How many people are in the BAA

[BlueAstra]

+1 member since last year

[Peter Drew]

Been in and out over the years, out since moving to the "near" North. The BAA is a bit like ripples in a pond, the further away from the source (London) you are, the less the impact. 

[jambouk]

Like many interesting societies which are based in the capital, the bulk of the meetings are held in London, and many are held in the evenings mid-week, which is pretty useless for anyone who lives and works outside of London, and for anyone who needs to watch their spending if retired. However, many of the meetings are now available in video format on the BAA website which is a good way to reach out.

[PaulB]

I have been a member since the mid 1990's.

I submit observations to the Solar and Deep Sky sections. I am also a member of their Lunar section.

I really need to get back into Lunar imaging.

I am also a SPA and Webb DSS member.

[JeremyS]

Good to hear the various comments about BAA membership and activities.

Getting the right balance in the Journal is always a challenge and for the refereed papers, it largely depends on what is submitted. But there are all sorts of newsy bits, like forthcoming interesting astro events to observe and reports of recent observations. And it publishes some wonderful images taken by our members . We have recently started to include an "Absolute Beginners" section. 

Many of the observing Sections publish their own newsletters too. These often have less formal reports and lots of images (take, for example, the Deep Sky and Lunar Sections: there are lots of members images published)

As somebody who lives in the North (well almost, depends how you count Cheshire!) I am aware of the need to hold meetings outside London and we try and get out as much as we can. In the next 12 months we have meetings in Oxfordshire (Main meeting), Devon (Spectroscopy workshop), Northampton (Radio and meteor sections), St Asaph in N Wales (Back to Basics w/shop), Rugby (Deep Sky), Cheltenham (Back to Basics w/shop), Chelmsford (main meeting), Liverpool (Historical Section), Winchester (week-end meeting), York (main meeting), Dundee (main meeting), Horncastle, Chichester (Back to Basics w/shop). As well as a few in London, of course! Many of these (most, in fact) are at week-ends.

And as was pointed out, many of the main meetings are recorded and can be watched on line.

Go well!

Jeremy

[FenlandPaul]

I was a member when I was younger for 8 years or so but haven't rejoined since recatching the bug a year or so ago, although I've often thought about it. I suppose the likes of SGL satisfy the need for community and sharing ideas and questions with like-minded people, probably in a more accessible format than the BAA. But I am still thinking about rejoining (if I'll be taken back!!).

I have to say I've kept a lot of the correspondence I had with some of the section directors back in the 90s and I'm really impressed with the time they took to answer my questions, respond to my observations etc. Ron Livesey of the aurora section hand-wrote pages in block capitals and used to send me magnetic reading graphs hand-drawn on graph paper. Neil Bone of the meteor section (now late Neil Bone, sadly) wrote pages and responded excitedly to every report I sent him, letting me know what others had been up to. John Smith, the great amateur radio astronomer, invited me to his incredible home near Guildford where he had his giant home-made radio dish (controlled by a Sinclair Spectrum, the one with the rubber keys) and rows of yagis. He even gave me a load of kit to take home with me the week after I passed my driving test!

I suppose what I'm saying is that the BAA, like SGL, has some incredibly knowledgeable and generous people who give huge amounts of time to helping others learn about and practice this amazing hobby. In fact I think I've just convinced myself to rejoin.

[JeremyS]

Hello Paul,

in a hobby as exciting and absorbing as ours, there is space for national societies, like BAA and SPA, local societies, and the likes of SGL. I lam involved with all 3 types. I like SGL as it allows you to get help and share views and thoughts almost instantly. I like the my local Society for the monthly talks. And I like the BAA for it meetings, Journal, Handbook and observing sections, which provide guidance in my observing and a home for my observations, where they can be used by others.

I was pleased to hear about the help you received from BAA Section Directors when you were a member. I think our Sections, and particularly their Directors, are a real strength of the Association. 

And of course we'd have you back! You'd be most welcome.

Go well!

Jeremy