TUCSON, Ariz. (MARCH 23) AP - An amateur astronomer has discovered his fourth
comet in four years after going 19 years without spotting one. 

''I'm getting much more persistent about it, and I'm becoming much more
single-minded about it,'' said David Levy, a research assistant at the
University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, whose latest discovery
came last weekend. 

''I take advantage of almost every opportunity to search for comets.'' 

The find was confirmed Tuesday by Brian Marsden of the International
Astronomical Union, who said Levy now has more new comet sightings than any
other living U.S. amateur. 

The comet was designated Comet 1988e - signifying it is the fifth comet
discovered this year. Levy said he spends between one and four hours each clear
night scanning the skies with one of his dozens of telescopes. 

He has been searching for comets for 23 years. After 19 years without a find,
he co-discovered Comet Levy-Rudenko in 1984. In January 1987, he spotted the
first comet of that year. 

Levy built a 6-by-8-foot wooden platform atop his home last October to get a
better view of the horizon. Three days after its completion, he spotted his
third comet. He said he found his fourth comet about an hour before dawn on
Saturday, just above the horizon. He was using a 16-inch telescope.