American Astronomical Society

What American Astronomical Society does

The American Astronomical Society (AAS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional society founded in 1899 and headquartered in Washington, DC, serving approximately 9,000 members across professional astronomy, physics, mathematics, geology, engineering, and adjacent fields. The society operates six flagship peer-reviewed journals (The Astronomical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, The Astrophysical Journal Supplements, and The Planetary Science Journal) which transitioned to a fully open access model on January 1, 2022, monetized through author-paid Article Processing Charges. It is supported by supplementary publishing products including AAS Nova (article highlights), Research Notes of the AAS (non-peer-reviewed works-in-progress, having reached its 2,000th note in April 2025), the Bulletin of the AAS, AAS-IOP eBooks (launched 2017), and the Unified Astronomy Thesaurus, alongside proprietary tooling such as AASTeX v7.0 manuscript preparation software and the AAS WorldWide Telescope data visualization platform.

The AAS generates revenue through five primary streams: recurring membership dues, journal article processing charges, meeting registrations across semi-annual conferences (winter meetings regularly attract 3,000+ attendees) and divisional meetings (six topical divisions: DPS, DDA, HEAD, HAD, LAD, SPD), and consumer media revenue through acquired properties Sky & Telescope magazine (acquired 2019, serving amateur astronomers via subscriptions, tours, and Shop@Sky merchandise) and Willmann-Bell books (acquired 2022). Distribution runs through aas.org and journals.aas.org globally, with the AAS Job Register positioned as the field's primary job board. The society maintains an active public policy operation in Washington, DC, advocating for NASA, NSF, and DOE science funding, and engaging the FCC on regulatory issues including light pollution, radio interference, and satellite constellations. Governance is member-elected, with Joel Parriott serving as Interim CEO, Dara Norman as President (2024-2026 term), and Roohi Dalal as Deputy CEO and Director of External Affairs and Public Policy.

Name

American Astronomical Society

Legal name

American Astronomical Society

Website

https://aas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The American Astronomical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional society founded in 1899, serving ~9,000 astronomers through six flagship peer-reviewed open-access journals, semi-annual conferences, the Job Register, and acquired properties Sky & Telescope and Willmann-Bell.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Scientific Society and Scholarly Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (51312), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Scholarly Society & Association Publishing (EDAGAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Academic & Scholarly Journals Publishing (Peer-Reviewed) (MPAJABAC), Scholarly Societies & Conference Proceedings Publishing (MPAJABAK), Academic & Scientific Conferences (MPAGAGAD), Space & Astronomy Programs (EDAMABAE), Interdisciplinary & Multidisciplinary Scholarly Publishing (EDAGAFAI)

Keywords

• Professional astronomy society
• Peer-reviewed journals
• Scientific publishing
• Astronomy conferences
• Science advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees that provide access to publishing, Job Register, education resources, meetings, and member benefits including discounts on journal article processing charges.
2. Journal Article Processing Charges (APCs): Authors pay for the costs of publication of their manuscripts in the form of Article Processing Charges. Since transitioning to fully open access on 1 January 2022, all AAS journals are freely readable. The society maintains a substantial Publication Support Fund to assist authors who may not have funds available.
3. Meeting Registrations: Revenue from semi-annual AAS meetings including the winter and summer conferences. Members receive special access and discounts on registration fees.
4. Sky & Telescope Magazine: The society acquired Sky & Telescope magazine in 2019, the foremost magazine worldwide for engaged amateur astronomers, and publishes books under its own imprint and the Willmann-Bell imprint.
5. Sky & Telescope Tours and Merchandise: Astronomically-themed tours focusing on travel to locations for unique astronomical events or visits to facilities and historical sites. Also includes educational materials and astronomy-related merchandise through Shop@Sky.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The American Astronomical Society publishes peer-reviewed scholarly journals in astronomy, astrophysics, heliophysics, and planetary sciences, and operates as a professional membership society for approximately 9,000 astronomers and related scientists. It hosts semi-annual scientific conferences, maintains a Job Register for the astronomy field, and runs advocacy programs supporting federal science funding.

Product overview

The American Astronomical Society operates a comprehensive platform of publications, meetings, and professional resources for the astronomical sciences community. The core offering consists of six flagship peer-reviewed journals (The Astronomical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, The Astrophysical Journal Supplements, The Planetary Science Journal) now fully open access since 2022, supplemented by highlights journal AAS Nova, non-peer-reviewed Research Notes of the AAS, and the Bulletin of the AAS for meeting abstracts and commentary. The society also provides professional development through the AAS Job Register, educational resources including the AAS WorldWide Telescope visualization platform and AASTeX manuscript preparation tools, and hosts major conferences including the largest annual astronomy meeting (winter meeting). The portfolio extends to acquired properties Sky & Telescope magazine (2019) and Willmann-Bell books (2022), along with the AAS-IOP eBooks program and Unified Astronomy Thesaurus. All journals operate on a fully open access model since January 2022 with author processing charges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AAS Nova: Highlights journal providing brief summaries of recently published articles from AAS journals
• Research Notes of the AAS
• Sky & Telescope
• Bulletin of the AAS
• AAS WorldWide Telescope

