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September 2011 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is now accepting nominations for the Society’s 2012 awards honoring excellence in astronomy research, technology, education, and public outreach. Recipients receive a cash award and engraved plaque, as well as travel and lodging to accept the award at the Society’s 124th annual meeting. Full Press Release.

July 2011 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), in partnership with the American Astronomical Society (AAS), presented the annual Priscilla and Bart Bok Awards to two high-school students at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held May 8 to 13 in Los Angeles, California. Full Press Release.

June 2011 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) today announces the winners of its 2011 awards for excellence in astronomy research and education. Full Press Release.

June 2011 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announces that Dr. Jeremiah P. Ostriker has been awarded the 2011 Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy. Full Press Release.

October 2010 - Thirty-five interpreters from national, regional and state parks, nature centers, and outdoor education centers around the U.S. attended a four-day astronomy interpretation workshop at Yosemite National Park, October 8-11, 2010.

June 2010 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), in partnership with the American Astronomical Society (AAS), has presented the annual Priscilla and Bart Bok Awards to two high-school seniors at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held May 9 to 14 in San Jose, California. Full Press Release.

April 2010 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) announces the winners of its 2010 awards for excellence in astronomy research and education. Full Press Release.

March 2010 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announces that Dr. Gerry Neugebauer has been awarded the 2010 Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy. Full Press Release.

October 2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is now accepting nominations for the Society’s 2010 awards honoring excellence in astronomy research, technology, education, and public outreach. Recipients receive a cash award and engraved plaque, as well as travel and lodging to accept the award at the Society’s 122nd annual meeting, to be held at the University of Colorado at Boulder from July 31 – August 4, 2010. Full Press Release.

September 2009 - As part of its 2009 annual meeting program, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) will feature Hubble Space Telescope repair mission astronaut, Dr. John M. Grunsfeld, NASA, and noted SETI Institute scientists, Drs. Frank Drake, Seth Shostak, Margaret Race, and Douglas Caldwell, in public presentations at the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel, 1 Old Bayshore Highway in Millbrae, California. Full Press Release.

July 2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) presented Priscilla and Bart Bok Awards to two high School Seniors at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair held May 10 to 15 in Reno this year. Full Press Release.

July 2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) will present its 2009 annual meeting September 12-16 in the San Francisco Bay Area at the Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel, 1 Old Bayshore Highway in Millbrae, California. Full Press Release.

June 2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) announces the winners of its 2009 awards for excellence in astronomy research and education. Full Press Release.

May 2009 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announces that Dr. Frank H. Shu has been awarded the 2009 Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy. Full Press Release.

March 2009 - Former ASP Executive Officer and Foothill College Astronomy Instructor Andrew Fraknoi is one of four community colleges teachers to be named recipient of the 2009 Hayward Award for Excellence in Education by the California Community College Board of Governors. Full Press Release.

January 2009 - The Secretary of the ASP's Board of Directors, Mary Kay Hemenway of the University of Texas, has been announced as the winner of the 2009 Education Prize of the American Astronomical Society, given for "outstanding contributions to the education of the public, students and/or the next generation of professional astronomers."

December 2008 - The ASP Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of two new Board members: Cathy Langridge, Director of Retail Finance at Levi Strass & Co. in San Francisco, and Michael Gibbs, Vice President for Advancement and Assistant Professor at Capital College in Laurel, Maryland, and former Chief Advancement Officer for the ASP. Langridge and Gibbs will fill the two Board-appointed seats.

September 2008 - The ASP is pleased to announce its newest members to the ASP Board of Directors: Dr. David C. Black, President Emeritus of Universities Space Research Association (USRA) and Visiting Scientist at USRA's Lunar and Planetary Institute; Dr. William A. Gutsch, Jr., former Chairman of the American-Hayden Planetarium in New York and former President & CEO of the Challenger Center for Space Science; and Judy Kass, the former Senior Project Director for the AAAS's Public Understanding of Science and Technology Programs.

August 2008 - Suzanne Gurton, the Education Manager at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), has received the 2008 Professional Award, given each year by the Astronomical Association of Northern California to an astronomer who has done outstanding work in distinguishing and fostering amateur astronomy. Full Article.

March 2008 - The newest member of the ASP Board of Directors, Scott Roberts, is featured in the April, 2008 Sky & Telescope magazine in an article titled, "A Friend Indeed" written by former ASP Board member David Levy. The article highlights Roberts' passion for brining astronomy to the public.

February 2008 - Jim Kaler, ASP President and a professor emeritus of astronomy at the University of Illinois, was recently awarded the American Astronomical Society 2008 Education Prize that recognizes his outstanding contributions to astronomy education. Read the full press release written by Jim Kloeppel of the University of Illinois News Bureau.

