Donald Machholz
Donald Machholz | |
|---|---|
 Machholz in November 2019 | |
| Born | Donald Edward Machholz October 7, 1952 Portsmouth, Virginia, U.S.[1] |
| Died | August 9, 2022 (aged 69) Wikieup, Arizona, U.S. |
| Occupation | Amateur astronomer |
| Years active | 1970–2022 |
| Spouse |
Michele Machholz
(m. 2014) |
Donald Edward Machholz (October 7, 1952 – August 9, 2022) was an American amateur astronomer who was credited with the discovery of 12 comets that bear his name.
Personal life and death
[edit]In 2014, he married photojournalist Michele Machholz. They resided at the Stargazer Ranch in Wikieup, Arizona. [1]
Machholz died in the early morning of August 9, 2022, at his home in Wikieup, Arizona, from complications of COVID-19.[2][3][4] His obituary at Astronomy stated, "In the years leading up to his death, Machholz was considered the most prolific visual comet discoverer alive."[3]
Career
[edit]He spent more than 9,000 hours comet hunting in a career spanning over 50 years.[1][5] These comets 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, C/2010 F4 (Machholz), and C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto)[6][7] 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.[8] Machholz utilized a variety of methods in his comet discoveries, in 1986 using 29×130 binoculars he discovered 96P/Machholz.[9]
Machholz was one of the inventors of the Messier Marathon, which is a race to observe all the Messier objects in a single night.[3]
Asteroid 245983 Machholz, discovered by Kazimieras Černis, was named in honor of Machholz in November 2017.[10]
Comets discovered
[edit]- 1978 Comet Machholz (1978l)
- 1985 Comet Machholz (1985e)
- 1986 Comet 96P/Machholz
- 1988 Comet Machholz (1988j)
- 1992 Comet Tanaka-Machholz (1992d)
- 1992 Comet Machholz (1992k)
- 1994 Comet Nakamura-Nishimura-Machholz (1994m)
- 1994 Comet 141P/Machholz 2
- 1994 Comet Machholz 1994r
- 2004 Comet Machholz (C/2004 Q2)
- 2010 Comet Machholz C/2010 F4
- 2018 C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto)
Awards and honors
[edit]- 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
- 2017 Asteroid 245983 Machholz discovered by Kazimieras Černis was named in honor of Donald Machholz in November 2017
- 2018 Edgar Wilson Award Harvard's Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for discovering Comet C/2018 V1 Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto
- 2021 Leslie C. Peltier Award Astronomical League for the visual discovery of 12 comets and contributions to astronomy
Books
[edit]- 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
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Joe Rao (August 17, 2022). "In Memoriam: Famed 'Comet Hunter' Don Machholz dies at 69". Space.com. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ "Famous amateur astronomer Donald Machholz died". The Universe Space Tech. August 8, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
- ^ a b c Parks, Jake (August 10, 2022). "Donald Machholz, comet hunter and co-inventor of Messier marathon, dies at age 69". Astronomy. Archived from the original on August 12, 2022. Retrieved August 15, 2022.
- ^ "Don Machholz, 1952–2022". EarthSky.org. August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 11, 2022.
- ^ Joe Rao (August 12, 2022). "Remembering Donald Machholz, 1952 - 2022". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Amateur Astronomer Nails Down His Second Comet". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. June 16, 1985. Retrieved December 29, 2016.
- ^ Alan MacRobert (December 2, 2008). "A Very Oddball Comet". Sky & Telescope. Retrieved December 2, 2008.
- ^ "Small-Body Database Lookup".
General references
[edit]- Associated Press (June 16, 1985) "Amateur Astronomer Nails Down His Second Comet" Los Angeles Times Retrieved December 29, 2016
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory (October 14, 1994) "MACHHOLZ'S BANNER YEAR" Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Library of Congress (2002) "Machholz, Don 1952–" Library of Congress
- Joe Rao (September 17, 2004) "Newfound Comet Set for Winter Display" Space.com
- Debi Drake (May 22, 2005) "Meet The Comet Hunter: Don Machholz" American Profile AMG/Parade
- Alan MacRobert (December 2, 2008) "A Very Oddball Comet" Sky & Telescope Retrieved December 2, 2008
- Jeanna Bryner (December 2, 2008) "Odd Comet Possibly from Another Star System" Space.com
- Roger W. Sinnott (March 27, 2010) "New Comet Machholz" Sky & Telescope Retrieved March 30, 2010.
- Brooks Hays (November 3, 2017) "SOHO Spacecraft Spots Comet Machholz 96P, A Return Visitor" UPI
- Gareth V. Williams (November 11, 2018) "MPEC 2018-V151: COMET C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto)" Minor Planet Center.
- Bob King (November 9, 2018) "Amateur Don Machholz Discovers His 12th Comet!" Sky & Telescope
- MPEC 2018-V151: COMET C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto)
- Bob King (November 11, 2018) Arizona Amateur Discovers New Dawn Comet — Here’s How To Find It
- Comet C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto) Sky Charts and Coordinates Archived November 15, 2018, at the Wayback Machine
- JPL viewer NASA
External links
[edit]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