Products and services

• AAS Journals Flagship peer-reviewed journals of the society, including The Astronomical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal, The Astrophysical Journal Letters, The Astrophysical Journal Supplements, and The Planetary Science Journal; fully open access since January 2022. Targeted at professional researchers in astronomy, astrophysics, heliophysics, and planetary sciences.
• AAS Nova Highlights journal providing brief summaries of recently published articles from AAS journals for researchers, educators, and enthusiasts.
• Research Notes of the AAS Non-peer-reviewed indexed and secure record for works in progress, comments, clarifications, null results, and timely observation reports in astronomy.
• Bulletin of the AAS Publication for meeting abstracts, obituaries, commentary articles, and white papers of broad community interest.
• AAS WorldWide Telescope Visualization and sharing platform for scientific data from major telescopes, observatories, and institutions, accessible through planetariums and scholarly publications.
• AAS Job Register The astronomy field's #1 job board connecting employers and job seekers in astronomy and related sciences; a core member benefit for career placement.
• AAS Meetings Major scientific conferences including the largest annual astronomy meeting (winter meeting with over 3,000 attendees), summer meetings, and divisional meetings across six divisions.
• AAS Topical Conference Series (AASTCS) Competitive proposal-based topical conferences organized by the society covering significant topics in the astronomical sciences.
• AAS-IOP eBooks Innovative digital publishing program including introductory texts, graduate textbooks, research monographs, and practical handbooks with multimedia features.
• Sky & Telescope Premier magazine for amateur astronomers worldwide, including tours, books, and educational materials; acquired by the AAS in 2019.
• Willmann-Bell Publisher of astronomy books acquired in 2022, continuing their catalog of astronomy publications sold through Shop@Sky.
• AASTeX Markup package assisting authors in preparing manuscripts for AAS-affiliated journals, currently at version 7.0.

Quantifiable outcome

• AAS journals are the leading international publications in astronomy and astrophysics, heliophysics, and planetary sciences
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Willmann-Bell, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022The AAS acquired Willmann-Bell, Inc. in 2022 and is honored to be continuing the legacy of Willmann-Bell publishing by selling and publishing their robust catalog of astronomy books. These are available through Shop@Sky along with other educational materials and merchandise.
• Sky & TelescopecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The AAS acquired Sky & Telescope magazine in 2019, the foremost magazine worldwide for engaged amateur astronomers. The society continues to run the magazine with editorial independence while expanding the community and enhancing engagement between professional and amateur astronomers. Sky & Telescope also runs many astronomically-themed tours and publishes books under its own imprint.
• IOP AstronomycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017The AAS-IOP eBooks program launched in 2017 includes short introductory texts on fast-moving areas, graduate and upper-level undergraduate textbooks, research monographs, and practical handbooks. Authors can utilize new and evolving digital publishing capabilities with multimedia and advanced features.
• ComSciConminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe society has long supported the ComSciCon program which seeks to train early-career astronomers in science journalism and budding science journalists.
• AstrobitesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe society supports the Astrobites blog and through the founders of that effort, several other 'bites' sites, which provide daily updates on astronomy research for the broader community.
• AURA (Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAURA is a consortium of US institutions that operates world-class astronomical observatories. The AAS collaborates with AURA on various initiatives including Congressional briefings and hosts AURA at sponsored events at meetings.
• Smithsonian Astrophysical ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AAS partners with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory to host Congressional briefings on topics in the field, combining their expertise in science policy and astronomical research.
• American Institute of Physics (AIP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AAS has representation on the AIP Board of Directors. AIP is a federation of physical science societies working together to advance scientific research and education.
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe AAS has representation to AAAS and collaborates on science advocacy initiatives including the CASE (Catalyzing Advocacy in Science and Engineering) workshop.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Royal Astronomical Society: UK-based professional society for astronomers that publishes its own peer-reviewed journals (MNRAS) and runs scientific meetings. Closest international analog to AAS in mission, membership model, and publishing.
• International Astronomical Union: Global professional astronomy organization of individual members from 90+ countries. Comparable in mission (advancing astronomy, organizing scientific meetings) and operates as a peer scholarly society.
• American Physical Society: U.S. nonprofit scientific society that publishes leading peer-reviewed physics journals (Physical Review family) and runs large meetings. Mirrors AAS's society-publisher-meetings model in an adjacent physical science discipline.
• American Geophysical Union: Nonprofit scientific society supporting Earth and space sciences with peer-reviewed journals (JGR, Geophysical Research Letters) and a major annual Fall Meeting. Comparable as a society-led publisher with overlapping space-science membership.
• IOP Publishing: Publishing arm of the Institute of Physics and AAS's co-publishing partner for the AAS-IOP eBooks program. Direct peer in scientific society publishing with similar journal, books, and conference offerings.
• Optica (formerly Optical Society): Scientific society for optics and photonics that publishes journals (Optica, Optics Letters) and runs conferences. Comparable in operating a society-led publishing and meetings business in a closely related physical science field.

Regional players

• European Astronomical Society: Continental European professional astronomy society running the EAS Annual Meeting and supporting European astronomy community. Similar society mission, but primarily serves European membership rather than competing directly in North America.

Others

• arXiv: Open-access preprint repository hosted by Cornell, heavily used by AAS-affiliated astronomers. Not a competitor for journals directly, but shapes submission norms and the value AAS journals must deliver.

Broad incumbents

• Springer Nature: Major commercial scientific publisher (Nature, Springer) with a large portfolio of astronomy and astrophysics journals. Competes with AAS journals for high-impact submissions and editorial talent at scale.
• Wiley: Diversified scientific publisher whose portfolio includes space science and physics journals. Competes with AAS journals in the broader scholarly publishing market and offers alternative publishing channels for the astronomy community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aas_office
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/AAStronomy
• Facebookfacebook.com/AmericanAstronomicalSociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/american-astronomical-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/aas_office

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A1 record

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Astronomical Society