Amateur astronomy is a discipline that has gained great importance in the development of this science. Many of the discoveries in space are not only made by professional astronomers working in large observatories; supernovae, clusters and comets, among other things, have been captured by amateurs who, with simple instruments and a lot of patience, make important contributions. To enter this area, a telescope or expensive accessories are not essential. This hobby starts with curiosity and interest in the cosmos, and in that sense, the most valuable tool for exploring the sky is our own eyes.
The beginning of a hobby
What is a star? Where do comets come from? Is there life outside our planet? How big is the Universe? If you have asked yourself these questions more than once when looking at the night sky, or if your curiosity has led you to investigate more about the subject, this is probably the beginning of this great hobby. Astronomy is one of the few sciences within the reach of anyone who is interested in knowing more about the stars, simply because the “working material”, the sky, is always available to us (of course, if it is not cloudy!). This gives us the possibility of approaching this science with a high degree of professionalism and seriousness, without necessarily having an academic degree.
There are groups of amateurs dedicated to collaborating in scientific research. Many astronomical discoveries and contributions in the 20th century have been made by amateur astronomers, highlighting: the discovery of Pluto, pulsars, the 1987 A supernova, famous comets such as Hale-Boop, Hyakutake, Shoemaker-Levy 9 and several asteroids. In addition, amateurs have records of comets and supernovae discovered, the latter with home-made telescopes. The hobbyist has left his name engraved in the cosmos with these discoveries, and you can do it too.
How does the amateur practice astronomy?
The amateur practices observational astronomy by recording data in detail. To do this, it is essential to know how to scrutinize the sky, using basic notions of celestial orientation. It is necessary to keep track of the observations and, if possible, also a graphic record (drawings or photographs). As already mentioned, it is not essential to have a telescope or binoculars, although many people use them for their observations. Observation is preferably carried out in dark places and far from light pollution, such as the desert or the countryside, but the backyard can also be your "center of operations"!
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