More a telescope owner than an actual observer….. 😢

[badhex]

Due to the events of moving, amongst other things, my decent observing sessions have been extremely limited. I probably haven't had a decent session from home since before I had a shoulder operation in early December last year, though I did have a couple of nice evenings on holiday earlier this year. Italy seems to have far more clear nights during the summer, perhaps I should have moved there instead! 

What's probably more frustrating is that my new flat does not really have a decent place to observe from, and I'm seriously lamenting losing the shared rooftop I had before. Aagh. 

 

[Saganite]

36 minutes ago, F15Rules said:

Very nice, Steve..

..and I never thought I'd press "Like" for a ships funnel🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️!

Dave

Nothing to do with it being a Vixen I suppose Dave ?.....

[Mr Spock]

Had breakfast at 9 this morning  

[glafnazur]

10 minutes ago, Mr Spock said:

Had breakfast at 9 this morning  

Now you're just rubbing it in  

[F15Rules]

I must admit I too feel I've lost my astro mojo this year..Trinity, the FS128, has sat in the house in her Oklop Holdall since July..initially for protection from wretched Thunder flies, but August and September came and went with no sessions, and then we had a holiday overseas, and now here we are, about to hit November, and still the scope sits in it's case😵‍💫.

I really hope we get some decent sky conditions soon...🙏🙏

Dave

[Ags]

18 hours ago, glafnazur said:

I'm patiently waiting until I retire in just less than 4 years. Then when a clear sky does crop up I won't have the dreaded 'but it's work in the morning' thought putting me off. And as someone else mentioned there'll also be early mornings to consider. I just have to survive that long 😁

Retirement is over a decade away for me, which I can hardly complain about. But working from home full time has given me a little more flexibility in the mornings and I can can do a bit of astronomy midweek.

[glafnazur]

Just now, Ags said:

Retirement is over a decade away for me, which I can hardly complain about. But working from home full time has given me a little more flexibility in the mornings and I can can do a bit of astronomy midweek.

I started counting down at just over 10 years and now here I am with less than 4 to go, it has gone quickly, possibly too quickly now I think about it …..

[pipnina]

The last few months I've been worried my telescope might rust out and turn to dust before I next see clear skies haha.

Using my visual kit is annoying as I have to pack the car and it's usually cold or very late, and I often get presented with muggy views. My imaging kit is annoying because it keeps bugging out on me (Kstars keeps failing at one thing or another, most recently after things like meridian flips or auto focus routines I have to manually take a snap with the camera or kstars gets stuck in a loop of failed captures...)

It'll be worth it for when the skies clear again and I get to snap the pleiades, or M78, or one of the many other winter objects (I HOPE) but for now I see it sat there while the rain hammers down and the wind blows and wonder why I got into this hobby at all... Let alone spent so much money on it 🙃

[Stu]

On 27/10/2023 at 10:15, Mr Spock said:

Had breakfast at 9 this morning  

Very jealous! Mine was at 4.30am in Wokingham, and I’ve just walked in the door (8pm) after taking 5 hours to get from Dartford to Crewkerne 🤬🤬🤬

[DirkSteele]

Probably explains why I just added another scope to the collection. Chances to observe this year have been slim and I am somewhat sustained by an amazing session at AstroCamp back in the spring when the aurora also put on a display as well (despite being in South Wales).

We have definitely had a bad run with the Baker Street Irregular Astronomers. We have to select the meeting date as much as two weeks in advance and no long range forecast is accurate enough. Think we have had clear skies perhaps 2-3 times this year (if only partially).

Right now back to the FLO website to see what else I can buy… 😉*
 

*only semi-joking….

Edited October 27, 2023 by DirkSteele
Typo

[Chandra]

Reading this thread is quite depressing... I add to the frustration of all of you although not for the same circumstances... For those who are retired I would recommend coming to the south for a season every year, if you can afford it... Around here we long to see the clouds, including amateur observers, the rains are so scarce and the skies so clear day after day for months, that the authorities have had to begin to implement restrictions on water consumption. So that doing observational astronomy in the south is somewhat easier than in your lands... However, in my particular case, I am still more than 10 years away from my (supposed) retirement (unless the government in power decides to change the rules of the game and it be no longer possible to even retire for me), and I feel included in your group of frustrated observers due to the circumstances of my work, which is precisely largely nocturnal. With only one day of rest per week and sometimes not even that to try to get a few more coins from the company, I have much less time than I would like to watch the sky. In the end, and if I get the "okay" from my long-suffering wife, I end up using that extra money to buy some new accessory that I will probably take a while to use, becoming, like most of you, a frustrated somewhat compulsive collector of gadgets... Of course, the afternoons winter with mild temperatures and early sunsets are appreciated to take the gear out and do some real astronomy...

[Coco]

4:30am skies have been forgiving over the last month, Lancashire coast, large gaps in the clouds and great seeing .... Sorry imagers no good for you. 

[The60mmKid]

Well, a telescope is a nice thing to own.

[Chandra]

On 11/8/2023 at 11:42 PM, The60mmKid said:

Well, a telescope is a nice thing to own.

I think most spouses don't find it convincing as a decorative item... so they force you to decide between two horrible alternatives, take it down and store it, or sell it 😟

[The60mmKid]

Just now, Chandra said:

I think most spouses don't find it convincing as a decorative item... so they force you to decide between two horrible alternatives, take it down and store it, or sell it 😟

To put things in perspective: I spent most of my life in a country where a significant portion of the population collects guns, including assault rifles that are designed with one purpose in mind.

A telescope is a nice thing to own.

 

"O, telescope, instrument of much knowledge, more precious than any sceptre, is not he who holds thee in his hand made king and lord of the works of God?" - Kepler

[Elp]

12 minutes ago, Chandra said:

take it down and store it

This is what I do. Nothing worse than staring at (potentially costly) equipment you can't use.

[Stu]

55 minutes ago, Chandra said:

I think most spouses don't find it convincing as a decorative item... so they force you to decide between two horrible alternatives, take it down and store it, or sell it 😟

I have been allowed this for months now, no complaints! 🤫

[Chandra]

8 hours ago, Stu said:

Me han permitido esto desde hace meses, ¡no tengo quejas! 🤫

You are a lucky person. In my opinion, a Taka cannot look bad or bother anywhere...😏