The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is a learned society and charity that promotes astronomy and geophysics worldwide. Founded in 1820, it has over 50,000 members scattered across the globe. The RAS organises scientific meetings; communicates and publishes research; awards prizes and grants to support astronomers, geophysicists and science communication; supports education through both formal programmes and public engagement initiatives such as National Astronomy Weekend. It also acts as an independent body to give advice on issues relating to astronomy, both nationally in the UK & Ireland and internationally.
The RAS has its headquarters are at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London. It also has offices in Edinburgh (Scotland), Belfast (Northern Ireland) Manchester (England), Cardiff (Wales)and Exeter (South West England). The current president is Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell DBE FRS FRSE.
The society’s aims are:
To promote the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science.
To encourage and support astronomical research by individual scholars working alone or in small groups without access to major research facilities.
To provide travel grants for young researchers from countries with developing economies so they can participate in international conferences or undertake visits to observatories or laboratories elsewhere.
To communicate advances in astronomical knowledge through its publications – the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Geophysical Journal International, Astronomy & Geophysics – as well as books aimed at a more general readership such asBiographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Societyand Popular Astronomy magazine.
To make available high-quality observing facilities open to all members through affiliated local societies which operate primarily amateur telescopes but also engage in serious observing programmes under professional supervision (such programmes often result in important discoveries). Many amateurs also contribute directly to cutting-edge professional research projects through data collection or analysis carried out under open source arrangements via dedicated websites such as Galaxy Zoo or Asteroid Zoo .
And finally – perhaps most importantly –to bring astronomy to everyone through a wide range of outreach activities organised by our Local Groups around Britain & Irelandand our Education Officerbased at our HQin London