TUNA Lunch Talk:

Jeff Mangum

NRAO

An Introduction to the PASP

February 26

12:10PM, Room 230, NRAO, Edgemont Road

Abstract:

The Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) is a 124 year old organization originally formed to foster collaboration between professional and amateur astronomers. The impetus for this formation was the January 1, 1886 total eclipse of the Sun, whereby the collaboration of professional and amateur astronomers observing this event spurred those involved to find a way to continue this collaborative environment. The outcome was the February 7, 1889 formation of the ASP. Today the ASP is an organization that promotes science education through astronomy. The Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (PASP) is one of two technical publications produced by ASP. Published nearly continuously since February 1889 (the only interruption in publication being due to the April 18, 1906 San Francisco earthquake where an issue was lost and had to be reprinted), PASP publishes about 10 articles per month on a wide ranging list of astrophysical research topics. In this discussion I will describe where PASP fits in the grand scheme of astronomical publications, how its mission differs from those of its peer journals, and how it fills an important niche in the astronomical publishing world.