Astronomy Magazines-which one do you prefer?

[DJDD]

Hi All,

I would like to subscribe to one Astronomy magazine but have only been purchasing one or two for the last two months and cannot decide which has the most useful information. If, after subscribing, I need more info I can buy other mags on an ad-hoc basis.

So, which Magazines do you prefer/subscribe to?

I have only listed four:
Astronomy
Australian Sky and Telescope
Sky and telescope
Australian Sky and Space

cheers,
DJDD

[h0ughy]

do what I do and buy the lot, and a few from the UK

[Neilzstar]

I prefer the home -grown one.

[rmcpb]

I prefer the Aussie ones BUT would not subscribe to Aust Sky and Space because they are not reliable producers and I would worry about my subscription. I happily buy it from the new stands and both have great articles.

[Rob_K]

Bit like that too, but buy whatever I can, rather than "the lot" - just depends what's available at the newsagents, and there's a lot of variation there! UK "Sky at Night" has been available lately, and I have really enjoyed it. Comes with a CD containing lots of goodies. Aus magazines are very useful, for obvious reasons.

Cheers -

[crystal_stars]

I like the aussie ones because the observing info is suited to southern hemisphere. I subscribe to AS&T, and I although I buy aust sky & space, I also won't subscribe to it because they have been unreliable lately in producing regular issues.

I have also recently discovered the BBC's sky at night ( a UK publication), and find that quite good as well.

Cheers,

CS

[DJDD]

ok, I should have added the option "Other".

I believe I can edit the poll but am not sure how to do that.
Does anyone know?

thanks,
DJDD

[wavelandscott]

I get the lot and then some...

I sure do enjoy reading a lot and each of those listed (and some others) have some strengths and some areas they could improve in...

If you are limited budget or time wise, I'd suggest just picking some of them up at the local news agent or visiting the library for a read for a few months and then pick the one that you like best!

[RB]

I always buy AS&T (must remember to renew my subscription :doh: ) and if I see The 'New' S&S or Astronomy on the stand I'll flick through and maybe buy one or the other.

[ballaratdragons]

I used to buy every issue of AS&T at the newsagents, but my kids bought me a subscription for my 50th birthday.

I buy the occasional S&S at the newsagent whenever it shows up.

I stopped buying Astronomy and S&T many years ago coz there was no Oz info in them.

But my main source of info is the Internet, although you still can't beat having a mag in your hands!

I just hope this thread doesn't turn into a mud-slinging match between the 2 Oz mags. We have read enough negativity about them both.

[DJDD]

You are on the money there. The feel of the paper is great and referencing is quite quick when you flip back and forth between pages. Also, it is hard to bring a desktop computer outside if you want to look at something in the sky.

I do not think it will- certainly, the responses have been very measured here and no one has been vindictive/nasty. The poll was certainly not designed for that. As soon as I get a few more responses I will close the poll and if any mud-slinging occurs we could ask Mike to lock the thread. :thumbsup:


cheers,
DJDD

[janoskiss]

I prefer this one: http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=6424
:D

[DJDD]

:lol:

[Dave47tuc]

You missed Dave Eichers Deep Sky mag.
Ooops:P been out of print for some time. Yes some folk can not move on.:rolleyes:

There was one other Australian mag which was the best ever.
But died of much to mine and others dissapointment.
The mag was a lot better than what's on offer these day's.
Those who have been around a while will know which one I mean.
At least back then most Mag's had articles about observing.
It's a bit thin on these day's.:)

[astroron]

To True Dave, I miss those two mags too:(

[glenc]

I would like to see more articles on deep sky objects in AS&T.

[Rodstar]

A S&T and Astronomy are my favourites.

I like looking at all of the IIS images in AS&T (!!) and the articles in Astronomy are more in-depth on cosmology topics than the competitors.

