What do you get out of Astronomy?

[AstroTiger]

I considered posting this thread the other day, but think its a good idea to help us understand members here.

People get different things out of astronomy whether this would be a kick out of learning new things, just gazing up at the night sky, or even imaging (or even a mixture of all)

clearly there are many imagers here. but what does astronomy do for you? What do you get out of it?

Do you like the mental workout from considering how we got here?

Is anyone also in it for the science and research?

for me i enjoy the science and research end, but also like to do my robotic imaging with LRGB image processing. but this is me.

I'd like to point out that though i have equipment i have no actual garden for more hands on work. This is a bug bare of mine.

I look forward to seeing the posts.

[keef_uk]

A couple of year ago I nearly lost both my parents in RTA so all I wanted to do was be by myself. Many evening I found myself just sitting in the garden. Then one night I looked up and was blown away by what I saw. All of a sudden I felt so small and my problems seem to get lost in a vastness of what I saw before me.

I just enjoy the piece & quiet and wonders of the nightsky. Since I got into the hobby I have read lots of books and watched many DVDs of the subject. It just amazes me whats up there, and the fact that what I am seeing is not 'live' but years old!!

[Beulah]

It adds a few more hours to my day...

I thoroughly enjoyed this winter - I normally loathe them...and thinking back why I loved it was the winter night skies. Yup, it was very cold, but I managed to get out at leasrt fourteen times during this winter. Seeing M42 for the first time was incredible, and feel sad that it's beginning to set.

I enjoy getting to know the sky and anticipating the changes in the constellations...seeing Leo and Virgo again is awesome and Hercules rising in the east.

I just love Space. I love it because of my faith - love it because of the mysteries it holds and marvel at the crystal clear starlight. I just love the kick of my brain shorting out when you try and consider how many stars are in a galaxy - or planets...and the different formations plantetary nebulas have.

All my life I have been fascinated with space and how we humans can interact with it, so most of my reading is surprisingly Sci-Fi stuff. The flights of the imagination by the likes of Arthur C. Clarke.

Granted - we may not have reached a stage where man can go off and fly around the Solar system, but our acheivements in sending out probes, telescopes etc has been astonishing.

[yeti monster]

I find it so awesome, everytime I put my eye against an EP, or just sit back and look. Learning the constellations is teriffic and being able to share my (limited) knowledge with others a blessing.

Trying to figure out what I am seeing when so many stars appear in the FOV compared to the naked eye and catching a passing satellite by chance or by design great.

Only yesterday morning, as I rounded the corner, catching the "old moon" rising I actually let out a gasp at it's beauty.

[Jupiter Martin]

Havent been doing it long but finding it relaxing peace and quite when I can get out. I also wonder how it was all made and how far we will ever get on understanding how the universe got here.

[Breakintheclouds]

My brother-in-law once asked "What's the interest? What do you look at?"

I replied, "The whole universe is up there. I look at everything that exists anywhere"

But to give a less exalted answer, one of the side-benefits of astronomy is that I've learnt to pay attention to several things our ancestors knew well, but which we don't pay attention to any more. These days I'm always aware of where is East and West, and I see the changes of the seasons much more acutely than once I did.

[yeti monster]

I also wonder how it was all made and how far we will ever get on understanding how the universe got here.

As any, rational, person will tell you, it was all made in just 6 days. Although we often feel that we understand things, actually we are always miles out and some pandimensional megabeing is sitting "out there" laughing its socks off at us.

[lee g]

Nice post, when i was a kid i promised myself that i would one day go to space then when i became a big boy i realized that this was not likely to happen well at least not as long as i was in this mortal shell that we call our body. And so astronomy for me is in a sense still away for me fulfil that promise and navigate the seas of the sun.

I think for most people its away to escape the rigours of everyday life.

[RikM]

For me it's just looking up at the overwhelming vastness of the universe. To think of the tiny photons of light travelling hundreds, thousands or millions of light years just to hit my eye and allow me to see these wonderful objects, totally bakes my noodle.

Rik

[yeti monster]

For me it's just looking up at the overwhelming vastness of the universe. To think of the tiny photons of light travelling hundreds, thousands or millions of light years just to hit my eye and allow me to see these wonderful objects, totally bakes my noodle.

Rik

After all that time/distance going in a straight line, we go and bounce it about against mirrors and through lenses. Masters of the universe!

