Comet hunter David Levy visits Cronyn Observatory
Famed Canadian comet hunter David Levy, and his longtime friend from Montreal Carl Jorgensen visited the Hume Cronyn Memorial Observatory on Monday, 23 May 2016.
The astronomers were in London to attend the General Assembly of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC), which was held at Fanshawe College 19-23 May, and hosted by the London Centre of the RASC.
David Levy was one of the guest speakers at the 2016 RASC Assembly, where Physics and Astronomy faculty members Stan Metchev and Peter Brown also gave research talks.
London RASC members Mark Tovey and Tricia Colvin escorted the visitors to the observatory where Director Jan Cami gave a historical tour and Henry Leparskas took photos. The observatory’s Coronado 90mm solar scope was used to view a wonderful sunspot and a gigantic limb prominence.
David and Carl first met through their involvement with the RASC in Montreal when they were in their early teens. They both have asteroids named after them in honour of their longstanding contribution to the astronomical community. [asteroid Jorgensen] [asteroid Levy]
David had donated his 14″ Celestron telescope to the Montreal Centre of the RASC where it continues to be the primary telescope at their observatory, where Carl continues to be an active member.
David is well known for his co-discovery of Comet Shoemaker-Levy-9, which slammed into the planet Jupiter in July of 1994.
