Tour Schedule:
7:45 AM – Bus leaves Hofstra.
9 AM (approximate) – Bus arrives at Brookhaven Labs and Tour divides into two groups of 25 persons each for a Guided Tour of the Labs. Highlights may include the 70 MeV Linac Accelerator and the High Energy Physics experiments being conducted there.
11:30 AM – Leave Brookhaven Labs. We will stop at a Restaurant/Diner where you may have lunch on your own.
1:30 PM – Arrive at Spectrum Thin Films for a Tour of the facility.
3:00 PM – Bus leaves Spectrum Thin Films to return to Hofstra.

Price includes Bus and Arrangements………….…$60.00 per person.
(Lunch is on your own, not included in the price.)

Thursday, August 6, 2009 – Hofstra University Star Party.

This is the Astronomical League Council Tour and will take place after dinner on Thursday, weather permitting.   (Dinner is on your own.)

Hofstra University’s Observatory is located on the roof of the Physics Building (Berliner Hall) located on California Avenue.  This is reached by taking the bridge connecting the Student Center with the Library located on the South side of Hempstead Turnpike.  Make a left turn after exiting the bridge across Hempstead Turnpike and walk over to California Avenue.  The Physics Building (Berliner Hall) is just across the street south of the Parking Lot. 

Schedule:
8:30 PM – Observing begins. 
11:30 PM – Observatory closes.

Free – there is no admission charge.

Custer Institute is also the site of several Observatories: Custer’s own Observatory featuring a 25 inch Obsession Telescope and several Meade and Celestron 14 inch Telescopes; AOS’s Observatory featuring a Celestron 14 inch Telescope; and the Astronomical Society of Long Island’s Observatory featuring a Meade 12 inch Telescope. The skies on the North Fork are some of the clearest and most light pollution free on Long Island.

The Starbeque at Custer Institute will feature local Food and tasting of Long Island North Fork Wine. The menu will feature Long Island Duckling, Chicken, Salmon, or Vegetarian cuisine.

NOTE: Dinner will be served in a large Tent so that the Starbeque will go on Rain or Shine.

Schedule:
4 PM – Board Buses at Hofstra University and drive to Custer Institute.
6:30 PM - Wine Tasting available.
7 PM – Starbeque Dinner begins.
8 PM – After Dinner Speakers will include Custer Staff and the famous “Galileo Impersonator.”
9 PM – The Custer Institute, AOS and ASLI Observatories will be open for observing.
11 PM – Buses will leave Custer to return to Hofstra University.

Starbeque cost including Wine Tasting………...…...$40.00 per person.
Children’s Meal price………………………………...$15.00 per person.
Bus Transportation (leaves Hofstra at 4 PM)….…...$35.00 per person.

A Cash Bar will be provided for drinks.

NOTE: Bus Transportation is an optional item because many local people who will attend the Convention will probably choose to drive themselves to the Starbeque. Driving time will be approximately 1 1/2 hours from Hofstra.

The Banquet starts at 7:00 PM and ends at 11 PM.

Note: The Banquet will take place in one of the Rooms reserved for the ALCON 2009 Convention so it will not be necessary to leave the Hofstra Campus.

Cost………………………………………………..…..$65.00 per person.

ALCON Cancellation, Standby, Registration, and Tour Policies:
PLEASE READ:  ALCON EXPO 2009 Cancellation Policy For all fees, payments, deposits, etc.:

Since registration for the above events now is considered late, there will be no refund if you change your mind after you book them.

Cancellation Insurance:

We suggest that everyone get Cancellation Insurance.  This Insurance will indemnify you from any loss of Registration and/or other Fees paid should you find out you are unable to attend the Convention after the period in which you can request a refund.

We are recommending you look at the insurance being offered by Access America Travel Insurance and Assistance (www.accessamerica.com 1-800-284-8300).  We have been advised that their offerings are very good.  There are 3 Travel Insurance plans offered by Access America:  The Basic Plan, the Classic Plan, and the Deluxe Plan.  Of these plans, the Basic Plan or the Classic Plan should meet all your needs. 

If/when you sign up for the Travel Insurance, please be sure to give Access America  the following ACCAM Number:  F029205.  This identifies you as having booked the insurance through ALCON 2009. 

Standby:

If a person submits a registration and a deposit for an event and that event is full, that person will go on standby and the registrar will notify the registrant of the fact that he/she is on the standby list by email.  If the registrar does not receive a request to be removed from standby within 7 days, the above Cancellation Policy will apply.  (Also see

Late Registrations:

Registrations postmarked after June 30th will be subject to late registration fees (see Registration Fee At the Door on the Registration page of the website).

Tour Policies and Conditions:

• Everyone must pre-register for the Tours during the Registration Period – March, 2009 through June 30, 2009.  Walk-ins will be allowed if you arrive early August 2 through August 4 to pick up your Registration Package and you decide at that time to go on a Tour.  However, will only be allowed on a Tour if the  Tour Bus is not full.  Also, you will need to give a check to the Tour Leader for the price of the Tour at the time the Tour Bus departs.
• All Tours will run Rain or Shine.
• Attendees will be signed up for Tours on a first come first served basis according to the date we receive your Registration.
• If you attempt to register for a Tour and we already have a Full Bus for that Tour, we will put you on a Waiting List (Standby).  You will be notified by the Registrar that you are on the Waiting List for an additional Bus.  If we don’t get the minimum number we need to run the additional Bus, you will be notified beforehand and will have the option of transferring that Tour payment to another Tour, or you may request a Refund.
• Refunds of Tours that are cancelled will be returned to Registrants within 30 days of the end of the ALCON 2009 Convention. 
• While we have made every effort to accurately describe what you will see on each Tour, we reserve the right to make minor changes at the last minute due to changes in availability of the sites we are planning to see.