I'm stupid and need a Seestar to see the sky. I live 10 km from the Sydney Opera House. It's a revelation. Going down the rabbit hole of technology can be the enemy of looking up....ask why not how.
I agree, I have changed my focus back to collecting photons from millions of light years away with my eyes. I have simplified back to a mount, scope and eyepiece, a sky atlas, a chair and my journal/sketch book. I am now experiencing the distant objects again.
@@curronhill2744 Hey Pal it's amazing how simplifying back to just what you need can make the hobby so much more enjoyable. I agree the journal and sketchbook is a great way of capturing your thoughts.
Insightful thoughts Ollie and you are not the only one feeling this. I grew up in the 1960's-70's before the digital revolution and when light pollution was of little consequence, so the tactile sense of visual astronomy has always been my foremost interest. Today, there is a generation, or two, that do not know these times, and where technology is commonplace, dark skies are fewer and amateur astronomy seems to lean towards techno-centric astrophotography. My greatest gripe for astrophotography is the rapid obsolescence of hardware and firmware, the associated expense and frustration of keeping up with this, as well as the disconnect with the natural environment and subject matter; something which comparatively little affects the visual astronomer. Keep up the good work and efforts on your channel.
Thanks for the thoughts, Mark, and yes, I agree with the rapid obsolescence in the same vain as how phones now appear to be designed to last a couple of years. I think with that connection missing, you mention everything is to be solved by a new acquisition. Clear skies!
Yes! I have had a similar experience this summer. I've been doing almost exclusively astrophotography for the last 6ish years...and I moved this spring and for awhile I didn't have all my gear unpacked and set up again. I was just pulling out my 115mm refractor and going for quick visual sessions of maybe an hour....and of all things I fell in love with double star observing!! I couldn't believe it, but the stars are just so much prettier through an eyepiece than in even the best astrophotos. I love imaging and I've been doing some again, but I will continue to make time for visual observation.
Hey thanks Damien. It is quite fantastic how these double stars look in a nice refractor. I have been obsessed with some of the open clusters. The Jewel Box down here is mesmerising. Thanks for you thoughts.
Hi Ollie: Interesting video. I was lucky enough to grow up in a rural area where we could just walk outside at look at the Milky Way from our yard and that awesome feeling of looking up at a truly dark sky has stayed with me all these years. A few years ago, I got sucked into astrophotography which I still pursue a little bit but I was really turned off by the huge amount of time needed in front of the computer processing all that data. It just never had the appeal for me that looking at the night sky had. Like someone else said, I too mostly enjoy sitting outside with my telescope, a chair, a sketch pad, star atlas, and notepad. There is just something profound about looking up at our amazing universe.
Hi Tsula - It's so true, it's almost a secret I wish I could share with people. When you just sit back and take it all in with nothing between you and the night sky it is quite an experience. I have taken 25 hour images that have less impact emotionally than half an hour looking at a star cluster. I guess some of it is what we're using the hobby for, and for me it has to be more than pretty pictures. I'm pretty sure for you too. Thanks Tsula and I hope the insurance stuff is going well. -Ollie
Good timing. I just spent an hour outside looking at Saturn with my 30 year old 8" Meade SCT, listening to the sound of the basic 12v clock drive. Tack sharp views. Nice to put the camera away for a while and use an eyepiece.
Hi Ollie I think people have lost the connection with the night sky, light pollution makes it very difficult to see anything if you live in a city and the trend for the smart telescope is not helping, you take your new telescope out stick it on the floor in the garden trun it on and go inside never even looking up at the night sky, this is so different from how i started with astronomy over fifty years ago i remember on a cold winter night going out with a star atlas and spending time finding the constellation and looking at the moon and Jupiter moons the Orion nebula,and scanning the mikyway with binoculars, that connection is never forgotten, remember a hobby is about finding something that makes you relax and that you enjoy and can never be replaced with just buying the next must have thing , clear skies my friend
I wholeheartedly agree Tony, I think also a lot of people complain they don't have the time but it's interesting to see how much time people will spend researching the next thing to buy! Thanks for watching pal.
That’s exactly why I started out with visual only and wanted to keep AP for later when I really mastered my gear (especially the mount) and know what I‘m really looking at or photographing
I have been an eyepiece man in this hobby ever since I was 14. I am now 81. I have collected premium eyepieces for all that time including 4 9.652 carl zeiss eyepieces. Yes I have gone down the astrophotography path , I have got good one shot colour shots that I am very happy with. My computer skills are limited and to me it's a lot of time to get a pretty picture. I have receintely bought a baadar 2" prism diagonal, and the veiws through my evostar 150 ED are just stunning.Even in bortle 6+ skies. Clear skies.😊
slumps are to be expected in this hobby (or shall we also name it a discipline of tenacious frustration). I found it's always beneficial to have like minded friends who share the same interests and appreciate the same innate hatred of clouds. I also found, that with time in astro, it will eventually lead you to find a scope that suits your appetite, available time and what is affordable for results that you're satisfied with. Gear reviews are nice, but results with your own gear will surpass any online review. As for the ED80/Heq5 combo, it is a match that can't be overlooked (visual or otherwise), its a mainstay in my collection and never fails to disappoint.
@@marklewis9265 Some good points Mark and you're correct natural slumps are to be expected. Yes indeed the ED80 and Heq5Pro have become a favourite combo of mine. Clear skies.
I re-enforce to myself that this is just a hobby, treat my videos as just hanging out, not stressing over content, or being perfect. I'm just me...... i will spend hours just hanging out in the observatory or on remote desktop, just poking around the sky, grabbing snapshots, collecting image data, and sometime don't even bother to process images or only do a very quick stack and stretch just to see what's there. And as you probably know/worked out, enjoy the techy side, like doing the solar power system, or the homeassistant control, you know the making and doing aspects. I also look to see what else I can venture into, like been playing with Tycho tracker for analysis image sets for moving objects. I guess, with me being away at work for 6 months of the year, I need the variety when at home to unwind and occupy myself, hence things like the software programming, or the sim-racing rig, the quad biking etc. etc. Not going to shoehorn myself into one thing and feel stuck or tied to it. Just enjoy whatever floats that day! 😀
I think it’s completely understandable to feel the way you do presently. I know there have been some nights sitting in my truck, staring at my laptop screen, or inside my house, where I think how silly this whole thing seems. For me, I love the whole technical challenge of it and when you finally figure out something that been driving you crazy! I also love to sit in my chair the next day and edit my stacked image. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
I think we all get a bit disenchanted with our hobby(s) sometimes and that may, at times, stem from feeling a need to match what other people are doing. But I don't think there is any right or wrong way to enjoy this hobby - in the end it's whatever spins your wheels and that might be quite different to how someone else gets enjoyment from exploring the night sky. In the end the end, you have to do you (as they say), so long as it gives you joy. Myself, I don't mind videos of gear that people are using all the time but I'm not a fan of gear videos where the gear is used for one night and then a 'so called' review given and then move onto the next. I don't think those are useful to me. However, I fully understand that some people may get a hell of a lot of enjoyment out of that and that it pays the bills through RUclips so, no harm no foul. Some people love visual, some love being under the night sky every imaging session and producing an image after only a few hours integration time and others might want to spend 50+ hours on an image revealing the dimmest of details because they really enjoy the processing side. But all are good so long as they give enjoyment. So I don't think there is a right way of doing this hobby - it just should be the way you enjoy it the most. Clear skies (and I think that's one thing we can all agree on 😅).
