When Canadian astronomer Paul Hickson published his survey of compact galaxy groups in 1982, he was driven by his interest in their dynamical peculiarities and their role in galaxy evolution. Before the century was out, however, he found himself a soughtafter guest and lecturer among amateur astronomers who gathered with their telescopes under dark skies to observe his groups visually. Amateurs' interest in Hickson's catalog was emblematic of the new direction the hobby was taking as scientific information and largeaperture telescopes were becoming more accessible.
展开▼
