Web Publications

An Evening with Herb Luft

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Michael Mattei

Janet A. Mattei

AAVSO, 25 Birch Street, Cambridge, MA  02138

Abstract

Herbert A. Luft (1908 - 1988) contributed sunspot observations to the AAVSO Solar Division for over 50 years. He received the 1987 E. E. Barnard Observer's Award from the Western Astronomical Association, and he was a member of the AAVSO for 44 years. Sadly, Herb Luft passed away in October 1988 while on his way to the AAVSO annual meeting. It would be a fitting tribute to Herb's memory to share with you some of the fascinating memories of this astronomer's early development as he shared them with us at his home on the evening of November 21, 1987. For example, his 54mm refractor was one of the few personal possessions he carried with him when he fled from Germany in 1939. Without exaggeration, it can be said that Herbert Luft dedicated his life to solar astronomy. The reminiscences below are compiled from a video tape of that evening, now a permanent part of the AAVSO archives.