A severe blow was dealt to the Canadian Astronomical community in January when Kingstone Centre Honourary Prezident David Levi tested positive for parabolic steroids.

Levi, who has discovered 12 comets, has been banned from comet hunting for two years and will be stripped of his discoveries. Parabolic steroids artificially enhance the ability of the user to find solar system objects, especially those in parabolic orbits.

Levi's comet hunting career began in the late 1960s but he didn't meet with success until 1984. Since then he has discovered comets at an astonishing rate. Over the last few years Levi has been the target of allegations of steroid use by other comet hunters. Says William Liller, "Here's a guy who can't find a comet for 20 years and then finds 12 in 7 years. That should have been a dead giveaway."

Steroid use is believed to be rampant at many Astronomical institutions. An IAU commission into steroid use in Astronomy has been set up. It will conduct hearings around the world and report back to the IAU in September.

In his own defence Levi says, "I'm not the only one! Look at [Robert] Evans -- he lives on steroids!"