Links with other Societies

The Society also maintains active links with other Societies. These anchor our Society in its local, national and international context. Most of the time these are social rather than formal, but no less important for that.

The Society is formally 'twinned' with Houston Astronomical Society, Texas, USA. Brian States of GAS and Larry Wadle were the powerhouses behind this project and together with Lee Cain, the Houston Astronomical Society President, he signed the formal twinning charter on the 5th June 1987.

Like any other twinning arrangement, it provides a forum for links between members of both Societies and co-operating together on various projects.

Society Affiliations and Memberships

The Society is a member of the following regional and national organisations:

	FAS - The Federation of Astronomical Societies

	SAGAS - The Southern Area Group of Astronomical Societies

Additionally, a number of our members have individual memberships of other organisations, including:

	The Webb Society
	BAA - British Astronomical Association
	SPA - Society for Popular Astronomy
	IMO - International Meteor Organisation
	International Astronomical Union
	Royal Astronomical Society

The Wey Poets and The Surrey Poetry Centre

We also have an informal link with the Wey Poets and the Surrey Poetry Centre which arose out of a joint session which brought poets and astronomers together. The poets did the readings with the astronomers learning a bit about the poetry, then the astronomers explained the astronomical bits behind the poetry - with the poets finding out about the astronomy.

As it's now winter, a verse from Tennyson fits the bill:

"Many a night from yonder ivied casement, 'ere I went to rest,

Did I look on great Orion, sloping slowly to the West.

Many a night I saw the Pleiads, rising thro' the mellow shade,

Glitter like a swarm of fireflies tangled in a silver braid"

Other Local Societies

A lthough we cater for amateurs living in the Guildford and surrounding area, (SW Surrey/NE Hampshire), there are other Societies within a 30 mile radius:

Andover AS

Basingstoke AS

Cody AS (Farnborough)

Crawley AS

Ewell AS

Farnham AS

Hampshire Astronomical Group

Herschel AS (Eton & Slough)

Reading AS

South Downs AS (Chichester)

Wessex AS (Wimbourne)

West of London AS