Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Royal Astronomical Society originated in 1820 as the Astronomical Society of London. This group operated under that initial name for eleven years before receiving a Royal Charter from King William IV in 1831.
Five women became the first female Fellows on the 14th of January 1916 after a Supplemental Charter legally opened fellowship to them. Mary Adela Blagg, Ella K Church, Grace Cook, Irene Elizabeth Toye Warner, and Fiammetta Wilson formed this historic cohort following decades of exclusion.
The society currently publishes three primary research journals including RAS Techniques & Instruments launched in 2021 and Astronomy & Geophysics since 1997. The Memoirs of the Royal Astronomical Society ended in 1977 while Quarterly Journal ran until 1996 before merging into another title.
Monthly highlight meetings occur inside Burlington House in central London on the second Friday from October to May. These events run alongside specialist discussion meetings that occupy two separate rooms within the building simultaneously.
Francis Baily served eight years total as president which remains the longest recorded tenure for any leader of the organization. Mike Lockwood began his current term in May 2024 and will serve until May 2026 under standard two-year terms established since 1876.