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You and several others with an interest
in astronomy have decided to form an astronomy club.
How do you proceed? This brief note provides an outline.
Also see Astronote 6, Society
Constitution and Bylaws, for suggestions on writing
the formal, guiding documents of your new society.
Publicity
Your first task is to let the community
know that you are forming an astronomy society. There
are probably many others in your area who share your
interest and would like to join -- and would be willing
to help! Besides the obvious notice in the local paper
(try to get it run 3 or 4 times over two weeks), contact
science teachers and principals of local schools. They
may have an interest or have students that might be
interested in astronomy. Often, teachers are looking
for opportunities to enrich their students' activities
beyond the textbook and can be enthusiastic supporters
of a new society. Local radio and TV weather people
can also be a help in "getting the word out." A park
district may let you hold a star party to attract prospective
members, and they can help publicize the event, too.
Try to design an attractive poster
that announces the first meeting. Make it attractive
and keep it to 8x10 inches or so in size. Local libraries,
including those in schools, will usually cooperate and
let you post an organization announcement on a community
information bulletin board. Merchants, especially those
dealing in science related products, may also let you
place a poster in a store window or on a counter. Be
sure to get the announcements out with plenty of lead
time before the first meeting.
After you have organized, continue
to publicize your activities. You will always get new
members, even after years of operation, who will have
heard of the society only recently. Register your organization
and a point of contact with your local library and chamber
of commerce so that casual inquiries will be passed
along.
Meetings
Most societies try to meet on a monthly
basis. It is most convenient to meet at a fixed time
and place each month for business and general information
exchange and have observing "star parties" on floating
dates depending on lunar phase and weather. You can
more easily schedule a meeting room for fixed dates,
also.
Meeting rooms can be found at schools,
colleges, libraries, churches or, if you have one available,
a planetarium or observatory. It is important that the
meeting time and place be fixed so that members get
in the habit of reserving, say, the first Wednesday
of each month for the society meeting. Regular meeting
dates help keep attendance high.
At first, each member will have a
unique perspective to share and meeting programs may
be informal discussions with one member acting as discussion
leader on a rotating basis. Later on you may want a
more formal program. Local experts in the area are usually
willing to talk on their favorite subject. Look, again,
to teachers, college professors or even other societies
that are nearby. The Astronomical League has a Program
Materials Committee whose sole function is to provide
video tapes and other materials for use by member societies
of the League. Local libraries may also have astronomy-related
films and tapes available. In general, try to keep the
business short and the programs interesting to keep
the members coming. Ask them what they want to see/do
for meetings. Every society is different and has its
own personality.
Activities
What will you do besides have meetings?
Star parties are one activity. No matter how large or
small the local community, there is always a darker
sky just a few miles away! Star parties are usually
held at a site which provides members and guests with
an opportunity to observe things they can not see at
home. It is fun to look at M42 through a variety of
telescopes and compare the views. It might help someone
decide which telescope to buy. Use some of the star
parties to attract new members: set up in a public park,
even if it is not as dark as desired -- it will be convenient
for the general public and more likely to draw them
in. PUBLICIZE the event. If they know of it,
they will come (to paraphrase a recent movie phrase).
A periodic newsletter sounds like
a lot of work -- and it can be. But you need some kind
of communication announcing meetings and other activities.
Inexpensive computer programs are now available to "dress
up" even a brief letter into newsletter format. A simple,
neat appearing newsletter can be sent to the same locations
which originally publicized your formation. If it looks
nice, merchants are more apt to display it in a public
information area. You can exchange newsletters with
other societies to find out what they are doing, thereby
getting ideas for other activities for your own society.
See the May issue of Astronomy or the September
issue of Sky and Telescope for a list of other
societies around the country. You may want to start
small with the exchange, maybe just other societies
in your state, or postage will rapidly get out of hand.
Be sure to send a copy to the Community Editor of your
local newspaper.
Always take advantage of opportunities
to present astronomy to the general public. Astronomy
Day is an annual event each spring when societies
around the country set up displays in malls, parks or
other public areas. But you need not wait for Astronomy
Day. Plan a booth at the state or county fair; at the
local July 4th celebration; at any local event. Show
people that astronomy is fun, not just some theoretical
science that has no relevance to daily life. Besides
getting new members, you may be asked to make future
presentations at 4H, scouting groups, or civic groups.
There is still an Astronomy merit badge in Boy Scouts.
Contact the local council and offer society's services
as merit badge councilor.
Dues
Many of these activities cost money.
You will have to charge members dues to cover the cost
of operating the society. Be realistic in your projected
needs. Typical dues range from $10 to $40 annually per
member. The more expensive dues usually include a subscription
to either Astronomy or Sky and Telescope
at the group rate each magazine offers to societies.
After you have formed your society,
you might consider membership in the Astronomical League.
We have many services to offer both your society and
your individual members. For further information on
joining the League, contact the Executive Secretary
at the Science Service Building address in the letterhead
or e-mail her at execsec@astroleague.org.
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