The world of astronomy is much bigger than picture taking and data gathering. I would like to suggest a number of other activities. The first is public outreach. By this I mean the events that reach out to large segments of the non-member public, like the Harmmon's, SPOC, and This-is-the-place, as well as the parties held at schools and summer camps. What happens is that after the crowds start to thin out, you will have a few people who stay on because they have a question in the back of their mind. These people with questions about astronomy are the ones who are actively learning. Helping them to find the answers is the best investment in the future of this great hobby. They are always very grateful when you can help them with their questions in a relaxed one-on-one environment. Many of them will return at a later date with an even better question hanging over them. You can see it in their expression, the way they stand, and how they approach you. People with questions about astronomy are a joy to be with. The second is armchair astronomy. By this I mean reading about the science of astronomy itself beyond the usual focus on telescopes and other gear. I own astronomy gear as part of my ongoing interest in the science of astronomy. You can read books in the comfort of your home even during a raging blizzard. There are several levels of astronomy books. Many are aimed at the beginner and are fairly thin, many are gear related and thus off the main topic, some have a focus on historical events and figures and just a smatter of the science. College textbooks are a great; they are focused on the science and often a step up from the usual amateur fare. Graduate level textbooks are fantastic, but the assume you have the basics already, you may have to do some math. The third is to understand the math behind the science. It's a challenge to wrap a middle aged mind around an interesting concept the leads you into a set of equations. Terms like "e,q,i,a,b,Q" have precise meaning and they are all related with formulas within reach of high school sophomores. Add in a few sines and cosines and your ready for a handheld calculator. Crunch some real numbers into the formulas and the come alive with information about the real world. Move up to a spreadsheet like XL and you can crank out serious data. It's fun to take some number from the observer's handbook and prove it true yourself. The surface gravity of the sun is easily solved for from the radius of the sun and earth and the mass of each. Newton had to invent calculus in order to produce his famous equations. Learning Calculus is not that hard, college freshmen can do it. Doing so opens up a whole new world of understanding in astronomy. DT ____________________________________________________________________________________ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