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  #1  
Old 13-09-2014, 04:07 PM
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FlashDrive (Poppy)
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Time to move on ...

I'm loosing interest ... this hasn't happened o/night ...it's been a steady progression....but have tried to motivate myself in recent times...but I've kinda become ' bla - zay ' about the whole thing really.

Shift work ( early rises every morning ... 4.30am ) when rostered on work.... that means early to bed for me....
Absolute crap weather when I am off work ( cloud cover etc ) ...with the occasionally opportunity to go outside and enjoy a look up.

Have seriously considered selling up all my gear....... ( 95% of it at least )

NA140 / AT-65Q Quad APO / TAK76 with FT / bus loads of Premium Eyepieces / Denkmeier Bino's with Power Switch and Filter Switch....and the list goes on....2'' Diagonals ... TeleVue EB / Astro Physics MaxBrite / WO and Astro- Tech Quartz .....several 1.25 Premium Diagonals .....

T-Rex Mount with Argo - Navis .... etc...etc... and more stuff than I can list here.......

I haven't been outside or even the slightest bit motivated to do so for some time.

A recent arrival I received was on a ' waiting list ' .... it's seen the night sky just once..... Dannat would know Scope I'm talking about.

If I want to ' look up ' ....I have some very decent Binoculars ( wide field 11* fov ) to use.

I've lost it, I think .... it's like giving up and letting things go.....time to move on gracefully.

Col .... ( Flash )




Last edited by FlashDrive; 13-09-2014 at 06:48 PM.
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  #2  
Old 13-09-2014, 04:26 PM
casstony
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If you just forget about observing for a while you might find fresh interest in future (or not).
Maybe sell half of your gear but keep the stuff that's hardest to replace?
Maybe try an 11" or 12" aperture to get better deep sky views?
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Old 13-09-2014, 04:31 PM
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dannat (Daniel)
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i agree, maybe cull some bits but hold onto the special bit of kit -doesnt matter if you pick it up in 5 yrs or 10
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Old 13-09-2014, 04:37 PM
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pfitzgerald (Paul)
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Hi Colin

I agree with Tony and Daniel's advice - work and weather do conspire to wear down one's enthusiasm for the setting up/ packing up etc. This year in Melbourne has been one of those for me. The weekend before last was one of those few that the weather has been kind and at the right time so I was able to share the viewing experience with others (kids and adults from school) - seeing the joy on their faces and hearing the enthusiasm in their voices has been an absolute tonic for me. So hang in there Col. :-)
Paul
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  #5  
Old 13-09-2014, 04:51 PM
Kunama
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Had to read your post a couple of times ......

I hope you don't think this will get you out of shouting a beer or two on the 24th !!!!

PM sent !

Last edited by Kunama; 13-09-2014 at 05:08 PM.
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  #6  
Old 13-09-2014, 05:00 PM
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Dave47tuc (David)
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Happend to me in the last ten years.

My answer take a break mine was 3 odd years and cull my gear to a minumum.

You dont need lots of scopes and eyepieces take it from someone that has had over 30 scopes in 40 years and over 100 eyepieces.

No need. At my age bit over 50 one scope and a Bino Viewer that will do. Make it easy to view and only view when you want .

The sky is not going anywhere . Just relax and enjoy the hobby and dont get mixed up in all the gear.
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  #7  
Old 13-09-2014, 06:11 PM
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FlashDrive (Poppy)
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The Sell Off will begin very soon.....
I will keep 1 Refractor and a few ' choice ' Eyepieces .

The rest will GO.......and there will be a lot of very nice gear... especially ' top end ' Eyepieces ...TeleVue's / Celestron Ultima ' / Orion Ultrascopics / Vixen LVW's / Vixen LV's / Meade Research Grade / Denkmeier / and early Japanese Plossls ......all of which are in ' excellent ' condition.
Some have ' boxes ' .... some don't.
Denkmeier II Binoviewer with Power Switch and Filter Switch + OCS for use with a Refractor.

Premium 2" Diagonals as mentioned before TeleVue / Astro- Physics / WO and Astro-Tech Quartz.

The Scopes and Mount most likely to go are the .......

Vixen NA140SS F/5.7
Astro-Tech AT-65Q Quad APO F/6.5
T-Rex Mount and Heavy Duty Tripod including Argo-Navis.

