Is Amateur Astronomy For You? 

No one is more interesting to listen to than a man who is passionate about what he is talking about.

Nice to see a channel with someone who enjoys visual astronomy. Visual astronomy is all I want to do. Too many channel look down on visual astronomy and suggest that you must do astrophotography if you want to be serious. I do have to say I enjoy a lot of the work that astrophotographers do. Some people are very gifted.

Well done for you're first video Old Gazer. Enjoyed your intro message and hope to see more videos of yours soon. Happy dark skies.......🌃🌌🌗🌑🔭

I’m 29 in Virginia just now starting my journey. I’m following you all the way

Bravo 🎉🎉🎉

Thank you!! Being a "boomer" that just bought my first telescope...I am looking forward to watching all your advice!

Hello Larry, I just found your channel this evening and I’m extremely grateful. I’ll be making my way through your catalog over the next couple days. Thanks

Love the intro, sir! Looking forward to seeing more content. I just got back an 8 inch telescope my dad had and I've spent many an hour starting at the sky, both with it and with the naked eye. Now that I have it again, I have 4 kids I want to give an appreciation for what's above us - but I don't know anyone into the hobby. Keep the videos coming! Looking forward to learning more from you!

13:19 - I can't believe it took me this long to get into this hobby. The night sky is marvelous and I've always been a night owl. So much so, that instead of trying to fix my sleep schedule, I organized my life around it, going so far as to get a remote job several timezones westward! 😂 Clear skies! ✌️😁

Getting back into the hobby after more than 40 years since I last looked through a telescope. Enjoyed your video and look forward to more content from you.

I'm an old geezer too. Turned 67 this October. I have always been fascinated by what's out there beyond our Solar system. I just never got into the hobby. I'm impressed with what Hubble has done and even more impressed with JWST. I've thought about getting something but I don't want it to be low end and certainly can't afford high end. I have plenty of time now to look 'deeper' into the hobby. My main interests would be astrophotography. Thank you for this channel.

This video was awesome to watch thank you

Considering I haven't been able to STOP doing amateur astronomy since I was 10 years old (that was in 1993, for context), I think that answers the question for me.

I think someone just starting out doesn't necessarily need to worry too much about cost. You can narrow the budget right down by identifying what specifically interests you about the hobby, and focusing on that. For example, if you're particularly fascinated by meteors, lunar eclipses or (if you're lucky enough) the aurora borealis, it can cost you absolutely nothing at all. The Moon, planets and a wealth of deep sky objects can all be enjoyed and studied with just a standard pair of 10x50 binoculars, which can be bought for well under £50 second hand. Personally my favourite equipment for astronomy these days is an ancient pair of 7x35 binoculars, made in the Soviet Union. I think I paid no more than about £10 for them from a junk shop, and they are excellent for astronomy.

Great video I'm 67 and just getting started thank you for this introduction. I live in western Washington and have a old Bushnell 78-3650 reflector telescope. Looking forward to your other videos. And advice on telescope upgrades for fixed income seniors thank you clear skies!

you are great, man!

Great video Larry👍. I agree with you, Astronomy is the greatest hobby of all! There is nothing quite like it. It is literally out of this world! Clear skies to you

Loved the video and insta-subscribed! There's one more prerequisite: you need to be able to drive long distances to dark sites. I don't drive which is the major reason for my long hiatus from serious observing.

Nice video ☺️ looking forward to your experience and views on the subject 🙂and that is a great telescope 😊

Very Good Sir your a nice speaker

Nothing wrong with old school mate , good work .

Hello sir! I am brand new to astronomy, aside from doing a bit of star, moon and planet gazing through binoculars. I am looking to get into the hobby with my first inexpensive telescope, and have been looking for a channel like yours. I think your channel name is very good! Looking forward to learning from your experience! :)

I am just a few years older than you and just getting into the observational field. Took a few undergraduate courses in the late '60s after graduating from college, but have never had the time or funds to pursue it. I look forward to learning what you have to offer to the new devotee. Thanks for taking the time and effort to help educate those of us just starting out!

You sir are awesome and just got a new subscriber! I recently got a telescope that some people would call a hobby killer. However instead of killing anything, it made me want more! I don't know much about this hobby, but I can already see that your videos will help me out. I can't afford a bigger telescope (mine is 75mm/350mm cheap dobsonian), but I just ordered 12mm Plossl eyepeace (for the Moon, which is pretty much the only thing I can look at right now) to see what difference will it make. I heard that Huygens, which my telescope came with, are really bad.

Lots of great point for beginners Larry just found the channel.

