Membership Benefits
There are many reasons to become an I.A.S. member.
Here is the list of benefits you will receive:
- Membership to the Astronomical League.
IAS membership includes Membership to the Astronomical League
and will receive the benefits and be able to participate in the A/L programs.
- New Moon Group Meetings at Various Dark Sky Locations.
This group of experienced members seeks out deep sky objects.
These require dark skies and some skill at locating faint
objects such as galaxies and nebulae. They are willing to share
their experience with others.
- Access to IAS Member Expertise and Problem Solving.
IAS members have a wide range of knowledge and are very willing to
share this with members and visitors. This knowledge includes
telescopes of many times, astrophotography, CCD's, telescope making
and computers.
- The Bulletin: Monthly Newsletter with Astro-Classifieds.
This is the IAS monthly information source.
- Access to the Members Only section on the IAS Homepage
Special section reserved for members.
- IAS Listserv
Members get late breaking news about the society events.
- Informal Astronomy and Astrophotography Seminars.
- Free admission to Area Planetarium Programs.
The Holcomb Observatory has a wonderfull planetarium.
- Use of the Link Observatory.
The Link telescope is a thirty-six inch reflector. Members with proper training
can use the Link telescope. With a certified member at the controls of the
link telescope, wonderful tours of the sky may be enjoyed.
- Star Party Events and Annual Messier Marathons.
All astronomical groups enjoy "showing off the night sky" to many
different groups. The IAS is no different. The IAS does this several
times a year. The Messier objects are various objects once thought
to be comets and turned out not to be. Messier was trying to find comets
and marked everything that looked like a comet on his charts. When
they turned out not to be comets he gave them a number and did
not bother with them again. These turned out to be very
interesting objects to modern astronomers. The Orion Nebula is one
such object! There is a period of one month when all one hundred
plus messier objects can be seen in one long observing marathon
night. The IAS record for photographing and then
verifying photographs is about seventy-five objects in one night.
- Observers' Meetings and Technical Meetings.
These usually meet on the fourth Saturday of the month. These meetings
are used to learn how to use the Link telescope and open and close
the observatory. These meetings are also used to talk about
various telescope subjects and technical things. Check the
Bulletin for details.
- Telescope Making Classes.
If enough interest is shown, the IAS has had telescope making
classes. There are several present and past members who have
successfully made telescopes.
- Local and Regional Astronomical Functions.
This includes knowing when and where the various star parties are being held.
- Discounted Astronomy Publications.
"Astronomy" and "Sky and Telescope" both offer members a substantial reduction
in their rates.
- Formal Monthly Programs with Guest Speakers.
The IAS is proud to have quality guest speakers at our monthly
meetings. These are usually professionals who like to share
their research with us. the IAS members are kept abreast of the
rapidly changing world of astronomy.
- Telescope Loaner Program.
Members of the IAS can borrow a telescope for a short period
of time to see how they like it.
©2005 Indiana Astronomical Society