Daboll Award - Brian Loader

Brian joined the RASNZ Occultation Section in 1980 and immediately adopted a prominent role as a prolific observer of total and grazing occultations. In the same year

• He instituted the Jovian Satellite Eclipse programme which he then coordinated for more than 20 years.

• He promoted and coordinated observations of the mutual events of the Galilean satellites across multiple seasons.

• He initiated and continues to co-ordinate the double star programme for the determination of true separations and PAs from geographically separate occultation observations.

Observers from around the globe contribute to this programme, which has resulted in a string of publications, including a number in the JDSO.

Brian continues to be one of the top observers of lunar occultations worldwide, as he has been for the observation of minor planet occultations within the Australasian region since predictions first became available.

• (2010) Brian reported on 46 events

• John Talbot noted, Brian has also been a regional coordinator and reducer for total occultations for many years, a role which has required him to interact with and provide advice to almost every new observer in this part of the world

• Together with his wife Pauline, Brian has for many years prepared and published annual summaries of upcoming bright total and grazing occultations for all of Australasia. These have materially assisted in attracting new observers to these events.

Comments by Graham Blow