09/06/2021
Tentative Star Party Planning for the 2021-2022 Observing Season
Customarily, this time each year (~Sept. 1st) we advise the community of our plans for the upcoming observing season, 2021-2022. But this is no ordinary season, of course.
And, due to the vagaries, uncertainties and unpredictability of COVID-19 and its Delta variant, we will delay any public outreach events until the first quarter of 2022.
Now, although CDC data (New Cases, Deaths, Hospitalizations) suggest the pandemic has worsened due to the Delta variant, there are recent signs of "greenshoots", if you will, with the impending full FDA approval of more vaccines and possibly more vaccination acceptance as well as some slight improvement in the more recently reported statistics. We can't discount the possibility of the situation presenting some clarity by the new year.
So, we feel we need to anticipate further positive trends and developments over the next few months and while we may plan for the worst, we also want to be prepared for, if not the best, at least a better outcome.
The way we will do that is: (1) delay any events until February; (2) require masking by all visitors; and (3) require pre-registration of visitors in order to minimize any crowds (something we should be doing anyway).
Look for further details and instructions in late December/early January.
Finally, we hope to resume our normal schedule for hosting events in the 2022-2023 season
Meanwhile, thank you, stay hopeful, stay safe and please get fully vaccinated,
(After all, we are all best served when we serve each other.)
If there are any questions, please leave a reply.
