How often do you use your telescope?

[hotspur (Chris)]

Not very often,last year rolled the roof of the observatory about five or six times,usually have to get the chainsaw saw out to trim the shrubs back,as the grow over the rails-so infrequent the roof rolls back.

Best advice for a new astronomer is to buy second hand everything,scopes etc spend more time gathering dust than anything else.

[mill (Martin)]

Every clear night, work or no work, moon or no moon (HA is your friend).
In my backyard with the RC8 CF on a pier now
Obs is coming.

[asimov (John)]

Last night was the first night I've missed out on for awhile. Clouds. Ah well, was good to sleep at a normal time for a change!

[Benno18 (Ben)]

I am in tears reading this!!!!!!

I seriously can not remember the last time i got my scope out. And knowing me i got it out ready for a great evening turn night, and it would have fallen very short of that!!!!!!!

Aaaahhhhhhh so sad!!!!!!!

[asimov (John)]

Sorry to hear that Benno! Went to WA many years ago & it was clear every day & night.

[2stroke (Jay)]

1. Every Friday / Saturday night unless pulling a sicky and as long as the weather is fair.

2. I would say the 6" newt because its light to move about

3. Backyard most of the time

4. If its not the backyard its out at MPAS

[pgc hunter]

1. Most clear nights, my shift patterns atm permit both evening and morning viewing

2. Use the 8" dob most, lightweight and takes 2 seconds to set up.

3. Backyard. Very bad location, house and trees covers half the sky

[Benno18 (Ben)]

Originally Posted by asimov

Sorry to hear that Benno! Went to WA many years ago & it was clear every day & night.

I know!!!!
Talking my self into tonight!!!
Come on Benno!!!!!!!! Come on Benno!!!!!!!!

[Lester]

At present I have the wide field astrograph set up on the mount, so I am out whenever clear and Moon free. When the 14" SCT is on the mount I can image any clear night, planetary nebula, planets and the Moon.

I think it helps to be flexible with work, as I am. Although there was a time when I hardly used the telescopes for a number of years and they just sat in the observatory, as the family was growing up and work was more full on.

I just have to walk out the front door 40 metres to the observatory and have relatively dark skies. I couldn't manage this hobby if I had to set up and travel each time.

The individual has to find what works for them. All the best.

[Erg]

I use it so often and have had so much fun since I started in May last year that im selling all my gear.

8SE - boring
16inch dob - boring
Lunt 60 - Pretty cool

Should have stuck with the PST and left it at that.

Erg

[TrevorW]

Mmmm... let me think ?, anyone want to buy a scope !!!

Motivation, commitments, weather etc,are all playing their part to impair my imaging nights

[stardust steve (Steve)]

I use my small reflector with the home made piggy back mount for my DSLR just about every clear night i get. Especially more so on New Moon clear sky weekends, i make time, cancel all appointments . Now i have a 50mm f1.8 nifty fifty, i am always keen to see what it can pick up. I observe in my backyard, the South East skies are reasonably dark as Adelaide is to my North East and i am about 30-40kms out of the city. I have a dark site 300kms from home on the Yorke Penninsula. It is pretty much out of Adelaides light pollution. The difference is incredible to the naked eye, then i view through my 76mm reflector and see so many more stars. Although i think i need to do a colmination test as i dont think its performing as well as it should. And lately the view in the EP has gone smudgy after i tried to clean the main mirror, secondary mirror and EPs Cant wait for the day when i own a nice Dob for viewing and Refractor for images...i want both

Heres to clear skies and New Moons

[ZeroID (Brent)]

I check the sky EVERY night, even if I know the clouds are going to stcik around.
If any sucker holes appear normally the little 80 mm Achro just to pan around and check my favourite bits. Or even just the binos.
Otherwise the 10" comes out on the DOB base and if it's looking really good then it's up on the EQ6 and powered to go.
I get a bit of viewing about 2 to 3 x a week I reckon when you account for weather, family commitments and the call of the 'wine'.
Maybe 2 good nights per month.
Do you count workshop time ? When I'm downstairs building the next iteration of astrogear I have dreamed up ?

[Terry B]

1.Every clear night I'm not working.
2. Vixen VC200L
3. My observatory 100m from my house in a very dark paddock.