Hobby Comparison

[Graphics Guy]

Heh.....Whistlers take heart, I was looking at some new telescopes recently ( My one true passion sorry) And started doing the addition. One 10 inch SCT with GOTO 2239 us dollars. One Sbig CCD camera with filter wheel 2575 u.s. dollars, One Laptop computer
900-2000 dollars. Assorted eyepieces,attachments 1500 dollars.Focal reducers 200 maybe a bit less.
And all this,so that maybe you can take pictures of Planets/galaxies . Add to this ..the very real possibility of not being able to use all this equipment for extended periods of time. I havent set up my
8 inch SCT since last July.
Now heres a real kicker..Even though the sky is clear you STILL may not be able to use the scope to its full ability. Air currents
Street lights, Nieghbors 70 zillion watt security lights. All these add up to severe degradation of the final image.
In the long run..I get more satisfaction out
of playing my 12 dollar Dixon. But still..Nothing quite equals the feeling out of claiming a new large diameter mirror as your own

Dan

[Tyghress]

I confess to spending nearly as much on hostas as I do on whistles. . .spring is coming, there are new varieties to be bought, planted, cherished. Plant a little, whistle a little, plant some more.

And look at the orchids!

[Andreas]

Swedish bagpipe 200$, reeds for swedish bagpipe 0$, Crumhorn 800$, Good alto recorder 500$, New reeds for Shawm 50$, New Shawm 500$. One tends to develope some "addophobia" when it comes to musical instruments. Last time I counted, I had about 7-8000$ invested, I know, not VERY much but still quite a lot for a poor student. It scares me.

[Arcaic Lemons]

[quote]
One 10 inch SCT with GOTO 2239 us dollars. One Sbig CCD camera with filter wheel 2575 u.s. dollars, One Laptop computer
900-2000 dollars. Assorted eyepieces,attachments 1500 dollars.Focal reducers 200 maybe a bit less.
And all this,so that maybe you can take pictures of Planets/galaxies . Add to this ..the very real possibility of not being able to use all this equipment for extended periods of time. I havent set up my
8 inch SCT since last July.
_________________________

Do note here, that whistle's are much more utilitarian in their nature; they may be used most of the time. And no matter how you slice it, this is a much cheaper mode of entertainment. You can even show it off any time of the day, instead of waiting for the sun to go down and hoping the neighbor died so the 60,000 watt bulb doesn't turn on at sunset (or getting arrested for playing with a cat lazer beam)!

I have noticed less complaining about the weather.

[SteveK]

Consider hammered dulcimer playing. A dulcimer itself will cost around $800-$2000. Several pairs of hammers are needed at about $15-$30. A case, a nice tuner, recording equipment (mini-disc, etc). That adds up but it's just the beginning. In order to attend dulcimer festivals in style, you definitely need a RV. Some people show up at festivals with tents, trailer campers or little teeny RVs. All that is greasy kid stuff. The dulcimer festival aficionado will want to show up in a RV about the size of a boxcar.

Steve

[Bloomfield]

Whistle: $9.80
Soundproofing a room in the house: $600
Marriage counseling: $4,000 - $6,000 annually

[Arcaic Lemons]

If you are absolutely sick of your partner/signifigant other/husband/wife playing the whistle, this is what you do;

You calmly go up to them as they are playing the whistle, whisper in their ear "let me help you" and kiss the ear ever so suggestively. ABSOLUTELY gets their mind off of THAT whistle.

[markv]

Dan,

I hear ya man. some good advice, "The telescope that's best for you is the one you'll use" With that idea in mind (and living in relatively dark sky area) I mainly use a 90mm refractor. Nice wide view, crisp optics and the whole rig fits into a carry-on case and sets up in seconds. Of course while I was reading your post I was thinking "ohhh yeaaahhhh!!"


Mark "man of way too many hobbies" V.

[Bloomfield]

I don't know if you guys realize that more telescopes are sold in Manhattan each year than in the rest of the US put together? Hehehe...

[Graphics Guy]

Well...It isnt the size of the scope, Its the lack of clear skies. See...Here on the island ..they think that if the sun shines, Its cause someone did something evil.

To Mark..Check out the Megrez 80mm refractor. Sweeeeet scope.
And you have to wonder..Just how many of those telescopes in Manhatten are pointed at the sky ?
Dan

_________________
I used to have a website...But I lost it
somewhere

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Graphics Guy on 2002-02-20 11:11 ]</font>

[Sara]

Astronomy is one of my hobbies, the universe fascinates me. I bought a 60.00 dollar telescope one time, we lived in a town-home at the time, so what we could see was limited, but we did get to see the moon. It was spectacular - the moon was white and everything was black around it. That was something I will never forget. You guys talking about telescopes reminded me of that.

Sara

[Graphics Guy]

Yep..The Moon can look REAL nice with an 8 inch SCT and Binoviewer with 25mm eyepieces in place barlowed 2x. Its really 3D, The Omega Nebula and the Triffid are truly Awe inspiring, And of course..Orions Nebula. I'm a Deep Space, kind of guy. But for really awesome skies..Our Southern Hemispere brethren win it hands down

Dan

[Martin Milner]

Not meaning to rub it in, but I was in the Algarve last week (did I mention that already?) and the skies were as clear as Dale's conscience all week.

When you can see the Pleiades with the naked eye, you know light pollution is way down. Never in London, except perhaps on Horsenden Hill. Even a pair of binoculars will yield some great views, especially of the full moon.

Sadly, in the resort I was stuck in, Albufeira, it won't be like that for much longer as they're building a hotel on every available patch of ground bigger than a tea towel.

No wonder our ancestors were fascinated by the night sky, while sitting round the campfire with their bone whistles and goatskin drums. It's so BIG, I mean really BIG. Makes one feel rather insignificant really.

[Graphics Guy]

When you can see the Pleiades with the naked eye, you know light pollution is way down. Never in London, except perhaps on Horsenden Hill. Even a pair of binoculars will yield some great views, especially of the full moon.

Sadly, in the resort I was stuck in, Albufeira, it won't be like that for much longer as they're building a hotel on every available patch of ground bigger than a tea towel.

No wonder our ancestors were fascinated by the night sky, while sitting round the campfire with their bone whistles and goatskin drums. It's so BIG, I mean really BIG. Makes one feel rather insignificant really.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Heh..When the skies are clear, We have mag 7
skies. Andromeda is a naked eye object, The bifircation in the Milky Way is readily apparent as is multiple channels and lanes
I'm really too far North though to get great views of Omega.. Its too low on my Horizon.

Dan

[Martin Milner]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Heh..When the skies are clear, We have mag 7
skies. Andromeda is a naked eye object, The bifircation in the Milky Way is readily apparent as is multiple channels and lanes
I'm really too far North though to get great views of Omega.. Its too low on my Horizon.

Dan

[/quote]

Dan, you are one lucky hunny bunny! In London, the sky is clear if I can see that it's meant to be blue with a big yellow dot in the day & blackish with smaller white dots at night!