Amateur Sky Survey founder dies

Thomas F. Droege, founder of The Amateur Sky Survey (TASS), died on Monday, February 4th, 2008. He had been battling cancer.

Tom was a unique character and TASS was a project I got involved in early in my amateur astronomy days. He was recently awarded an honorary lifetime membership to the AAVSO, something that made him very happy. I had sent this to him when he told us about it on the TASS list:

Tom, I want to add my congratulations. TASS was the thing that accelerated my interest in variable stars. The AAVSO was there, too, but it was working on new TASS variables that really lit the fire under me. I’ve enjoyed your philosophy, as well, that the errors, mistakes and misfires should be just as public as the successes. It is too bad more researchers don’t share that view.

Thanks for the data, Tom. I know you enjoyed yourself and that is all that matters.