Announcements

A black and white portrait of Professor Sir Francis Graham Smith. He rests his chin on his hand and smiles at the camera. He is wearing glasses, a shirt, tie and blazer.
Sir Francis Graham-Smith, 1923–2025
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is saddened to learn of the passing of pioneering radio astronomer Sir Francis Graham-Smith, who has died aged 102.…
Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell (left) has been appointed a Companion of Honour for services to astronomy and physics and to diversity. Three other RAS Fellows including Dennis Ashton (top right) Professor Lyndsay Fletcher and Professor Raman Prinja (bottom right) were also recognised in the King's Birthday Honours.
Ex-RAS president among four Fellows in King's Birthday Honours
Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a former president of the Royal Astronomical Society, is among four Fellows recognised in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours. She has been appointed a Companion of Honour (CH) – a special distinction limited to…
Graphic promoting the RAS Awards 2026 with the Society's medals in front of a background image of the Cartwheel galaxy from JWST and NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory.
RAS Awards 2026: Nominations now open
The Royal Astronomical Society is now welcoming nominations for its 2026 Awards. Among them is the prestigious Gold Medal – the Society’s highest honour…
RAS voices concern over threats to US academic freedom
The Royal Astronomical Society has endorsed a statement highlighting "grave" concerns about threats to academic freedom and international research collabo…
Professor Karl Menten
Professor Dr Karl Martin Menten, 1957-2024
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) offers its sincere condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Professor Dr Karl Martin Menten, who has died…
The two prize winners.
GJI Student Paper Award Winners 2024
Geophysical Journal International (GJI) is delighted to announce the two winners of the 2024 Student Paper Award. They are Théo Santos for his first autho…
MNRAS Student Prize information
MNRAS Student Prize
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS) is delighted to announce a new annual student prize for the best paper published in the journal by a student scientist. The winner will receive a cash prize and a certificate of recogni…
Four circles of images of constellations, William, Caroline and John Herschel.
Astronomy through the Herschels
  The Royal Astronomical Society is excited to be able to put on four free workshops based on the Herschel family's many accomplishments in astronomy and science, called Astronomy through the Herschels. These workshops have been made possible b…
Image from the Solar Dynamics Observatory mission of the solar disk with multiple sunspots, which appear dark compared with their surroundings. Credit: HMI/SDO/NASA
Solar activity likely to peak next year, new study suggests
Researchers at the Center of Excellence in Space Sciences India at IISER Kolkata have discovered a new relationship between the Sun’s magnetic field and its sunspot cycle, that can help predict when the peak in solar activity will occur. Their work i…
Artist's impression of the Cassini spacecraft near to Saturn..JPG
Using eclipses to calculate the transparency of Saturn’s rings
A Lancaster University PhD student has measured the optical depth of Saturn’s rings using a new method based on how much sunlight reached the Cassini spacecraft while it was in the shadow of the rings. The optical depth is connected to the transparen…
RAS new logo
RAS Council 2024 nominations are now open!
Fellows of the RAS are invited to put themselves forward to run for election to the Society's governing Council, our board of trustees. You can now submit nominations for candidates, or consider having yourself nominated for the Council positions. S…
Professor John Zarnecki (right) receiving the Sir Arthur Clarke Award for Lifetime Achievement
Seven RAS Fellows win awards
The Royal Astronomical Society is delighted that seven Fellows of the Society have won prizes and medals, courtesy of the Sir Arthur Clarke awards (the Arthurs) and the Institute of Physics awards. Winners of the 2023 Sir Arthur Clarke Awards: Life…