Rekindling the Enthusiasm for Astronomy

[iceman (Mike)]

I've blogged about something which I've noticed and has concerned me over recent months..

Here's an excerpt:

Over the past 4-6 months, my passion and enthusiasm for astronomy and astrophotography has been on a definite decline. I found myself hoping it would be cloudy when I stepped outside. I found excuse after excuse not to setup my gear. I found myself being pickier and pickier with the conditions and wouldn’t bother to image Jupiter unless the seeing was well above average (which this year, has been very rare indeed).

I found I wasn’t reading many threads on IceInSpace or other astronomy forums. I’d also been lifting my level of interest and enjoyment in my other hobbies, including Karate and World War 2 history, and astronomy had certainly been taking a back seat.

I was conscious of what was happening but what I could I do about it? I just wasn’t getting the enjoyment from astronomy that I had in the past.

Read the rest at:
Redkindling the Passion and Enthusiasm for Astronomy

I'm keen to hear about your thoughts and experiences.. it may not have been about astronomy when it happened to you.. what did you do to get through it? Did you get through it?

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Yep it does happen Mike, and your right the prolonged, less than ideal weather conditions certainly don't help. That's one of the reasons for the observatory, so I can make the most of those brief interludes of clear skies without having to spend half an hour setting up and another half pulling down when the clouds move in after just finishing the polar alignment.

Having other hobbies helps to me keep enthusiastic about my astronomy. My main one of bush regen helps keep me outside and in touch with the environment anyway. It also helps to keep my mind active and engaged so that when the conditions are right I don't have to get over that initial mental inertial. The enthusiasm is there ready to go.......usually.

Plus I have too many astronomy books to read to give up the hobby just yet anyway. I find just researching astronomy projects in anticipation of future clear skies keep me engaged as well. Mind you I now have enough projects lined up to keep me well and truely engaged for the next 3 life times.

Planetary imaging? What's that? I can't remember the last planetary or lunar image I've taken. The odd comet is about it. There are too many other things going on.

But the one thing above all else that helps to keep me right on up there is the fantastic astronomy community I'm apart of. Not just IIS which is an enormous part, but my friends in the local area that I'm associated with through the Mapleton Observatory (conducting classes and outreach nights does wonders to keep the enthusiasm up). Plus there is the monthly social/viewing get togethers at Ron's where people come from up to 2 hours drive away just for the get together.

When I first started on this hobby, I was all alone but the initial passion was enough, despite the disappointment. Now the friends, community and project planning keeps me well and truely engaged.

Maybe we need to have a 12 step program to help keep us enthused when times are getting tough.

[mick pinner]

l think it has to be a balance, when you start a new hobby you go flat out, you want to get out every night, you get dissapointed when it's cloudy and when those little hardware or software problems occur and spoil a great evening. To some l am sure the novelty will wear off and it will become just an opportunity to get out when the skies are clear and others will give up altogether.
l loose the passion every now and again, but to me it is only a hobby and certainly not a priority.
Family comes first and l do spend a lot of time at work so l do not have time for the very late night sessions, l fit astronomy into the time l have left.
Because of this though l find l enjoy my time under the stars more when the opportunity does arise.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

I've been thinking about this too. My interest has waned a little over the past year or so and I do put it down to the weather. Most of my imaging (or even straight observation) is done in the presence of our club members at either of our two dark sky sites - one darker than the other. Of course, the darker one is twice the disctance away....

The main problem is in lining up organised sessions with the weather. There seem to be plenty of nights when I'm home that I look outside and think "wow - what a gorgeous evening - I hope it'll be OK on Saturday". If I had an observatory at home (which I'm resigned to now) I know I'd be able to just pop out for a quick fix while the weather was behaving and be happy. As Paul says, it's the repetitive setting up/aligning/clouding up/pulling down dissappointment cycle that is the killer. I can't remember a good night with my club mates where everything just went "right" - it must be months ago. Adding to the frustration is the ritual that starts with charging batteries the night before, piling everything into the car, organising dinner snacks and coffee, driving out there, setting up.... etc, etc - you know how it goes.

