I'm Andrew and I'm an Astronomaholic

[andrewk_82]

Hi, I'm Andrew and I'm an Astronomaholic.

My problem started last Christmas when my mother in law purchased me a book on astronomy. In the following 2 days I read the thing from front to back (I should have seen the warning signs then). As a result I purchased some 15x70 binos. I enjoyed using these and managed to find a few of the objected listed in the book. Some symptoms of Astronomaholism then started to emerge. I would often look up at the sky during the day and hope that it would be clear that night. I also purchased several more books and read these within days of purchase.

After a while the binoculars were alright, but I just wasn't getting the same high as I did when I started. I needed something stronger. So after a bit of research I got a 10" dob for my birthday which after a few mods was just what I needed. At this point I was hooked. During the day, I all I would think about was when I was going to get my next fix of observing. I even started talking astronomy to my wife, who now calls me an astro nerd. I even dream of dark skies where there many galaxies and nebula as naked eye objects. Also everything on my Christmas list is astronomy related.

Finally the other day I finally realised that I had a problem. When I was having a cup of coffee and I noticed that the swirling pattern in the top of it when I stirred it looked a lot like a Sa spiral galaxy :screwy:. This was when I decided that I needed help.

My question is, is there a cure for this addiction or am I doomed to a lifetime of talking NGC and IC numbers, and hoping the damn moon will go away so I can see what's out there :shrug:? I'm afraid that if I don't curb this habit now I could be stuck with this addiction and it may cost me a lot of money and sleep in the future (I would hate to have to turn to crime to fund my habit :scared:).

Any help from fellow astronomaholics or those that have kicked the habit would be grealty appreciated :help:.

Regards

[Jen]

:lol::lol::lol: lol Andrew sorry mate there is no cure for this disease :lol: i know exactly how you feel :whistle::help:
:astron:
But once the weather starts to get really really cold and the sky looks crap day after day these symptoms will ease a little :thumbsup: but when the Orion and Saturn begin to pop up in the sky again (like now) :P you will be back out there with a big grin on ya face all over again :D you are not alone ;)
Its ok to be an Astro nerd :lol:

[jungle11]

Hey there, i've started moaning about the clouds and i haven't even got my scope yet! I guess you could say im in the early onset stage;)

When i was little i used to have this dream where i'd walk outside and i could see the the planets in the sky - jupiter, saturn, large as life and taking up huge portions of the sky.
Even now i get shivers when i think of those dreams - some special feeling i got out of them - you know how it is with dreams, it's hard to describe.

I think the only known cure for astronomaholicism is to buy a dodgy telescope from toyworld on a tripod made out of matchsticks, or move to england where you will never see a clear sky again:lol:

[spacezebra]

Hi Andrew

I'm Petra and I too am an Astronomaholic, but then everyone in IIS knows that :P.

No there is no cure. No amount of selling equipment, or enjoying the cloudly weather will rid you of this desire to ....... look up!

Cheers Petra d.

[Outbackmanyep]

Hi Andrew!
I notice you say you're from Inverell, im from the Walcha / Armidale region!
Good to see you're taking advantage of the awesome skies in the area! Nothing wrong with being an astro-nerd! i think we all are here! hehe
There was a fellow from our local astro club that lives in Inverell now, he used to work for Glen Innes council, i sometimes visit Inverell when i go fossicking that way!
Good to see you join the forums!

Cheers!

[Omaroo]

Yeah Andrew - Hi.

Looks like you're stuffed. Welcome to the nut house.

:D

[leinad]

:lol: Everyday I make a cappuccino at work I'm creating spiral galaxies. Mmmm chocolaty spiral galaxie'ness capo'. Yum.

[TrevorW]

I'm an Astronomaholic in more ways than one, I drink probably too much red wine while waiting for the imaging session to finish !!!

:drink:

[Dog Star]

Sorry Andrew, you've come to the wrong place for help.
In fact, it's somewhat analogous to a drunk seeking help at the local pub for his addiction.
The only advice I can offer is that if you want to avoid a hangover, just stay drunk.
(Hic) Hang on. What were we talking about again? (Burp)
Anyways, Welcome!:thumbsup:

[norm]

Hi Andrew :welcome:to the forum.


The worst and best thing you have done is coming to this forum:P.

Its a sickness that is hard to wean and I'm afraid there is no known cure.

Having said that enjoy your dark sky views, you certainly have us city slickers full of envy ;)!

Good size scope purchase too!

Cheers Norm

[h0ughy]

Hi Im h0ughy and i dont suffer from anything:whistle:

[WadeH]

Hi Andrew,

I'm sorry but I'm afraid your done for. The only short term fix I've found is to get on IIS during daylight and full moon nights. That helps long enough to last until the next DSO viewing! :ship2:

:welcome:

[RobF]

Sounds nasty Andrew!!

In such an advanced state of addiction, don't even think of going cold turkey. You're only hope is regular viewing sessions mixed with copious doses of IIS.......

;) :lol: :rofl:

[Terry B]

Welcome Andrew from a relative neighbour (in Armidale).
The only treatment for your problem is to enroll in a masters in Astronomy or similar. It takes up the time waiting for the clouds to pisss off, satisfies the addiction and is fun to do.
Come and visit us a UNENTAS (http://www.unentas.armidale.com/index.htm) on day.

[jjjnettie]

We hear you buddy and we're all going through it together.
Enjoy the euphoria of the newly converted.
It's a great high.

When our creek is in flood, I like to watch for eddies, they look like galaxies too.

