[ASA] Don Morton

[Matthew Colless @ Gmail]

Dear ASA members,

I’m sorry to share the news that Don Morton, the Director of the AAO from 1976 to 1986, has died. The initial announcement below from the Canadian Astronomical Society is copied below; it notes that a fuller obituary will be shared in due course.

Regards, Matthew Colless.

>>> Begin forwarded message:
>>> 
>>> From: Canadian Astronomical Society <casca-members at casca.ca>
>>> Subject: Don Morton passes
>>> Date: April 29, 2026 at 9:51:19 AM EDT
>>> To: <abraham at astro.utoronto.ca>
>>> Reply-To: <casca-members at casca.ca>
>>> 
>>> This is a general message for CASCA member, ROBERTO G.​ ABRAHAM​
>>> Ceci est un message général pour le membre de la CASCA, ROBERTO G.​ ABRAHAM​
>>> I regret to inform CASCA members that Dr. Donald Morton passed away this past weekend at home a few months shy of his 93rd birthday.  During his long research career, Don worked on spectroscopic binaries, stellar structure, mass transfer in binaries, stellar atmospheres, the interstellar medium, UV spectra from space, QSO spectra, instrumentation for space- and ground-based telescopes and the compilation of atomic and molecular data.   He also served as the Director General of NRC's Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics (now NRC Herzberg Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Centre; HAA) between 1986 and 2000, a particularly challenging and productive time for Canadian Astronomy that included joining the JCMT partnership, launching the Gemini Observatory, and development of the first Long Range Plan for Canadian Astronomy and Astrophysics.  Don was active even in retirement, studying theoretical atomic physics, solar physics and astronomical contributions to climate change.  A fuller obituary will be shared when ready.
>>> 
>>> James Di Francesco
>>> Director, Optical Astronomy, HAA 
>>> 
>>> This email has been forwarded to CASCA members as a service to the community. Unless explicitly stated, this does not imply an endorsement of its contents, or any links, by CASCA or the CASCA Board.
>>> 

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