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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
Mike Mattei has been an active observer for many decades and a member of
ALPO and AAVSO. He worked at Harvard Observatory's Agassiz Station (now
Oak Ridge Obs.), and met his future wife (Dr. Janet Akyuz Mattei 1943
-2004) at AAVSO. He became very active in optics and amateur telescope
making, and later went professional, specializing in the fabrication of
aspherical optics at Space Optics Research Labs, and Optical Systems and
Technolgy Inc (O.S.T.I.). There he worked on optics for space
exploration such as an Ultraviolet Telescope for Goddard Space Flight
Center. Eventually Mike was asked to join the staff at Lincoln Labs to
work on special Government 'Star Wars' projects using Laser Imaging
Optical Radar Systems. He also worked at MIT's Wallace Astrophysical
Observatory. He taught courses at University of Hawaii and spoke at
local club events Mike is possibly best known for his hundreds of
nights teaching beginners the art and craft of mirror making at the
ATMoB workhop in Westford, Massachusetts. He still works full time at
Lincoln Labs, and continues to spend his nights searching for Novae for
the AAVSO in his home-built observatory in Littleton, MA.
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
Dr. Dan Green is best
known for his professional work as Director of the Central Bureau for
Astronomical Telegrams, and his work with comets, he is also the principal
founder of the New England Light Pollution Advisory Group (NELPAG). The
awareness of the problem of light pollution in our region has been greatly
influenced by the efforts of the NELPAG group. Dr. Green also helped revising
the draft Massachusetts Outdoor Lighting Bill, which we hope will be passed in
the not too distant future.
CLICK HERE to read the
wording on the plaque.
2006 Walter Scott Houston Award - PAUL ANTHONY VALLELI
Paul Valleli has done so very
much for the art of amateur telescope making, and has been a mentor to many
opticians, amateur and professional alike. He has helped preserve our history,
written articles, and been active in the Astronomical League for many years,
having even served as a past NERAL Chairman. Paul is known to many as one of
Stellafane's finest optical judges for many years, and he helped pass on the
judging tradition that is still in use today at the Stellafane Convention. He
has been a professional optician himself for many years, and some of his
handiwork has been sent into deep space...
CLICK HERE to read the
wording on the plaque.
2005 Walter Scott Houston Award - DR. MARIO MOTTA
Mario Motta is an amateur
telescope maker (32 inch), observatory builder, an observer/educator, a light
pollution warrior (NELPAG), and a physician.
He is a member and past president of the ATM's of Boston.
CLICK HERE to read the
wording on the plaque.
2004 Walter Scott Houston Award - BOB CRELIN
Ever hear of The
Glarebuster? Bob Crelin helped Bradford, CT get a light pollution law. He's an
author, educator an avid amateur.
CLICK HERE to read the
wording on the plaque.
2003 Walter Scott Houston Award - DR. ARTHUR UPGREN
Art Upgren helped
Stellafane and many others with his famous dark sky studies. He is an author
and professional astronomer.
CLICK HERE to read the
wording on the plaque
2002 Walter Scott Houston Award - SUSAN ROSE
Sue Rose has been
president of the Amateur Observers Society of NY for many years. She is a great
leader in many ways.
CLICK HERE to read the
wording on the plaque
2001 Walter Scott
Houston Award - ANNA SUDARIC HILLIER
Anna Hillier was Historian
for many years for the ATM's of Boston.
CLICK HERE to read the
wording on the plaque
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