My congratuations to young Jon Stone, Jr. of Van Buren on earning his regular Messier Certificate within one year of beginning his observing log! I see in the new issue of the Astronomical League's newletter, the REFLECTOR, Jon's name appears on page 20 right there beside the Messier Binocular icon with certificate #2237.

I have waited so long to see another AOAS member's name on this list of certificate owners. My own Honorary Messier #678 and my Herschel 400 # 134 are my most proud possessions as an amateur astronomer and I congratulate Jon for earning his own certificate and continuing to log his observations of the sky's wonders.

I still hope that other AOAS members will find and LOG enough objects to earn their own Messier Certificates in 2006. Several have begun their logbooks, but only Jon Stone has earned the minimum 70 objects required for the regular Messier Certificate.

C'mon...what's stopping you from earning your own certificate? You view enough objects that you should have had your own name in an issue of the Reflector by now, so go that extra step and LOG your observations. All you need to know to start is to visit the AL site listed and linked through the story on our homepage below.

Congrats, Jon.........welcome to the club!

Thank you Bob, I'm glad to be a part of AOAS!

Congrats in a big way!!!!!

I too am working on mine, waiting for another month to go by to try my hand at heartbreak ridge. Still rising a little too late.