Randy RheaRandy (Randall) Rhea is an Electrical Engineering graduate with honors from the University of Illinois (1969) and an MSEE graduate of Arizona State University (1973). His master's thesis was the construction of an earth station that monitored Apollo 6 & 17 Unified S-Band signals from the moon. He worked at the Boeing Company, Goodyear Aerospace, and at Scientific-Atlanta where he was named Principal Engineer in 1985. He is the retired founder of Noble Publishing, Eagleware-Elanix Corporation, and Susina Plantation Winery. He is the author of numerous technical papers and five engineering textbooks. Randy's passion for astronomy began at age 13 when he purchased a three-inch reflector for $29.95 from Edmund Scientific with money earned mowing yards. In 1995 he purchased the University of Denver's 24-inch Ritchey-Chrétien telescope and observatory on Mt. Evans, then the highest observatory in the world, and moved them to his property in New Mexico. He has taught workshops on astronomy and writes a monthly astronomy column for newspapers. His other hobbies include wildlife art and amateur radio (N4HI). In 2003, he toured 48 states by motorcycle. He and Marilynn, his wife of 51 years, reside in Thomasville, Georgia. They have two adult children and five grandchildren. Read More Read Less