The best astronomy magazine?

[The Warthog]

Of the American magazines, I prefer S&T for usually having information you can bring to the eyepiece with you. Astronomy seems to have more theoretical articles than S&T, but I think Astronomy is more about scientific Astronomy than amateur astronomy. I subscribe to the Canadian magazine SkyNews because, well, it's Canadian, and pretty good at covering things of interest to amateurs.

[nitram100]

I'm a bit biased towards Astronomy Now becuase i grew up reading it. I haven't checked out S@N yet, but might pick up a copy tonight at Tesco.

[coffee_prince]

I quiet like the Q and A type articles as you learn a great deal from these types of things. I could really do without the long articles about the chemical makeup of certain planets and stuff like that, don't find them too interesting!

I'd like more reviews, AN doesn't seem to have much at all

[Ford Prefect]

Practical Astronomer for me, as well as Astro Photo Insight ( a US online magazine)

Jon

[slartylite]

astronomy now then sky at night others are a waste of paper.

[Llamanaut]

i subscribe to S@N but when my subscription runs out at the end of the year i wont be renewing. Its getting too full of adverts these days, yes the articles are informative but its turned into a trade catalogue. I think the wqaelth of info online these days are negating magazines... save your money and buy someting useful for your scope instead!

[cosmic dave]

Sky at night for me, I used to get S&T but found it stodgy and hate to say it a bit boring at times !

[russ]

I'm re-discovering 'Astronomy' from the states atm. It went completely off the boil for a decade but i've really enjoyed the all the issues this year. Between that and AN for me. S&T used to be my fav but it too went off the boil a few years ago and doesn't seem to be getting any better.

[ollypenrice]

I like Astronomy Now but I would say that - as an occasional contributer! I like Alan Longstaff's Q-A column - but I would say that because he's a mate! So no need to listen to me, I'm biased...

All magazines have an inherently difficult task in catering for a wide range of experience levels in their readers. We need to be fair about this when we discuss them.

Olly

[cosmic dave]

I like Astronomy Now but I would say that - as an occasional contributer! I like Alan Longstaff's Q-A column - but I would say that because he's a mate! So no need to listen to me, I'm biased...

All magazines have an inherently difficult task in catering for a wide range of experience levels in their readers. We need to be fair about this when we discuss them.

Olly

Good Point.

[BinocularSky]

I second the accolade for Amateur Astronomy.

Of the commercial offerings, if you read French, take a look at Ciel et Espace -- so much better than any of the English language ones. They also do regular podcasts and you can download a sample mag for free to see if you like it (I haven't tried this, so don't know how well it works).

[drewedgar]

I subscribe to Sky At Night and Astronomy Now, hard to say which is best.

[Martin-Devon]

As a beginner, I like Sky-at Night and have a subsciption - nice balance between basics (which I need), UK adverts which I like to browse and more astro specialst stuff. I found their web forum pretty poor though, was much more impressed with SGL

[paulhereford]

I buy Astronomy Now and Sky at Night on a monthly basis but don't subscribe. Never much liked Sky and Telescope.

[jturner9]

If there was a fight, who would win

1) Astronomy Now

2) Sky and Telescope (USA publication I think)

3) Sky at Night

Looking to subscribe to one. I have read Astronomy Now, its okay I guess but wouldn't really subscribe to it. Are the others ones better?

I like Sky News from Canada and Astronomy Technology Today. Also

on my list is Astronomy and of course S&T.

If your into equipment Astronomy Technology Today is the mag of choice for me. It is a USA pub though.

Just my 000.1 cents worth

Jim ScopesNC

www.nightskiesnetwrork.com

[george7378]

I have S@N, and I just love the episodes on the coverdisc, and the great relationship they have with the reader - you can win prizes with your astro images, and after receiving just 7 issues the editor has already been kind enough to include a pic/article from me in the interactive section. They also print things like 'favourite sights' and 'forum posts' so it is really easy to get into the magazine yourself. The content is great and it's very much geared towards observing - I always read it cover to cover.

[Arushin]

S@N for me too!

The only one I subscribe to as I find it is pretty easy to understand most of what's being written about, which is good for us beginners. The involvement of the great man Sir Patrick Moore is what drew me to it initially as I have loved the T.V. show since I was a kid. Always something useful on the cover disc as well.

[LukeSkywatcher]

I now know i can get any info online. I wont be buying any astro mag from now on. I have noticed that the one mag i do subscribe to is starting to repeat news and info.

[perpetual dan]

I used to subscribe to Astronomy Now, but the research content is a bit heavy for me - I'm a scientist in another field and don't have any plans to swap departments! If I'm expecting a long journey I might take a look at AN, S@N, Sky and Telescope and a few cycling magazines to see if there's anything interesting enough to buy.

[boboco]

To be honnest the internet has killed magazines for me, but I like S&T, but mainly as "equipment ****" than for the astronomy.

Amateur Astronomy looks interesting, but I wonder how biased it is to lower latitudes?

[boboco]

To be honnest the internet has killed magazines for me, but I like S&T, but mainly as "equipment ****" than for the astronomy.

Amateur Astronomy looks interesting, but I wonder how biased it is to lower latitudes?

oh, sorry moderators if I just transgressed, the **** are to cover the p**n word, did not realise it was not allowed ;-) .

[runoffshed]

I favour Sky and Telescope and, after reading it for many years, the writers have become like old friends (excuse me while I wipe away a tear and watch an episode of The Waltons) but it's gone down hill in the last year or so with each edition seeming to get thinner and thinner ....and it's not just the reduction in advertising.

Still love it but with so much info available on the web it's hard to justify.

A year's subs will buy a pretty decent eyepiece!

I'd still like their dvd 6 decade S & T archive though!

John

[twotter]

Another vote for Sky at Night from me

The only other magazine I subscribe to is Guitarist...but that's another forum

[Bodkin]

I have been reading Astronomy since it turned up in WH Smith's in 1983 so it has a nostalgic draw for me. I also have read S&T a lot in this time. The thing that seems clear to me is that they both go through peaks and troughs. To me they are a little weak at the moment, but I will persevere. I used to like Astronomy and S&T for the equipment, observing and astrophotography photos, but these days there is so much great stuff on internet sites like SGL. I feel sure the magazines will have to evolve to meet these challenges.

In the meantime, my favourite source of astronomy (and general science) information is New Scientist.

[Luke]

Astronomy Now is my pref. For me S@N went downhill but I guess it depends what kind of articles you like. I miss the articles by Sir Patrick Moore and being dead impressed by all the piccies in there from the SGL imaging gods.