Some good points Logan. I think what I'm mainly pointing at or the subtext is nothing new other than people trying to resolve fulfilment with purchases and ultimately it never works. I understand enjoyment is derived in a myriad of ways but I think many are simply led down a never ending path of consumption without ever looking in from the outside. I agree with the gear reviews, the one I tried felt a bit like this. You need to use gear for a time. But like you say we can all agree on "Clear Skies!".
First, I think visual astronomy and astrophotography are two very different hobbies. They're just different, in motivation and experience, and really can't be compared. Second, I agree with the overemphasis on gear on RUclips astrophotography channels. I don't think having the latest and best gear all is that important. For most people, the limiting factor in image quality is going to be the sky conditions, not the quality of the gear. I'm finding that I'm getting better pictures by honing my acquisition skills with the gear I already own and improving my image processing techniques. That said, I have been a something of a gear-buying spree of late, but that's to build out three separate rigs so I can slap the right optical/camera rig for the target on the mount and go. I don't want to be messing with equipment and software and trying to make disparate pieces of equipment and software play nicely with one another. I want to quickly set up and start taking pictures with the limited time under cloudless skies that I get around here.
Thanks Dave some good points. I do think however there is value in contrasting what each give. I find pure astrophotography can become quite devoid of a connection to the night sky.
A thoughful video Ollie. Your recent excellent video on eyepieces and visual astronomy coincided with me thinking about getting into visual too, as an adjunct to my AP. While I don't think I'll be taking a full break from AP any time soon, I must admit that there's a little staleness creeping into the whole thing. Also, I’ve realised that I've fallen into the trap of submitting my images into Astrobin's image of the day process and then repeatedly checking through the day to see how many likes the images were receiving. No more. I want to try to process my images to the best of my ability but for my personal pleasure and approval, no one else's. I plan to purchase a couple of eyepieces soon and get back to basics.
Hey Frank yes there's a few traps to fall in. I've been guilty of myself. Like you say, process for yourself and to your own taste. I think the balance with visual is a great step to take, helps to give perspective in this fast world. Hope the journey goes well.
For the last year, I have gone out and done EAA, live stacking with Sharp Cap Pro. I have most often take 10 to 20 minutes exposures on my alt/az goto mount. Fun. I have most often used my Celestron Short Tube 80 and my SvBony 305 80mm ED refractor. Fun. I recently started using an equatorial mount, have purchased several more optical tubes and have extended total exposure times up to 1 to 3 hours. Still fun. I plan on reviewing most things I have purchased, but have a face for radio, I voice for print and am only semi-literate. So, I am loath to be seen on camera. I have recently started posting photos and reviews on my channel in hopes of being as good as this fellow, some day.
Hey thanks for watching. Indeed I think EAA is a good half way step and I may also do some more of this. I think like you say keeping it to smaller time frames is a good idea. I tend to be doing this lately. Cheers and clear skies. Ollie
Spot on. Here's the thing - the RUclips algorithm punishes you if you don't post. I've been making videos for people making a go of astrophotography with what they have (or can afford). I started doing this to pay-it-forward from the inspiration I got from similar channels when I got started - channels that had since either stopped posting, or moved on. As much as I enjoy making this type of content, it has become a a bit of chore lately because I've noticed that if I don't post content often enough, new videos will get less exposure, and frankly I don't want to have to constantly think up new topic ideas to feed an algorithm - that is neither natural for me nor fun. Easy to see how anyone can get resentful. I joined a club that has access to a dark-sky site, picked up a used refractor and The Cambridge Star Atlas, and I've been doing a lot more visual observing. I have also gone back to my sky watching journal/log to plan and record my nights. Clear Skies! Edit: I joined your channel three months ago after watching Why Visual Astronomy Can Still be Cool, and I look forward to more of your videos.
@Felldisulfide Hey I think your comments on the RUclips algorithm ring very true. I found the same and like you it's just not a natural thing for me to do. The journal is great, and that act of thinking and writing is where you contemplate what you're looking at and where you sit in it all. Thanks very much for following I look forward to producing more of this style of content.
My main issue is the lousy weather that's continued from last year with 8 months now gone of this one. I have set my equipment up countless times only to pack it all up with little or no imaging. Even when it is clear its no longer whole nights.
Good video Ollie. I think we all struggle with the hobby at times, fraught with problems either weather related or technical. I have managed to not buy any new gear for about 18 months now, and just enjoy using what I have in the relatively short timeframe I am prepared to give the hobby (typical 2 hour exposure time max).
As one of the newest members of the astronomy and astrophotography hobby, I threw my credit card at the problem for a while but now have seen the error of my ways. I'm now trying to pair down to a realistic amount of gear that isn't so heavy that my back starts hurting just looking at what I have to lug outside and setup. Even as I type this, I am watching reviews of AM3 and AM5 mounts and carbon fiber tripods...
I totally agree with you, I am guilty myself on my Chanel of doing a lot of reviews, but most are reviews of kit I have bought for myself, but I have had a few offers of free kit to review, (hard to refuse) and it does get in the way of my own enjoyment…so I will be taking a step back from the reviews over the winter and concentrating on my own imaging and enjoyment…clear skies, and thanks for the video..👍🏻
Hey Astro Shed thanks for watching. I think we're all guilty of this pal me included. I think so long as your able to notice it that's the main thing, like you say take a step back.
I agree. I got into astrophotography simply to see more detail in deep sky objects. But it gradually became more technical and time consuming. I am now keeping it simple either with visual or basic processing. Keep up the good work.
I have noticed this too in recent months. The main channels I would watch are all focused on the next mount, the next telescope they have. The target and the processing of the data is a brief brush over. It also seems a bulk of the channels I used to watch have fallen off the regular radar too. The weather in oz has been rubbish lately too and the brief one night here and there puts pressure on to find a target and get the most out of it. This can add to the slump feeling. A couple of friends (both here in Adelaide and in the UK) have come up with the idea to work on the entire Messier Catalogue. This way, it takes out the indecision of what to shoot for and can give a sense of completion/achievement, but also removes the whole "gear" conversation. If you're interested, we'd love to have you help us! You have the same gear as we do it seems. 🤣
Thanks very much for the suggestions Damien I'll have a think on them. You're not wrong the weather has been pretty average to say the least. At least with visual I can get an hour here and there. Clear skies.
