Michael Clark
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Rodney Austin
Dear All. It is with great sadness that I have to inform everyone that Michael Clark (71P/Clark) passed away in Melbourne, Australia where he and his wife have lived for the past two years. Following a diagnosis of cancer, he has also suffered a series of strokes, and it was the most recent that has taken him from us. He was 77 years old. Mike and I have known one another, have been great friends for 50 years, and worked together at the Mt John University Observatory during the 1970s. It was from Mt John that he discovered his comet while operating the Bamberg Patrol Cameras in 1973. With sadness Rodney R.D.Austin
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Chris Wyatt
Hi Rodney,
Very sad news, my condolences to his family and friends. There is a new star up there tonight.
Regards,
Chris Wyatt
Walcha, NSW
Australia
From: comets-ml@groups.io <comets-ml@groups.io> on behalf of Rodney Austin <rodcomet@...>
Sent: Thursday, November 28, 2019 6:25:05 PM To: comets-ml@groups.io <comets-ml@groups.io> Subject: [comets-ml] Michael Clark Dear All.
It is with great sadness that I have to inform everyone that Michael Clark (71P/Clark) passed away in Melbourne, Australia where he and his wife have lived for the past two years.
Following a diagnosis of cancer, he has also suffered a series of strokes, and it was the most recent that has taken him from us. He was 77 years old.
Mike and I have known one another, have been great friends for 50 years, and worked together at the Mt John University Observatory during the 1970s. It was from Mt John that he discovered his comet while operating the Bamberg Patrol Cameras in 1973.
With sadness
Rodney R.D.Austin
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Rodney, Deepest sympathy to you and Michael's family and friends from all of us in the British Astronomical Association's Comet Section. We know what it is like to lose our colleagues whom we have known and worked with for years, both enjoying the pleasure and information to be gained from observing comets. For Michael to have discovered a comet during his routine work must have been very rewarding for him. His comet and his name lives on. Denis Buczynski BAA Comet Section
On Thursday, 28 November 2019, 07:25:18 GMT, Rodney Austin <rodcomet@...> wrote:
Dear All. It is with great sadness that I have to inform everyone that Michael Clark (71P/Clark) passed away in Melbourne, Australia where he and his wife have lived for the past two years. Following a diagnosis of cancer, he has also suffered a series of strokes, and it was the most recent that has taken him from us. He was 77 years old. Mike and I have known one another, have been great friends for 50 years, and worked together at the Mt John University Observatory during the 1970s. It was from Mt John that he discovered his comet while operating the Bamberg Patrol Cameras in 1973. With sadness Rodney R.D.Austin
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Hi Rodney,
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May Michael rest in peace. My condolences to his family and friends. A 50-year friendship is a very precious thing. Good that 71P/Clark will keep returning to remind us of its discoverer and his laborious observing work, well before the days of CCD-based surveys. Best, Paulo
On 2019-11-28 07:25, Rodney Austin wrote:
Dear All.
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David Seargent
Hi Rodney and all,
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Very sad news indeed. I only had a little correspondence with him in the '80s but enjoyed his sense of humor and obvious friendly nature. My condolences to all his family and friends. He will be greatly missed. David Seargent
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kiwiastronomer@...
