62 replies to this topic

[Erix]

The “Cloudy Nights Star Contributor” symbol is an award of recognition that is presented to selected members each month. Members who have made substantial contributions to this site are nominated and then voted on by the moderators and administrators of Cloudy Nights. Many members of this site make great contributions, and devote much time and energy to the education and discussions that define the Cloudy Nights forums. While it is clear that every member of this community is important to its success, certain members have gone above and beyond the “call of duty”. This is our effort to recognize these individuals.

Each of the “Star Contributors” is presented with a special logo that can be used in their signature line, or as an avatar. This logo is a symbol of thanks and respect from the moderators and administrators of this forum. We sincerely hope it will be displayed proudly.

* Moderators and Administrators are not eligible for this award; however, some were awarded the Star Contributor prior to volunteering their time in these positions.

[Erix]

September 2004

erik
Erik is a great contributor, always ready to help out a newbie and gives good explanations of procedures and ideas. Erik's "Wilcox Rings" are innovative and a useful, economical upgrade for the EQ-Mounted newt.

David Knisely
Has a tremendous grasp of optical theory and knowledge of optical equipment. Whenever he sees a technical conversation going awry, he steps in, and in the kindest manner, will help set the record straight.

MMICKELS
For his contributions in the ATM section. While active in other forums he is really in his element helping folks that are building their own telescopes. Several have been the recipient of his help.

Mike Hosea
Mike Hosea cheerfully shares his expert knowledge of eyepieces & optics. He always answers questions thoroughly and gives detailed explanations. He also gives very sound advice to anybody asking a question.

KennyJ
KennyJ has been a wonderful resource and motivator in Binoculars. Great attitude. All around good citizen for that forum. He knows his stuff without flaunting it and helps the newbies with cheerful abandon. He can be a real hoot to read sometimes too. Kenny was the impetus for the beginning of the "Best Of" section in the binocular forum.

Carol L
Carol has motivated a whole bunch of people, mostly Lunies but not limited to that forum, to do more than just observe. Her sketches and photos have inspired a number of people to take things to a higher level.

half meter
Gary is quick to offer advice based on his experience. There's a certain behind the scenes playfulness and understated humor that is often fun to read. A respected member and contributor.

DaveC
Dave's made some outstanding contributions to the CCD and Digital Astrophotography forum both for image processing in general, and for tips and tricks on imaging with DSLRs. He's a real asset to the forum and Cloudy Nights.

square_peg
He's always there to help out or add a good comment from the newest newbie to the most seasoned veteran here at CN from Reflectors to Refractors or Beginners and Deep Sky...

Ian Gilbert
He's one of our younger members but more than holds his own in the discussions he participates in, and by being bold enough to share his work with us he almost single-handedly launched the sketching revival that has become one of the dominant themes in the Lunartic Asylum. Check his gallery.

Jarad
Jarad’s consistent quality of posts and his breadth of knowledge in multiple areas are his chief contributions. His demeanor here is always pleasant and helpful.

[Erix]

October 2004

Rusty
Rusty offers a lot of help to the newbies and never seems to lose his cool. His knowledge of lubricants and its uses is second to none. Rusty exemplifies the reason for the success of Cloudy Nights forums.

jmoore: (Jeffrey Moore)
Jeff is valued CN member who composes a steady stream of thoughtful posts. Quick to offer sound advice or clarify a point with style and humility.

[Erix]

November 2004

Tim2723 (Tim Smith)
Earlier this year Tim brought his interest in lunar observing to the Lunar Observing Forum and almost single-handedly breathed new life into it. His knowledge of matters Lunar is extensive and his willingness to share that knowledge has made that forum an active and interesting place to hang out.

dgs© (David Showers)
David is a regular poster here at CN. He shares his experiences with others, and he never hesitates to give advice when somebody needs help. His good humor is also an asset!

[Erix]

December 2004

Starman1 (Don Pensack)
Don shares his considerable observing skills and knowledge of equipment freely with all levels of CN'ers. His Buyer's Guides are a real labor of love and have benefited everyone on CN.

Vic Menard
Vic literally "wrote the book" on collimating and knows a great deal about telescope optics. He is patient and willing to share this knowledge with others. You can tell by his posts that he is only trying to help with his sage advice and understanding.

[Erix]

January 2005

Fiske
Fiske is a very knowledgable observer, well read, has authored a recent article for S&T on historical books and charts and has provided some very good book reviews here. Fiske is primarily a binocular observer and a small binocular observer at that. He champions hand held observing, but recognizes it takes all kinds of instruments to see all kinds of objects. What Fiske provides in a review is experience. Nothing is simply stated because he thinks that's what it is. He strives to find the answer, by repeated comparisons, by numerous observations, by gathering experience.

[Erix]

February 2005

Kiwisailor
Steve has a long history of contributing sound advice and encouragement to his fellow CNers. He's been especially helpful in steering our Aussie and Kiwi members to local 'down-under' suppliers and clubs. His posts are typically on topic and very relevant.

