Tim Thompson was active in public outreach service
in the Monterey Park Astronomical Society for 12 years, beginning in 1975 until
the MPAS disbanded in 1987, at which time he joined the LAAS. He served as
President of the MPAS for many years, and has served as President of the LAAS
for a total of 10 years, and has otherwise been a member of the LAAS Board of
Directors through most of the last 27 years. Through both societies, he has
been an active participant in public outreach and amateur astronomy at the
Garvey Ranch Park Observatory, in the city of Monterey Park, operated by the
MPAS and now by the LAAS, spending at least 1 night a week at the observatory
almost continuously throughout the last 40 years, answering questions and
showing the sky in the observatory telescope (originally a 7.25-inch refractor,
now an 8-inch refractor). He has also been active through the LAAS at Griffith
Observatory public outreach events for over 20 years. In 2004 he received the
LAAS Lifetime Achievement Award.
Tim Thompson was a member of the group that started
the docent training program for Mount Wilson Observatory and has been a tour
guide at the observatory for over 30 years. The same group started the training
program for special docents, or “session directors”, to manage visitors in the
60-inch telescope at the observatory, once it was open to public viewing in
1998. He has been one of the primary drivers of public outreach at Mount Wilson
Observatory, serving as docent and session director, personally introducing
hundreds of people to astronomy at the observatory, and many more indirectly,
through his role in training docents and session directors for the observatory.
Tim Thompson has been a prolific public speaker on
astronomical topics for astronomy clubs, civic groups, and private functions
for many years. This has been by itself a significant contribution to educating
both the public and amateur astronomers. He is supported by a 28 year career in
astronomy and geophysics at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, allowing
knowledgeable presentations and reliable information.
The long service of Tim Thompson in the Monterey
Park and Los Angeles Astronomical Societies, at Mount Wilson Observatory, and
as a well regarded public speaker, merit the award of the G. Bruce Blair Medal.
