The Astro Society 2026: Astronomy@250 is a virtual conference celebrating 250 years of astronomy in the United States. We're bringing together researchers, educators, amateur astronomers, and curious minds from across the community to honor the full, complex, and beautiful story of astronomy in the United States. We’re not just looking to the past 250 years, but to the future as well. 

The Astro Society is proud to launch Astronomy@250 with a free public celebration honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Nancy Grace Roman (1925–2018) — astronomer, visionary, advocate, and one of the most consequential figures in the history of modern astronomy.

As we commemorate 250 years of American astronomy, we begin with Nancy Grace Roman because she exemplifies how a single visionary can change not only what we discover about the universe, but who has the opportunity to discover it. Roman’s story reminds us that the history of American astronomy is not simply a history of discoveries. It is also a history of the people whose vision, leadership, and perseverance made those discoveries possible.