190:, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. He spent 2 years in England doing a rocket propulsion residency and then in 1953 he moved to Australia, taking up residence in Adelaide, where he worked for the Australian Department of Defence as a rocket propulsion engineer and research scientist until he retired in 1986. This was also where he met Eileen; they were married in 1957, and they went on to have three daughters.
174:: "To discover 18 comets visually is an extraordinary accomplishment in any era, but to do so now is truly remarkable, and I think we can be pretty sure nobody will be able to do it again. And it's all the more astounding that in no case did he have to share a discovery with some other independent discoverer. More than any other recipient, Bill Bradfield outstandingly deserves the Edgar Wilson Award."
216:
227:
His discoveries were particularly notable because he worked alone to discover them, using old and home-made telescopic equipment. Apart from the 100-year-old lens and modern eyepieces, the remainder of his telescope was homemade, but perfectly suited for hunting comets. He did not use photographic
200:
Just over a year and 260 hours of searching later, he was rewarded with finding Comet
Bradfield (C/1972 E1). Six comets followed in his first six years, and in 1987 the discovery of his 13th comet made him the most prolific comet-hunter of the 20th century. Eventually his count built to 18 comets
878:
721:
255:
186:
on 20 June 1927. He grew up on a dairy farm, where his interests in rocketry and astronomy first developed, and when he was 15 he got his first small telescope. He attended the
1051:
235:(ASSA) in 1970, Bradfield served as its President from 1977 to 1979. In 1989 he was appointed an honorary Life Member, and he was inducted into the ASSA Hall of Fame in 2013.
888:
197:(ASSA) in 1970 which fueled his interest, and he started hunting for comets in 1971, using a second-hand telescope which he bought from another ASSA member.
208:(IAU), it kicked off worldwide action. Within 14 hours of reporting his 17th comet in 1995, it had been observed by more than 20 observers, including the
765:
1173:
1198:
1178:
1208:
1188:
1128:
814:
1183:
299:
171:
283:
in honour of his achievements, given to an amateur who displays exceeding accomplishment in a given year in the field of astronomy.
1193:
232:
194:
159:(20 June 1927 – 9 June 2014) was a New Zealand-born Australian amateur astronomer, notable as a prolific amateur discoverer of
291:
910:
201:
after 3500 hours of searching, with the 18th and final comet discovery coming on 23 March 2004 when he was 76 years old.
259:
295:
205:
167:
155:
1168:
209:
1203:
187:
83:
1030:
228:
or computerized detection equipment, relying instead on purely visual sweeping across the skies.
683:"Since he spotted his 13th comet, Australia's Bill Bradfield has been seeing his name in lights"
951:
883:
632:
494:
220:
1106:
1163:
1158:
848:
166:
His astronomical achievements were summed up by Brian G. Marsden, director emeritus of the
16:
Australian amateur astronomer who set a world record by discovering 18 comets. (1927–2014)
8:
852:
658:
287:
266:
183:
122:
118:
44:
682:
925:
856:
736:
975:
1022:
1059:
791:
653:
248:
163:. He discovered 18 comets, all of which bear his name as the sole discoverer.
1152:
929:
860:
740:
839:
Eicher, D.J. (February 1988). "Comet
Bradfield dazzles backyard observers".
997:
914:(Signon required – Available from Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA.)
725:(Signon required – Available from Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA.)
686:(Signon required – available from Academic Search Premier, Ipswich, MA.)
1081:
139:
279:
In 2000 the
Astronomical Society of South Australia created the
204:
When
Bradfield discovered a comet and communicated it to the
160:
215:
274:
269:(AM) "in recognition of his service to astronomy" in 1989.
879:"Remarkable achievements of Bill Bradfield, comet hunter"
815:"Bill Bradfield, Comet Hunter Extraordinaire (1927–2014)"
792:"JPL Small-Body Database Browser search for "Bradfield""
692:. Vol. 29, no. 8. 29 February 1988. p. 73
238:
He died on 9 June 2014 after a long illness, at age 86.
1002:
National
Australian Convention of Amateur Astronomers
212:(ESO) 1-meter Schmidt telescope at La Silla, Chile.
