Longtime Palomar ObservatoryTelescope Operator dies

PALOMAR MOUNTAIN, Calif.—Juan Carrasco, who for years was the night operator of Palomar Observatory's historic 200-inch Hale Telescope, died January 3 after a long illness. A West Texas native, Carrasco's early history provides little clue to his eventual choice of profession. He dropped out of high school in the ninth grade to get a job working for the Texas Highway Department, ultimately completing his degree by correspondence. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he became a barber for two years and gave up the profession in 1956 after he married and found a more lucrative position as night assistant at the McDonald Observatory near Fort Davis, Texas. There, he operated the 82-inch reflector telescope, and after eight years moved to San Diego with his wife, Lilly, to take a job as a lab technician at UCSD.

Carrasco joined the California Institute of Technology's Palomar Observatory in 1969, eventually becoming senior night assistant for the 200-inch Hale Telescope, which at the time was the world's largest and foremost telescope. For 27 years, until his retirement in 1996, he nightly guided the giant telescope for some of the most notable astronomers of the time. Together they pushed back the frontiers of the known universe. His care and skill in operating the telescope was featured in the book First Light by Richard Preston.

Carrasco was honored by the astronomical community by having an asteroid named for him--4171 Carrasco.

Carrasco is survived by Lilly, his wife of 47 years, two daughters, Vera and Peggy, and two grandchildren, Stephen and Katie.

At his family's request, memorial donations may be made to the UCSD Cancer Center Foundation, 9500 Gilman Drive, #0658, La Jolla, California 92093-0658.