The Astronomical League has provided Observing Programs and observer recognition since 1967, with the implementation of the Messier Observing Program. Since that time the Observing Program Division has grown and grown.

The purpose of this web page is to recognize all of those people who have coordinated these Observing Prorams over the years.  They will be organized by Observing Program, based on the date that the Program was introduced.  It is a long list!

If you notice any errors or omissions, please communicate them to one of the Observing Program Directors.  We will set the record straight.

1967 – Messier Observing Program

• Chandler Holton:  1967-1970
• Bill Scurlock:  1971-1987
• Kathy Machin:  1988-1999
• Scott Kranz:  2000-present

1981 – Herschel 400 Observing Program

• Brenda Branchett:  1981-2013
• Jack Estes:  2014-present

1989 – Meteor Observing Program

• Kathy Machin:  1989-1999
• Scott Kranz:  2000-present

1991 – Binocular Messier Observing Program

• John Wagoner:  1991-2001
• Mike Benson:  2002-2009
• John Goar:  2010-present

1994 – Deep Sky Binocular Observing Program

• John Wagoner:  1994-2001
• Mike Benson:  2002-2009
• Cindy LaRussa: 2010-present

1995 – Double Star Observing Program

• John Wagoner:  1995-2001
• Mike Benson:  2002-2014
• Steve Bell:  2015-2018
• John Schuchardt:  2019-present

1995 – Lunar Observing Program

• Steve Nathan:  1995-2016
• Cliff Mygatt:  2017
• Nina Chevalier:  2018-2019
• Chuck Allen:  2020-present

1995 – Southern Skies Binocular Observing Program

• John Wagoner:  1995-2001
• Mike Benson:  2002-2012
• Brad Young:  2013
• Cindy LaRussa: 2014-present

1997 – Arp Peculiar Galaxy Observing Program (Northern Skies)

• John Wagoner:  1997-2001
• Mike Benson:  2002-2014
• Al Lamperti:  2015-2019
• Marie Lott:  2020-present

1997 – Sunspotter Observing Program

• Vic Winter:  1997
• Kathy Machin:  1998-1999
• Scott Kranz:  2000-present

1997 – Universe Sampler Observing Program

• Amelia Goldberg:  1997-present

1998 – Herschel II Observing Program

• Candace Pratt:  1998-present

1998 – Urban Observing Program

• John Wagoner:  1998-2001
• Mike Benson:  2002-2012
• Terry Trees:  2013-2023
• Richard Benson:  2024-present

1999 – Asteroid Observing Program

• Larry Robinson:  1999-2003
• Scott Kranz:  2004-2013
• JohnGoar:  2013-present

1999 – Solar System Observing Program (originally the Planetary Observing Program)

• Paul Castle:  1999-2003
• Aaron Clevenson:  2004-2012
• Bryan Tobias:  2013-2018
• Aaron Clevenson:  2019
• Chuck Allen:  2020-present

2001 – Caldwell Observing Program

• Sue Rose:  2001-present

2001 – Earth Orbiting Satellite Observing Program

• Steven Bygren:  2001-2003
• Tom DeClue:  2004-2020
• Brad Young: 2021-present

2001 – Master Observer Award (now part of the Master Observer Progression)

• Mike Benson:  2001-2014
• Aaron Clevenson:  2015-2021
• David Whalen:  2022-present

2002 – Galaxy Groups and Clusters Observing Program

• Robert McGown:  2002-2009
• Dareth Murray:  2010-2018
• Aaron Clevenson:  2019
• Russell Pinizzotto: 2020-present

2003 – Comet Observing Program

• Eric Flescher:  2003-2009
• Scott Kranz:  2010-present

2003 – Sky Puppy Observing Program

• Kevin Cornwell:  2003-2014
• Aaron Clevenson:  2015
• Maynard Pittendreigh:  2016
• Aaron Clevenson:  2017-present

2004 – Constellation Hunter – Northern Skies Observing Program

• Aaron Clevenson: 2004-2014
• Cliff Mygatt:  2015-present

2004 – Constellation Hunter – Southern Skies Observing Program

• Aaron Clevenson: 2004-2014
• Cliff Mygatt:  2015-present

2004 – Globular Cluster Observing Program

• Mike Hotka:  2004-2009
• Bob Kerr:  2010-present

2004 – Planetary Transit Special Observing Award

• Bob Gent:  Venus – 2004
• Aaron Clevenson:
  • Venus – 2012
  • Mercury – 2012
  • Mercury – 2019

2004 – Southern Skies Telescope Observing Program

• Kathy Machin:  2004-present

2006 – Lunar II Observing Program

• Al Dorn:  2006-2009
• Aaron Clevenson:  2010
• Cliff Mygatt:  2011-present

2006 – Open Cluster Observing Program

• Benjamin Jones:  2006-2014
• Cliff Mygatt:  2015-present

2006 – Outreach Observing Award

• Mike Reynolds:  2006-2014
• Maynard Pittendreigh:  2015-present

2006 – Planetary Nebula Observing Program

• Ted Forte:  2006-present

2008 – Local Galaxy Groups and Galactic Neighborhood Observing Program

• Dareth Murray:  2008-2018
• Aaron Clevneson:  2019
• Mark Simonson:  2020-present

2009 – Dark Sky Advocate Award

• John Goss:  2009-present

2009 – Galileo Observing Program

• Aaron Clevenson:  2009-2015
• Rodney Rynearson:  2016-2022
• Mike Hotka:  2023-present

