Michael Hotka's
Astronomical Accomplishments

• Received Astronomical League's Messier Award, June 14, 1988.
• Received Astronomical League's Double Star Award, Apr 22, 2002.
• Received Astronomical League's Binocular Messier Award, July 20, 2003.
• Received Astronomical League's Lunar Club Award, Nov 18, 2003.
• Received Astronomical League's Deep Sky Binocular Award, Apr 4, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Sunspotter Award, June 1, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Venus Transit Award, June 8, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Caldwell Silver Award, July 9, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Herschel 400 Award, July 19, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Planetary Observers Award, July 24, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Globular Cluster Award, Sept 10, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Urban Astronomy Award, Sept 17, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Master Observer's Award, Oct 8, 2004.
• Received Astronomical League's Northern Constellation Hunter Award, July 10, 2005.
• Received Astronomical League's Earth Orbiting Satellite Observing Award, Aug 8, 2005.
• Received Astronomical League's Lunar II Advanced Award, Jan 2, 2006.
• Received Astronomical League's Silver Comet Observing Award, Apr 24, 2006.
  
• Received Astronomical League's Basic Outreach Award, Mar 30, 2006.
• Received Astronomical League's Meteor Watching Award, Nov 13, 2006.
• Received Astronomical League's Universe Sampler Award, Jan 4, 2007.
• Received Astronomical League's Herschel II Award, Apr 3, 2007.
• Received Colorado Project Astro-Geo Award, May, 2007.
• Received Astronomical League's Stellar Outreach Award, Jun 25, 2007.
• Received Astronomical League's G.R. "Bob" Wright Service Award - AL WebTeam 2008.
• Received Astronomical League's Planetary Nebula Basic Award, Feb 11, 2008.
• Received Astronomical League's Open Cluster Advanced Award, Feb 13, 2008.
• Received Astronomica League's Planetary Nebula Advanced Award, Aug. 5, 2008.
• Received Astronomica League's Gold Comet Observing Award, Jan. 16, 2009.
• Received Astronomica League's Arp Peculiar Calaxy Observing Club Award, Feb. 27, 2009.
• Received Astronomica League's Local Galaxy Group Observing Club Award, Apr 23, 2009.
• Received Astronomica League's Master Outreach Observing Club Award, July 10, 2009.
• Received Astronomical League's Galileo Observing Club Award, Dec. 3, 2009.
  • 400 years after Galileo first performed these same exercises that I had to do.
• Received Astronomical League's Galaxy Groups & Clusters Observing Club Award, Aug. 12, 2010.
• Received Astronomical League's Dark Sky Advocate Club Award, Aug. 20, 2010.
• Received Astronomical League's Carbon Star Observing Club Award, July 23, 2011.
• Received Astronomical League's Binocular Double Star Observing Club Award, Sep 8, 2011.
  Received Astronomical League's Dark Nebula Observing Club Award, Oct 15, 2011.
• Received Astronomical League's Southern Arps Observing Club Award, Jan. 30, 2012.
• Received Astronomical League's Southern Arp Certificate Observing Club Award, Jan. 30, 2012.
• Received Astronomical League's Flat Galaxy Regular Certificate Observing Club Award, Jan. 30, 2012.
  Received Astronomical League's Flat Galaxy Honorary Certificate Observing Club Award, May 17, 2012.
  Received Astronomical League's Venus Transit 2012 Certificate Observing Club Award, June 6, 2012.
• Received Astronomical League's Asterism Observing Program Award, Jan. 13, 2013.
• Received Astronomical League's Stellar Evolution Certificate Observing Program Award, July 10, 2013.
• Received Astronomical League's Bright Nebula Regular Certificate Observing Program Award, Oct. 8, 2013.
• Received Astronomical League's Hydrogen Alpha Solar Observing Program Award, Oct. 16, 2013.
• Received Astronomical League's Bright Nebula Honorary Certificate Observing Program Award, Oct. 29, 2013.
• Received Astronomical League's Advanced Binocular Double Star Certificate Observing Program Award, Dec. 30, 2014.
• Received Astronomical League's Basic Southern Planetary Nebula Certificate Observing Program Award, May 15, 2015.
• Received Astronomical League's Sketching Certificate Observing Program Award, July 17, 2015.
• Received Astronomical League's Two In The View Certificate Observing Program Award, August 17, 2015.
• Received the Astronomical League's GR Wright Service Award for volunteer work for the AL, August 21, 2015.
• Received Astronomical League's Bronze Radio Astronomy Certificate Observing Program Award, December 6, 2015.
• Received Astronomical League's Observer Certificate Observing Program Award, January 1, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Advanced Observer Certificate Observing Program Award, January 1, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Master Observer Silver Certificate Observing Program Award, January 1, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Silver Radio Astronomy Certificate Observing Program Award, January 26, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Binocular Variable Star Observing Program Award, January 30, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Gold Radio Astronomy Certificate Observing Program Award, February 29, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Caldwell Gold Certificate Observing Program Award, April 17, 2016