January 2008 - Andrew Fraknoi, astronomy and physics instructor at Foothill College, received the prestigious American Institute of Physics Andrew Gemant Award during the American Astronomical Society meeting held in Austin, Texas. Full press release.

December 20, 2007 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific comments on the United Nations 62nd General Assembly declaration of 2009 as the International Year of Astronomy. Jim Manning, executive director of the ASP, said, "The Astronomical Society of the Pacific is extremely pleased by the United Nations endorsement of the International Year of Astronomy. The sky belongs to everyone, and this global expression of support will provide a critical impetus to our international efforts and those of other organizations to use the appeal of astronomy to improve science literacy in general, and to promote greater appreciation and understanding of our place in the cosmos." Full press release.

December, 2007 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), is pleased to announce the appointment of Scott W. Roberts to a vacant position on the Board of Directors. Roberts is the Vice President for Global Client Support and Community Relations at Meade Instruments Corporation and also serves as the Executive Director of the Meade 4M Community, an alliance of astronomy and space exploration organizations and enthusiasts, with members spanning the globe. Roberts has an extensive background in astronomy public outreach. Full press release.

November, 2007 - Foothill College Astronomy Instructor Andrew Fraknoi, M.A., has been named the 2007 California Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement & Support of Education (CASE). Fraknoi was selected from more than 300 top professors in the United States. Full press release.

August, 2007 - ASP is pleased to announce its newest members to the ASP Board of Directors; Edna DeVore, Deputy CEO and the Director of Education and Public Outreach (EPO) at the SETI Institute, Phil Sakimoto an astrophysicist; education, outreach, and diversity specialist; and planetarian with the University of Notre Dame’s Department of Physics and joining them is re-elected board member, Lynne Hillenbrand, an associate professor of astronomy at the California Institute of Technology.

May 15, 2007 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific announced today the eight winners of its 2007 awards for excellence in astronomy research and education. The ASP's most prestigious award, the Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal for lifetime achievement in astronomy has been awarded to Martin Harwit, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, Cornell University.

Read about Dr. Harwit and the additional seven award winners.

ASP 2007 Award Winners Press Release

March 28, 2007 - ASP announces new Board of Directors officers for 2007. James Kaler of the University of Illinois is ASP President and joining him as Vice President is Tim Slater of the University of Arizona. Full article.

March 21, 2007 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) announced today that James Manning has been appointed to the position of Executive Director. Currently serving as Head of the Office of Public Outreach of the Space Telescope Science Institute, Mr. Manning will take up his new duties in San Francisco in early July.

Full Press Release.

August 11 , 2006 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) announced today it has named Dr. Leo Connolly of the California State University, San Bernardino as the first recipient of the newly-created Richard H. Emmons Award for Excellence in College Astronomy Teaching.

Read the full Press Release

March 15, 2006 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP), one of the nation's leading astronomy education organizations, announced today that Executive Director Michael A. Bennett has informed the Board of Directors of his intention to retire from full-time service before the end of 2006

Mr. Bennett has worked for the ASP for eleven years and has served as Executive Director for over five years. "My years with this wonderful organization have unquestionably been the most rewarding and fulfilling of my career," said Bennett. "But now, with the ASP stable and growing, I can start slowing down a bit. I will definitely continue serving the ASP by working part-time on a few projects, but I am also really looking forward to moving into semi-retirement."

"The ASP has made great progress under Mike's tenure," said ASP President Dennis Schatz, "especially through his leadership in sharpening the Society's strategic focus on education and professional development for educators. We're sorry to see him step down, but we respect his decision and we look forward to his continued involvement with specific projects and his help during the transition to the next Executive Director."

Schatz announced that a committee has been formed to conduct a national search and recommend a successor to the Board. A full position announcement is located on the ASP web site. Read our full press release for more information.

October 2005 - We are delighted to announce that Michael Gibbs, Ed.D, has joined the ASP as Chief Advancement Officer. In keeping with the ASP's increased emphasis on private and philanthropic fundraising, the board approved this new position several months ago and Michael was selected after a nationwide search.

Michael comes to us from Saint Mary's University of Winona, Minnesota, where he served as Vice President for Development. Prior to that, he spent several years at De Paul University in Chicago in increasingly responsible positions, most recently as Assistant Vice President in the Office of University Initiatives. He brings to the ASP an extensive background in institutional advancement, development, and fundraising at the local, regional, and national levels.

September 2005 - The Board of Directors of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific is pleased to announce that Dr. Paula Szkody has been appointed Editor of the Publications of the ASP, effective January 1, 2006. Read more about Dr. Szkody.

