The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is the lead partner for the "400 Years of the Telescope" Public Engagement and Outreach Program. The ASP was founded in 1889 by a group of Northern California professional and amateur astronomers after joining together to view a rare total solar eclipse. The ASP's earliest purpose was to disseminate astronomical information - a mission which has flourished with astronomers' inexhaustible exploration of the universe. The ASP has become the largest general astronomy society in the world, with members from over 70 nations. The ASP Board of Directors is comprised of members of the astronomy, educational, and amateur communities.

The Society offers unique programs and activities. Mercury magazine is published every other month to keep members abreast of developments in astronomy. An online store, the AstroShop, offers an array of educational products for teachers and anyone interested in spreading the appreciation and understanding of astronomy. The ASP's Annual Meeting is currently a two-day event including an all-day scientific symposium with hopes to bring back our popular teacher's workshops in the near future. To keep up with the most recent discoveries, anyone canphone the ASP hotline at 415/337-1100 ext.6 for updates on late-breaking astronomy news.

Professional astronomer members are the backbone of the Society's membership. These dedicated scientists regularly donate their time and energy to speak at the Annual Meeting, write for Mercury magazine, and to create products for ASP to market and distribute. For these members, the ASP publishes the Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (PASP) a well-respected monthly scientific journal. ASP also provides an important service to the astronomical community through affordable Conference Series volumes, which publish the proceedings of important scientific conferences.

The Society has developed into the recognized leader in the field of astronomy education. Its free teachers' newsletter, The Universe in the Classroom is posted on the Internet. With the support of the National Science Foundation and NASA, the ASP sponsors Project ASTRO, an innovative program to pair amateur and professional astronomers with teachers and classes. Also, the ASP staff works regularly with the media to guide journalists reporting science and to explain it to the public in easily understood terms. Recently, the ASP was selected to assist in the development and operation of the Public Education Program (E/PO) for NASA's exciting SOFIA project.

The ASP is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information about the ASP, visit The Astronomical Society of the Pacific website.