ATM FW: [ASTRO] Proposal: Shoemaker Craters

[Art Russell <artrussell@mindspring.com>]

Astronomers and friends,

By this time many of you have no doubt heard the unfortunate news out of 
Australia announcing the death of Gene Shoemaker and injury of his wife 
Carolyn. Amateur astronomer Claudio Veliz has sent a recommendation (below) 
to the International Astronomical Union (IAU) proposing they name two 
adjacent craters on the Moon to commemorate their contributions.

I urge you to contact the IAU by mail (addresses below) or email 
(jblue@flagmail.wr.usgs.gov) in support of Claudio's initiative. I truly 
believe it is the least we can do considering the impact the Shoemaker's 
accomplishments have had on astronomy and our fundamental understanding of 
the universe.

Addresses:

In the U.S.

U.S. Geological Survey,
Branch of Astrogeology
Rm. 409, 2255 N. Gemini Drive, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001

or:

Kaare Aksnes
President, Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature
Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics
P.O. Box 1029
Blindern, N-0315
Oslo 3, Norway


Clear Skies!

Art Russell

President, Atlanta Astronomy Club

-----Original Message-----
From:   Claudio Veliz [SMTP:cvarc@earthlink.net]
Sent:   Sunday, July 20, 1997 10:53 AM
To:     jblue@flagmail.wr.usgs.gov
Subject:        [ASTRO] Proposal: Shoemaker Craters

20 July, 1997

To: International Astronomical Union (IAU) and The Working Group for
Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN)
Cc: Astro-list:astro@store-forward.mindspring.com, et al, ((fax: Carolyn
Shoemaker, Australia.)



Re: Recommendation for Shoemaker Craters

Ladies and Gentlemen,

        Today, precisely 28 years after human beings first landed on our Moon,
it is fitting to address a tragic coincidence which may, nevertheless,
be converted to an opportunity for timeless recognition in a very
positive light. The recent, sudden death of Eugene Shoemaker and the
serious injury to his loving wife, Carolyn have left the astronomy
community in a state not much different than that of the loss of one's
parents.

        In the hope of representing symbolically the contributions of these two
extraordinary scientists, I offer the following for your reflection and
ernest consideration for submission to the IAU's Executive Committee,
and the hope that, in turn, it may be considered by the General Assembly
of the IAU, when next they convene:

        In recognition for the vast contributions made to the sciences of
astronomy and geology by Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker; as a gesture of
profound appreciation for their passion and dedication to the concern
that the public be made aware of the many horizons of wonder offered by
the sciences; recognizing also the great love that the Shoemakers
expressed for each other personally through their many years of
tireless, side by side work in astronomy and geology; the great love,
also, they maintained for the study of the Moon's geology and their
profound contributions to the unveiling of the role of impact events in
planetary geology, and Eugene Shoemaker's ambition to participate in the
Apollo program as an astronaut-geologist, I wish to propose a concept
for your consideration:

        That a suitable pair of large, equi-diameter, wall-touching craters on
the Moon, near side or far side, be considered for naming as the "Eugene
Sheomaker and Carolyn Shoemaker Craters".

        In the days since the Shoemaker's tragic accident in Australia, this
has been discussed briefly on our astronomy mail list and I have
received, over a short period, positive responses, reinforcing the
notion that this may be a highly appropriate, and popular gesture.

Thank you in advance for your consideration of this concept,


Claudio Veliz,   Architect, amateur astronomer (AAVSO, IOTA)



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  C l a u d i o    V e l i z      A r c h i t e c t

                                      New York
                                   New York
                                212-925-6464
                              cvarc@earthlink.com
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