---
title: "Amateur astronomy"
chunk: 3/4
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amateur_astronomy"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:13:07.303431+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

=== Mobile apps ===
The advent of mobile applications for use in smartphones has led to the creation of many dedicated apps. These apps allow any user to easily locate celestial objects of interest by simply pointing the smartphone device in that direction in the sky. These apps make use of the inbuilt hardware in the phone, such as GPS location and gyroscope. Useful information about the pointed object like celestial coordinates, the name of the object, its constellation, etc. are provided for a quick reference. Some paid versions give more information. These apps are gradually getting into regular use during observing, for the alignment process of telescopes.

=== The internet ===
The popularity of imaging among amateurs has led to large numbers of web sites being written by individuals about their images and equipment. Much of the social interaction of amateur astronomy occurs on mailing lists or discussion groups. Discussion group servers host numerous astronomy lists. A great deal of the commerce of amateur astronomy, the buying and selling of equipment, occurs online. Many amateurs use online tools to plan their nightly observing sessions, using tools such as the Clear Sky Chart.

== Common techniques ==
While a number of interesting celestial objects are readily identified by the naked eye, sometimes with the aid of a star chart, many others are so faint or inconspicuous that technical means are necessary to locate them. Although many methods are used in amateur astronomy, most are techniques that are adaptations of core practices.

=== Star hopping ===

Star hopping is a method often used by amateur astronomers with low-tech equipment such as binoculars or a manually driven telescope.  It involves the use of maps (or memory) to locate known landmark stars, and "hopping" between them, often with the aid of a finderscope.  Because of its simplicity, star hopping is a very common method for finding objects that are close to naked-eye stars.

== Imaging techniques ==

Amateur astronomers engage in many imaging techniques including film, DSLR, LRGB, and CCD astrophotography. DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) cameras, such as the Canon EOS 60D camera, provide a cost-effective, consumer-grade alternative to CCDs, capable of achieving ideal outcomes for MAD (median absolute deviation). LRGB produce high-quality, cleaner images, allowing amateur astronomers to acquire fine color detail by combining a RGB color images and greyscale images. CCD cameras are widely used due to their fast exposures, sensitivity, dynamic range, less hardware, and linear response, allowing amateur astronomers to capture vague celestial objects. Because CCD imagers are linear, image processing may be used to subtract away the effects of light pollution, which has increased the popularity of astrophotography in urban areas. Narrowband filters may also be used to minimize light pollution.

== Light pollution ==

In recent times, increasing light pollution, radio interference, and satellite activity have had a negative effect on the outcomes of amateur astronomers' observations and work, limiting their potential contributions or findings of scientific discoveries. Urban lighting has had particularly detrimental effects on amateur astronomers by light trespass compromising their observatories and ruining the correct lighting conditions for photographic observations.

== Scientific research ==
Although not the main goal of amateur astronomers, scientific research is possible, and many amateurs successfully contribute to the knowledge base of astronomy.  Astronomy is sometimes promoted as one of the few remaining sciences for which amateurs can still contribute useful data.  To recognize this, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific annually gives Amateur Achievement Awards for significant contributions to astronomy by amateurs.
The majority of scientific contributions by amateur astronomers are in the area of data collection. In particular, this applies where large numbers of amateur astronomers with small telescopes are more effective than the relatively small number of large telescopes that are available to professional astronomers.  Several organizations, such as the American Association of Variable Star Observers and the British Astronomical Association, exist to help coordinate these contributions.
Amateur astronomers often contribute toward activities such as monitoring the changes in brightness of variable stars and supernovae, helping to track asteroids, and observing occultations to determine both the shape of asteroids and the shape of the terrain on the apparent edge of the Moon as seen from Earth. With more advanced equipment, but still cheap in comparison to professional setups, amateur astronomers can measure the light spectrum emitted from astronomical objects, which can yield high-quality scientific data if the measurements are performed with due care.  A relatively recent role for amateur astronomers is searching for overlooked phenomena (e.g., Kreutz Sungrazers) in the vast libraries of digital images and other data captured by Earth and space based observatories, much of which is available over the Internet.
In the past and present, amateur astronomers have played a major role in discovering new comets.  The introduction of projects such as the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research and Near Earth Asteroid Tracking projects has meant that most comets are now discovered by automated systems long before it is possible for amateurs to see them.

== Societies ==

There are a large number of amateur astronomical societies around the world, that serve as a meeting point for those interested in amateur astronomy. Members range from active observers with their own equipment to "armchair astronomers" who are simply interested in the topic. Societies range widely in their goals and activities, which may depend on a variety of factors such as geographic spread, local circumstances, size, and membership. For example, a small local society located in dark countryside may focus on practical observing and star parties, whereas a large one based in a major city might have numerous members but be limited by light pollution and thus hold regular indoor meetings with guest speakers instead. Major national or international societies generally publish their own academic journal or newsletter, and some hold large multi-day meetings akin to a scientific conference or convention. They may also have sections devoted to particular topics, such as lunar observation or amateur telescope making.

== Notable contributions by amateur astronomers ==