Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
IMPROVING SCIENCE LITERACY THROUGH EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH PROGRAMS ADVANCING THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING IN THE SCIENCE AND STUDY OF ASTRONOMY SINCE 1889; COLLECTING AND PUBLISHING INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SCIENCE OF ASTRONOMY.
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $2.8 million
- Spent on programs
- 61%
- Reserves
- 1.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 47%
- Employees
- 19
- Volunteers
- 23
- Highest pay
- $161,676, dir. mbrs &
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 34 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 29% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 96% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 42% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1561% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 40 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 92 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (science, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $1.7 million spent. NIGHT SKY NETWORK - AS PART OF SOCIETY'S WORK WITH THE AMATEUR ASTRONOMY COMMUNITY, THE SOCIETY ADMINISTRATES THE NASA NIGHT SKY NETWORK, A NATIONWIDE COALITION OF ASTRONOMY CLUBS BRINGING THE SCIENCE AND INSPIRATION OF NASA'S MISSIONS TO THE PUBLIC. IN THE 20TH YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM, THE ASP PROVIDES NASA SPEAKERS AND OUTREACH MATERIALS FOR AMATEUR ASTRONOMY CLUBS, AS WELL AS A FORUM FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO EXCHANGE IDEAS AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED AND IS OPERATED FOR NASA BY THE SOCIETY AND IS CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY NASA'S SCIENCE ACTIVATION PROGRAM UNDER THE SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE. ECLIPSE AMBASSADORS - TO EXTEND THE REACH OF THE ECLIPSE AMBASSADORS OFF THE PATH PROGRAM WHOSE VOLUNTEERS REACHED MORE THAN 200,000 PEOPLE WITH ENGAGING ECLIPSE SCIENCE AND SAFETY INFORMATION IN 2023 AND 2024, SELECTED STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN AN INTENSIVE WINTER FIELD SCHOOL EXPERIENCE IN FAIRBANKS, AK. THESE STUDENTS LEARNED ABOUT THE AURORA FIRST HAND AND TRAINED WITH HELIOPHYSICISTS ON THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS TO MAKE A REAL CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE. IN ADDITION, THEY RETURNED TO THEIR COMMUNITIES TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN AND THE PUBLIC. ANNUAL MEETING - EVERY YEAR SINCE 1889, THE ASP HAS HELD AN ANNUAL MEETING OF SCIENTISTS AND NOW EDUCATORS TO SHARE THE LATEST DISCOVERIES AND PEDAGOGY WITH INTERESTED PRACTITIONERS. IN 2025, MORE THAN 150 PEOPLE ATTENDED VIRTUALLY TO LEARN ABOUT THE TOPIC OF "EMBRACING THE FUTURE: QUESTIONING, INVESTIGATING, ADAPTING, CONNECTING" IN FOUR STRANDS THAT UNITED THE CONVERSATION. THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC OFFERS SEVERAL INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WHICH SUPPORT ASTRONOMERS, TEACHERS, AND OTHER SCIENCE EDUCATORS. NIGHT SKY NETWORK - AS PART OF SOCIETY'S WORK WITH THE AMATEUR ASTRONOMY COMMUNITY, THE SOCIETY ADMINISTRATES THE NASA NIGHT SKY NETWORK, A NATIONWIDE COALITION OF ASTRONOMY CLUBS BRINGING THE SCIENCE AND INSPIRATION OF NASA'S MISSIONS TO THE PUBLIC. IN THE 20TH YEAR OF THIS PROGRAM, THE ASP PROVIDES NASA SPEAKERS AND OUTREACH MATERIALS FOR AMATEUR ASTRONOMY CLUBS, AS WELL AS A FORUM FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO EXCHANGE IDEAS AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER. THE PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED AND IS OPERATED FOR NASA BY THE SOCIETY AND IS CURRENTLY SUPPORTED BY NASA'S SCIENCE ACTIVATION PROGRAM UNDER THE SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE. ECLIPSE AMBASSADORS - TO EXTEND THE REACH OF THE ECLIPSE AMBASSADORS OFF THE PATH PROGRAM WHOSE VOLUNTEERS REACHED MORE THAN 200,000 PEOPLE WITH ENGAGING ECLIPSE SCIENCE AND SAFETY INFORMATION IN 2023 AND 2024, SELECTED STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN AN INTENSIVE WINTER FIELD SCHOOL EXPERIENCE IN FAIRBANKS, AK. THESE STUDENTS LEARNED ABOUT THE AURORA FIRST HAND AND TRAINED WITH HELIOPHYSICISTS ON THE LATEST SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS TO MAKE A REAL CONTRIBUTION TO SCIENCE. IN ADDITION, THEY RETURNED TO THEIR COMMUNITIES TO SHARE THE INFORMATION WITH SCHOOL CHILDREN AND THE PUBLIC. ANNUAL MEETING - EVERY YEAR SINCE 1889, THE ASP HAS HELD AN ANNUAL MEETING OF SCIENTISTS AND NOW EDUCATORS TO SHARE THE LATEST DISCOVERIES AND PEDAGOGY WITH INTERESTED PRACTITIONERS. IN 2025, MORE THAN 150 PEOPLE ATTENDED VIRTUALLY TO LEARN ABOUT THE TOPIC OF "EMBRACING THE FUTURE: QUESTIONING, INVESTIGATING, ADAPTING, CONNECTING" IN FOUR STRANDS THAT UNITED THE CONVERSATION. THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE PACIFIC OFFERS SEVERAL INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS WHICH SUPPORT ASTRONOMERS, TEACHERS, AND OTHER SCIENCE EDUCATORS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1948.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.