(meteorobs) Sad News . . .

[Skywayinc at aol.com]

This might be off-topic on some of the lists to  which I am a
member of . . . but it is a very sad piece of news that everyone  
in the astronomical community should be made aware of.

Brian was a  good friend . . . a brilliant man . . . and one of the nicest 
people in the  astronomical community.  

As those of the Jewish faith would say, a  real mensch. -- joe  rao



Electronic Telegram No. 2554
Central Bureau for Astronomical  Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
CBAT Director:  Daniel W.  E. Green; Hoffman Lab 209; Harvard University;
20 Oxford St.; Cambridge,  MA  02138; U.S.A.
e-mail:  cbatiau at eps.harvard.edu (alternate  cbat at iau.org)
URL http://www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/index.html
Prepared  using the Tamkin Foundation Computer Network


BRIAN G. MARSDEN  (1937-2010)
It is with deep regret that we must  announce the death today
of Brian G. Marsden after a lengthy illness.   He will be remembered
as contributing much to celestial mechanics and the  dynamics and
orbits of minor bodies of the solar system and as having an  encyclopedic 
knowledge of the history of astronomy.  He was a dedicated  servant to the 
astronomical community for many decades, serving as Director  of the 
Central 
Bureau from 1968 to 2000 (and as Director Emeritus since  then) and as 
Director 
of the Minor Planet Center from 1978 to 2006 (and as  Director Emeritus 
since 
then).  He also served extensively within  Commissions 6 and 20 of the IAU 
over 
the years, being past President of both  Commissions.  And he was one of 
the most 
visible astronomers in the  world over the years in terms of his generous 
availability to the news media  on behalf of the astronomical community.


NOTE: These 'Central Bureau  Electronic Telegrams' are sometimes
superseded  by text appearing later in the printed IAU  Circulars.

(C) Copyright 2010 CBAT
2010 November  18           (CBET  2554)               Daniel W. E. Green