For Release: March 13, 1995

George Diller
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
205/544-0034

RELEASE NO: N95-22

NOTE TO EDITORS/NEWS DIRECTORS: AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS SUPPORTING SPACE SHUTTLE AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL INTERVIEWS.

Amateur astronomers across the country are helping astronauts aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour take full advantage of the three Astro-2 ultraviolet telescopes in its cargo bay during this record 16-day astronomy mission to study the "invisible universe."

A network of about sixty amateur astronomers are watching the skies through their own ground based telescopes looking for cataclysmic events, such as exploding stars, that could help researchers unravel the mysteries of the universe.

They are passing information on their observations to a team of researchers on the ground in the STS-67/Astro-2 mission control center in Huntsville, Ala., where decisions are made on what objects the Shuttle-based observatory will study.

Astro-2 astronomers are particularly interested in observing these events in the ultraviolet since it provides key information about stellar evolution. This research must be done from space because ultraviolet light from the stars does not penetrate Earth's atmosphere.

The amateur astronomers supporting the mission are members of the American Association of Variable Star Observers.

Amateur astronomers supporting the mission are in your area. For information, contact George Diller or Dave Drachlis at the Astro News Center at the Marshall Space Flight Center at 205/544-0034.

B-roll on this story including interviews with Astro-2 researchers about the importance the support from the amateur astronomers, is available to television stations.