Newest comet named for Saskatchewan man

A Saskatchewan man became a celebrity in the world of astronomy when he became only the third amateur Canadian ever to discover a new comet.

Computer consultant Vance Petriew was at a "star party" this weekend, gazing at the night sky with fellow astronomy buffs when he spotted what he thought was a galaxy.

So he asked party-goer Rick Huziak to take a look.

"After I looked at the telescope I immediately thought it was a comet," Huziak said.

Petriew's find was reported and confirmed within a day by Alan Hale, co-discoverer of 1997's Hale-Bopp comet.

That means Petriew gets to take credit for the find.

"To know my name is on a space rock up there floating around the sun...it's great," says Petriew.

Professional astronomers say it's remarkable that Petriew located the comet using an amateur telescope.

"Almost all of them have been discovered by space craft or other expensive instruments," says the University of Saskatchewan's Stan Shadick.

Petriew says he's just happy that one day his descendants will be able to look into the night sky and know their name could be floating on by.