ALAN 2023 - Conference Venue
We are pleased to announce that the next ALAN conference will be held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from 10 - 13 August 2023. The conference will be co-hosted by the Calgary Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and the University of Calgary.
There are comfortable accommodations at the University campus, and we will conduct most conference activities at the nearby, superb facilities where you will be able to share and discuss new knowledge about artificial light at night, reconnect with colleagues, and establish new friendships.
The ALAN 2023 planning committee is now developing the conference programme and will publish more information when appropriate. Be sure to watch for the call for papers and posters in September 2022.
While the primary reason to come to Calgary is to attend ALAN 2023, Calgary offers many opportunities to explore and experience the diverse landscapes and culture in this part of Canada, which is part of the traditional territories of the people of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, Stoney Nakoda First Nation, and the Métis Nation of Southern Alberta. Calgary is a cosmopolitan city of 1.4 million people located in the southwestern part of the province of Alberta at the western edge of the prairie and a short distance from the Rocky Mountains. Alberta is big and is home to six UNESCO World Heritage sites, five RASC Dark-sky Preserves, one RASC Nocturnal Preserve, one IDA International Dark-sky Park, and one IDA Dark Sky Community.
For those who plan to arrive a day or two before ALAN 2023, we plan to offer two optional, day-long excursions that will take you to westward to see the nearby Rocky Mountains and the Columbia Ice Field or eastward to the Alberta Badlands to explore the time of the dinosaurs.
For those considering a longer vacation before or after ALAN 2023, here are some useful websites to help you plan:
Visit Calgary | Tourism Calgary
Travel Alberta | Alberta Canada
Indigenous Tourism Alberta
AlbertaParks.ca | Alberta Parks
Parks Canada - Home (pc.gc.ca)
UNESCO World Heritage sites in Alberta
On behalf of the ALAN 2023 organising committee, we look forward to welcoming you to Calgary.
Bob King
Chair, ALAN 2023 Organising Committee
Dates and times
Further information will be available in the future.
We recommend that you arrive in Lleida by June 15, as the conference will start in the morning of the 16th. The conference will run the full day on June 18. We are also tentatively planning an excursion on June 18, which will run until late in the evening (we expect to return to Lleida around 2am). So we recommend that you depart from Lleida in the late morning or early afternoon of June 19. Note that it takes around two hours to travel to Barcelona airport, and the earliest train runs shortly after 7 am. So we recommend you do not book a flight that leaves Barcelona before 11:15 am on June 19.
We are pleased to announce that the next ALAN conference will be held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from 10 - 13 August 2023. The conference will be co-hosted by the Calgary Centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and the University of Calgary.
There are comfortable accommodations at the University campus, and we will conduct most conference activities at the nearby, superb facilities where you will be able to share and discuss new knowledge about artificial light at night, reconnect with colleagues, and establish new friendships.
The ALAN 2023 planning committee is now developing the conference programme and will publish more information when appropriate. Be sure to watch for the call for papers and posters in September 2022.
While the primary reason to come to Calgary is to attend ALAN 2023, Calgary offers many opportunities to explore and experience the diverse landscapes and culture in this part of Canada, which is part of the traditional territories of the people of the Blackfoot Confederacy, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, Stoney Nakoda First Nation, and the Métis Nation of Southern Alberta. Calgary is a cosmopolitan city of 1.4 million people located in the southwestern part of the province of Alberta at the western edge of the prairie and a short distance from the Rocky Mountains. Alberta is big and is home to six UNESCO World Heritage sites, five RASC Dark-sky Preserves, one RASC Nocturnal Preserve, one IDA International Dark-sky Park, and one IDA Dark Sky Community.
For those who plan to arrive a day or two before ALAN 2023, we plan to offer two optional, day-long excursions that will take you to westward to see the nearby Rocky Mountains and the Columbia Ice Field or eastward to the Alberta Badlands to explore the time of the dinosaurs.
For those considering a longer vacation before or after ALAN 2023, here are some useful websites to help you plan:
Visit Calgary | Tourism Calgary
Travel Alberta | Alberta Canada
Indigenous Tourism Alberta
AlbertaParks.ca | Alberta Parks
Parks Canada - Home (pc.gc.ca)
UNESCO World Heritage sites in Alberta
On behalf of the ALAN 2023 organising committee, we look forward to welcoming you to Calgary.
