The Société astronomique de France (SAF; ), the French astronomical society, is a non-profit association in the public interest organized under French law (

Association loi de 1901 A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

). Founded by astronomer

Camille Flammarion Nicolas Camille Flammarion FRAS (; 26 February 1842 – 3 June 1925) was a French astronomer and author. He was a prolific author of more than fifty titles, including popular science works about astronomy, several notable early science fiction ...

in 1887, its purpose is to promote the development and practice of astronomy.

History

SAF was established by Camille Flammarion and a group of 11 persons on 28 January 1887 in Flammarion's apartment at 16 rue Cassini, 75014 Paris, close to the

Paris Observatory The Paris Observatory (french: Observatoire de Paris ), a research institution of the Paris Sciences et Lettres University, is the foremost astronomical observatory of France, and one of the largest astronomical centers in the world. Its histor ...

.de la Société astronomique de France'', 1937, pp. 2-6
/ref> Open to all, SAF includes both professional and amateur astronomers as members, from France and abroad.Ferlet R. (2003) "The Société Astronomique de France in the Astronomical Landscape: Evolution and Prospects." In: ''Organizations and Strategies in Astronomy''. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 296. Springer, Dordrecht. Its objective was defined at the time of its establishment as: "A Society is founded with the aim to bring together people involved practically or theoretically in Astronomy, or who are interested in the development of this Science and the extension of its influence for the illumination of minds. Its efforts shall support the increase and extension of this Science, as well as to facilitating ways and means for those who wish to undertake astronomical studies. All friends of the Science and Progress are invited for its composition and development." On 4 April 1887, the headquarters was established at the '' Hôtel des Sociétés Savantes'', 28 rue Serpente, in the

6th arrondissement of Paris The 6th arrondissement of Paris (''VIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, it is referred to as ''le sixième''. The arrondissement, called Luxembourg in ...

. The society built an observatory on the top floor of the building for its members use that operated from 1890–1968 ( Observatory of the rue Serpente). On 17 October 1966, the headquarters moved to the '' Maison de la Chimie'' at 28 rue Saint-Dominique, Paris 75007. Since 1974, the headquarters has been located at 3, rue Beethoven, Paris 75016. To date, the Society has had 49 presidents comprising many illustrious persons in astronomy and related fields.

Activities and services

* Monthly magazine ''L'Astronomie'' and the periodical ''Observations et Travaux''. * Specialized commissions for

Astronautics Astronautics (or cosmonautics) is the theory and practice of travel beyond Earth's atmosphere into outer space. Spaceflight is one of its main applications and space science its overarching field. The term ''astronautics'' (originally ''astronaut ...

Astrophilately Astrophilately is a branch of philately which deals with the collection of stamps and postmarked envelopes related to spaceflight. It is the intersection of space and postal history. Covers cancelled on the date and at a post office near the c ...

Comets A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...

Cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...

Double stars In observational astronomy, a double star or visual double is a pair of stars that appear close to each other as viewed from Earth, especially with the aid of optical telescopes. This occurs because the pair either forms a binary star (i.e. a bi ...

History History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...

Instruments Instrument may refer to: Science and technology * Flight instruments, the devices used to measure the speed, altitude, and pertinent flight angles of various kinds of aircraft * Laboratory equipment, the measuring tools used in a scientific lab ...

Meteors A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space. Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as mic ...

, meteorites and impacts, Planetary observations, Planetology,

Radio Astronomy Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies celestial objects at radio frequencies. The first detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was in 1933, when Karl Jansky at Bell Telephone Laboratories reported radiation coming f ...

Sundial A sundial is a horological device that tells the time of day (referred to as civil time in modern usage) when direct sunlight shines by the apparent position of the Sun in the sky. In the narrowest sense of the word, it consists of a flat ...

s, the

Sun The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

, Techniques for

amateur astronomy Amateur astronomy is a hobby where participants enjoy observing or imaging celestial objects in the sky using the unaided eye, binoculars, or telescopes. Even though scientific research may not be their primary goal, some amateur astronomers m ...

, and Youth. * Monthly conferences, lectures, initiation courses in astronomy, and regular meetings of the commissions. The monthly conferences are convened at the

Conservatoire national des arts et métiers A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

(CNAM). * ''Rencontres AstroCiel'', an annual astronomical gathering every August at which astronomy enthusiasts come together for two weeks of nighttime observations in

Valdrôme Valdrôme (; oc, Vaudroma) is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France. Population See also *Communes of the Drôme department The following is a list of the 363 communes of the Drôme department of France. The communes ...