Really good points Ollie. I'm happiest when the tech and the creativity are balanced. As for content creation, you are right. Some of my best performing videos are gear reviews, but I too find making them disruptive to the hobby. I thought about maybe having one rig set aside specifically for gear reviews.. but I just don't enjoy tinkering and fine tuning a rig. For me the the rig exists to collect data, if I'm futzing with it too much then I'm loosing time and interest. That is not to say I won't get new gear... just that currently my eagerness to get something for review or run out and buy something new is currently diminished.. well except for cameras.. I could really use a new one or two... lol.
Thank you for this video! I'm not keeping up with the latest gear, it's not within my reach at the current life situation so I'm still using my Evostar 80ED (as you) and my HEQ5 Pro. I decided to put it in an observatory just to the the most out of every clear night, and I don't have that many up here at 63 degrees north and by the sea. I try to plan and give every image my very best in terms of love and caring (and hours) as well as a background text for the people that want to share the images with me. I like to be outside when it's clear, just to enjoy the night sky, but I don't have any gear for visual observation at this time. I've been thinking of just getting a lens to my DSLR and take some mily way images to complement my deep sky object photos. As for my channel, I haven't really decided, what should I do with that. Right now, it's more a documentation of my projects and my images.
Great video! I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. I try to strike a balance by doing 50-50 with visual. Sometimes that might just involve sitting under the stars and looking up, without even using a telescope. That said, I’m also guilty of getting carried away with gear fever on occasions. But I try to take it back to basics when I can 👍
Great video! Although I have not gone back to visual astronomy, I have definitely changed my course in astrophotography. I dont watch any gear videos anymore. I have two full rigs, they are perfect to me and I am not looking to improve upon them. I just go out and image… enjoy the dark sky, and I tend to watch the process unfold. Instead of leaving the rigs unattended I will often sit and get lost in each sub… nit inspecting for quality, more just looking at all the amazing things that are in the frame. I do my images for myself. If others enjoy them then that is great. I think social media can be a negative thing for astro and generally the forums are even worse.
@SpaceRocksandStardust Hey, some good points here, especially with not looking at the gear videos anymore. I think, like you say, settling into using the gear you have is a good way to go. Ye I got rid of my channels, Instagram, for similar reasons. It just became a circular repetitive exercise. Clear Skies.
Oh BTW, I just noticed the ukiyoe print in the background of your video. Does that mean you have some affinity to Japan culture or art? Just curious..... JPASTROGUY (Paul)
Hey Paul, I do enjoy Japanese culture some of the old Kurosawa films with Mifune and in my younger days I use to train Iaido and went to Japan(Kyoto) a couple of times. So many beautiful arts forms in there culture. Thanks Ollie
I will set up two telescopes (not all the time) one to image and one just to look around, I find this keeps me interested as, the one I use to just looking around is like, point at some thing then look up info on said object or the other way around reading info and go look at it. So because of this sometimes I may spend 1min looking at some thing and other times hr's. So depending on the night I may look at several things or, one or two and in the background the imaging rig is doing it's own thing. So I kind of feel I get the best of both worlds.
"Perfection of a kind" is what some seem to be after, especially the kind of perfection that depends absolutely on arcane detail. As a writer once said about wine: one of the least congenial aspects of it is the tyranny of the illuminati of the bottle, aka the wine geek. Badly needed video.
Spot on ! 👍 allthough I don't get as many clear sky opportunities as I would wish for, when I do, I never go inside and keep an eye on things from a tablet, I have always sat outside with my rig and enjoyed the experience of just looking at a magnificent sky full of stars. A camping stove and kettle 🍵 helps in winter. I think the neighbours are just about used to it now 😂
@nigelplatt3808 Hey Nigel, I think the camping stove is a great idea. I use a flask but I'm usually thru it an hour or so. Also yes tricky with the clear nights, we're really struggling here at the moment. I think my neighbours think I'm looking for Aliens and one of them is a flat earther 🤦♂️so I have my work cut out.
Hey Ollie! Interesting mate, I’m struggling with my inspiration for videos! The interest for Astro is still there, that will never go, but my videos!! There’s only so many times I can show myself setting up the portable rig, don’t even have to set up the Esprit anymore in the obsey! It’s difficult to keep the interest going in a video! It’s tough, I think, taking your advice, of going back to enjoying the hobby, like when I first got into it!Maybe, as new people are always coming into the Astro world, I should go back to basics with my star tracker! We’ll see! Good luck and clear skies 👍
Hey Simon - It's a tricky balance Simon, I'm mainly just trying to mix it up more. You're correct about vids mate, it can feel very repetitive. Ye I've been taking a few more Astro Landscapes lately, and a tracker would be handy to push the exposure. Clear skies 👍
i feel the same way atm. I am currently saving up for a mono cam and filters but unsure if I want to make the investment. The weather here in the central US as been lousy for the past year, I feel a mono cam investment will not be worth it. Money vs Imaging time. I am also feeling like I want to spend more money to get better results and not enjoying the hobby. That is my rant. Love the video. Keep up the good work
@archaic5884 That's interesting, pal, because I have the Mono setup and to be honest I tend to use and enjoy using my 533MC Pro much more for the same reasons. I think you're spot on, and given my time again, I would have held onto my 2600MC Pro and not gone to the Mono version. Cheers for watching pal.
Nice video! I guess now I know that Im not the only one who feels like this lol. As I'm busy with my Work! I haven't spent much time with my telescope which is obvious. obviously Im someone who hardly invests heavily on astro equipment, Im more of a Minimalist "Just use what you have till it works". Im glad I Never Did A Gear Review in my channel, hahahaha.Despite not having equipment on spot at Night when I go for a casual walk I just Casually look up the sky and spot constellations and stars. I have even spotted starlinks satellite and I showed it my friends, they had never seen something like that it was so much fun! Sometimes all you need is a clear night only! Recently i have been Uploading a few videos on My non-astro interests as well, so that made me feel quite good! By the way i Really Love the Idea of Journaling what you observe, honestly i feel I should do this more often! Though im lazy sometimes, lol 😂
I have just returned to the hobby after 40 years away. I used to grind my own mirrors, knew the night sky very well, and even in my then suburban skies you could see the Milky Way. While I never found one, I ardently searched for comets. Now coming back to astronomy I have been overwhelmed with the gear and the emphasis on AP. The AP and computerization are really amazing but they have mechanized and removed a big part of what I enjoyed before. After some getting up to speed with the current state of the art I bought an OTA and a mount and eyepieces. What I have found is neither my eyes nor skies allow the exploration I used to do. Age too has made it less comfortable to set up and stand for hours. I'm considering getting kit for EAA so I can explore from my desktop, but something about that doesn't really appeal. The sense of discovery is gone, the sense of citizen science is gone. You're right in that the emphasis is on the gear, and tricks of processing, etc. Ultimately, how many pictures of M45 do we need; what do you accomplish by doing the same thing 1000s of other have done before? If the electronics and software appeal to you, that's really your hobby. There's a lot to say for that; but it isn't astronomy.
