Kyle - That a boy! A good response. Being an adult, when I mention astronomy  most adults respond with, "Oh really" or something similar. I guess in school, things are different with so many kids glued to their computers, cell phones,etc. Anything they are not familiar with gets the "geek" or "freak" label. A belated to you and wishing you many clear, dark skies, Mr Q

I am 31 and I got into astronomy recently. My only regret is that I did not get into this when I was younger. I think I receive more looks of admiration than weird looks when I tell people about my hobby.. (or is it how I think it is? :)  ) Anyway, keep at it. It is a great experience.

Wow, there's quite a few young people here into astronomy. I wish I had gotten into it way back when, think of what I'd know now. I've had my scope for less than a month and am very much in the fumbling around stage. I'm 42 and way past caring what anyone else thinks of my leisure pursuits.

Well i'm thirteen. Lots of kids at school think I'm weird too whenever I talk about astronomy so i keep my mouth shut about it.

I'll be 49 next week, I've had my scope for 1 day now,

Don't be scared of talking about or sharing the things that you enjoy.  Working in the public school system with just about every age group there is and now working with Head Start which is preschool-aged kids, any of them only make fun of what they don't understand or taunt the ones doing what they themselves would like to do.  I know as a kid in junior high, peer pressure can be a real booger.  I guarantee that if you would just get one or two of those that make fun of you to go out one night with you and your scope, they would change their minds pretty quickly.  After a while you would have others wanting to get in on the action.  Just like a snowball rolled down a hill.  Granted, not everyone would get into it and there would still be those unwilling to have an open mind.  Their loss, and now they will be in the minority.

I'm 42.  My daughter is 10.  We've had a XT 8 only a month or so, but both of us are more than slightly interested in this hobby now.  my daughter doesn't have the patience I have, but she hangs in there.  I thought I may have ruined her at the last star party we went to.  We didn't get home until 3:30 a.m.  I know that it's not that late, but to a 10 year old, she was wiped out.  But, to her credit, she was all kinds of mad the next night when the rain rolled in and we couldn't set up to do some viewing.

Like other posters have said, kids aren't the only ones that can cause grief.  My wife has stated that a lot of money was spent to see things we could have seen in a book with a lot less effort.  She did not get into M81, M82, M13, the double star in the handle of the Big Dipper nor any of the few other things we can find at this point.  Oh yea, Saturn, Jupiter or Mars either.  I haven't given up on her though.  I'll keep working on it until she hopefully at least somewhat appreciates what my daughter and I are doing.

Kids need something to do.  Something to keep their minds busy.  Video games, texting and by far the worst, drugs are not the way to go.  Video games and texting are O.K. as long as they're not used in excess.  Astronomy is not only visual, it makes a person use the brain God gave them.

I'm getting old enough not to care what people think about what I'm doing.  As long as what I'm doing is legal.LOL  I know that's a hard mindset for a teenager to have, but try.  One day those doing the taunting will be those wanting to copy your homework because they were too cool for all that nerdy stuff that might have taught them something.

That got a little long.  I'll get down off my stump now.  Sorry!

i am new to astronomy and i think its great that i can talk to people who enjoy the same hobby as me.i get funny looks too when i tell people i like astronomy but it doesn't bother me. i have a brother in law who is interested in astronomy so he helps me a lot but i haven't got a telescope yet so i have a lot more to learn and discover! i am 24

I am 13

 Leroy37 - 13? WOW! From reading your posts, I would have guessed 20s or 30s with a decent education. I guess there IS hope for our future with kids like you out there.

 I'm 61 and if only I could be 13 again.....   Enjoy your youth - it only comes once 

I've been into astronomy since my mom taught me the constellations when I was around 10, but didn't have the means to do anything about it until I was in my 20s.  Now at 45 my wife just thinks I'm nuts, but that's ok too.

Oh, and it's been my experience that all those people that give you funny looks will be the first to line up at your scope when you have something to show in it.

I have been interested in Astronomy since the fifth grade and now that I am in college, I am actually majoring in a form of Astronomy.  I am 18 now. 

 Good luck Raine!

 I'm 37.

 It doesn't get any better.  One of my best friends always looks at me weird when I start talking about the night sky, or some other astronomical topic.  And I'm 60 years old!!!!!

I'm 54.