| Con*Stellation | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Science fiction/Fantasy |
| Location | Huntsville, Alabama |
| Country |  United States |
| First held | 1982 |
| Organizer | North Alabama Science Fiction Association |
| Official website | |
Con†Stellation (also written as Con*Stellation) is an annual general-interest science fiction convention held in Huntsville, Alabama. It is hosted by the North Alabama Science Fiction Association (NASFA).
Contents |
Con†Stellation history
NASFA was founded in Huntsville circa 1980 partly as a result of local fans meeting at one-time convention named MidSouthCon, held in Huntsville that year. (Note that this convention is not directly related to the annual convention of the same name in Memphis Tennessee.) Club members quickly came up with the idea of starting their own sf convention. The first of these was a mini (1-day) con named ZerCon, in November 1981. While planning and executing ZerCon, the club came up with the name "Con*Stellation" (or "Con†Stellation") for a planned ongoing series of longer (3-day) conventions. The first Con†Stellation was held 16–18 July 1982 under the full name Con†Stellation I: The Pleiades. The time of year varied over the first few conventions, though at least one has been held each year since. In 1983-1984, the convention made the shift from a spring/summer convention to a fall convention. To aid the transition, a two-day mini-convention was held in December of '83, thus avoiding an extremely long gap between Con†Stellation II and Con†Stellation III. Because the convention had already started using Roman numerals for numbering the series, the mini-convention was numbered as Con†Stellation II.V, a deliberate, tongue-in-cheek, mix of Roman numerals and place notation from Arabic numerals. Each Con†Stellation has been subtitled with an astronomical constellation — usually one of the 88 official modern constellations, though the first one was named after a group of stars in Taurus. The convention often uses the constellation as a theme in its advertising and for events at the convention. Con†Stellation has been held at a number of Huntsville-area hotels over its history. Other than Con†Stellation II.V, each has been a 3-day (Friday to Sunday) event.
Con†Stellation XXV: Cygnus
The most recent convention in the series was Con†Stellation XXV: Cygnus, held 20–22 October 2006 at the Holiday Inn Express in Huntsville, AL. Headliner guests included Guest of Honor David Drake, Artist Guest of Honor Theresa Mather, Master of Ceremonies Stephen Hickman, and Special Guest of Honor Glen Cook. Other science fiction professionals who attended include Julie Cochrane, Eric Flint, Dan Hoyt, Sarah A. Hoyt, Jack McDevitt, John Ringo, Dr. Travis S. Taylor, and T.K.F. Weisskopf. NASA scientist Dr. Les Johnson and surf/rockabilly/gothic band Cemetery Surfers [1] [2] also made appearances.
Con†Stellation XXVI: Ophiuchus
The next convention in the series will be Con†Stellation XXVI: Ophiuchus, to be held 12-14 October 2007 at the Huntsville, Alabama, Holiday Inn Express. The Guest of Honor will be Mike Shepherd Moscoe [3][4][5]. The Fan Guest of Honor will be Pat McAdams[6]. The Master of Ceremonies will be Dr. Travis S. Taylor. Julie Cochrane, Hugo-nominated editor Lou Anders, and William H. Drinkard are also expected to attend[7]. Other guests will be announced as they are confirmed.
See also
External links
- Con†Stellation's official web site
- Official web site of NASFA, the sponsoring organization
- List of Con†Stellations and other Huntsville, Alabama science fiction conventions (1963-1996)
- List of Con†Stellations and other Huntsville, Alabama science fiction conventions (1997-Present)
- Review of Con*Stellation XXIII: Delphinus (by Fan Guest of Honor Grant Kruger)
