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Due to a mix of limited financial resources and the boundless expanse of the cosmos, amateur astronomers are gaining more recognition for their crucial contributions to expanding our knowledge of the universe.
As home telescopes become more powerful and affordable, an increasing number of individuals are observing the night sky. Some of these amateur astronomers have made groundbreaking and vital discoveries over the years. Here are 10 of the most remarkable ones.
10. Michael Sidonio Identifies a Galaxy from a Farmer's Field in 2013
While capturing an image of the NGC 253 galaxy in a field near Canberra, Australia, in 2013, Michael Sidonio noticed an unfamiliar object in his photograph. Upon investigation, it was revealed to be a previously unknown galaxy, which, after confirmation, was named “NGC 253-dw2.”
This discovery holds significant value for scientists as the newly found galaxy appears to be in the process of being consumed by its larger neighboring galaxy. Examining this galaxy will provide scientists with tangible evidence that smaller galaxies contribute to the formation of larger ones.
The photograph was selected as a finalist in the Royal Observatory Greenwich’s 2013 Astronomy Photograph of the Year competition.
9. William Herschel Discovers Uranus While Still an Amateur Astronomer in 1781
Though William Herschel is now a renowned and respected astronomer, at the time of his 1781 discovery of Uranus, he was still an amateur in the field. In fact, he was earning his living as a music director with the Bath orchestra in the United Kingdom.
Herschel was examining the night sky in search of double stars when he stumbled upon an object that he initially mistook for a comet due to its “fuzzy disk” shape. After several nights of observation, he realized the object was moving too slowly to be a comet. Given its brightness, Herschel concluded that the object must be located beyond Saturn. This led him to the realization that he had discovered the farthest planet in the solar system at the time, and the first planet ever discovered that was invisible to the naked eye.
8. Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp Discover Comet Simultaneously in 1995
While Alan Hale held a Ph.D. in astronomy, he was still considered an amateur. Thomas Bopp, on the other hand, was a true amateur astronomer in the summer of 1995, working as a construction site manager. On July 23, their paths crossed when both independently discovered what would later be known as the Hale-Bopp comet—simultaneously but without knowledge of the other's discovery.
Both Hale and Bopp had been studying the M70 cluster. Each observed something new and unfamiliar, and within hours, they both realized it was a comet due to its motion. They promptly reported their findings to the International Astronomical Union’s Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams.
The comet’s closest approach to Earth occurred in 1997, and it will not return for another several thousand years.
7. Scar on Jupiter First Discovered by Amateur, Anthony Wesley in 2009
Using a telescope from his own backyard in Canberra, Australia, amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley observed a hole in Jupiter’s atmosphere approximately the size of Earth. This anomaly was believed to have been caused by a comet or asteroid colliding with the gas giant. Wesley sent NASA photographs of the ‘scar’ on Jupiter, and their advanced infrared telescope later confirmed the discovery.
Wesley mentioned that he had nearly packed up his equipment for the night before making the groundbreaking discovery. Instead, he decided to take a brief break, and upon returning to his telescope, he noticed the unusual feature. Interestingly, the discovery happened to coincide with the 15th anniversary of a previous comet impact on the planet.
642. Planets Discovered by Amateurs, Including Fifteen That Could Support Life in 2012
In late 2012, a group of amateur astronomers known as Planet Hunters made an astounding discovery of 42 previously unknown planets. Among these, 15 were found to be located in the Goldilocks zone—an ideal distance from their star that could potentially support life. One particular planet, PH2 b, is about the size of Jupiter. While it is probably too large to support life itself, there is speculation that some of its moons may be in the perfect conditions for life.
Planet Hunters have earned great respect in the astronomy community and received widespread recognition for their groundbreaking discoveries. Just months earlier, two of their members had made another equally momentous finding, one that challenged existing scientific theories.
5. Planet Hunters Discover Planet with Two Suns in a Quadruple Star System in 2012
In 2012, two amateur astronomers made an extraordinary discovery of a Neptune-sized planet that appeared to have two suns, residing within a quadruple star system. This marked the first time such a planet had ever been observed. While the multiple star system itself wasn’t especially rare, having a planet in orbit around it was.
Planet Hunter members Kian Jek and Robert Gagliano discovered the planet, named PH1, in October 2012. Its orbit around two suns has drawn comparisons to the fictional planet Tatooine from the Star Wars films.
The discovery was validated and confirmed by NASA and other prominent organizations, with experts remarking that the find compelled astronomers to 'rethink everything' regarding how planets form, behave, and exist in various environments.
4. Hanny Van Arkel Discovers Cosmic Ghost in 2007
In the summer of 2007, schoolteacher Hanny van Arkel was browsing galaxy images available online when she made a discovery that even the experts working with the Hubble Space Telescope couldn’t ignore.
She observed a luminous cloud of gas, which she described as 'resembling an irregular galaxy' but with a large void at its center. This discovery was soon dubbed a 'cosmic ghost' by astronomers and researchers, who were captivated by its peculiar characteristics. The phenomenon is thought to occur when a giant black hole erupts.
Her find was widely praised, especially by fellow amateur astronomers, who regarded it as a prime example of the invaluable contributions amateurs can make to astronomy.
3. Jupiter Impact Captured on Video in 2016
Though it's well known among scientists and professional astronomers that Jupiter frequently experiences impacts from comets and asteroids, two amateur astronomers managed to capture one of these events on video as it happened, providing additional data for future research.
One of the videos was filmed in Ireland, while the other was taken in Austria. Both were quickly uploaded to YouTube for public viewing. Once again, the two amateur astronomers were praised for their discovery, with their contribution to monitoring the night sky seen as essential to deepening our understanding of the universe.
2. Emmanuel Conseil Uncovers a New Christmas Star in 2015
On Christmas Day 2015, while utilizing the Slooh online observatory, amateur astronomer Emmanuel Conseil made a stunning discovery: a new star that would later be dubbed the 'Christmas Star' in media reports.
A nova occurs when a white dwarf star pulls hydrogen from a neighboring star, eventually triggering a nuclear explosion that sends material scattering through space. Conseil noted that the star was absent the previous day, Christmas Eve, suggesting that the explosion took place sometime on Christmas Day, effectively bringing a new star into existence.
The Slooh online observatory is stationed in the Canary Islands, and Emmanuel Conseil had previously utilized its telescopes to make a similar discovery.
1. Yellow Balls Discovered as Early Stages of Star Formation in 2015
In 2015, amateur astronomers from the Zooniverse project examined images captured by NASA’s Spitzer telescope and stumbled upon strange yellow orbs scattered across several of the pictures. They alerted NASA, which, after a thorough investigation, deemed the discovery a major breakthrough in space exploration.
The yellow orbs appeared to be the earliest phase of star formation—something that NASA noted had previously been missing from astronomical data. This discovery provides a breakthrough that will help scientists identify new stars as they form and deepen our understanding of how planets develop. Some researchers have even emphasized the critical significance of this finding, referring to it as the 'missing link' in astronomy.
