California Center for Astronomy and
Astrophysics
Mission Statement
Who is an astronomer?
This question has been asked many times and will probably continue to be asked longer than any of us will be around. While I was a "Staff Member" at the Multiple Mirror Telescope Observatory (MMTO), this very same question was asked on many cloudy nights with just as many different answers given. While most agree that anyone that seriously studies the heavens to advance our knowledge of the cosmos is an astronomer, a line is drawn between the amateur and the professional. One overcast and stormy night, Professor John T. McGraw (then of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory) gave, what I believe, to be the best answer. He stated that: "Amateurs study the heavens because they love what they do. The professional does it because he is paid to. Most professionals are still amateurs. Unfortunately, a few are not." Which is the astronomer, the amateur that is doing what he loves, or the professional that is being paid, but long since has lost his love for his work?
There are a large number of men and women who have obtained their "credentials" in the fields of astronomy or astrophysics but are not currently working professionally in their chosen field due to a lack of jobs or insufficient funding. There are also many others with jobs in various fields (engineering, physics, communications, etc.) or those with support roles at the various research labs or the military that daily contribute to our acquired knowledge base of the heavens but are not considered professional astronomers.
This site is dedicated to all of the above!
The California Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (CalAstro) is not simply a physical location, but is a group of dedicated people with a place on the web. Its main purpose is to provide a common location to bring people with a common interest together and to disseminate information. It accomplishes this by providing an area for both the professional and amateur who wish to collaborate and publish meaningful research papers, technical papers, articles, etc., that either because of content or the lack of professional credentials, are unable to publish in the traditional journals. Though the original target audience was primarily located in the San Francisco Bay Area, its surrounding inland valleys, and greater Central and Northern California, the Center has grown and now encompasses all of California. However, CalAstro is open to ALL who wish to participate.
CalAstro is a place to learn. Learning can be accomplished in many ways. You may wish to contribute a paper or an article and from this gain experience in what is involved in getting your work published. You may wish only to read what others have contributed and learn from what they have to share. Or, you may choose to ask questions. An area is being provided for you to direct your meaningful questions to various, well respected scientists.
CalAstro is a place to get involved. You are heartily encouraged to join a local astronomical society or club. These are wonderful places where much can be learned and the friendships made there can last a lifetime. If you would like to share your experience (and telescope) with the public, be sure to visit the web site or our "associate" organization, BackYardAstronomy.org. They are the "Educational" and "Public OutReach" branch of CalAstro.
You are also encouraged to continue your education. No matter how old you are, you're never too old to go back to school or take classes. The web is also a place where there are many wonderful educational opportunities. For those that are still in school, stay there and complete your education. You have the rest of your life to gain practical experience.
For those amateurs that are already doing valid research work, you are encouraged to publish your work and share your data. Your work does no one any good if it is not shared.
For the professionals that are not currently working in their field, we encourage you to team up with an amateur or two. This makes a wonderful research team. It's amazing how much can be accomplished by a team, where a professional with credentials can submit a proposal and secure time on a larger telescope, while the amateurs do the bulk of the actual data collection. Everyone contributes and everyone puts their name on the research paper. There are numerous telescopes in the 20" to 40" range at many major observatories that sit idle much of the time because they are too small for many of the larger professional research projects!
If you are a working professional, using a few amateurs on you research team can save you considerable money and time. It could even inspire some new ideas or directions for your research. You'll be helping yourself by helping others.
Finally, for those that are not involved in any type of research, get involved! Look for some small way that you can contribute to an observatory or planetarium in your area. You can observe variable stars or objects in our Solar System with only the most modest of equipment and still make a valuable contribution to science. If this interests you, contact the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) or the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) to find out what you can do!
Be sure to check out our Projects page. We are always involved in a number of interesting, ongoing research projects in collaboration with other major institutions. We are always looking for new members to share in the research.
If you can't find any other way to get involved, please contact us! We'll help you find a way!
Get Involved today!
