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Celestron's Michelle Meskill and Starizona's Dean Koenig present a NexStar 8SE Telescope to lucky door prize winner Ann Scott. |
Sun, Stars, and Sales Soar at ALCon/AGM 2010 Incredible speakers, dedicated volunteers, and enthusiastic attendees led to an unbeatable environment of fun and exploration. ALCon and AGM participants consider the event one of the most successful ever. Special thanks to everyone involved. The Astronomical League and the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, joint sponsors of the event! The Solar Conference by Lunt Solar Systems offered uncommon views of the sun with solar telescopes set up for two days. Engaging products from our event sponsors made the exhibit hall a place for conversation and learning. Together, this generous group is sure to cover all your astronomy needs! Check them out >>
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Dr. Richard Green of the Large Binocular Telescope in Safford, Arizona reveals the progess and accomplishments of the world's largest telescope. |
Photographs from The World at Night depict the night in its many faces from locations all over the world. Special thanks to Soha Namnabat.
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Kavli Prize winner Dr. Roger Angel shares his insights on optical technology and explains why a better mirror may hold the key to breakthroughs in solar energy! |
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Astronomy Gear Spectacular
The winner of the Dark Sky Giveaway attended ALCon to receive his gift in person! A grateful Lee Paul, winner of six Tele Vue Ethos eyepieces, claims he has never been the receipent of any prize like it. The boundless generosity of our fantastic sponsors created a virtual bonanza of prizes! Besides the Celestron NexStar 8SE Telescope announced during IDA's AGM, Oceanside Photo and Telescope gave a six inch Newtonian as well as numerous sponatneous items, and Starizona Astronomy Adventures donated several Great thanks to all these companies for their dedication to preserving the starry night sky!
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Executive director Bob Parks (right), Dark Sky Giveaway winner Lee Paul (left), and six Tele Vue Ethos eyepieces! |
Geoffrey Notkin, one of The Meteorite Men on Science Channel, attended the meeting on June 25 and 26 for autographs and book signings. ( info@meteoritemen.com
Web site: www.aerolite.org )
ALCon 2010 Featured Speakers*
Dr. David Levy, Astronomer and Comet Discoverer (Event full)
Dr. Roger Angel, Director of the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab
“Astronomy and Solar Energy”
Mr. Byron Smith, Project Manager, Discovery Channel Telescope
"The Discovery Channel Telescope at Lowell Observatory"
Dr. Richard Green, Director, Large Binocular Telescope Observatory
“The Large Binocular Telescope: The World's Largest Telescope and its Dark Site”
*Meeting registration or banquet ticket is required to attend lectures.
The Astronomical League is pleased to announce the top finishers in the competitions for its National Young Astronomers Award Program (NYAA) and the Jack Horkheimer Award Program.
The World At Night (TWAN) www.twanight.org is a program to produce and present a collection of stunning photographs and time-lapse videos of the world’s landmarks against the celestial attractions. Soha Namnabat (snamnabat@optics.arizona.edu or yasoodi@yahoo.com , cell 520-271-9245) a graduate student at the UA Optical Sciences Center has worked with this project and made it his personal goal to bring it to Tucson. Wally Pacholka (wallypacholka@gmail.com) is the TWAN artist on site at ALCon with a talk on June 25 at 9 a.m. The exhibit contains approximately 30 images and 2 panoramas and is open to the public.
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Tucson small business Lunt Solar Systems builds world-renowned solar telescopes and filters. See http://www.luntsolarsystems.com/about.html for background.
