Royal Astronomical Society of Canada
| Abbreviation | RASC |
|---|---|
| Motto | Quo Ducit Urania |
| Formation | 1868 |
| Type | Organizations based in Canada |
| Legal status | active |
| Purpose | advocate and public voice, educator and network to advance astronomy and allied sciences |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
|
Region served
|
Canada |
|
Membership
|
4600 members, 29 centres |
|
Official language
|
English, French |
|
President
|
Craig Levine (2016) |
|
Main organ
|
JRASC |
|
Staff
|
3 at Society Office |
| Website | http://www.rasc.ca/ |
The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) is a national, non-profit, charitable organization devoted to the advancement of astronomy and related sciences. At present, there are 29 local branches of the Society, called Centres, located in towns and cities across the country from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Victoria, British Columbia, and as far north as Whitehorse, Yukon. There are about 4600 members from coast to coast to coast, and internationally. The membership is composed primarily of amateurs and also includes numerous professional astronomers and astronomy educators. The RASC is the Canadian equivalent of the British Astronomical Association.
The RASC has its original roots in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where in 1868 a group of friends began meeting as part of the "Toronto Astronomical Club." The club was formally incorporated as "The Astronomical and Physical Society of Toronto" in 1890, and this is considered the founding date of the Society. The club grew over time, and by 1900, surrounding communities were affiliated with the group. On 1903 March 3, the club was renamed to "The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada" after petitioning King Edward VII to use the prefix "Royal" in the group's name. At the time it had 120 members. In the more than a century since its formal incorporation, the RASC has expanded across Canada with Centres in 28 cities, reaching every province of Canada with the exception of Prince Edward Island.
The RASC mandate is five-fold:
The Society Office in Toronto employs three staff. Executive Director Randy Attwood, Office Administrator Renata Koziol, and Marketing Coordinator Julia Neeser.
Centre Representatives
Past Presidents
Editors
Staff (Non-voting)
Permanent Committees (Chairs)
The RASC conducts business through a Board of Directors with regular meetings, plus two scheduled meetings at the General Assembly, which is traditionally held on the May or July long weekend (GA). The GA is hosted by one of the Centres, with annual meetings alternating between eastern and western Canada. Meetings follow Robert's Rules of Order and are governed by the By-Laws of the Society.
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Wikipedia