766:"Guest blog: Comet hunter William Bradfield dies"
1150:
1027:It's an Honour Australia Celebrating Australians
1109:. IAU Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
978:. Astronomical Society of South Australia, Inc
715:
713:
711:
709:
707:
759:
757:
677:
675:
673:
970:
968:
952:"Septuagenarian 'Wizard' Finds Bright Comet"
784:
313:
806:
704:
650:Hours: Number of search hours for discovery
872:
870:
754:
670:
965:
300:Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
172:Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
1129:"Comets Discovered from South Australia"
214:
1133:Astronomical Society of South Australia
1086:Astronomical Society of South Australia
1056:Astronomical Society of South Australia
867:
812:
648:Comet: Initial designation of the comet
233:Astronomical Society of South Australia
195:Astronomical Society of South Australia
1151:
876:
838:
763:
292:Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
223:from Cactus Flats in NE Colorado, US.
1174:20th-century New Zealand astronomers
719:
241:
1199:21st-century Australian astronomers
1179:20th-century Australian astronomers
1107:"The Edgar Wilson Award Recipients"
949:
661:(brightness) of comet at discovery
13:
1209:New Zealand emigrants to Australia
813:Sinnott, Roger W. (17 June 2014).
14:
1220:
1189:Members of the Order of Australia
305:In 2013 he was inducted into the
260:Astronomical Society of Australia
109:Katherine, Caroline, and Jennifer
1184:University of New Zealand alumni
998:"Berenice and Arthur Page Medal"
794:. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
206:International Astronomical Union
1121:
1099:
1074:
1044:
1015:
990:
877:Vlahos, Perry (8 August 2014).
720:Levy, David H. (October 2004).
1194:People from Levin, New Zealand
943:
903:
832:
764:Eicher, David (16 June 2014).
281:Bill Bradfield Astronomy Award
256:Berenice and Arthur Page Medal
93:discovering a record 18 comets
1:
664:
210:European Southern Observatory
887:. p. 29. Archived from
265:He was made a member of the
177:
7:
1023:"Search Australian Honours"
10:
1225:
314:List of discovered comets
188:University of New Zealand
145:
135:
128:
113:
105:
97:
89:
84:University of New Zealand
79:
71:
63:
51:
30:
23:
924:(5): 10. November 1995.
652:Date: Discovery date in
272:He was made an Honorary
251:was named in his honour.
152:William Ashley Bradfield
1031:Government of Australia
254:Bradfield received the
224:
182:Bradfield was born in
1169:Discoverers of comets
976:"Vale Bill Bradfield"
911:"New Comet Bradfield"
884:Sydney Morning Herald
722:"Harvester of Comets"
221:C/2004 F4 (Bradfield)
218:
193:Bradfield joined the
1204:Amateur astronomers
918:Sky & Telescope
853:1988Ast....16...34V
729:Sky & Telescope
286:He was awarded the
1062:on 20 January 2013
772:. Cs.astronomy.com
770:Astronomy Magazine
294:(SAO) through the
288:Edgar Wilson Award
267:Order of Australia
231:Having joined the
225:
184:Levin, New Zealand
123:Edgar Wilson Award
119:Order of Australia
45:Levin, New Zealand
1052:"A Brief History"
891:on 10 August 2014
819:Sky and Telescope
646:
645:
307:ASSA Hall of Fame
242:Awards and honors
149:
148:
130:Scientific career
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1125:
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1116:
1114:
1103:
1097:
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1078:
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1058:. Archived from
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994:
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987:
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981:
979:
974:
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966:
956:
954:
950:Hoffman, Tony.
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904:
894:
892:
875:
868:
837:
833:
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797:
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790:
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762:
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695:
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671:
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316:
302:(CBAT) in 2004.
244:
180:
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80:Alma mater
56:
47:
42:
36:
34:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1146:
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1120:
1098:
1073:
1043:
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989:
964:
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902:
866:
831:
805:
783:
753:
735:(4): 121–122.
