Until recently, if you had asked me to describe
what I would have envisioned an astronomer to look like, I probably
would have given you two alternate pictures; the first would be
the academic or professional astronomer-aided by grants, funding
agencies, university budgets, and access to the latest technology
in the field. The other astronomer, then, would be the "amateur"
astronomer: the wide-eyed observer whose sole passion in life
is to design, build, and use telescopes of their own creation.
While I am certain that both of these stereotypes exist, I was
surprised to discover that there is indeed a third type of astronomer,
namely the "serious amateur." The serious amateur falls
somewhere in between my two previous categories; while the professional/academic
astronomer would classify an amateur as "anyone who has not
earned a graduate degree in astronomy...," the serious amateur
would more likely view his or her non-professional status as a
result of "...not earn(ing) his or her living from watching
the skies." [1]
Nonetheless, with the aid of recent developments in astronomical
technology, a serious amateur astronomer now has the ability to
aid professional astronomers by observing unrecorded (or underrecorded)
stellar objects. Indeed, the present comet Hale-Bopp was simultaneously
discovered by both a professional and a serious amateur astronomer
alike.
Therefore, in this article I would like to
outline some of the new technological advances and new relations
between serious amateurs and professional astronomers, give some
examples of the "new" astronomer, and then analyze the
changing role of the astronomer--including both the roles of the
professional and of the serious amateur.
The Discovery of Hale-Bopp: Amateur's
Luck?
Unless you have been living under a rock for
the past few months, you probably have heard something about the
comet Hale-Bopp. Aside from the "Heaven's Gate" hysteria
and the millennium nay-sayers, there is another story about this
bright comet of which most people are unaware; although most people
could guess that Hale-Bopp was discovered by two different astronomers,
Alan Hale and Tom Bopp (hence the hyphenated name) , Mr. Bopp
is actually not a professional astronomer. In fact, he made his
discovery while in the Arizona desert with a couple of friends
at what amateur astronomers call a "star party."
Born in 1949, Tom Bopp has always been interested
in astronomy but, oddly enough, never made his hobby a full-time
profession. After graduating from high school, he went straight
into the US Air Force, where he was stationed in the Philippines
and made a number of observations concerning the "green flash
phenomena." After his Air Force tour, he finished up his
education at Youngstown State University and got his degree in
(no fooling) Business Administration. Although a member of the
"unofficial" North Phoenix Alternative Astronomical
Society, Bopp himself does not own a telescope and was actually
using his friend Jim Stevens' 17-1/2" Dobsonian reflector
(read: telescope) when the discovery was made. In effect, Tom
Bopp is what the scientific community would call a "serious
amateur" astronomer, someone who is genuinely committed to
the field without fully devoting his or her life to its study.
As it stood, the discovery of comet Hale-Bopp
was primarily a case of being in the right place at the right
time; Alan Hale, founder of the Southwest Institute for Space
Studies, has spent more than 400 hours the skies seeking to discover
a comet while Tom Bopp was merely "looking up in the sky."
Nevertheless, the implications of this discovery are evident:
the line between the amateur and professional astronomer is blurring.
Fifty years ago, research-oriented astronomy was monopolized by
well-endowed universities and various remote observatories; today,
an astronomical enthusiast such as Bopp has the ability to play
an active role in the advancement of the science, rather than
passively positioned beneath the professional astronomer. In the
case of comet Hale-Bopp, the marriage of amateur and professional
scientist was consummated, and--for now--there is little worry
about the longevity of the relationship.
The Divisions Within Amateur Astronomy
In order to understand the importance of the
distinction between amateur and professional, it is beneficial
to put the study of astronomy in its historical perspective. Since
the beginning of time, astronomers have always been able to find
a niche in their society; the inexplicability of the night sky
has captivated philosophers, theologians, and scientists alike
for thousands of years, each finding their own meaning in the
stars. In the present age, this same wonderment can be found within
the modern-day field of astronomy.
While governmental programs, academic grants,
and billion dollar astrophysics labs are the usual methods by
which most astronomical work is performed, recent technological
breakthroughs have introduced new and improved ways for amateur
astronomers to participate in the scientific research process.
Inherent to the field of astronomy is state-of-the-art technology--and
lots of it. Prior to the age of the personal computer, deep sky
research--requiring telescopes and equipment which no single amateur
could afford on his or her own budget--was reserved only for "professional"
astronomers or astronomers whose job was to observe and analyze
astronomical data.
Amateur astronomers were, for the most part,
glorified "hobbyists" who shared a common interest in
the night sky and kept abreast with the latest topics in astrophysics.
Amateurs had little interest in analytical research primarily
because they were rarely (if ever) exposed to the technology and/or
education necessary to contribute to the field. In addition, most
serious amateurs do not live in ideal observational conditions
(i.e., city-dwelling amateurs must contend with tremendous light
pollution which, until recently, was impenetrable to most amateur
equipment) , and this was enough of a deterrent for most astronomers
from conducting serious analytical research. [2]
However, due to a number of revolutionary
developments in personal computer technology and digital imaging
(an advanced star-mapping technique) , amateur astronomers are
now gaining access to the outer regions of the universe never
before explored by the non-professional scientist.
Digital Imaging: Gateway For New
Amateur Research
Before diving into the specifics of digital
imaging, it is necessary to briefly explain the history of sky
photography. Initially, astronomers mapped the universe purely
by sight, drawing up star charts by hand; Tycho Brahe, a famous
astronomer of the 1500s from Denmark, made all of his observations
without even the aid of a single telescope. [3]
In the late 19th century, the invention of emulsion-based photography
marked the beginning of a new era in astronomy: astroimaging.