[Erix]

March 2005

Daniel Mounsey
Daniel has consistently and patiently helped a lot of people with both the reflectors and refractors about the finer points of viewing. He has generously and profusely shared his experiences using a variety of high end planetary gear, and has given many of us, virtual glimpses into the observing techniques of extremely serious planetary observers.

[Erix]

April 2005

Sixela
Alexis Cousein, aka sixela, is extremely knowledgeable & has posted much useful information over the past couple of months, especially technical information dealing with telescopes & eyepieces.

[Erix]

May, 2005

Erika (Erix)
Erika shares a lot of good posts in the Lunar Observing and Sketching forums. She is easy to talk to and very helpful to the really new users. Erika has an open-hearted enthusiasm for everything she does, whether it's gardening or learning to sketch craters on the Moon. Her easy going personality and green thumb are welcome in the gardening forum. Her sense of humor adds style to OTO. Her skills in sketching what she observes are particularly noteworthy, as is her willingness to offer advice on the subject. She is not shy about letting her mistakes show and shares what she learns through them, which is a refreshing attitude. Her enthusiasm for lunar sketching is infectious. She asks the questions that other's might be shy to ask and puts the answers to good use, and it shows in her work. Erika is generous in her praise of others' success, and eagerly encourages those frustrated by difficulty.

While she is still a relatively new member, her rate of progress has been inspirational; a fine example of what can be achieved by really applying effort to a new endeavor. She has certainly had a positive effect in the forum.

[Erix]

June, 2005

Greg Piepol (gpiepol)
Greg does not stir out of the Solar Observing forum, but if you visit there you can't help be impressed by his work and his willingness to share what he knows. The advice he passes along has had good results for regulars in that forum. His posts are always informative, always on topic, but never dull in any sense. He communicates his delight in what he's doing as clearly as he does information on how he does it.

Dan (Dan Luna)
Dan is a friendly voice in a number of CN forums including Science of Astronomy and Space Exploration, Stellar Reading, and the Off Topic Observatory, but he is probably best known as the Scholar of the Lunar Forum. Dan lists a bright reading light and a comfortable chair among his astronomical tools. Ready and eager to answer the most difficult questions, Dan exhibits a great depth of knowledge that is reflected by his impressive astronomy library. His carefully considered replies and gentle good humor are welcome in every forum he visits.

[Erix]

July, 2005

Spaceydee
Dee is knowledgeable about many astronomy-related things and she posts valuable and accurate information. Her posts are interesting and always on topic. Dee is very kind to all posters and never shows impatience with anybody, regardless of their level of experience. Because of this, she gets along well with everybody at Cloudy Nights. Dee's posts are always written in a concise and easy-to-read style.

[Erix]

August, 2005

Special Ed
Michael's sketches are wonderful and very informative. He is very knowledgeable about astronomy and observing, and he's enthusiastic about sharing it with other people. Michael's posts are well-written, almost like reading an astronomy book. He is a regular contributor to Cloudy Nights and gets along well with everybody.

[Erix]

September, 2005

Cildarith
Eric Graff’s tutorial in the Sketching forum on drawing globular clusters is an example of his willingness to go to considerable trouble to share what he knows with others. Eric is generous with praise and encouragement when responding to the observing reports and sketches of others, while his own well illustrated observing reports are easily among the best posted on CN.

[Erix]

October, 2005

Jeremy Perez
Jeremy has worked very hard to keep the Sketching Forum alive and active through his contributions there. His online tutorials are excellent, and his willingness to share what he does and knows is second to none. His dry sense of humor has not yet, to the best of my knowledge, ever rubbed anyone the wrong way, a rare gift on any forum. He also writes (and illustrates) some of the best observing reports found on CN. I have on several occasions seen his work inspire another member to try something he or she might not otherwise have attempted.

[Erix]

December, 2005

FAB
Floie (FAB) is always polite and contributes in a very positive way. He very willingly helps out beginners and has a great sense of humor in the Off Topic Observatory. His posts are very interesting, particularly in the Science and Astronomy forum. And on top of all this, is brave enough to treat us all to a photo of himself in an elf costume!

Floie, on behalf of all of us on Cloudy Nights, thank you for being such a class act!

[Erix]

January 2006

Remy Bosio
Remy is a class act whose presence in the OTO adds to the spirit, character and camaraderie of Cloudy Nights. He generates a warmth and friendliness that is addictive and very welcome.

He often notifies us of the upcoming celestial events and demonstrated a one-man effort to “Save the Telescopes” in his hometown after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

His participation with his local astronomy society events also is noteworthy, and we can find him portrayed as Jolly Old’ St. Nick spreading cheer while playing the piano and singing carols to all that attend. Thank you, Remy, for sharing these wonderful events with us. And thank you for your contributions on Cloudy Nights!

