Robert Evans - amazing visual observing skills

[Paz]

I'm reading an old astronomy book and came across the mention of a visual observer Robert Evans who has single handedly discovered a large number of supernovae over time using mostly 10" and 16" scopes by memorising a huge number of star fields  astronomer and checking them for changes by eye and using memory only. I've found something online here...

https://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/supernova-champ-makes-40th-find/

Having been a visual observer for a few years now this kind of feat is amazing, it must take a huge amount of skill and effort to achieve.

I've come across some visual observers who have achieved a lot in other fields such as comets and double stars but didn't realise people  could be so successful on this front also.

[niallk]

There's a nice little section on him in Bill Bryson's very enjoyable 'A Short History of Nearly Everything' - pretty amazing

[Merlin66]

Bob is still alive and well.

My hero.....I did almost five years of visual SN. Search to work with Thomson to do his SN search charts and can appreciate Bob’s tremendous skills and abilities.

A wonderful special person.