703:
668:
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619:
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249:3430 Bradfield
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117:Member of the
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95:
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91:
90:Known for
87:
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81:
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59:(aged 86)
53:
49:
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25:Bill Bradfield
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2:
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88:
85:
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78:
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66:
62:
54:
50:
46:
33:
29:
22:
19:
1136:. Retrieved
1132:
1123:
1111:. Retrieved
1101:
1089:. Retrieved
1085:
1076:
1064:. Retrieved
1060:the original
1055:
1046:
1034:. Retrieved
1026:
1017:
1005:. Retrieved
1001:
992:
980:. Retrieved
955:. Retrieved
945:
933:. Retrieved
921:
917:
905:
893:. Retrieved
889:the original
882:
844:
840:
834:
822:. Retrieved
818:
808:
796:. Retrieved
786:
774:. Retrieved
769:
744:. Retrieved
732:
728:
694:. Retrieved
689:
647:
306:
280:
273:
237:
230:
226:
203:
199:
192:
181:
165:
151:
150:
129:
57:(2014-06-09)
41:20 June 1927
18:
1164:2014 deaths
1159:1927 births
657:Mag: Total
72:Citizenship
67:New Zealand
64:Nationality
55:9 June 2014
1153:Categories
665:References
621:Aug 17.410
587:Jan 31.736
553:Aug 11.437
519:Dec 17.751
502:Dec 24.753
483:Jun 24.417
466:Oct 10.785
75:Australian
37:1927-06-20
1138:29 August
982:19 August
935:19 August
930:0037-6604
895:19 August
861:0091-6358
847:(2): 34.
841:Astronomy
824:19 August
798:19 August
746:19 August
741:0037-6604
696:19 August
659:magnitude
639:Mar 23.43
633:C/2004 F4
615:C/1995 Q1
604:May 3.806
598:C/1992 J2
581:C/1992 B1
570:Jan 6.514
564:P/1989 A3
547:C/1987 P1
536:Jan 7.733
530:P/1984 A1
513:C/1980 Y1
495:C/1979 Y1
477:C/1979 M1
460:C/1978 T3
449:Feb 4.755
443:C/1978 C1
432:Mar 3.778
426:C/1976 E1
415:Feb 19.49
409:C/1976 D1
398:Nov 11.74
392:C/1975 V2
381:Mar 12.45
375:C/1975 E1
364:Feb 12.49
358:C/1974 C1
347:Mar 12.81
341:C/1972 E1
290:from the
258:from the
247:Asteroid
178:Biography
140:Astronomy
1082:"Awards"
276:in 1989.
262:in 1981.
106:Children
1113:16 June
1091:16 June
1066:16 June
1036:16 June
1007:16 June
957:16 June
849:Bibcode
776:20 June
928:
859:
739:
690:People
321:Number
219:Comet
161:comets
136:Fields
114:Awards
101:Eileen
98:Spouse
327:Hours
324:Comet
1140:2014
1115:2014
1093:2014
1068:2014
1038:2014
1009:2014
984:2014
959:2014
937:2014
926:ISSN
897:2014
857:ISSN
826:2014
800:2014
778:2014
748:2014
737:ISSN
698:2014
333:Mag
330:Date
52:Died
31:Born
733:108
618:289
607:10
590:10
584:129
573:12
567:164
556:10
550:307
539:11
533:384
516:113
486:10
446:360
401:10
395:106
378:145
361:306
350:10
344:260
298:'s
296:IAU
170:'s
168:IAU
1155::
1131:.
1084:.
1054:.
1029:.
1025:.
1000:.
967:^
922:90
920:.
916:.
881:.
869:^
855:.
845:16
843:.
817:.
768:.
756:^
731:.
727:.
706:^
688:.
672:^
654:UT
642:8
629:18
624:6
612:17
601:30
595:16
578:15
561:14
544:13
527:12
522:6
510:11
505:5
499:67
491:10
480:98
469:9
463:75
452:8
435:9
418:9
412:57
384:9
367:9
156:AM
121:,
1142:.
1117:.
1095:.
1070:.
1040:.
1011:.
986:.
961:.
939:.
899:.
863:.
851::
828:.
802:.
780:.
750:.
700:.
474:9
457:8
440:7
429:9
423:6
406:5
389:4
372:3
355:2
338:1
309:.
39:)
35:(
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