When you have 'too many Telescopes' ....

[MalcolmM]

When I started I thought all you needed was one scope and three eyepieces. Now I'm a few years in I realise you need one scope and three eyepieces for each day of the week!

I must pay homage to my partner here who has actively encouraged me in this insanity 🙂

Malcolm 

[Elp]

3 hours ago, Alan White said:

Photographic one

Most quality camera lenses cost more than the vast majority of users individual telescopes, sometimes many factors over...

[JeremyS]

I think I heard Mrs Dr S say I could only get another telescope if it was a Takahashi 🤔

 

Edited April 29, 2023 by JeremyS

[maw lod qan]

3 hours ago, Basementboy said:

You mean that the main value of your wife is her cooking?

This thread is obviously well-meaning, and largely self-deprecating about telescope addiction - I have the same disease too - but I can imagine a few budding women astronomers feeling a bit uncomfortable at that particular remark. I don't know you sir and it's easy to misinterpret a comment online, so apologies if I'm getting it wrong. But maybe worth us all remembering this is a public forum and there are women here too.

Besides, I'm starting to feel embarrassed at owning more shoes than both my sisters combined 😆

It is meant as a joke.

Around here, I do close to half the cooking.

SWMBO tells everyone she did the first 20 years cooking, I'm doing the second.

But now I start thinking, we've started the third double decade, she should be cooking again!😉

[HD-AP]

I’ll admit to having too many telescopes mounts eyepieces etc I’ve acquired some quite rare Astro kit over the past few years ,and I have in order to aquire some new kit sold some on to raise the funds for said new item ,but then suffered instant sellers regret !! 
beat myself up about why that particular piece .SO now I try and raise the funds for new kit rather than sell something first thus why I probably have too many telescopes ,and have to admit to being an astronomical equipment hoarder an incurable disease probably 😄but I suspect I’m not alone . And have to confess to have bought new kit well after I’ve bought it ,and then have the monumental task of justifying it. And to that end no one telescope design is suited to every astronomical observational subject no one eyepiece for every application etc ,plus it’s not kept in one particular place so look’s a lot less than it really is ,no excuses it is what it is 🙈🤷🏻‍♂️ Can’t even say it’ll appreciate in value like a fine wine probably be worth a quarter or less what I paid for it ,well excepting the astrophysics refractor.so for me lifelong passion regret selling kit never regret buying more , so for me I don’t think I have too many telescopes,some would disagree 😂

[mikeDnight]

19 hours ago, Basementboy said:

You mean that the main value of your wife is her cooking?

This thread is obviously well-meaning, and largely self-deprecating about telescope addiction - I have the same disease too - but I can imagine a few budding women astronomers feeling a bit uncomfortable at that particular remark. I don't know you sir and it's easy to misinterpret a comment online, so apologies if I'm getting it wrong. But maybe worth us all remembering this is a public forum and there are women here too.

Besides, I'm starting to feel embarrassed at owning more shoes than both my sisters combined 😆

I suspect that our wives culinary skills are just one of many endearing qualities, with Just Eat coming a close second.

It would be sad if any of our lady astronomers were made to feel uncomfortable due to misinterpreting the playful banter of the boys, but I doubt that would happen. I know a few female astronomers personally, and I've met quite a number over the years; I've yet to meet any who weren't prettier than me, more intelligent than me, more quick witted than me, and who couldn't wrestle me into submission within 60 seconds.  I only wish there were more of them!

Edited April 29, 2023 by mikeDnight

[Mr Spock]

I can offer a balancing view from my ex (she questioned how many scopes I have). I was never allowed to touch the housework, cleaning etc. She told me quite bluntly that 'men don't know how to do those things'. Of course I was forced to agree with her... 😜 

The garden misses her too 

[900SL]

My wife has been pretty good when it comes to my latest hobby money-pit.  I've started self regulating

I typically earned 5x what my wife made so that gets me a fair bit of leeway. Plus she is Finnish and not what I'd call high maintenance.

[Chaz2b]

Not having a partner I’m my only auditor, not a qualified or experienced one at that!

In 2019 I sold everything I had bar a pair of Resolux binos, it took two van loads to remove it from my flat!, now I’m gradually filling it up again but with what I want, not necessarily what I need.

And what I want is……

chaz

[niallk]

Things could get a bit awkward if my wife ever googled the price of Ethos EPs 😳😂

Or the Lunt double stack etalon... 😳😳😱

I literally haven't bought astro gear for a few years now, and what I have are lifetime investments...

[Jonny_H]

Ah you see. You made the mistake of first discussing with the other halves pre-purchase......

Easier to ask for forgiveness than permission..........that is of course if your secret astronomy stash gets discovered in the first place! 🤪

 

 

 

I am of course joking.....and if my wife ever sees this post....its been nice knowing you all! 🤭

 

[Guest]

On 28/04/2023 at 12:43, Basementboy said:

You mean that the main value of your wife is her cooking?

