Ronald J Livesey

Ron Livesey, friend and Honorary Member of Dundee Astronomical Society, passed away after a short illness on 25th January 2021, aged 91 years.

One of the most active interests of Dundee Astronomical Society back in the early years of its formation was the aurora, 1957 - 58 being the International Geophysical Year when solar activity was at a high level. Our first President was James Paton, then Director of the British Astronomical Association’s (BAA) Aurora Section. This interest continued and Ron Livesey, through our late President Dave Gavine, became a firm friend of DAS, giving many and regular talks and advice to Society members, especially on the subject of the aurora. In 1980 Ron was invited to accept the accolade of honorary membership of our Society.

Ron Livesey joined the BAA on 26th November 1958 and throughout his life had an active interest in many aspects of astronomy, but in particular lunar, solar and recording displays of the aurora and noctilucent clouds. As an engineer by profession his precision in his observational work and analysis was recognised and he was invited to take the post of Director of the Aurora Section of the BAA in 1982. He held this post until 2005 when it passed to Dave Gavine with Ron and myself as Assistant Directors. His many years of work with the Aurora Section was recognised by the award of the Lydia Brown Medal of the BAA in 1995 and the Goodacre Medal in 2012, for which I had the privilege of being one of his nominees. A further recognition was the naming of asteroid 7170 (Livesey) in his honour by the International Astronomical Union at the request of its discoverer Rob McNaught.

In recent years Ron suffered increasing age related disability and immobility. Just before Christmas 2020 he suffered a fall and was hospitalised in Edinburgh. Sadly his condition deteriorated and he passed away on the afternoon of 25th January 2021. Ron will be a sad loss to astronomy and, in particular, to the aurora fellowship of the BAA and his loss will be felt more acutely as it has followed the passing a year ago of his friend and fellow aurora enthusiast Dave Gavine.

Ken Kennedy