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An educator and researcher in earth and physical sciences, astronomy and
archeology, Dr. P. Clay Sherrod ("Dr. Clay" as his students knew him) has
devoted over three decades to the advancement of public knowledge and
appreciation of the pure and applied sciences. Now retired but continuing
private research and outreach programs, Sherrod has published hundreds of
papers and documents in scientific journals and publications worldwide and
numerous books in archeology, meteorology and climatology, archeoastronomy,
astronomy and biomedical research.
Advanced degrees that have led to the diversity and cross-connecting of
these sciences include astronomy and space science, archeology, physics and
anthropology.
Complete descriptions of all past works and present pursuits from his
private observatory and research facilities - Arkansas Sky, Inc - are found
at the website for the Arkansas Sky Observatory. and Arkansas Sky Observatory is now a completely private
facility operating through the Sherrod family trusts.
With past students now teaching and doing applied research throughout North
America, his methods of motivating those interested in the sciences through
innovative and many times radical teaching, have led to hundreds of
individuals who have success stories in their applied sciences careers.
After many years in research and educational astronomy in the 1970's Sherrod
entered into the fascinating research of archeoastronomy in 1979, to
decipher patterns of prehistoric North American natives who developed early
calendars, engineering principals of construction using celestial
orientation, and many times developed entire cultural identities around
celestial events. This research, writing and subsequent lecturing worldwide
included studies done for two decades in Central America, Mexico, the
Mississippi River valley and throughout the North American continent for
ancient motifs - glyphs, art and writings - inscribed on caves and rocks
shelters throughout the land.
The famous prehistoric mound sites at Cahokia, Toltec, Spiro and other
central USA locations are among those studied, as well as Mayan and Incan
ruins throughout locations in central America. In addition, Sherrod's
extensive 7-year excursions into the mountains of the Ozark and Arkansas
River valleys led to the independent discovery of over 1,060 new prehistoric
bluff dweller sites with pictographs and ancient glyphs number in the tens
of thousands.
Astronomical studies began in 1970 with the Arkansas Sky, Inc., Sherrod's
private non-profit and educational research and educational program.
Although now retired, the work, publications and outreach from Sherrod and
Arkansas Sky Observatory is now greater than ever and ranks among the top in
private non-profit smaller facilities. His daily contributions to amateur
astronomers and aspiring students is well known throughout the world: "Doc
has never heard a legitimate question from some 'newbie' that he won't at
least take the time to try to answer," wrote one recent correspondent.
Studies by Sherrod at Arkansas Sky include planetary atmospheres -
particularly those of Jupiter and Mars, real-time computerized night surveys
(The ASO Sky Patrols) of cataclysmic variable stars and novae, faint comets
and NEOs. On any given clear night as many as two dozen comets are
monitored by one of the three ASO facilities throughout Arkansas, with daily
reports issued as part of the Harvard/MPC network of astrometric
observatories worldwide.
In addition, Doc Clay is known far and wide for his innovative
instrumentation and adaptation of conventional telescopes for advanced use
by both amateur and professional observers.
In 2001, the Sherrod family completely computerized the ASO Sky Patrol for
near-real-time automated searches, data recording and acquisition of
hundreds of objects nightly; it is not uncommon that by the time dawn has
emerged each clear morning, that data on morphology changes on Jupiter's
clouds, studies of recent passing NEO objects the night before and perhaps
18 to 20 comets are all neatly recorded, and reported to agencies throughout
the astronomical community. All data on this innovative program is acquired
through robotic pre-programmed sequences for the equipment, followed by
precise GO TO acquisition of each object, computer measurement and downloads
of data, and subsequent automated data reduction and reporting as the data
streams in.
Presently ASO operates three observatory facilities with robotic Sky Patrol
studies: Conway, Arkansas where three 0.31m SCT operate nightly, each
dedicated to a specific patrol project; Petit Jean Mountain, where the
newest 0.41m custom Meade f/3.6 SCT robotic telescope monitors comets to
magnitude 21 on clear nights; and, Cascade Mountain in north-central
Arkansas with its computerized 0.41m robotic fast photographic Newtonian
telescope for asteroids and NEOs.
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