The following is a quick list of useful information for conference registrants.

1. Registration

Registration will begin on Monday, October 11th at 7:00 am and at 7:30 am on Tuesday in the concourse area of the Inn and Conference Center.

2. Science Sessions

All science sessions will be held in the Auditorium of the Inn and Conference Center.  A detailed program can be found in the booklet in your registration packet.  Information on audio-visual support is addressed below.

3. Parking

There is a parking garage adjacent to the Inn and Conference Center.  This is effectively the only nearby parking.  If you are staying at the Center, parking will be handled through the hotel front desk. If you are driving to the meeting, tell the attendant on exiting that you are with the Astrophysics Conference and display your conference name badge.

Do NOT park in the open parking lots located to the rear of the Center.  These are University parking lots and you will be ticketed.

Shuttle bus service will be provided for those staying at either the Holiday Inn or the Quality Inn. Hard copies of the bus schedule will be available at both hotels and will be included in your registration packet.  Please check at your hotel front desk for the shuttle bus pick up and drop off location. The TENTATIVE shuttlebus schedule is as follows:

4. Meals

Coffee and pastries will be available prior to the start of the morning sessions.  Additional coffee services will be available at the morning and afternoon breaks.  The coffee service will be located in the concourse area of the Conference Center just outside the auditorium.  Lunch is included in the registration fee and will be held each day in one of the banquet rooms across the main concourse from the auditorium.

A reception will be held on Monday evening in the concourse and will provide time for reading the poster papers.

The banquet will take place Tuesday evening in the same area as the lunches. This is included in the registration costs.  Your name tag will serve as your ticket of admission.  Guests are welcome to attend the banquet.  Guest tickets can be purchased at the registration desk for $25.00.

A vegetarian entree will be available at the banquet. Please inform someone at the registration desk and they will provide you with a ticket for this.   Please give this ticket to your server at the banquet.  In order to expedite this, we need to get an approximate count as soon as possible so please request your vegetarian ticket when you pick up your registration packet. There will also be vegetarian selections at the lunches.

5. Communications

Telephone calls and faxes should be directed to the Business Office of the Inn and Conference Center at 301-985-7652; Fax No. 301-985-7850. Incoming calls and messages should state the intended recipient is attending the astrophysics conference.  Messages will be posted on a Message Board near the meeting registration area.  There are pay telephones available at several locations in the Center.  There is no telephone available at the registration desk.

If you are staying at the Inn and Conference Center and have a laptop computer, all lodging rooms have internet connections. Check with the Business Office (located to the left of the conference registration desk) for information on the location of other internet connections in the building. If it is more convenient, you can use the computer facilities at the Department of Astronomy; a 15-20 minute walk from the conference site. Check with persons at the registration desk for details.

6. Posters

Space available for posters is 4' x 4'. Poster boards will be installed on Monday morning allowing you to put up posters by the lunch break on Monday, October 11th.  Details about the location of individual posters will be included with your registration materials. Push pins will be provided.

Please check the conference website for an example of how to prepare your view graph for your one-minute poster presentation. 

7. Audio-visuals

The will be two overhead projectors available for all sessions.  There will also be an LCD projector and a laptop available at all sessions.  The preferred mode is to load your talk onto the conference laptop.  This will help expedite the transition between talks.  We will have USB memory sticks available at the conference to help with this.  Please see that you talk is installed on the laptop prior to the session.  If you prefer to use your own laptop, please let us know in advance.  (Please email us this information at october@astro.umd.edu or inform someone at the registration desk.  There will not be a 35 mm projector available.  I you need such a projector, please inform us in advance.

8.  Luggage

Those persons making plane connections on Wednesday evening will have to check out of their hotel rooms in the morning.  The hotels have arrangements for holding luggage until departure.  The shuttle bus service will continue through Wednesday afternoon.

If it is necessary for you to bring your luggage to the Inn and Conference Center, they will be able to accommodate a limited amount of luggage there. You should check at the hotel front desk for details.  While we do have space available to us for storage, it is usually not locked during the day and so provides little in the way of security.

9.  Airport Shuttle Transportation

The following are some area airport shuttle services.  Please contact them directly.  They often require reservations and it is advised that you call 24 hours in advance.

SuperShuttle - 1-800-BLUE-VAN
Washington Flyer - 1-888-WASH-FLY