Astronomy/Science Education Organizations
By Andrew Fraknoi
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Don’t assume the people listed with some of these organizations still work there – but some might.
©Copyright 1993, Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Permission to reproduce for non-commercial use is hereby granted.
American Association of Physics Teachers, 5112
Berwyn Rd., College Park, MD 20740.
301.345.4200. Publishes several journals and
sponsors conferences; has a committee on
astronomy education; has catalog of slides and
books with a few about astronomy.
http://www.aapt.org/
American Association of Variable Star
Observers, 25 Birch St., Cambridge MA 02138.
617.54.0484. A venerable, international group of
amateur astronomers devoted to serious and
systematic variable star work; published a journal,
newsletter, and research reports. Has begun a
small program in education. http://www.aavso.org/
American Astronomical Society, Education
Office, c/o Dr. Mary K Hemenway, Dept. of
Astronomy, U. of Texas, Austin, TX 78712.
512.471.1309. Has an excellent brochure on
astronomy as a career, organizes workshops for
local teachers at society meetings, coordinates the
Shapley lecture series (through which professional
astronomers give talks at small colleges) and helps
with a number of other education projects.
http://aas.org/
Association of Astronomy Educators, c/o
Katherine Becker, 5103 Burt St., Omaha, NE
68132. This sub-groups of the National Association
of Science Teachers focuses on the teaching of
astronomy at the elementary and secondary levels,
sponsors a newsletter, and helps organize
astronomy education sessions at various meetings.
https://aas.org/education
Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers,
c/o Harry D. Jamieson, P.O. Box 143, Heber
Springs, AR 72543. 501.362.7624. A national
group of amateurs devoted to solar system
observations; publishes The Strolling Astronomer
and a number of observing guides.
http://alpo-astronomy.org/
Astronomical League, c/o Berton Stevens,
Executive Secretary, 2112 E. Kingfisher Lane,
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008. 708.398.0562.
National umbrella group of amateur astronomy
clubs. Publishes a newsletter called The Reflector,
holds national and regional meetings, work to
promote consumer interests in amateur astronomy.
https://www.astroleague.org/
Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 390 Ashton
Ave., San Francisco, CA 94112. 415.337.1100.
International society that includes professional
and amateur astronomers, as well as educators at
all levels. Has a catalog of slides, software, videos,
observing aids, etc. For teaching or learning
astronomy; sponsor conferences and workshops for
teachers; publishes Mercury magazine, a series of
astronomy information packets, and The Universe
in the Classroom (a newsletter for teachers);
works with the media to improve science reporting.
Sponsors Project ASTRO to bring astronomers
into the school. https://www.astrosociety.org/
Center for Astrophysics, Education Division, MS
71, 60 Garden St., Cambridge MA 02138. A
program at Harvard to assist the teaching of
astronomy at the elementary and secondary levels.
Holds summer workshops and is producing a variety
of interesting and unusual curriculum materials.
https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/fe201518
Committee for the Scientific Investigation of
Claims of the Paranormal, (CSICOP), P.O. Box
703, Buffalo, NY 14226. 716.66.1425. Publishes
The Skeptical Inquirer magazine; holds
conferences and workshops; superb source for
information on debunking the “pseudo-sciences”
such as astrology, UFOs, ancient astronauts, the
“face” on Mars, etc. http://www.csicop.org/
Hansen Planetarium, Publications Dept., 1845
South West #A, Salt Lake City, UT, 801.483.5400.
Has slides, posters, maps, and photographs, from a
number of observatories around the world.
http://clarkplanetarium.org/
International Dark-Sky Association, c/o Dr.
David Crawford, 3545 N. Stewart, Tucson, AZ
8576. An organization dedicated to combating light
pollution, the spread of wasted light into the night
sky. Issues bulletins, resource materials, helps
draft local laws and guidelines.
http://www.darksky.org/
Kalmbach Publishing, P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha,
WI, 53187. 800.446.5489. Publishes Astronomy,
the largest circulation astronomy magazine, and
sells posters, slides, and observing aids by mail.
http://www.kalmbach.com/
Learning Technologies, 59 Walden St., Cambridge,
MA 02140. 800.537.870. Distributes excellent
hands-on astronomy educational materials and the
Starlab inflatable planetarium.
https://books.google.com/books?id=JQx7J1hPg28
C&pg=PA179&lpg=PA179&dq=Learning+Technologies
+59+Walden+St.+cambridge+ma&source=bl&ots=ChQzSm-TP&sig=AeAiGYQa-FORzMi7A8BPd0KfU8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=J1WIVcX5KdGD
yQSgjLLQAQ&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBg#v=onepage&q=
Learning%20Technologies%2059%20Walden%20St
.%20cambridge%20ma&f=false
McDonald Observatory, RLM 15.308, University
of Texas, Austin, TX 78712. Produces the
Stardate radio program and a newsletter with the
same name. http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/
NASA (National Aeronautics and Space
Administration), has many centers and divisions
that can help teachers obtain information and
materials. http://www.nasa.gov/ Among these are:
 Education Office, Astrophysics Division, Code
SZ, NASA headquarters, Washington DC 20546.
 NASA CORE, Lorain County JVS, 15181 Route 58
South, Oberlin, OH 44704.
 Teacher Resource Center, Jet Propulsion Lab,
Mail Stop CS-530, 4800 Oak Grove Dr.,
Pasadena, CA 91109.
including the Association of Astronomy Educators,
which organizes astronomy sessions at NSTA
meetings. Publishes a number of magazines,
including The Science Teacher and Science and
Children, and has a catalog of resource books for
teachers. https://www.nsta.org/
National Space Society, 922 Pennsylvania Ave.
SE, Washington, DC 20003. 202.543.1900. The
result of the merger of the L-5 Society and the
National Space Institute, this group advocates
manned space exploration, publishes a magazine
and newsletter, and has chapters around the
country. http://www.nss.org/
The Planetary Society, 65 Catalina Ave.,
Pasadena, CA 91106. 818.793.5100. Sponsors
research, educates the public, and lobbies for
more planetary exploration and the search for
extraterrestrial life; publishes The Planetary
Report which includes a catalog of slides, books,
videos, gift items, etc. http://www.planetary.org/
Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, 136
Dupont St., Toronto, On M5R 1V2 Canada.
416.924.7993. An organization of amateur and
professional astronomers, the RASC operates
through a number of local centers in Canada. They
publish the Journal of the RASC and a newsletter,
hold annual meetings, and issue the widely
respected RASC Handbook. https://www.rasc.ca/
Sky Publishing, P.O. Box 9111, Belmont, MA 02179.
800.253.0245. Publishes Sky & Telescope
magazine, and has a catalog of astronomy lab
materials, photographs, atlases and other
observing aids. Offers a recorded astronomy
hotline at 617.497.4168.
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/sky-publishingbooksproducts
This resource is part of Project ASTRO, a program to
enhance science education through partnerships
between teachers and astronomers. Sponsored by the
Astronomic Society of the Pacific (ASP), the project is
National Science Teachers’ Association, 1742
Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009.
202.328.5800. Has a number of subgroups,
funded by a grant from the National Science
Updated listings of national and regional astronomy
organizations are published each year in Sky & Telescope and
Astronomy magazines. Most major cities have a local amateur
astronomy club, whose contact person is listed in these annual
directories.
material, write: Project ASTRO, ASP, 390 Ashton Ave.,
Foundation.
For more information or the right to reproduce this
San Francisco, CA 94112 or call 415.337.1100;
https://www.astrosociety.org/education/k12educators/project-astro/