The 2023 Astronomical League Convention – ALCon 2023 – will be held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana from July 26th to 29th. The event will be located at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center.
The Astronomical League has announced the theme for the conference will be “Astronomical Gumbo,” which represents the blend of diverse subfields and people within the vast field of astronomy. Gumbo is a dish that combines the culinary practices of Africans, Native Americans, French, and Spanish, and is often used as a metaphor for the mix of cultures that exist in southern Louisiana. Baton Rouge, which is French for “red stick,” is the capital of Louisiana and sits along the mighty Mississippi River. ALCon 2023 is hosted by Baton Rouge Astronomical Society, which was established in 1981. With over 100 members, it is Baton Rouge’s premier meeting place for amateur astronomers.
ALCon 2023 will host a lectures from a diverse group including Greg Andrews; Brother Guy Consolmagno SJ; Dan Davis; David Eicher; Fred Espenak; David Fuller; Isabella Grant; Nathan Hellner-Mestelman; Pranvera Hyseni; Dave Prosper; David H Levy; Ashini Modi; Debbie Moran; Bob Morrow; Dr. James Dire; and Robert Reeves.
Speakers of especial interest to those interested in solar astronomy include Fred Espenak who s a retired American astrophysicist who worked at the Goddard Space Flight Center and is best known for his work on eclipse predictions. And equally as relevant is Dr. James Dire who has hosted a number of eclipse expeditions over the last 25 years and is one of the foremost authorities on amateur solar equipment technology.
Attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy the city’s many attractions include a planetarium, the new and old State Capitol buildings, and many museums. Serving as the melting pot between the urban cityscape and the rural scenes of nature, Baton Rouge is home to plenty of art, music, and great food for visitors and families to enjoy.
Louisiana is home to LIGO-Livingston, one of only 5 gravitational wave interferometers in the world, and one if only 2 in the United States. Visitors to ALCon 2023 will be able to tour this world-class scientific research facility.
You can learn more about ALCon 2023 here.
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