I've just convinced Jenny that a slab and permanent pier are required to save my sanity - to which she has agreed. At least I can trundle the G11 equatorial head outside and set up with verry little drifting required. This alone will save my bacon I reckon.

I have taken up another hobby (apart from the ubiquitous photography) which I was into decades ago - radio controlled flying. At least I can build and tinker on those nights the weather isn't playing ball - only to be faced with Saturday or Sunday winds and rain - "flying is off for the day"! Grrrr Another weather-dependant hobby!!!! You'd think I'd have learned by now......

[Phil]

Hi Mike i have been into astronomy for over 20 years. I have a dome with everything setup in my backyard. But i to have the same feelings as you to. I see it this way. The stars are not going anywhere so it does not hurt to feel this way. It is good have a brake sometimes. I no with me the bug does return. It may take some time but it will return. Hope this helps.
Phil

[acropolite (Phil)]

I think it's important to only go out when you are really going to enjoy the conditions.

I only venture outside when I'm well rested, family commitments are satisfied and the conditions are right.

I have to agree that other hobbies (you can never have too many) to compliment Astronomy are a good idea. I'm sure everyone would agree that photography is a good compliment to Astronomy.

Work pressures certainly don't help, I find that having to travel any significant distance to work is tiring, in my case some of my work necessitates up to seven hours of driving to perform a few hours of work; early starts and late finishes.
If I do a couple of stints like that through the week, I usually find I end up very fatigued at the weekend.

HRH's work commitments also curtail my activities, I couldn't attend either Qld Astrofest or Lostock because of Liz's work commitments.

In your case Mike, as you suggest, yoir job change and subsequent train rides to & from work may be a factor, you probably settle in and become quite relaxed on the way home, once home it's hard to break that relaxed state and get motivated.

[asterisk (Geoff)]

Thanks fellas. I have been having similar feelings of late, and, as with Chris and Paul, I have put it down to the packing, travelling, setting up, alignment, packing up, driving, unpacking, drying, putting away.

Alignment problems have not helped and, lately, the weather has reduced the rewards from going through the process.

I wonder if Chris would like to build a bigger observatory?

[Kal (Andrew)]

Mike, I'm the sort of person that by nature has short attention spans in hobbies. This concerned me of course with astronomy since it is not exactly a cheap hobby. But over the last decade I've realised and accepted one thing. My interest may wane every now and then, but it is a hobby that I will always come back to - it is a life long hobby, which I know I will still be interested in when I am 60, and if my interest wanes for months (or even a year or more) it doesn't concern me anymore, since I know my interest will be rekindled again naturally in the future. Because of this acceptance I have no problem stepping back from astronomy every now and then to persue other interests.

[Lismore Bloke (Paul)]

My interest in astronomy was rekindled when I bought the GSO 12'' dob.
The old 10'' on the GEM mount was awkward to use and a literal pain in the neck. I can carry the 12 out easily and set it up and be observing very easily.

I can well imagine that complicated setups, especially involving imaging gear, can simply be too much to use if you are tired after a long day at work. Other family commitments can also intrude. Keeping it simple has worked for me.

[Omaroo (Chris Malikoff)]

Originally Posted by Lismore Bloke

My interest in astronomy was rekindled when I bought the GSO 12'' dob.
The old 10'' on the GEM mount was awkward to use and a literal pain in the neck. I can carry the 12 out easily and set it up and be observing very easily.

I can well imagine that complicated setups, especially involving imaging gear, can simply be too much to use if you are tired after a long day at work. Other family commitments can also intrude. Keeping it simple has worked for me.

I guess that's half the problem for me... I have very little (if at all) interest in visual observing. Seen one blob with averted vision, seen them all. I have a very strong interest in photographing it all however....

Maybe my 12" binos will change that - who knows. They're a fair way off from being finished yet....

[Octane (Humayun)]

There was a time where I would drift off at work thinking about my next imaging session; what the weather would be like, what I would image, how much time I would spend on the object, how the equipment was going to cooperate, etc. Then there's the post-imaging high when you go through the ridiculous rigmorale of having to pre- and post-process all your data (the slower your PC, the worse it is) and watching the data slowly accumulate as you go through your stacking routine.

