▁ 2 nd ▁place ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁ 4 th ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 4 , ▁resulting ▁in ▁him ▁being ▁awarded ▁the ▁pr estig ious ▁Mer lin ▁Medal ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁Astronom ical ▁Association ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁Under ▁his ▁direction ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁discovered ▁over ▁ 1 0 0 ▁new ▁astero ids ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁contrib uting ▁a ▁significant ▁number ▁of ▁observations ▁to ▁the ▁Minor ▁Planet ▁Center . ▁ ▁He ▁continued ▁the ▁first ▁publication ▁of ▁the ▁Per th ▁Observ atory ▁on ▁com et ▁and ▁minor ▁positions , ▁comm enced ▁by ▁Mr ▁B ▁Harris , ▁with ▁Communic ation ▁No . ▁ 2 , ▁ 3 , ▁ 4 ▁and ▁the ▁last , ▁that ▁of ▁Communic ation ▁No . ▁ 5 ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 9 ▁his ▁ast rom et ric ▁ab ilities ▁and ▁contributions ▁were ▁widely ▁acknowled ged ▁and ▁he ▁became ▁Vice ▁President ▁of ▁International ▁Astronom ical ▁Union , ▁Commission ▁ 6 , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁President ▁for ▁a ▁ 3 - year ▁term . ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁became ▁a ▁working ▁member ▁of ▁International ▁Astronom ical ▁Union ▁Commission ▁ 2 0 ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁– ▁Pos itions ▁and ▁Mot ions ▁of ▁Minor ▁Plan ets , ▁Sat ell ites ▁and ▁Com ets . ▁ ▁The ▁Per th ▁Observ