Not a bad horizon from home

[Stu]

I’ve been struggling with my Astro mojo for a few months. The weather hasn’t helped but tiredness and lack of energy to get out there are also factors. So annoying, given much better access to dark skies down here in Somerset.

Anyway, having fallen asleep on the settee this evening, I took the dog out into the garden at around 11.45pm and was greeted by really quite a nice sky. Too late for observing but I was pleasantly surprised at the potential visibility of the Southern objects from my garden. I took this 10s shot with my phone propped up against a tree, and the Teapot is clear above the horizon, with definite hints of MilkyWay, despite the bright moonlight conditions.

I’ve added a tweaked version as well, the reality was somewhere in the middle. Perhaps this will give me more incentive to get out there 👍

[DaveL59]

lovely view you have there!

For me I can only really get to see much when it's rising over the houses to my E-SE and before the oak tree that pretty much wipes out anything SSE-SSW, then the shed and higher fences take care of obstructing the rest unless its up high lol

[TheycallmeRiver]

What a great night sky to have available at home..

re your situation, I would imagine periods of low motivation are common in this hobby among people who have been doing it for a good many years?  I wouldn’t beat yourself up about it or feel like you should be pushing yourself to get out there.

As long as the sky still inspires you, and I assume it does given your images, logic suggests this mojo loss is just a temporary lull.  Natural ups and downs.

Everything reverts to the mean in the end.

[Highburymark]

Just go with the flow Stu. If you don’t feel like observing for the next six months, nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you keep enough gear for when the mojo returns - don’t sell the DC and those lovely Zeiss eyepieces!

[Ratlet]

Cracking sky.  I broke out the sky atlas so I could identify the teapot lol.  Still new at this.

I do home-brewing and went through a major downturn in my interest.  Ended up getting renewed last year by beer kits rather than my usual all grain beer making.  Going for the simpler, easier approach was a lot of fun.  I still do the full brew, just not for every beer.

[JeremyS]

Moving home and with some of the long drives you’ve been doing these last months, plus weather, it’s no wonder you’ve misplaced your observing mojo, @Stu.

 Can I suggest that over the Summer you relax a bit, observe when you feel like it, but use the time planning for the new observing season ahead? You have a fantastic new location to observe from when the nights get longer.

[wulfrun]

@Stu ,I think the fact that you noticed and then took the trouble to take the photo and then do further tweaking speaks of continuing interest. I've only been doing "active" observing for a couple of years and I sometimes pass up on opportunities, then berate myself later for lame excuses. As noted, don't sell the gear!

[Greymouser]

Tiredness can be a real PITA, can't it? You do have a wonderful view down there, but I have to ask, why does someone seem to have flood lighted a tree? 

[MalcolmM]

Without wanting to sound too sycophantic @Stu your posts, comments and enthusiasm have certainly inspired me in starting out in this hobby. Fully agree with @JeremyS, when there is a lot of other stuff happening it's hard finding head space sometimes and the British weather doesn't help! Hope you get your "mojo workin'" again soon!

Malcolm 

[Zermelo]

It looks like you're in luck, Stu ...

[Stu]

36 minutes ago, Zermelo said:

It looks like you're in luck, Stu ...

🤣🤣 will place an order 😉

[DaveL59]

10 minutes ago, Stu said:

🤣🤣 will place an order 😉

we look forward to reading your review 😉 

[maw lod qan]

That view of the sky is wonderful!

Looking at the locations of the tea pot and Scorpio it is almost the same view I have. The look of the Milkyway too.

Lucky for me I'm looking directly at my house and some trees so there is no lights visible.

Not the same when you look to the West. That's where I have the worst LP.

Tired, little energy? Must be something in the air. I've found I like to nap a lot on my days off!

But I when I do get out to the observatory, even if it's just viewing the  moon,  I quickly remember why I enjoy this hobby.

Hang in there Stu.

[skybadger]

My mojo too swings. Right now I'm getting back into the building side of things in order to refresh the observing appetite. Maybe you need to build something. !

