Alan MacRobert

FOCAL POINTWanted: SkywatchersiiXXrHO WATCHED the forms of W the clouds over this part of the Earth a thousand years ago? Who watches them today?" Times haven't changed much since Henry David Thoreau wrote these words more than a century ago. Perhaps one in 10 of us today possess what I call an...

focal pointYou're an Astronomer? What's Your Sign?I'LL BET there's not an astronomer alivewho wouldn't like to have a clear night for every time he or she has heard that one.Astrology how could anyone be idiotic enough to mix that up with astronomy? Yet it happens again and again. I remember the...

FOCAL POINTIn Defense of Casual AstronomyThe press has run a lot of stories lately about the "serious" side of amateur astronomy. There seems to be growing respect for the quality of amateurs' work, and that's good. But is the emphasis on promoting amateur research good for astronomy as a hobby?...