@larrychristianson2244 Hey Larry I think you make lots of good points here and I think sometimes what might have been thought of as a limitation of the time (such as basic camera) meant we just got out there under the sky and looked. Indeed my journey with AP has gone this way, finding I don't need to keep taking the same images and crave the intimate eyepiece experience. I think the EAA can be a good way to maybe enhance and mix it up, especially from more light polluted skies. However I also understand what you mean in that to some extent anything that's not just your eye is kinda getting in the way. By the way I have heard Pegasus Astro is coming out with the SmartEye, an eyepiece and camera combined somehow. Thanks for your thoughts Ollie
Ive been into astronomy now for 35 years off and on. Atm im taking a break and ive started collecting Lego star wars 😂. Its good to take s break every so often otherwise ive found it looses it's spark. I am due to move to a bortle 3 sky fron my current 7 so as soon as thats happened i dare say the scope camera and mount will come out of mothballs. Ive already seen whats it like and im keen to see how much better it really is. Great video thanks for posting 👍
Hey Alan - I really need to get to a good dark sky site soon. Really looking forward to seeing the sky under a Bortle 3 near me. Good luck on the move those skies sound great.
100% agree. Technology is both a saviour and a burden, with most of its promises often being at the expense of introducing more issues that then you perceive must be fixed with more purchases. I took a step back too, and find myself enjoying visual as well as EAA or imaging at the same time. Probably my age betraying me now, but honestly, it feels like a grind after already spending a day bashing my head at work at the floor of the software sausage factory trying to get it all to work, and then come home and troubleshoot Astro software. Even NINA sometimes screws stuff up.
I understand Darren I also work in IT where I spend my days sat at a PC which is why I try and get away from more IT related issues at home! I think EAA can be a nice in-between place to mix it up.
I haven't done anything for months. been too hot obviously, and I was thinking about upgrading my mount but then got to thinking my stuff right now is pretty good . so think I'm gonna pass on any new equipment for a while. Been doing other things not Astro related and not feeling it too much right now. we'll have to see how things go when September rolls around. I guess I'm experiencing a Astro rut.
Visual astronomy is so simple with grab and go scope. Grab a scope with one hand and a star atlas in the other and in minutes you can be enjoying the night sky. I gave up my Dobsonian as it was a bother to drag out that I would end up not going out.
@@OlliesSpace I like the challenge of finding objects manually. With a star atlas find 2 stars near object of interest and imagine a triangle. Then look to the sky and make the triangle and you have your object.
Very interesting Ollie i must admit my mojo right now is at an all time low I haven't imaged since May, as for content I really haven't done much this year either as I know I'm not very good or confident in front of the camera & I think people are pretty bored with my content which is fair enough, it doesn't help with my operation in the not to distant future looming which will put me out of action from work let alone astro for a while. Mind you I also feel under pressure to buy the latest gear to compete with other channels which I just cannot afford to hence to using a really old mount in the observatory as there's no way I could afford an EQ8 or one of these new strainwave mounts. As for visual astronomy I haven't done any in years & I know I really should do, apart from having the odd look at the Sun with a solarscope that's pretty much all the visual I've done. I think it would be good of people went back to the basics a bit as well as using the latest gear as Nico Carvers video shooting the ifn around polaris untracked with a DSLR was exceptionally good & he used free software to edit to.
Hey Pal ye it's tricky Pal I've totally gone past bothering to compete with other channels it's not a good headspace to be in. Nothing wrong with your content mate I like it precisely because it's not all based in gear and your showing how your making things work. I'm hoping your operation goes well Pal don't stress too much on the RUclips Pal....it's all up there in the ether at the end of the day :)
I'm starting to get sick of companies promoting the latest/greatest and charging a small fortune supposedly trying to be innovating where in reality it's planned obsolescence. this is a niche community and these companies are taking advantage of it. I do want to upgrade some of my equipment but I no longer trust these companies to be reliable. So far I am happy with what I'm doing but I believe the weather conditions also affect our psyche. Eventually as I have more spare time I plan on Astronomy trips to dark areas so I can be one with me and the cosmos and image from there.
Ye I agree Nik, some of the marketing, tells you how it's a game changer with all the big channels pusing it and 12nmonths later you have to have the new version which again is a game changer. I mean it's more Game Changers than a bloody chess tournament!!
Join Astronomical League and complete at least one program as an astrophotographer. Your priorities will be switched right away. Acquisition time will not matter, but you have to study/investigate produced photos. Second, one proper rig in proper location is more productive than 3-5 sheeit rigs (sorry, like yours or constantly reviewed by many RUclips channels) in light polluted location. When one proper rig automatized, then you will have time for visual astronomy. Again, need to complete programs for AL. Good luck!
A thoughful video Ollie. Your recent excellent video on eyepieces and visual astronomy coincided with me thinking about getting into visual too, as an adjunct to my AP. While I don't think I'll be taking a full break from AP any time soon, I must admit that there's a little staleness creeping into the whole thing. Also, I’ve realised that I've fallen into the trap of submitting my images into Astrobin's image of the day process and then repeatedly checking through the day to see how many likes the images were receiving. No more. I want to try to process my images to the best of my ability but for my personal pleasure and approval, no one else's. I plan to purchase a couple of eyepieces soon and get back to basics.
Hey Frank thanks very much for those kind words. It is such an interesting balance isn't it between enjoying and being pulled in directions almost without us knowing, I've definitely been there. You're strategy sounds good mate, just balancing it up a bit. Like you I'll most likely always do some AP just shifting that balance to something more sustainable. Clear skies Pal 👍
@@OlliesSpace Also, the comment someone made about moving back to OSC from mono also resonated with me. Problems with NINA has seen me move back to the ASIAir for the past couple of nights, and while its simplicity is welcome, it's not as easy using a whole set of mono filters; using a colour camera with a dual band filter, which I used to use, now seems a real possibility. Ahhh, decisions, decisions!
Thanks Ollie!
Another exceptional video from you.
Super fascinating as per usual!
Annika
I'm stupid and need a Seestar to see the sky. I live 10 km from the Sydney Opera House. It's a revelation. Going down the rabbit hole of technology can be the enemy of looking up....ask why not how.
I agree, I have changed my focus back to collecting photons from millions of light years away with my eyes. I have simplified back to a mount, scope and eyepiece, a sky atlas, a chair and my journal/sketch book. I am now experiencing the distant objects again.
@@curronhill2744 Hey Pal it's amazing how simplifying back to just what you need can make the hobby so much more enjoyable. I agree the journal and sketchbook is a great way of capturing your thoughts.
Insightful thoughts Ollie and you are not the only one feeling this. I grew up in the 1960's-70's before the digital revolution and when light pollution was of little consequence, so the tactile sense of visual astronomy has always been my foremost interest. Today, there is a generation, or two, that do not know these times, and where technology is commonplace, dark skies are fewer and amateur astronomy seems to lean towards techno-centric astrophotography. My greatest gripe for astrophotography is the rapid obsolescence of hardware and firmware, the associated expense and frustration of keeping up with this, as well as the disconnect with the natural environment and subject matter; something which comparatively little affects the visual astronomer. Keep up the good work and efforts on your channel.
