BAS and Popastrom ??

[G4YVM]

I'm a relative newcomer to astronomy and I'm slightly confused by the seemingly conflicting existence of both the British Astronomical Soc AND the society for Popular Astronomy.

A naive question: why the two?

PMs or emails if it's a politically charged question!

David:confused:

[GazOC]

They are two different groups within the same field. Like the AA and RAC....;O)

[Capricorn]

I guess you mean BAA, as I cannot locate BAS except as a local group, eg. Bedford Astronomy Society and several other places beginning with B.

As GazOC says simply 2 groups covering similar areas. Also there is the RAS, so a third option.

Think that they have slightly different intended sections if the population. As I have read that BAA is aimed more at the professional astronomer, I would therefore guess that PopAstro is aim at the amateur side. As I have just found RAS I have no idea what their intended audience is.

Would have added smilies at suitable places but I only have one displayed for selection:confused: Its the confused one, as am I.

Has someone eaten them?

[Ben Ritchie]

The RAS is (in theory) more concerned with professional astronomy, the BAA and SPA are more relevant to amateurs - obviously there's a bit of cross-over though.

[Dave]

The SPA is more suited for the beginner and astronomy interested layman, but doesn't stop many more dedicated amateurs being members.

The BAA is for amateurs who take the acquisition of data and observations quite seriously and publish their results at intervals.

The RAS caters for the more professional astronomer.

Not that the intended membership is a hinderance to anyone being a member of any of these organisations. But for RAS Fellowship you are normally recommended for membership.

Best value for money is the SPA. And their meetings (One held yesterday at Cambridge) are very good.

[G4YVM]

Thanks to all, especially eagleseye. Informative answers.

thankyou

david

[centroid]

David

You might want to read through this fairly recent 'thread'

http://stargazerslounge.com/showthread.php?t=75513

Dave

[G4YVM]

Dave,

Thanks for the link. Interesting read, especially the bit about "not answering emails" as that is my experience of the Salisbury AS. They have paid their dues to the Astronomical Association, or something like that, and I know this because the AA told me, and I have had email addresses given to me by people who know people in the Salisbury sect, but still I get no answers. Odd for an area that can claim the title "Moonraker"!

Never mind, I'm here now. And I hope to get to the Wilts AS sometime soon too.

David

[wobbly]

The SPA is more suited for the beginner and astronomy interested layman, but doesn't stop many more dedicated amateurs being members.

The BAA is for amateurs who take the acquisition of data and observations quite seriously and publish their results at intervals.

The RAS caters for the more professional astronomer.

Not that the intended membership is a hinderance to anyone being a member of any of these organisations. But for RAS Fellowship you are normally recommended for membership.

Best value for money is the SPA. And their meetings (One held yesterday at Cambridge) are very good.

Could have fooled me!

As a TOTAL beginner to Astronomy wanting info before spending money on scopes a couple of months back, I found my way to the SPA Website and attempted to join their Forum (to see what they were about before becoming a member of SPA) but sadly was not qualified to answer their 'Entry Examination Question' (tried to Google for answer but couldnt find it) suffice to say being a trifle embarrassed at my lack of knoledge surfed around a little more and found my way to this Forum and been happy ever since, also now joined a local Astro Society

Doubt I will ever have anything to do with SPA in future, hence my surprise at your comments about them being a Society for a beginner, I certainly didnt gain that impression from my brief 'encounter' with them

[Dave]

Uhm!!! Some really interesting comments here.

It is quite clear that everyone has widely differing opinions on this subject.

As with all societies (Local and national) it very much depends on the people who actually run the thing to give the "feel" atmosphere within a club.

If people are put off going, then that is a real shame. Societies should change and develop as the membership changes.

It seems we are currently having a great influx of new people to our wonderful hobby and we should be encouraging everyone to have a go and enjoy it. Sharing it with other people (without feeling you are being criticised or belittled as you know nothing, or don't do things the same as everyone else) really does add to the pleasure as you learn together and bounce ideas, techniques and experiences, which can only aid everyone's development and enjoyment of our skies.

This idea of an "Entry Examination Question" for the SPA sounds of some concern (if not infuriating) to me.

No society should be turning anyone away, (or feeling they are being discouraged) especially due to lack of knowledge!!!

I would be interested in hearing if anyone else has had similar experiences?

It's passion and interest we should be encouraging, and getting people to develop at their own pace, and discovering their skies.

