Hmm, I consider amateurs "real" astronomers too.  Quite a few of them have 
engaged in very professional appearing observing programs and anytime you 
spend a lot of time under the stars examining the various things in the 
Universe, that sounds like real astronomy to me.  Just because you don't try 
and quantify things and apply physics to understand what you're seeing 
doesn't disqualify you in my opinion.....  I'd say real astronomy definitely 
includes teaching too!

Jim.

On Wed, 6 Jul 2005, Bill Nolan wrote:

> Nope, only one "real" astronomer that I know of.  I teach beginning students
> about things that the real astronomers discover.  I don't do any actual
> astronomy myself, unless you count my amateur observing.
>
> Bill

Lunar & Planetary Laboratory
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721 USA                 http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/~jscotti/
____________________________________________________________
Az-Geocaching mailing list listserv@azgeocaching.com
To edit your setting, subscribe or unsubscribe visit:
http://listserv.azgeocaching.com/mailman/listinfo/az-geocaching

Arizona's Geocaching Resource
http://www.azgeocaching.com