Named for The Astronomer, a British magazine in which active amateur astronomers publish and discuss their observations. Founded in 1964 by James Muirden as The Casual Astronomer, the magazine has developed over the years to include rapid discovery announcements and many other initiatives by the current editor, Guy Hurst {see planet  (3697)}. The search programs for novae and supernovae and the observational programs for cataclysmic variables initiated through the magazine have been most successful. The subscribers include many of the most active and talented amateurs in the U.K. and overseas. The discoverer’s own interest in observational astronomy was spurred by TA. (M 29671) _ _.