Thanks for the thoughts, Mark, and yes, I agree with the rapid obsolescence in the same vain as how phones now appear to be designed to last a couple of years. I think with that connection missing, you mention everything is to be solved by a new acquisition. Clear skies!
Yes! I have had a similar experience this summer. I've been doing almost exclusively astrophotography for the last 6ish years...and I moved this spring and for awhile I didn't have all my gear unpacked and set up again. I was just pulling out my 115mm refractor and going for quick visual sessions of maybe an hour....and of all things I fell in love with double star observing!! I couldn't believe it, but the stars are just so much prettier through an eyepiece than in even the best astrophotos. I love imaging and I've been doing some again, but I will continue to make time for visual observation.
Hey thanks Damien. It is quite fantastic how these double stars look in a nice refractor. I have been obsessed with some of the open clusters. The Jewel Box down here is mesmerising. Thanks for you thoughts.
Hi Ollie: Interesting video. I was lucky enough to grow up in a rural area where we could just walk outside at look at the Milky Way from our yard and that awesome feeling of looking up at a truly dark sky has stayed with me all these years. A few years ago, I got sucked into astrophotography which I still pursue a little bit but I was really turned off by the huge amount of time needed in front of the computer processing all that data. It just never had the appeal for me that looking at the night sky had. Like someone else said, I too mostly enjoy sitting outside with my telescope, a chair, a sketch pad, star atlas, and notepad. There is just something profound about looking up at our amazing universe.
Hi Tsula - It's so true, it's almost a secret I wish I could share with people. When you just sit back and take it all in with nothing between you and the night sky it is quite an experience.
I have taken 25 hour images that have less impact emotionally than half an hour looking at a star cluster. I guess some of it is what we're using the hobby for, and for me it has to be more than pretty pictures. I'm pretty sure for you too.
Thanks Tsula and I hope the insurance stuff is going well.
-Ollie
Good timing. I just spent an hour outside looking at Saturn with my 30 year old 8" Meade SCT, listening to the sound of the basic 12v clock drive. Tack sharp views. Nice to put the camera away for a while and use an eyepiece.
Ooh that must have been some view of Saturn I'm looking forward to getting my C925 on it soon. Clear skies.
Hi Ollie I think people have lost the connection with the night sky, light pollution makes it very difficult to see anything if you live in a city and the trend for the smart telescope is not helping, you take your new telescope out stick it on the floor in the garden trun it on and go inside never even looking up at the night sky, this is so different from how i started with astronomy over fifty years ago i remember on a cold winter night going out with a star atlas and spending time finding the constellation and looking at the moon and Jupiter moons the Orion nebula,and scanning the mikyway with binoculars, that connection is never forgotten, remember a hobby is about finding something that makes you relax and that you enjoy and can never be replaced with just buying the next must have thing , clear skies my friend
I wholeheartedly agree Tony, I think also a lot of people complain they don't have the time but it's interesting to see how much time people will spend researching the next thing to buy! Thanks for watching pal.
That’s exactly why I started out with visual only and wanted to keep AP for later when I really mastered my gear (especially the mount) and know what I‘m really looking at or photographing
I have been an eyepiece man in this hobby ever since I was 14. I am now 81. I have collected premium eyepieces for all that time including 4 9.652 carl zeiss eyepieces. Yes I have gone down the astrophotography path , I have got good one shot colour shots that I am very happy with. My computer skills are limited and to me it's a lot of time to get a pretty picture. I have receintely bought a baadar 2" prism diagonal, and the veiws through my evostar 150 ED are just stunning.Even in bortle 6+ skies. Clear skies.😊
@LeslieONeill-yz2dp Hi Leslie interesting thoughts. I've often wondered what those Baader Prisms are like to look thru. Thanks.
slumps are to be expected in this hobby (or shall we also name it a discipline of tenacious frustration). I found it's always beneficial to have like minded friends who share the same interests and appreciate the same innate hatred of clouds. I also found, that with time in astro, it will eventually lead you to find a scope that suits your appetite, available time and what is affordable for results that you're satisfied with. Gear reviews are nice, but results with your own gear will surpass any online review. As for the ED80/Heq5 combo, it is a match that can't be overlooked (visual or otherwise), its a mainstay in my collection and never fails to disappoint.
@@marklewis9265 Some good points Mark and you're correct natural slumps are to be expected. Yes indeed the ED80 and Heq5Pro have become a favourite combo of mine. Clear skies.
on a good night i let the imaging rig do its work while i enjoy visual through the ed80 at the same time, its always good to more than one rig 👍
Sometimes all you need is a Clear Night and your Eyes only! I like Stargazing with my friends without any Telescope!
@@frackcenturion Ye that's a good way to do it sometimes 👍
I re-enforce to myself that this is just a hobby, treat my videos as just hanging out, not stressing over content, or being perfect. I'm just me...... i will spend hours just hanging out in the observatory or on remote desktop, just poking around the sky, grabbing snapshots, collecting image data, and sometime don't even bother to process images or only do a very quick stack and stretch just to see what's there. And as you probably know/worked out, enjoy the techy side, like doing the solar power system, or the homeassistant control, you know the making and doing aspects. I also look to see what else I can venture into, like been playing with Tycho tracker for analysis image sets for moving objects. I guess, with me being away at work for 6 months of the year, I need the variety when at home to unwind and occupy myself, hence things like the software programming, or the sim-racing rig, the quad biking etc. etc. Not going to shoehorn myself into one thing and feel stuck or tied to it. Just enjoy whatever floats that day! 😀
I think it’s completely understandable to feel the way you do presently. I know there have been some nights sitting in my truck, staring at my laptop screen, or inside my house, where I think how silly this whole thing seems. For me, I love the whole technical challenge of it and when you finally figure out something that been driving you crazy! I also love to sit in my chair the next day and edit my stacked image. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Thanks pal I think you put your finger on the exact conundrum we have sometimes.
I think we all get a bit disenchanted with our hobby(s) sometimes and that may, at times, stem from feeling a need to match what other people are doing. But I don't think there is any right or wrong way to enjoy this hobby - in the end it's whatever spins your wheels and that might be quite different to how someone else gets enjoyment from exploring the night sky. In the end the end, you have to do you (as they say), so long as it gives you joy. Myself, I don't mind videos of gear that people are using all the time but I'm not a fan of gear videos where the gear is used for one night and then a 'so called' review given and then move onto the next. I don't think those are useful to me. However, I fully understand that some people may get a hell of a lot of enjoyment out of that and that it pays the bills through RUclips so, no harm no foul. Some people love visual, some love being under the night sky every imaging session and producing an image after only a few hours integration time and others might want to spend 50+ hours on an image revealing the dimmest of details because they really enjoy the processing side. But all are good so long as they give enjoyment. So I don't think there is a right way of doing this hobby - it just should be the way you enjoy it the most. Clear skies (and I think that's one thing we can all agree on 😅).
Some good points Logan. I think what I'm mainly pointing at or the subtext is nothing new other than people trying to resolve fulfilment with purchases and ultimately it never works. I understand enjoyment is derived in a myriad of ways but I think many are simply led down a never ending path of consumption without ever looking in from the outside. I agree with the gear reviews, the one I tried felt a bit like this. You need to use gear for a time. But like you say we can all agree on "Clear Skies!".
