Date: August 3, 2010

Title: A Friends’ Salute to the Blue Collar Scientist, Jeff Medkeff

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Podcaster: Mark DeVito & friends

Description: The August 3rd 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is a dedication to the late Jeffery Medkeff, aka the Blue Collar Scientist. Jeff is known to many through out the amateur and professional astronomy communities as well as the skeptic field. Jeff was a thinker, a skeptic, a friend, a mentor and a wonderful human being. In this podacst Jeff’s friend Mark DeVito, along with long time friends Dave Healy and Tom Polakis, we honor Jeff and his accomplishments and celebrate his life.

Bios:
Mark DeVito
Mark is an amateur astronomer and skeptic from Fredericksburg, VA. Mark and Jeff were best of friends for the years Jeff lived in Anchorage, Alaska. It is through the legacy of Jeff’s friendship and mentoring that Mark continues to pursue ever more complicated amateur astronomy and is certain that one day he will complete a graduate level education in astrophysics. Mark runs Star Gazers Field Observatory which is dedicated to in memory of Jeff Medkeff. Jeff the family and I miss you so much and I miss your positive “can do” attitude.

David Healy
Born and raised in Los Angeles, David Healy is a graduate of Santa Clara University and UCLA’s Anderson School of Business’ MBA program. Before retiring in 2008, Mr. Healy was a well-known securities analyst following automotive and metals companies for three New York-based securities firms. His interest in astronomy dates from a grade school class trip during which he viewed Saturn through the Griffith Observatory’s twelve inch Zeiss refracting telescope. His observing partnership with Jeff Medkeff (1999-2008) at his Junk Bond Observatory near Sierra Vista Arizona has yielded discoveries of more than 500 asteroids.

Tom Polakis
Tom Polakis is an amateur astronomer living in Tempe, Arizona whose main interests include visual observing and camera-and-tripod photography. He has been practicing the hobby for over 30 years — that’s more than one revolution of Saturn. By day, Tom is a mechanical engineer working in the aircraft engine industry.

Today’s sponsor: This episode of “365 Days of Astronomy” is sponsored by the NASA Lunar Science Institute at lunarscience.nasa.gov/, proud co-Founders of International Observe the Moon Night, around the globe on September 18th. More information at bit.ly/nomn

Transcript:

***Transcript coming soon.***

End of podcast:

365 Days of Astronomy
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