[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 26 (Wednesday, March 3, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S2103]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                DISCOVERY BY JULIAN ``JAY'' W. McNEIL II

 Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, today I would like to take the 
opportunity to honor Mr. Jay McNeil of Paducah, KY. On January 23, 
2004, Mr. McNeil discovered a new nebula while examining the night sky 
over Western Kentucky.
  Mr. McNeil immediately established himself as an extremely capable 
amateur astronomer. The discovery was made with a relatively small 
telescope. His discovery was a very rare occurrence. According to 
experts in the field, such a discovery by an amateur of this magnitude 
has not occurred since 1939.
  The discovery, later named McNeil's Nebula, was verified by the 
International Astronomical Union in February of 2004. The nebula is 
believed to contain a newborn star and is about 1,500 light years from 
earth. This means that what Mr. McNeil saw actually occurred a 
millennium and a half ago, and is just now being seen on earth.
  I salute Mr. McNeil for his discovery. The thirst for knowledge and 
appreciation for science that he has shown serves as an example for all 
Kentuckians.

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