First, I think visual astronomy and astrophotography are two very different hobbies. They're just different, in motivation and experience, and really can't be compared.
Second, I agree with the overemphasis on gear on RUclips astrophotography channels. I don't think having the latest and best gear all is that important. For most people, the limiting factor in image quality is going to be the sky conditions, not the quality of the gear. I'm finding that I'm getting better pictures by honing my acquisition skills with the gear I already own and improving my image processing techniques.
That said, I have been a something of a gear-buying spree of late, but that's to build out three separate rigs so I can slap the right optical/camera rig for the target on the mount and go. I don't want to be messing with equipment and software and trying to make disparate pieces of equipment and software play nicely with one another. I want to quickly set up and start taking pictures with the limited time under cloudless skies that I get around here.
Thanks Dave some good points. I do think however there is value in contrasting what each give. I find pure astrophotography can become quite devoid of a connection to the night sky.
A thoughful video Ollie. Your recent excellent video on eyepieces and visual astronomy coincided with me thinking about getting into visual too, as an adjunct to my AP. While I don't think I'll be taking a full break from AP any time soon, I must admit that there's a little staleness creeping into the whole thing. Also, I’ve realised that I've fallen into the trap of submitting my images into Astrobin's image of the day process and then repeatedly checking through the day to see how many likes the images were receiving. No more. I want to try to process my images to the best of my ability but for my personal pleasure and approval, no one else's. I plan to purchase a couple of eyepieces soon and get back to basics.
Hey Frank yes there's a few traps to fall in. I've been guilty of myself. Like you say, process for yourself and to your own taste. I think the balance with visual is a great step to take, helps to give perspective in this fast world. Hope the journey goes well.
For the last year, I have gone out and done EAA, live stacking with Sharp Cap Pro. I have most often take 10 to 20 minutes exposures on my alt/az goto mount. Fun. I have most often used my Celestron Short Tube 80 and my SvBony 305 80mm ED refractor. Fun.
I recently started using an equatorial mount, have purchased several more optical tubes and have extended total exposure times up to 1 to 3 hours. Still fun.
I plan on reviewing most things I have purchased, but have a face for radio, I voice for print and am only semi-literate. So, I am loath to be seen on camera.
I have recently started posting photos and reviews on my channel in hopes of being as good as this fellow, some day.
Hey thanks for watching. Indeed I think EAA is a good half way step and I may also do some more of this. I think like you say keeping it to smaller time frames is a good idea. I tend to be doing this lately.
Cheers and clear skies.
Ollie
Spot on. Here's the thing - the RUclips algorithm punishes you if you don't post. I've been making videos for people making a go of astrophotography with what they have (or can afford). I started doing this to pay-it-forward from the inspiration I got from similar channels when I got started - channels that had since either stopped posting, or moved on. As much as I enjoy making this type of content, it has become a a bit of chore lately because I've noticed that if I don't post content often enough, new videos will get less exposure, and frankly I don't want to have to constantly think up new topic ideas to feed an algorithm - that is neither natural for me nor fun. Easy to see how anyone can get resentful.
I joined a club that has access to a dark-sky site, picked up a used refractor and The Cambridge Star Atlas, and I've been doing a lot more visual observing. I have also gone back to my sky watching journal/log to plan and record my nights. Clear Skies!
Edit: I joined your channel three months ago after watching Why Visual Astronomy Can Still be Cool, and I look forward to more of your videos.
@Felldisulfide Hey I think your comments on the RUclips algorithm ring very true. I found the same and like you it's just not a natural thing for me to do.
The journal is great, and that act of thinking and writing is where you contemplate what you're looking at and where you sit in it all.
Thanks very much for following I look forward to producing more of this style of content.
I acquired everything I needed to do Astrophotography, and turned around and sold it all. I didn't get into Astronomy to stare at screens.
It's absolutely a fair point mate. I certainly understand the decision👍
My main issue is the lousy weather that's continued from last year with 8 months now gone of this one. I have set my equipment up countless times only to pack it all up with little or no imaging. Even when it is clear its no longer whole nights.
This is certainly a huge issue at the moment very sparse clear nights.
Good video Ollie. I think we all struggle with the hobby at times, fraught with problems either weather related or technical. I have managed to not buy any new gear for about 18 months now, and just enjoy using what I have in the relatively short timeframe I am prepared to give the hobby (typical 2 hour exposure time max).
Cheers John yes there's a lot to be said for using what you have and what time you are willing to give.
As one of the newest members of the astronomy and astrophotography hobby, I threw my credit card at the problem for a while but now have seen the error of my ways. I'm now trying to pair down to a realistic amount of gear that isn't so heavy that my back starts hurting just looking at what I have to lug outside and setup. Even as I type this, I am watching reviews of AM3 and AM5 mounts and carbon fiber tripods...
I totally agree with you, I am guilty myself on my Chanel of doing a lot of reviews, but most are reviews of kit I have bought for myself, but I have had a few offers of free kit to review, (hard to refuse) and it does get in the way of my own enjoyment…so I will be taking a step back from the reviews over the winter and concentrating on my own imaging and enjoyment…clear skies, and thanks for the video..👍🏻
Hey Astro Shed thanks for watching. I think we're all guilty of this pal me included. I think so long as your able to notice it that's the main thing, like you say take a step back.
I agree. I got into astrophotography simply to see more detail in deep sky objects. But it gradually became more technical and time consuming. I am now keeping it simple either with visual or basic processing. Keep up the good work.
Thanks Roger. Yes it's so easy to get carried away with the technical side, I think I'm arriving at a similar valance to use. Clear skies
I have noticed this too in recent months. The main channels I would watch are all focused on the next mount, the next telescope they have. The target and the processing of the data is a brief brush over. It also seems a bulk of the channels I used to watch have fallen off the regular radar too. The weather in oz has been rubbish lately too and the brief one night here and there puts pressure on to find a target and get the most out of it. This can add to the slump feeling. A couple of friends (both here in Adelaide and in the UK) have come up with the idea to work on the entire Messier Catalogue. This way, it takes out the indecision of what to shoot for and can give a sense of completion/achievement, but also removes the whole "gear" conversation. If you're interested, we'd love to have you help us! You have the same gear as we do it seems. 🤣
Thanks very much for the suggestions Damien I'll have a think on them. You're not wrong the weather has been pretty average to say the least. At least with visual I can get an hour here and there.
Clear skies.
@@OlliesSpace Have a think, we are a small group of 5 of us. If you are interested, drop me a PM via my instragram. ;)
Really good points Ollie. I'm happiest when the tech and the creativity are balanced.
As for content creation, you are right. Some of my best performing videos are gear reviews, but I too find making them disruptive to the hobby. I thought about maybe having one rig set aside specifically for gear reviews.. but I just don't enjoy tinkering and fine tuning a rig. For me the the rig exists to collect data, if I'm futzing with it too much then I'm loosing time and interest. That is not to say I won't get new gear... just that currently my eagerness to get something for review or run out and buy something new is currently diminished.. well except for cameras.. I could really use a new one or two... lol.
