Jack B. Newton
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John "Jack" Borden Newton (b. 1942) is a Canadian astronomer known worldwide for his publications and images in amateur astrophotography both in film and CCD. Newton took his first astrophotograph when he was 13 years old of the planet Saturn. His ground-breaking work in deep sky imagery and CCD images of the sun places him among the great pioneers of modern day astrophotographers.
While working at the head office for Sears Canada as a training manager and then later as store manager with Marks & Spencer, Newton pioneered and popularized "cold camera" astrophotography allowing for substantially longer exposures on film.
In 1991 Jack became the first amateur astrophotographer to make full (RGB) color CCD images of celestial objects using a Santa Barbara Instruments Group ST-4 camera, making a full color CCD image of M57 "The Ring Nebula" and M27 "The Dumbell Nebula". Jack took three seperate black and white images, each taken with a separate filter in red, blue, and green, which were later combined in software that was being developed for amateur astrophotography by Richard Berry, then Editor of Astronomy Magazine. Richard published the first combined color CCD image of M27 as his magazine's cover.
In 2005, Carolyn S. Shoemaker and David H. Levy named an asteroid, 30840 Jackalice = 1991 GC2, in honor of Jack's astrophotographic accomplishments and he and Alice's teamwork in astronomy outreach.
Newton has published six books on amateur astronomy and astrophotography. His first book called "Astrophotography from Film to Infinity", was published in the early 1980's.
UK Connections Newton has had two books published by Cambridge University Press, the Cambridge Deep Sky Album and the Guide to Amateur Astronomy. He received the prestigious Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977 for his contributions to science.
The Astronomical League In 2006 Jack was selected by unanimous vote of the AL council for Honorary Membership in the Astronomical League, an association of 240+ local amateur astronomy societies dedicated to promoting the science of astronomy.
Advisor, MEADE 4M Community (Astronomy Outreach) Jack is on the Board of Advisors of the MEADE 4M Community Outreach program, which has been established to embrace and nurture its members and help them achieve a greater understanding of our universe. The four 'M's in the 4M Community have come to symbolize the Members being guided by these principles to explore, discover, image, and share.
Astronomical Society of the Pacific (the largest non-profit organization of its kind in the United States) In 2006 Jack was elected by Society membership to a 3rd term of office on its Board of Trustees. During an earlier term, he was instrumental in launching Project Astro (which partners astronomers and teachers in the classroom.) Newton was the recipient of the ASP's Amateur Achievement Award in 1988 for his work in Astrophotography. (This award “recognizes significant observational or technological contributions to astronomy or amateur astronomy by an individual not employed in the field of astronomy in a professional capacity”.)
Team Member, Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search Team Jack is credited with 20 co-discoveries to date, including 3 so far in 2007.
International Space Station Amateur Telescope The Alpha telescope of the ISSAT is now housed at the Arizona Sky Village in a dome built by Jack where it can be used by persons interested in studying an astronomical object (including astronomy society club members and school groups.)
Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific (Victoria, BC Canada) (is a United World College promoting living together as one world.) The first of ten United World Colleges, the United World College of the Atlantic is located in a 12th-Century castle in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales. Jack helped establish the astronomy program at “Pearson College” and he and Alice are both honorary patrons of it.
Observatory B&B, Osoyoos The Observatory B&B is an astronomy-themed bed & breakfast owned and operated by Jack and Alice Newton. Guests all receive free tours of night and day skies and optional tutorial sessions are available. Guests have reported that hearing Jack speak has been "a life-changing experience." His great enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for astronomy has resulted in the Observatory B&B placing in the top 1% of B&B’s in Canada.
Arizona Sky Village Jack and Alice are partners in the Arizona Sky Village [[ ]], a property of some 85 four-acre parcels and a high-elevation site with spectacular dark skies.
Jack's Vision…"has been to "create an environment for discovery and learning; a place where nature reveals her treasures, and free-thinking people share their passions for life. Our Sky Village is the perfect community in which to relax, offering pristine dark skies, gorgeous surroundings, and the ultimate in tranquility. This dark, transparent oasis represents some of the best skies remaining in North America.
Our community welcome center provides a stimulating setting for interaction and discussion with others at the cutting edge of their field. A computer controlled 30” Starmaster f4.3 telescope will soon be available. This will be the perfect location to optimize the performance of this superb instrument.” The ASV is an ideal location for robotic telescopes. Just image having the ability to access these indescribable skies at any time from anywhere in the world.
The sky conditions at the Village have exceeded our expectations in both the number of clear nights and the quality of the seeing. Since our arrival in October, we have enjoyed over 80% clear nights, many of which offered excellent seeing. Our daytime observers have not only enjoyed the sun in Hydrogen alpha, but have had the unusual opportunity of splitting the 6th magnitude double-double Epsilon Lyra by early afternoon with the 16” SCT. The outer nebulous regions of the Rosette Nebula are not only enjoyed visually through the telescope, but also recorded photographically by my 7” Meade® APO at f9. The image is posted as our initial Photo of the Month as a testimonial to our dark transparent skies. The zodiacal light stands in the western sky as a pillar surpassing the brightness of the Milky Way.
Since arriving, we have taken dozens of deep sky images using a variety of instruments ranging from a 300mm telephoto lens to a 16” SCT. I have also enjoyed solar imaging and visually seeing faint treasures for the first time Finally, I have eked-out time to blink thousands of images and discover/confirm two supernovae in remote galaxies (2003-J & 2003 AD).
I want to share this unique experience, and to this end invite you to realize YOUR dreams in the fun environment which is the Arizona Sky Village."
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada Jack has been past-president of 3 different centers (Winnipeg, Toronto, and Victoria (twice). He was elected as a Life Member in 1978. His photos appear on this year’s cover of the 2007 Observer’s Handbook, and in the RASC calendar. The Victoria Center recently created a "Newton/Ball" (Jack Newton/George Ball) award which it now gives annually as a service award.
Publications Jack’s photographs and articles appear frequently in Astronomy Magazine and his images have a worldwide following in various magazines including Skynews (Canada) and Sterne und Weltraum (Max Plank Institute, Germany). His spectacular solar images appeared in National Geographic's 2004 special edition entitled "exploring SPACE - the universe in pictures", Time Inc's LIFE - the Year in Pictures (2003 & 2004), as well as Sky & Telescope's 2004 Beautiful Universe. Jack proudly ushered in 2007 with one of his solar images representing the lead-in to the science section in LIFE: Platinum Edition Anniversary Collection -- 70 Years of Extraordinary Photography.
Jack's astrophotos have appeared in the Audobon Field Guide to the Night Sky as well as Nightwatch, the largest-selling astronomy book of all time (authored by Terence Dickinson, with whom Jack co-authored Splendors of the Universe.)
Jack Newton is an active member of the International Dark Sky Association, tirelessly promoting the need for preservation of the night skies as a heritage for our children.
