Astronomical hates - Page 3

ausastronomer (John Bambury) · #41 25-09-2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

People who come over for a chat while using those overly bright head torches. While facing you and talking the blasted thing is shining straight into your eyes

Bright laptop screens! One fellow I know has got it right. He uses a clip on shield with external red led to illuminate his screen from the front and it doesnt bother anyone and works well.

Those two are very high on my list of pet hates.

Let me extend the first one a step further. Those people who think you can't see what you're doing in the dark when you're changing eyepieces or adding a filter without a torch and decide that it would be in your best interests for them to shine their 800 gigawatt red light head torch right at your focuser and your face to help you see what you're doing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

People who turn up to such sites with headlights blazing and then interior car lights on.

I don't have a problem with this in any way. Exposure to car headlights for a fleeting second doesn't affect your night vision at all, if you look away. It isn't safe to drive around obstructed fields at night with only your parking lights on, or worse still, no lights . I would rather I had to turn away for a few seconds to preserve my night vision than one of my friends run into a tree, a friend, or a friends equipment or into a big hole.

Similarly, despite a lot of popular belief and comment to the contrary, exposure to an interior car light for a minute or so doesn't harm your night vision at all. Or at least it doesn't harm mine. A lot of people only think it does. If you do a limiting magnitude test on a target after a short exposure to an interior car light you will find you have lost nothing.

Cheers,
John B

Ian Robinson · #42 25-09-2008, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vash

well I'll go with the staples,

- cloud, wind, dust and outside lights.

others.

The bloody stray cat we have staying with us, silent as can be then brushes against your leg frightens the crap out of me,
Mosquito's,
Setting up everything start to take shots and realize you've forgotten to collimate the scope,
Forgetting to add the extension tube for the guide camera ( why can't I find guide star anywhere?).

Setting the scope up and powering the mount up and setting up the date and time and seeing the last time you used the mount, sometimes it enough to make you cry.

forgot mozzies .... I hate the buggers too.

especially when then buzz around and you can't find them , then zappo and they've nailed you.

Ian Robinson · #43 25-09-2008, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

At times I hate being a female in a male dominated hobby.
I hate being ignored by staff in astronomy and electronics stores.
I hate being patronised on the observing field. eg. once, on borrowing a compass, being asked if I knew how to use it.
I hate the looks of disbelief when I say that "yes, I took that photo". Then being asked to explain how I took it, knowing that they are trying to catch me out.
It doesn't happen often, but when it does I find it very humiliating.

On a happier note, I just love being around Astro folk who know me and accept me for who I am.

I'm surprised that you get that kind of treatment .... on a similar note I know many very capable lady engineers and have never had an issue with them .

I wish I had met some lady astronomers other than just the vernerable Mrs Irene Towers when I was a young fellow .... I'm sure they were out there .... but they never joined the clubs.

Some of my old girlfriends became amateur astronomers .... I'd like to think that was my influence ....

§AB · #44 26-09-2008, 02:05 PM

Living in MELBOURNE.

Constant cloud for 6 months of the year, constant gale force winds for another 3 and then mosquito and red-back spider plagues for the remaining 3.

What a screwy place

Yeah I spend most of my time drinking wine here coz there is little else to do....

vash (Ashley) · #45 28-09-2008, 10:30 PM

I also seem to get neighborhood kids with the sing star game, and they are terrible at singing, and last night there was a heavy metal band trying to play for a party of about 6 people up the road, didn't stop till 2am, they sing worse than the kids I might add

Jen · #46 29-09-2008, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

I hate having an anti astronomy spouse.

Yep im with ya on that one JJJ

erick (Eric) · #47 29-09-2008, 04:59 PM

If you were both out there, who'd be looking after the kids? Maybe anti-astronomy spouse is OK?

Jen · #48 29-09-2008, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

If you were both out there, who'd be looking after the kids? Maybe anti-astronomy spouse is OK?

