Appreciated IIS members

[NTgazer (Chris)]

Yep thanks for all the help in getting started out, great to find genuine help and enthusiasm for noobs and no patronising or elitist nonsense. The only 'dumb' questions are the ones that didn't get asked. Everyone has to start learning sometime and we noobs just started later

[Camelopardalis (Dunk)]

Completely agree! For all those here that open their minds and give their time for the greater good of astronomers here and everywhere

[Ric]

+1 from me as well

A great site for sure with lots of fantastic people.

[Misplaced (Craig)]

Well as I am still a newbie and really don' t venture off the Beginners forums I have just come across this post. And I must agree that the help, knowledge and patience is excellent.............and believe me they have needed to be very patient!!

[Sundog (Paul)]

The help and advice on this site has been very friendly & invaluable.

You certainly saved me spending money on equipment that is not suitable for my personal astro style.

[rustigsmed (Russell)]

I agree totally Raymo

I do feel for square one beginners because many of the shots posted in the 'beginner's section' are more like 'enthusiast intermediate' - which can appear like a hubble image to true beginners. perhaps if there were an intermediate section it would encourage more beginners to seek feedback.

encouraging words especially early on are a must to get through the early (and continual) frustrations

Cheers

Rusty

[raymo]

Great idea Rusty. You even get occasional images that are beyond intermediate. I think that many deserving imagers don't believe
that their images are worthy of elevation to the main forum.
raymo

[N1 (Mirko)]

Raymo & others, I agree wholeheartedly. Great forum and very different to many others in a positive way. That includes the Classifieds section, which has me wondering what the purpose of the bay, the tree etc. is, at least for astro gear...

Having said that - if I was an astrophotographer fairly new to the "trade" and this was to ever become one of my goals:

Originally Posted by raymo

[...] worthy of elevation to the main forum.

I'd know it was time to find another hobby.

[multiweb (Marc)]

A lot of helpful people seem to have left the forums over the years. I find it harder and harder to get good information TBH. I guess it might be easier for a new starter with standard questions like 'how do I guide' or 'how do I polar align', etc... but as you progress in the hobby and need to ask a bit more in depth specific questions I find the 'top guys' (or so they think) can become very protective of the way they do things, especially in the processing part of the hobby. You can ask direct questions without getting a simple answer most of the time or you'll get a vague 'oh, you know, it depends. It's always different'. Which it really isn't. In the end I regard this as a hobby and a way to socialise and have fun but for some it has turned into a competition over the years.