The American Astronomical Society (AAS) is an American professional society of astronomers and other interested individuals. Its primary objective is to promote the advancement of astronomy and closely related branches of science, while the secondary purpose includes enhancing astronomy education and providing a political voice for its members through lobbying and grassroots activities. Its current mission is to enhance and share humanity's scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community.
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History
The society was founded in 1899 through the efforts of George Ellery Hale. The constitution of the group was written by Hale, George Comstock, Edward Morley, Simon Newcomb and Edward Charles Pickering. These men, plus four others, were the first Executive Council of the society; Newcomb was the first president. The initial membership was 114. The AAS name of the society was not finally decided until 1915, previously it was the "Astronomical and Astrophysical Society of America". One proposed name that preceded this interim name was "American Astrophysical Society".
The AAS today has over 8,000 members and six divisions – the Division for Planetary Sciences (1968), the Division on Dynamical Astronomy (1969), the High Energy Astrophysics Division (1969), the Solar Physics Division (1969), the Historical Astronomy Division (1980) and the Laboratory Astrophysics Division (2012). The membership includes physicists, mathematicians, geologists, engineers and others whose research interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects now comprising contemporary astronomy. The annual meeting of the AAS is held in the spring and constitutes the largest gathering of astronomers, numbering over 3,000 in 2023.
In 2019 three AAS members were selected into the tenth anniversary class of TED Fellows.
The AAS established the AAS Fellows program in 2019 to "confer recognition upon AAS members for achievement and extraordinary service to the field of astronomy and the American Astronomical Society." The inaugural class was designated by the AAS Board of Trustees and includes an initial group of 232 Legacy Fellows.
In January 2025, AAS published a statement calling on nations to ban advertising from space that can be seen from the ground amid growing concern around the launch obtrusive space advertising payloads.
Membership
The AAS is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America. The membership includes physicists, mathematicians, geologists, engineers and others whose research interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects comprising contemporary astronomy.
The society offers several classes of membership and affiliation. Full Members must meet at least two of three criteria: possessing a graduate degree in astronomy or a related science, receiving the nomination of a current Full Member, or having placed a refereed publication in a recognised international journal. Until 2018, admission as a Full Member required nomination by two existing Full Members; that year the society restructured its membership classes, broadening eligibility to include holders of master's degrees and introducing new affiliate categories. Other membership classes include Graduate Student Members, Undergraduate Student Members (also open to high-school students), International Affiliates for astronomers residing outside the United States, Amateur Affiliates, and Alumni Affiliates for former members who have left the field.
As of 2025, the AAS has approximately 8,200 members across all categories. The society is a member society of the American Institute of Physics.
Fellows
The AAS established its Fellows program in 2019 to recognise members for achievement and extraordinary service to the field of astronomy and the society. The inaugural class, designated by the AAS Board of Trustees, included 232 Legacy Fellows. New fellows are elected annually thereafter.
Divisions
Because the field of astronomy is diverse, several divisions have been formed each of which promotes and enables a different branch of astronomy or astronomy-related science as well as working within the overall charter of the AAS. Many of the divisions hold separate meetings in addition to meeting with the main group. The divisions of the AAS, together with their main research interests, are:
The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) supports planetology and exploration of the Solar System.
The Division on Dynamical Astronomy (DDA) supports research on the dynamics (orbits, evolution, and history) of astronomical systems from the Solar System to superclusters of galaxies on cosmological scales.
The High Energy Astrophysics Division (HEAD) supports knowledge about high energy events, particles, quanta, relativistic gravitational fields, and related phenomena in the astrophysical universe.
The Historical Astronomy Division (HAD) supports topics relevant to the history of astronomy as a field, and research using historical astronomical records to solve current problems in astronomy.
The Solar Physics Division (SPD) supports solar physics (astrophysical research on the Sun), and its interactions with the Solar System and Earth.
In 2012, a new division was formed: the Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD) to advance humanity's understanding of the Universe through the promotion of fundamental theoretical and experimental research into the underlying processes that drive the Universe.
Publications
Astronomical Journal
Astronomy Education Review [no longer published]
The Astrophysical Journal
The Planetary Science Journal
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society
Research Notes of the AAS (scientific publication of brief communications, non peer-reviewed)
AAS Nova, an online publication with highlights from the research journals of the Society.
In June 2019 AAS announced that it would be the new publisher of Sky & Telescope.
In August 2020 AAS announced that it had acquired the inventory, author contracts and related assets of Willmann-Bell, Inc. a publisher of astronomical books, atlases and software.
Prizes
The Henry Norris Russell Lectureship, for lifetime achievement in astronomy
The Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in Astronomy, for outstanding early career in observational astronomy
The Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy, for outstanding early career in theoretical astronomy
The Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize, for a creative or innovating contribution to astronomy
The Joseph Weber Award, for a significant advance in astronomical instrumentation
The Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics (joint award with the American Institute of Physics), for outstanding work in astrophysics
The George Van Biesbroeck Prize, for outstanding service to astronomy
The Annie J. Cannon Award in Astronomy (awarded in concert with the American Association of University Women), for outstanding early career by a female astronomer
The Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award for astronomy writing for an academic audience
The Beth Brown Memorial Award for exemplary poster and oral research presentation by undergraduate and graduate students
The Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award for exemplary research by undergraduate and graduate students
The Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award for exemplary research by an amateur astronomer
Past presidents
The following past and present members served as president of the society during the listed periods: