Australian Sky and Telescope

[Saturnine (Jeff)]

Along with many others, I too am disappointed that AS&T has seemingly disappeared. Have every copy of the Aus edition plus the 2 electronic ones and I can understand why the print copy wasn't viable any more but it would have been nice to have been informed that the digital version was not a viable option any more either.
Wasn't that long ago that I'd renewed my subscription and to lose the money, though not a large amount in the grand scheme of things is really annoying. Same thing happened when Sky & Space folded, if anyone remembers that far back.
What would be an appropriate outcome would be that any outstanding subscription money be transferred to the parent American S&T for digital copies of their magazine. May not be possible from a business perspective but just a thought , in case the local publisher happens to visit this forum .

[Peter Ward]

The demise of AS&T was hidden in plain sight long before the magazine folded.
A quick look at the index of advertisers revealed very slim pickings....something
I pointed to a while ago. But go but just one more step, a lack of support for local vendors meant they were not in a position to spend on advertising.

Some local vendors did themselves no favours either, by not responding to significant pricing differentials to gear that could be acquired from foreign shores.
Everybody likes to save a dollar....but often forget that lack of support, even when the cost differential is minimal, can have unforeseen consequences.

[dabbeldi]

And I just received the official email that Australian Sky and Telescope is no more - pretty sad.
I still receive the hard copy of the American version - good to hear that they will include at least some southern hemisphere content from next year. Let's hope that print version continues at least.

[glend (Glen)]

Originally Posted by Peter Ward

The demise of AS&T was hidden in plain sight long before the magazine folded.
A quick look at the index of advertisers revealed very slim pickings....something
I pointed to a while ago. But go but just one more step, a lack of support for local vendors meant they were not in a position to spend on advertising.

Some local vendors did themselves no favours either, by not responding to significant pricing differentials to gear that could be acquired from foreign shores.
Everybody likes to save a dollar....but often forget that lack of support, even when the cost differential is minimal, can have unforeseen consequences.

The market is global now. People will buy where they can save the most, especially now. Astronomy gear is a luxury item, hobbiest with money, and a shrinking market anyway. There are few young folks getting into it, and the old guys are not doing it as much, if at all.

[UniPol]

Originally Posted by dabbeldi

And I just received the official email that Australian Sky and Telescope is no more - pretty sad.
I still receive the hard copy of the American version - good to hear that they will include at least some southern hemisphere content from next year. Let's hope that print version continues at least.

Received the same email this morning, no mention of refunding the remaining subscription which in my case would be at least 12 months. Here is what the email said:

Dear AS&T Subscribers,
As you are aware, Sky & Telescope is no longer being published in Australia. AS&T has been an important part of my life for more than 18 years, and due to circumstances beyond my control, it is with great sadness and personal regret that we have had to close all magazines in our small stable and wind down our publishing company. It has been extra difficult to say goodbye to AS&T.
I have been in touch with Peter Tyson, editor in chief of the U.S. edition of Sky & Telescope, and he would like to offer all AS&T subscribers the following:
•Download two free digital issues of Sky & Telescope, so you can decide whether, now that AS&T has published its final issue, you’d like to subscribe to the U.S. edition, either print or digital. Because of Australian privacy laws, you will need to opt in to receive emails from Peter in order to access the two free issues. (You can opt out anytime.)
•Subscribe to free online S&T newsletters, including their weekly bulletin of breaking astronomy news and periodic emails about new astronomy products and S&T tours. (You can unsubscribe at any time.) Peter tells me that, with AS&T’s regrettable closure, the U.S. edition plans two new pieces of content, both to be created monthly by former AS&T editor Jonathan Nally:

•A Southern Hemisphere Sky Chart in every print and digital issue of Sky & Telescope beginning with the
January 2024 issue. The chart will appear right after the Northern Hemisphere chart and will include brief observing tips.
•A Southern Hemisphere observing blog that will appear monthly on skyandtelescope.org.
In short, Peter would like to welcome you into the S&T fold, if you’d like, and hopes that these new pieces of content will help ease the loss of AS&T.

To find links to download the free digital issues and to sign up for S&T newsletters, please click here to go to a
special webpage set up just for Australian Sky & Telescope subscribers. Note that this offer is good
through December 31, 2023. No obligation, just a great opportunity to continue your passion for the
science and hobby of stargazing.

Thanks.
Ian Brooks
Publisher

[Saturnine (Jeff)]

Thanks for the heads up, just checked my email and there is one from AS&T with the same message. Will certainly take up the US S&T offer and see what value there may be in continuing a subscription.
Would still like to get my money back from the local publishers for the balance of my local subscription though.

[Rainsey]

Originally Posted by Saturnine

Thanks for the heads up, just checked my email and there is one from AS&T with the same message. Will certainly take up the US S&T offer and see what value there may be in continuing a subscription.
Would still like to get my money back from the local publishers for the balance of my local subscription though.

I too have a subscription albeit Digital with Zino. I only found out that S&T was no longer being published when I enquired why the latest copy was, I think August from memory.


I contacted the Australian Publishing company and got an all but pathetic one liner saying we no longer print it ..... thats it, nothing more.


I then reached out to Zino to be told I could not get a refund for the remaining period of my subscription ( 4 issues ) but could only get a voucher for something else.



A follow up satisfaction survey from Zino to me was replied back with a scathing response to which, with no further correspondence, they supposedly refunded ( yet to seen ) subscription.

[Astro1969 (Craig)]

The annoying thing is Zinio is still offering up subscriptions to the AS&T magazine. Surely this is illegal as it is offering a service/item that is unobtainable?