Interest Dropped To Zero

Actually now i that i think bout it, i think it would prob be better to keep the equipment as it would make it easier to get back into astronomy if the notion takes you down the line.


All the best,

Brendan
www.DonegalSkies.com

Hi Paul,
For many years I was heavily involved in Orienteering and eventually I got tired of it and stopped completely. Occasionally (once every two years) I was asked if I would help with a particular national level event. Each time I said yes and thoroughly enjoyed the event. Just yesterday I printed off the fixtures list for the coming season with the intention of attending a few. It is ten years since I competed last.

My point is that, although right now you are tired of the astro, it is in your blood, and the interest will come back, maybe not at the same level. My advice is to take a break but don't sell all of your equipment. Keep your favourite, easiest to set-up telescope. That way you will have something to keep in touch with, for those events that will come along over the intervening years, and also something to restart with, without effecting your pocket.

John

When suggesting the Sumerian Canopus, I suppose I was purely thinking in terms of weight because I remember you saying several times how that Orion was killing you. I'm glad you got most of the money back on it. (Who has it now btw? I'd love to see the 'oul gal again ). Then I figured maybe the hassle of setting up a GEM and 10 inch SCT was the problem. I thought maybe you would get enough back on that scope and after a small bit of saving during your observing hiatus you might have been 99% of the way to the price of a Canopus.

However I then remembered your Streetlight posts. I suppose it must be soul destroying having your back garden lit up like that. I am in the same situation as that at my new house. I'll be relying almost solely on outreach and sdas observing nights for my fix going forward.

Obviously if you can put all the money tied up in your gear to more productive uses then that would be the way to go but would it not be worth holding on to it if even only for outreach, Lough Dan scout camping nights and Sugarloaf SDAS sessions? Flog the EP's to release some cash for other pursuits/hobbies and share my EP's. Theres a 31mm Nagler, 17mm, 10mm & 6mm Ethos in my case with your name on them that you could use every night while I'd be using the 21mm, 13mm, 8mm and 3.7mm SX. We'd share the 6mm Theres no one I would trust more to share them with on a given night. I mean, I really only ever intended to acquire what is known on CN as a Troika of Death of Ethos that gave a decent focal length spread. It was only the fact that I was able to get all of them discounted for the same price as 3 at full price over here that persuaded me to get the whole lot. The focal lengths I wouldn't be using would be needlessly gathering dew in my case otherwise. Better that they gather dew in the focuser of a fellow observors scope instead

Many thanks for the kind offer Keith, if anything it would be the eyepieces that I will hang onto and sell the scope.

I know one thing for certain, if, and when, I return it will be with a smaller scope, most probably a refractor on an alt-az mount. Looking at Aubrey's set up, okay maybe a William Optics 6" Apo will be out of my price range though, but it seems the simplest set up, put up the tripod, attach the head, pop in the scope and away you go. No Hassle.

The weight issue would also be solved with such a set up.

At least I will have time to think about it.

Paul

Hi Paul. I had a feeling you were going to mention the 6" Apo. You will always be welcome to view through it. I am looking forward to using it again very soon. Bob O'Brien and I love these scopes. I am not a man who likes putting anybody under pressure -so just feel free to have a break. I did as far back as 1994 to 1996 because of girl trouble. However a Total Lunar Eclipse sorted my out and I haven't turned my back on the hobby ever since. At the time of TLE, I think it was God who allowed me to see it as He comforted me.

Yours, Aubrey.

It's always a pleasure viewing through the WO Aubrey and I believe that you are incredibly generous when it comes to letting the public see through your exquisite instrument.

Girls, where would be be without them. :whistle:

Paul