SETI public: Timothy Ferris on the contributions of multiple amateur astronomers

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7. Readers' Opinions: 'Seeing in the Dark,' by Timothy Ferris
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The Reading Group is discussing Timothy Ferris's tribute to
amateur stargazers. One reader considered Ferris's argument
that amateurs are making genuine contributions to the field
of astronomy: "Ferris describes quite clearly the way modern
technology has enabled amateurs to observe better and further
than they have in the past. And he makes the point that for
many things it really pays to have large numbers of observers
looking at the heavens instead of just the few who can peer
through the very best and furthest-seeing instruments. I have
seen less in the book, however, about what difference all the
observations are making in the field of astronomy, i.e. what
their significance is. In fact, I would be interested in
hearing what the major questions of modern day astronomy
really are. I am sure they are not merely cataloguing or
being the first to see new things, exhilarating though those
can be."

http://forums.nytimes.com/top/opinion/readersopinions/forums/books/marchreadinggroupseeinginthedark/index.html?8bu>

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