Astronomy is a gray-haired hobby?

[Unitron48]

You know how we complain on occasion about lack of young people in astronomy and blame it on light pollution, social media, smart phones, and what not? Well, I had an interesting conversation today with one of our astro club old timers.

My astronomy life is consistent with those expressed in the replies to Andrey's initial post. My interest started with Sputnik in 1957 when I was 9 years old (now 77). I got my first telescope in 1959 ( a 60mm, f/15 refractor). I won't bore you with the details of my interest for the next 50 years, but suffice to say I was in my 60's before I had the time and funds to dramatically expand my time and equipment.

For the last 15 years or so I have dedicated a lot of that expanded time to outreach programs to provide opportunities for young and old to enjoy the hobby we so much enjoy. Some outreach is more successful than others, but overall I find that the interest (or lack of it) crosses a wide range of ages.

That's pretty much all we can do to educate and encourage the general public...at any age.

Dave

[OzEclipse]

I caught the bug bad when I was 15 (1978). Built a 6" telescope that took 2 years to grind polish and make all the mounting and tube parts. It's still in regular use today, 47 years later. I was one of the founding members of the school astronomy club. I am still in touch with four others. Two work overseas and have not pursued astronomy, one is a rural doctor in Queensland and describes himself as still "dabbles" but seeing his Facebook page, I think it's more than dabbles. The fourth lives in Canberra and is a regular visitor out here with his telescopes. That same year, I joined the state astronomy association, the Astronomical Association of Queensland. At the time, each meeting would have 80-100 attendees of which perhaps 15 were under 20 and a similar number were between 20 and 40. Several of them are still my close friends and still avid astronomers. One of them is now a Professor of Astrophysics and Director of his University Dept. Some have fallen off the horse.

I moved to Canberra in 1985 and maintained my membership for a couple of years but then dropped it. Being a remote member wasn't engaging. I maintained many of my friendships over the years. Of course work and life got in the way but I never lost the passion and interest in astronomy even if I had limited time to do observing and photography. For most of 20 years, I restricted myself to reading a lot, and observing special events such as comets, lunar eclipses, and chasing solar eclipses all around the world.

One of the problems was not having a good observing site. I would huddle on roadsides hoping I'd never be bothered by passers by but it's not much fun. I dabbled with the idea of buying a house in a small village near Canberra or on the urban fringe. It was just well I didn't, all those villages are light polluted by Canberra now. In 2013, I made friends with someone who owned an observatory on a 20 acre property, 75km from my place in Bortle 2 skies. I began observing and doing astrophotography much more regularly on his property. Eventually, he gave me a key to the gate and a corner of the observatory to leave my 18" dob.

I rejoined the AAQ in 2012 and became more and more involved as they progressively moved to a hybrid operating model(meeting room and zoom attendance). Although the club is based in Brisbane and I live 1100km away, I have been an active member for 13 years, and this year went onto the committee for the first time since 1984. For the past couple of years, I have hosted a social chat on zoom for all the regional members after the main meeting.

After retirement in 2020, I purchased this property 130km from Canberra in lovely dark skies and have indulged in plenty of astronomy these past years. I get 70-75% nights with clear skies from September through to May and 50% nights with clear skies between May and August.

The AAQ currently has very very few young members compared to years gone by. A very keen 6 yo turned up to the last meeting. His father was there with him, he wasn't there with his father.

Online and not including TSS, I am in two large Aurora Australis groups and some Astronomy and astrophotography groups on Facebook. No shortage of young people in those groups.

Joe

[Agnes]

Hi everyone,

Searching for a different topic, cought my eye this discussion.
I am 56 (not entirely grey yet though ), but similar as most of you: started interested in astronomy when I was about 12. I found a book on the self of my parents, and after I finished it, I was hooked. Unfortunately financial situation did not allow me to have telescope, but for many years I have read everything I could get. I also wanted to become a professional astronomer, but unfortunatelly did not work out. I do have a degree though in a "sister" topic, geodesy, we had some astronomy lectures. And as many of us: life, family, children... I had my first telescope in 2006 and because my children were still very young, I did not use it very often. Since about 2019, when I bought my second scope and an equatorial mount I go out regularly. Only in our back yard with heavy light pollution, but I decided I do it anyway. About two years ago I decided to do an online course, and now I own a certificate in astronomy and planetary science. I enjoyed every minute of it although for me was also a bit of a shock to study again after many decades. (Now I can just recommend for everybody, it's a great brain training and confidence boost )
And about young people: my oldest daughter has enherited the love for space, and persue a carrier in aerospace enginering. Currently started her master in planetary exploration. :-). A little bit of a coincidence but one of my friends has a daughter, she is also graduated not long ago as professional astronomer. However, no other young ones in my environment who likes it.
I think, if young people are interested in astronomy, they become professionals (it is nowdays more available study than when I was young) or they are not interested in at all also not as hobby.

[sdbodin]

Wellll only four score years young now, and no grey hairs, I would agree that astronomy is more for the retired with some disposable income than the 'on-the-go' youngster. Basically a solitary hobby, one of peaceful relaxation in the night air. I started with a 60mm frac back in '56 from the middle of the city, graduated to a 6" Newtonian in the mid '60s, a 10" DK in the late '70s, a 17.5" Dob in the mid '80s, sprinkle in an 8" SCT and a couple home-brews from time to time up to my retirement bonus 16" Meade LX200 and roll-off in '06. So it is a life long hobby if you stay the course. Still have the bug, but, with the digital revolution in imaging, it has never been this good. Now I can 'see' those 1950s Palomar 200" galaxy pics from Nat Geo, that I drooled over, from my backyard and in full color too!

Not looking back, been a long journey,
Steve