(

Drôme Drôme (; Occitan: ''Droma''; Arpitan: ''Drôma'') is the southernmost department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of Southeastern France. Named after the river Drôme, it had a population of 516,762 as of 2019.

department) in southeastern France, at 1,300 meters altitude. * An extensive library that includes both historical and modern works, available for research and consultation to members and non-members. * Three astronomical

observatories An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. His ...

that are open to the public: the Astronomy Tower of the Sorbonne in the

5th arrondissement of Paris The 5th arrondissement of Paris (''Ve arrondissement'') is one of the 20 Arrondissements of Paris, arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''le cinquième''. The arrondissement, als ...

, the

Camille Flammarion Observatory The observatory was established in Juvisy-sur-Orge in 1883 by the French astronomer and author Camille Flammarion. In March 2010, the structure was classified as a historical monument by the French Ministry of Culture. The observatory belongs to ...

Juvisy-sur-Orge Juvisy-sur-Orge (, literally ''Juvisy on Orge'') is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France. It is located 18 km south-east of Paris, a few kilometres south of Orly Airport. The site of the town has been occu ...

, and the Bélesta Observatory, located in Bélesta-en-Lauragais in the

Haute-Garonne Haute-Garonne (; oc, Nauta Garona, ; en, Upper Garonne) is a department in the Occitanie region of Southwestern France. Named after the river Garonne, which flows through the department. Its prefecture and main city is Toulouse, the country's ...

departement. * An optics workshop for members, located in the Astronomy Tower of the Sorbonne. Image:Observatoire sorbonne.jpg, Astronomy Tower of the Sorbonne Image:Juvisy-sur-Orge - Observatoire.jpg,

Image:Lunette de Camille Flammarion, Septembre 2012.jpg, Telescope in the Juvisy Observatory

Awards

The society has offered the following awards over the years to its members and to notable personalities in the field of astronomy in France and abroad. Not all awards are given every year, and some have been discontinued. Médaille du Prix Jules-Janssen

* Prix Jules Janssen. Recognition of astronomical work in general, or services rendered to Astronomy, by a professional. Prize established by

Jules Janssen Pierre Jules César Janssen (22 February 1824 – 23 December 1907), usually known as Jules Janssen, was a French astronomer who, along with English scientist Joseph Norman Lockyer, is credited with discovering the gaseous nature of the solar ...

. Annual prize awarded 1896–present.''l'Astronomie'', Vol. 93, 1979, pp. 543-546.
/ref> * Prix des Dames. Recognition of services rendered to the Society of any kind. Prize established at the initiative of

Sylvie Camille Flammarion Sylvie may refer to: * ''Sylvie'' (novel), an 1853 novel by Gérard de Nerval * Sylvie (actress) (1883–1970), French actress * Sylvie (band), a Canadian rock band from Regina, active in the 2000s * ''Sylvie'' (album), a 1962 album by Sylvie V ...

and a group of women members of SAF. Annual prize awarded 1896–present. * Prix Maurice Ballot. Recognition of authors of works of the Society's observatory. Biannual prize established by a donation of Maurice Ballot, SAF Librarian.de la Société astronomique de France'', 1937, unpaginated, first after p. 611
/ref> Awarded when merited. Given 1921–present. * Prix Georges Bidault de l'Isle. Encouragement of young people who show a special talent for astronomy or meteorology. Individuals are chosen from participants at courses and conferences, collaboration at the Observatory, or through communications in the bulletin during the preceding year. Prior to 1956, this award was known as the Prix de l'Observatoire de la Guette.''l'Astronomie'', 1957, Vol. 71, pp. 446-447.
/ref> Annual prize awarded 1925– SAFmedal2018

* Prix Henry Rey. Recognition of an important work in astronomy. A silver medal is awarded annually. Established by funds bequeathed by Henry Rey of Marseille. Annual prize awarded 1926–present. * Prix Gabrielle et Camille Flammarion. Recognition of an important discovery and marked progress in astronomy or in a sister science, to aid an independent researcher, or to assist a young researcher to begin work in astronomy. Given odd-numbered years, alternating with the Prix Dorothea Klumpke-Isaac Roberts. Prize awarded 1930–present. * Prix Dorothea Klumpke - Isaac Roberts. Encouragement of the study of the wide and diffuse

nebula A nebula ('cloud' or 'fog' in Latin; pl. nebulae, nebulæ or nebulas) is a distinct luminescent part of interstellar medium, which can consist of ionized, neutral or molecular hydrogen and also cosmic dust. Nebulae are often star-forming regio ...

e of

William Herschel Frederick William Herschel (; german: Friedrich Wilhelm Herschel; 15 November 1738 – 25 August 1822) was a German-born British astronomer and composer. He frequently collaborated with his younger sister and fellow astronomer Caroline H ...

