By Chanan Greenberg
Building upon Mike’s earlier post about Ken, I had the honor and pleasure of knowing Ken for 22 years. From our first interactions, I was in awe of his extensive knowledge and the caliber of his astronomy equipment — far beyond my reach at the time. I quickly discovered that Ken was incredibly generous, supportive, and kind.
He was the one who encouraged my early pursuits in astrophotography. Ken invited me to join him and our friend Bob Black (RIP) at the Fremont Peak Observatory Association, as well as on joint trips to Glacier Point in Yosemite for multiple nights of astronomical observations. Always willing to share his knowledge and, amazingly, his high- quality equipment.
For a total of five years, Ken loaned me his AP-900 mount (which I later purchased from him), as well as his AP–1200 mount and C–14 scope, which were eventually acquired by Frank Seminaro. He and his wife, Loh-Chung, were central figures at the Hidden Villa Star-B–Ques and other club picnics.
My most cherished piece in my entire astronomy collection is the AP 5-inch refractor scope that Ken sold me some years back. It wasn’t just a transaction; he wanted it to go to someone who would truly use it. As I produced images with it, I would always share them with him, and he consistently provided supportive feedback and constructive advice.
Above all, I fondly remember the many nights at Crestview Park, sharing our excitement over what we could observe. Years before the advent of eVscopes, we inserted his photoelectric eyepiece into my 12-inch Dobsonian, producing CCD–quality views of the Orion Nebula that astonished everyone — including ourselves.
I met Ken when he was about the age I am now, and it’s both strange and saddening to think that he’s no longer with us. Over the past week, each time I step out at night and look at the stars, Ken immediately comes to mind. He will be dearly missed.
I’m currently in contact with Ken’s wife, Loh-Chung, to assist her in handling his astronomy equipment and will provide a separate post about that.
Godspeed, Ken, and Clear Skies,
Chanan