[Ric]

Hi Andrew and welcome mate, I've been afflicted with this ailment for 40 years now and have loved every minute of it.:thumbsup:

Watch out for that other contagious ailment called "telescopitis" or the uncontrollable urge to buy more telescopes than you have eyes.:lol:

Anyway hope you have a great time here.:D

[JohnH]

Andrew,

Well there is no cures as such but there some exotic forms of the disease you might like to consider as your next "upgrade". The principal here is similar to not worrying about a paper cut when you have just secured your foot to the floor with an industrial rivet gun ie relativity.

So you might investigate ..appature fever, autoguiditis, APOnvy and CCDQeSyndrome. Of these probably autoguiditis has the greatest potential "cure" your astronomoholic tendencies when combined with just the wrong amount of focal length, pixel size and monut, the endless tuning can lead to a total lack of observation or imaging and a desire for cloudy nights.

[andrewk_82]

Hi All,

Thanks for the welcome. Its good to see that I'm not alone in this.
Greg suggested that I buy a cheap telescope to cure me, but I already own a 60mm Tasco and all it did was make me buy a better scope :). I have my first child due in 9 weeks so that will probably reduce the symptoms for a while (lack of sleep and all).

I think that all that is left to do is accept that this is the way things are going to be and enjoy it :D. Luckily I have books and forums like this to get me through cloudy weather like this (the rain's good though).

Seriously though I do hope that I'm still enjoying this just as much in 40 years, maybe my children and grandchildren in the future will also be Astronomaholics (its a viscious cycle).

Cheers

[erick]

Fantastic! After you get babe back to sleep around 2am, you'll be able to nip outside for a quick half hour! :D

[AstralTraveller]

.... including the 12,647 posts?

[andrewk_82]

I think that acknowledging that you have a problem is the first step to recovery ;).

Seriously though, it is good to see you enjoying astronomy so much. By the way your picture of the storm over Lake Macquarie is some good work. My work mates were very impressed :thumbsup:.

Cheers

[Ian Robinson]

So am I. Been one for over 40 years , caught the bug when I was little kid . I even star gaze when I am out fishing for jewfish at night time )(often this is all night in summer).... can't help myself during those long periods when the bait is in the water and nothing is spooking it or eating it and I am sitting there on a rock or a camp chair or on the beach next to or a maybe a couple easy paces away from the rod which will be laying on the gound, or slightly upwards against a convenient rock or with the butt in a convenient crack or gap in the rocks or in a rocket launcher I'll pushed into the sand , and if the stars are out .... they just draw the eyes up involuntarily.

Cloudy nights and brightly lit moonlite nights tend to temper the illness.

Only cures I know off are to die or to go completely blind.

[Octane]

Andrew,

Astronomy (and astrophotography, in my case) is one of the only hobbies I know which manifests itself as an obsession.

Enjoy.

Regards,
Humayun

[Glenhuon]

Watch out for that other contagious ailment called "telescopitis" or the uncontrollable urge to buy more telescopes than you have eyes.:lol:


OMG, I've got that. 7 scopes and counting :)

Bill

[alan meehan]

Hi Andrew
There is no cure..........these clouds are driving me nuts

[andrewk_82]

Those clouds are also driving me nuts.

Although I woke up this morning and there was a strange colour in the sky. The sky had blue colour to it. I seem to vaguely remember seeing it like that once a long time ago ;). Knowing my luck though it will be all cloudy by tonight.:sadeyes:

Cheers

[garyp]

Hi Andrew and:welcome: New born babies are good training for astronomy as will soon forget what sleep is altogether. ;)


My advice don't try to fight the addiction just go with it and enjoy every moment:thumbsup: (I do)

Cheers

Gary:)

[AdrianF]

AAAArgh Andromeda in my coffee..... Is that dark matter I see floating on the top?

Adrian

[jungle11]

I know what you guys mean. My house is built out of pine, and the knots in the planking (not the term but you get me) look like all manner of galaxies. I remember noticing that as a kid.:)

[mozzie]

bintel use to sell the messier coffee cup every cup i have im looking at mess numbers and remembering what i had seen the night before:whistle:

[astronut]

Andrew "resistance is futile" "one of us, one of us":lol::lol::lol:

[andrewk_82]

Yeh, I'm one of you now.

I tried to get my wife interest in astronomy too. Last night I showed her M42, which even though seeing was pretty bad was still looking pretty spectacular:eyepop:.

Her response when she saw it was, "Is that it? That cloudy looking stuff? You get excited about seeing that?" :doh:

I'll try 47 Tucanae next time I'm observing and see if she thinks that is interesting. If not then I guess she is a lost cause, and never will be interested in astronomy :sadeyes:.

Funny thing was, she was more interested in looking at Pleiades with the naked eye, since it is the Subaru symbol and we have a Subaru. I didn't even have to tell her what it was.:shrug:

Maybe someone else has some other ideas that might get her interested, because I'm all out.

Cheers

[astronut]

Andrew,
For someone (like your wife) that has just a passing interest, I would recommend the Moon, Jupiter and Saturn.
They are objects with a lot of WOW power.
A good dark sky with the unaided eye is also a good way to go.:thumbsup:

[jungle11]

I tried showing Mum Andromeda (galaxy) about a week ago. Took about 45 minutes! She said...'but it's a blob":rofl::rofl:
No, I'll leave her to her interests me thinks

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Andrew,

Science has endeavoured to unlock the mysteries of the mind to determine the reasons for such addictions over the eons.

Unfortunately, there is no cure, or if there is, I don't want to know about it.......

Ignorance is the only solution, I have no problem, everyone else does.

You can reference everyone's astoholicism here (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=33024&highlight=astroholic&page=4) started by Sheeny - Astroholic (now with a backyard observatory!!!)

Great for a chuckle, makes you feel normal again....

Well, a "normal" astroholic anyway. :)

Welcome, and never fear, you are in safe hands here.

Cheers

Chris

[Jen]

:lol::lol::lol::lol:
:hi: Chris