, the obscure objects of

Barnard Barnard is a version of the surname Bernard, which is a French and West Germanic masculine given name and surname. The surname means as tough as a bear, Bar(Bear)+nard/hard(hardy/tough) __NOTOC__ People Some of the people bearing the surname Ba ...

, or the cosmic clouds of R.P. Hagen. Biannual prize established by a donation of Dorothea Klumpke Roberts in honor of her late husband

Isaac Roberts Isaac Roberts FRS (27 January 1829 – 17 July 1904) was a Welsh people, Welsh engineer and businessman best known for his work as an amateur astronomer, pioneering the field of astrophotography of nebulae. He was a member of the Liverpool A ...

. Prize awarded 1931– * Prix Marcel Moye. Recognition of a young member of the Society for his or her observations. Individuals must be 25 years of age or less. Annual prize awarded 1946–. * Prix Marius Jacquemetton. Recognition of a work or research by a member of the Society, a student, or a young astronomer. Annual prize awarded 1947–present. * Prix Viennet - Damien. Recognition of a beautiful piece of optics or for some work in this branch of astronomy. Given in alternate years with the Prix Dorothea Klumpke-Isaac Roberts. Prize awarded 1949– * Prix Julien Saget. Recognition of an amateur for his or her remarkable

astronomical photography Astrophotography, also known as astronomical imaging, is the photography or imaging of astronomical objects, celestial events, or areas of the night sky. The first photograph of an astronomical object (the Moon) was taken in 1840, but it was n ...

. Annual prize awarded 1969–present. * Prix Edmond Girard. Encouragement for a beginning vocation in astronomy or scientific exploration of the sky above the Observatoire de Juvisy. Annual prize awarded 1974–. * Prix Camus - Waitz. Named in honor of Jacques Camus and Michel Waitz. Awarded – present. * Prix Marguerite Clerc. The condition of attribution of this prize is left to the discretion of the SAF Council. * Prix International d'Astronautique. Recognition of a study of interplanetary travel/astronautics. Prize established by

Robert Esnault-Pelterie Robert Albert Charles Esnault-Pelterie (8 November 1881 – 6 December 1957) was a French aircraft designer and spaceflight theorist. He is referred to as being one of the founders of modern rocketry and astronautics, along with the Russian Kons ...

and André-Louis Hirsch. Prior to 1936, it was known as the Prix Rep-Hirsch. Given when merited. Prize awarded 1928–1939.de la Société astronomique de France'', January 1928, pp. 347-348.
/ref> * Médaille des Anciens Présidents. Awarded when merited. * Médaille Commémorative. Annual prize awarded 1901– * Médaille du Soixantenaire. Recognition of members who achieve 60 continuous years of membership. Awarded when merited. * Plaquette du Centenaire de Camille Flammarion. Recognition of eminent service to the Society. Annual prize awarded 1956–. The Parisian engraver Alphée Dubois (1831–1905) created several medals for the Société Astronomique de France, including the Medal of the Society "la Nuit étoilée" (1887), the Medal of the Prix des Dames (1896), the Medal of the Prix Janssen (1896), and the Society's Commemorative Medal.

Presidents

* 1887–1889:

, ''SAF founder, astronomer, author''de la Société astronomique de France'', 1911, vol. 25, pp. 581-586
/ref> * 1889–1891:

Hervé Faye Hervé Auguste Étienne Albans Faye ( – ) was a French astronomer, born at Saint-Benoît-du-Sault (Indre) and educated at the École Polytechnique, which he left in 1834, before completing his course, to accept a position in the Paris Obser ...

, ''astronomer'' * 1892–1893: Anatole Bouquet de la Grye, ''hydrographic engineer, geographer, astronomer'' * 1893–1895:

Félix Tisserand François Félix Tisserand (13 January 1845 – 20 October 1896) was a French astronomer. Life Tisserand was born at Nuits-Saint-Georges, Côte-d'Or. In 1863 he entered the École Normale Supérieure, and on leaving he went for a month as profes ...

