Independent Researcher
From February 2021 through December 2024, Mike served as the editor of “This Month in Astronomical History” for the American Astronomical Society’s Historical Astronomy Division. In this role, he reviewed and approved submissions from both professional astronomers and amateur affiliates. Additionally, he researched and wrote entries himself, highlighting notable astronomical events such as the discovery of Pluto’s moon Charon, the first publication of the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, and the first discovery of an X-ray star. To enhance his understanding of the material, Mike completed an astrophysics certificate from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne through edX, an online education platform. "It was a great way to learn the facts about the many kinds of small, bright things that we enjoy viewing," he says.
Mike also contributed articles to HAD News, the Newsletter of the AAS Historical Astronomy Division. His work included biographies of historians Agnes Mary Clerke and Marcia Bartusiak, and a review of Derek W. G. Sears’s biography of astronomer Gerard P. Kuiper. He also wrote "Postage Stamps, Coins, and Banknotes as Archives of Astronomical History" for Issue 100.
While astronomy can be enjoyed solo under the stars, Mike believes it's a hobby where one never needs to feel isolated or without resources.
Before diving into astronomy full-time in 2020, Mike's main hobby was numismatics, which is the study of money's forms and uses, often known as coin collecting. His historical writing earned him several literary awards from the American Numismatic Association, including one for a biography of Sir Isaac Newton’s tenure as warden and master of the British Royal Mint. Mike's article (The Numismatist, November 2001) detailed how Newton's intellect and experimental methods saved the British economy from collapse between 1696 and 1697.
Mike's interest in astronomy was rekindled when his wife and daughter gifted him a telescope for his birthday in 2014. "I chose a Celestron EQ 130 reflector," he explains, "because it resembled the Criterion 4-inch reflector I had at twelve. Despite the criticism, over five years with the EQ 130, I observed Messier 4 in Scorpius, the Beehive Cluster, the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Perseus Double Cluster." After receiving a 25-year membership pin from the ANA, he joined the Austin Astronomical Society, where he borrowed an 8-inch Schmidt-Cassegrain, attended dark-sky star parties, participated in community outreach events, and served as vice president.
Today, Mike uses an Astronomers Without Borders 130-mm reflector, an Explore Scientific 102-mm achromatic refractor, and an Astro-Tech 115-mm apochromatic refractor. He also uses a Bushnell 12x42 binocular for casual stargazing from a chaise lounge.
Mike is a sustaining member of the Astronomical League and a contributing member of Astronomers Without Borders. For two years, he was also a member of the local club in Santa Barbara, California, sponsored by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. He has been a member of the AAS, the British Astronomical Association, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. He subscribes to Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, and Amateur Astronomy magazines and has helped his public library select telescopes to lend to the public. The library also sponsored solar viewing sessions on Saturday afternoons.