Contacts
General media: Dan Brocious, 520-670-5706, brocious@base.sao.arizona.edu
Astronomical League: Bob Gent, 571-214-2866, rlgent@cox.net
International Dark-Sky Association: Kim Patten, 520-293-3198, kim@darksky.org
Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association: Keith Schlottman, 520-290-5883, president@tucsonastronomy.org
Lunt Solar Systems, Rikki Hocking, 520-344-7348, r.hocking@luntsolarsystems.com
For more information, please see the ALCon Press Page >>
Sponsors of the Event:
Platinum:
Additional Sponsors:
Preliminary Schedule:
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Thursday, June 24:
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ALCon Committee Meeting
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Jarnac Observatory Tour
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Arizona Solar Conference
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Friday, June 25:
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ALCon General Session, featuring:
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Dave Eicher, Astronomy Magazine
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Wally Pacholka, Night Sky Photographer
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Katie Moore, National Air and Space Museum
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Richard Green, Director LBT
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Tony Flanders, Sky & Telescope Magazine
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Eileen Friel, Lowell Observatory
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Dean Salman, Astrophotographer
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Vivian White, Astronomical Society of the Pacific
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Lunt Solar Luncheon with David Levy
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Arizona Solar Conference
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TAAA Dark Sky Site Astronomy Night
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Saturday, June 26:
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ALCon General Session, Featuring:
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Adam Block, Caelum Observatory
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Joseph A. Lupica, Celestron
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Richard Schmude, ALPO
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Connie Walker, NOAO
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National Young Astronomer and Horkheimer Awards
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IDA Ordinances Panel (Saturday A.M.) concurrent to ALCon
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IDA Board Meeting (Saturday P.M.) concurrent to ALCon
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Celestron Dinner Banquet with Keynote Speaker, Roger Angel
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Arizona Solar Conference - Concurrent
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Sunday, June 27:
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IDA Chapter/Sections Meeting and Training: 7:30 am to 8:30 am
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Registration begins at 8:00 am
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Vendor Hall Opens at 8:00 am
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Tyler Nordgren, University of Redlands with a book signing on his new book Stars Above, Earth Below: A guide to astronomy in the national parks
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Chad Moore, National Park Service on the NPS Night Sky Program Sky Quality Index
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Martin Morgan-Taylor, DeMontfort University on Europe's Light Pollution Campaign
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Richard (Rick) Moshier, Director of Public Works, City of Santa Rosa on "Santa Rosa's Street Light Reduction Program" (Poster Presentation)
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Sherrilyn Jahrig, Peter Lipscomb and Gil Bartee on IDSPlaces featuring Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve, New Mexico State Parks, and Alpine, Texas
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Awards & Luncheon, TeleVue Dark Sky Giveaway and Celestron NexStar 8SE door prize giveaway
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Blue Rich White Light Panel
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Ann Marie Lauritsen, US Fish & Wildlife Service on Florida's work to conserve sea turtle nesting sites
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Brandi L. Smith, Clemson University on "Dark Sky Potential: Analysis of prevalence and possibilities of night recreation opportunities in state and national park units."
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Charles Fulco, IDA Westchester County on outreach and community activism
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All activities will be complete by 4pm on Sunday
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To view a full schedule of current speakers and time lines, click here>>
Further information and registration is on the official ALCon site, http://alcon2010.astroleague.org/. Vendors or Exhibitors interested in attending may register on the http://alcon2010.astroleague.org site or contact us at 2010ALConExpo@gmail.com. Vendors are registered for both conferences.
Venue & Accommodations:
The Tucson Hilton East is located conveniently to the Tucson International Airport, Interstate 10, and many of Tucson's East Side attractions. Newly renovated the hotel includes a heated pool and whirlpool, exercise room, restaurant and lounge, complimentary parking, as well as free wireless internet throughout.
A discounted rate of $72.00 plus tax single/double is available to ALCon and AGM attendees. Just mention that you are attending the Astronomical League Convention to receive this rate at the time of booking. Currently reservations can be made by calling the hotel directly at +1.520.721.5600. Alternatively you may register through this secure Web site.
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The International Dark-Sky Association 21st Annual General Meeting & Conference
Sustainable Skies: Achieving sustainability through the preservation of our nightscape
Arctic Circle Cartoon by Alex Hallatt, http://arcticcirclecartoons.com/blog/ Good news is, this meeting was during the day...
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Thank you to all those who attended the event in Phoenix, Arizona!
We'd also like to thank our sponsors and exhibitors for making the event possible. For those unable to attend we have provided .pdf or read only copies of the presentations. Contact information for the speakers is available within the presentations.
Please feel free to contact us with additional specific questions regarding the annual meeting and future annual meetings.
Presentations and Speakers (in order of presentation):
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Sponsors
Platinum
Awards Luncheon Sponsor
Gold
Silver
Flagstaff City Tour Sponsor
Bronze
Copper
The Village of Barrington Hills, Illinois
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Destinations:
Sedona & the Verde Valley - special pre and post conference activities at http://www.svvtc.org/sky.htm
Montezuma Castle National Monument
Petrified Forest National Park
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
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2009 General Business Meeting to Review 2008
Audio from the General Business Meeting (9.5 mb)
Thank you to those who participated in our Annual Business Meeting.
These downloads were presented at the ABM:
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20th Anniversary Annual General Meeting & Conference at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, AZ
IDA would like to thank each of the speakers and presenters for their efforts. We would also like to thank our exhibitors and sponsors for their support.
Interested in reliving the event? Visit the MetaPartners island on SecondLife and replay the presentations.
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