New telescope decision

You know on the sliding scale a CGE 11 is worth at least 6 months of cloud!!

SIX months!?!
Oh Noooooooo!



Y'know it's funny,
The night my new scope got first light I was soooo excited.
I ripped through the Autostars' ''Tonights best'' feature.
I saw more in that couple of hours than I had in years before.

But then....
as I took her out on subsequent nights...
even though it was (as I thought) fairly good observing conditions...
I could NOT see what I saw that first night!

Now I realise that the seeing on that first night was great.

I just feel regret I didn't slow down and really 'smell the roses'.

Then when you get a great night you know exactly why you did!

Without (hopefully) sounding egotistical,
I surf.
and like astronomy my (other) hobby is governed by the weather Gods.
Therefore I spend a lot of time NOT surfing.
That still dosn't stop me spending (a lot of) time and money on it.
The enjoyment i get from catching a perfect wave for 20 seconds is worth
the years of bieng a grunt, almost drowning, money, the board, the suit, the wait, the search, the drive, the (lousy) weather, the paddle the exhaustion.

Much like astronomy....
It's a tough demanding hobby that most people don't get.....
and to me that's half the fun.

It's a tough demanding hobby that most people don't get.....
and to me that's half the fun.

You know Frank, I don't think I've ever heard it put so well and succinctly. I couldn't agree more. Take this evening, it's clear outside, but the wind is absolutely howling. BUT, i'll go out, freeze my rear end off, grumble, moan about the cold, probably get clouded out, swear I won't go out in such bad conditions again and then do the very same the next marginal night! Of course everyone thinks were bonkers. They're probably right, but hey, i'll take bonkers any day (or night)

BUT, i'll go out, freeze my rear end off, grumble, moan about the cold, probably get clouded out, swear I won't go out in such bad conditions again and then do the very same the next marginal night! Of course everyone thinks were bonkers. They're probably right, but hey, i'll take bonkers any day (or night)

Dave,

This is our great desire (not to miss an opportunity) at play. I have lost count of the number of times I have set up under adverse conditions ON THE HOPE that things will clear even for as little as an hour or two so that I can image something .... and only to be disappointed that the little break never came and that it was most foolish of me to have had such optimism and to be less enthusiastic next time ... and only to do it again 24 hours later! :lol:

Like you say, everyone thinks we are nuts and there is indeed a strong element of truth in their assessment ... but sh*t, we love it and that's what counts! Anyway, it is our time that we "waste" under the sky (clear or not). :lol:

I've this theory that the weather in Ireland isn't actually all that bad.
It's just that as soon as anyone buys a telescope, bad weather is guaranteed for the next fortnight.
So, as people are buying them all the time, we've rubbish weather all year round.
So, my solution is for everyone to buy their telescopes in a designated one or two week period, maybe at the start of the year, and that'll sort our weather out for the rest of the year.
By the way, I'm sorry, but I just got a 12" Lightbridge on Wednesday...hence the gales and storms since.....

By the way, I'm sorry, but I just got a 12" Lightbridge on Wednesday...hence the gales and storms since.....[/quote][/i][/i][/i]

Good point EPK
I'm picking up my CGE 11 next week. Well that's the run up to Christmas pretty well ruined. Sorry guys!!! I guess I could always move to Jersey or somewhere for a few weeks.....