Good point but the kids should be in bed anyway lol

Jared · #49 29-09-2008, 08:53 PM

I hate trying to see something at the zenith using a pair of binoculars ... stiff neck and a whole lot of tripod in the way.

§AB · #50 02-10-2008, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erick

If you were both out there, who'd be looking after the kids? Maybe anti-astronomy spouse is OK?

The TV?

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #51 02-10-2008, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Robinson

I'm surprised that you get that kind of treatment .... on a similar note I know many very capable lady engineers and have never had an issue with them .

Sorry, I shouldn't have vented about sexism on the forum. It won't solve the problem and only serves to annoy those who do treat people equally.
My apologies.

AlexN · #52 02-10-2008, 05:16 PM

I have another... gear that works perfectly at home, but when you go to a star party they fall in a heap.... That SUCKS!... more so when they work for the first night of the weekend, but then fail the next 2 nights in a row... then mysteriously start working fine again once you're at home with your mag 3 sky..

Frustration.

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #53 02-10-2008, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexN

I have another... gear that works perfectly at home, but when you go to a star party they fall in a heap.... That SUCKS!... more so when they work for the first night of the weekend, but then fail the next 2 nights in a row... then mysteriously start working fine again once you're at home with your mag 3 sky..

Frustration.

Made even more galling when the cheap little scope and mount which has set up next to you keeps on plugging along, never missing a beat.

CoombellKid · #54 02-10-2008, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexN

I have another... gear that works perfectly at home, but when you go to a star party they fall in a heap.... That SUCKS!... more so when they work for the first night of the weekend, but then fail the next 2 nights in a row... then mysteriously start working fine again once you're at home with your mag 3 sky..

Frustration.

I have it the other way. I go to a star party setup my gear, then march off
and camp myself on someone elses big Dob

regards,CS

Gargoyle_Steve (Steve) · #55 11-10-2008, 11:37 PM

SMOKERS.....
who come over puffing and blowing, filling your nice clean dark air with smoke and stench, messing up your vision (my eyes start watering, etc)...

ESPECIALLY those who just continue to throw their butts on the ground all around all night long.

I find almost everything else, even clouds, less annoying.

Jen · #56 12-10-2008, 02:33 AM

Jen makes notes in her diary not to smoke around Steve

AlexN · #57 12-10-2008, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargoyle_Steve

SMOKERS.....
who come over puffing and blowing, filling your nice clean dark air with smoke and stench, messing up your vision (my eyes start watering, etc)...

ESPECIALLY those who just continue to throw their butts on the ground all around all night long.

I find almost everything else, even clouds, less annoying.

Oh.... **looks at the ground in shame** I'll kerb my smoking on the observing field next time, I wasn't aware.

§AB · #58 12-10-2008, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargoyle_Steve

SMOKERS.....
who come over puffing and blowing, filling your nice clean dark air with smoke and stench, messing up your vision (my eyes start watering, etc)...

ESPECIALLY those who just continue to throw their butts on the ground all around all night long.

I find almost everything else, even clouds, less annoying.

and not to mention depositing their crap onto your mirrors and lenses in the process.

Gargoyle_Steve (Steve) · #59 12-10-2008, 09:07 PM

That wasn't pointed at you or anyone in particular at all Alex, it was simply an observation that some smokers will walk right up to you at your scope then stand there smoking and talking and generally making it an unpleasant experience, and as mentioned leaving particle deposits on glass, mirrors etc, which I am sure are NOT good for them at all.

I have even thought of putting a "No Smoking Here" sign on my scope - but who'd see it in the dark?

astroron (Ron) · #60 12-10-2008, 09:48 PM

Originally Posted by Gargoyle_Steve View Post
SMOKERS.....
who come over puffing and blowing, filling your nice clean dark air with smoke and stench, messing up your vision (my eyes start watering, etc)...

ESPECIALLY those who just continue to throw their butts on the ground all around all night long.

I find almost everything else, even clouds, less annoying.

At my place and the last Barambah Dark Sky Camp I have noticed that there has been an escalation of this happening which rearly spoils ones enjoyment
of observing.

Ron