Within a few days I should have the registration form for the 44th Annual Deep South Star Gaze posted as an attachment here.
As all should know by know we are returning to the Feliciana Retreat Center in East Feliciana Parish for this year's event. This site is located about 10 miles north of Clinton, LA and is within an hour for most members of the Baton Rouge Astronomical Society.
The primary reason for returning to the Feliciana Retreat Center is due to it's superior accommodations and ammenities as compared to the White Horse Christian Retreat Camp where we have held the Deep South Star Gaze for the past 7 years. At the Feliciana Retreat Center, in addition to bunk houses which have accommodations similar to what we have had at White Horse, in the lodge at the Feliciana Retreat Center we also have 24 private rooms that sleep up to 3 per room and each room has it's own bathroom with shower. Not having that feature really limited attendance at the DSSG when held at White Horse.
In addition, the setting at Feliciana is beautiful with a meeting room near the observing field and within the lodge is a dining hall where meals will be served (given a minimum headcount of 20 per meal. The new management has impressed us to the point where we feel the venue can be back to the standard that we enjoyed from 2009 up to 2017.
As most should know, the planned dates for this year's DSSG is Tuesday, November 18th to Sunday, November 23rd. When the registraton form comes out you will notice some changes (the location and dates obviously). Some new changes will include the option to not participate in the door prize drawings, prizes that we pay for. Our registration fee which pay for those door prizes plus helps to cover other costs that we have. For those that do not want to participate in the door prize drawings your registration fee will be reduced by $15.00 to $20.00. For those that want to get a door prize ticket, registration will remain at $35.00.
Length of stay - the Deep South Star Gaze does run for 5 nights (Tuesday the 18th thru Saturday night the 22nd). By no means is any registrant obligated to stay for the full 5 nights. So when you register, submit payment for only the number of nights you plan to attend, BUT please note that as your private room or bunk is reserved for you, you can shift days without penalty or you can add days if your time off and schedule permits. So let's say that you were planning on coming for Tuesday and Wednesday (days and nights) but the weather is looking good beyond that, you can add those nights with payment and you just stay longer at the location that was reserved for you. Or, here is another example - you pay for Tuesday and Wednesday, but those days are looking bad, and Friday and Saturday are looking good so we can easily shift you to those days.
As I said, the registration forms will be available soon. If anyone has questions please let me know so I can answer them or incorporate in some way within the registration form.
Regards,
Barry Simon, Director, Deep South Star Gaze