LOXLEY, Ala. — It may be the oldest science. Go out, far from city lights on a clear moonless night and look up.

What you will see is breathtaking. Stars, nebulae, galaxies. It should excite the imagination.

And while there are plenty of men and women who are professional astronomers, a number of important discoveries are made by amateur astronomers, working from their own backyards. Astronomy may be one of the few sciences where an “amateur” who works hard, and has a bit of luck, may make discoveries that professionals will be writing about for years.

For example, David H. Levy is a Canadian astronomer and science writer who co-discovered the comet, Shoemaker-Levy 9. That comet collided with Jupiter in 1994. Levy holds degrees in English literature.

Those are the shoes that Austin Page, 15, of Loxley has stepped into. The young astronomer gave his first presentation and demonstration at the Loxley public library last week.

“What’s the closest body to us?” asked Page.

The youngsters were a little confused, and answers of “the Sun” and “Mars” drifted up.

The answer, Page replied, is the Moon.

“It shines by reflected light from the Sun,” he explained “It only reflects about seven percent of the light.”

He added that “the Moon has lots of interesting features that you can see with a small telescope.”

Page explained the use of a telescope, and then brought his audience outside to view the sun.

Warning the youngsters “Never to look at the Sun with the naked eye, telescope or binoculars or anything else.” (The Sun is powerful enough to cause permanent eye damage) Page pointed his telescope at the sun and invited the youngsters to view an image of the star projected on a white sheet of cardboard, a safe way of observing solar activity without the use of special filters and other equipment.

“If you drove to the Sun, it would take you about 150 years,” said Page.

Page says he got interested in astronomy “three or four years ago.”

The home-schooled youngster hopes to become a Marine fighter pilot.

“I find (astronomy) interesting,” said Paige. He added that he’s not a comet hunter.

“I like the Moon, Page said, adding that there are many interesting features on the Moon that even first-time viewers will enjoy seeing.

He also likes the planet Saturn.

“That’s fairly high in the West right now,” he said, adding that Venus and Mars are visible in the predawn sky to the East.

Page is a member of the Escambia Amateur Astronomers’ Association. The group sponsors several events, including a “Summer Sky Observation” at Fort Pickens, Fla., Friday, July 17, 8 to 10 p.m.; Friday, August 14, 7:30 to 10 p.m.: Friday, Sept. 18, 7 to 10 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 16, 6:30 to 10 p.m. For more information, go to the group’s Web page, eaaa.net.