Telescope Reviews: Cheap Hobbie

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George Methvin
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/30/06

Loc: Central Texas

Cheap Hobbie
#5555409 - 12/05/12 10:17 AM

This hobbie is really one of the cheaper hobbies you can get into, unless you are one of those folks that have to have the latest and greatest toy that comes out every 6 months then it can get very costly. I spend around $350.00 a year on new astro toys, mostly used eyepeices. I have had the same Meade 10 LX200 sct sence 1993 and see no reason to buy another scope. Try Spending money flying planes or Bass fishing as a hobbie. A truck to pull your $25,000 to $45,000 boat and all the upkeep. I love this hobbie its easy to get into and you can do it right from home and still have money left over to spend on other things.

Post Extras:

dan_h
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 12/10/07

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: George Methvin]
#5555419 - 12/05/12 10:23 AM

Perhaps but for some of us with poorer skies, the cost per hour of observing is still significant.

dan

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George Methvin
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/30/06

Loc: Central Texas

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: dan_h]
#5555429 - 12/05/12 10:31 AM

Yea i agree its like having a boat but the nearest lake is 300 miles away.... Might want to try another hobbie. LOL

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jgraham
Postmaster

Reged: 12/02/04

Loc: Dayton, Ohio

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: George Methvin]
#5555458 - 12/05/12 10:48 AM

I agree. When I started back in the 60's you had few options and if you wanted a scope or camera of any size you built your own. I built my first telescope (a 4.25" f/8) using money I collected returning pop bottles (now that's dating me!). Today we have so many wonderful options and equipment that spans the full range from low to high. This certainly can be an expensive hobby, but it doesn't have to be.

Enjoy.

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herrointment
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 03/12/11

Loc: North of Hwy. 64

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: George Methvin]
#5555466 - 12/05/12 10:53 AM

The idea that one needs a 200 HP boat to fish really turns my crank.
Old tennis shoes, shorts and two legs lead you to a quiet and enjoyable day on the water. Cheap too!
I've found my astronomical outlays to be, well, astronomical...but I'm getting my second wind in the hobby after a 30+ year layoff and all the recent advances are proving too tempting to resist.

I'll get there soon enough......

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csrlice12
Post Laureate

Reged: 05/22/12

Loc: Denver, CO

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: herrointment]
#5555469 - 12/05/12 10:55 AM

"Old tennis shoes, shorts and two legs lead you to a quiet and enjoyable day on the water. Cheap too!"

and usually the most fun and relaxing....

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George Methvin
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/30/06

Loc: Central Texas

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: csrlice12]
#5555489 - 12/05/12 11:07 AM

I agree you don,t need all that fancy gear to enjoy fishing or star gazing. Some folks can't enjoy there hobbie unless they have all the latest and greatest stuff and thats ok if you have the money to spend. I love a clear sky my old scope my good chair and a warm cup of coffee and I just relax and let the night sky be my guide.

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George Methvin
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/30/06

Loc: Central Texas

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: George Methvin]
#5555561 - 12/05/12 12:09 PM

In fact my last big buy was this summer I spent $500.00 for Georges Autostar upgrade for my old Meade 10 LX200 sct. I can tell you it was well worth the money, I thank everyone that has the old Meade LX200 fork SCT should do this upgrade. So I have a upgraded old scope which I think has great optic and dead on goto drive and tracking a few good eyepeices now just give me a clear sky and I am one happy man.

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GeneT
Ely Kid

Reged: 11/07/08

Loc: South Texas

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: George Methvin]
#5556034 - 12/05/12 05:19 PM

Quote:

This hobbie is really one of the cheaper hobbies you can get into

This is true--if you are sane. Most of us are insane.

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csrlice12
Post Laureate

Reged: 05/22/12

Loc: Denver, CO

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: GeneT]
#5556309 - 12/05/12 07:55 PM

depends on your definition of "cheap"....and "addiction"

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AlanL
super member

Reged: 11/11/10

Loc: Kansas, USA

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: csrlice12]
#5556678 - 12/05/12 11:41 PM

Like a lot of hobbies, it can be what you want it to be. I took up tennis a couple of years ago. I started with a racket and a can of balls from Walmart. For $15 I was up and running and had a lot of fun. Then I sprained an ankle so I dropped $100 on a pair of good shoes. Then I needed lessons (and still do), so it wouldn't be as embarassing to play with my new tennis friends. Then I needed to join a racquet club so I could play inside in the winter. Then my friends convinced me to join a league so I needed a better racquet. Then I buggered up my knee and needed an MRI... then it started to get insane.

