The Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (RASNZ) is the

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

national astronomical society. It is an association of professional and amateur astronomers with the prime objective to the ''promotion and extension of knowledge of astronomy and related branches of science''.

History

The society was founded in 1920 as the New Zealand Astronomical Society. In 1946, the society received its Royal Charter and became the Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand. In 1967, the RASNZ became a member body of the

Royal Society of New Zealand Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

Membership

Membership of the society is open to anyone interested in astronomy including affiliated societies such as the

Southland Astronomical Society The Southland Astronomical Society is the southernmost astronomical society in the world. Based in Invercargill at the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island, its small, active group of about 36 amateur astronomer members participate in a va ...

. Currently (2019) the society has around 230 members consisting of professional, student and amateur astronomers. 19 societies are affiliated (2019) with RASNZ and there are two corporate members (2019). Current and past members of note include: * Alan C. Gilmore *

Albert F. A. L. Jones Albert Francis Arthur Lofley Jones (9 August 1920 – 11 September 2013) was a New Zealand amateur astronomer, and a prolific variable star and comet observer, a member of the Variable Star Section and the Comet Section of the Royal Astrono ...

* Charles Gifford *

Frank Bateson Frank Maine Bateson (31 October 1909 – 16 April 2007) was a New Zealand astronomer who specialised in the study of variable stars. Biography Bateson was born in Wellington on 31 October 1909 and studied in Australia and New Zealand. His inte ...

Leslie Comrie Leslie John Comrie FRS (15 August 1893 – 11 December 1950) was an astronomer and a pioneer in mechanical computation. Life Leslie John Comrie was born in Pukekohe (south of Auckland), New Zealand, on 15 August 1893. He attended Auckland Un ...

Pamela M. Kilmartin Pamela M. Kilmartin is a New Zealand astronomer and a co-discoverer of minor planets and comets. She is credited by the Minor Planet Center with the discovery of 41 asteroids, all in collaboration with her husband, the astronomer Alan C. Gilmo ...

* Ronald Alexander McIntosh *

Norman Rumsey Norman Jack Rumsey (15 September 1922 – 9 January 2007) was a New Zealand designer of optical systems. Rumsey was the head of the optics section of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) from 1949 until his retirement. He ...

Duncan Sommerville Duncan MacLaren Young Sommerville (1879–1934) was a Scottish mathematician and astronomer. He compiled a bibliography on non-Euclidean geometry and also wrote a leading textbook in that field. He also wrote ''Introduction to the Geometry of N ...

Activities

RASNZ coordinates a number of sections (groups of people who share a common interest) including the Occultation, Education and Variable Star sections. The RASNZ holds an annual conference, generally hosted by one of the affiliated societies. The conference is open to non-members. A wide range of papers are presented during the conference and often symposiums related to the RASNZ's sections are held in conjunction with the conference. The SWAPA scheme (Students With A Passion for Astronomy) pays the costs of attending the Conference for ten school students. The Gifford-Eiby Lecture fund exists to provide funds to sponsor the visits to Affiliated Societies and RASNZ members of lecturers or instructors in astronomy to regions throughout New Zealand. The Kingdon-Tomlinson Fund is used to provide grants to promote the study of astronomy in New Zealand. The Murray Geddes Prize is generally awarded annually in recognition of contributions to astronomy in New Zealand. RASNZ publishes a quarterly journal (''Southern Stars''). The Astronomical Yearbook produced by the

Auckland Observatory Stardome Observatory (IAU observatory code 467, previously known as Auckland Observatory) is a public astronomical observatory situated in Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill Domain in Auckland, New Zealand. Founded in 1967, the observatory is administ ...

is also provided to members.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Astronomical Society Of New Zealand Astronomy societies Scientific organisations based in New Zealand Organisations based in New Zealand with royal patronage Royal Society of New Zealand Scientific organizations established in 1920 1920 establishments in New Zealand Astronomy in New Zealand

History

Membership

Activities

See also

References