Then, in the mid-1970s "the world of
imaging changed. CCDs appeared, and though having a very restricted
field of view, these silicon chips offered efficiencies 10, 20,
and even more times that of photography." [4]
In other words, digital imaging opened up a whole new expanse
of the universe previously unknown to astronomers. Needless to
say, CCD chips (the actual technology which makes digital imaging
possible) single-handedly changed astronomical research forever;
nevertheless, up until the late 1980s, CCDs were all but unavailable
to the non-professional astronomer. Within the past decade, technology
has advanced at such a quick rate that it is now possible to purchase
a quality CCD outfit for around $2,000--still not accessible to
everyone, but definitely within the price range of a typical serious
astronomer. So what does this all mean?
For starters, amateurs who have the opportunity
to use digital imaging in their astronomical study will be able
to get results comparable to many professional observatories (which
was virtually unheard of only a decade ago). What was once impossible
for amateurs to photograph is now simple with the aid of digital
imaging. CCDs also give the amateur astronomer new areas to explore
which most professional will never get the chance to map. Since
observatory time is so precious (and therefore expensive) , most
professional astronomers are limited in their research parameters;
as a result, much of the sky is unmapped out of neglect. As more
amateurs break into the digital imaging revolution, these area
can be mapped, and--hopefully--new discoveries will be made from
these observations. As Bernd Koch notes in a recent issue of Sky
and Telescope, "During the 1980s backyard observers chalked
up about 20 extragalactic supernovae. That number has more than
doubled in the first six years of this decade, and most of the
new finds were captured by CCDs." [5]
Without question, the digital imaging revolution has already
had a profound effect on the field of amateur astronomy, and,
with CCD prices steadily falling, more and more serious amateurs
will be able to contribute to astronomic research than ever before.
From Backyard Astronomer to Deep
Sky Researcher
One of these serious amateurs is David Skillman,
a Maryland engineer for NASA who, in his spare time, studies and
records the progress of binary star pairs--two stars which rotate
around each other in short, recordable cycles. While many other
backyard astronomers make similar observations, Skillman's research
is unique because he is part of a network named the Center for
Backyard Astrophysics, a group of thirty amateur astronomers who
collaborate their efforts and work with Colombia University professor
of astronomy Joe Patterson.
The relationship between Patterson and the
CBA is a good example of a successful symbiotic relationship between
amateur and professional astronomy; while Patterson receives data
from the CBA's observational patterns, the amateurs are afforded
the opportunity to take part in cutting edge astrophysical research.
As noted before, this relationship is essential for large amounts
of data collection; while Patterson could potentially find other
professionals to help him with his research, most of his peers
are too consumed in their own work. Amateurs, on the other hand,
can be used as "hired mercenaries" whose grunt work
goes toward legitimate study within the science of astronomy.
As a cohesive unit, Patterson and the crew of amateurs work diligently
each night, following the path of a single binary star and then
transmitting their data over email--another technological advancement
which has revolutionized the interaction between independent astronomers
around the world. [6]
As CBA member Tonny Vanmunster notes, "It's
not a one-way conversation where we just feed him the data."
[7] In fact, Dr. Patterson has the utmost respect for amateur
astronomers because of their unique personal involvement within
the field. Unlike professionals, who often spend little actual
time observing, the CBA members have tremendous technical ability
because they are accustomed to their own instruments. In this
way, the serious amateur astronomer has risen from a marginal
position of relative authority within non-scientific communities
to an active contributor to the advancement of astronomy and astrophysics,
reshaping the conception of the amateur astronomer/scientist.
Conclusions
Amateur astronomy is currently in a boom trend
of sorts, not the least of which can be attributed to the arrival
of new technology. CCD imaging is only the beginning of the digital
revolution in astronomy, and with time, more "hobbyists"
may have the opportunity to become actual "researchers"
in the scientific sense. At present, amateur astronomy is still
a highly costly "hobby," and serious amateurs are still
an "elite" few; realistically, the amateur astronomer
must, if not graduate from college with an undergraduate degree
in astrophysics, at least have taken a good number of courses
within the field of astronomy. They must also have the funds to
support their interests; travel expenditures (if their locale
is not remote enough from light pollution), the cost of a telescope,
CCD equipment, and a personal computer are all necessary in order
to keep up with the technical standards of fellow researchers.
Though research astronomy is opening up its doors to new faces,
it is still relatively difficult to maintain "amateur"
status while investing vast amounts of time, energy, and money
researching with professionals.
Nevertheless, this is what science is all
about. In fact, astronomy is one of the few sciences which respects
amateurs within the field; other disciplines, such as biochemistry
or chemistry, have little room for non-professionals among their
ranks, largely due to the scarcity of necessary research equipment
(which also happens to be exponentially more expensive than any
astronomical outfits mentioned above) . In effect, astronomy is
special in that it can bring the general public closer to scientific
research than any other science--observational, theoretical, or
otherwise.
As far as the relationship between the serious
amateur and professional astronomer, I believe that the future
collaboration of efforts between the two will not only be beneficial
but also necessary for the continuance of astronomical research;
as Margaret Geller expressed during a recent lecture given at
Wesleyan University aptly titled "So Many Galaxies, So Little
Time," it is not the concepts of astronomy upon which we
stumble, it is the sheer magnitude of the data which we seek.
As more and more serious amateurs involve themselves in true scientific
research (as opposed to mere backyard enthusiasm) , astronomy
is bound to grow steadily and continue its quest for scientific
knowledge, enlisting new faces along the way.
Works cited
