Magazines?

neB · #1 08-01-2007, 03:25 PM

Just curious what Astro mags people read?

I'm pretty new to the mag scene and have been reading AS&T for a few issues. I find it really interesting, both in terms if viewing to come and the general astro articles.

But when I went to buy the current issue I noticed how many different mags there were in the shop. One of them (can't remember the name, D'oh!) claimed to be Australia's biggest selling mag? And the only one totally Oz owned??

matt · #2 08-01-2007, 03:38 PM

Simple.

Buy yourself 2 mags every couple of months.

Australian Sky and Telescope, and Sky and Space (the 100% Aussie mag you refer to in your post).

<$20... money well spent

rogerg (Roger) · #3 08-01-2007, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt

Simple.

Buy yourself 2 mags every couple of months.

Agreed. I bet that's what 90% of australian amateur astronomers do. Personally I subscribe to S&S, and buy AS&T from the newsagency every now and then.

Ric · #4 09-01-2007, 12:34 AM

Hi neB, I find both S&S and AS&T to both be value for money.
Occasionally I might buy a oversea mag to see what is happening elsewhere.

Cheers

rmcpb (Rob) · #5 09-01-2007, 11:02 AM

I stick to the Austrailian magazines and avoid the overseas ones. There is plenty of info in the two Australian ones to keep you going for a couple of months.

Mr. Subatomic · #6 09-01-2007, 10:52 PM

AS&T is your bet!

My mum offered me a magazine subscription for my birthday and she knew I would want a subscription to an astronomy magazine. She didn't know which one to get so she sook advice from Dr. Nick Lomb, curator of astronomy at the Sydney Observatory. He reccommended AS&T and Australian Sky and Space so my mum went out and bought a copy of each for me to trial.

After reading both I found AS&T more favourable. Overall it had a better layout, better stories and had a somewhat 'livelier' and 'exciting' vibe.

I wouldn't want to be a dictator and tell you which magazine to choose, but I reccoment that you try a variety and you'll know when you've found the right one.

neB · #7 10-01-2007, 02:37 PM

Thanks everyone.

I'll try a couple of the Oz ones.

The OS version of AS&T looked to have some of the same articles, so I was wondering why anyone would buy it here? For the northern hemisphere viewing??

iceman (Mike) · #8 10-01-2007, 02:40 PM

You can't get the US version of S&T in Australia unless you subscribe.

You can however read them at your library, etc.

neB · #9 15-02-2007, 05:02 PM

Just an update on this for any other beginners.

Having now studied a couple of each of S&S and AS&T I've got to say AS&T was by far the better mag IMHO.

With the first S&S I picked up, when I read the editorial (as I always do first) it started with an apology for not issuing the previous edition - for whatever reason. This put me off literally from the first sentence.

Generally though I thought the production and content of AS&T better. The S&S layout is very amateur.

But I'm into "buy Oz", so good on S&S for being there. Competition is always a good thing.

P.S. Gotta admit I got caught thinking some mags were OS clones (in my original post) because they had similar piccies and articles on the cover - and the Night Sky with its S&T logo on it.

wavelandscott (Scott) · #10 15-02-2007, 08:56 PM

I read AS&T, Sky and Space, S&T (US version) and until it stops being published Night Sky magazines. I'll pick up an occassional Astronomy and more rarely Astronomy Now...they all have their strengths and they all have merit and are enjoyable. You just need to read a few issues to get "the feel" of the one(s) you like best.

Rodstar (Rod) · #11 15-02-2007, 09:15 PM

I always get Australian S&T, S&S and Astronomy (US).

As you have picked up from the one editorial you have read from S&S, they have had a dreadful track record with late publication, and their endless carry on about being 100% Aussie made etc is a little tiresome (many of the images come from overseas and one of the editors resides overseas, so I am just not sure how they can maintain their claims). Having said that, often its articles are very well researched. I particularly enjoy Richard Jaworski's articles on double stars and Jenni Kay often has a good article about deep sky observing.

Aussie S&T is reliable and professional, and very good in terms of the local astro scene. It has given IIS excellent coverage in the past, and its editor Greg Bryant is an absolute gentleman and experienced observer. It often has excellent series of article on deep sky objects, like this month's article on Leo. The quality of its layout is miles ahead of S&S IMO.

My favourite, though, is Astronomy. Yes, I know it has primarily US content, and it often covers constellations we never see, but its coverage of cosmology is outstanding (this month's edition has a great article about string theory and the implications if it is disproven). It is surprising just how many articles do cover constellations we see from southern skies, and the equipment discussions are very good. The fact that it is monthly makes it very attractive, given the two Aussie mags are now bi-monthly.

I have developed a folder system where I cut out any articles of interest on particular constellations, and images I want to keep, and keep them in plastic folders arranged according to constellation in RA order. I have four folders at the moment, representing the four seasons of the year. I add to these folders my own notes from observing and research. IN this way, I have built up an enormous resource over the past 2.5 years, which is like an encyclopedia of the constellations. The magazines get butchered, and tossed out. I find I get the most content for my folders from Astronomy rather than the Aussie mags.

Rigel003 (Graeme) · #12 16-02-2007, 01:33 AM

I've been a subscriber to the US Sky and Telescope, the grandfather of all astronomy mags, for nearly 30 years and still love it much more than any of the others. In recent years it's enlarged its southern hemisphere coverage in recognition of the fact that its subscribers live all over the world. In general it's a larger & more thorough magazine than Aust S & T which I have mixed feelings about as it includes our local amateur scene but also repeats several of the same articles as the US version each month.

In its early days Astronomy magazine was shaping up to be a reasonable competitor to S& T but in recent years they've really simplified their coverage and angled it very much towards beginners. Clearly a marketing decision to aim at a different demographic. Nothing like the depth of S&T or the expertise on the editorial panel.

One of my great regrets is having once given away the complete set of my early US Sky and Telescopes at a stage when my bookshelves were groaning. I now only have from 1990 - present and will never part with them.

acropolite (Phil) · #13 18-02-2007, 12:11 PM

I'm with Rodstar, AS&T, S&S & US Astronomy. I can't help but agree with the sentiments on S&S, IMO some of the S&S articles are presented with too much "personal" perspective and not enough facts and the continual them versus us thrust gets tiresome. AS&T is a great mag and Greg's participation in the forum speaks for itself and as Rod said you can't beat the monthly fix from Astronomy.

Dindsy · #14 19-02-2007, 01:22 PM

Thanks a bunch guys, You just cost me $18.

I had to go and buy the US Astronomy after this and next issue of AS&T is out too.

BTW. You can get the US version of S&T in shops. It depends on the shop (and probably not regular). I bought several issues a while back before i realised there was an Aus version. And i just saw the US version the the shop too.