Bob King
Chair, ALAN 2023 Organising Committee
Dates and times
Further information will be available in the future.
We recommend that you arrive in Lleida by June 15, as the conference will start in the morning of the 16th. The conference will run the full day on June 18. We are also tentatively planning an excursion on June 18, which will run until late in the evening (we expect to return to Lleida around 2am). So we recommend that you depart from Lleida in the late morning or early afternoon of June 19. Note that it takes around two hours to travel to Barcelona airport, and the earliest train runs shortly after 7 am. So we recommend you do not book a flight that leaves Barcelona before 11:15 am on June 19.
Lodging and traveling for ALAN 2020 Conference
Lodging in Lleida
It will be a supporting venue located in the Hotel Parador Nacional.
It is located in Lleida city center in a former monastery/convent of XVII century and just five minutes walking from the main venue.
The organization has prebooked a limited number of rooms in Hotel Parador Lleida with special rates that include both accommodation and breakfast.
This prebooking will expire the 15th of April 2020. So we recommend fast booking to get these special prices.
Alternatively you can book in other Lleida facilities.
Traveling for ALAN 2020 Conference
Lleida is a Spanish High-Speed train (AVE) city, so it is directly connected with Barcelona and Madrid city centers. Lleida has a small Airport called Lleida-Alguaire airport but it is focused to charters, training, cargo and technical tests.
In any case there are some regular flights mainly connecting Lleida with Palma de Mallorca and some other possible destinations are available during summer. Almost all international travellers to Lleida use the options below:
* Traveling to Lleida via Barcelona.
We strongly recommend flights to Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) International airport. It is close to the city of Barcelona and it is the main airport of Catalonia region. Barcelona airport is connected worldwide with many airlines, so it is easy to find direct flights or easy travel connections from any airport around the world and Barcelona. This airport is connected by bus/metro/train service with city center and especially train goes to Barcelona central station (Barcelona-Sants-Estació) in around 30-45’ where High speed trains to Lleida depart.
There is different kind of High Speed trains. Travel time from Barcelona to Lleida with these trains is around 1 hour.
For more information on these services and booking you can visit RENFE website (choose Barcelona-Sants as departure station for High Speed Trains in Barcelona).
If you prefer to rent a car to travel to Lleida. There are many rent-a-car facilities in Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) airport and in Barcelona-Sants central train station.
Lodging in Lleida
It will be a supporting venue located in the Hotel Parador Nacional.
It is located in Lleida city center in a former monastery/convent of XVII century and just five minutes walking from the main venue.
The organization has prebooked a limited number of rooms in Hotel Parador Lleida with special rates that include both accommodation and breakfast.
- Single rooms (Double for single use): 90 Euros per night + Touristic Tax (1Eur)
- Double rooms (for two persons): 100 Euros per night + Touristc Tax (2Eur)
This prebooking will expire the 15th of April 2020. So we recommend fast booking to get these special prices.
Alternatively you can book in other Lleida facilities.
Traveling for ALAN 2020 Conference
Lleida is a Spanish High-Speed train (AVE) city, so it is directly connected with Barcelona and Madrid city centers. Lleida has a small Airport called Lleida-Alguaire airport but it is focused to charters, training, cargo and technical tests.
In any case there are some regular flights mainly connecting Lleida with Palma de Mallorca and some other possible destinations are available during summer. Almost all international travellers to Lleida use the options below:
* Traveling to Lleida via Barcelona.
We strongly recommend flights to Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) International airport. It is close to the city of Barcelona and it is the main airport of Catalonia region. Barcelona airport is connected worldwide with many airlines, so it is easy to find direct flights or easy travel connections from any airport around the world and Barcelona. This airport is connected by bus/metro/train service with city center and especially train goes to Barcelona central station (Barcelona-Sants-Estació) in around 30-45’ where High speed trains to Lleida depart.
There is different kind of High Speed trains. Travel time from Barcelona to Lleida with these trains is around 1 hour.
- AVE trains to Madrid. Some of them has stop in Lleida-Pirineus train station. This is the expensive high speed train;
- AVANT/ALVIA/Intercity trains. These kind of trains travel from Barcelona to many Spanish cities including Lleida as final destination (AVANT) or as a regular stop (ALVIA/Intercity). These trains are normally cheaper than AVE trains.
