News has reached us that Ray has passed away. Ray was a bastion of NACAA and one of the great characters of the community. His loss will be felt by many.
I suspect he and Steve Russell are currently catching up for a celestial beverage and working out how to confound the rest of us with some unexpected astronomical shinanigans.
Vale Steve Russell, Central West Astronomical Society Inc. A long time member of the NACAA Secretariat and instrumental in the success of many conferences. At rest among the stars.
NACAA was a great success with 95 participants, 26 online. (some absent from photo shoot)
10/03/2026 Such sad news. Mike was such a strong advocate for dark skies and helping Dark Sky Victoria with its mandate to educate and influence, presenting at NACAA in the past, attending the first DSV Symposium in 2018. Mike’s insights into the relevant standards and working through bureaucracies were particularly sharp and well-considered, often observed…
Link to ABC News article