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Planetary News: Space People (2008)

In Memoriam: Fernando “Raúl” Colomb

by Guillermo Lemarchand
May 7, 2007

Dr. Fernando “Raúl” Colomb was the Director of the Argentine Institute of Radioastronomy (IAR) from 1984 to 1995, and his leadership was crucial to the establishment of of Southern SETI. The first Planetary Society grants in support of the project were made out to him. Dr. Guillermo Lemarchand, the current head of Southern SETI sent us the following obituary.

On May 4th, 2008, Dr. Fernando “Raúl” Colomb (69) died as a result of a brain tumor.

Raúl graduated in physics from the University of Buenos Aires (1965), he was one of the founding members of the Argentine Institute of Radioastronomy in the early sixties. Research Assistant at the National Radioastronomy Observatory, USA (1966-1968), PhD in Physics from the University of La Plata, Argentina (1970), Member of CONICET (1971-1995); J.S. Guggenheim Fellowship New York (1977-1978), Director of the Argentine Institute for Radioastronomy (1984-1995); President of the Argentine Astronomical Society (1978-1981); President of the Directory Board of the “El Leoncito” National Astronomical Complex (1984-1989), President of IAU Commission 51: Bioastronomy (1994-1997); Member of Directory Board of the National Commission of Space Activities (1993- present) and Principal Investigator of the Satellite Missions SAC-C and SAC-D/Aquarius.

In 1986, with Raul, we initiated the first SETI observations using one of the two 30-m antennas of the Argentine Institute for Radioastronomy (IAR). In 1989, as IAR’s director he signed an agreement with The Planetary Society that allow us to send two argentine engineers to Harvard University to duplicate Paul Horowitz’s META system. In 1990 we performed the first southern hemisphere full-sky survey with 0.05 Hz resolution. He was active in SETI research until 1994 when he left IAR to start working full time at the National Commission of Space Activities.

His wife, three sons, family and hundreds of colleagues will miss him greatly.

Fernando 'Raul' Colomb with Carl Sagan
Click to enlarge >
Fernando "Raúl" Colomb with Carl Sagan
This image, with a map of South America in the background, was taken during The Planetary Society's SETI conference in Toronto, October 1988. Credit: Guillermo Lemarchand
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