Sky @ Night Magazine

[Hertford Stargazer]

Today The Sky@Night magazine arrived through the door with a very loud thud as it landed on the doormat. I was a little disappointed to find about 6 advertising leaflets, 24 full pages of advertising (including inside front and rear covers) and a 15 page "advertising feature" from a USA telescope brand. As much as I love and enjoy the magazine I found the level of advertising a little over the top. 
 

[cotterless45]

Yep, but the moon chart is useful and the rejigged observing features are very very good. I just recycle the ads ,

Nick.

[Hertford Stargazer]

Yes the Moon chart is good, I haven't had a proper look at the new features but I like the idea of a "Star of the Month" ect. I suppose as Christmas is fast approaching then the amount of advertising will increase  , my level of grumpiness increases also, I can't bear the thought of all that xmas cash being spent on non-astronomy products ....... mmmmm maybe the advertising isn't such a bad thing after all 
 

[Charic]

I too subscribed which of course  saved me some money, but the level of adverts, and their repetition put me off, so I cancelled. I'll still keep the magazines for aeons, but no longer subscribe.

I've just this week bought  Octobers  AN - Astronomy Now. Will give that a look over at the weekend.

[Sp@ce_d]

Thats why I stopped my regular copy of it last year.. Just have a subscription to AN .. now.

[Pete Presland]

I haven't bought sky at night since last year's "calendar" edition, I don't really buy astronomy now much either.  

[reddoss]

I got my subscription copy yesterday. After flicking through it, I rang up and cancelled my subscription. One reason is that I find that it the science has become far too dumbed down and it seems to contain more adverts than features.

Also, I have recently attended two star parties and have been talking to other deep sky astro-imagers whom I have known for many years. It was interesting to find out that none of us had submitted any of our images to the 'Hot Shots' section for quite a long time. The reason being that increasingly over the past two years many of the published images are taken in countries from all over the world, nearly all of which have far better weather and sky conditions than we do here in the UK. Although we understand the magazine sells in many different countries, as UK based amateurs, we did not feel we could compete with images taken in geographic locations with near perfect skies. One idea we came up with is that may be they should have a section for those of us who live in moisture filled air below the jet stream. 

 

 

 

[Hertford Stargazer]

I'm lucky in regards to my subscription has been brought for me by my mother as a Christmas present, she has done so for the last two years. Although it makes a great present which lasts all year I don't think I could justify the money myself. I'm still trying to work out what them postcards were all about a few editions ago 

 

[Gina]

I stopped buying magazines a while ago - I already have far too much clutter!

[oobydooby]

Just a point regarding the subscription for Sky at Night magazine in the UK.

I have just received a letter telling me the subscription costs are increasing and will be implemented in my next direct debit in November.  It will make it about £2 cheaper than buying the magazine at the newsagents for the six monthly subscription. BUT according to a new subscription offer in the magazine new subscribers are being offered a rate that is about £10 less.

[Patbloke]

I may be wrong but I'm guessing the advertising is to keep the cost down? Yes lots of leaflets but like Nick they just go straight into the recycling :-) I still like the magazine as there's the occasional good article or letter (Nick) I tend to browse over the photo section as like Reddoss states most of them are from all over the world with clear skies and whilst I appreciate the creativity I am more an observer/ equipment collector ( or thats how it seems right now ) 

Having said that I look at the piles of copies from previous years sat on a coffee table in my flat and wonder of I will ever look at them again? Also, it's a horrible reminder of how quick the months fly by!! 

[astro mick]

Its getting a bit pricey at  £5.20

Mick.

[reddoss]

7 hours ago, astro mick said:

Its getting a bit pricey at  £5.20

Mick.

I also miss the CD which to me seemed to add value for money. I have only ever bothered once with its replacement and logged on to the extra online content.

[Hertford Stargazer]

12 minutes ago, reddoss said:

I also miss the CD which to me seemed to add value for money. I have only ever bothered once with its replacement and logged on to the extra online content.

Yes I miss the CD too, I think I've logged in maybe twice. Life is so full of logging in here, there and everywhere I just can't face another log in page 
 

[astro mick]

Yes the CD was a major player for me also.

Mick.

[barkis]

I used to Buy various Mags, S@N was on subscription for a number of years, but I stopped when the price started to creep up.
I don't but PC Mags. or Android ones  either now for the same reason, some of them are a few coppers short of a Tenner, ridiculous for what amounts
to an Advertising delivery medium these days, with little useful content in them.
I will be bringing loads of pristine condition S@N Mags. to SGL12,  complete with the mating  CD's, which go back a number of years.
Don't want to seem mercenary, but 50p a copy can't be  a rip off, will help pay my huge fuel bill, it's a long way for moi. .

[reddoss]

There is a saying amongst Anglers, 'Fishing tackle shops are not there to help you catch fish, they are there to catch fishermen'.

Me thinks many commercially run 'interest type' magazines are the same.

[barkis]

2 hours ago, reddoss said:

There is a saying amongst Anglers, 'Fishing tackle shops are not there to help you catch fish, they are there to catch fishermen'.

Me thinks many commercially run 'interest type' magazines are the same.

Well,  there's money in Advertising, that's why the world is drowning in it, and the posting as a heavier load . 

 

 

 

[Droogie 2001]

On ‎20‎/‎10‎/‎2016 at 14:21, oobydooby said:

Just a point regarding the subscription for Sky at Night magazine in the UK.

I have just received a letter telling me the subscription costs are increasing and will be implemented in my next direct debit in November.  It will make it about £2 cheaper than buying the magazine at the newsagents for the six monthly subscription. BUT according to a new subscription offer in the magazine new subscribers are being offered a rate that is about £10 less.

I cancelled my subscription last week as it was something I have been thinking of doing for a while anyway. I just feel that I don't get that much out of it anymore and the fact I was told the subscription was going to go up was the incentive I needed.
I too find it disappointing that they treat existing customers with little regard. I guess like most companies once they have your business they rely on you doing nothing about it.
Funnily enough when I went to cancel there was no attempt to entice me to stay.

The Virtual Planetarium with Paul Abel and Pete Lawrence is always good as well as the odd old episode of S@N. Understandably this all costs money to produce so maybe this is the reason for increasing the subscription costs....

Will be subscribing to "Astronomy Now" as this seems to have more of the articles I am interested in. Will probably make the odd purchase of S@N every now and then.

 

[bejay1957]

I only ever buy if there is something of specific interest.  In general terms, astronomy mags and their information are a bit like gardening mags, the subject matter is cyclical, so its only something new/different that prompts a purchase - and of course the vast majority of info on something new/different can be found on any number of websites...

[Charic]

28 minutes ago, bejay1957 said:

I only ever buy if there is something of specific interest. 

I'll revert back to this method too.