[Robert_T]

I wish just one of the mags would focus solely on applied amateur astronomy, the latest gear and using it, imaging and all the real stuff of whats up there and observing with amateur scopes.... I am really quite bored with the science of astronomy and space travel and exploration and this often fills 50% of these mags and more...

yes, I know, what a heathen:D

[astroron]

That's what Southern Sky magazine and Deep Sky magazine used to do:)until their demise:(

[Dave47tuc]

Yes i agree, space travel is boring it's all what ifs and what may happen.
I can see the shuttle going up and its full story on the net.

The science of astronomy is fine but most articles are over the top of most people.

It would be great to have a mag like Deep Sky more dedicated to us who use telescopes under the stars.

Articles on equipment and not just a quick page. also by someone who is not scared to tell it like it is.

Also articles on objects to look at instead of NGC 5139 all the time.
and most articles are aimed at beginners, which is ok but what about some who have been observing for a while.:shrug:

Mmmm I do miss those mags.

[OneOfOne]

Other than Astronomy, I subscribe to all the others...although I have had some problems getting my issues of S&T...I got the last one!

[Gargoyle_Steve]

I subscribe to Aust Sky & Tel and enjoy reading it every (second) month.
Often, but not always, I will also buy Sky & Space (Aus) mag.
For content on our viewing conditions, etc, you can't beat an Ausie mag!!


Recently though I have also been buying the BBC publication Sky at Night - which seems to now include a Southern hemisphere star chart (June issue has July chart for southern skies) and I am enjoying the content of the attached cover CD.

I have also purchased a recent issue of another UK mag, Astronomy Now, and I enjoyed that one too, were I able to afford it I'd be buing all 4 of these each month.

(I also get the Australian science magazine Cosmos - it has simply lots of general science stuff, but seems to include fair amounts of astro related science too. Great article presently on dark matter / dark energy.)

I have not seen or read an issue of either Astronomy, or the US version fo Sky & Tel to comment on them.

[Solanum]

I was going to mention Astronomy Now, when I was living in the UK I got that for several years. It was the best and most UK oriented mag at that time (the BBC one not existing then).

I'd get it now, but I only get one per month or so and I prefer something with local info. Astronomy Now used to have a column by David Malin on Southern Skies, dunno whether it still does. At the time it made me jealous about what could be seen down here.

[Satchmo]

Ah yes I treasure my set of Deep Sky Mag.

Southern Sky ( ?) was world class in its brief life. It was a tragic story of its demise ( again competition with another long standing aussie magazine involved ) .

[acropolite]

I have a subscription to AS&T, I also usually buy S&S from the newstand. Although I prefer AS&T, I find the content of both good, but would like to see more technical (how it's done) type material. I would like to be able to buy US S&T but it's unavailable here. I also buy Astronomy mag from time to time.

[DJDD]

Hi All!

Thanks for everyone's input.

The results are:

Australian Sky and Space = 48.94%
Australian Sky and Telescope = 89.36%
Astronomy = 21.28%
Sky and Telescope = 21.28%

As you can see the Australian magazines are preferred over the American offerings, although these still attract a large audience (based on my small sample set). :)

I am also glad that this did not degenerate into a "mud-slinging" thread, however, if I were an Australian Sky and Space editor I would be interested in finding out why his/her publication is less popular than the other Australian publication. :shrug:

I think I can now subscribe with confidence.

cheers,
DJDD

[Neilzstar]

Results add up to about 162% . This can only be because people can vote for more than one. So, is result conclusive? I voted for one only although I take both. Neilzstar.

[DJDD]

you are correct- it is not conclusive, although if we assume (and we all know the saying about that) that most people voted for more than one, if applicable, then the result still stands as a somewhat representative cross-section. Also, most comments in this thread seemed to have a preference for AS&T, with purchase of AS&S being more often an ad-hoc purchase.

I am not a statistician but I am going to run with it. :whistle:

cheers,
DJDD

[Stevo69]

I don't subscribe to any, because not all issues are full of articles I'm interested in. For example, stories about cosmology, Big Bang, and other articles relating to physics and pure science, don't really interest me that much. I like more stories about actual amateur astronomy such as deep sky objects, articles highlighting a specific constellation etc...

hoo roo,

Steve

[astroron]

I sold my Deep Sky Mags when in a spot of financial bother, much to my regret:( but I still have all my issues of Southern Sky:)

[ballaratdragons]

Actually, it's not even close to being conclusive.

