much difference if retired.

No dark, too much LP, doesn’t matter if you need to get up in the am - there’s no point in staying up

[Astro Noodles]

So I showed her a picture of a William Optics ZS61 II, and mansplained all about it, but all I got was a shrug and "whatever".

When I showed her a pair of Brown leather Adidas Beckenbaur All-rounders, It was "you've got to buy those." 😄

[nephilim]

Its 1:30am & i'm totally wiped out after a near 80hr week & i'm sat here researching 'Star Bloat'. I'm also debating whether I need to buy Pixinsight even though I have photoshop, have only just built a rather expensive set up & have yet to take a photo..................I do believe your wife is right. My ex gave up on me a long time ago with this hobby, probably why she's my ex 🙄

I've been in this hobby a fair few years & should know better by now. I'm also thinking that I may need a nice Triplet 🤔

Edited June 12, 2021 by nephilim

[Paz]

On 22/05/2021 at 10:48, scotty38 said:

“What is the point?” Could probably be applied to most hobbies by those not interested in it.

This is it in a nutshell. I don't do AP but being on SGL I come across enough threads that discuss AP to get an insight into why many people do. I certainly find that  people who don't do astronomy pretty much unanimously don't understand why I hang out in the cold and dark often looking at barely perceptible things.

[Paz]

On 22/05/2021 at 10:48, scotty38 said:

“What is the point?” Could probably be applied to most hobbies by those not interested in it.

This is it in a nutshell. I don't do AP but being on SGL I come across enough threads that discuss AP to get an insight into why many people do. I certainly find that  people who don't do astronomy pretty much unanimously don't understand why I hang out in the cold and dark often looking at barely perceptible things.

[Paz]

On 22/05/2021 at 10:48, scotty38 said:

“What is the point?” Could probably be applied to most hobbies by those not interested in it.

This is it in a nutshell. I don't do AP but being on SGL I come across enough threads that discuss AP to get an insight into why many people do. I certainly find that  people who don't do astronomy pretty much unanimously don't understand why I hang out in the cold and dark often looking at barely perceptible things.

[Paz]

Apologies I have somehow repeat-posted but don't know how to delete duplicates.

[scotty38]

Ha ha no problem  i get it, I get it, I get it  🤣

[reezeh]

On 22/05/2021 at 10:06, Astro Noodles said:

P.S. Don't tell her I've posted this or I'm dead. 

Send me all your gear or she finds out 😃

[maw lod qan]

I think its actually not only insanity, but also addictive! There has to be something firing in our brains that makes us think "I've just got to get an image of that!"!