richard74601

This is my first visit. I have been an amateur astronomer off and on for 65 years, but not much until about 30 years ago when I met and became friends with Dr Clyde W. Tombaugh, the man that discovered Pluto. What really got me hooked was when David Levy came to Dr Tombaughs house and showed us pictures of a comet that he had just discovered that week. It was Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 the one that hit Jupiter. I had been going to Dr Tombaughs house for four years running to listen to astronomy lectures that he gave as a fundraiser for our church. In the next 10 years I served two different terms as President of the Astronomical Society of Las Cruces, New Mexico. I have since located to northern Oklahoma where I am trying to organize an amateur astronomy club. I have raised awareness in the community and have many followers, but only a half a dozen real members. In order to raise interest in our proceedings I manage to write an article for the local newspaper about once a month.