However, amateurs span the range from so-called "armchair astronomers" to the very ambitious, who own science-grade telescopes and instruments with which they are able to make their own discoveries and assist professional astronomers in research.
haʊˈɛvɚ, ˈæmətʃɚz spˈæn ðə ɹˈeɪndʒ fɹʌm sˌoʊkˈɔːld "ˈɑːɹmtʃɛɹ ɐstɹˈɑːnəmɚz" tə ðə vˈɛɹi æmbˈɪʃəs, hˌuː ˈoʊn sˈaɪənsɡɹˈeɪd tˈɛlᵻskˌoʊps ænd ˈɪnstɹəmənts wɪð wˌɪtʃ ðeɪ ɑːɹ ˈeɪbəl tə mˌeɪk ðɛɹ ˈoʊn dɪskˈʌvɚɹiz ænd ɐsˈɪst pɹəfˈɛʃənəl ɐstɹˈɑːnəmɚz ɪn ɹᵻsˈɜːtʃ.