Episode 6: Amateur Astronomy- the next generation?

Amateur Astronomy - the next generation? In the 1960s and 70s
astronomy did not have the competition from computer games,
internet and TV. That apparently is what is keeping the young
people away from participating in astronomy. Guy Fennimore,
secretary of the Society for Popular Astronomy (SPA), suggests that
astronomy is not the only victim and describes the SPA’s “young
stargazers initiative”. Roger Pickard, the president of the British
Astronomical Association, recounts the days of committed amateurs
who made the telescopes they used and asserts the ongoing strong
relationship between amateur and professional astronomers. This
recording took place at Astrofest 2008, apologies for the
occasional noisy background.