|
|
2016 There were no awards given that year.
2015 Walter Scott Houston Award - DENNIS di CICCO Dennis
di Cicco's famous award
winning photograph of the
Sun's analemma in the
1970s was a milestone in
his astrophotography
career. A long time
Stellafane devotee, he was
inspired to build his own
backyard observatory which
he would put to good use for
many decades to come.
He was recognized for his
observational talents in
1997 with the Astronomical
League's Leslie C. Peltier Award
for his significant
observations of minor
planets, lunar & planetary
astronomy, and general
astronomy. In 1978 he was
presented the Clifford W.
Holmes Award at Riverside
Telescope Makers
Conference Astronomy Expo
for his work popularizing
astronomy. 2014 There were no awards given that year. 2013 Walter Scott Houston Award - DR. KRIS LARSEN
Dr.
Kris Larsen is maybe best known to most
Stellafaners as the person who teaches
the Youth Astronomy Program at the
McGregor Observatory during the
Stellafane Conventions. I remember back
in 1995 when Dr. Larsen first started
these Astronomy Activities for Kids on
Saturday afternoon with
innovative crafts to teach children the
constellations. Over the years she has
expanded the program and this year at
Stellafane on Friday and Saturday she
will be teaching four different one hour
classes to children ages 5-12 at the
McGregor Observatory on the Solar
System, Starhopping, Phases of the Moon,
How Telescopes Work and "Phun with
Photons" illustrating diffraction and
lighting effects. It is very
significant to me that her vision back
in 1994 was to bring more children into
astronomy - and now already almost 20
years have passed for some of her young
students!
Dr. Larsen is also a highly prized
Astronomy Professor at Central
Connecticut State University, where she
teaches Cosmology, Planetary & Stellar
Astronomy, Earth Science and
Astrophysics and a course on
Contributions by Women to Stellar and
Galactic Astronomy. In addition she runs
observational programs including her
"Night Sky" workshops, Planetarium
events, and a "Partners in Science"
series for middle school students. She
is particularly known for her very
creative methods of incorporating
movies, science fiction & fantasy, rock
music and popular culture into her
educational efforts. Her books
and scholarly writings also strive to
bring science into the mainstream to
inspire more girls and boys to be
scientists in the future. Already she is
creating a new history. Her many
writing credits include the books
Cosmology 101 and Stephen
Hawking: A Biography.
She has also been very active in the AAVSO for many years as a council member, curriculum adviser, solar observer and frequent contributor of articles that are viewable on the AAVSO website. She recently joined the team as an Assistant Editor for the Astronomical League's 'Reflector' magazine. CLICK HERE to read the wording on the award. 2012 NERAL Special Service Award - BOB CARRUTHERS
Bob Carruthers of Bethany, CT is maybe best known to
Stellafaners for his use of recycled materials in
his Amateur Telescope Making. He has used bowling
balls, iron frying pans, rubber bladders, stainless
steel mixing bowls, joint compound cans and a host
of other materials in his innovative telescope
designs. The Mixing Bowl telescope was particularly
useful for handicapped observers, in that the
telescope could be rotated down to accommodate
wheelchair height, as well as for children too young
to climb ladders. Some of Bob's designs, such as
the bowling ball / frypan mount and diving board
focuser (a.k.a. the 'long arm focuser') were
highlighted in Sky and Telescope Magazine's 10 best
ideas in telescope making.
What many do not know about Bob is the many free
telescope making courses that he has taught all over
Connecticut, where he has passed on his zeal for ATM
and sidewalk astronomy. Bob is a past Vice
President and current Secretary of the Astronomical
Society of New Haven, a long time member of the
Astronomical League.
CLICK HERE to read the wording on the award. 2011 There were no awards given that year. CLICK HERE to read the wording on the award. 2010 Walter Scott Houston Award - JOHN BORTLE John Bortle of Stormville, NY is probably best known for the "Bortle Dark Sky Scale" to categorize light pollution. He has been to about 40 Stellafane Conventions, and has been extremely active in the AAVSO not only with his observations, but also as the editor of their newsletter for many years. He is also known for his Comet Digest in Sky & Telescope magazine, and has contributed a great deal of data on comets to International Comet Quarterly. As a prolific observer, author and astronomy educator and lecturer who knew Scotty Houston, we are very happy to present this award to this man who carries on Scotty's work so well. CLICK HERE to read the wording on the plaque 2009 Walter Scott Houston Award - METEOROLOGIST JOE RAO
Joe Rao is best known in the Greater NY Area as the Cablevision
Meteorologist who brings more than the weather to the public. His
great knowledge and love of astronomy are a frequent part of his
broadcasts and special news packages on Solar Physics and Light
Pollution. He has been an Associate and Guest Lecturer at New
York's Hayden Planetarium, and has made appearances at many
astronomy gatherings in the Northeast, US. He will be a speaker at
the upcoming National Convention of the Astronomical League known as
ALCON 2009 (www.alcon2009.org)
on Saturday August 8, 2009 at Noon at Hofstra University in
Hempstead, NY. His talk is entitled "Great Comets of the Last 400
Years."
Joe is a past president and now Lifetime Member of the Amateur
Observers' Society of New York, which is the group actually hosting
the ALCON 2009 Convention. The Walter Scott Houston Award will
be shown off at ALCON 2009 on Long Island, and will be 'officially'
presented to Mr. Rao at the Stellafane Convention a week later in
Springfield, Vermont. Besides being a great speaker, Joe also
emulates Scotty Houston as a prolific writer and observer, as
exemplified by his many articles, books, star parties and support
for astronomy education.
We are very pleased to give this award to this professional
meteorologist, who brings the zeal of the amateur astronomer to the
public at large through his use of the media.
CLICK HERE to read the wording on the plaque. 2008 Walter Scott Houston Award - MIKE MATTEI
We are very pleased to give this award to this innovative,
self-educated man who took the time to pass on his knowledge to so many
amateurs, while he worked alongside many professionals and researchers
in astronomy.
CLICK HERE to read the wording on the plaque. 2007 Walter Scott Houston Award - DR. DAN GREEN 2006 Walter Scott Houston Award - PAUL ANTHONY VALLELI 2005 Walter Scott Houston Award - DR. MARIO MOTTA 2004 Walter Scott Houston Award - BOB CRELIN
2003 Walter Scott Houston Award - DR. ARTHUR UPGREN 2001 Walter Scott
Houston Award - ANNA SUDARIC HILLIER |
Send mail to
arrien@optonline.net with
questions or comments about this web site.
|