Sky and Telescope late

October issue, are you joking me
seems like that since they been bought out last year that they've lost some headline people, changed the layout for the worse, lost the solid spine so it no longer fits the binders and now their distribution is run by Homer Simpson.
For now I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe they're in the middle of a change of distributors so what happens over the next 3 months or so will decide if I cancel my subscription.

Well, now I am getting very p*ssed off .... I took great joy in having my issues appear six weeks before the cover date and my October issue has yet to arrive. On the basis of past experience, it is now ONE MONTH late.

Makes me wonder if slowly we are seeing the decline of one of the most recognized names in amateur astronomy?!

Hi,

Sky & Telescope used to appear 5 to 2 weeks before the deadline (1st of the month on the cover). The last one (i.e. Sep 2008) appeared 2 weeks after the dealine.

Looking at their web page I notice they refer to the subscription as 'Foreign'. For many years it used to say 'expedited' as well, has expedited gone by the way side?

John

I've had the October issue of S&T in our shop for over a week now. Looks like retail is ahead of subscription now.

Hi all,

I phoned Sky and Telescope customer services last night and explained all our frustrations to them. It took a while for them to get the message that it wasn't just me who is seeing the magazine being delivered late, but virtually every subscriber in Ireland.

I also mentioned to the rep that on Cloudy Nights there have been comments from a number of subscribers in other European countries who are similarly experiencing delays. To be honest, I can only hope that my comments are escalated up the line by the service person. Another option might be to post to Cloudy Nights ourselves as Sean Walker and Tony Flanders (both Asst. Editors of the magazine) frequent the Stellar Media forum.

Fingers crossed!

John

John,

I just sent a message to Dennis di Cicco at S&T with a similar complaint. I used to get my issues five weeks prior to the cover date and, now, my Oct/2008 has yet to arrive.

My October issue arrived on Monday. Most of it is old news by now though.

Hi,

Some countries in Europe (e.g. those here in UK) appear to get the magazine quicker. Hope there is a response from S&T about the problem, they have been good in the past about such things.

If not, I will mention the problem to Robert Naeye while I am in the USA later in the month,

still looking foward to getting my S&T,

John

Hi,

My October S&T arrived yesterday (6th Oct),

John

Mine came yesterday, only a week late.

i recieved mine yesterday also.

Gents,

My issue for Oct/2008 finally arrived today. I was informed they had some printing issues and, hence, for the delay.

Anthony.

Looks like they are back on track, got the November issue today.

Hi,

Glad to see the November 08 S&T is arriving.

I mentioned it to Robert Naeye (Editor in chief S&T) and he said there was a problem with the printers.

Robert gave an excellent after dinner talk at the AAVSO Fall Meeting on Nantucket.

Plenty of time to surf the web - as weather has marooned us on the island!

John

A number of here in SAC got the October issue again last week and then got the November a few days later, their printers are definitely having some issues.

Folks,

With my subscription for S&T expiring in 2010, earlier today I received a renewal notice .... such an early request for renewal worries me somewhat.

They were offering a $5 credit for the early renewal.

Got the November issue recently myself.

Interesting about the renewal notice Anthony. I got two notices the last couple of months even though I had extended my subscription in June to 2011. I'm going to let all my other astronomy magazines subs lapse because I just don't get time to read them anymore!

atb,

John

i sent them a email last week as i got the november issue but not the october one. the replied that that the two of them were posted around the same time and that i should wait a few days. if it doesn't come this week i am going to have to mail them again. we i suppose i should be happy at least this time they bothered to answer my email.

skynotes wrote:

Interesting about the renewal notice Anthony. I got two notices the last couple of months even though I had extended my subscription in June to 2011.

I am hoping it is a strategic move on their part in advance of the forthcoming problems with the economy (recessions etc) rather than something more serious than that.

I'm going to let all my other astronomy magazines subs lapse because I just don't get time to read them anymore!

This is something I am careful with as well. Three magazines which I support whole-heartedly via a subscription are Astronomy, Astronomy Now and Popular Astronomy, for I find the content interesting and they also have shown a lot of interest in my work.

With S&T, my subscription is into double digits (years) but at times I have wondered whether the end of the line for me personally has come or not. It is very rare that a complete issue will capture my attention and quite often an article will be of interest at best. Some columnists (ex. David Levy) I completely ignore (too much rambling about anything and everything with no direction and simply provides the equivalent of a blog in printed form). The paper the magazine is printed on is very poor and especially when looking at the gallery section where photos seem like newsprint quality.

The paper the magazine is printed on is very poor and especially when looking at the gallery section where photos seem like newsprint quality.

Completely agree on that one. I will be letting my subscription lapse and I will flick through it in Easons to decide to buy or not. Cutting costs may be the straw that breaks the mags back.