• Received Astronomical League's Southern Skies Binocular Certificate Observing Program Award, April 26, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Master Observer Gold Certificate Observing Program Award, May 1, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Mercury Planetary Transit 2016 Certificate Observing Award, May 9, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Southern Skies Telescopic Certificate Observing Program Award, May 19, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Advanced Southern Planetary Nebulae Certificate Observing Program Award, October 5, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Active Galactic Nuclei Certificate Observing Program Award, October 5, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Southern Constellation Hunter Certificate Observing Program Award, October 7, 2016.
• Received Astronomical League's Asteroid Regular Certificate Observing Program Award, February 5, 2017.
• Received Astronomical League's Target NEO Intermediate Certificate Observing Program Award, February 22, 2017.
• Received Astronomical League's Asteroid Gold Certificate Observing Program Award, April 5, 2017.
• Received Astronomical League's Target NEO Advanced Certificate Observing Program Award, May 11, 2017.
• Received Astronomical League's Master Observer Platinum Certificate Observing Program Award, May 15, 2017.
  Received Astronomical League's Beyond Polaris Observing Program Award, June 15, 2017.
• Received Astronomical League's 2017 Solar Eclipse Special Observing Award, August 21, 2017.
• Received Astronomical League's Variable Star Observing Program Award, November 11, 2017.
• Received Astronomical League's Analemma Program Award, December 3, 2017.
  Received Astronomical League's Binocular Master Observer Award, March 1, 2018.
• Received Astronomical League's Herschel Society Silver Certificate, September, 2018.
• Received Astronomical League's Nova Observing Program's Silver Award, October 5, 2018.
• Received Astronomical League's Nova Observing Program's Gold Award, November 27, 2018.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist Meteor Observing Program's Bronze Award, July 7, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist Nova Observing Program's Bronze Award, July 7, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist Meteor Observing Program's Bronze Award, July 7, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist Variable Star Observing Program's Bronze Award, July 7, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist Variable Star Observing Program's Silver Award, August 25, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist NEO Observing Program's Bronze Award, October 12, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist Variable Star Observing Program's Gold Award, October 27, 2019.
• Received the 2019 Texas Star Party Lone Star Gazer Award, May 4, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist NEO Observing Program's Silver Award, December 13, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist NEO Observing Program's Gold - Class 1 Award, December 26, 2019.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist NEO Observing Program's Gold - Class 2 Award, March 4, 2020.
• Received Astronomical League's Multiple Star Observing Program's Award, June 3, 2020.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist NEO Observing Program's Gold - Class 3 Award, December 26, 2020.
• Received Astronomical League's Galileo's T.O.E.S. Observing Program's Award, July 26, 2021.
• Received Recognition Award from Raytheon, June 17, 2020.
• Received Scrum Inc. Certified Agile Product Owner Certification July 26, 2020.
• Received AAVSO Special Recognition Award, December 22, 2020.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist NEO Observing Program's Gold - Class 3 Award, December 26, 2020.
• Received Wagoner 100 Award, July 21, 2021.
• Received Astronomical League's Binocular Solar System Award, September 6, 2021.
• Received Astronomical League's Mentorship Award, September 19, 2021.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2021 FU23, September 23, 2021.
• Received a Raytheon Spot Bonus Award, September 29, 2021.
• Received Astronomical League's Coordinator Award, October 4, 2021.
• Received Astronomical League's Alternate Constellations Award, September 26, 2021.
• Received Astronomical League's Lunar Evolution Observing Program's Award, January 11, 2022.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2021 PQ22, September 23, 2021.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2021 QQ60, July 19, 2022.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2021 RX175, July 19, 2022.
• Received Astronomical League's Spectroscopy Observing Program's Award, August 24, 2022.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2021 TH14, August 30, 2022.
• Received Astronomical League's Solar Neighborhoon Observing Program's Unaided Eye Certificate, September 24, 2022.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2021 VP67, October 5, 2022.
• Received Astronomical League's Citizen Scientist NEO Observing Program's Gold - Class 4 Award, October 6, 2022.
• Received Astronomical League's Solar Neighborhoon Observing Program's Binocular Certificate, October 24, 2022.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2022 GG20, December 19, 2022.
• Received Astronomical League's Solar Neighborhood Observing Program's Award, August 11, 2023.
• Received Recognition Award from Raytheon, September 18, 2023.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2022 SL247, October 20, 2023.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2022 SM250, October 20, 2023.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2022 UC113, November 16, 2023.
• Four Year Work Anniversary at Raytheon, January, 2024.
• Received Discovery Announcement of asteroid 2021 GX217, January 16, 2024.
  