[Erix]

February 2006

Photonovore (Mardi)
Mardi’s posts are a true wealth of information, not just anecdotal, but with thorough testing and documentation, followed by supporting references. Her work in lunar geology and resolution is astounding and takes learning about the Moon to a very advanced level. Many have learned a great deal with her assistance in fora such as Planetary & Solar System, Refractors and Lunar, and the desire provoked to learn more themselves.

Starman1 (Don Pensack)- Although Don has been awarded the CN Star Contributor award in December 2004, he has consistently continued to share his knowledge, giving helpful responses with a wealth of interactions throughout CN. He’s very friendly and is always willing to help people with their questions. His experience is a valued asset on Cloudy Nights and has well deserved to be the recipient of the February 2006 Star Award.

Thank you both for your contributions on Cloudy Nights!

[Erix]

March 2006

Chris Go
Chris has been submitting amazing planetary images for almost two years to CN. His imaging techniques, enhanced by his location in the Philippines, have improved greatly over this time. More importantly, though, Chris is always quick to share his techniques with other members.

The dedication to excellence in imaging that Chris exemplifies has been rewarded by JPL and NASA this month when they named Chris as the first person to image the new "2nd Red Spot" on Jupiter. He is now a member of a select team
that will be imaging the Great Red Spot and Red Junior using the Hubble Space Telescope.

For more information, please check out this link! New Red Spot on Jupiter Discovered by CN'er?

Congratulations, Chris! And thank you for your contributions on CN.

[Erix]

April 2006

Snorkler
Darrell spends a great deal of time in Beginners patiently offering a helping hand, answering the inevitable questions over and over. He has a great deal of knowledge covering a wide range of astronomical topics, and very willingly shares it. His expert birding photos in the off topic Camera/Photography forum are a sight to behold, backed by his participation at star parties leading birding tours after cloudy nights.

Darrell, not only are you very generous with a helping hand, but you always seem to do it with a smile on your face as well. Thank you for contributing to CN!

[Erix]

May, 2006

Clownfish
Peter is generous with his time in explaining the techniques of astrophotography to others in need of advice. His advice is concise and straightforward and therefore helpful to not only beginners, but the experienced astrophotographers as well. Peter is also very patient with the repetitious nature of the questions asked in the forums. He is an exceptionally talented astrophotographer and his photos allow us to see details we would never see in our own observing sessions.

As an example of his dedication, Peter recently developed a drift alignment tool, involving several of the imaging members for “tried and tested” results. It was a perfect example of members helping members for the benefit of all. Guiding Simulator in the final stages.. testers needed . As well as: Manual Guiding Technique and Tolerances

Peter, thank you for your contributions!

[Erix]

June, 2006

kraterkid
Rich is cheerful, helpful, supportive, and an excellent observer. You'll find him all over the Lunar and Sketching forums, and a few other places as well. He's thoughtful of other's feelings, very welcoming to beginners, and always willing to be the pioneer in new techniques. His reports usually include links to other member’s observations and always gives others credit for spurring his desire to investigate further. His sketches are out of this world, yet he remains very grounded and modest, showing his desire to help others.

Rich, thank you for all your contributions on Cloudy Nights!

[Erix]

July 2006

Patrick
Patrick exemplifies how members of Cloudy Nights make this forum so great. He gives sound advice based on his own experiences and knowledge, while being very polite and friendly in the process. He spends a lot of time in the beginner’s forum to help new (and old) amateur astronomers find their feet and prevent the frustrations and overwhelming experiences we sometimes find ourselves experiencing, as well as in the reflector forum.

One of his other interests includes photography in the off topic section of CN. Patrick contributes excellent photos and not only does he give encouragement and advice to those of us who are striving to advance our techniques, his questions and contributions open up new discussions for the benefit of all.

Patrick, thank you very much for your contributions to CN!

[Erix]

August, 2006

JerryWise, for his generous, dedicated, and virtually professional testing of SCTs in a continuous series of side by side tests. A virtual beta tester without portfolio, Jerry's careful analyses of telescopes enable Cloudy Nights members to receive accurate and important information prior to making purchases of expensive equipment. Jerry always writes detailed reports, and maintains his extraordinary poise and good humor even when a string of SCTs show problems. Jerry is also a helpful Cloudy Nights’ citizen who always tries to keep threads on track and courteous.

Thank you for your contributions, Jerry!

[Erix]

September 2006

Llanitedave
Dave takes time to accurately answer budding astrophysicists, even on often-answered problems. He is very good at phrasing and has the ability to make explanations concise and understandable. Dave’s a friendly contributor on OTO, and gives input on various equipment fora. Dave has a keen knowledge of astrophysics, associated with colorful views of our place in the cosmos. He gives thought-provoking insights ranging from cosmology to doping in sports, but never in a way to offend anybody and is always friendly. He also tends to look at both sides of the coin when somewhat heated discussions are taking place, and keeps things light and happy.

Dave, thank you for your time and effort in making CN a great place to gather and learn from each other.