"Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love, and to work, and to play and to look up at the stars."
- Henry Van Dyke

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Special Events

In addition to our monthly MoonGaze and our DSO outings to Upham, ASLC regularly participates in a variety of activities:

Renaissance Faire - For the past several years, ASLC has participated in the Las Cruces Arts Council's Renaissance Faire. We offer daytime viewing of the Sun through solar and hydrogen-alpha telescopes. We also point a few telescopes at the moon and/or bright planets. Our resident telescope maker, Nils Allen often demonstrates how individuals can build their own Dobsonian telescope. There are also displays of members' astrophotos. This is one of our best public outreach events of the year with hundreds of individuals visiting our booth and looking through our scopes. The event takes place each year during the first weekend of November.

2008 Update: The Renaissance Faire will take place on November 1st and 2nd in 2008. Venus, Saturn and possibly Mercury will be visible (along with the sun).

Texas Star Party - TSP is one of the largest star parties in the country. The venue is located a mere four-hour drive from Las Cruces at the Prude Ranch (near Fort Davis, TX) usually during mid-to-late Spring. The location boasts some of the darkest skies in the United States. There are numerous observing lists to challenge new and experienced observers, as well as presentations most afternoons and evenings. Participants can opt to camp in tents, RVs or stay in dormatory-type housing. Meal plans are also available.

2008 Update: The 2008 Texas Star Party runs from June 1 through 8. Additional information can be found on the TSP website.

White Sands Star Party - This star party is one of the highlights of our year. Each Fall the Alamogordo Astronomy Club in cooperation with White Sands National Monument conducts a two-night star party. It's a rare opportunity to camp overnight in the dunes, and enjoy the dark skies the park offers. The first night is for astronomers only; the second night is a well-attended public star party. There are numerous workshops during the day and a guest speaker immediately prior to the public event. Proceeds from the event help fund Project Astro.

Messier Marathon - Each Spring, ASLC members participate in an all-night endeavor to attempt to view all 110 Messier objects in a single night. Newer astronomers can attempt the marathon using a GoTo telescope; more experienced members often try to locate the objects using only a star chart. So far, the record is 109 objects.

2008 Update: ASLC's marathon was conducted on April 5th as the original March 8th date was too cloudy. Unfortunately, the skies hazed over about 1 am. But the folks who came out had a fun night anyway. Next year (2009) the full moon falls on an ideal night; we're hoping to get all 110 objects for the first time!