Discovery in my boyhood

 Wow, a comet! This might be a new comet. I was excited on the spot. I found that comet in the Big Dipper trying to observe M101 using 5 cm binocular. It happened in the summer vacation at age 13.
The sole sources on astronomy at that time were monthly astronomical magazines and I had no friends to rely on, since I live in a remote village. I thought it probably would be a known comet, because it was bright one with a tail. At any rate, I decided to contact the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory (renamed as “The National Astronomical Observatory of Japan” at present) on the phone on the next day.


     
 Comet Kobayashi-Berger-Milon                      A 5 cm binocular that "discovered" C/1975 N1 Kobayashi-Berger-Milon
  Aug. 3 1975, 200 mm F4
  A bright star somewhat upper center is Mizar
  Photo: S. Murakami

 I belonged to a field and track club in junior high and went for training during the vacation. I made a phone call to the Observatory from a public phone at the school before the practice. I told a staff the position of the comet with my heart beating fast and he replied, “It has been already discovered.”
This four weeks late “discovery” of C/1975 N1 Kobayashi-Berger-Milon led me to a resolution that I try to find new comets. Then, I built a 10 cm comet-seeker whose mirror I began to polish just before the “discovery”.

To discoveries' page

Home