THE EURO-ASIAN
ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY
Postal: Universitetskij
prosp. 13,
Phone/fax: 7 495 9328844
e-mail: eaas@sai.msu.ru
In a certain sense, the Euro-Asian
Astronomical Society (EAAS) continues traditions of the Russian Astronomical
Society, which existed in 1890–1932. Then, like many professional societies of
the
The
EAAS was established in April, 1990 as the Soviet Astronomical Society. It
outlived the
By Russian
laws, an international organization registered in
The
membership in the EAAS is individual. It is open to professional astronomers –
unless specially decided by the EAAS Congress, to those having professional
astronomical publications. The current membership list contains about 800
members from 31 countries (more than a half from
Membership fees are currently the
main source of financial income. In earlier years, several grant holders of the
Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) used the EAAS accounts for their
grant bookkeeping and paid us a small amount of money (smaller than their own
institute would have wanted) for that, but currently this is no longer possible
because of bureaucratic restrictions. From time to time, we get sponsor money.
It is possible for the EAAS to win a special RFBR grant for organizing a
scientific meeting, which is often done. INTAS grants were won for JENAM-2000
and one of other EAAS congresses.
In
In early
1990s, the EAAS won governmental grants and used them to arrange production of
astronomical plates in
According
to the EAAS Statutes, the main decisions of the EAAS life are taken at the EAAS
Congresses. They are usually held once in three years. The next, 9th Congress
will take place in 2008. Between Congresses, the EAAS Board meets at least
twice per year. Congresses elect the Board and three Co-Chairpersons and are
always accompanied with scientific conferences. Currently, the Co-Chairpersons
of the EAAS are Mikhail Ryabov (
The EAAS
keeps necessary links to official structures. The Scientific Council on
Astronomy of the
Links with
astronomical institutes and observatories are excellent and versatile. The
Sternberg Astronomical Institute (
EAAS
activities are in many different fields. Conferences belong to their most
important kinds. Every year, we are organizers or co-organizers of 5–15
national or international conferences. As an example, here is an incomplete
list of events of 2007:
• the 36th Winter Students’ School “Physics of
Space”, Yekaterinburg (
• the international conference
“Current Problems of Astronomy” in
• the 7th
• the
All-Russian Astronomical Conference in
• the
conference “First Objects in the Universe”,
The
EAAS initiated or co-sponsored interdisciplinary activities in several fields
(archeoastronomy, Antarctic astronomy, etc.).
The EAAS
is attentive to problems of astronomical education. The current situation with
astronomy in Russian high schools is rather unfavorable, astronomy is taught
only in some regions and in some schools. The introduction of the “Bologna
Process” in our universities causes some specific problems because of changes
in the traditional system of astronomical education (5–6 years in a university,
with astronomy from the first year). The EAAS actively contacts governmental
bodies, lobbying decisions in interests of the astronomical community in the
field of education. To improve the situation with astronomy in secondary
schools, the EAAS arranged special free seminars at the Sternberg Institute for
school teachers and planetaria lecturers in 2006 and 2007, with lectures
delivered by well-known Russian professors of astronomy.
The EAAS
belongs to organizers of Russian and International Astronomical Olympiads for
Schoolchildren. Young astronomer schools at major observatories in
Also an
important activity field of the EAAS are publications. The professional journal
of the EAAS “Astronomical and Astrophysical Transactions”, established in the
earliest period of the Society, currently has to change its publisher. In the
past, the AApTr published proceedings of two JENAMs. Our electronic newsletter
“Astrocourier” is sent to astronomers by e-mail, it is an important source of
information on news and events for the community.
Other
publications of the EAAS appeared in the past or not on a regular basis. EAAS
officers regularly give interviews and write articles for mass media. The EAAS
has a web site at http://www.sai.msu.ru/EAAS/ (mainly in Russian, but with a
certain amount of information in English).
For many
years, the EAAS is making effort in order to enable CIS and Baltic astronomical
institutions to acquire subscriptions to main Russian-language astronomical
journals for very reduced prices (the regular prices have increased manifold
during the recent years; alas, the same is also valid for reduced prices). In
the beginning, we were able to provide subscriptions to astronomers of
comparatively poorer countries free of charge, currently this is no longer
possible.
The EAAS founded a club for astronomers, called Club “AstrO”. For 15 years, the club arranges first-class cultural events for astronomers: concerts, musical seminars, etc. The concerts during JENAM-2000 were organized by the Club “AstrO”. It has strong links to the Russian Mozart Society and other musical clubs and societies.
Since 1995, the EAAS awards EAAS medals and,
sometimes, small prizes for significant personal contributions to astronomy.
We have
stable links to sister societies. Presidents of several astronomical societies
of former Soviet republics either currently are or were members of the EAAS
Board (today the Board has representatives of
The EAAS
also has links (affiliated membership, continuing co-operation…) to the United
Physical Society of Russia, American Astronomical Society, American Association
for the Advancement of Science, EuroScience, UNESCO, etc.
Several
former Soviet republics had no own astronomical societies and were not
represented in the IAU with their National Members. The EAAS promotes creation
of national societies (such a process is currently under way in
The
Russian National Committee of Astronomers (the National Member of the IAU for
For the
IAU, the EAAS conducts monitoring of the current state of astronomy in
Our EAS contacts have mainly the following
form:
• direct contacts with EAS officers
through our co-chairpersons and International Bureau, participation in the EAS
Council Meetings;
• JENAM participation and JENAM
organization (in the case of JENAM-
• assistance in transferring
membership fees to astronomers not able to do it because of poorly developed
bank systems and/or unfavorable laws in some CIS countries;
• providing
the EAS with requested information;
• informing our community about future and past EAS events in “Astrocourier”, “Astronomical and Astrophysical Transactions”, at our web site.
N. Samus, N. Bochkarev