I’m proud to announce that again this year Astronomy magazine will be sponsoring the world’s largest consumer telescope show, the Northeast Astronomy Forum (NEAF). The 22nd NEAF will take place April 20–21, 2013, at Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York, and is, as always, put on by the Rockland Astronomy Club. Preceding NEAF, the 8th Annual Northeast Astro-Imaging Conference (NEAIC) will take place April 18–19, 2013, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Suffern, New York.

As the largest telescope show in the world, NEAF will feature more than 110 vendors showing their products — scopes, binoculars, accessories, books, meteorites, cameras, CCD equipment, and the latest gadgets for making the most of your hobby. Astronomy workshops, daily solar observing, STARLAB planetarium shows, classes for beginners getting into astronomy, and astronomy events for kids will round out the schedule.

Speakers will include Astronomy columnist Bob Berman, who will talk about Comet ISON. I’ll talk about the latest developments in cosmology, astrophysics, and planetary science. Mike Brown from Caltech, the guy who “killed” Pluto, will address his favorite topic. NASA science director and former astronaut John Grunsfeld also will address the crowd. And Rick Feinberg of the American Astronomical Society will talk about collaborations between professional and amateur astronomers.

This year’s NEAIC meeting also will be filled to the brim with activities. If you’re a sky imager or aspire to be one — especially with Comet ISON on its way — you should definitely attend these sessions.

Astronomy will be at the meeting in force. Bob Berman and I will look forward to talking to many of you. Jeff Felbab and Ken Kozerski from Astronomy’s Advertising Department also will be on hand. I’ll also be representing the Astronomy Foundation at the meeting, and this group will hold its annual meeting with various directors and committee members on hand. If you’re interested in getting involved with the Astronomy Foundation and popularizing our hobby in this big year of comets, please contact Vice President Karen Jennings at Karen-jennings@hotmail.com.

Thanks as always to Al Nagler of Tele Vue Optics and of the Rockland club for all he does to help facilitate the success of NEAF, and to Ed Siemenn of the Rockland club for helping us out with details.

For more information on NEAF, see http://www.rocklandastronomy.com/neaf/index.html

For more information on NEAIC, see http://www.rocklandastronomy.com/NEAIC/index.html