Astronomical Society of Southern Africa

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The Astronomical Society of Southern Africa (ASSA), formed in 1922, is a body consisting of both amateur and professional astronomers. The Council of ASSA meets in Cape Town. There are 8 autonomous centres throughout Southern Africa.

The Cape Astronomical Association was established in 1912, shortly after the 1910 appearance of Halley's Comet. SS Hough, HM Astronomer at the Cape, was chosen President. In 1918, the Johannesburg Astronomical Association was created, with RTA Innes, Union Astronomer, as President. In 1922 it was decided to merge the two Associations to form the "Astronomical Society of South Africa", after an invitation from the Cape Association.

Membership is open to all interested persons. The Society publishes the peer-reviewed MNASSA journal (Monthly Notes of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa). In addition to MNASSA, the annual handbook "Sky Guide Africa South" is distributed to members and available for the public.

Various sections exist within the Society to coordinate the activities of special interest groups, including the running of observational programs. They consist of the Comets and Meteor Section, Dark Sky, Deep-Sky, Education & Public Communication, Double Stars, Historical, Occultations, Solar and Variable Stars.

The autonomous local centres of ASSA hold regular meetings where visitors are welcomed. Centres are situated in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, the Garden Route, Harare (Zimbabwe), Johannesburg, Kwazulu-Natal Midlands and Pretoria.