I used to (and, still do) think that astronomy (and/or astrophotography) is one of the only hobbies I know which manifests itself as an obsession.

Once I got busy with work, that all went out the window.

It's only been the last few months that the thirst for photon collecting has returned.

I am back with a vengeance.

Regards,
Humayun

[RB (Andrew)]

Originally Posted by acropolite

I think it's important to only go out when you are really going to enjoy the conditions.

I only venture outside when I'm well rested, family commitments are satisfied and the conditions are right.

I agree with Phil, I only setup when I'm rested, the conditions are right and work won't get in the way.
There's a lot of equipment to setup each time, since I don't have an observatory yet, so I really only setup if I know I'll have a good chance of obtaining decent data.
Also I concentrate on one or two objects per session, trying to maximize how much data I get on each.

I'm kind of happy that my other hobby is photography, so I can switch to that if the weather isn't up to astrophotography.
I enjoy just taking time out with my camera now and then on a trip, just to unwind after a hectic schedule.

This helps keep my interest in both hobbies fresh.

One of my other hobbies is electronics, so I really enjoy building/designing circuits too.
And I like dabbling in computers and building systems myself.
My wife says I have too many hobbies.

[xelasnave]

Mike with the greatest of respect and with sincere concern I know the condition.

We live fast difficult and complex lives.

I think of myself I have it laid back and cruisie but when I look at everything I do in a week or month I find the level of activity far past anything I could have managed as a young man... so what happens..we take more and more on... such that we dont notice the shear load of activity we engage on each day and we take for granted that we will stand up each day and continue with the many routines we have made standard in our day.

So it could be that.

Being a perfectionist could contribute.
Whats the point of doing something unless it is perfect we ask ourselves...and that is when we have to say ..you bet..this is supposed to be fun...

I think the lack of consistent weather contributes when I think about it.

You may know gravity preoccupies me and I gauge my happiness levels by my approach to that subject..if I find it boring and of no importance I know I am down...when I think it is important and can sit and think happily about matters relating to it ..I know it is a good day... unfortunately the good day is probably tilted to the dellussional side of reality but thats ok... taking astro photos is sortta dellussional in so far as Hubble can get them why do we need to...again the answert is fun...fun can be elusive..if yoou question too long you find it has left the room.

Also I have a condition where once I have done
something I look for a new chalenge and so astronomy (and gravity) holds less chalenge so it becomes a little different.

It may be the old...."whats the meaning of life thing also"

I feel exposure to astronomy and the statistics can leave one feeling less than important when ones smallness hits home...but the fact is we are each so important...not to the world but to ourselves... and one needs to take time to appreciate oneself... feel ones existence as it were..

I am sorry for a short unconsidered answer I will think about this today.

alex

[xelasnave]

Above all setting new goals is probably the most important thing... when we have a program that leads to achievement we tend to question less the relevance of what we are doing.. the job fits the plan so it happily gets done.

Written goals I great... place them where you are reminded constantly...

Working out why we do things is neat...
It is hard to be honest but if you can scrape away to the raw base need you seek to fulfill it is great...

I wanted a eq6...desparately..why?...I was surprised when I honestly answered myself...so I can do go images and show them off on iceinspace ... it was a look at me thing that was going on deep down... knowing that my emotions were not positive and bowing to a base desire I put the purchase off until I determined I would post fewer images and do it for me not to show off....so I got the mount and try not to show off...the reason I dont get serious about my iages is a recognition that showing off is part of me and it is not nice... anyways it takes peace and quiet to understand what is driving oneself...we work out what we want to do and then invent stories to justify our choice....
My Son wants to take his daughter ..when five years old...on a surfing holiday to show her the NSW coast...how nice of him...how considerate...taking his time to show his daughter the coast.... dam it..he wants the holiday and uses as justification that he is really being a good Dad...we all do this sort of thing...and although his desire is apparent when we observe he would deny any accusation suggesting that he was doing the trip not for his daughter but for himself... we do that all the time...and so our motivations can be hidden to us and confussing to others...

Mike I think you had better make an appointment we need to revieve your diet and sleep pattens as well...

