[meteorite-list] Brian Marsden

[Matson, Robert D.]

Hi All,

When I opened up my e-mail this morning and saw a flood of messages
with Brian's name in the title, I knew it was very sad news:

<http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/mpec/K10/K10W10.html>

Dr. Marsden was a wonderful man that I had the great pleasure to
correspond with over the last decade, and was thrilled a few years
back to meet in his office in Cambridge, Mass. Always with a
friendly smile, and that gentle English accent, you couldn't help
but love the guy. For those that don't know, Brian was the one
to whom I sent all asteroid citation nominations, as well as my
trio of SWAN comet discoveries, and a number of other comet
"precoveries". Brian was also a major inspiration and patient tutor
that got me involved in comet hunting, and comet and NEO precovery--
all activities in which amateurs still play an important role,
and Brian strongly encouraged.

It is an understatement to say that he will be missed. He was a
mentor and icon to so many astronomers, and I'm very happy to
have known him.  --Rob