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I don't know what the final definition of a "scientist" is, although there are some good posts on here about it.

I consider myself an "amateur scientist".
I love the stars, I'm frequently out on clear nights with either my telescope, or my binoculars hunting for comets or anything unusual. I have a number to call if I find something, but going on 30 years now of observations, and I haven't yet.....I stress yet. I WILL find a comet that will, at least partially, have my name on it.
I have a computer monitored weather station with a UV meter and a recently upgraded atmospheric Geiger counter. I also have a magnetometer that keeps track of the local geomagnetic field - it's cool for when Earth gets hit by a coronal mass ejection or just a lot of solar wind to watch how much the mag field gets deflected.
And some other scientific equipment (microscopes, and what not).

So AM I a scientist? Well, I don't get paid to monitor this stuff, I do it for the sheer fascination I have with the universe around me. But using monetary gain as a guide is wrong I guess.
I'm just happy with my amateur status.

<blockquote data-quote="exo_doc" data-source="post: 115293" data-attributes="member: 815">I don&#039;t know what the final definition of a &quot;scientist&quot; is, although there are some good posts on here about it.I consider myself an &quot;amateur scientist&quot;.I love the stars, I&#039;m frequently out on clear nights with either my telescope, or my binoculars hunting for comets or anything unusual. I have a number to call if I find something,&nbsp; but going on 30 years now of observations, and I haven&#039;t yet.....I stress yet. I WILL find a comet that will, at least partially, have my name on it.I have a computer monitored weather station with a UV meter and a recently upgraded atmospheric Geiger counter. I also have a magnetometer that keeps track of the local geomagnetic field - it&#039;s cool for when Earth gets hit by a coronal mass ejection or just a lot of solar wind to watch how much the mag field gets deflected.And some other scientific equipment (microscopes, and what not).So AM I a scientist? Well, I don&#039;t get paid to monitor this stuff, I do it for the sheer fascination I have with the universe around me. But using monetary gain as a guide is wrong I guess. I&#039;m just happy with my amateur status.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="exo_doc, post: 115293, member: 815"] I don't know what the final definition of a "scientist" is, although there are some good posts on here about it. I consider myself an "amateur scientist". I love the stars, I'm frequently out on clear nights with either my telescope, or my binoculars hunting for comets or anything unusual. I have a number to call if I find something, but going on 30 years now of observations, and I haven't yet.....I stress yet. I WILL find a comet that will, at least partially, have my name on it. I have a computer monitored weather station with a UV meter and a recently upgraded atmospheric Geiger counter. I also have a magnetometer that keeps track of the local geomagnetic field - it's cool for when Earth gets hit by a coronal mass ejection or just a lot of solar wind to watch how much the mag field gets deflected. And some other scientific equipment (microscopes, and what not). So AM I a scientist? Well, I don't get paid to monitor this stuff, I do it for the sheer fascination I have with the universe around me. But using monetary gain as a guide is wrong I guess. I'm just happy with my amateur status. [/QUOTE]

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