A twist on the 'bad weather buy more stuff routine'

[beamer3.6m]

As the cloud has been in for about 6 months now I realise that many poeple have passed the time by improving their equipment including the purchase of new 'toys'.

However, I have found that since my last puchase of the Celestron 80ED I no longer feel the urge to buy any more astro kit.

I feel that the kit I have is sufficient for my needs and any more would be purely for the sake of buying it as I do not feel it would add anything to my set-up.

I have a decent scope on a decent mount which I can auto guide with and capture images with either a DSLR or webcam and I think this is enough.

Does anyone else feel that they have reached a ceiling in the kit buying stakes?

I feel I want to spend my money on other things now - it could just be me.

[John]

Does anyone else feel that they have reached a ceiling in the kit buying stakes?

I think I've more or less reached that situation now (no sniggering at the back for those that know me )

I can't phsically handle a bigger scope (the 12" is a handfull THB) and my eyepiece collection meets all my needs in both scopes now so I don't need any other equipment - I'll just repeat that 100 times to myself now .....

John

[tinvek]

well i've sort of reached a plateu but for a differing reason, namely that everytime i buy a lens etc it delays the purchase / building of an eq6 on a pier in an observatory. what i have is good enough for the viewing available given the hassle of setting up etc so far in march i've mamaged to only slip once for less than £40 which is about £150 less than last month when i wasn't supposed to be spending so i'd apppreciate it if no one tries to sell anything for the next 2 months

[SteveL]

I feel that the kit I have is sufficient for my needs and any more would be purely for the sake of buying it as I do not feel it would add anything to my set-up.

Ah, the zen of astro-kit purchasing.... sadly, I am not QUITE at one with my inner peace, and recently sold one of my rigs to fund the purchase of something else.

I have to be getting close to reaching the limit of what I can actually use... not that it will stop me much

[Ben Ritchie]

The decline in the pound's done me a favour, because it's pushed the remaining stuff i'd like (FSQ, Art 11k) well above what I'm prepared to pay. So apart from a few little bits'n'pieces and maybe an eyepiece or two i'm happy, can't see myself spending much on the hobby this year.

[philsail1]

Yes, same here "Beamer3.6m"

I've still got to trim down to one scope and a miminmum set of eyepieces by the end of the summer! (watch the "for Sale" section! over the next few months).

Regards,

philsail1

[Psychobilly]

I'm going to start selling to to finish of the obs... I have so much kit that I don't use and having found my "niche" a lot of stuff is surplus to requirements...

The Obs once dry and "secure" will mean the kit can be left permanently setup ready to make use of the briefest of clear spells...

Only a few small leaks after todays deluge and none near the pier so almost there...

Billy...

[calibos]

In hindsight I think the paucity of clear skies since I got into this hobby in Dec. 07 (Just over a year ago) have worked out for the best.

Plenty of down time to digest a years worth of posts and information from 3 or 4 different astroforums and learn all about the different types of scopes and their pro's and cons. But enough observing opportunities to learn quite a bit about my current scope and its own pro's and cons and practical hands on experience with most of the other types of scopes at Astro Soc observing sessions.

It helped me realise that I had made the correct decision for me by going with a Dob. SCT's up to the 12in size, Maks up to the 6in size, APO Refractors up to the 6" size just did not wow me at all and they(barring the maks) are already massively more expensive than a Dob of similar apeture. I don't think I'd be happy with anything less than a 16" SCT or RC and in that size you are talking silly money. Ditto with large dobs. Got to look through a 20in Premium Dob which was more size and money than I would be prepared to deal with and yet it didn't wow me much more than my 12in dob.

So in other words the cloudy skies gave me enough time to learn enough to be able to be capable of eductated comparisons and decisions and also enough hands on experience at observing sessions to actually finally make those educated comparisons and decisions based on the views, cost, size, weight, transportability etc.

I realised like I said earlier that no scope other than a dob would suit me personally and that there was just enough of a price performance ratio improvement and size/weight transportabilty ratio improvement in an upgrade to a 16in Lightbridge.

ie. I had finally settled on the largest apeture,size, weight, performance scope at the highest price point I was prepared to pay.

Apeture fever cured.

So I got the scope and at a bargain price too due to a large meade discount and exchange rate parity (€1100 vs €2400)

But I did still want to make this scope the best that it can be bar spending a fortune on premium mirrors.

The bad weather has given me the opportunity to spend a lot of time researching mods for this scope to make it the best it can be. So while many might curse the bad weather for giving them time to spend money on impulse purchases to get their astro fix, I am actually thankfull. I was spending this money anyway. The weather just gave me the time to research thoroughly and to not be gripped with frustration every time a saw clear skies and couldn't use the scope because it was in bits waiting for mods to be performed. By the time its finished I think I will probably have one of the most heavily modded and cost effective functional Lightbridges in the world Muahahahaha I seen nearly all my mods on other Lightbridges, sure thats where I got the ideas from but I have never seen 1 scope with them all.

When I unveil it, some might say, "Poor guy with all the clouds, he had too much time on his hands!!"

What I would say is, "Thanks for all the clouds, it made this possible!"

But once its done and I have my ultimate scope with all the mods and add-ons I ever dreamed of, well thats it. I don't think I'll ever spend a penny on astro gear again. Remember, I witttled down my type of scope to a dob, I whittled down my size of dob to a 16in Truss, I researched and planned all the mods I ever wanted. Once its done....its done!!