Without my local societies, I would know far less than I do now and be unable to achieve much and it would have been a lot less rewarding an experience as I have made some great friends along my meandering path of astronomical discovery.

Dave

[kniclander]

SPA entry examination question? i find that amazing. When i started of I was a member of SPA and found everyone on the form really helpful. i switched over to SGL becasue 1) it's a lot busier and 2) it's kinda funnier but I certanly wouldn't knock SPA - nothing but helpful to me when I started and very knowledgeable members.

So what were the questions on the entry exam?

[Meerkat]

The one it asked me was

"What colour is a lemon?"

It's just to make sure you are a human and not a "bot"

Strangely enough the answer isn't lemon, but yellow!

Steve

[Meerkat]

Oooh that might have been some other astro site as I haven't registered for SPA yet.

Anyway, the question it has just asked is "What is the next planet from the Sun, after Mars?"

Steve

[wobbly]

SPA entry examination question? i find that amazing. When i started of I was a member of SPA and found everyone on the form really helpful. i switched over to SGL becasue 1) it's a lot busier and 2) it's kinda funnier but I certanly wouldn't knock SPA - nothing but helpful to me when I started and very knowledgeable members.

So what were the questions on the entry exam?

Will probably get some stick over this but this is the Qualifying Question, but please bear in mind I was a TOTAL beginner, I took a guess at Earth but there is also the usual Confirmation Code which needs to be typed in too, I struggle with these and have no idea if spacing is needed or not (I am getting on a bit and retired) so when you are rejected you have NO idea if you got either the Question or Confirmation Code wrong, after a few rejections and different guesses at which Planet was the answer and not knowing which I typed in wrongly, I just cleared off and found my way here:hello2:

Please answer: *

What is the next planet from the Sun, after Mars?

http://www.popastro.com/phpBB2/profile.php?mode=register&bO8BB8811ltf6=c000OBB88Blre3l

[Ben Ritchie]

Please answer: *

What is the next planet from the Sun, after Mars?

Thanks to the IAU we could probably have a good argument about the answer being Ceres or Jupiter

[kniclander]

Will probably get some stick over this but this is the Qualifying Question, but please bear in mind I was a TOTAL beginner, I took a guess at Earth but there is also the usual Confirmation Code which needs to be typed in too, I struggle with these and have no idea if spacing is needed or not (I am getting on a bit and retired) so when you are rejected you have NO idea if you got either the Question or Confirmation Code wrong, after a few rejections and different guesses at which Planet was the answer and not knowing which I typed in wrongly, I just cleared off and found my way here:hello2:

Please answer: *

What is the next planet from the Sun, after Mars?

http://www.popastro.com/phpBB2/profile.php?mode=register&bO8BB8811ltf6=c000OBB88Blre3l

I am sure it was the confirmation code you got wrong - I am never sure whether you have to use capitals or not...

[scotastro]

Confirmation codes consisting of numbers and letters (maybe upper or lower case) need to be typed in as you see them without spaces.

Been an SPA member off and on since the JAS (Junior Astronomical Society) days meeting in Old Holburn.

Mike

[wobbly]

Confirmation codes consisting of numbers and letters (maybe upper or lower case) need to be typed in as you see them without spaces.

Been an SPA member off and on since the JAS (Junior Astronomical Society) days meeting in Old Holburn.

Mike

The issue I brought up really had nothing to do with Confirmation Codes, I can usually manage those OK along with Anti Bot quizzes which are usually VERY easy to welcome new Members (for example 'Spot the Non Animal' when 10 Cats and a Boeing 747 are pictured:D)

I just assumed (as a beginner to Astronomy) that SPA was for experts or those with experience only due to the Astronomy Question being asked for Forum Membership, fair comment?

[kniclander]

The issue I brought up really had nothing to do with Confirmation Codes, I can usually manage those OK along with Anti Bot quizzes which are usually VERY easy to welcome new Members (for example 'Spot the Non Animal' when 10 Cats and a Boeing 747 are pictured:D)

I just assumed (as a beginner to Astronomy) that SPA was for experts or those with experience only due to the Astronomy Question being asked for Forum Membership, fair comment?

no - I don't think so - I found them very helpful when i was starting out and was a complete newb. All my qus were answered very quickly - only prob was, the general post traffic was very low so it wasn't terribly interesting when I didn't have any questions. Unlike SGL which is always interesting