This thread is obviously well-meaning, and largely self-deprecating about telescope addiction - I have the same disease too - but I can imagine a few budding women astronomers feeling a bit uncomfortable at that particular remark. I don't know you sir and it's easy to misinterpret a comment online, so apologies if I'm getting it wrong. But maybe worth us all remembering this is a public forum and there are women here too.

Besides, I'm starting to feel embarrassed at owning more shoes than both my sisters combined 😆

We say that often about our wives, about many different things.  But... it is in jest.  So no worries.  

[Mr H in Yorkshire]

On 29/04/2023 at 08:25, mikeDnight said:

who couldn't wrestle me into submission within 60 seconds

Just where did your encounter these lady astronomers, in a ring?

[mikeDnight]

1 hour ago, Mr H in Yorkshire said:

Just where did your encounter these lady astronomers, in a ring?

No, not in a ring as such. Some I met at a local observatory that was/is open for public use on Saturday night's, but others I met and conversed with from around the world while being section director to the Society for Popular Astronomy's planetary section. They were every bit as passionate about the hobby, and every bit as good as the best male observers I've met. I was only kidding about the wrestling, although I wouldn't like to push my luck too far!

[Stuartmyatt76]

On 28/04/2023 at 10:27, Simon Pepper said:

Yep! Just the other day the wife asked that question about how much money I have spent on AP gear and to her horror it was more than the kitchen which included a wall down here and there! Needless to say she was not best pleased with this and has caused some tension! I am now in a position where any new first lights can no longer be shared on the gram as she has full visibility of that. She has also demanded that we finally roll our incomes into one which is probably long overdue I have just been putting that off 😂

i think we are all in that position. im scared to think what the cost per completed image is. and i keep saying to myself that i now have enough and this is the pile of scopes which will see me through the next ten years. 

[Stuartmyatt76]

Think im really lucky. I have 5 scopes in total and my wife hasnt yet questioned me. 

im definately getting to the point now though where i am getting concerned how it appears when the DPD man delivers another box from FLO. the "may contain clouds" sticker is a familiar scene in our house. 

the problem seems to be that when you think you have everything you need these damn pesky manufacturers produce even shinier things to buy. 

Probably need a collective self help group to not keep buying ha ha

[Ratlet]

If it brings you joy, can you really put a cost on it?  In space or money.

Yes.  Yes you can.

I think my two saving graces has been buying second hand (focusers work better when lubricated with the tears of seller's remorse) and also encouraging my wife's sewing obsession.  She got an entire room of the house for that (and all I got was a 130PDS!) and has since filled it with an overlocker, cover stitch machine and most recently an embroidery machine.  My scopes pail in comparison to the cost of that lot.

Now play "Where's Wally" and try and find Captain Picard, Data, Serenity and Starbug.  The missus is also a massive geek.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Ratlet

[M40]

We have an open book policy in our house, if I say something like ooooh I want that gizmo, the response is usually great thats some more crafting stuff for me. So we have a Ratlet type problem, crafting stuff has taken over a bedroom and I can just squeeze the car in the garage. The challenge now though is I have to make a decision, do either extend the garage or sell the car? 🤦‍♂️

[Elp]

Get a smaller car... then extend the garage.

[Ratlet]

48 minutes ago, M40 said:

We have an open book policy in our house, if I say something like ooooh I want that gizmo, the response is usually great thats some more crafting stuff for me. So we have a Ratlet type problem, crafting stuff has taken over a bedroom and I can just squeeze the car in the garage. The challenge now though is I have to make a decision, do either extend the garage or sell the car? 🤦‍♂️

Observatory.

[M40]

1 hour ago, Elp said:

Get a smaller car... then extend the garage.

Can't get much smaller, the car in the garage is a Mini. I have a length of wood screwed to the floor to stop the car at the optimum point so the garage door shuts leaving just 50mm between door and car, the rest of the space is all mine

[M40]

1 hour ago, Ratlet said:

Observatory.

Can you think how much yarn the lady wife could buy for the cost of an observatory? 😱🤣

 

I am now wondering how much space a 1000 balls of wool would take up 🤦‍♂️

Edited May 1, 2023 by M40

[Ratlet]

8 minutes ago, M40 said:

Can you think how much yarn the lady wife could buy for the cost of an observatory? 😱🤣

 

I am now wondering how much space a 1000 balls of wool would take up 🤦‍♂️

She can keep them in the garage.

[M40]

20 hours ago, Ratlet said:

She can keep them in the garage.

Now now, play nice, you do realise that people have died for less 😉

[Alan White]

So I have just listed 3 'short telescopes' 😉 in the classified section,
that should see the auditing list reduced.....
Perhaps not, but I will try that line, wish me luck 🍀