COMING TO LOOK UP; VENTURA COUNTY TO HOST WORLD'S ASTRONOMERS.Byline: Michael Coit Daily News Staff Writer An unprecedented alignment of amateur and professional astronomers will descend on the Simi Valley-Moorpark area for a conference in two years, putting Ventura County on the stargazing star·gaze intr.v. star·gazed, star·gaz·ing, star·gaz·es 1. To gaze at the stars. 2. To daydream. Noun 1. map, organizers said Monday. Billed as Astrocon 2000, the weeklong program of speakers, workshops, research panels and training seminars is expected to be the largest astronomy convention ever. It will be the first time the four main groups of amateur and professional astronomers have gathered in one place, organizers said. ``It's a huge feather in the cap. Just to hold a conference of this nature, and we're bringing together different organizations that have never met. It's exciting,'' said Tim Robertson, a society board member and leader of the effort. ``I would imagine people will be here from not only across the country but the globe.'' Hosting the conference will be the Ventura County Astronomical Society There are numerous groups devoted to promoting astronomy research and education. See, for example:
The Ventura County group was informed of the decision Sunday night Sunday Night, later named Michelob Presents Night Music, was an NBC late-night television show which aired for two seasons between 1988 and 1990 as a showcase for jazz and eclectic musical artists. . Members already are busy planning for the event, expected to be held in the month of July, Robertson said. ``It will be big-time news in the astronomical community when this happens in two years,'' said Bob Gent, vice president of the Astronomical League. Joining the league at the conference will be members of the Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (referred to and pronounced as "ALPO") was founded by Walter H. Haas in 1947, and incorporated in 1990 as a medium for advancing and conducting astronomical work by both professional and amateur astronomers who share an interest in , the Western Amateur The Western Amateur is a leading annual golf tournament in the United States for male amateur golfers. It is organized by the Western Golf Association. The Western Amateur, first held in 1899, features an international field of top-ranked amateur golfers. Astronomers, and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) was founded in San Francisco in 1889. It has the legal status of a nonprofit organization. It is the largest general astronomy society in the world, with members from over 70 countries. . The society's presence will be notable because members mostly are professional astronomers. ``Professional astronomers are starting to recognize the value of amateur astronomers in their field. This is really starting to tie all the professionals and amateurs together,'' Robertson said. The conference will be held in July 2000, but no dates have been set and the various locations for programs and events also are not known. Robertson said planning will take about six months. The Moorpark College Moorpark College is a California-state funded community college located on a 134 acre (542,000 m²) property reclining on a hill in Moorpark, a town in Ventura County, California. observatory figures to be a hub of activity. It is the only one in Ventura County and is home to many of the society's programs, including monthly stargazing sessions and special events linked to astronomical events. Robertson said other programs likely will include visits to the observatories on Mount Wilson, in Griffith Park and at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory “JPL” redirects here. For other uses, see JPL (disambiguation). Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is a NASA research center located in the cities of Pasadena and La Cañada Flintridge, near Los Angeles, California, USA. in Pasadena. There will be a star party on Mount Pinos, which is a frequent retreat for amateur astronomers seeking sights not washed out by the urban glare from the Los Angeles Basin The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the peninsular and transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs (both in Los Angeles . ``It's quite an event that we're going to be bringing to the area,'' he said. Gent said the Ventura County group was chosen as host primarily because of its stellar record in educational outreach. The league's primary mission is to get people - with or without a telescope - looking into the night sky so they might become both curious and appreciative of what can be seen and learned. The Ventura County group won the league's top award recognizing such efforts two years ago and was runner-up last year. ``The Ventura County group is a real active group and they do lots of public outreach,'' Gent said. Established some 30 years ago, the Ventura County group hosts monthly star parties at the Moorpark College observatory on Saturdays throughout the summer months, monthly meetings open to the public and annual displays at the Ventura County Fair. The society also has a Web page (www.serve.net/vcas). |
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