Wrong.... the message below is from the Father, my friend Paul Gray (I am the owner of the observatory taking the images). "People can believe what they like but I tell you when you see reporters shake their heads at how well the kids explain what they do and how they do it you know its for real. As for my kinds and astronomy, i never forced feed any of it on them. They simply went with the family to star parties and when they ask questions, i take the time to answer them. Kathryn asked to SN hunt becuase of Caroline Moore who at age 14 found a SN. I simply was a route to Kathryn getting to try it for herself. If not for Caroline, Kathryn would not have done it, and if not for kathryn, Nathan may have never wanted to try it either. Several thousand images later....Kathryn and Nathan each have one SN and each are still looking!" And the telescope is running tonight... see @AbbeyRidgeObs on twitter - a cool live twitter feed from the scope.

The summarized story includes an old link to a new story about Nathan sister discovering her first in January 2011. Just google "nathan gray" supernova for better coverage of the current story. --- Dave Lane, Abbey Ridge Obs

I really cannot believe the "garbage" that is getting posted here as comments to this news item. And no, I'm not just a "reader" ... I am part of the story as it is my backyear observatory that provides the images, both for Nathan and for his sister Kathryn and before that for others. We have discovered 5 in total. Providing opportunities for youth in science is one of the things I do - in this way and in many others ways (but principally through astronomy. What have you done today with your energy for the betteremnt of future scientists and technology professionals? (oh, of course, you trashed an achievement made by a bright kid that through this attention will probably have a brighter future, despite the critics. --- Dave Lane