Donald Machholz
Donald Edward Machholz | |
---|---|
Machholz examines his 18" reflector telescope | |
Born |
Donald Edward Machholz October 7, 1952 Portsmouth, Virginia |
Nationality | American |
Known for | Comet discoveries |
Spouse(s) | Michele Machholz |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Astronomy |
Donald Edward Machholz, born October 7, 1952 in Portsmouth, Virginia, is an American amateur astronomer and science writer who is the most successful living visual comet discoverer in history. Credited with the discovery of 11 comets, that include the periodic comets 96P/Machholz, 141P/Machholz, the non-periodic C/2004 Q2 (Machholz) that were visible with binoculars in the northern sky in 2004 and 2005, and most recently, C/2010 F4 (Machholz).[1][2] In 1985, comet Machholz 1985-e, was discovered using a homemade cardboard telescope with a wide aperture, 10 inches across, that gave it a broader field of view than most commercial telescopes.[3] Amateur astronomer Machholz utilizes a variety of methods in his comet discoveries, in 1986 using 29×130 binoculars he discovered 96P/Machholz.[4]
Machholz is considered to be one of the inventors of the Messier marathon, which is a race to observe all the Messier objects in a single night.
Awards and honors
- 1978 Tuthill Comet Award Roger Tuthill for discovering Comet Machholz (1978L)
- 1985 Tuthill Comet Award Roger Tuthill for discovering Comet Machholz (1986e)
- 1986 Tuthill Comet Award Roger Tuthill for discovering Periodic Comet Machholz 1 (1986e)
- 1994 Walter H. Haas Award Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers
- 1995 Machholz was the recipient of the G. Bruce Blair Medal
- 2000 Peggy Haas Service Award Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers Service to Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers
- 2005 Edgar Wilson Award Harvard's Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for discovering Comet Machholz C/2004 Q2
- 2010 Edgar Wilson Award Harvard's Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for discovering Comet Machholz C/2010 F4
- Asteroid 245983 Machholz, discovered by Kazimieras Černis, was named in his honor in November 2017
Authored
- The Observing Guide to the Messier Marathon: A Handbook and Atlas
- Decade of Comets: A Study of the 33 Comets Discovered by Amateur Astronomers Between 1975 and 1984
- An observer's guide to comet Hale-Bopp: Making the most of Comet Hale-Bopp : when and where to observe Comet Hale-Bopp and what to look for
Personal life
In 2014 he married photographer and astronomer, Michele Machholz and they reside in Arizona.
References
- ↑ Gus Thomson (March 30, 2010). "Patience leads to new comet discovery by Colfax amateur astronomer". Auburn Journal. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
- ↑ Roger W. Sinnott (March 27, 2010). "New Comet Machholz". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved March 30, 2010.
- ↑ Associated Press (June 16, 1985). "Amateur Astronomer Nails Down His Second Comet". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ↑ Alan MacRobert (December 2, 2008). "A Very Oddball Comet". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
External links