Good luck ... I will end with ..please know we have ups and downs and one of the secrets (well its not a secret now that I post it) is to simply know such is so...

alex

alex

[Ric]

Hi Mike, during my 40 years of amateur astronomy I find that I have waxed and waned like the moon in enthusiasm on more than a few times.

I usually find that something will happen that will spark up the enthusiasm again be it attending a meeting of the Astro Society or something spectacular happening. Comet McNaught was a great jump starter for a lot of people no doubt.

I've have found myself a bit flat as well over the last couple on months but going through the 2009 Yearbook has kickstarted the drive again.

Now if only those clouds will keep away.

[rogerg (Roger)]

I had about 4 months this year where I didn't do much astronomy at all. I could've in theory still taken my Project NGC images with only about 15 mins of my time every day, but I just couldn't be bothered.

I ended up coming to terms with the fact I wasn't interested and just left the observatory closed up for much of that time. I ended up enjoying the break, spending more time with my now fiance, with family, and relaxing more so than doing other hobbies.

I often find that with a change of season my interest in astronomy changes and this has happened now. I'm back in to it, drawn in by the memories of great clear summer nights of comfortable viewing and BBQ's with friends before astronomy. I bought my first telescope at Christmas in 1998 so approaching Christmas always makes me feel like getting back in to it.

I had a surprise visit from an astro friend on Saturday night, ended up setting up his 1970's 8" SCT on my Losmandy and had a great time doing casual viewing of stuff, chatting, eating. While the LX was wirring away on NGC objects. Re-inforced my enjoyment of summer astronomy.

Enjoy the break I say!

(PS, please don't lose so much interest that you give up on the websites, we need you! )

[xelasnave]

I think we can forget astronomy is hard work really.. we dont notice the physical and mental strain... I think we need a comittee to look into this..they can buy the beer.

alex

[ving (David)]

I dont envy any person whose only interest in life is astronomy...

yup, i used to be one of the biggest posters here on this forum but my interest in space has wanned somewhat. I still break the telescope out from time to time and i find the hardest part is movitaving myself to set up.
*drag out the heq5
*drag out the counterweighs
*drage out the OTA
*drag out the laptop
*drag out the EP case
*drag out the power supply (oops, havent used it for a while is it charged?)
*drag out all associated cables and cords
*drag out small table and chair
... thats alot of dragging and it takes a hell of alot of motivation to do just that.
then there is setting up!

I find once i am out i really enjoy myself still though, and still chase those binaries. I have fun comparing cartes to what i see and jotting down notes to be put in my doubles blog.

the turn offs.
*bad weather
*all that damn dragging of gear
*setting up
*aligning
*setting up the goto and making it work with cartes (sometimes they dont work well together for some reason)
*generally laziness
*cold (i hate the cold)

lucky for me i can do photography, spend quaility time with cheryl who also like photography. go for walks. take in some art. go for drives exploring areas i havent been. go mountain biking. play games online. bush walk.... you get the idea. both the telescope and the sky arent going anywhere so i can use them any time.

[Hagar (Doug)]

Hi Mike, wanning interest in any hobbie is a natural thing. I have suffered for the past few years with a wanning interest in my prime hobbie of fly fishing. I have for the past 20 years travelled the country and the world chasing trout in streams and lakes and have found my level of satisfaction lagging some what. Astronomy like Fly fishing is a very individual and often a very lonely persuit not requiring a lot of interaction. I find that from time to time I need some form of interaction with others, and I don't mean the likes of this or other forums to keep the interest at a level which does the hobbie justice. You being a young man with a young familly must suffer the usual problem of time management to fit everything you love to do into a very limited time slot. I don't have the family commitments you have and still have some problems fitting it all in a working week.
I think the real or imagined lacking interest is really based on a lack of time and too many commitments. Step back relax, smell the roses and do what you are comfortable with. It is after all just a hobbie, keep it just a hobbie, don't get involved in the politics of it and make the best of the time you have doing what feels right at the time.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Originally Posted by Hagar

I have suffered for the past few years with a wanning interest in my prime hobbie of fly fishing.

Thats something i was thinking of picking up again after not bothering the last 5 years. Hows the Ovens doing these days up your way?