Society of Astronomers

The Society of Astronomers of Serbia (SAS), in Serbian - Društvo astronoma Srbije (DAS), was founded in 1981. The seat of the SAS is in Belgrade. Before its foundation astronomers of Serbia were organized within the Society of mathematicians and physicists of Serbia (since its foundation in 1948) and by this Society within the Union of Societies of mathematicians and physicists (since its foundation in 1949). Both organization incorporated the astronomers officially in its title, in 1962 and 1966, respectively.

is a purely professional Society devoted to development of astronomy in Serbia. The SAS has about 100 members, mainly from the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade and from the Department of Astronomy of the University of Belgrade, but also from astronomical societies.

There are few members from other towns and several from abroad. The majority of members come from places where astronomy (and astrophysics) is taught either at the independent study group (Belgrade) or within the physics study group (Novi Sad, Nis, Kragujevac).

The scientific activity of the members of SAS covers a wide range of subjects in astronomy and astrophysics (e.g. astrometrical catalogues, Earth's rotation, observations of the Sun, double stars, minor planets and comets, theory of movements of minor planets, modeling close binary systems, influence of collisions processes on spectral lines shapes in astrophysical plasma, radio astronomy, galactic astronomy, extragalactic astronomy, cosmology, history of Serbian astronomy). The research is carried mainly on the Astronomical observatory in Belgrade and the Department of Astronomy of the University of Belgrade. The SAS helps improvement of astronomy teaching in schools. Astronomical subjects are now taught within physics in majority of schools in Serbia except in a specialized mathematical school and corresponding classes where it is an independent subject.

Popularization of astronomy in Serbia is done either directly in media or through the activity of the amateur societies. Professional astronomers are, in the majority of cases, the leaders of the activities of amateurs.

One of the missions of the Society is to preserve and investigate the historical heritage of astronomical sciences in Serbia. Here we present a part of the relevant material connected to the history of Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade, the oldest scientific institution in our country.