May 17, 2005 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) announced today that the 2005 Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal has been awarded to Dr. Robert Kraft of the University of California, Santa Cruz. The prestigious Bruce Medal is the highest honor awarded by the ASP. Honoring a lifetime of fundamental contributions to the field of astronomy, the Medal has been awarded annually since 1898. Read more on Dr. Kraft and the winners of the ASP's seven other annual awards.

May 2005 - The ASP has been awarded a major grant from the Informal Science Division of the National Science Foundation. The four-year program, entitled "Astronomy From the Ground Up," calls for the ASP and its project partners to improve the capacity of dozens of smaller science centers and science museums to bring astronomy to their audiences, through improved staff training, materials, and professional development. More details on this exciting new project can be found for our members in the May/June issue of Mercury under "Last Word".

March 2005 - ASP President, Dennis Schatz, to receive NSTA's Distinguished Service to Science Award at the NSTA Convention in Dallas, Texas April 2, 2005.

Schatz receives this award in recognition for his contribution to science education. He is currently Vice President for Education and Exhibits at the Pacific Science Center, the major informal science museum in Seattle, WA. He has been one of the key managers of that institution since 1980, guiding major exhibits that traveled around the US, overseeing a number of influential outreach programs and co-chairing LASER, a statewide science teaching improvement program for Washington state.

March 2005 - ASP Announces new Board of Directors Officers for 2005. Dennis Schatz of the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, Washington now serves as ASP President and joining him is James Kaler, of James B. Kaler of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, as the new Vice-President. Both serve these positions until March 2007. Catharine Garmany of NOAO joins our distinguished list of Past-Presidents and looks forward to remaining very active in the ASP.

January 2005 - The ASP announces the launch of the new Electronic Access to recently published Conference Series volumes. By the summer of 2005, all titles published in 2004 and current publications will be available electronically at no extra charge as well as in printed form. Read more about this exciting new feature.

November 2004 - Project ASTRO highlighted in November 2004 issue of Astronomy Magazine. After nearly a decade of creating teacher-astronomer relationship, Project ASTRO continues to enhance astronomy education throughout the United States. Read the entire article in pdf format (3.1 MB file, high-speed connection recommended).

August 24, 2004 - Dr. Harold McNamara, Professor of Astronomy at Brigham Young University, has retired as Managing Editor of the ASP's Conference Series. Associate Editor Dr. J. Ward Moody, also a Professor of Astronomy at BYU, has been named Interim Managing Editor. More...

May 20, 2004 - The ASP is pleased to announce the 2004 ASP Award recipients, including Dr. Chushiro Hayashi, recipient of the prestigious Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal and Dr. Seth Shostak, selected to receive the Klumpke-Roberts Award. Read more about all seven of our recipients and how to attend the 2004 Awards Banquet honoring their significant contributions and accomplishments.

April 15, 2004 - This spring marks the 10th year of Project ASTRO, an innovative program at the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) that partners amateur and professional astronomers with teachers around the country to give students a hands-on introduction to astronomy.

Since the program started in San Francisco and Los Angeles classrooms in 1994, it has directly helped more than 103,000 students enjoy and participate in the excitement of scientific discovery. Project ASTRO is currently operating through 12 regional sites across the nation. Read the full press release to find out more details.

Dr. Janet Akyüz Mattei 1943-2004

The Universe became a bit darker on Monday, 22 March, with the death of Dr. Janet Akyüz Mattei, long-time Director of the American Association of Variable Star Observers and a former member of the ASP's Board of Directors.

Through her leadership of the international, nearly century-old AAVSO, through her efforts to draw amateur and professional astronomers closer together in their work, and through her passionate pursuit of improved science education, Dr. Mattei brought her innate curiosity about and love of the heavens to everyone fortunate enough to know her.

The Board of Directors, Officers, Editors, and Staff of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific are saddened by her passing and join the international science community in celebrating her marvelous, stellar life.

December 8, 2003 - NASA and the Astronomical Society of the Pacific announce the official launch of the Night Sky Network, a national coalition of astronomy clubs engaged in public outreach. Participating clubs will have the opportunity to use unique, engaging materials and demonstrations at all of their events, participate in special content and presentation training, involve more of their members in outreach, and even win national recognition for their public outreach activities. Second round applications are now being accepted through September 30th. Find out how your astronomy club can apply.

September 2, 2003 - New 2004 ASP Board Members announced.

July, 2003 - 2003 ASP Awards announced. Vera Rubin is awarded the prestigious Bruce Medal. Read more about all of our award winners.

February, 2003 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific sends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the Columbia astronauts and to the whole NASA family. More...

January 20, 2003 - The Astronomical Society of the Pacific's Secretary, Mary Kay Hemenway, was inducted into the Texas Hall of Fame for Science, Mathematics and Technology on January 20.