By then he was famous enough in the amateur astronomy world that some other amateur astronomers raised money to send him to Vanderbilt to study astronomy.

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"It's no exaggeration to say that Patrick, in his tireless and ebullient communication of the magic of astronomy, inspired every British astronomer, amateur and professional, for half a century, " said Queen guitarist Brian May, who holds a PhD in astrophysics.

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This approach has proved particularly fruitful in astronomy, a science with a long history of amateur contributions.

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