Using the Night Sky to Cultivate Public Interest in Astronomy Rick Fienberg & Kelly Beatty Sky Publishing Corp. Communicating Astronomy with the Public, ESO/Garching,
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Transcript Using the Night Sky to Cultivate Public Interest in Astronomy Rick Fienberg & Kelly Beatty Sky Publishing Corp. Communicating Astronomy with the Public, ESO/Garching,
Using the Night Sky to Cultivate
Public Interest in Astronomy
Rick Fienberg & Kelly Beatty
Sky Publishing Corp.
Communicating Astronomy with the Public, ESO/Garching, June 2005
Published monthly since November 1941
Covers the science and the hobby of
astronomy
Paid readership: 108,000
2/3 subscriptions
1/3 newsstand sales
3/4 North America
1/4 international
Reader characteristics:
10% beginner
50% amateur
35% advanced amateur
5% professional
Owns 2+ telescopes
Owns 2+ binoculars
Observes regularly
Problems
Paid circulation is not growing
Average age: 51 and climbing
Pct. of young readers decreasing
Expires cite high cost, lack of time
Yet at the same time…
2 million telescopes sold annually
Solutions
Expand market “horizontally”
Expand market “vertically”
to reach more casual enthusiasts
Market Research
Blind-surveyed buyers of Meade
and Orion beginner telescopes
Talked with telescope
manufacturers and dealers
Talked with visitors to telescope
dealerships and public star parties
What We Found
Most telescopes are gifts; recipients
may not have any interest in astronomy
But many first telescopes are purchased
by astronomy enthusiasts for themselves
Most beginners are adults, not kids
Adult beginners don’t necessarily
buy “beginner” (cheap) telescopes
What We Found
Many new owners have trouble operating
their telescopes and end up frustrated
Beginners look for help in magazines,
online, and in books
Beginners find S&T and Astronomy too
costly, technical, and time-consuming
More familiarity with the night sky means
more interest in the science of astronomy
Our Response
A new astronomy magazine especially for
beginners
Written & illustrated for adults, but accessible
to kids
Main ingredient: stargazing; science is the
“spice”
Bimonthly, $17.99/year ($3.99/copy)
Editorial Formula
Message: “Astronomy is fun. You can do it, and
we make it easy for you.”
Same high standards and rigorous accuracy as
S&T,
but…
Less comprehensive
Less technical
More user-friendly
Editorial Formula
Assume little or no prior knowledge
Use welcoming, success-oriented tone
Offer a mix of naked-eye, binocular,
and telescope targets, but…
Feature only those objects visible from
suburban locations
Introduce a few simple concepts per
article
Editorial Formula
Thorough, step-by-step instructions
for finding celestial objects
Thorough, step-by-step instructions
for using telescopes and accessories
Lots of big, clear, simple illustrations
Charts uncluttered by stars and deepsky objects not visible in cities/suburbs
How to buy the right equipment for you
Market Response
Circulation 50,000 and rising
(20,000 subs., 30,000 news.)
Only 1/4 to 1/3 read S&T, so we’re
reaching a new population of readers
More advertising pages than expected
Parents’ Choice Silver Award
Not-so-good news: Average age = 51
Reviewer Comments
“This is a fine publication, another excellent tool for us to use and to recommend for those
just starting out with more interest than knowledge, and a very good choice for your gift
shop shelf.”
— Jim Manning, The Planetarian (June 2004)
“We are not in the business of selling magazine subscriptions — it’s just that this
magazine is so good that we don’t want you or your family to get involved with amateur
astronomy without having it alongside.”
— Celestaire, Inc. (March 2005)
Time will tell…