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• Completed Beginners PHP and MySQL Training, Sept. 18, 2013.
  
• Member of Texas Astronomical Society from 1983 to 1992. 2021-Present
  
• Member of Longmont Astronomical Society since 1995.
• Member of Denver Astronomical Society since 2004.
• Observatories visited:
  • Kitt Peak
  • McDonald
  • WIRO
  • Greenwich Royal Observatory
  • Stonehenge
  • Chichen Itza
• Star Parties Attended:
  • Sterling Star Party
  • Texas Star Party
  • Okie-Tex Star Party
  • Weekend Under the Stars
  • OzSky Star Safari
• Organizations I currently belong to:
  • Little Thompson Observatory since Sept 1996.
  • Denver Astronomical Society since 2004.
  • JPL Solar System Ambassador since 2002.
  • Three Rivers Foundation since 2014.
  • McDonald Observatory since 2018.
• Write a monthly article for several local newspapers since 2001.
• Taught an Introduction to Astronomy class at Front Range Community College.
  • Spring 2004 Semester.
  • Fall 2009 Semester.
• Web Developer for the Astronomical League since 2004.
• Helped create the Astronomical League's Globular Cluster Observing Club, 2004.
• Wrote the Globular Cluster Observing Guide for this observing club.
• Wrote Reflector article, Observing Globular Clusters, September, 2007
• Wrote Reflector article, What Am I Going to Observe Tonight?, September 2011
  Wrote Reflector article, Set Some New Observing Goals This Year, June 2014
  
• Telescopes Owned:
  •     1964 - 1966: Tasco, 2-inch refractor
  •     1966 - 1971: Tasco, 4-inch reflector
  •     1971 - 2010: Homemade, 12.5-inch f/8 (1973 Coulter Optics) reflector
  • 2010 - Present: Homemade, 12.5-inch f/8, My Own Mirror, Computerized, Tracking, Truss Tube Dob Mounted reflector
    
  • 2003 - Present: Homemade, 8-inch f/8 (my optics) reflector

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