The Sociedad de Astronomía de Puerto Rico (SAPR), a non-profit organization, was founded in 1985, the year the Halley comet passed by. Since then, it has promoted interest in astronomy for the enjoyment, guidance, and education of the Puerto Rican community. The SAPR is affiliated with and endorsed by NASA through the Puerto Rico Space Grant Consortium since 2002.
The organization offers free observation nights in parks and communities across different municipalities, as well as astronomy courses for enthusiasts in collaboration with universities like the University of Puerto Rico in Aguadilla and the Metropolitan University. Another organization, Observadores Comunitarios del Cielo para la Astronomía y la Educación (OCCAE), also brings astronomy to the community.
Its president, César López, is a science teacher and a member of NASA’s Solar System Ambassadors program. OCCAE’s mission is to observe the sky as a community and turn that experience into education. One of its projects, 'Cielos al Alcance de mi Gente', brought telescope observation nights to public housing residences with funding from the International Astronomical Union’s Office for Astronomy Outreach.
The goal is to allow children to see celestial wonders, such as Saturn’s rings, with their own eyes.