There were only 49 people replying to the poll. Not much of a cross-section.
If I was Editor of either mag I wouldn't pay any attention to the figures, as they are not indicative of anything.

[DJDD]

anyway, not wanting to get into too much of an argument- the poll and thread was posted so that I could gather information so as to spend my money wisely and I value all comments from IIS members

and I will repeat...
I am not a statistician but I am going to run with it . :whistle:
:D


actually, i think an editor/publisher would want to know why people were not buying my product regardless of whether the poll was representative or not and then compare that to any of the company's own surveys, if any.

cheers,
adrian

[cydonia]

I noticed that Meade did not advertise in the last issue of AS&T which leads me to think that Australia might only have one Aussie mag in the future.

This would be bad for us, but not at all surprising

[h0ughy]

this is painful. I have IN front of me at the moment the sky at night, reading it I have only , only ,only !!, come across 1 solitary single lonesome advert in this magazine with Meade all over it.
Are they going to die and wither away - probably not. Maybe Meade is conserving its advertising dollars??? Who knows? They have spent squillions for next to no return then they have pulled up stumps to regroup and redraw the battle lines. With the advent of the EQ5pro and eq6 pro and people choosing their OTA's and being that much more discerning Meade might be looking to re-corner the marketing at a later date. Why even the light bucket bridage with all the GSO's scopes are getting more advertising dollars at the moment.

Gone are the good old days of Meade and celestron fighting it out for the inside cover pages or the back cover. Ahhh the arguments, the talk of mines better than yours. I suppose you might own a celestron???:whistle:

As for the Aussie mag situation - for the moment the two will live on, as we keep buying them and thats a good thing:thumbsup:. cant read an on line article all the time;)

[Neilzstar]

Those that know me see a fairly measured approach, (from my professional engineering career?), and a fairly laid back attitude in retirement. I dislike things that are misleading. So, where in the thread ngcles refers to is there any real discussion of Meade? I don't ask such commercial information to be revealed. Nor should there be, because that relationship is a commercial and confidential. There really has been no discussion of Meade. I am still going to wait, as said in the other thread, for the next issue of S&T, to which I subscribe chiefly out of my great respect for Greg Bryant, the now editor.
Regards to All Neilzstar

[Stevo69]

With all respect to the "professionals" who have jumped in on this topic (and to everyone else I guess), DDJD just asked a simple, honest question. Which one should he/she subscribe to. That's all.

My advise to DDJD, do like I do. If you cannot decide, and on a limited budget, browse through the individual magazines at you local newsagent, an pick the issue/s which are worth the money for that month.

[iceman]

I'd like for this thread not to head down the same path as the other one, which has thankfully gone dormant before it needed to be closed.
Let's not raise the same issues again, please.

[DJDD]

thanks, Stevo69, for your reply. I did not expect the thread to head down the direction it has. :shrug:

iceman, feel free to close the thread and the poll.

thanks, also, to everyone who replied. All of the comments were interesting to read and provided me (and perhaps others) with some useful information.

cheers,
DJDD

[Neilzstar]

Thank You to ngcles for acknowledging my post. At last I think that we may all be about to relax. I am doing just that. Cheers, Neilzstar

[KG8]

I can see the attraction a hard copy would have for some people but I don't bother myself because I feel that everything in them is on the web and in a lot more detail. I'll spend the money I save on EP's :)

[cydonia]

I didn't realise Meade advertising was so passionate to some ppl and I do apologise if I up set anyone. I was just making a passing comment. I had both current mags in front of me when I saw this thread and compared both advertisers index. If I was subscribing, I would certainly take that into consideration :-)

[Stevo69]

I personally haven't read this thread (and may if I get time), but honestly I don't care much for the machinations of advertisers and magazine companies. In fact I mostly stare right through the glossy full page ads of companies like Meade and Celestron. Mainly because I have realised that their products are "not for me". As KG8 suggests, I source a majority of my information from the internet, including IIS, and podcasts such as Astronomy Cast (http://astronomycast.com)!!!