Thanks Rod. What a shame for New Zealand astronomy. I only met Mike a few times but was always impressed with his humility and wit. I guess it's symbolic that he passed away in Australia - representing the close ties between our two countries, as we share the same stars... Regards John D (E94) ============================== John Drummond, FRASNZ, MSc (Astronomy), Dip Tchg, BMin (Adult Ed) Possum Observatory, IAU Code E94, Gisborne, New Zealand (177d 53' E,
38d 38' S) Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand Immediate-Past President - www.rasnz.org.nz Gisborne Astronomical Society president - www.astrogas.co.nz
On Thu, 28 Nov 2019 at 20:25, Rodney Austin <rodcomet@...> wrote:
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Ellen Papenburg
Sorry to hear this. Very sad, also for our comet observer world. Never met, but sincere condolences to his family and friends and all of you in Australia. Ellen - Canada (via my android phone, typos may occur)
On Fri, Nov 29, 2019, 02:02 , <kiwiastronomer@...> wrote:
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pat stonehouse
Rod, My condolences to his family and friends. To have worked under the stars wondering at their many curious mysteries and enjoying their beauty and to have discovered a comet! These experiences must have added much meaning and purpose to his life. Patrick Stonehouse
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Charles S Morris
Hi Rodney, I never had the pleasure of meeting Michael Clark and I am not sure that I have ever seen/imaged his comet - I would have to check. None of that matters - Michael Clark was a member of the cometary astronomy family and as such his loss is felt by all of us and he will be missed, but not forgotten. I am pleased that you recounted the discovery of his comet for all of us. Details like that are important in the history of astronomy. My sympathies to his family and friends. Losing someone is always difficult regardless of age and circumstances. Rodney, did Michael Clark have a long observing career, professional or amateur? I ask because the name sounds very familiar from back in my days of hosting the Comet Observation Home Page. It could be a different Clark that I am thinking of, however. Charles Charles S, Morris Astronomer and Educator
On Wednesday, November 27, 2019, 11:25:16 PM PST, Rodney Austin <rodcomet@...> wrote:
Dear All. It is with great sadness that I have to inform everyone that Michael Clark (71P/Clark) passed away in Melbourne, Australia where he and his wife have lived for the past two years. Following a diagnosis of cancer, he has also suffered a series of strokes, and it was the most recent that has taken him from us. He was 77 years old. Mike and I have known one another, have been great friends for 50 years, and worked together at the Mt John University Observatory during the 1970s. It was from Mt John that he discovered his comet while operating the Bamberg Patrol Cameras in 1973. With sadness Rodney R.D.Austin
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kiwiastronomer@...
Hi Charles/Rod/comet group, Here's a photo of Comet Clark (71P) that I serendipitously caught on 2017 May 24. It's the small, green/blue fuzz ball at the bottom of the image (unless the image is stripped). According to GUIDE 9.1 it was about mag 12. Another image is attached - through a longer focal length. Exposure details are in the file names. According to Guide 9.1 71P (Clark) is about mag 23 and in Taurus (Dec +27*). Rod will add more from personal experience, but Mike Clark worked at the University of Canterbury's Mount John Observatory (Lake Tekapo, South Island, New Zealand). According to Professor John Hearnshaw and Alan Gilmore's book, 'Mt John, The First 50 Years', Mike was employed there in 1971 to man the Bamberg variable star patrol camera. Rod Austin was employed there around the same time. Regards John Drummond (E94) ============================== John Drummond, FRASNZ, MSc (Astronomy), Dip Tchg, BMin (Adult Ed) Possum Observatory, IAU Code E94, Gisborne, New Zealand (177d 53' E,
38d 38' S) Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand Immediate-Past President - www.rasnz.org.nz Gisborne Astronomical Society president - www.astrogas.co.nz
On Sun, 1 Dec 2019 at 19:07, Charles S Morris via Groups.Io <cometguy3783=yahoo.com@groups.io> wrote:
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David Seargent
Hi Charles,
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You might also be thinking of Maurice Clark who made many visual observations from Western Australia during the '70s and '80s. I think that he is now in Texas and, thankfully, still alive and observing! All the best. David
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Charles S Morris
Hi David, I actually came to that conclusion (remembered his first name) and just emailed Rodney with the correction. I appreciate the info on Maurice. He was a frequent contributor. In a way, it is sad that we need to clarify that people are still alive. I guess it goes with getting older. Best regards, Charles
On Sunday, December 1, 2019, 03:38:14 PM PST, David Seargent <seargent@...> wrote:
Hi Charles, You might also be thinking of Maurice Clark who made many visual observations from Western Australia during the '70s and '80s. I think that he is now in Texas and, thankfully, still alive and observing! All the best. David
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