Alan Dyer (How to Succeed in Astrophotography Without Really Buying; Touring the Millennium Sky) is a contributing editor to Sky and Telescope, and an associate editor of SkyNews magazine. He is co-author with Terence Dickinson of "The Backyard Astronomer's Guide", co-author of "Advanced Skywatching", a Nature Company book, and author of the just published "Pathfinders: Space", a children's book for Reader's Digest. Alan photographs the night sky from his backyard in rural Alberta (at least when the sky is not washed out by annoying displays of northern lights, noctilucent clouds, and other pesky sky glows).

It is possible to get calendar-quality astrophotos with the simplest of equipment and today's super films. On Friday in "How to Succeed in Astrophotography Without Really Buying (or Guiding)", Alan will show you how, in a talk illustrated with lots of inspiring examples of astrophotos taken the easy way. Alan will provide recommendations on the best films, exposures, and techniques to use for each celestial subject, including lots of tips for shooting the Northern Lights.

Some once-in-a-lifetime sky sights are coming up in the next few years. Forget Dec. 31, 1999. Where will you be on April 12, 2000? Or May 14, 2002? Or August 27, 2003? Or June 8, 2004? On Saturday, in "Touring the Millennium Sky", Alan, using slides and video animations, will provide a sneak preview of what the sky of the new millennium has in store for us.