2010 – Dark Nebula Observing Program

• Kathy Machin:  2009-present

2010 – Flat Galaxy Observing Program

• Al Lamperti:  2010-present

2010 – Variable Star Observing Program

• Robert Togni:  2010-present

2011 – Analemma Observing Program

• Lowell Martin:  2011-2014
• Aaron Clevenson:  2015-2016
• Douglas Smith:  2017-present

2011 – Arp Peculiar Galaxy Observing Program (Southern Skies)

• Al Lamperti:  2011-2019
• Marie Lott:  2020-present

2011 – Binocular Double Star Observing Program

• Bob Kerr:  2011-present

2011 – Carbon Star Observing Program

• Aaron Clevenson:  2011-2017
• Robert Togni:  2018-present

2013 – Asterism Observing Program

• Troy Stratton:  2013-present

2013 – Bright Nebula Observing Program

• Vincent Foster:  2013-2016
• Bob Scott:  2017-present

2013 – Hydrogen-Alpha Solar Observing Program

• Vincent Foster:  2013-2016
• Aaron Clevenson:  2017
• Mark Simonson:  2018-present

2013 – Target NEO Observing Program

• Dolores Hill and Carl Hergenrother:  2013-present

2013 – Planetary Nebula Observing Program – Southern Skies

• Ted Forte:  2013-present

2013 – Stellar Evolution Observing Program

• Bill Pellerin:  2013-present

2014 – Advanced Binocular Double Star Observing Program

• Bob Kerr:  2014-present

2014 – NASA Observing Challenge Certificates

• Aaron Clevenson:  2014-2022
  • Siding-Spring – 2015
  • Rosetta – 2015
  • New Horizons – 2015
  • TESS – 2018
  • Mars InSight – 2018
  • Apollo 50 – 2019
  • Mercury Transit – 2019
  • Perseverance Rover – 2021
  • James Webb Telescope – 2022
• Richard Benson:  2023-present
  • Parker Solar Probe – 2024

2015 – Active Galactic Nuclei Observing Program

• Al Lamperti:  2015-present

2015 – Binocular Variable Star Observing Program

• Robert Togni:  2015-present

2015 – Radio Astronomy

• Bill Bogardus:  2015-2018
• Aaron Clevneson:  2019
• Steve Boerner:  2020-present

2015 – Sketching Award

• Cindy Krach:  2015-present

2015 – Two in the View Observing Program

• Bob Scott:  2015-present

2016 – Occultation Observing Program

• Steve Conard: 2016-present

2016 – Master Observer Progression

• Aaron Clevenson:  2016-2021
• David Whalen:  2022-present
  • Observer Award
  • Advanced Observer Award
  • Master Observer Award – Silver
  • Master Observer Award – Gold
  • Master Observer Award – Platinum

2017 – Beyond Polaris Observing Program

• Maynard Pittendreigh:  2017-present

2017 – Galileo’s T.O.E.S. Certificate

• Aaron Clevenson:  2017-2022
• Douglas Smith:  2023-present

2017 – Solar Eclipse Special Award

• Aaron Clevenson:  2017
• Brad Young:  2023-present

2018 – Astronomy Before the Telescope Observing Program

• Steve Boerner:  2018-present

2018 – Herschel Society Certificate (Silver and Gold)

• Cliff Mygat:  2018-present

2018 – Mars Observing Program

• Aaron Clevenson:  2018
• Mark Simonson:  2019-present

2018 – Binocular Master Observer Award (part of the Master Observer Progression)

• Aaron Clevenson:  2018-2021
• David Whalen:  2022-present

2018 – Nova Observing Program

• Raymond Howard:  2018-present

2019 – Multiple Star Observing Program

• Steve McGaugherty: 2019-present

2019 – Spectroscopy Observing Program

• Steve Boerner:  2019-present

2019 – AL-Con Challenge Special Observing Award

• Aaron Clevenson:  2019

2019 – Mentor Award

• Aaron Clevenson:  2019-2023
• Emma Terlep:  2023-present

2020 – Galileo’s T.O.E.S. II Certificate

• Aaron Clevenson: 2020-present

2020 – Alternate Constellations  Observing Program

• Brad Young:  2020-present

2020 – Foundations of Imaging Observing Program

• Dan Crowson:  2020-presemt

2020 – Library Telescope Award

• Tom Lynch:  2020-present

2020 – Lunar Evolution Observing Program

• Chuck Allen:  2020-present

2020 – Master Imager Award

• Aaron Clevenson:  2020-2021
• David Whalen:  2022-present

2020 – AL Observing Challenge

• Aaron Clevenson:  2020-2021
  • The Great Conjunction – 2020
  • Observe the Moon – 2021
  • The AL 75th Year Challenge – 2021
• Cliff Mygatt: 2022-present
  • Galaxy Challenge – 2022
  • Globular Cluster – 2022
  • Observe the Moon – 2022
  • Moons of the Solar System – 2022
  • Galaxy Challenge 2.0 – 2023
  • Observe the Moon – 2023
  • T Coronae Borealis – 2024

2021 – Bennett Observing Program

• Rob Lentini 2021-present

2021 – Jupiter Observing Program

• Douglas Smith:  2021-present

2022 – Solar Neighborhood

• Marie Lott:  2022-present

2022 – Youth Astronomer

• Maynard Pittendreigh:  2022-present

2023 – Master Observer – Triple Crown

• Aaron Clevenson:  2023-present

2024 – Herschel 400 (Southern) Observing Program

• Jack Estes:  2024-present

2024 – Imaging Bennett Observing Program

• Rob Lentini:  2024-present

2024 – Imaging Caldwell Observing Program

• Sue Rose:  2024-present

2024 – Imaging Messier Observing Program

• Scott Kranz:  2024-present