MaccAstro’s initial trophy, the Ivor Townshend Lunar Trophy was instigated as an idea by then Chairman Andrew Greenwood and was created and inaugurated in 2012 in memory of our friend and colleague Ivor who had been an expert and devotee of the Moon.
Then in 2015, in order to address the remarkable expansion and accomplishments by Members in imaging the sky generally, as well as the diverse spectrum of interests and skills within the Society, then Chairman Steve Warbis instigated both the Imaging Trophy and the Creative Trophy.
Subsequent Chairman Alan Banks then inaugurated the MaccAstro Chairman’s Award for the Chairman’s personal selection of unawarded image, or for outstanding contribution to the Society’s activities by a Member during the year.
At the request of Members, in order to segregate the very broad range of images being produced and submitted for the Imaging Trophy into two more distinct categories, Steve Warbis then designed and inaugurated the Willcox Wide-Sky Trophy in 2019 for ‘skyscapes’ of all kinds, this being both in memory of our past Treasurer Stephen Willcox and also in recognition of the long-serving and diligent commitment of Diana Willcox as Secretary to the Society (the existing Imaging Trophy thereafter specialized in deep sky object images).
Further to subsequent suggestions by Members for another specific imaging category, Steve Warbis now Honorary Member also designed, produced and sponsored the Solar System Trophy in 2024.
Finally, recognising the increasing popularity of smart telescopes in the last two years, the Electronic Imaging Category was also initiated in 2024, and the following year in 2025 Member Helen Kirsopp kindly created, sponsored and produced the Electronic Imaging Plate as its trophy.
The Society also has a Remote Imaging Category since 2024 although no trophy is planned at present due to limited participation in this category.