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Raginar
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 10/19/10

Loc: Rapid CIty, SD

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: AlanL]
#5556869 - 12/06/12 04:01 AM

AlanL: +1!!

Post Extras:

epee
scholastic sledgehammer

Reged: 11/30/06

Loc: Suh-van-nuh, Jaw-juh

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: Raginar]
#5557087 - 12/06/12 08:56 AM

All you truly need are your eyes; everything else is an optional accessory.

Edited by epee (12/06/12 09:20 AM)

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George Methvin
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 01/30/06

Loc: Central Texas

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: Raginar]
#5557093 - 12/06/12 08:58 AM

Alan I understand what you are saying, I did the same thing only playing softball many years ago. LOL its funny what we can get into. I wonder how nice those 100dg eyepeice are..LOL

Meade 10 LX200 SCT

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Footbag
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 04/13/09

Loc: Scranton, PA

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: George Methvin]
#5557119 - 12/06/12 09:20 AM

Im one of those people that has to have the latest and greatest. I made a big mount purchase that was panned by my family. They asked me how much all of my equipment cost. I said half as much ad my brothers fishing boat.

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Darenwh
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 05/11/06

Loc: Covington, GA

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: George Methvin]
#5558223 - 12/06/12 08:34 PM

Quote:

This hobbie is really one of the cheaper hobbies you can get into, unless you are one of those folks that have to have the latest and greatest toy that comes out every 6 months then it can get very costly. I spend around $350.00 a year on new astro toys, mostly used eyepeices. I have had the same Meade 10 LX200 sct sence 1993 and see no reason to buy another scope. Try Spending money flying planes or Bass fishing as a hobbie. A truck to pull your $25,000 to $45,000 boat and all the upkeep. I love this hobbie its easy to get into and you can do it right from home and still have money left over to spend on other things.

I think you are very confused. The guy with the very expensive bass boat and equipment would be equal to the guy with all the best toys for AP such as a paramount me, a top of the line scope on it, a custom observatory on a large piece of land in a dark zone, etc... Every hobby is what you make of it and only as expensive as you make it.

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kansas skies
sage

Reged: 12/02/12

Loc: Kansas, USA

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: Darenwh]
#5558508 - 12/06/12 11:45 PM

You can catch a mess of fish with a cane-pole and a can of worms. In the same vein, an inexpensive 60mm refractor on a decent alt-az mount can offer near apochromatic performance and a lifetime of viewing pleasure. And with all the money I save, I can buy a house in the country with a pond and no neighbors around to light up my sky...

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Jaimo!
Pooh-Bah

Reged: 10/11/07

Loc: Exit 135 / 40° North

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: kansas skies]
#5558553 - 12/07/12 12:27 AM

Unless your "cane pole" is one of these hand planed beauties...

Then it gets expensive,
Jaimo!

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Jon Isaacs
Postmaster

Reged: 06/16/04

Loc: San Diego and Boulevard, CA

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: GeneT]
#5558692 - 12/07/12 05:49 AM

Quote:

Quote:

This hobbie is really one of the cheaper hobbies you can get into

This is true--if you are sane. Most of us are insane.

Astronomy is a hobby that can be fully enjoyed with a modest investment. Fishing, cycling, running, bird watching, softball, hiking, there are many other hobbies that can be fully enjoyed with a minimum expenditure.

One thing about astronomy is that generally the equipment is long lived, a good telescope, a good eyepiece, a good mount, these can last a lifetime..

Some hobbies are expensive, flying, car racing, off-roading, deep sea fishing, these require expensive equipment that wears out and/or each trip can be quite expensive. A neighbor down the way has a 22 foot boat that he uses for deep sea fishing. It costs a lot of money, the boat cost $50,000. He keeps it in a slip, that costs $200+/month. A weekend of fishing might burn $500+ in fuel. Then there is the maintenance... and the gear, the bait...

We complain about the cost of eyepieces, a week end on the water costs him more than a very expensive eyepiece.

Jon

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Darenwh
Carpal Tunnel

Reged: 05/11/06

Loc: Covington, GA

Re: Cheap Hobbie new

[Re: Jaimo!]
#5558798 - 12/07/12 08:15 AM

Quote:

Unless your "cane pole" is one of these hand planed beauties...

Then it gets expensive,
Jaimo!

Very nice custom flyrod. I've made a couple fly rods and several spinning and casting rods but have yet to venture into bamboo rod building.

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