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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 3726      2022 Aug 10 19.41UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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DON MACHHOLZ DECEASED

ICQ bulletin extract relays from Michele Machholz, that her husband Don died
9/8/22. Don was one of America's premier comet hunters and well known
through TA pages.

Don discovered a total of 12 comets.

Thanks to robotic cameras and orbiting satellites, which usually catch
incoming comets long before they are visible to human eyes, the meticulous
art of comet hunting nowadays is practiced by very few individuals. But Don
would assiduously arise early each clear, moonless morning to conduct his
search.

Donald Edward Machholz, born October 7, 1952 in Portsmouth, Virginia, was an
American amateur astronomer who was the leading visual comet discoverer,
credited with the visual discovery of 12 comets that bear his name. Machholz
had spent more than 9,000 hours comet-hunting in a career spanning over 50
years.
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 most recently
C/2018 V1 (Machholz-Fujikawa-Iwamoto). 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.

Our sincere condolences to Michele and all who knew of Don's contribution to
astronomy.

Guy M Hurst
 
