French Astronomical Society
| Founded | 28 January 1887 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Camille Flammarion |
| Type | Non-profit association |
| Purpose | To promote the development and practice of astronomy |
| Headquarters | 3, rue Beethoven, Paris 75016, France |
|
President
|
Patrick Baradeau |
| Website | https://www.saf-lastronomie.com |
The Société Astronomique de France (SAF), the French astronomical society, is a non-profit association in the public interest organized under French law (la loi du 1er juillet 1901). Founded by astronomer Camille Flammarion in 1887, its purpose is to promote the development and practice of astronomy.
Open to all, SAF includes both professional and amateur astronomers as members, from France and abroad. 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.
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. On 4 April 1887, the headquarters was established at the , 28 rue Serpente, Paris 75006. On 17 October 1966, the headquarters moved to the Maison de la Chimie at 28 rue Saint-Dominique, Paris 75007. The headquarters are presently located at 3, rue Beethoven, Paris 75016.
To date, the Society has had 49 presidents comprising many illustrious persons in astronomy and related fields. By profession, half of the presidents were astronomers (28), followed by physicists (11), and other professions (10) that includes engineers, a medical doctor, two generals, a prince, a writer, and an historian.
The Society publishes:
SAF organizes:
The monthly conferences are usually convened in the lecture hall of Agro ParisTech, and the other events are held at SAF headquarters in the 16th arrondissement of Paris.
On a regular basis, SAF offers the opportunity for the public to explore the night sky from two observatories:
The Society has a workshop on optics that also meets at the Observatoire de la Sorbonne.
SAF organizes the yearly astronomical meetings Rencontres Astro Ciel, which allows hundreds of astronomy enthusiasts to get together for two or three weeks under the starry sky of Provence.
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