The newsletter editor performs the primary function of informing astronomy club members about what is happening in their club. Often the editor is forced to become quite creative in filling the allotted space for each issue when the call for articles doesn’t quite fill up the publication.
In acknowledgement of the important role of the newsletter editor, in 1988, the Astronomical League established the Mabel Sterns Newsletter Award to recognize these essential people. The Award is named in honor of the first newsletter editor of the League, Mabel Sterns, who served in that capacity from 1948-1952 (see photo).
Purpose
The first-place winner will receive the Sterns Newsletter Award plaque at each year’s national convention, ALCon. The competition is open to all Astronomical League astronomy clubs. The award program is chaired by the vice president of the League. Judges for this program include former club newsletter and League Reflector editors. Top finishers for this award are recognized in the Reflector.
Procedure for Nomination
The president of the club should email a copy of the designated issue of the club’s newsletter in Adobe Acrobat pdf file format to SternsNewsletter@astroleague.org, along with a cover letter of recommendation in the same file format that includes the postal address of the nominee. In addition a photo of the newsletter editor, preferably in an astronomical-type setting, should be sent electronically in jpg format to the same email address before March 31. The names of both the newsletter editor and the nominating club officer must appear on the general membership roster of the Astronomical League.
For clubs wishing to submit paper documents, please send four copies of the newsletter, the letter of recommendation, and a photo to:
Sterns Newsletter Award
Astronomical League
9201 Ward Parkway, Suite 100
Kansas City, Missouri 64114
All submissions should be mailed in time to be received before March 31st.
David Hutchinson, top finisher for the 2010 Mabel Sterns Award (left) and Carroll Iorg, Vice President Astronomical League (right). This photo is compliments the International Dark Sky Association.
Top Finishers in the Mabel Sterns Award Program |
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| Year | Award | Publication, Society, and Location | Editor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | First | News and Views, Indiana Astronomical Society | Bruce Bowman |
| Second | Newsletter, Shenandoah Astronomical Society | Mark Reed | |
| Third | Monthly Notices, Everglades Astronomical Society | Jackie RIchards | |
| 2019 | First | Cosmic Messenger,Astronomical Society of Kansas City | Marcia Young |
| 2018 | First | Reflections, Popular Astronomy Club | Terry Dufek |
| Second | The WASP, Warren Astronomical Society | Brian Thieme | |
| Third | Newsletter of RVAS. Roanoke Valley Society | Dave Thomas | |
| 2017 | First | The Observer, Twin City Amateur Astronomers | Carl Wenning |
| Second | The Sidereal Times, Austin Astronomical Society | Joyce Lynch | |
| Third | The TAS Spectrum, Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas | Maggie Hutchison | |
| 2016 | First | Observations, Chester County Astronomical Society | John Hepler |
| Second | The Observer, Twin City Amateur Astronomers | Carl Wenning | |
| Third | The Guide Star, Amateur Astronomers Association of Pittsburgh | Eric Fischer | |
| 2015 | First | Back Bay Observer, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers Virginia Beach, VA | Paul Tartabini |
| Second | The Observer Twin City Amateur Astronomers Normal, IL | Carl J Wenning | |
| Third |
Prime Focus Fort Worth Astronomical Society Fort Worth, TX |
Shawn Kirchdoofer | |
| 2014 | First | Amateur Astronomer, Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers, | Karl Henry |
| Second | Prime Focus, Fort Worth Astronomical Society | Shawn Kirchdorfer | |
| Third | Observer, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (VA) | Paul Tartabini | |
| 2013 | First | Sidereal Times, Austin Astronomical Society | Erika Rix |
| Second | Sky Watcher, Boise Astronomical Society | David Olsen | |
| Third | SCAS Times, Southern Colorado Astronomical Society | Alan Knight | |
| 2012 | First | Guidestar, Houston Astronomical Society | Bill Pellerin |
| Second | The Observer, Tri-State Astronomers | Jim Stanicek | |
| Third | The Focal Point, Atlanta Astronomy Club | Tom Faber | |
| 2011 | First | Sonoma Skies, Sonoma County Astronomical Society | Cecilia Yarnell |
| Second | Prime Focus, Fort Worth Astronomical Society | Dean Crabtree | |
| Third | The Observer, Tri-State Astronomers | Jim Stanicek | |
| 2010 | First | The Spectrum, Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas | Dave Hutchison |
| Second | Prime Focus, Fort Worth (Texas) Astronomical Society | Dean Crabtree | |
| Third | Sonoma Skies, Sonoma County Astronomical Society (Santa Rosa, California) | Cecelia Yarnell | |
