I found this episode to be a very good round-up of what us amateur astronomers can do.

I'd love to be involved more in the science of astronomy. The best I have done is recording a Pluto occultation back in June 2006. Hoping to attempt another couple this year.

The problem I find is getting the time for it. For doing the work and for learning how to do the work. I run my scope automated but even that takes time - time to build the script, time to process images. Finding time for the steep learning curve of these science related areas seems impossible, I guess it would help to have someone local to bash ideas and progress about with. I also wouldn't want to consume lots of a pro's time trying to learn from them how to do the science, they'd have better things to do.

The galaxy one interested me quite a bit, because most of my photography is of PGC objects in the mag 14 - 21 range. It'd be interesting to hear more about that, if photographing galaxies could be combined with real science that'd be nice