About the RAS

Aims of the society
The Aims of the Society

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science.

 Detail from a close-up of a section of the Carina Nebula, showing clouds of dust and gas created by winds and radiation emanating from the massive high energy stars inside the Nebula.
Diversity

The RAS is committed to creating an environment where diversity is celebrated and everyone is treated fairly, regardless of gender, disability, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital status, age, or nationality.  The Society's Diversity, Equality and Inclusion policy contains information on equal opportunity and harassment, and the standards that Fellows, staff and visitors to the RAS are expected to maintain.

RAS Staff

Contact details are given for RAS staff, members of Council and Committees, and university points of contact.

RAS Meetings

The RAS runs, sponsors, or otherwise supports, a wide range of meetings, including a major programme of regular monthly meetings held October to May covering all aspects of astronomy and geophysics. Please click on the link below for more information for meeting organizers, and for details of travel support and notes for speakers.

BGA Meetings

The RAS cosponsors the British Geophysical Association (BGA) with the Geological Society, and some BGA meetings are held within the RAS programme of Specialist Discussion Meetings. Please click on the link below for more information regarding organising a BGA meeting, to see the BGA Committee Minutes, and the list of Bullerwell Lecturers and Lecturers.

Associations and affiliated bodies

The Society has formal associations with a number of organizations having shared interests, or offering benefits to RAS members, and has less formal arrangements with several other bodies.

Donati's comet by Griesbach (1858)