Sabadell Astronomical Society

The Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell (in Spanish, Agrupación Astronómica de Sabadell; often rendered in English as the Sabadell Astronomical Society) is a non-profit amateur astronomy association based in Sabadell, in the Catalan comarca of the Vallès Occidental, Spain. It was founded on 14 April 1960 by four young enthusiasts from the city — Carles Palau, Fèlix Comella, Joaquim Inglada and Josep M. Oliver — with the twin aims of practising amateur astronomy and popularising the science. What began as a local or comarcal group quickly grew into an association with a state-wide reach, and it now counts more than 800 members across Spain and abroad. The society's purpose is the practice, advice and dissemination of astronomy. It is a member of the Sociedad Española de Astronomía and collaborates with international bodies such as the International Occultation Timing Association, the AAVSO (American Association of Variable Star Observers) and the Minor Planet Center. In 2006 it was declared a public-utility entity (entidad de utilidad pública) by Spain's Ministry of the Interior. Its activities are broad and continuous: weekly public lectures (Wednesdays at 19:00 at its headquarters and streamed on YouTube, with free admission), astronomy sessions for schools and institutes, sessions for the general public and groups, courses ranging from introduction to astronomy and sky observation to observation techniques and astrophotography, workshops, children's astronomy activities, live internet sessions, and research programmes on variable stars, double stars, blazars, asteroids, exoplanets, supernovae and near-Earth objects. Since its earliest years it has published a periodical magazine, Astrum, carrying news, photographs, ephemerides and material for the amateur astronomer. The society has been described as the "mother" of many later Spanish astronomy groups, having spawned delegations across Catalonia and the rest of Spain that eventually became independent associations. Its first premises were an office lent by the newspaper Sabadell; in 1963 Radio Sabadell provided more space, and in 1965 the Obra Social de la Caja de Ahorros de Sabadell gave it room and the tower of its new headquarters building, the Escuela Industrial, for its telescopes. For years its leaders dreamed of a dedicated observatory, and in 1985 the mayor of Sabadell, Antoni Farrés, committed to building one. Erected in the middle of the city's Parc de Catalunya, it was inaugurated in 1993: a multipurpose building with a 60-seat auditorium, a secretariat, a library and the observatory itself, equipped with a 0.5 m Newton telescope and top-of-the-range CCD cameras, renewed in 2000 with a 50 cm Newton-Cassegrain-Relay instrument. In 2005 the society created the Observatoris de l'Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell at Montsec, near Àger in the Noguera comarca — a site of 34 observatories owned by members plus one owned by the association — and commissioned a 0.5 m robotic altazimuth telescope from Halfmann Teleskoptechnik, installed in late 2008 and inaugurated in 2009. The association has organised major events in the amateur astronomy world, including the Convención de Observadores (a national gathering of observers, now biennial), the 1977 II Jornadas de Astronomía bringing together Spanish astronomy groups, the 2001 European Symposium on Occultation Projects and the 5th European Variable Star Meeting in 2023. It has received awards including the Premio Tenacidad in 1995. Its presidents have included Carles Palau (1960–1962), Jaume Moreu (1962–1965), Feliu Comella (1965–1979), Josep Maria Oliver (1979–2006), Antoni Ardanuy (2006–2010), Àngel Massallé (2010–2014), Xavier Puig (2014–2016), Xavier Bros (2016–2018), Emili Capella (2018–2020) and Carles Schnabel (2020–present).

The Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell was founded on 14 April 1960 by four young people from the city of Sabadell — Carles Palau, Fèlix Comella, Joaquim Inglada and Josep M. Oliver — with the aim of practising amateur astronomy and popularising the science. It soon became a highly active group and grew from a local or comarcal scope to a state-wide one, with membership rising continuously to reach 1,000 members in 2006. From its beginnings the association published a periodical magazine, Astrum, containing news, photographs, ephemerides and everything an amateur astronomer might need. Very early on it also organised courses at all levels, from basic to more advanced topics in the various astronomical disciplines, as well as specialised workshops, open-air observations, conferences and trips to solar eclipses. It created delegations in various parts of Catalonia and the rest of Spain that later established themselves as independent astronomy associations, so that the Agrupació can be described as the "mother" of many present-day groups. The society's first headquarters was an office lent by the newspaper Sabadell. In 1963 another entity, Radio Sabadell, provided more space and the association moved; in 1965 the Obra Social de la Caja de Ahorros de Sabadell gave it substantial space and the tower of its new headquarters building, the Escuela Industrial, to mount its telescopes, and there the association spent a long period. For many years its leaders dreamed of having their own observatory near the city, with the mountain of La Mola a strong candidate. In 1985 the mayor of Sabadell, Antoni Farrés, committed to building an astronomical observatory for the entity. It was built in the middle of the city's Parc de Catalunya and inaugurated in 1993 — a multipurpose building with a 60-seat auditorium, a secretariat, a library and the observatory itself. The observatory was equipped with a 0.5 m Newton telescope and the best CCD cameras on the market; this first telescope was renewed in 2000 and replaced by a Newton-Cassegrain-Relay telescope also of 50 cm aperture. In 2005 the Observatoris de l'Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell were created at Montsec: a site with 34 observatories owned by different members of the entity plus one owned by the association itself, located in the village of Àger in the Noguera comarca at the foot of Montsec, a privileged location for astronomy with a very dark sky. The association commissioned a new telescope for its Montsec observatory from Halfmann Teleskoptechnik — a 0.5 m aperture, altazimuth, robotic instrument installed at the end of 2008 and inaugurated in 2009. In 2006 the Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell was declared a public-utility entity by the Ministry of the Interior. It is a member of the Sociedad Española de Astronomía and collaborates actively with international organisations including the International Occultation Timing Association, the AAVSO and the Minor Planet Center. Its presidents have been Carles Palau (1960–1962), Jaume Moreu (1962–1965), Feliu Comella (1965–1979), Josep Maria Oliver (1979–2006), Antoni Ardanuy (2006–2010), Àngel Massallé (2010–2014), Xavier Puig (2014–2016), Xavier Bros (2016–2018), Emili Capella (2018–2020) and Carles Schnabel (2020–present). Among the events it has organised are the Convención de Observadores, a state-level gathering of astronomical observers that is a signature activity of the association and is currently biennial; the II Jornadas de Astronomía in 1977, a meeting of all Spanish astronomy associations; the European Symposium on Occultation Projects in 2001; and the 5th European Variable Star Meeting in 2023. Over its history it has received various awards, notably the Premio Tenacidad in 1995.

• 2023

  Organised the 5th European Variable Star Meeting.

• 2009

  The Montsec telescope was inaugurated.

• 2008

  A 0.5 m robotic altazimuth telescope from Halfmann Teleskoptechnik was installed at the Montsec observatory.

• 2006

  Declared a public-utility entity by the Ministry of the Interior; membership reached 1,000.

• 2005

  Created the Observatoris de l'Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell at Montsec, near Àger.

• 2001

  Organised the European Symposium on Occultation Projects.

• 2000

  The original 0.5 m Newton telescope was renewed with a 50 cm Newton-Cassegrain-Relay telescope.

• 1995

  Received the Premio Tenacidad.

• 1993

  The association's observatory in the Parc de Catalunya was inaugurated.

• 1985

  Mayor Antoni Farrés committed to building an astronomical observatory for the association.

• 1977

  Organised the II Jornadas de Astronomía, a meeting of all Spanish astronomy associations.

• 1965

  Moved to space and the tower of the Escuela Industrial provided by the Obra Social de la Caja de Ahorros de Sabadell.

• 1963

  Moved to larger premises provided by Radio Sabadell.

• 1960

  Founded on 14 April in Sabadell by Carles Palau, Fèlix Comella, Joaquim Inglada and Josep M. Oliver.

A long-established, non-profit amateur astronomy society and public-utility entity, combining outreach, education and research collaboration at local, national and international level.

• Astrum

  Periodical magazine published since the association's early years, with news, photographs, ephemerides and material for amateur astronomers.

• Observatori de l'Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell

  Multipurpose building in the Parc de Catalunya, Sabadell, inaugurated in 1993, with a 60-seat auditorium, secretariat, library and observatory.

• Observatoris de l'Agrupació Astronòmica de Sabadell al Montsec

  Site at Àger, Noguera, with 34 member-owned observatories and one owned by the association; hosts a 0.5 m robotic telescope.

1. 1Inici - Agrupació Astronòmica Sabadellastrosabadell.org
2. 2Sobre aquest web - Agrupació Astronòmica Sabadellastrosabadell.org
3. 3Avís Legal - Agrupació Astronòmica Sabadellastrosabadell.org
4. 4Sadabell Astronomical Society - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5Agrupación Astronómica de Sabadell - Wikipedia (es)es.wikipedia.org