Robert K. Buchheim
       
       Mr. Buchheim has been an avid amateur astronomer for over 30 years.  His particular joys are introducing children to the night sky, and encouraging amateur astronomers to participate in small-telescope research projects.  His book, "The Sky Is Your Laboratory" is a manual for the research-oriented amateur astronomer.
       Mr. Buchheim has been a visual observer, telescope maker, CCD astrometrist and photometrist.  He has published deep sky observations, presented papers at astronomy conferences, given presentations to amateur astronomy clubs, and published research papers on asteroids, variable stars, and double stars.  He is a Trustee of the Orange County Astronomers (in southern California), a Board member of the Society for Astronomical Sciences, and proprietor of the Altimira Observatory (in his backyard).  In 2010 he was awarded the G. Bruce Blair award for noteworthy contributions to amateur astronomy, by the Western Amateur Astronomers. His professional background is in engineering and manufacturing management; in that role has published a few technical papers in peer-reviewed journals.  He received a BS in Physics from Arizona State University, and is a graduate of the Defense Systems Management College and the UCLA Executive Management program.