MSRAL Conferences
The Mid-States Regional Conferences have been in operation since the early 1950's with only a couple of meetings canceled through the years. The goal is to have societies/clubs in each state, rotate hosting the yearly conference held anytime from May to July. With 11 Astronomical League Regions, MSRAL is one of the top three most active, larger and consistent regions in the League.
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Each year the MSRAL solicits from the membership recommendations of people to be considered for the recipient of the, "Amateur of the Year Award." It is given to a person who has supported the region as a whole, or to a member from a MSRAL club who contributed to their club in some notable way.
Amateur of the Year recipients are listed by their club on the "CLUB" page on the menu.
Mid-States National Leaders
Presidents & Vice Presidents
Russell Maag, A.L. President 1957-1958
Saint Louis Astronomical Society
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Gene Tandy, A.L. President 1966-1968
Astronomical Society of Kansas City
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Carroll Iorg, A.L. President 2010-2014, 2020 to current
Astronomical Society of Kansas City
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Executive Secretary & Secretary
Jackie Beucher
Treasurer & Other Positions
Jackie Beucher
Peggy Walker, STEAM & Accessible Outreach, Jr. Activities Coordinator 2017 to present
Observing Program Coordinators
Cathy Machin, (ASKC) Dark Nebula Observing Program & Southern Sky Telescopic Observing
Dan Crowson, (ASEM) Imaging Basics
Brad Young, (ACT) Alternative Constellations
Youth Award Winners
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NYAA 2006: Mary Masterman, Oklahoma City, OK,
"Investigating Stars and Nebulae Through the Construction of an Astronomical Spectrograph"
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NYAA 2012: Justin Tieman, Blue Springs, MO,
"Alien Worlds: Space Rocks"
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Horkheimer Smith Award 2018: Abigail Bollenbach
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Horkheimer/O'Meara Journalism Award 2020: Seth Fenderson 3rd Place
National Awards
1970 Russell Maag, Astronomical League Award
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1987 Tom Martinez, Bob Wright Service Award for Reflector Editor
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1997 Kathy Machin, Bob Wright Service Award for Supervision of the Messier Club
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1998 Jackie Wade Beucher, Bob Wright Service Award for Special Project in support of the president - multiple winners
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2003 Carroll Iorg, Bob Wright Service Award
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2005 Kent Marts, Bob Wright Service Award