For more information on these services and booking you can visit RENFE website (choose Barcelona-Sants as departure station for High Speed Trains in Barcelona).
If you prefer to rent a car to travel to Lleida. There are many rent-a-car facilities in Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) airport and in Barcelona-Sants central train station.
* Traveling to Lleida via Madrid
If your option to travel is using Madrid Barajas (MAD) International airport you can reach Lleida with High Speed train. From Madrid airport is easy to reach by metro/train the high speed train station of Madrid called Madrid - Puerta de Atocha in around 30-45’. In Puerta de Atocha station departs AVE trains that have stop in Lleida-Pirineus train station. Normally these are some of the trains (not all) that travel form Madrid to Barcelona. Other trains go direct to Barcelona and then you need to move from Barcelona to Lleida (see above). Normally around 2h-2.15h are needed from
Madrid-Puerta de Atocha to Lleida-Pirineus.
For more information on these service and booking you can visit RENFE website.
* Travelling to Lleida via secondary airports (Girona and Reus airports)
Some low cost airlines have direct flights to Girona-Costa Brava and Reus (sometimes
appears as Barcelona-Reus) airports. Both airport are more than one hour by shuttle service to Barcelona city center to connect with trains to Lleida (see above). If you land at Girona airport there is also the option to go to Girona city train station and use a High Speed Train from Girona to Madrid with stop in Lleida (less than 2 hours). If you land at Reus airport there is the same option but with Camp de Tarragona High Speed Train station and take there an AVE train to Madrid with stop in Lleida or an AVANT train to Lleida (30 minutes). Both options are not very comfortable because it is complicated the public transportation from Girona or Reus airport to these train stations.
If your option to travel is using Madrid Barajas (MAD) International airport you can reach Lleida with High Speed train. From Madrid airport is easy to reach by metro/train the high speed train station of Madrid called Madrid - Puerta de Atocha in around 30-45’. In Puerta de Atocha station departs AVE trains that have stop in Lleida-Pirineus train station. Normally these are some of the trains (not all) that travel form Madrid to Barcelona. Other trains go direct to Barcelona and then you need to move from Barcelona to Lleida (see above). Normally around 2h-2.15h are needed from
Madrid-Puerta de Atocha to Lleida-Pirineus.
For more information on these service and booking you can visit RENFE website.
* Travelling to Lleida via secondary airports (Girona and Reus airports)
Some low cost airlines have direct flights to Girona-Costa Brava and Reus (sometimes
appears as Barcelona-Reus) airports. Both airport are more than one hour by shuttle service to Barcelona city center to connect with trains to Lleida (see above). If you land at Girona airport there is also the option to go to Girona city train station and use a High Speed Train from Girona to Madrid with stop in Lleida (less than 2 hours). If you land at Reus airport there is the same option but with Camp de Tarragona High Speed Train station and take there an AVE train to Madrid with stop in Lleida or an AVANT train to Lleida (30 minutes). Both options are not very comfortable because it is complicated the public transportation from Girona or Reus airport to these train stations.
Transportation inside the city
* Local transportation in Lleida
The venues (IEI and Parador buildings) are located 10 minutes walking from High Speed Train Station of Lleida-Pirineus. Many accommodations are at similar walking distances. In Lleida-Pirineus station there is a taxi stop if you prefer to take a taxi to your accommodation.
Lleida has local public transportation with bus services.
* Destination Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Lleida City tourism, click here.
* Local transportation in Lleida
The venues (IEI and Parador buildings) are located 10 minutes walking from High Speed Train Station of Lleida-Pirineus. Many accommodations are at similar walking distances. In Lleida-Pirineus station there is a taxi stop if you prefer to take a taxi to your accommodation.
Lleida has local public transportation with bus services.
* Destination Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Lleida City tourism, click here.
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Organizers
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CONFERENCE CONTACT
Parc Astronòmic Montsec Consell Comarcal de la Noguera Balaguer, Lleida, Spain E-mail: [email protected] Webpage: www.parcastronomic.cat Local Organising Committee Ramon Canal-Domingo, Marta Cañellas, Mireia Carrera, Nieves Gordón, Fernando Jáuregui, Hector Linares, Eduard Masana, Anna Paüls, Salvador J. Ribas (chair) and Carlos Sancho Venue location Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs (Lleida, SPAIN) [http://www.fpiei.cat] Website maintained by Johanne Roby [email protected] |