Re: [APML] Total Investment in Equipment

[Glenn Shaw <gshaw@alaska.net>]

In response to the message below, which asks the question if its appropriate to
discuss costs of investment in this hobby, I answer thusly:

My first 5 or so published astropictures in Sky And Telescope cost me round
about 50 bucks. On the other hand, my first "letters to the editor" of Sky and
Telescope cost me $29.50 plus $1.29 shipping for a 3 and one half inch reflector
telescope advertised in Popular Science. I got up at 5 in the mornign and
delivered papers in Butte, Montana at age round about 14 to earn money to buy
this.

I now know that this was way too much to pay to get into a hobby where you can
get publishable results.

A little t hinking and about $5 should get you into virtually any publication in
the world.

Sincerely,

Glenn Shaw

Glenn Ray wrote:

> Recent discussion about costs of CCD imaging versus film imaging has me
> curious about the average investment in this hobby.  This is relevant to the
> APML because I think it is important to correlate equipment cost to results.
> While it is equally important to discuss the investment in effort (time), I
> suggest that it be carried on in another thread.
>
> So, how much do you have invested in your astrophotography equipment?  I'm
> not suggesting you provide an itemized list, but it would be fair to include
> in your cost any and all items used to capture, process and publish your
> images.  If you have dedicated equipment (such as a laptop or scanner) that
> is only used for astrophotographs, you should include their cost in your
> estimates.  Conversely, if you have imaging instruments that are only used
> visually, you should not include their cost (ex. binoculars).  If you got
> equipment as a gift, inheritance, swap, estimate the fair market value.  If
> you built any equipment, add the cost of materials to an estimated cost of
> your labor (that's a tough one...fair market value may work as well).
>
> As I write this, I honestly don't know what my investment has been (since I
> started in early 1997).  I've acquired almost everything in ways *other
> than* purchasing new, but I'll put together an estimate and reply to this
> thread soon.
>
> Glenn Ray
> Cypress, Texas
>
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