American Astronomical Society

09/04/2026

From AAS Nova: A planned flagship spacecraft to Uranus was aiming to use Jupiter for a gravitational boost to shorten its journey to the outer solar system. Now that the mission’s launch date has been pushed back, it’ll need to find another way to its target.

The original plan for an upcoming flagship mission to Uranus called for a slingshot around Jupiter. Now that the planet won't be in the right position at launch time, the spacecraft will need to follow a different path.

09/04/2026

Dara J. Norman to Receive 2026 Arthur B.C. Walker II Award

The Astro Society has named AAS Past President Dara Norman the 2026 Arthur B.C. Walker II Award recipient. The award honors an African American scientist for substantial research contributions and a commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM.

Congratulations, Dara! 🎉

https://ow.ly/mQIw50ZJBYY

09/03/2026

🎥 New Author Series video! Laura Congreve Hunter (Dartmouth) discusses her study on atomic gas turbulence timescales in low-mass galaxies, and what it reveals about the star formation–ISM connection.

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmHSG7c8Wak

09/02/2026

From AAS Nova: While previous investigations of planet formation across the universe’s history suggest that planets trickled into the picture, a recent study has found that primordial planetesimals could have formed much earlier from the insides of the first stars in the universe.

How early did planets form in the universe? A recent study used simulations to find that planetesimals could have formed significantly earlier than previously thought.

09/02/2026

After last night's conjunction, Spica and Venus are now still only 1.7° apart, with Spica to Venus's upper right. If it was cloudy last night, try again for a good image now.
https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-august-28-september-6/

09/02/2026

Call for Applications: 2027 Shapley Visiting Lectures Program

Applications for the Harlow Shapley Visiting Lectures Program are welcome through 18 September 2026. We are seeking astronomers and host institutions to participate in 2027! https://ow.ly/NyWB50ZIpNZ

09/02/2026

Splinter Meeting proposals are due soon! Got an idea for a science or programmatic meeting that doesn't fit the Special Session format? Submit now for the 249th AAS meeting in Salt Lake City.

⏰ Deadline: Thursday, 17 September

🔗 https://ow.ly/kA1050ZIlp1

09/01/2026

From Astrobites via AAS Nova: Astrobites reports on JWST observations of dust that has survived being expelled from a galaxy into the circumgalactic medium.

Astrobites reports on JWST observations of dust that has survived being expelled from a galaxy into the circumgalactic medium.

09/01/2026

The AAS is pleased to welcome Charlie Mace to the staff as the next John N. Bahcall Public Policy Fellow, starting 1 September 2026.

Charlie recently earned a PhD in Physics from The Ohio State University (OSU), focusing on numerical simulations of galactic evolution with the goal of constraining the nature of dark matter. https://ow.ly/4lsn50ZHLXC