[Taff]

Myself once i have set the equitment and after taking captures of the night sky, i have a look around with my 20x80s after looking at the atlas what to go for.I just love the stillness of the night sky with no noise to sit down in the chair with a cup of coffee and a ciggy and leave my mind wounder while i'm looking around, each night i hope it is a clear one just to get out there under the stars.Mark

[barkis]

There has to be a number of people on SGL, who may be actively engaged in one or more of the many sciences that make up Astronomy as a whole. There are many facets to the subject.

Sometimes many interesting threads evolve, that are helpful in explaining certain aspects to those of us who are a little wanting in such knowledge.

Now I do not wish to make light of the sciences, and the people involved in the attempts to unravel the intricacies, and workings of the universe, but astronomy as far as most of this forum is concerned, consists mainly of Observational, and or Imaging/sketching camps.

There is no divisions here, we all do what we do, and hopefully share what we do. When the scientific threads crop up, they are part of the whole, and not separate or different. If you can contribute, you do, if not, that's fine too. There is no them and us.

We all just get on with what we like to do, and share it when we can. I have been in love with astronomy for many many years.

It is a part of my whole being. There was a time when I believed I was one of perhaps a couple of thousand only, who called themselves amateur astronomers. How wrong I was. If the total active amateurs could be counted, it could probably be doubled by adding the numbers who would like to be.

I believe most of the members of SGL are happy to be here.

The forum is a great place to nurture and improve your astronomy experience, it was created to do that job, and it will do. No doubt about that.

Ron.

[Beyond_Vision]

Empty pockets

[yeti monster]

Empty pockets

It is addictive, isn't it?

[AstroTiger]

I think it knocked me for six some years ago, where after a local astro meet up, a group of us went to the local pub.

There we were, doctors, lawyers, IT Consultants, accountants, engineers. in fact people from all walks of life gathered with one common purpose, one common interest, their love for astronomy.

Astronomy in many ways introduces you not only to the universe but i think the diverse range of people who study and also love it as you'rself.

Astronomy to me is not just an interest, its a way of life, part of who i am. I think without taking an early interest in this i would not have become the person i am. i have seen so much, learned so much. I guess all i want to do is to continue that journey and share it with others.

_________________________----

Edit, to add to the above i was so pleased to see how my young nephew had developed an interest in astronomy recently.

Also i look forward to passing it onto my new born son! Astro Cub (aka Alexander)

[Astro_Baby]

For me its a kind of communion with the infinite. I cant put it better than that. I dont get to do much actual stargazing so I amuse myself with guides and articles.

I dont tend to write on actual stargazing because I dont generally do it in any scientific manner. I look at whatever is on offer. Its kind of most like meditation to me. I like to be out alone with just me and the sky.

Sometimes I just wander off away from the telescope and look at the telecope and the sky together it gives me a kind of perpective on the vastness. We are using toys to see something bordering on the divine.

Its peace and quiet and 'me' time. Sometimes I lug the scope out and hardly use it preferring just to gaze up and look around.

[AstroTiger]

For me its a kind of communion with the infinite. I cant put it better than that. I dont get to do much actual stargazing so I amuse myself with guides and articles.

I dont tend to write on actual stargazing because I dont generally do it in any scientific manner. I look at whatever is on offer. Its kind of most like meditation to me. I like to be out alone with just me and the sky.

Sometimes I just wander off away from the telescope and look at the telecope and the sky together it gives me a kind of perpective on the vastness. We are using toys to see something bordering on the divine.

Its peace and quiet and 'me' time. Sometimes I lug the scope out and hardly use it preferring just to gaze up and look around.

Nothing wrong with that.

Sometimes i think we wrestle with the kit so much and get so frustrated by it not performing as we'd like that we tend to forget what its about and why we do it.

i think sometimes we all need to take that step back and just appreciate it all.

[Talitha]

A soul-massage.

It soothes my spirit, satisfies my curiosity, and feeds my intellect.

Can't ask for anything more than that, IMO.

[Starfleet]

Firstly, I find something utterly magical about the pristine quality of the light coming from the starry points, as I watch them with my eyes and also in a telescope. No terrestrial light source can do this to me... only the celestial light has this magic.

I also find the night sky a place where I can lose myself in endless dreams and wonder; a place of colour, of infinite distance and depth, and where the stars seem really truthful and friendly. A place of comfort and of hope and - above all - a place of certainty. When I see the star Arcturus shining brightly low in the east with its warm orange colour in late evenings in January, I know spring is not too far away.

[Tantalus]

The one thing that always astounds me is the scale of the universe. When you consider how far away even the closest objects are, I find it amazing we can see them at all. And then there's the unexpected, like the occassional bright meteor which put a smile on my face. I sometimes find myself thanking the universe after a particularly good sighting... (No, really!).