Astro Association
Astro associations are local or regional associations of amateur astronomers who promote astronomy in education and society and offer mutual support in celestial activities.
Some have the legal status of a non-profit association - for example when they support physics classes or astronomical groups in schools or run a public observatory . Others carry out extensive search and observation programs, for example for asteroids and meteors , for star occultations or for solar or lunar eclipses .
A large number of astro clubs were formed between 1965 and 1980, in part due to public interest in space travel . A relatively large number of associations publish their own magazines , some of which are now also national in character - such as Stars and Space , Astronomy and Space Travel , the Messenger of the Stars and Adventure Astronomy .
Some associations also publish other publications or specialist books , promote the cheap purchase of telescopes or the sale of astronomical accessories . Several Internet and ephemeris services are based on such associations. Some global associations for the observation of earth satellites can also be traced back to sponsoring associations, the most famous of which was " Moonwatch " and which formed the basis of many scientific programs from 1957 to around 1980.
Large national astro clubs (partly with the function of an umbrella organization ) in the German-speaking area are:
- Association of Sternfreunde eV ( VdS )
- Austrian Astronomical Association (ÖAV)
- Swiss Astronomical Society (SAG)