, ''astronomer'' * 1895–1897:

, ''astronomer'' * 1897–1899:

Alfred Cornu Marie Alfred Cornu (; 6 March 1841 – 12 April 1902) was a French physicist. The French generally refer to him as Alfred Cornu. Life Cornu was born at Orléans to François Cornu and Sophie Poinsellier. He was educated at the École polytechni ...

, ''physicist'' * 1899–1901: Octave Callandreau, ''physicist'' * 1901–1903:

Henri Poincaré Jules Henri Poincaré ( S: stress final syllable ; 29 April 1854 – 17 July 1912) was a French mathematician, theoretical physicist, engineer, and philosopher of science. He is often described as a polymath, and in mathematics as "The ...

, ''mathematician, theoretical physicist, engineer, philosopher of science'' * 1903–1904:

Gabriel Lippmann Jonas Ferdinand Gabriel Lippmann (16 August 1845 – 13 July 1921) was a Franco-Luxembourgish physicist and inventor, and Nobel laureate in physics for his method of reproducing colours photographically based on the phenomenon of interference. ...

, ''physicist, inventor'' * 1905–1907: Chrétien Édouard Caspari, ''astronomer, hydrographic engineer'' * 1907–1909:

Henri-Alexandre Deslandres Henri Alexandre Deslandres (24 July 1853 – 15 January 1948) was a French astronomer, director of the Meudon and Paris Observatories, who carried out intensive studies on the behaviour of the atmosphere of the Sun. Biography Deslandres' un ...

, ''astronomer'' * 1909–1911: Benjamin Baillaud, ''astronomer'' * 1911–1913:

Pierre Puiseux Pierre Henri Puiseux (; 20 July 1855 – 28 September 1928) was a French astronomer. Born in Paris, son of Victor Puiseux, he was educated at the École Normale Supérieure before starting work as an astronomer at the Paris Observatory in ...

, ''astronomer'' * 1913–1919:

Aymar de la Baume Pluvinel Count Aymar Eugène de la Baume Pluvinel (6 November 1860 – 18 July 1938) was a French astronomer and professor in the '' Grandes écoles SupOptique'' ('' École supérieure d'optique''). He belonged to an old noble family, whose most famous de ...

, ''astronomer''de la Société astronomique de France'', November 1937, plates X-IX
/ref> * 1919–1921:

Paul Émile Appell :''M. P. Appell is the same person: it stands for Monsieur Paul Appell''. Paul Émile Appell (27 September 1855, in Strasbourg – 24 October 1930, in Paris) was a French mathematician and Rector of the University of Paris. Appell polynomials an ...

, ''mathematician'' * 1921–1923:

Roland Bonaparte Roland Napoléon Bonaparte, 6th Prince of Canino and Musignano (19 May 1858 – 14 April 1924) was a French prince and president of the Société de Géographie from 1910 until his death. He was the last male-lineage descendant of Lucien Bonaparte ...

, ''French prince, President of the

Société de Géographie The Société de Géographie (; ), is the world's oldest geographical society. It was founded in 1821 as the first Geographic Society. Since 1878, its headquarters have been at 184 Boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris. The entrance is marked by two gig ...

'' * 1923–1925:

Charles Lallemand Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

, ''geophysicist'' * 1925–1927:

Gustave-Auguste Ferrié Gustave-Auguste Ferrié (19 November 1868 – 16 February 1932) was a French radio pioneer and army general.

, ''radio pioneer, army general'' * 1927–1929: Eugène Fichot, ''hydrographer'' * 1929–1931: Georges Perrier, army general, President of the

* 1931–1933:

Charles Fabry Maurice Paul Auguste Charles Fabry (; 11 June 1867 – 11 December 1945) was a French physicist. Life Fabry graduated from the École Polytechnique in Paris and received his doctorate from the University of Paris in 1892, for his work on i ...

, ''physicist'' * 1933–1935:

Ernest Esclangon Ernest Benjamin Esclangon (17 March 1876 – 28 January 1954) was a French astronomer and mathematician. Born in Mison, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, in 1895 he started to study mathematics at the École Normale Supérieure, graduating in 1898. Look ...