I'm keeping the TAK76 ......and the Hybrid TeleVue / Vixen Mount.

Col....

Last edited by FlashDrive; 14-09-2014 at 04:23 PM.
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Old 13-09-2014, 06:15 PM
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omegacrux (David)
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Sorry to hear that Col
I have changed hobbies over the years ,I was going to be a golf pro once , trouble was I'm hopeless at it
Good luck with whatever you decide to do in the future (but keep at least one scope )

David
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Old 13-09-2014, 06:19 PM
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Now, that Vixen Zoom...
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  #10  
Old 13-09-2014, 06:20 PM
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Shift work is a real killer...I'm at work right now. It is just a hobby after all. I found making my own scope and renovating the Gauntount more interesting than looking through it.
Go with the flow Col.
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  #11  
Old 13-09-2014, 06:31 PM
swannies1983 (Dan)
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Been there, done that. With a new job, study and two young kids, I gave up both visual and imaging about 18 months ago. I've sold most of my gear, except my 8" Dob. I've only taken the scope out twice in the last 18 months. Maybe in about 5-10 years time I'll get back into it again.
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Old 13-09-2014, 06:49 PM
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I hear ya!

Sold nearly all my gear, kept my LX90 for the occasional visual and the observatory.

Been more interested in riding my adventure bike and doing some camping than hiding out and being an astro nut.

Can still do 300 km and camp for the night and look up when it has been grey and cloudy all day than sitting at home praying for clear skies.

You'll get over it, there are better things to do and you wont ever forget how small we are, really.
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Old 13-09-2014, 06:57 PM
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Larryp (Laurie)
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I went through that in the mid '90s, Col. My biggest regret was selling my 6" Starfire, because I will never get another one.
Make sure you keep your best gear-one day you will retire and probably be glad you still have it.
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Old 13-09-2014, 07:19 PM
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FlashDrive (Poppy)
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Decided to START the SELL OFF now ...............

Refractors are 1st off ....see classifieds.

Col.............
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  #15  
Old 13-09-2014, 07:24 PM
Monstar (Johnny)
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Just change jobs!
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Old 13-09-2014, 08:34 PM
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FlashDrive (Poppy)
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Thanks for your uplifting comments guys.....
I have had 1 member suggest I ' box ' up the NA140 ....put it away and forget about it for awhile.... get it back out sometime in the future.

If it doesn't sell .....then I'll do just that..

Col.....
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  #17  
Old 13-09-2014, 09:39 PM
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Only just found this thread after seeing the NA140 for sale. Hope you get the bug back at some point. Defo keep anything that can't be replaced.
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  #18  
Old 13-09-2014, 09:58 PM
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sn1987a (Barry)
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20"+ SDM with all the goto fruit?. It's a whole new universe
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  #19  
Old 13-09-2014, 10:50 PM
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LightningNZ (Cam)
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Like Morton, I just saw your advertisements first, then tracked this thread down. All I can say is "I've been there". Nothing wrong with taking a break and who knows how long it'll be... but it's a part of you and you'll never really lose it. Do what you have to and let the passion return to you - don't chase it.

All the best,
Cam
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  #20  
Old 13-09-2014, 11:30 PM
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Steffen
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FlashDrive View Post
NA140 / AT-65Q Quad APO / TAK76 with FT / bus loads of Premium Eyepieces / Denkmeier Bino's with Power Switch and Filter Switch....and the list goes on....2'' Diagonals ... TeleVue EB / Astro Physics MaxBrite / WO and Astro- Tech Quartz .....several 1.25 Premium Diagonals .....
Looks like you had all the wrong gear to start with

Seriously though, I've been through "what am I doing here" phases several times myself, including the occasional hiatus from observing (sometimes as long as a decade). I've been through bouts of aperture fever, temptations of going into imaging, and the lure of tiny boutique refractors, and I came this -><- close to sinking lots of money into all of those.

In the end it comes down to deciding for yourself what you want out of this hobby – chasing the fashion of the day or enjoying your spare time under the stars. Sometimes you find your true passion by chasing it and sometimes it finds you by happenstance.

There is nothing wrong with taking a break. If some day you miss the look through a telescope (and I know you will) you know where to turn

Cheers
Steffen.
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