SWRAL Online!

The Southwest Region of the Astronomical League held its Annual Meeting at 10:00 am, May 19, 2023, during Texas Star Party's 43rd star party, "TSP 2023," in the Prude Ranch Meeting Hall

The Southwest Region of the Astronomical League

SWRAL Awards

SWRAL Hosts ALCon 2022

ALCon 2022, the Astronomical League Convention, was hosted July 28-30, 2022 by The Albuquerque Astronomical Society (TAAAS). TAAS is a member society of the Astronomical League located in the Southwest Region. Convention chairman was Jim Fordice.

Astronomical League Awards presented at ALCOon 2022

The Astronomical League currently sponsors a National Young Astronomer Award.

https://www.astroleague.org/al/awards/nyaa/noya.html

The League's annual Jack Horkheimer Youth Award is also aimed at young astronomers.

https://www.astroleague.org/al/awards/horkhmr/horkhmrs.html

Background, rules and a list of past winners can be found on the AL website. Because of COVID, there were no awards given in 2020 and 2021.

Ed Flaspoehler, SWRAL Regional Representive, attended ALCON 2022 in Albuquerque, and was asked to photograph this year's winners.

National Young Astronomers Award

1. 1st: Harish Krishnakumar
2. Runner-Up: Zarar Haider
3. Third: León García

Horkheimer Service Awards

1. Horkheimer/Smith Award Winner: William Gottemoller
2. Horkheimer/D’Auria Award Winner: Jai Shet

Horkheimer/Parker Imaging Award

1. Winner: William Gottemoller
2. Runner-Up: Vivek Vijayakumar
3. Third Place: Jai Shet

Horkheimer/O’Meara Journalism Award

1. Winner: Thomas Wilson
2. Runner-Up: Benjamin Covington
3. Third Place (tie): Patrick Wilson and Michaela Hutkin

Astronomical League Service AwArds

It is also worth noting that two members of SWRAL clubs were presented service awards by the Astronomical League at the ALCon 2022 in Albuquerque

1. Jim Fordice of The Albuquerque Astronomical Society, for his work as chairman of ALCON 2022 after a two year delay because of COVID.
2. Aaron Cleavenson of the North Houston Astronomical Society, from Humble, TX, for his work with Astronomical League Sales, also editing, updating, and printing new observing programs for the Astronomical League, including the very popular Sky Puppy program.

John Cotton of the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas was awarded a Lifetime Membership in the Astronomical League for his lifelong involvement in JTAS, the Junior Texas Astronomical Society youth program, which was founded in 1961.

It is worth noting that TAS member Kevin Cobble has recently taken over JTAS, and two of his students were awarded youth awards at TSP 2022

http://www.texasastro.org/SIG/jtas.php

Reported by

Ed Flaspoehler
SWRAL Regional Representative
Astronomical League

The Southwest Region of the Astronomical League

The Southwest Region of the Astronomical League consists of 28 member societies of the Astronomical League in the states of Texas, New Mexico and western Oklahoma.