ALPO (ST) Home Page - Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers

ALPO Logo Welcome to the Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers

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The ALPO Training Program

Welcome! The Association of Lunar & Planetary Observers (ALPO) was founded in 1948, and recently celebrated 75 years of helping professional and amateur astronomers alike become better observers of the night sky.

Our goals are to stimulate, coordinate, and promote the study of our solar system using methods and instruments readily available to amateur astronomers. We offer training in foundational observing skills for the beginner wishing to develop their observing techniques and general knowledge. Additional training is also available for the advanced amateur with a desire to focus on specific lunar and planetary subjects.

The objective of ALPO training is to help make members better observers with the ability to discern more details at the eyepiece. Our organization revolves around the submission of astronomical observations of members for the purposes of scientific research. Therefore, we take it as a serious responsibility to guide prospective contributors toward more productive and meaningful scientific observations. The Lunar and Planetary Training Program is open to all members of the ALPO, beginner as well as the seasoned observer, with memberships starting at only $22 per year.

To learn more about ALPO training please visit the Lunar and Planetary Training Program portion of our website or feel free to contact the section coordinator, Tim Robertson, via email.

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Explore our Galleries

Credit: Jäger, Rhemann, & Möller
Equipment: Canon 6Dmod DSLR and QHY600 cameras
This spectacular image of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS was taken by Michael Jäger, Gerald Rhemann, and Dennis Möller on 2024 September 30, at 3.25 UT. It is a composite of 20 minutes of exposure taken with two imaging setups: a Leica Telyt 180/4.0 lens and QHY600 camera, and Canon 200/4.0 lens and Canon 6Dmod DSLR.

Credit: Theo Ramakers
Equipment: 40mm f/10 refractor with ASI174MM camera
On October 23rd veteran solar observer Theo Ramakers captured a striking prominence off the Sun's SW limb. Further in on the globe is a darker 'filament', which in reality is also a prominence viewed face-on

Credit: Gary Walker
Equipment: 254mm Mak-Cass with QHY5III-200M camera
Although not even 9" in size, Gary Walker captured a wealth of detail in his Mars image from Oct. 23rd. The north pole is shrouded in the brilliant Polar Hood, while Olympus Mons is midway near the terminator. Farther south (up) we also see some evening clouds near Tharsis

Credit: Gary Walker
Equipment: 254mm Mak-Cass with QHY5III-200M camera
As usual, Jupiter is a dynamic target in this late October image. Most obvious is the shrinking GRS, but several STB storms appear as ovals below it (with A3 most prominent). Above the GRS in the NEB we see WS-E following its merger with another white spot.

Credit: Luigi Morrone
Equipment: C14 Edge HD using Player One Uranus-C camera
Luigi Morrone captured this beautiful family portrait of Saturn. As the planet approaches equinox the moons start to cross in front and behind the globe. In this image he has capture the tiny shadow of Enceladus cast on the cloud tops just under the rings.

Credit: Gregory Shanos
Equipment: Seestar S50
The Moon's northern limb dipped into Earth's shadow on the evening of Sept. 18th for US observers. Here Gregory Shanos used his AI Seestar to document the partial eclipse.

ALPO Announcements

Jupiter Outbreak

Yet another Jupiter observing alert for observers issued by Dr. John Rogers of the BAA. In the image here by Moisés Portillo we see a very intense, white spot in the South Equatorial Belt (SEB) near the Central Meridian. This bears watching as it may develop into a significant mid-SEB outbreak.

Observers are asked to target the area for imaging across various wavelengths to assist in monitoring its development. The spot is at System II = 328° (System III = 105°).

Read News Headlines

Parker Probe Swings by Venus
11/5/2024

NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is slated to have its seventh and final swing by our sister planet Venus on November 6^th. These encounters tighten its choreographed orbit around the Sun, with this last one bringing the craft to within 3.8 million miles of its surface. While the Sun is the principal object for investigation, the plucky spacecraft has also been helpful examining our sister planet. During the last encounter in July 202, scientists were surprised to find the spacecraft's camera could peer through the dense clouds all the way to its surface, revealing distinct features, such as continental regions, plains and plateaus.

Solar Maximum Reached
10/16/2024

NASA Logo In a conference today NASA, NOAA, and the International Solar Cycle Prediction Panel announced that the Sun is in its solar maximum period where sunspots, flares, and other activity are at their greatest. This period will last approximately a year according to scientists. Such activity can lead to aurora, such as those seen deep into the continental US last week. Scientists will not be able to determine the exact peak of this solar maximum period for many months because it's only identifiable after they've tracked a consistent decline in solar activity after that peak.

Check the Events Calendar

All Times are in Universal Time (UT)

2024-11-20
Mercury at highest altitude in evening sky

2024-11-21
Uranus at opposition

2024-11-23 01:28
Last Quarter Moon

2024-11-27 12:00
Spica 0.4° south of Moon occultation Canada, USA, West Africa

2024-11-29
Comet 333P/LINEAR reaches perihelion

2024-12-04
Saturn at eastern quadrature

2024-12-07
Jupiter at opposition

2024-12-13
Geminid meteor shower

2025-01-10
Venus at greatest eastern elongation

2025-01-11
Venus at dichotomy

Join ALPO

The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) is an international organization devoted to study of the Sun, Moon, planets, asteroids, meteors, and comets. Celebrating our 75th anniversary in 2022, our goals are to stimulate, coordinate, and promote the study of these bodies using methods and resources available to both amateur and professional astronomers.

The science of astronomy has never been more exciting or dynamic than it is today - for the novice observer, the ALPO is a place to learn and enhance one’s observational techniques. For the advanced amateur astronomer, it is a place where one's work will matter. And for the professional astronomer, it is a resource where group studies or systematic observing patrols add to the advancement of astronomy.

ALPO members range from enthusiastic individuals with the desire to pursue an initial interest in astronomy to advanced amateurs to professional astronomers deeply involved in lunar and planetary astronomy.

Becoming a member is easy, and we welcome you to join us as we explore and learn more about this vast universe we all call home. Simply select one of the options below to get started.

Paying Online

Please use this link to purchase your membership online via PayPal.

Paying by Mail

Download and complete the ALPO Membership form following the instruction on the form