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…