First of all, I just want to say that as a rank beginner (it's after midnight, so it is Friday---I get my first telescope, a Hexium 70mm catatropic (sp?) with an az-alt mount today. Along with the mount for my Nikon D5200 DSLR, a moon/sky filter, and a 6mm eyepiece. Actually, two of those arrive Saturday, but we've got all clouds until tomorrow night, so it doesn't matter). Anyways, point is, I've learned FAR more from your tutorials than everyone else's combined. I'm not a beginner in photography (lightning and waterspouts, stereo aka 3D, intelligence gathering at air shows, and so on) - my first REAL camera (not just a box with a hole in it) was a Pentax 35mm back in '89, but my love of photography (and science, including astronomy, astrophysics, quantum physics, chemistry, marine biology, and more, all goes back to my early childhood. Point is, Yes, amateur astronomy and astrophotography are definitely for me. And with a 153+ IQ, I'm not crazy enough to think that I'll beat Hubble (or even Keck, Mt Palomar, etc.). NOT going to happen. But the second I get clear skies at night, I'm going out with my new (as of later today) Hexeum 50070 70mm with its moon/sky filter, and my 6mm eyepiece to see what I can see. I'd join the others donating, but my first cancer (2006--7) not only forcibly retired me, it also put me on disability, meaning I have about $15 left to buy food for the second half of the month ... when the first half cost close to $200...... Thanks to cancer #1, it all continues to go into the never-ending medical bills. Otherwise.... Just know that you have my sincere appreciation for the videos you do here. Apologies for any typos here....I've spent far more time than the damage from cancer #1 allows me to on tutorials, reading, etc., so my eyes are more blurry than the atmospheric distortion can do to a telescope (without applying the process Andrea Ghez used in finding the suppermassive black hole in the center of our (and other) galaxies) at Keck. My motto from during cancer #1 and now for all other challenges (this one included): Sun Tzu wrote: VI.2. Therefore the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him. --Sun Tzu, The Art of War, ca. 500 BC. 1910 Lionel Giles translation. I'll stop babbling now. :-) Thanks again

Nice to seeing you do this….and pass on the info.❤️🔭👍🏼

New subscriber here. Coming from doing astrophotography for around 2 years now, and hoping to learn more about astronomy in general, thanks for sharing your knowledge!

1:07 I know what you mean, I've been into this hobby since 1973 using a wide variety of equipment from opera glasses to a giant 400mm Dob and I'm still learning and seeing new things. In a subject as vast as astronomy I don't think anyone can ever be a expert.

I am very glad to have found your video, Larry, before I embark on the hobby. I've been wondering whether I am suited to astronomy and I appreciate hearing someone with your amount of experience lay out the traits that are needed. I see myself being a dabbler. But I'm sure many before me thought the same and a few years into it they are completely immersed. Thank you!

Agree. I personally like the thrill and marvel of actually seeing the real thing , live ( relatively speaking ). I appreciate the skill and patience that goes into astro photography , but I cannot get myself to justify the cost. I dont want to go down the equipment race rabbit hole. Also , and this is always in the back of my mind, you can find all the pictures you want. Someone , somewhere did a good/better job before you. First time I saw Saturn it was miniscule and marvelled at the fact that I could actually make out the rings. That was thrilling in itself.

No clue how this popped into my recommended, but a very nice surprise. Good to see someone so passionate about their hobby 👍

I'm just starting out. I've been learning the location of the constellations and planets among other things. The only downside up to this point is the lack of sleep. 😂

This is the content I’ve been looking for. This video was admittedly a bit too long for me (could have broken it down a bit), but you are a good speaker and seem like a good educator. Looking forward to watching your videos. Subscribed!

Old school and Boomer, nothing wrong with that. lol. Been an amateur astronomer for a few years and definitely still learning. Got my first telescope, the Celestron 102SLT and love it. Seems like since getting the scope, I am beginning to get into it even more.

Thank you Sir, you kept me captivated for the whole video.(i usually dont see 20 min youtube videos). I will be buying my first telescope today! .Also 5:14 SQUIRREL!!

5:15 squirrel crawling down from tree through the window behind on the left

lmfao old geezer? loved the video

Starts at 10:40

Hi, great video, Thanks. Watching in Essex England. I'm 54, been into this great hobby for about 1 year, I currently own the Heritage 130P. I think its a very good starter scope but get a little frustrated while scanning the sky aimlessly, not knowing where anything is ? start to get very cold then go in the house. I think a need a Goto but they are very expensive.

Video starts at 11:30

13:50 keep in mind the mosquitos and various bugs that want to take a bite out of you. Not fun. That to me was the worst thing about the hobby. Got tired of spraying Deet all over me every time.

You don't need permission to have amateur astronomy as a hobby. Get some star maps, a binocular and a cheap telescope and have at it.

Old Gayyyyyyyyyyzer