et ▁discovered ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁with ▁that ▁of ▁a ▁com et ▁from ▁ 1 7 7 0 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁he ▁discovered ▁Com et ▁C andy ▁ 1 9 6 0 n ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Astronom er ▁to ▁discover , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁compute , ▁a ▁com ets ▁orbit ▁from ▁two ▁more ▁observations ▁within ▁ 6 0 ▁hours ▁of ▁its ▁discovery . ▁ ▁Mr ▁M ▁P ▁C andy ▁officially ▁retired ▁on ▁ 2 4 ▁December ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁and ▁died ▁ 2 ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁His ▁work ▁was ▁hon ored ▁by ▁the ▁naming ▁of ▁Minor ▁Planet ▁ 3 0 1 5 ▁C andy ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁James ▁D ▁Big gs ▁Dr ▁James ▁D ▁Big gs ▁comm enced ▁at ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁and ▁res igned ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Ralph ▁Martin ▁( Act ing ) ▁After ▁Dr ▁J ▁D ▁Big gs ▁res igned , ▁Ralph ▁Martin ▁acted ▁in ▁the ▁Direct ors ▁position ▁until ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁January ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁the ▁W A ▁Government ▁announced ▁that ▁all ▁research ▁programs ▁would ▁be ▁cut ▁and ▁the ▁Observ atory ▁would ▁only ▁be ▁open ▁for ▁t ours . ▁ ▁Martin ▁and ▁the ▁remaining ▁staff ▁off ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁took ▁volunt ary ▁redund ancy . ▁ ▁Earth qu ake ▁records ▁As ▁an ▁earth qu ake ▁observ atory ▁in ▁Per th