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Observing Program Announcement: Lunar and Lunar II Now Have Imaging Certifications

adminMay 28, 20200 commentsUncategorized

Recognizing that many of our membership are very seriously into imaging, the Astronomical League has added this as an option for two of our fundamental Observing Programs: Lunar and Lunar II. The requirements are the same as they have been, but now an Imaging certificate may be earned. Certificates will have an “I” appended to the certificate numbers.

A member may earn these certifications both ways. Multiple certificates will be issued, but only one pin per Observing Program be awarded. For more information, contact the Observing Program Coordinators.

Sky Puppies!

adminMay 18, 20200 commentsUncategorized

Engage Youth!
Do you have people in your life age 10 and under who you would love to introduce to astronomy, to start their voyage into the Universe? He or she could be a child, grandchild, or a neighbor. If so, then the Astronomical League has an Observing Program that is just what you need, Sky Puppy. This program explores the night sky at an introductory level, introducing concepts and objects to help young astronomers understand what they are seeing and to find their way among the stars. The Observing Program has a list of activities for the youth to accomplish, as well as useful information and stories. Thanks to a partnership with NASA, these workbook guides, certificates, and pins are available at no cost to members of the Astronomical League, as well as to non-members. This Observing Program is great for one-on-one experiences, but has also been used in class settings. If you would like more information on the Sky Puppy Observing Program, visit its website:
https://test.astroleague.org//al/obsclubs/skypuppy/skypuppy2.htm. To request one or more copies of the workbook guides, please send an email to the Coordinator, Aaron Clevenson, at aaron@clevenson.org. Be sure to include your postal mailing address.

Astronomy Day Cancellation

adminApril 23, 20200 commentsUncategorized

The Astronomical League is sorry to announce that due to the global pandemic of COVID-19 virus, Astronomy Day originally scheduled for May 2, 2020, has been canceled. Any assistance you can offer in “spreading the word” would be appreciated.

INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY WEEK

adminApril 20, 20200 commentsUncategorized

The Astronomical League is pleased to be a co-sponsor of IDA’s International Dark Sky Week. This is a week-long celebration of the night. This year, IDA is encouraging people around the world to come together online to celebrate the night and engage with authors, creators, scientists, and educators whose works have been vital to the movement to protect the night from light pollution.

The videos will be streamed to YouTube and Facebook daily from April 19-26. For the complete schedule, click here:

https://idsw.darksky.org/

The YouTube link is:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwHEmqG4ZaZq6AzTNtzc0yQyUIFaDtWqa

The Facebook link is:

https://www.facebook.com/IDAdarksky/

ALCon 2020 Postponment

adminApril 5, 20200 commentsUncategorized

As of 4/3/2020, ALCon 2020 has been postponed to August 4-7, 2021, as ALCon 2021.

ALCon 2021 will be be held at the Embassy Suites-Albuquerque. Revised information for ALCon 2021 will be published soon.

Refunds will be made for all who have registered for ALCon 2020.

Observing Program Announcement: Herschel II Object List Upgrade

adminApril 1, 20200 commentsUncategorized

We have recently updated the Herschel II Observing List. If you are working on this Observing Program (or thinking about it) be sure to check out the current objects lists on the web site: https://test.astroleague.org/herschel-ii-observing-program

There is also a brief explanation of the reasoning for the change and the objects affected.

Observing Program Announcement: Observing Program Proposals 2020

adminApril 1, 20200 commentsUncategorized

During the Council Meeting at the AL Convention each summer, the Council reviews and considers adoptions of new Observing Programs. If you have an idea that you would like to propose, now is the time to pitch it to the Observing Program Directors. If you have a proposal, please contact Aaron Clevenson, at aaron@clevenson.org and let’s get things moving.

Not all proposals are accepted by the Ccouncil. The role of the Observing Program Directors is to help you get your proposal together, give you advice on it, and to position you as well as possible for success at the Council Meeting. Possible outcomes are:

Adoption of the proposal.
Adoption of the proposal with modifications.
Adoption of the proposal pending with some additional work required.
Postponement of the adoption until a future Council Meeting.
Nonadoption of the proposal.
If the Observing Program Directors do not think a proposal will be successful, we will council you and possible suggest you withdraw it.

To be adopted, all proposals must go through the proposal process. Information on that process and that documents are required can be found on the web page: https://test.astroleague.org/new-observing-program-proposal

The first step in that process is to discuss it with the Observing Program Directors. Proposals should be additive to the Observing Program Division at the Astronomical League. This means that they need to be educational and go beyond the existing Observing Program offerings. More of the same, or “just a new list of objects” do not meet that criteria.

More information about the Observing Program Division at the AL can be found on the web page: https://test.astroleague.org//observing.html

Astronomical League Suggested Guidelines for our member societies in dealing with the Coronavirus/COVID-19

adminMarch 19, 20200 commentsUncategorized

3/17/2020

With the ever-changing regulation changes from various levels of government, we are suggesting the following steps in responding to the coronavirus:

Be alert for information from state and local government officials.
- In many parts of the country, limits have been placed on the amount of people allowed to congregate, sometimes as few as 10, to better control the virus. In the interests of respecting science, it is strongly suggested you and your astronomy groups follow these local government guidelines, as much as possible, in your own area.
Keep current with the latest accurate, scientific information regarding the virus from reputable source such as the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): cdc.gov.
- If information you read regarding miracle cures, etc. sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Refer to such sources as Snopes.com or FactCheck.org to check the accuracy
Cancel astronomy outreach activities and meetings for at least the next month or so, in line with the trend toward suggested or required smaller group gatherings.
Use internet means of conducting your society’s business and staying in contact with your members—such as Skype, Zoom, etc.—during this challenging time.
Do the basic tasks the professionals encourage:
- Frequent hand washing with soap and hot water
- Cough into a tissue, then toss into the trash, or use the elbow method.
- Stay home if you are ill.
- Clean off table surfaces, cell phone screens, electronic device keyboards, with wipes or disinfectants s on a daily basis or more.
- In your small group meetings, allow 6 feet space between chairs to further minimize the possibility of coming in contact with the virus.
- Provide adequate tissues and wipes.
When you do resume your outreach activities again, consider expanding your use of electronics means, as much as possible, in communicating with your members and also in your outreach activities, such as sharing telescope images to a monitor, to further decrease the spread of germs from our guests looking through telescope eyepieces.

We will get through this crisis, realizing that this is drastically restricting our astronomical family of societies in their outreach and day-to-day operations. Use this downtime to plan exciting programs for your outreach programs or make plans for your upcoming personal observing activities.

Thanks for your support as we all move through this challenge.

Observing Program Announcement: New Observing Program Coordinators

adminFebruary 28, 20200 commentsUncategorized

These Observing Programs have new Coordinators: Solar System , Arp Peculiar Galaxies – Northern Skies, Arp Peculiar Galaxes – Southern Skies, Galaxy Groups and Clusters, and Local Galaxy Group and Neighborhood. Please join me in welcoming the new coordinators, and thanking all those who volunteered to help.

Read on for details…

A special thank you to everyone who threw their name into the ring to help as Observing Program Coordinators. This happens about once a year, and thankfully we had more people offer to help the Astronomical League than open positions.

The new Coordinators are: