You may well know about the big event that’s happening in the sky August 21, 2017. If not, you’re going to hear lots about it over the coming months. A total solar eclipse will sweep across the United States through Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. At greatest eclipse, in eastern Kentucky, totality will last 2 minutes and 40 seconds.
Because of the eclipse fever that will invariably sweep across the U.S., the Astronomical League has already planned their annual meeting for 2017, having chosen ALCon 2017 in Casper, Wyoming.
Here is the first press release from meeting chair Lowell Lyon:
“A total eclipse of the Sun has to be one of the most spectacular and awe-inspiring events of the natural world. We see dozens of pictures of these eclipses in the news and on the Web, but for those who witness a total eclipse, it is AN EXPERIENCE. You can feel the shadow approaching. The wildlife becomes quiet. The temperature drops. The light becomes ghostly and strange. Then an eerie darkness engulfs you. You feel awe and anxiety all at the same time. You literally feel the shadow. You are living the experience of a total solar eclipse.
To help celebrate the total eclipse of the Sun on Monday, August 21, 2017, the Astronomical League will hold its annual national convention in the days leading up to the event. Casper, Wyoming, will host the conference as the eclipse path goes right through the city.
The Astronomical League was organized November 15, 1946, under the leadership of Dr. Harlow Shapley. At present, the Astronomical League is a federation of 280+ astronomical societies throughout the United States and several foreign countries. It is one of the largest general astronomical organizations in the world.
National Conventions, called ALCONs (Astronomical League CONventions) take place yearly in various locations throughout the country over a four-day period starting on Wednesday and ending with an awards banquet Saturday. There are lectures/presentations and workshops scheduled mornings and afternoons each day, astronomy-related tours of nearby facilities, and a vendor area. These conventions provide a unique opportunity for professional astronomers to intermingle with knowledgeable amateurs, gathering together to learn from each other and exchange ideas.
ALCON 2017 will be held at the Parkway Plaza Hotel & Convention Centre in Casper, Wyoming, Wednesday, August 16 through Saturday, August 19, 2017. In addition to the lectures/presentations and workshops are social events: the Star-B-Q and the Gala Awards Banquet, including a special keynote speaker. Well-known vendors also will be on hand to display a multitude of astronomical products and provide expert advice.
The public will be invited to visit the vendor displays the full length of the convention. Vendor representatives and other astronomy enthusiasts will be available to answer questions on many astronomical topics, especially how to best experience a total eclipse of the Sun.“
Lowell Lyon, Chairman – ALCON 2017 Planning Committee
Lowell’s email: bolide@sisna.com
Phone # (801) 733-7283
Astronomical League Website – www.astroleague.org