Are we really Astronomers.

[James]

She Who Must Be Obeyed thinks I'm an astronomer... that's enough for me

James

[Capricorn]

Does she think you are an astronomer because you have told/convinced her that you are, or has she worked it out for herself?

If she has come to her own conclusion is she correct?

[jaquesnoir]

thought it was bruce lee who said that one

Yes - in enter the dragon. Well spotted.

[James]

Does she think you are an astronomer because you have told/convinced her that you are, or has she worked it out for herself?

My wife is perfectly capable of working things out for herself (and equally capable of seeing through any attempt to pull the wool over her eye's by me)

If she has come to her own conclusion is she correct?

I wouldn't dare think otherwise....

James

[Psychobilly]

I'm quite happy with the "Stargazer" tag although "Starsnapper" may be more appropriate in my case ....

Be what you want to be....

[albedo0.39]

spend around £1,000 that would probably do it, anything over that and you were getting into the realms of listening to the EQUIPMENT and not the music.

IMHO... if you spend more than this you get into the realms of having goose pimples appear (and not from cold) on your arms on more records (note) more of the time.

Coming to the excellent original post, with my push-to, non aligned, non go-to, non-imaging set up, I feel like every discovery is a world first.

Am I pioneering ? No.

Discovering ? - Yes , for me. For my eyes and brain

Am I happy ? - Yes - always

Am I an astronomer ? - Probably not, but I am very fulfilled with me and my scope and the wonders of the sky.

It's a perfect hobby in an imperfect world.

[Macavity]

I personally hope we are "astronomers" if we so wish? But I think, whatever the human endeavour, there will always be some folks who see some subset of any collective as the "real McCoy" (astronomer etc.) Worse still, others as somehow "lesser" etc. Better still they can convince everyone that, in their... freewheeling group, "anything goes" - At least at [cult] recruitment stage?

Always a dilemma. Judgemental? But without judgementalism, whither excellence?

[RikM]

Am I a cyclist? Yes, I ride a bike to work every day and play in the mud at weekends.

Am I an artist? Yes, I draw and paint pictures and am not ashamed to hang them on the wall.

Am I a guitarist? Yes, I have a few guitars and regularly throw my fingers at the strings. Sometimes music happens while I'm doing this.

Am I a scientist? Yes, I research and develop laboratory scale biomolecule purification devices and methods.

Am I an astronomer? Yes, I look at fantastic things in the sky, make notes, draw sketches and then research (hit the books or web to learn more about) what I have observed.

I am all these things. The fact that I only get paid for doing one of them, doesn’t come into it. I love them all.

As far as equipment goes, I will buy something new if it helps me to get a better view of what I am trying to observe and it will get regular use. I will spend £170 on an eyepiece that I will put in the scope every time I set it up. I am not so keen on spending £80 on an eyepiece that I might perhaps use once or twice per year for those few seconds of perfect seeing.

If I had the money to get whatever took my fancy whenever I felt like it, things might be different, but I don't think so. I have no desire to amass vast piles of mainly unused kit for the sake of it, but I do have to admit to a touch of the green eyed monster when I see someone post “just spend a grand on a scope, now which end do I look through”.

Rik

[acey]

Interesting that this thread started with the question whether we're astronomers or gear collectors, i.e. do we really like looking at stuff or spending money, and was interpreted by many as the question whether amateur astronomers count as astronomers, given that we don't get paid to do it. In other words it all comes back to money.

Hipparchus, Galileo and Herschel didn't have any gear except what they made for themselves, and nobody paid them for what they did, at least when they started out. Money had absolutely nothing to do with it - only curiosity.

[Macavity]

I suspect, if you go back far enough, few "stargazers" would describe themselves as astronomers. Many had a job title of astrologer. There was little to distinguish these proto-scientific disciplines. Even Newton devoted much of his (later) life to the quest for the philosopher's stone and Alchemy?

[TheThing]

Are we Astronomers,

Or are we dancers?

My signs are vital, my hands are cold...

(with thanks to The Killers)

[albedo0.39]

Are we Astronomers,

Or are we dancers?

My signs are vital, my hands are cold...

Are you smoking Volcanic Ash ?

[EA2007]

I am fairly guilty of buying more equipment rather than going with what I have got. However the setup I have atm is more than adequate for what I need. In my case I need to (and quite rightly) understand how it works properly and go from there.

Take last night for example, I was only out for about 30 minutes and the sky was really really clear, shame on me! I jumped from aligning my scope straight to imaging without much obs. inbetween, I should have double checked my alignment and done some visual stuff first. As it happened I went to image M13, got 9 good images of 30 secs each then tried a 1 min exposure via Canon's remote shooting, this resulted in some star trails, my alignment was off a bit.

Its all part of the learning process, I haven't spent much on my setup compared to others, i.e I only have the standard 25mm EP that came with the scope and I use a bicycle rear light for eyesight preservation!

I can however, claim that I am an Astronomer, I have a degree in it with honours ha ha

[thesatanbug]

I'm not an astronomer yet. But if postie pulls his finger out I will be by this evening.

[franticsmurf]

Being relatively new to astronomy, I haven't had the opportunity to become a gear collector yet. I have resisted the temptation to upgrade, increase, expand etc while I learn the basics and find out exactly what aspect of astronomy fasicnates me most. I guess that makes me an astronomer (in answer to the original question).

When I'm observing, I'm that astronomer and I always will be. But during the day, in work or when the clouds roll in, I'm a virtual gear collector. I've already planned my next upgrade (and I'm working on the upgrade to that, too!)

A hobby is for enjoyment and what ever brings that enjoyment is ok.

[Mr Spock]

I'm an astronomer, but I do believe in spending money on stuff. If this is your hobby, then spend whatever you like.

Life is not a rehersal. If you don't enjoy yourself now there's no second chance.

[Talitha]

A hobby is for enjoyment and what ever brings that enjoyment is ok.

[ollypenrice]

While I agree with the above I have always had a problem with the word 'hobby' - rather in the way that some runners have a problem with the word 'jogging.' I don't JOG, they say, I ruddly well RUN!!! And I am like that with my h... with the things about which I am passionate. Really I don't like the H word.

A speed record breaker once wrote an autobiography called Safety Last. I like that!

Get in there, whatever it takes.

Olly

[kev]

Hmm...

Im an astronomer as far a Im concerned, ive been doing it for years, although what I do is more relaxed than most. I watch the sun and the planets, and the kit I use I dont "buy buy buy".

Im also a railway enthusiast (not a spotter - grrr!), a nature lover, and a beach lover - especialy when its warm!

BTW EA2007 - where are you in North Yorkshire?

Kev

[Beulah]

- rather in the way that some runners have a problem with the word 'jogging.' I don't JOG, they say, I ruddly well RUN!!!

Olly

Olly,

Why is that?

[LukeSkywatcher]

When i discover a comet,supernova,asteroid,planet or the like.......then i will call myself an Astronomer.

Of course i'll still only be a backyard astronomer cuz i dont think i'll get payment for my discoverie(s).

Now,if i can only get a job making the tea in a big mountain top Obs...............then i would be a semi-professional astronomer.