I'll be free!! Free to only think about astronomy when its actually clear and not have my scope dreams and plans running around my head every cloudy day. It'll be reality. I'll be free to clear my credit card and never worry about another astro purchase appearing on it again, I'll be free to let another obsession take over my life!! :Envy:

[Ghost66]

all i need for the moment is some filters and a perch seat

[Cloudwatcher]

Definitely!......... although I must say the new Meade EXT-LS system looks interesting......... Mmmmm.

[Psychobilly]

Definitely!......... although I must say the new Meade EXT-LS system looks interesting......... Mmmmm.

But way overpriced...

Suppose its convenient though...

Billy....

[pbyrne]

You are all deluding yourselves, just wait until that one piece of equipment comes into sight and you'll be drooling over your keyboard and scrambling through the bank account for the funds.

This is not a hobby we partake in, it's a disease.

Go on, resist, I dare you.

[argonaut]

You've got it right there. The worst part of the disease is the aperture fever that comes with it.

A bad back does help with the aperture fever. Unless you are building a observatory like Billy,then there is no way back from the brink.

Glen.

[James]

When I discovered this forum I was restocking on astro gear after a circumstance induced break from observational astronomy. Aperture fever was raging and there was so much new and fantastic kit available compared to when I'd last been buying. I'd pretty much got myself where I wanted to be, then I met a new astro retailer well known on this forum....

After spending even more money I realized that I couldn't have it all so figured I'd be happy with what I have (and I am) but then I ended up working for said astro retailer and got to see even more gorgeous kit which unfortunately was destined for customers .

We had a Megrez 90 for a few months coinciding with the arrival of Comet Holmes and that telescope just knocked me over, the views were stunning (Holmes was an ideal target for the widefiled views it gave) and for the first time I got the feeling that possibly aperture wasn't everything. I figured I'd hit the astro kit jackpot: kit that I could use for a time and then.... Steve sold it.

To be honest though I think I have reached a plateau. I'm very happy with the kit I have and also with the odd nice bit of kit that gets put into FLO stock so perhaps I have peaked. Certainly my wife thinks I've spent enough and isn't keen on more astrokit in the house.

James

[jarbi]

I have some nice gear and I am very pleased with it for the time beeing. But - to be honest - I think I will never stop selling/buying gear, this stays a challenging part of my hobby.

The reason is simple: I learn and change continuously, and sometimes it changes my view on the equipment I want to keep / want to have. Nevertheless, I think I will not buy something heavier than my LB 16" Dobson :-).

[ZOG]

Got the scope I want, got the Argo Navis coming, so except for a couple of new EP's, I think I'll be ok.

The only thing is, if I can ever afford it, I've promised myself a 25 inch Obsession complete with Stellarcat and Argo Navis.

Of course SWMBO has no idea of this ambition.

[tinvek]

just had athought, since NASA are giving the shuttle orbiters away when they finish with them, i wonder if they'd be open to offers on the hubble ?

[SteveL]

The hubble will not be recovered, it will be forced to re-enter the atmosphere and burn up

[tom.yates]

Well after owning loads of diffrent kit 16" dob 8"mak newt apo refractors the list goes on i have settled on a 12" sct and the ap 178 refractor these 2 scopes will be my main observing equipment for the forseable future plus like everyone says the pounds slump means that kit you could buy 12 months ago for far less money seems to have gone nuts so i have drawn a line under any further spending.

[centroid]

I reckon I must be about 'there' now, but then I've said that to myself on previous occassions.

A 12" long FL scope for the planets and small galaxies, an 80mm APO for the wider field stuff, and as guide scope for the 12", a 66mm doublet for the even wider field stuff, and as a guide scope 80mm APO.

All mounted on the 12" LX200R mount, which tracks nicely, and all ready to go in an obsy, with a comfortable warmroom attached.

For imaging, an SXVF-H9C, Meade LPI, and SPC900NC cameras, and AA4 to do the capture and processing.

In this respect, I do want to buy a copy of Noise Ninja, so perhaps I'm not quite there yet. . However, although its not a lot of money, it goes 'against the grain' to buy it, while the £/$ exchange rate is so poor.

Oh yes, when I decide on which one, a decent Ha filter would be nice.

So, the answer really is, I'm very nearly there

Dave

[tinvek]

The hubble will not be recovered, it will be forced to re-enter the atmosphere and burn up

i was thinking more about offering them £10 to borrow it for a month first

seriously though i did hear that there's beginning to be a movement to persuade NASA to boot it to a high stable orbit as the first museum piece in orbit. it's about time we thought about preserving some items for the future, hopefully spirit and opportunity will be afforded a similar designation along with the surveyors etc

[RichieJarvis]

There is ALWAYS another piece of kit I would like (my Mummy told me never to say 'want' ) At the moment the list looks like this:

HEQ5

SXV-H36

2" Filters

2" Barlow

SXV-M25

Electronic focuser (x2)

High capacity power tank

Pully system for my obs

12" Dob

Erm - stop! I can't afford any of it

This is just a torture thread isn't it!

Cheers,

Richie

[tinvek]

i just need some more room at the moment with the skywatcher 150, c80 ed, the son and my skywatcher 705 mercurys and my first scope ,a prinz optics reflector, from 37 years ago

[RichieJarvis]

you've got your own ready-made star party there!

Which do you grab first?

Rich

[Psychobilly]

Cover then over with a cloth and see if they start breeding .....

Billy...