Amateur Astronomers

[Richard N]

Looking at the recent developments in professional astronomy with sophisticated all sky cameras and AI, I was wondering if amateur astronomers have any real scientific role these days? Can someone at home with modest equipment really do anything useful?

[JeremyS]

Very much so. That’s what many members of the BAA like to do. Have a look here for some examples: https://britastro.org/about

[lunator]

Hi Richard

There are still plenty of areas where amateurs can make a contribution.

Just 2 off the top of my head are variable star observing and measuring double stars.

I work in the latter area and this is almost totally an amateur astronomers area. This data is very useful in calculating orbits etc.

Cheers

Ian

 

 

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

Professionals cannot point their telescopes everywhere, all the time... Scientific data collection is still very much within the amateur realm as demonstrated above.

If you type in to Google (or any other search engine of choice...), 'Amateur astronomy discoveries', you will find a plethora of articles related to recent amateur discoveries of comets, asteroids, supernovas and the list goes on...

There's a good list of current amateur projects here; https://www.hobbyspace.com/Astronomy/astronomy2.html

I'm a relatively recent B.A.A.  member but the amount of excellent work undertaken by amateurs demonstrated in the journal is outstanding. I'm currently reading up on variable star observation. A contribution to science one can do with very modest equipment - binoculars.

[Richard N]

27 minutes ago, ScouseSpaceCadet said:

Professionals cannot point their telescopes everywhere, all the time..

I thought that they could indeed do that now, hence my question really. 

[pete_l]

36 minutes ago, Richard N said:

I thought that they could indeed do that now, hence my question really. 

Yes, they can. The LSST images the complete sky (or at least, what can be seen from Chile) with a 3 billion pixel camera, every three nights.

The HIpparcos satellite (1989-1993) surveyed over 100,000 stars and measures their positions with extreme accuracy. Also their brightness and motion. That work is continuing with the Gaia satellite looking at stars brighter than magnitude 20.

So imho, observational astronomy is basically "done", now. There might still be a few comets or asteroids that avoid detection by the industrialised, automated, $$$-million, telescopic searchers, that amateurs will find. But  not many.

What I do, I do for pleasure. I cannot speak for others.

[JeremyS]

1 hour ago, pete_l said:

Yes, they can. The LSST images the complete sky (or at least, what can be seen from Chile) with a 3 billion pixel camera, every three nights.

The HIpparcos satellite (1989-1993) surveyed over 100,000 stars and measures their positions with extreme accuracy. Also their brightness and motion. That work is continuing with the Gaia satellite looking at stars brighter than magnitude 20.

So imho, observational astronomy is basically "done", now. There might still be a few comets or asteroids that avoid detection by the industrialised, automated, $$$-million, telescopic searchers, that amateurs will find. But  not many.

What I do, I do for pleasure. I cannot speak for others.

Every 3 nights is not helpful for stars that vary on a timescale of minutes or hours. I collaborate with professionals on projects to observe cataclysmic variables that vary on these timescales. Many outbursts of these objects are also discovered by amateurs - as we the 3 recent novae that SGL members have been following.

In fact these large sky surveys are actually providing more work for amateurs to do, in follow up 👍🏻

[ScouseSpaceCadet]

4 hours ago, pete_l said:

Yes, they can. The LSST images the complete sky (or at least, what can be seen from Chile) with a 3 billion pixel camera, every three nights.

The HIpparcos satellite (1989-1993) surveyed over 100,000 stars and measures their positions with extreme accuracy. Also their brightness and motion. That work is continuing with the Gaia satellite looking at stars brighter than magnitude 20.

So imho, observational astronomy is basically "done", now. There might still be a few comets or asteroids that avoid detection by the industrialised, automated, $$$-million, telescopic searchers, that amateurs will find. But  not many.

What I do, I do for pleasure. I cannot speak for others.

Jeremy answered for me. Thankfully because he's far more qualified to do so! 😀

Back to the original question; with 'modest' equipment amateurs can still contribute to science. Whether that be with binoculars, mounted telescopes, automated observatories or using a computer and the internet to take part in citizen science projects like Galaxy Zoo.

 

[Voyager 3]

This will not be the last time for an amateur ...

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/amateur-astronomer-discovers-new-moon-of-jupiter/