Jeffrey S. Medkeff

In 1994, Jeff moved to Sierra Vista, Arizona, where he began working at Junk Bond Observatory in an asteroid hunting program.

In 1997, he adopted an early form of the Astronomy Common Object Model standard as his primary means of communicating with devices such as telescopes and cameras.

He credited the ability to use pre-existing drivers and utility objects as freeing him to concentrate on design and workflow issues for the observatory.

He named these asteroids in honor of fellow scientists and skeptics[5] such as Fraser Cain,[6] Derek Colanduno,[7] Robynn McCarthy,[8] PZ Myers,[9] Phil Plait,[10] Michael Stackpole[11] and Rebecca Watson.

"[13][14][15] In the spring of 2004, Medkeff sold his company to a firm specializing in automating seismic observations and retired from the technology field.

Medkeff began writing on science topics in the 1980s, with his first published article appearing in the September, 1986 issue of Sky & Telescope magazine.

Having sold his business in Arizona and resigned from his commitment at Sky & Telescope, he concentrated on the development of astronomy and science-oriented educational and public outreach programs.

He joined the team of amateur astronomers offering free astronomy lectures at the Eagle River Nature Center, and first delivered a popular talk on stellar evolution at that venue in early 2005.