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Perth Observatory Directors
Upon the retirement of Dr I Nikoloff, the governing body of the Perth Observatory at that time, the Department of Science and Technology (Australia), replaced the primary title of what was previously called the Government Astronomer, with the title of Director Perth Observatory. The reason given was that the title of Government Astronomer "...seemed antiquated to them", it also reflected similar changes throughout the world with astronomical institutions merging with Universities.

Mr Michael P Candy
With the compulsory retirement age still in place, after Dr I Nikoloff retired, and Mr Michael Philip Candy became the first Director of the Perth Observatory.

In 1969 Candy was offered to position of Director of the British Astronomical Association, however declined due to his plans to emigrate to Australia that year.

After arriving in Australia 12 May 1969, he commenced at the Perth Observatory as an Astronomer Grade II and in November 1969 took over the running of the Perth Observatory Astrographic telescope from Dr I Nikoloff.

His numerical prowess, gained during his time at HM Nautical Almanac Office, was to be a great asset in the astrometric programs of the Perth Observatory, as was his interest in comets.

It took little time for Candy to position the Perth Observatory at the forefront of southern cometary astrometry. By 1972, the Perth Observatory was 9th in the world in producing cometary positions. Not content with this, Candy introduced new processing practices to increase the limiting magnitude of objects achievable at that time from 14th to 19th. The new processes were to see the recovery of five comets and the positioning of the Observatory to 2nd place between 1973 and 1977 and 4th between 1978 and 1984, resulting in him being awarded the prestigious Merlin Medal of the British Astronomical Association in 1975. Under his direction the Perth Observatory discovered over 100 new asteroids as well as contributing a significant number of observations to the Minor Planet Center.

He continued the first publication of the Perth Observatory of comet and minor positions, commenced by Mr B Harris, with Communication No. 2, 3, 4 and the last, that of Communication No. 5 in 1986.

By 1979 his astrometric abilities and contributions were widely acknowledged and he became Vice President of International Astronomical Union, Commission 6, a position he held until 1982 when he was elected President for a 3 year term. At the same time became a working member of International Astronomical Union Commission 20 until 1988 – Positions and Motions of Minor Planets, Satellites and Comets.

The Perth Observatory was positioned well for Halley's Comet in 1986/1987 and under Candy the Perth Observatory produced 10% of all Earth based astrometric positions for the comet, the largest contribution in the World.

Candy was a councillor of the Astronomical Society of Australia from 1988 to 1990, councillor of the Royal Society of Western Australia between 1988 and 1990, and president of the Royal Society of Western Australia in 1989.

He saw the most drastic staff cuts to the Observatory by the Government in 1987 with 50% of the staff redeployed and one whole section closed down.

With the compulsory retirement age no longer in place, unlike his predecessor, Mr M P Candy was able to continue working at the Perth Observatory on projects including the eclipsing binary FO Hydra, a comet hunter telescope, a new theory on comet origins and evolution, the analysis of the lost comet Gale as well as comparison of a South Australian comet discovered in 1979 with that of a comet from 1770.

In 1960 he discovered Comet Candy 1960n and was the first Astronomer to discover, as well as compute, a comets orbit from two more observations within 60 hours of its discovery.

Mr M P Candy officially retired on 24 December 1993 and passed away 2 November 1994.

His work was honored by the naming of Minor Planet 3015 Candy in 1980.