If you are a professional astronomer, geophysicist, or similar; a student studying these disciplines; or simply someone with a serious interest in them, we urge you to apply for membership, also known as Fellowship, of the Royal Astronomical Society and enjoy the following benefits.
Free subscription to our bimonthly magazine Astronomy & Geophysics both online and print. A&G is the place to read news and reviews from the RAS covering everything from astronomy and astrophysics, to cosmology, planetary science, solar-terrestrial physics, global and regional geophysics
The journals of the RAS, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Geophysical Journal International and RAS Techniques and Instruments are fully Open Access. RAS Fellows are eligible to apply for a 20% discount on the Article Processing Charges
Free 15-month diary, full of information specially curated for those with an interest in astronomy and geophysics
Free attendance at all RAS scientific meetings in Burlington House
Discounted registration fees at the annual RAS National Astronomy Meeting
Use of one of the finest astronomical libraries and archives
Book loans from the RAS Library
Access to RAS grants
Fellows of the RAS can receive printed versions of the Journal for the History of Astronomy. The Observatory magazine is available as a FREE down-loadable pdf from the www.obsmag.org website.
25% discount on a range of books published by Oxford University Press
Free use of the RAS joblist
Use (within office hours) of the Fellows Room at Burlington House
Discounted fees for members of societies affiliated with the RAS
Free room hire (Council Room and Lecture Theatre at Burlington). Fellows may book rooms for their meetings in Burlington House free of charge, or for meetings of UK registered charities and not for profit organisations whose own objectives are aligned with the charitable objectives of the Society, provided the booking is made no more than three months in advance of the meeting.
New Fellows will receive a membership card. Door entry cards to the building are available on request.
Representing astronomy and geophysics
The RAS is a key voice in the fight to maintain access to world-class facilities and funding to support research in astronomy and geophysics. As the UK's national learned society for astronomy and geophysics, the RAS needs the support of the entire community to maintain its leadership role in lobbying government and funding agencies at all levels. We also represent the views of our members to international bodies, such as the EU and European Space Agency. Your support and input are needed! Becoming a Fellow of the RAS is an excellent way to ensure that your opinions are heard by policy makers.
How to join
To find out how much it costs to join, see our current fees; students can join for as little as £5. Visit How to join for more information about the application process.