[ngcles]

Apology

Without Prejudice.


Fellow Amateur Astronomers,

The posting of this statement on this forum does not confer a right to publish or distribute it elsewhere. It may not be published elsewhere without express permission.

On or about 4th September 2007 I made two posts on this thread which is attached to a poll "Which magazine(s) do you prefer or subscribe to?". I removed and deleted both of those posts from this thread on or about the 10th or the 11th of September 2007. I made both of those two postings on my own behalf. In those postings I clearly identified myself as the author. As the author, I take responsibility for those postings. The posts were not made on behalf of, at the behest of or at the suggestion of another.

Both of my posts were made with the intention of supporting the owners and editor of Australian Sky & Telescope. They were intended to rebut and defend what appeared to be a suggestion raised by inference that the magazine Australian Sky & Telescope and/or its publishers were in some form of difficulty and that that magazine might soon cease to be published. In at least one of those posts if not both, I also questioned the motive(s) of those who appeared to be making that suggestion.

At least one if not both of my posts also directly referred the reader to another thread -- "Australian Sky & Telescope Troubles?" where I had made a post that I later removed and deleted on 10th September. On 11th September, I posted a retraction and apology for that post. That retraction and apology can be found here:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=23293&page=3 (http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=23293&page=3)

I deleted that post I made on that other thread -- "Australian Sky & Telescope Troubles?" at about 10.45pm on 10th September. An hour or so later as I recall, late on the 10th or the early hours of the 11th September I also removed and deleted the two posts on this thread. Next evening, on the 11th September I made a full retraction and apology for the post on the thread "Australian Sky & Telescope Troubles?" as referred to above.

I ought to have, but failed to post a similar apology about that time on this thread. That oversight/omission occurred contemporaneously with a very sudden life-threatening illness to a member of my immediate family that I was notified of on the 11th September 2007.

The two posts I made on this thread were inappropriate. In addition to having already deleted those posts and in light of my retraction and apology posted on that other thread, for completeness, for the purposes of showing my bona-fides and to make good, I similarly retract and withdraw their entire content.

I offer on my own behalf a sincere apology for those two posts on this thread to the members of this forum "Bisqueboy" and "Cydonia". I also offer a further sincere apology to any and all competitor publications that sell, distribute or publish popular level science/astronomy publications to Australian Sky & Telescope in Australia for those posts. For abundant clarity, that should be taken to include (though it is not limited to) any and all persons and legal entities who produce Sky & Space magazine.

I also sincerely apologise for the delay in making this apology.

Lastly and without lessening the force of the above, in recognition of the fact that the post could be seen to injure the fabric of amateur astronomy, I also offer to you the readers of those posts and to the community of amateur astronomers a sincere apology. I also offer that apology to Mike Salway the host of the forum.

The posting of the above material on this forum does not confer a right to publish or distribute it elsewhere. It may not be published elsewhere without express permission.


Yours Sincerely


Les Dalrymple
Contributing Editor
Australian Sky & Telescope

[Dennis]

HI Les

So sorry to read the most unwelcome news regarding the illness within your close family. I do hope that they have now made a full recovery and that you and yours are all well.

Take care mate and I look forward to reading more of your excellent articles in Australian Sky & Telescope.

Cheers

Dennis

[ballaratdragons]

Les,

All I can say is . . .

can you please smile in the photo at the Header of your AS&T articles! ;)

:lol:

[Meadehead]

As a beginner, I find Sky at Night easy to read & understand.
In this September issue I picked up today, I now know the distance between my thumb & pinky is 25 degrees and I know how to find Polaris ;)

[Rodstar]

How do you find Polaris in the sky from Greensborough Victoria?

[Meadehead]

Maybe I should have used two ;) ;)

:D:D