We are very happy to invite our members, observers, and friends to the 94th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Variable Star Observers. This meeting will be held in Newton, Massachusetts from October 13th to 15th, 2005. The AAVSO annual meeting gives both newcomers and longtime attendees the opportunity to share ideas, experiences, and tips on variable star observing. Attendees are also invited to visit the AAVSO Headquarters and to meet the AAVSO staff members. Attending the AAVSO annual meeting is an excellent way for the AAVSO members and observers to stay informed about the many activities and accomplishments of the Association.

We have many interesting events planned for this meeting, including: a workshop on advanced visual observing, an IRAF workshop, a Friday night dinner and open house at AAVSO Headquarters, the AAVSO membership meeting, 2 scientific paper sessions, a public workshop on beginning visual observing, and our annual banquet and awards presentation.

Autumn is a beautiful time to visit New England. Bring your families and stay a few extra days to enjoy the sights! Whether you have attended dozens of AAVSO meetings or are a first-time attendee, we hope to see you in Newton for the 94th Annual Meeting of the AAVSO. It is sure to be an interesting and exciting weekend.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Advanced Visual Observing Workshop: Organized by expert visual observer Mike Simonsen, this Friday morning workshop will be devoted to advanced techniques and topics for visual observers. Among the speakers and topics scheduled at this time are:

The Eye as a Photometer - Michael Linnolt
Visual Observing of Faint Variables from the Heart of England - Gary Poyner
Catch a Rising Star: CVs for Visual Observers - Mike Simonsen
Historical talk on Clint Ford and Charts - Charles Scovil

IRAF Workshop: Astronomer Pamela Gay, an instructor for the Harvard University Science Center, will present a workshop Friday morning on the National Optical Astronomy Observatory's (NOAO) general Image Reduction and Analysis Facility (IRAF). This is one of the most powerful data reduction packages available. Used widely by professional astronomers, IRAF can reduce CCD image and spectral data, compute airmasses, heliocentric Julian dates, and world coordinate systems, provide numerous statistical packages, and much, much more. IRAF is also known for its long learning curve. Pamela will help to ease the pain by highlighting features most relevant to AAVSO observers, discussing computer needs, and showing attendees some of the tricks to becoming one with your IRAF installation.

Dinner and Open House: All attendees are invited to attend an open house and buffet dinner at AAVSO Headquarters on Friday night, October 14th. Staff members will be present to answer questions and assist with the use of the AAVSO International Database. Please note that this evening will be the only time AAVSO Headquarters will be open for touring during the meeting.

Membership Meeting: All attendees are invited to this gathering, which will be held from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturday, October 15th. The purpose of this meeting is to inform attendees of the activities of the Association, and will include reports from the Secretary, Treasurer, Committee Chairs, and the Director.

Scientific Paper Sessions: Members and friends are invited to present papers on variable stars and related topics. Papers will be presented both on Friday and Saturday afternoons, October 14th and 15th. Timeslots will range from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on amount of time requested and the number of papers submitted. Those planning to present papers at this meeting should complete and return the enclosed abstract form no later than October 3rd, 2005. Authors with email access are encouraged to send the information requested on the abstract form electronically to: meetings@aavso.org

Public Workshop on Beginning Visual Observing: This Saturday afternoon workshop will concentrate on topics for the new observer and general astronomy public. This session is open to the public and free of charge! We would like to use this workshop to encourage new observers from astronomy clubs, organizations, and local schools, as well as to inform the general public about the exciting mission and fun involved in what we do. To kick things off David Levy will present a talk on Leslie Peltier, one of the greatest visual observers of all time. (David will be available just prior to the workshop for book signing.) Following Levy's talk David Williams will be discussing binocular observing, Mike Simonsen will be encouraging deep sky observers to hop over to 'Variables Near (or in) Deep Sky Objects', and AAVSO observers Gene Hanson and Glenn Chaple will be discussing observing tips, techniques, and tools for the beginning observer.

Annual Banquet and Award Presentation: The Annual Banquet will be held at the Sheraton Newton Hotel on the evening of Saturday, October 15th. It will be preceded by a cash bar and followed by an awards presentation. The banquet will feature a choice of macadamia nut & basil crusted chicken, balsamic pork loin, or tri-color pasta with vegetables and parmesan garlic sauce.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Sleeping rooms have been reserved for AAVSO meeting attendees (at special group rates) at the Sheraton Newton Hotel. This hotel is very conveniently located just off of the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) at exit 17 — approximately a 15-minute drive from Logan International Airport. Complimentary overnight parking and in-room high speed internet have been negotiated for attendees who choose to stay at the Sheraton during the meeting.

Please note that the room reservation deadlines are quickly approaching and rooms go very quickly during foliage season, so please make your reservations as soon as possible.

Sheraton Newton Hotel, 320 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02458
The following rates have been obtained for meeting attendees:
         $119.00 (US funds) per night, single or double occupancy
         (9.7% room tax not included)

Please make reservations online by following this hotel link: Make your hotel reservations here!
or by calling the Sheraton Newton at 1-617-969-3010 before September 19th, 2005.

Please be sure to mention that you will be participating in the AAVSO meeting when making your room reservations.

LOOKING FOR A ROOMMATE? Anyone interested in sharing a room during the meeting should complete the roommate section of the registration form. We will collect this information and then forward the list, including contact information, to everyone in need of a roommate. We cannot guarantee that there will be a match for everyone, but this could be a useful way to help cut meeting costs.

REGISTRATION

Please return the registration form along with payment in US funds no later than October 3rd, 2005. After this date the early registration rate will no longer be available and some functions may be sold out. Please send your form and payment to: AAVSO, 25 Birch St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. The registration form will also be posted on the AAVSO web page.

TRANSPORTATION

A map with driving directions will be mailed to all meeting registrants.

A list of local restaurants and local busses/shuttles for sightseeing will be a part of your on-site registration packet.

Transportation will be provided between the Sheraton Newton Hotel and AAVSO Headquarters for the Friday night open house. All other meeting events will be held at the hotel.

Rental Car: Below is a list of the eight rental car agencies that operate out of Logan Airport and their toll-free phone numbers.

Knight's Airport Shuttle Service: Shuttle service every 30 minutes by appointment. Reserve on line at www.knightslimo.com or call 24hrs 1-800-822-5456. 1 passenger $25 or 2 passengers $43 (one-way).