2024

ALCon 2024 – Room Reservations

June 21, 20240 commentsstory
ALCon 2024

Room reservations are now open for the special ALCon rate at the beautiful Overland Park DoubleTree Hotel:

https://group.doubletree.com/hp0506

or scan the QR code to take you to the Double Tree booking site. Once you are on the site, click “edit stay” on the upper right of the page to adjust your room nights. (The default is 6 nights!)

Why stay at the DoubleTree? Sure, you have other choices, but You will avail yourself to having chance conversations and unexpected, but very enjoyable encounters with presenters, vendors, exhibitors, and other attendees who share your passion about astronomy. And, of course, you will have the convenience of being situated where the action is – at “astronomy central.” Fully experience the spark, enthusiasm, and excitement that ALCon brings!

See you at ALCon 2024!

To see the flyer, click here.

Observing Program Division Announcement – Links to the Hubble Telescope’s Messier and Caldwell Image Collection

June 19, 20240 commentsstory

The Astronomical League is working closely with the NASA Hubble Telescope Team on future collaborative efforts (Observing Challenges, etc.).  As opportunities become available we will announce them here.  We hope you will take advantage of these Challenges.  Our first step in this process is to include links to the Hubble Telescope collections of Messier and Caldwell Objects.  Links to these collections are now at the bottom (in the Links section) on the web pages for the Messier Observing Program, the Binocular Messier Observing Program, and the Caldwell Observing Program.  Enjoy!

ALCON ’24 – Imaging Competition

June 15, 20240 commentsstory

League vice-president, Chuck Allen, will be conducting an astrophotography competition on behalf of the ASKC at our national convention in Kansas City. Winners will receive three-inch engraved medals and accompanying certificates. Here are samples of the medals awarded at a recent regional convention:

Competitions will be held in five categories as follows:

  • Deep Sky (>500 mm focal length; no solar system)
  • Solar System (>500 mm focal length)
  • Rich Field (201-500 mm focal length)
  • Wide Field (up to 200 mm focal length)
  • Art and Sketching

Images will be voted on by convention attendees using anonymous ballots distributed in registration packages. Voters will be asked to select and rank their top three images in each category. Zipf’s Law will be used to accumulate points (1 point for a first-place vote, 1/2 point for a second-place vote, 1/3 point for a third-place vote). Up to 5 images may be entered per category, but each image stands alone in the voting. 

Instructions will be conspicuously posted by 9 am on Thursday. Here is the competition schedule:

  • Image registration begins at 9 am on THURSDAY
  • Images must be on display by 9 am on FRIDAY
  • Voting takes place from 9 am to 3 pm on FRIDAY  

Awards will be presented at the banquet on Saturday evening. If you have any questions, please contact Chuck at vicepresident@astroleague.org. 

Best of luck!

– Chair, ALCon ‘24 

To see the flyer, click here.

AL Live! – June 14

June 8, 20240 commentsstory

AL LIVE!
Friday June 14, 7 p.m. EDT on www.facebook.com/Astronomical.League/   

Join host Terry Mann for this intriguing program – Stargazing and Hiking in the National Parks.   

Astronomer Dean Regas shares his adventures as the Astronomer in Residence at the Grand Canyon. What is it like to live, work, and hike in America’s most famous National Park? Dean gives amazing tales of exploring the canyon and the night sky as well as a preview of the annual Grand Canyon Star Party (a week-long telescope festival under the Milky Way). He will also highlight visits to other National Parks like Joshua Tree, Bryce Canyon, Crater Lake, and Yosemite.

To see the flyer, click here:  https://www.astroleague.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AL-LIVE-6-14-24.pdf

Observing Program Division Announcement – T Coronae Borealis AL Observing Challenge and Special Observing Award

May 27, 20240 commentsstory

With the rare event of a recurrent nova in the Milky Way, one of perhaps as few as five known ones, The Astronomical League is bringing our latest AL Observing Challenge and Special Observing Award.  There are two levels and two observations required.  The first one should be done as soon as possible.  You do NOT need to be a member of the AL to do Level 1.  Level 2 is a Special Observing Award.

For all the details and information on how to participate and earn these awards, go to the AL web page:  https://www.astroleague.org/al-observing-challenge-special-observing-award/

Observing Program Division Announcement – Parker Solar Probe NASA Observing Challenge

May 26, 20240 commentsstory

The Astronomical League in conjunction with NASA is bringing you a new NASA Observing Challenge for the Parker Solar Probe Mission.  The observations for the challenge can be done from June 26, 2024 and July 3, 2024.  No expensive equipment is required.  You do NOT need to be part of the Astronomical League to participate.  For more information go to the web page:  https://www.astroleague.org/nasa-observing-challenges-special-awards/

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