Ellijay amateur astonomers make supernova discoveries

ELLIJAY - Tim Puckett never went to college, but the self-taught astronomer has an observatory filled with computer-driven telescopes recording a thousand images a night of the star-studded sky. <br> <br> Despite the summer haze of the Deep South, Puckett and some friends have discovered 54 supernovas -- bright but short-lived pinpoints of light that mark the collapse of a distant star -- in the past four years. <br> <br> That&#39;s the most any group of amateur astronomers has ever found, according to the International Astronomical Union. <br> <br> Puckett, a 40-year-old heavy equipment dealer in the north Georgia town of Ellijay, says he&#39;s proud to be an amateur, pursuing his avocation for love, not money. <br> <br> Amateur astronomers are responsible for one-third of the more than 200 supernova discoveries each year. <br> <br> Supernovas contain a wealth of information about stellar evolution. As cosmic flashlights, the tiny points of light from distant galaxies could help astronomers figure out the rate at which the universe is expanding. <br> <br> Alex Langoussis, who works with Puckett, says hunting for supernovas is addictive. <br> <br> And Puckett suspects time may be running out for his supernova discoveries. In about ten years, most discoveries will be made by automated search programs. <br> <br> Meanwhile, Puckett is building his third telescope and is working to accelerate his team&#39;s discoveries. He&#39;s hoping to reach 100.