This is my long answer... sorry it is mostly Supernova centric but can be applied to any amateur contribution to the science of Astronomy.
I am one of the six friends who started the BOSS team (Backyard Observatory Supernova Search) back in around 2008.
During many years of unsuccessfully visually searching for Supernova, I was fortunate to have as a friend and mentor the all time greatest visual Supernova sleuth Reverend Bob Evans (vale my friend). Bobs encouragement led to my moving to CCD imaging and building my own reference libraries of far Southern Galaxies - the key to BOSS success.
To-date BOSS have discovered 194 Supernova. We have contributed to the science of Astronomy, specifically Supernova through our collaborations with Professional Astronomers from Harvard, Purdue and Ohio State Universities and others around the world. We have made long friendships with several Professional Astronomers along the way. They have been very welcoming and keen for us to supply them with quick notification of these time dependent transients. To that end they have been very generous to include the BOSS team in the many science papers that have resulted from our discoveries and the science/follow up the professionals have conducted.
While the discovery of Supernova has now evolved (as it should) into the many Professional All Sky Surveys that have very high cadence, there is still work for the amateur, despite SN discoveries now being in the thousands per year. Look for your own niche. If its to be say Supernova hunting then it could be nearby bright galaxies and where possible LMC/SMC as they hold a lot of potential science value if you make a discovery. Learn how to discount known/unknown variable stars and minor planets. Whatever way you decide to go you MUST find/learn the process of how how to officially report/ post a discovery, often through the IAU (International Astronomical Union)... most discoveries be it Supernova, Comet, new Minor Planet, Variable Star etc. In the last week Stu Parker the leading discoverer in the BOSS team made our most recent discovery. Per the BOSS teams usual process of checking everything before we post anything, led to it's discovery first being posted on the Transient Name Server (the IAU official reporting site -
https://www.wis-tns.org/ ) by one of those Professional Surveys, this is now par for the course. In the wash up he/BOSS will likely be credited as an independent discoverer.
So what's on it for me (and you)? Well $ wise zilch, zip, nuthin (unless you discover a Comet...). But per your post and your curiosity and as Rudi has noted above (congratulations on your work Rudi!) YES there are still many opportunities that allow the amateur astronomer to contribute to the science of Astronomy and what a reward that is itself. The Amateur Astrophotography setups of today are more than adequate to meet such a quest. As I mentioned, find your niche that you will enjoy doing like we did in the BOSS team back in 2007-2008. Explore being part of a team if that interests you. Seek out where you are needed by the Professional Astronomers of today.
Ok, there are some rewards... please allow me a moment to be extremely proud of the BOSS team efforts. The 106 science papers that BOSS discoveries are credited/mentioned in. Being so very proud to have received the Page Medal in 2022 awarded by the Astronomical Society of Australia (the Professional body in Australia) for the BOSS team contribution to the science of Astronomy. Being noted in several prestigious Amateur Astronomy magazines over the years. That many of the worlds major observatories, both Earth and space based actually obtained data on our discoveries. The total surprise of having a minor planet (7527 Marples) with my name on it. The many friendships we have made. The fun/wonder and awe that I had doing this for many years - don't ever lose the fun part. Include/show family and friends what you are doing - this is really important.
The link below has made the huge effort in time so worthwhile for me. I am blown away whenever I see this ... one of my personal discoveries (with Greg Bock) for the BOSS team, catalogued as SN 2016adj in NGC5128 (Centaurus A / Hamburger Galaxy) would lead to the Hubble Space Telescope imaging the Light Echo from our discovery.
Another way I like to think about it...a discovery made by 2 amateur astronomers imaging a close by galaxy, some 12 million Light Years away with its hidden secret spilling into modest equipment in a roll off roof, tin shed observatory in the suburbs of Brisbane, Australia, that we would be the first on Earth to witness, would then lead to the Hubble Space Telescope obtaining data for the video below!
So in answer to your question.. then Why not You?
You can watch the video of the Light Echo from SN2016adj put together by Judy Schmidt here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwuVXtIU0isSome other links:
www.bosssupernova.comhttps://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=7527&view=VOPhttps://astronomytechnologytoday.com/2018/07/12/boss-supernova-search/https://astronomytechnologytoday.com/2017/06/07/6699/Page Medal 2022:
https://www.scienceinpublic.com.au/media-releases/asa-media-releasehttps://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/asassn/Cheers,
Peter Marples
