Tippy D'Auria

Tippy D'Auria is an Electronics Instrumentation Technician and has a degree in Electronic Engineering Technology, and a Degree in Computer Integrated Manufacturing.  He has been an active astronomer since 1980.  He is currently a member of the Southern Cross Astronomical Society and has served as a member of the Societies Board of Fellows for 14 years and was a Vice President of that Society for many years as well.
 
Tippy is also a member of The Local Group of Deep Sky Observers, the Institute for Planetary Research Observatories (IPRO), Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (A.L.P.O.), and the Astronomical League.
 
He is a noted Astrophotographer who uses both cold camera photography and video for his work and has previously taught Creative Photography and Darkroom Techniques for 5 years at the Miami - Dade Community College in Miami, Florida. 
 
Tippy is the founder of the Winter Star Party which is sponsored by the Southern Cross Astronomical Society and has been the Chairman of that star party for thirteen of its twenty-two years. 

He is also a frequent guest speaker and has lectured on Astronomy at Universities, High Schools, Astronomy Clubs and Civic Groups as well as at State and National Parks. 

He has been a guest speaker at the Winter Star Party in Florida on twenty different occasions and has also been a guest speaker at events such as the Texas Star Party in Texas, Mt. Kobau Star Party in British Columbia, Southern Star Conference in North Carolina, Hidden Hollow Astronomy Convention in Ohio, Peach State Star Gaze in Georgia, Starfest Convention in Toronto, Highlands Star Gaze in Florida, Nebraska Star Party, in Nebraska and Astronomy Day Conferences in
Columbus, Georgia as well as Miami and Jacksonville, Florida. 

In 1987 & 1988 he was awarded the Southern Cross Astronomical Societies "Joe T. Doris Service Award for Outstanding Contribution".

In December of 1992 he was honored with a Lifetime Membership to the Southern Cross Astronomical Society for Meritorious Service to that Society. Only seven such awards have been given since 1922.

In 1994 he was invited to attend the 2nd Annual Congress of Central American Astronomers in San Salvador, El Salvador, and was an invited speaker at the 4th Annual Congress of Central American Astronomers held in Guatemala City, Guatemala in 1996.

In January 2001, Tippy received recognition for his contributions to amateur astronomy, as he was honored by the International Astronomical Union, when an asteroid was given the name "11378 D'Auria."

That same year in April 2001, Tippy led an expedition to the Volcanoes of Costa Rica, to film a National Geographic documentary called "The Volcano Hunters".

Tippy joined an elite group of some of the world's best planetary astronomers in 2001 on a mission to record a predicted flash on the Mars in a region called Edom Promontorium.  The flash was video taped by Tippy and Dr. Donald C. Parker and is the only known video of the event.  It was written up by the IAU in Circular No. 7642

He is also the author of numerous articles and scientific papers.  He has contributed to the section on darkroom techniques for the book "Introduction to Observing and Photographing the Solar System", by Thomas A. Dobbins, Donald C. Parker, and Charles F. Capen. Tippy also has co-authored, with Vic Menard, the definitive book on telescope collimation, titled, "Perspectives on Collimation - Principles and Procedures".

Tippy is also an Amateur Telescope Maker who has several instruments, consisting of sizes in 2", 4-1/2", 6", 10", 12", 14” and 18" sizes.  His main astronomical interests are Astrophotography, Deep Sky Observing, Solar System Observing, and enjoys exploring and photographing active volcanoes as well, and is a member of the International Volcano Watch Team.