SPA magazine

[Alfian]

The Society for Popular Astronomy doesn't seem to get mentioned so much so thought I'd give a bit of a thumbs up to its bimonthly magazine. I was gifted membership to the SPA last Xmas and although I haven't (yet) joined in with any activities or meetings, the magazine is very good and imo in itself is well worth the cost of membership. Thinner than the likes of AN and S@M but not cluttered with adverts and some good content. Worth a look, or putting on a wanted list.

[Macavity]

I agree. Somewhere along the line, my membership must have lapsed... 😐
"Circumstances"? I always looked forward to it "plopping onto the mat"!
🙂

[Guest]

I've never bought an astronomy magazine, perhaps it's about time... 

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2020 by Guest

[ringz]

I used to be a member years ago when it was called the "Junior Astronomical Society". I only recall ever going to a couple of meetings at the London Planetarium. They had a preview of the new projector and seating arrangement, it was ghastly  We all wanted the Zeiss machine back.

Edited September 10, 2020 by ringz
typo

[Seelive]

I was a member in the early 70's and that was where my interest in astrophotography kicked of. A few years after my membership had lapsed, I recieved a copy of a book written by the then director of the astrophotography section as he had included a star trails image of Ursa Major that I had submitted to the section.

I've probably still got a few copies of Hermes in the loft somewhere.

[mikeDnight]

I was a member for quite some time and thoroughly enjoyed it because it didn't take itself too seriously. The SPA had some very skilled observers in its ranks, and although it was initially designed to be for beginners, many seasoned observers encouraged eachother by displaying and discussing their talents in its magazine, section reports, and on its forum's. I seem to remember from the mid 2000's the then zealous new planetary section director saw an increase of visual observers joining the section, and sending in regular monthly reports by post, from around 15 to 36 over a 2 year period. There were some  truly talented observers, many of whom were simply content to treat their observing as just an enjoyable hobby, but who could have equally stood alongside some of the world's finest. Not sure how things stand today but back then it was buzzing!