, ''astronomer, mathematician'' * 1935–1937: Jules Baillaud, ''astronomer'' * 1937–1939: Charles Maurain, ''geophysicist''de la Société astronomique de France'', January-February-March 1945, i.
/ref> * 1939–1945:

Fernand Baldet Fernand Baldet (16 March 1885 – 8 November 1964) was a French astronomer. He worked with Count Aymar de la Baume Pluvinel observing Mars from the newly built observatory on Pic du Midi in 1909. The resulting photographs, taken with the 0 ...

, ''astronomer'' * 1945–1947:

Bernard Lyot Bernard Ferdinand Lyot (27 February 1897 in Paris – 2 April 1952 in Cairo) was a French astronomer. Biography An avid reader of the works of Camille Flammarion, he became a member of the Société Astronomique de France in 1915 and made h ...

, ''astronomer'' * 1947–1949:

André-Louis Danjon André-Louis Danjon (; 6 April 1890 – 21 April 1967) was a French astronomer born in Caen to Louis Dominique Danjon and Marie Justine Binet. Danjon devised a method to measure "earthshine" on the Moon using a telescope in which a prism spl ...

, ''astronomer''Fehrenbach, C. "Un grand astronome : André Danjon."
'' L'Astronomie'', 1967, Vol. 81, p. 328. * 1949–1951: Lucien d'Azambuja, ''astronomer'' * 1951–1953:

Jean Cabannes Jean Cabannes (born 12 August 1885 – died 31 October 1959) was a French physicist specialising in optics. Education and career Cabannes studied at the Lycée de Nice and entered the École Normale Supérieure in 1906. From 1910 to 1914, Caba ...

, ''physicist'' * 1953–1955: Pierre Chevenard, ''mining engineer'' * 1955–1957: André Couder, ''astronomer, optical engineer'' * 1957–1958: Albert Pérard, ''physicist, meteorologist''De Broglie, L. "Notice historique sur Albert Pérard." 11 December 1967, Institut de France, Académie des sciences.
/ref> * 1958–1960:

Jean Coulomb Jean Coulomb (7 November 1904 – 26 February 1999) was a French geophysicist and mathematician, and one of the early members of the Bourbaki group of mathematicians. Biography From April 1935 to 1937, he was a member of the Bourbaki grou ...

, ''geophysicist, mathematician'' * 1960–1962:

André Lallemand André Lallemand (; September 29, 1904 – March 24, 1978) was a French astronomer and director of the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris. Lallemand made important contributions to the development of photomultipliers for astronomical use and the "e ...

, ''astronomer'' * 1962–1964:

, ''astronomer'' * 1964–1966: Pierre Tardi, ''astronomer'' * 1966–1970: Jean Rösch, ''astronomer'' * 1970–1973: Jean Kovalevsky, ''astronomer'' * 1973–1976:

Jean-Claude Pecker Jean-Claude Pecker (10 May 1923 – 20 February 2020) was a French astronomer, astrophysicist and author, member of the French Academy of Sciences and director of the Nice Observatory. He served as the secretary-general of the International As ...

, ''astronomer'' * 1976–1979: Bruno Morando, ''astronomer'' * 1979–1981: Audouin Dollfus, ''astronomer'' * 1981–1984: Jacques Boulon, ''astronomer'' * 1984–1987: Paul Simon, ''astronomer'' * 1987–1993: Philippe de la Cotardière, ''writer, science journalist'' * 1993–1997: Jean-Claude Ribes, ''radioastronomer'' * 1997–2001: Roger Ferlet, ''astrophysicist'' * 2001–2005: Patrick Guibert, ''engineer'' * 2005–2014: Philippe Morel, ''medical doctor'' * 2014–2021: Patrick Baradeau, ''historian, publisher'' * 2021–present: Sylvain Bouley, ''planetary scientist''

Asteroid (4162) SAF

French astronomer

André Patry André Patry (22 November 1902 – 20 June 1960) was a French astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical o ...

of the Observatoire de Nice named Asteroid (4162) SAF in the society's honor after he discovered the body on 24 November 1940.Minor Planet Center
/ref>

References

External links

Société astronomique de France
official website
''L'Astronomie''
official website

Web sites of SAF commissions

Cosmology

Double stars

Instruments

Planetary observations

Sundials
{{DEFAULTSORT:Societe astronomique de France 1887 establishments in France Astronomy organizations Scientific organizations based in France Scientific organizations established in 1887 Astronomy in France