The Steavenson Award

The Steavenson Award

The President announced that Dr Don Parker received the Steavenson Award, but was sadly unable to be present to collect the Award in person. Dr Parker had contributed many fine astronomical images to the Association since the early 1980s, at which time he was already well known in the US. He had achieved exceptionally high-resolution planetary images, and had made major contributions to all the planetary Sections. In the early days of CCD technology he had keenly championed the new techniques to the amateur community, but his visual work was also not to be forgotten.

The Merlin Medal and Gift

The Association's Merlin Medal and Gift is awarded in recognition of notable contributions to the advancement of astronomy, and the President believed that Mr Steve Evans was a very worthy recipient. Primarily working within the Meteor Section, Mr Evans had always shown tremendous willingness to give advice and assist others. He had sought to obtain scientifically useful data by timing showers and constructing time/rate profiles. The results had invariably been of truly professional quality, and his work in analysing the structure of a number of radiants had achieved considerable success. Mr Evans' work in refining the Leonid stream profile was particularly distinguished.

Thanking the President, Mr Evans admitted a sense of guilt in receiving the Medal; many great observers had received it in the past, and he modestly described his work as primarily an activity of pleasure. Mr Evans wished to thank many of the good friends he had made through the Meteor Section, and whilst there were too many to name, Neil Bone, Mike Maunder, Andrew Elliot and Harold Ridley were singled out for special thanks.