Astronomy Magazines

[bish]

AN is generally more in depth. The US ones are pretty good too, and cheaper as I recall. I don't subscribe anymore - just have a flick through and buy the one that most interest me. Often it's AN, but not always.

[jabeoo1]

S&T and Astronomy do both have some really good content.  S@N crossword was an excellent learning tool for me but it was stopped?!....gutted.  I have been buying S&T this year and have enjoyed them to an extent.

I personally find spending the money on decent books is superior to monthly prints.

Excluding the Web the following examples are a hub for me that will always be revisited.

The Data Book of Astronomy.  A vast pit of information.  I found a 'damaged' copy for £8.81 !

Burnham's Celestial Handbooks 1,2 & 3 bought secondhand all for ~£20 are nothing short of astonishing.

Robotic Exploration of the Solar System: Part I, 2 ,3 & 4 covering 1957-2013 !  ~£20 each.

You could easily spend £100 on magazines over 2 years, its worth considering the alternatives.

[jnb]

I've been a subscriber to Sky At Night for a few years now, but lately I've been very disappointed with the content. Maybe its just me, but it seems ever more childish and less scientific....

I'm tempted to take out a sub for Astronomy Now, but I've never read a copy before...

Just wondered how it compares with Sky At Night... Is it more informative, in depth and scientific? Which is what I'm looking for...

Or, are there any other mags available in the UK that anyone can recommend?

IIRC one can get a free edition of AN from their web site, obviously that's an out of date back catalogue issue but none the less you can get a sample edition. Failing that you can always get a single issue PDF from their site for £3.50.

FWIW I prefer AN but their web site isn't very high tech and they are not really set up for digital subscriptions.

[S.A.M]

I buy both magazines and find AN better of the two.

[Robp]

I tried a couple of S@N magazines a while ago but didn't find it worthwhile subscribing.

[Paranoidsam]

If you wish your interest to be strictly visual - for heaven's sake stay away from video gear and a telescope! It has been eloquently and accurately stated that once you see those little grey smudges rendered into glorious full-colour, you're DOOMED! In our sit-at-home-push-buttons culture, I see the future of amateur-astronomy to be with screens and video-cams.

I'm not saying that I approve of this - I'm just being a realist.

Clear Skies,

Dave

I have a telescope... It's just that taking beautiful pictures isn't what I'm interested in.

Sitting indoors, at a computer screen just isn't my idea of astronomy... I just don't get a thrill from that. I like to be out there in the freezing cold, looking at objects directly...

Plus, I'm more into solar system objects than deep sky.

[symesie04]

Oh if its just solar system stuff you want to read about why didnt you say?  Try The Sun (for the layman) New of the Worlds (uncertain if its still in circulation) or maybe the Daily Planet  

[Paranoidsam]

Oh if its just solar system stuff you want to read about why didnt you say?  Try The Sun (for the layman) New of the Worlds (uncertain if its still in circulation) or maybe the Daily Planet  

Haha... Not just solar system, but mainly that.

[michaelmorris]

I used to subscribe to only Astronomy Now, buying S@N on an ad hoc basis. One year I added up the amount I was spending and realised it was just as cheap to subscribe to S@N as well.

[Treeden]

I used to subscribe to only Astronomy Now, buying S@N on an ad hoc basis. One year I added up the amount I was spending and realised it was just as cheap to subscribe to S@N as well.

S.R Hadden: First rule in government spending: why build one when you can have two at twice the price?

[sbooder]

I get S&T and my bimonthly SPA (Pop Astro) mag.

[jambouk]

What is the cheapest way to get S&T in the UK?

James