[Paz]

Sorry to hear this, hope you are back into it when you are ready.

I've had a few spells of inactivity over the years due variously to work, health, and clouds but always come back to this particular hobby.

[Stu]

7 hours ago, skybadger said:

My mojo too swings. Right now I'm getting back into the building side of things in order to refresh the observing appetite. Maybe you need to build something. !

Thanks Mike. I don’t think I would get permission for any Astro building but may think about a pier at the bottom of the garden to minimise setup time, that would help.

On 09/07/2022 at 16:13, Highburymark said:

Just go with the flow Stu. If you don’t feel like observing for the next six months, nothing wrong with that. Just make sure you keep enough gear for when the mojo returns - don’t sell the DC and those lovely Zeiss eyepieces!

That sounds like excellent advice Mark. The DC won’t go anywhere, nor the Mark IVs and Zeiss eyepieces, don’t worry . I have plenty going on currently so will do as you say, just go with the flow and I’m sure I will get back into it.

On 09/07/2022 at 16:25, JeremyS said:

Moving home and with some of the long drives you’ve been doing these last months, plus weather, it’s no wonder you’ve misplaced your observing mojo, @Stu.

 Can I suggest that over the Summer you relax a bit, observe when you feel like it, but use the time planning for the new observing season ahead? You have a fantastic new location to observe from when the nights get longer.

That’s certainly true Jeremy. I think the move took a lot out of us both and we are likely just getting our strength back. The journeys are tiring I accept, and it does rather knock out plenty of opportunities for observing by either having to be up early or being tired after getting home. Hopefully some time off over the summer will recharge the batteries.

23 hours ago, MalcolmM said:

Without wanting to sound too sycophantic @Stu your posts, comments and enthusiasm have certainly inspired me in starting out in this hobby. Fully agree with @JeremyS, when there is a lot of other stuff happening it's hard finding head space sometimes and the British weather doesn't help! Hope you get your "mojo workin'" again soon!

Malcolm 

That’s very kind Malcolm, and nice to hear that some of my nonsense does help 😉. I’ll get back there soon I’m sure. The lure of those Southern treasures either from the garden or down on the coast later in the summer through either the Genesis or the 16” will tempt me back I’m sure. 👍

8 hours ago, maw lod qan said:

That view of the sky is wonderful!

Looking at the locations of the tea pot and Scorpio it is almost the same view I have. The look of the Milkyway too.

Lucky for me I'm looking directly at my house and some trees so there is no lights visible.

Not the same when you look to the West. That's where I have the worst LP.

Tired, little energy? Must be something in the air. I've found I like to nap a lot on my days off!

But I when I do get out to the observatory, even if it's just viewing the  moon,  I quickly remember why I enjoy this hobby.

Hang in there Stu.

Thanks very much 😊. Yes, in many ways it is a dream come true to have decent skies and a nice low Southern horizon from my own back garden. That’s what is more frustrating than anything, finally having the skies but not having the energy to enjoy them! ☹️
 

Anyway, thank you to everyone who posted on the thread, much appreciated. I will do as you all suggest and take the pressure off, keep things simple and just do what feels right. I’ve popped the little 76mm out quickly tonight to have a little look at the Moon 👍

[maw lod qan]

I love the views you have in your back yard! 

Me, absolutely no hills. This area in Florida there isn't much above 50' over sea-level and that is a very gradual slope. 

[DaveL59]

Gotta agree with you tho Stu, tiredness does impact severely. I'm finding these days if I've had to spend a lot of time reading or doing a lot of on-line detail work (forms, coding, learning etc) then by evening my eyes are pretty much shot for wanting to be looking down an eyepiece late at night. Feeling it this evening after spending the last 2 hours filling a form out and I'm only halfway through that one. Taking a break to eat and will go back to that form tomorrow now I think, not that looking at the skies is likely here given the current sky views

The moon is so low at the moment that it's barely up for any useful time before it ducks behind that oak and that's end of opportunity for me. Hmm looks like those skycam domes could do with a cleaning too lol