Those who do not regularly star gaze are not sure what to make of those who do. I assure you, we are quite normal (more or less), and there are more of us than you think. I found out how many early when I joined the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada back in the 70s. The RASC has roots back to 1868, but has been ‘Royal’ since 1903. It’s a national, non-profit charitable organization with over 5,000 members consisting of “amateurs, educators and professionals.” Anyone can join.
Many would wonder why someone would ever want to take up a hobby where most of your time is spent in the cold and dark, trying not to freeze one’s eyeball to a metal tube, while rational people are warm and sleeping. Mental illness aside, there is no simple answer.
It usually begins with a fascination with the Earth’s neighbourhood; the fact that we are drifting about on a small blue ball amid many much larger and far stranger things. However, astronomy is one of the few sciences where the line between amateurs and professionals has become very blurred. The pros may have the expensive tools, but they are few and can’t compete with the sheer numbers of well-equipped, knowledgeable amateurs. Recognizing each other’s strengths, pros and amateurs regularly cooperate on research projects.
Amateur astronomers contribute the vast majority of scientific data regarding the changes of star brightnesses, and are involved in projects to calculate orbits of stars in multiple star systems and searching for planets around other stars. Amateurs are often the first to report the stellar explosions known as supernovae. In August of 2001, Regina computer consultant Vance Petriew discovered a comet that now carries his name. Asteroid 4143 Huziak was named as an acknowledgement of my Saskatoon-based younger brother’s years of contributions to the field of astronomy. Collacott Subdivision on the western edge of Yorkton is home to one of a network of University of Saskatchewan fireball cameras designed to track shooting stars and help locate fallen meteorites. The current President of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada lives in Melville.
We’re everywhere.
Amateur astronomy is carried out by people with other jobs and other lives who have a common interest in a science that encourages both serious research and just looking around. The beauty of it is that whatever your choice, you need go only as far as your own back yard.
