The Plight of the Amateur Astronomer

The following is a brief reply to an '*Amateur* Astronomer' who sent me an e-mail about his struggle with the concern, that - as much as he loves astronomy - he had no business pursuing it, in fear that he didn't have any formal education and, therefore, that he couldn't, possibly, make any significant contributions to the field. I only wish I could have gone on, at length...

Matthew, I've been an astronomer for several decades, and I've just recently acquired a certificate in Astrobiology from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

I have done research in several areas, including the former Harvard SUNSEARCH extragalactic supernova search; I have monitored sandstorms and polar cap growth/shrinkage on Mars; I am co-discoverer of a supernova in spiral galaxy M66, and - was even one of the six astronomers, worldwide, to suggest the term, the "Great Expansion", as a replacement term for the "Big Bang", to the International Astronomical Union of Great Britain when they asked for suggestions, via "Sky & Telescope" magazine (it was accepted in 1992).

I have met and spoken with the late Dr. Carl Sagan, about one of his first books, attended many astronomy workshops, with people such as the theoretical physicist, Philip Morrison of MIT, and got in a one-on-one with, the late, Dr. Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of the planet Pluto.

I have sent my children's names to a comet, and to Mars, through the "Deep Impact" program at NASA. I have allowed the SETI Institute to use one of my computers to sift through time-series data from the Kepler Space Telescope, in its search for exoplanets, and, I have written an essay for the AAVSO of Cambridge, MA, for their webpage on exoplanets and the search for extraterrestrial life, under the heading, "The Stories Variables Tell"... do you actually think I could have done any of this, without some intense University, and lots of hands-on training at the various university observatories of the field? Do you think that - a mere 'amateur' - should be entitled to any of this?

You bet you are! - and I've done all that.

Moreover, other, more qualified amateurs have far surpassed anything I have done. But like you, I am an AMATEUR ASTRONOMER... and, like you - I'm lousy at math. I did all of that - and more - without any 'formal' training in astronomy, whatsoever. That certificate in Astrobiology came long after the fact.

But this isn't really about me. This is about YOU. YOU can do any of that or all of it. It will come with your desire, and passion, for amateur astronomy.

Dale Alan Bryant
Senior Contributing Science Writer

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Remembering Clyde Tombaugh While New Horizons Visits Pluto

On the afternoon of July 14, 2015, just hours after the first images from the New Horizons spacecraft were transmitted back to earth from its close flyby encounter with Pluto, a fond memory came back to me as I stared at the images of the dwarf planet. This memory I am writing about is the day I had the honor of meeting Pluto's discoverer, Clyde W. Tombaugh. The event took place on a crisp fall day back in the early fall of 1987. Mr. Tombaugh was the keynote speaker for AstroAssembly, an astronomy convention put on annually by the astronomical organization known as Skyscrapers, Inc. based in Scituate, Rhode Island.

Dale Bryant, Clyde Tombaugh, and Michael Petrasko 
at AstroAssembly - 1987

I was attending the convention with my good friend and current Insight Observatory Science Writer, Dale Bryant, as well as other members of the Cape Cod Astronomical Society. Dale and I attended nearly all of the morning and afternoon talks given by both professional and amateur astronomers. After the final talk was given before the dinner break, we ventured out of the society's clubhouse and suddenly found ourselves within feet of Mr. Tombaugh and his wife, Patricia. I recognized him immediately from pictures of the planet discoverer in astronomy books and magazines I had read growing up. I recall my reaction was that I was simply stunned accompanied by excitement. Not wanting to miss an opportunity for a picture, I asked Mr. Tombaugh if we could have a photo taken with him. He graciously replied, "That would be fine". At that moment a fellow member of our astronomical society, Rich Zitola, took a picture of Dale and me with the famous astronomer. For many years an enlargement of this picture has been a permanent fixture on my fire mantle.

As I studied the detailed images of Pluto on my computer while this wonderful memory came back to me, I couldn't help but feel a bit melancholy. I was thinking how much I wish Clyde was still around to experience these spectacular images with us of the planet he spent years looking for and finally discovered on February 18, 1930. It is only fitting that a small portion of his ashes was placed aboard the New Horizons spacecraft with the inscription on the container "Interned herein are remains of American Clyde W. Tombaugh, discoverer of Pluto and the solar system's 'third zone'.

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