Why do Japanese amateurs seem to be so good at discovering comets, new asteroids, and super novae?
There is sometimes the perception that the skies of Japan must somehow be different. Reality, of course, is that increased urbanization has continued to encroach upon observation sites. Too, rain and humidity can often discourage even the most diligent of observers in Japan. However, a few things probably contribute to the success Japanese amateurs have had in the past few decades. Not all areas of Japan are necessarily light polluted, despite what satellite photographs show. There are indeed (especially in Fall and Spring) nights of steady though not necessarily the darkest of skies, all of which, however, find many amateurs out looking, even in the depths of cold. Many will drive two to three hours to relatively light pollution free zones. As can be seen in reports of amateurs in the astronomical literature of Japan, many observers simply have great tenacity and patience together with a long tradition of observation, respect, and appreciation for celestial phenomena. Probably most im
