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Astronomer Photographs Meteor Through Telescope

Posted by samzenpus on from the expensive-camera dept.

Matt Rogers writes "Amateur astronomer Mike Hankey may be the first person on earth to take a picture of a fireball meteor through a telescope. The picture has been confirmed authentic by numerous professional astronomers and asteroid hunters. This picture could possibly be the first of its kind. Taking a picture of a meteor is a very difficult thing to do, taking a picture of a meteor through a telescope is near impossible. The hunt is on in southern PA for the meteorites that broke away from this space rock. Using Hankey's picture, as well as security tape, meteorite hunters have been able to narrow down the crash site to a smaller area. Even with the trajectory roughly determined, professional meteorite hunters think finding these meteorites may be near impossible. However if they are found they will be immensely valuable and could be very large."

8 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. Re:"Amateur astronomer" and the audacity of plebes by smaddox · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This has to be the most pointless post I have ever read. Everyone knows what amateur astronomer means. What the hell are you complaining about? What do you suggest we call him? An amateur telescope user?

  2. Re:"Amateur astronomer" and the audacity of plebes by Black+Rabbit · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I think, given the first post to this story, he should be entitled to it.

  3. Burkina Faso? by quenda · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "The hunt is on in southern PA"

    Where on earth is that? Port Arthur? Burkina Faso?
    It it hard enough to keep up with computer acronyms, so I don't really want to learn all the world's postcodes.
    Please use English translation in the summary where possible. That also applies to "thru"(sic) :-)

    1. Re:Burkina Faso? by th1nk · · Score: 2, Insightful

      PA is the abbreviation for the United State of Pennsylvania, in the New England area of Northeastern U.S.A.

      I infer from your post that you have not graduated from a US grade school (not a bad thing if you are not a US citizen).

      PA is not in New England.

  4. Re:"Amateur astronomer" and the audacity of plebes by Toonol · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You're overlooking the fact that there is no reason an amateur can't be more skilled than a professional. While the average amateur is less skilled, there certainly are amateurs in nearly every field that put most professionals to shame.

  5. Re:Awesome. by qmaqdk · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ... and it's thirteen dollars. Plus, the whole thing is non-profit.

    https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/

    But, it seems, exclusive to the US. Know of anything similar in Europe and the rest of the world?

    --
    My UID is prime. Hah!
  6. Re:"Amateur astronomer" and the audacity of plebes by TheTurtlesMoves · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What rubbish. A good chuck of amateur astronomers are very "professional" in both training and practice. The professionals, ie the ones that get paid to do it full time, also work with the amateurs (often university graduate level education, its just not their day job) and do not feel minimized in any way.

    --
    The Grey Goo disaster happened 3 billion years ago. This rock is covered in self replicating machines!
  7. Re:"Amateur astronomer" and the audacity of plebes by ukyoCE · · Score: 2, Insightful

    "amateurs" are mostly hobbyists

    Yes

    Amateur implies a certain level of skill on par or slightly below professionals

    It implies, depending on field, a lack of resources and tools that professionals may have available. It does not imply a lack of skill or effort.