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Since before the dawn of history, man
has been impressed with the magnificence and mystery
of the heavens. From the earliest times, men of wisdom
have sought to understand the wonders they observed
overhead. But astronomy is contagious. The general public
has shown ever increasing interest in it and amateur
astronomy has become a well patronized hobby.
Hobbyists are gregarious by nature
and many amateur astronomers associated into local groups.
Their purpose was both to learn about the heavens and
to learn better ways of observing. In time, it became
obvious that, in the same way that local clubs could
help the individual, local clubs could mutually cooperate
in ways that would benefit all. With this view in mind,
several amateur and professional astronomers proposed
that a federation of astronomical societies be formed.
The beginning of the Astronomical
League dates back to 1939 when members of eleven amateur
astronomical societies met in the American Museum of
Natural History in New York City. Similar meetings followed
in Pittsburgh, 1940, Washington D.C., 1941, and Detroit,
1946. At the last meeting, final plans laid the foundation
for a permanent organization constituting a nationwide
federation of societies.
The following convention took place
in Philadelphia, July 4, 1947. There, the federation
came into being: Bylaws were adopted, officers were
elected, and, in due course, the name Astronomical
League was selected. Shortly thereafter, the
organization was incorporated as a non-profit organization
under the laws of the District of Columbia.
The Bylaws begin with a statement
of purpose and objectives for the Astronomical League.
Recognizing that changing times may require shifting
focus, a strategic planning committee constantly reviews
these objectives for relevancy to amateur astronomy
today. The overall focus remains: to promote the science
of astronomy. Our current mission statement continues
in the masthead, above.
Membership in the Astronomical League
consists primarily of astronomical societies located
throughout the United States. Currently, more than 170
societies, representing over 10,000 individual members,
are affiliated. In addition, many amateur astronomers
have joined the League as individuals.
In order to effectively serve this
geographically disperse group, the Astronomical League
is divided into geographic regions. The boundaries
of the ten regions are chosen to permit clubs to participate
in regional meetings without traveling long distances.
This also permits societies within a given region to
address concerns which may be local to their area. The
boundaries are somewhat flexible, shifting from time
to time to accommodate the needs and desires of the
local groups.
The Astronomical League is an all
volunteer organization. National and regional officers
and the chairs of all standing and ad hoc committees
donate their time to help the organization pursue its
mission.
The affairs of the Astronomical League
are administered by five officers who are elected by
vote of the members. The officers are: President, Vice-President,
Secretary, Treasurer, and Executive Secretary. The first
three officers serve two-year terms while the latter
two officers serve three-year terms. The terms are staggered
so that continuity may be maintained as new officers
are elected.
The Council is in charge of all business
of the Astronomical League and directs its policies.
The 25 Council members are the five national officers
plus the Chairman and Representative from each of the
ten regions. These two regional officers, together with
other officers who administer a region, are elected
by members within each region. While Council conduct
routine business of the League, any change to the By-Laws
or any fundamental change in policy must be approved
by vote of the full membership.
Dues for each member society are based
on the membership of that society and provide the primary
revenue for activities of the Astronomical League. Other
income derives from sale of publications, sale of League
memorabilia, advertising, annual conventions and contributions.
Each Region is organized similar to
the national body. While basic, common functions within
the regions are specified in the national by-laws, each
region has its own by-laws to specify its day-to-day
operation. Regional activities are supported by proceeds
from regional conventions and assistance from the parent
organization as specified in the By-Laws.
Recognizing that communication is
the "glue" that binds any organization, our By-Laws
provide that the Astronomical League publish a periodic
newsletter. Named the REFLECTOR, our newsletter
is published quarterly and distributed to our entire
membership of 10,000+. Each issue contains news of League
business, activities of member clubs, reports of activity
committees and other items of general astronomical interest.
For further information about the
Astronomical League, contact the Executive Secretary
at:
Astronomical League
Science Service Building
1719 N Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
or send e-mail to the address below
or jastevens@compuserve.com.
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