Hello Friend,

One of the most frustrating aspects of being an amateur astronomer is having your observing schedule
thwarted by mother nature.

It happen's all the time and since you can't control the outcome of the weather (especially on  the weekends)
the best observing and imaging solution is to go to where the clear skies are pretty much guaranteed.

That means, plan a trip to some dark sky location where the skies are consistently clear, and spend several
nights getting your imaging or observing fix.

Having done this myself, I can tell you it really helps shake the doldrums off.

The benefit of doing this is that you then don't feel you are completely missing out on your hobby and
the other thing is, that it creates a resurgence of interest, in what otherwise can lead to the common complaint
I hear all the time: "It's been cloudy, I have not been out in months".

True, this past winter was not one of the best for any clear skies.

 The opportunities were few and far between.
Of course, if you live in a dark sky area to begin with, it is much easier to take advantage of the opportunities.

If you own  a backyard observatory, it's a big step forward.   You are not lugging gear out and setting it up
all the time.  You could consider building one, or buying  a shed and converting it, or buy one of the 
commercial ones on the market.

You'll find as you get older, this does get harder to do.    Which is why you might want to consider actually
downsizing your instrument if you are finding it's a hassle already.

We do have a trade-in , or trade-up program as well so that is worth considering. Don't feel you are stuck
with your existing gear if it's no longer serving your purposes.
There is no point in it collecting dust.

As an example of current innovations in astronomy gear, did you know that he Celestron NexStar Evolution series
has a built in power supply (lithium-10 hour operation), so you don't need to go lugging a power supply around?
It also has built in wifi so you can control the instrument wirelessly with your smart device with the free sky portal app.

The optical tube also slides out of the fork arm, making it easiest to transport.  There are 3 sizes: 6", 8" and 9.25".
(Right now, we have the 6" Evolution on sale,  right here in our Daily Deals section.

So if you are finding that you just are not getting your gear out and using it as much as you used too, then
consider obtaining an instrument that you will use.  Even if it has lesser aperture.   If you use it, that in 
itself makes a big difference to your enthusiasm for astronomy.

Let's get ready for a great spring season!

Clear Skies,

Ray Khan