| Fourth | Gazer’s Gazette, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club R. | Christian Bruggeman | |
| Fifth | Roanoke Valley (Roanoke, VA) Astronomical Society | Clark Thomas | |
| Sixth | Skywatch, Northeast Florida Astronomical Society (Jackson, Florida) | Stephen Peacock | |
| 2009 | First | Austin Astronomical Society | Dana Koch |
| Second | Spectrum, Astronomical Society of Dallas | Dave Hutchison | |
| Third | Prime Focus, Kalamazoo Astronomical Society | Richard Bell | |
| Fourth | Prime Focus, Fort Worth Astronomical Society | Dean Crabtree | |
| Fifth | Roanoke Valley Astronomical Society | Clark Thomas | |
| Sixth | Gazer’s Gazette, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club | Christian Bruggeman | |
| 2008 | First | Chester County (PA) Astronomical Society | John Hepler |
| Second | Prime Focus, Fort Worth Astronomical Society | Dean Crabtree | |
| Third | Gazer’s Gazette, Oklahoma Astronomy Club | R. Christian Bruggeman | |
| Fourth | The High Desert Observer, Astronomical Society of Las Cruces | George Hatfield | |
| Fifth | Galactic Gazette, Kiski Astronomers | Denny Hill | |
| 2007 | First | The Rosette Gazette, Rose City Astronomers | Larry Deal |
| Second | The Hypoxic Observer, Colorado Springs Astronomical Society | Pam Warren | |
| Third | Rochester Skies, Rochester (Minnesota) Astronomy Club | Duane Deal | |
| Fourth | The High Desert Observer, Astronomical Society of Las Cruces | George Hatfield | |
| Fifth | Gazer’s Gazette, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club | Christian Bruggeman | |
| 2006 | First | Observations, Chester County Astronomical Society | James Anderson |
| Second | Event Horizon, St. Louis Astronomical Society | Karen Loethen | |
| Third | Amarillo Astronomy Chronicles, Amarillo Astronomy Club | Rich Merten | |
| Fourth | Gazer’s Gazette, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club | Rebecca Alestick | |
| Honorable | BPAA Newsletter, Battle Point Astronomical Association | Vicki Saunders | |
| Honorable | PAS-Times, Pontchartrain Astronomy Society | Lowell McCormick | |
| Honorable | Stars and Scopes, Southern Colorado Astronomical Society |
Michael Verry |
|
| 2005 | First | The Cosmic Messenger, Astronomical Society of Kansas City | Marcia Young |
| First | NOVAC, the newsletter of the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club | David Yustein | |
| Second | The Gazer’s Gazette, Oklahoma City Astronomy Club | Debbie Hipp | |
| Third | The Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomer | Don Marzewski | |
| 2004 | First | Spectrum, Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas | Warren Waid |
| Second | Observations, Chester County Astronomical Society | James Anderson | |
| Third | Desert Sky Observer, Antelope Valley Astronmomy Club | Brian Peterson | |
| 2003 | First | The Sidereal Times, The Austin Astronomical Society | Anne Adkins |
| Second | The Back Bay Observer, the monthly newsletter of the Back Bay Amateur Astronomers club in Virginia Beach, Virginia | Marla Frye | |
| Third | The Distant Light, published by the Rockland Astronomy Club | Mr. Mies Hora | |
| 2002 | First |
Cosmic Messenger, the newsletter of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City |
Fiske Miles |
| Second | Sky Watcher, Boise (ID) Astronomical Society | Kathleen Higgins | |
| Third | Prime Focus, Ft. Worth (TX) Astronomical Society | Steve Gray | |
| Fourth | Skylights, the newsletter of the Astronomical Society of Northern New England | Ron Burk | |
| Fifth | Battle Point (WA) Astronomical Association’s newletter | Bill and Anna Edmonds | |
| 2001 | First | Northern Virginia Astronomy Club Newsletter, Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (Alexandria, VA) | Michael Mills |
| Second | Observations, Chester County Astronomical Society (Thornton, VA) | Jim Anderson | |
| Third | The Webfooted Astronomer, Seattle Astronomical Society (Seattle, WA) | Laurie Maloney | |
| Fourth | Photon Gazette, Christian Association of Stellar Explorers (Siloam Springs, AR) | Patrick Carr | |
| 2000 | First | Back Bay Observer, Back Bay Amateur Astronomers (Chesapeake, VA) | Glendon Howell |
| Second | Observations, Chester County Astronomical Society (Thornton, PA) | Jim Anderson | |
| Third | Via Stellaris, Van Braun Astronomical Society (Huntsville, AL) | Michael Cissell | |
| Fourth | PAS Times, Pontchartrain Astronomical Society (Pontchartrain, LA) | Tom Klekamp | |
| Fifth | RVAS Newsletter (Roanoke, VA) | Frank Baratta | |
| 1999 | First | Celestial Observer, Amateur Observers’ Society of New York (Floral Park, NY) | Peter A. Leavens |
| Second | The Hypoxic Observer, Colorado Springs Astronomical Society (Colorado Springs, CO) | Deb Schermerhorn | |
| 1998 | First | The Observer, Twin City Amateur Astronomers (Bloomington, IL) | Jean Memkin and Michael Rogers |