@DSOImager Cheers James. I think your channel is also a legit goto for image processing. It's clear you love it from your videos. Clear skies pal.
Thank you for this video! I'm not keeping up with the latest gear, it's not within my reach at the current life situation so I'm still using my Evostar 80ED (as you) and my HEQ5 Pro. I decided to put it in an observatory just to the the most out of every clear night, and I don't have that many up here at 63 degrees north and by the sea. I try to plan and give every image my very best in terms of love and caring (and hours) as well as a background text for the people that want to share the images with me. I like to be outside when it's clear, just to enjoy the night sky, but I don't have any gear for visual observation at this time. I've been thinking of just getting a lens to my DSLR and take some mily way images to complement my deep sky object photos. As for my channel, I haven't really decided, what should I do with that. Right now, it's more a documentation of my projects and my images.
Great video! I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said. I try to strike a balance by doing 50-50 with visual. Sometimes that might just involve sitting under the stars and looking up, without even using a telescope. That said, I’m
also guilty of getting carried away with gear fever on occasions. But I try to take it back to basics when I can 👍
Cheers Mark. Yes I've certainly been on the gear train too. Its not easy to get the balance sometimes.
Great video! Although I have not gone back to visual astronomy, I have definitely changed my course in astrophotography. I dont watch any gear videos anymore. I have two full rigs, they are perfect to me and I am not looking to improve upon them. I just go out and image… enjoy the dark sky, and I tend to watch the process unfold. Instead of leaving the rigs unattended I will often sit and get lost in each sub… nit inspecting for quality, more just looking at all the amazing things that are in the frame. I do my images for myself. If others enjoy them then that is great. I think social media can be a negative thing for astro and generally the forums are even worse.
@SpaceRocksandStardust Hey, some good points here, especially with not looking at the gear videos anymore. I think, like you say, settling into using the gear you have is a good way to go. Ye I got rid of my channels, Instagram, for similar reasons. It just became a circular repetitive exercise.
Clear Skies.
Oh BTW, I just noticed the ukiyoe print in the background of your video. Does that mean you have some affinity to Japan culture or art? Just curious..... JPASTROGUY (Paul)
Hey Paul, I do enjoy Japanese culture some of the old Kurosawa films with Mifune and in my younger days I use to train Iaido and went to Japan(Kyoto) a couple of times. So many beautiful arts forms in there culture.
Thanks Ollie
I will set up two telescopes (not all the time) one to image and one just to look around, I find this keeps me interested as, the one I use to just looking around is like, point at some thing then look up info on said object or the other way around reading info and go look at it. So because of this sometimes I may spend 1min looking at some thing and other times hr's. So depending on the night I may look at several things or, one or two and in the background the imaging rig is doing it's own thing. So I kind of feel I get the best of both worlds.
"Perfection of a kind" is what some seem to be after, especially the kind of perfection that depends absolutely on arcane detail. As a writer once said about wine: one of the least congenial aspects of it is the tyranny of the illuminati of the bottle, aka the wine geek. Badly needed video.
This is a good way of putting it.
definitely feeling the same at the moment…also add the new gear burn out. I know it’s just a rut…but, it still sux.
Ye it happens to everyone. I find best to just do something else for a while until it naturally comes back.
Spot on ! 👍 allthough I don't get as many clear sky opportunities as I would wish for, when I do, I never go inside and keep an eye on things from a tablet, I have always sat outside with my rig and enjoyed the experience of just looking at a magnificent sky full of stars. A camping stove and kettle 🍵 helps in winter. I think the neighbours are just about used to it now 😂
@nigelplatt3808 Hey Nigel, I think the camping stove is a great idea. I use a flask but I'm usually thru it an hour or so. Also yes tricky with the clear nights, we're really struggling here at the moment. I think my neighbours think I'm looking for Aliens and one of them is a flat earther 🤦♂️so I have my work cut out.
@@OlliesSpace 😂😂
Hey Ollie! Interesting mate, I’m struggling with my inspiration for videos! The interest for Astro is still there, that will never go, but my videos!! There’s only so many times I can show myself setting up the portable rig, don’t even have to set up the Esprit anymore in the obsey! It’s difficult to keep the interest going in a video! It’s tough, I think, taking your advice, of going back to enjoying the hobby, like when I first got into it!Maybe, as new people are always coming into the Astro world, I should go back to basics with my star tracker! We’ll see!
Good luck and clear skies 👍
Hey Simon - It's a tricky balance Simon, I'm mainly just trying to mix it up more. You're correct about vids mate, it can feel very repetitive. Ye I've been taking a few more Astro Landscapes lately, and a tracker would be handy to push the exposure. Clear skies 👍
@@OlliesSpace I’ve got the SkyGuider Pro and I’ve just bought the new Move Shoot Move Nomad tracker kit! Not used it yet😀
i feel the same way atm. I am currently saving up for a mono cam and filters but unsure if I want to make the investment. The weather here in the central US as been lousy for the past year, I feel a mono cam investment will not be worth it. Money vs Imaging time. I am also feeling like I want to spend more money to get better results and not enjoying the hobby. That is my rant. Love the video. Keep up the good work
@archaic5884 That's interesting, pal, because I have the Mono setup and to be honest I tend to use and enjoy using my 533MC Pro much more for the same reasons. I think you're spot on, and given my time again, I would have held onto my 2600MC Pro and not gone to the Mono version. Cheers for watching pal.
Nice video! I guess now I know that Im not the only one who feels like this lol. As I'm busy with my Work! I haven't spent much time with my telescope which is obvious. obviously Im someone who hardly invests heavily on astro equipment, Im more of a Minimalist "Just use what you have till it works". Im glad I Never Did A Gear Review in my channel, hahahaha.Despite not having equipment on spot at Night when I go for a casual walk I just Casually look up the sky and spot constellations and stars. I have even spotted starlinks satellite and I showed it my friends, they had never seen something like that it was so much fun! Sometimes all you need is a clear night only! Recently i have been Uploading a few videos on My non-astro interests as well, so that made me feel quite good!
By the way i Really Love the Idea of Journaling what you observe, honestly i feel I should do this more often! Though im lazy sometimes, lol 😂
@@avt_astro206 Hey Avanteesh I think it sounds like you have a good approach pal. Enjoying being out there is the main thing.
I have just returned to the hobby after 40 years away. I used to grind my own mirrors, knew the night sky very well, and even in my then suburban skies you could see the Milky Way. While I never found one, I ardently searched for comets. Now coming back to astronomy I have been overwhelmed with the gear and the emphasis on AP. The AP and computerization are really amazing but they have mechanized and removed a big part of what I enjoyed before. After some getting up to speed with the current state of the art I bought an OTA and a mount and eyepieces. What I have found is neither my eyes nor skies allow the exploration I used to do. Age too has made it less comfortable to set up and stand for hours. I'm considering getting kit for EAA so I can explore from my desktop, but something about that doesn't really appeal. The sense of discovery is gone, the sense of citizen science is gone. You're right in that the emphasis is on the gear, and tricks of processing, etc. Ultimately, how many pictures of M45 do we need; what do you accomplish by doing the same thing 1000s of other have done before? If the electronics and software appeal to you, that's really your hobby. There's a lot to say for that; but it isn't astronomy.
@larrychristianson2244 Hey Larry I think you make lots of good points here and I think sometimes what might have been thought of as a limitation of the time (such as basic camera) meant we just got out there under the sky and looked. Indeed my journey with AP has gone this way, finding I don't need to keep taking the same images and crave the intimate eyepiece experience.
I think the EAA can be a good way to maybe enhance and mix it up, especially from more light polluted skies. However I also understand what you mean in that to some extent anything that's not just your eye is kinda getting in the way. By the way I have heard Pegasus Astro is coming out with the SmartEye, an eyepiece and camera combined somehow.
Thanks for your thoughts
Ollie
Ive been into astronomy now for 35 years off and on. Atm im taking a break and ive started collecting Lego star wars 😂.
Its good to take s break every so often otherwise ive found it looses it's spark. I am due to move to a bortle 3 sky fron my current 7 so as soon as thats happened i dare say the scope camera and mount will come out of mothballs. Ive already seen whats it like and im keen to see how much better it really is. Great video thanks for posting 👍
Hey Alan - I really need to get to a good dark sky site soon. Really looking forward to seeing the sky under a Bortle 3 near me. Good luck on the move those skies sound great.
@@OlliesSpace sadly my eyesight isn't that good these days so visual isn't really an option anymore hence the eaa and astrophotography....
100% agree. Technology is both a saviour and a burden, with most of its promises often being at the expense of introducing more issues that then you perceive must be fixed with more purchases. I took a step back too, and find myself enjoying visual as well as EAA or imaging at the same time. Probably my age betraying me now, but honestly, it feels like a grind after already spending a day bashing my head at work at the floor of the software sausage factory trying to get it all to work, and then come home and troubleshoot Astro software. Even NINA sometimes screws stuff up.
I understand Darren I also work in IT where I spend my days sat at a PC which is why I try and get away from more IT related issues at home! I think EAA can be a nice in-between place to mix it up.
I haven't done anything for months. been too hot obviously, and I was thinking about upgrading my mount but then got to thinking my stuff right now is pretty good . so think I'm gonna pass on any new equipment for a while. Been doing other things not Astro related and not feeling it too much right now. we'll have to see how things go when September rolls around. I guess I'm experiencing a Astro rut.
Ye it happens for sure mate, it's also good to do other stuff for me it's getting outdoors more.
Visual astronomy is so simple with grab and go scope. Grab a scope with one hand and a star atlas in the other and in minutes you can be enjoying the night sky. I gave up my Dobsonian as it was a bother to drag out that I would end up not going out.
@robertsonsid Exactly right, and in no time your imagination is fired up!! Do you mainly use a goto mount now you've given up the DOB ? Thanks !!
@@OlliesSpace I like the challenge of finding objects manually. With a star atlas find 2 stars near object of interest and imagine a triangle. Then look to the sky and make the triangle and you have your object.
Very interesting Ollie i must admit my mojo right now is at an all time low I haven't imaged since May, as for content I really haven't done much this year either as I know I'm not very good or confident in front of the camera & I think people are pretty bored with my content which is fair enough, it doesn't help with my operation in the not to distant future looming which will put me out of action from work let alone astro for a while. Mind you I also feel under pressure to buy the latest gear to compete with other channels which I just cannot afford to hence to using a really old mount in the observatory as there's no way I could afford an EQ8 or one of these new strainwave mounts. As for visual astronomy I haven't done any in years & I know I really should do, apart from having the odd look at the Sun with a solarscope that's pretty much all the visual I've done. I think it would be good of people went back to the basics a bit as well as using the latest gear as Nico Carvers video shooting the ifn around polaris untracked with a DSLR was exceptionally good & he used free software to edit to.
Hey Pal ye it's tricky Pal I've totally gone past bothering to compete with other channels it's not a good headspace to be in. Nothing wrong with your content mate I like it precisely because it's not all based in gear and your showing how your making things work.
I'm hoping your operation goes well Pal don't stress too much on the RUclips Pal....it's all up there in the ether at the end of the day :)
I'm starting to get sick of companies promoting the latest/greatest and charging a small fortune supposedly trying to be innovating where in reality it's planned obsolescence. this is a niche community and these companies are taking advantage of it. I do want to upgrade some of my equipment but I no longer trust these companies to be reliable. So far I am happy with what I'm doing but I believe the weather conditions also affect our psyche. Eventually as I have more spare time I plan on Astronomy trips to dark areas so I can be one with me and the cosmos and image from there.
Ye I agree Nik, some of the marketing, tells you how it's a game changer with all the big channels pusing it and 12nmonths later you have to have the new version which again is a game changer. I mean it's more Game Changers than a bloody chess tournament!!
Spot on mate too much information overload just get out and enjoy the night sky
Thanks pal 👍
Capitalism, baby! Even the purest hobby becomes tedious under late stage capitalism.
@@wattswheelhouse Yep !
Join Astronomical League and complete at least one program as an astrophotographer. Your priorities will be switched right away. Acquisition time will not matter, but you have to study/investigate produced photos.
Second, one proper rig in proper location is more productive than 3-5 sheeit rigs (sorry, like yours or constantly reviewed by many RUclips channels) in light polluted location. When one proper rig automatized, then you will have time for visual astronomy. Again, need to complete programs for AL.
Good luck!
Thanks for the suggestion not really what I'm looking for but thanks anyway.
Cheers.
@@OlliesSpace Great! Then, you know what you are looking for.
A thoughful video Ollie. Your recent excellent video on eyepieces and visual astronomy coincided with me thinking about getting into visual too, as an adjunct to my AP. While I don't think I'll be taking a full break from AP any time soon, I must admit that there's a little staleness creeping into the whole thing. Also, I’ve realised that I've fallen into the trap of submitting my images into Astrobin's image of the day process and then repeatedly checking through the day to see how many likes the images were receiving. No more. I want to try to process my images to the best of my ability but for my personal pleasure and approval, no one else's. I plan to purchase a couple of eyepieces soon and get back to basics.
Hey Frank thanks very much for those kind words. It is such an interesting balance isn't it between enjoying and being pulled in directions almost without us knowing, I've definitely been there. You're strategy sounds good mate, just balancing it up a bit. Like you I'll most likely always do some AP just shifting that balance to something more sustainable. Clear skies Pal 👍
@@OlliesSpace Also, the comment someone made about moving back to OSC from mono also resonated with me. Problems with NINA has seen me move back to the ASIAir for the past couple of nights, and while its simplicity is welcome, it's not as easy using a whole set of mono filters; using a colour camera with a dual band filter, which I used to use, now seems a real possibility. Ahhh, decisions, decisions!