Home Page | Subscription information | An Overview of Past Articles | Order back issues Read what our subscribers say | Author's guidelines | Index of back issues | Tectron Collimation Tools "Best thing I ever did was buy all of the back issues of AA and what a bargain it was indeed. Best of all it has paid for itself many many time over with all the wonderful information in each issue and then some. A great reference." David, TX "Your latest issue is possibly the
best yet (from my personal interest point of view)! Photos of your
new workshop, building an observatory and eyepiece 'box', lots o' scope
articles, star parties, and... - all great
"The Dome Part I" in AA33 was quite interesting. It was good to hear the 'reasoning' train of thought, in that, so often one is not priveledged to hear the pros-cons thoughts in such an article." Paul, MS "I want to thank you for a SUPER publication. I know you put a lot of effort into the magazine and it shows." Nancy, FL "I just discovered, and tracked down
a copy of, your excellent magazine, I appreciate that you're dedicated
to information, not 2-page spreads of "lookit what my $50K of scope/cam/Photoshop
will do" ...or 14 pages of Meade ads. You'll be getting a check from me
in a few days for a sub!"
"I have nothing profound to say - just a heartfelt 'Thanks!' for this wonderful publication. It fills an incredibly important niche and does so with tremendous class." GB -internet "AA is a great magazine. Having been a subscriber for the last 3 years, I cannot proclaim loud enough to my friends about this fantastic publication. The articles are informative and yet down to earth. While other leading astronomy magazines talk about professional astronomy, this magazine brings astronomy to the masses. I wholeheartdly agree that AA is the best magazine for amateurs and brings back the glory days of Deep Sky and Telescope Making. Keep up the good work!" David -internet "First I must say, I absolutely love A.A. I bought a three year subscription to it earlier last year and anxiously await each new issue. I was fortunate to pick up a mint and complete back issue collection on Astromart late last fall and have read each one and am starting over again!" Ross -internet "I thoroughly enjoy AA and read everything
in it. I think you have created a good 'amateur-astronomer community'.
For some of us living away from cities it does provide a means of keeping
in touch with what is
" I must suggest you consider subscribing. This is the magazine that covers what amateurs do, think, and feel, all in their own words. It covers star parties, people, equipment ideas in delightful detail." A.N. TeleVue Optics "This publication is a worthy successor to Telescope Making. When I first saw your publication at RTMC, I purchased all the available back issues. Inclosed is my two year subscription." B.G. CA "AA has something for all telescope hobbiests, sure--but for us Dobs owners, many of whom have gone more than just a little astro-cranial (afflicted with "stars in the head") it's a special treat!" H. McG. SJ, CA "Your publication is almost startling. AA covers both the wistful contemplation of engaging a wide-open universe to attempt to come to grips with it, and the exhilaration of what we yearned for the most when we joined the local club- the fellowship. AA is crammed with fellowship! Tom, you may not know what you have unleashed". D.C. AL "Excellent magazine! The other magazines do not address the visual and active backyard observer." S. A. NY "All right, all right, I give up! After borrowing copies of your magazine from a friend over the past year or so, I can't wait for him to finish with it each time so I'm going to do what I should have done some time back. Here's my subscription." L. C. CA "AA has definitely filled the void left by the expiration of Deep Sky Magazine. I do feel that it will only be a matter of time before AA will become the new standard that other magazines will hope to achieve. . . great job!" S. L. IL "The varied articles and lively writing were quite enjoyable. Since there is no astronomy club in my area I now feel that I am a member of a nationwide network of a great bunch of people! AA fits nicely between the large national glossies and the local club newsletter." J.S. PA "A friend let me read his and I was hooked. Wish I'd known earlier." J.A. TX "The coverage and ample photographs of the major star parties are interesting to myself and others who would like to attend but lack the vacation time. The photos are very helpful and give the feeling of greater interaction. I find myself reading your magazine cover to cover as soon as I get it." J. W. CA "You are doing an excellent job with the magazine--love all those big scopes that look like they belong in a cannon factory!! Great articles, fine photos, and lotsa heart!! Don't change anything!" H. McG. CA "Amateur Astronomy is much more varied and far better written than the old TM or Deep Sky, and much less commercial than are S&T and Astronomy. It is a lot less pompous and mindlessly competitive than Deep Sky." W.M. OH "The other day I mentioned to someone that I wish Deep Sky were still around. They handed me a flyer about AA." G.M. CA "Let me take this chance to say how much I enjoy AA. The common theme in every issue: a lot of down to earth, nice people enjoying a hobby they love comes through nicely in each issue. It gives you a nice feeling about people just to read the magazine. I look forward to each new issue." W. Y. NY "Amateur Astronomy is a refreshing break from the big boys - the scope and approach being on an advanced amateur level, and personal experiences given much attention. It is a little like two people talking over the fence, if you will. Not a lot of astrophysics and cosmology, but a very great deal of stimulating TM ideas, eyepiece impressions, and common sense. Even some gossip and humor! I shall look forward to each issue, much like I used to look forward to TM and Deep Sky." L. R. CA 
A Review: Amateur Astronomy Magazine "One thing You've got to say about Tom and Jeannie Clark: when they do something, they do it right. When Kalmbach publishing, five years ago, announced the demise of Telescope Making and Deep Sky magazines, Tom quickly announced that he'd replace them both with a magazine of his own. Tom has pretty much done that with Amateur Astronomy, a quarterly no-frills black and white magazine. "Through most of the 1980's, the publishers of Astronomy magazine also published two quarterly specialty magazines: Telescope Making and Deep Sky. Two special people who loved and lived their special interest of the hobby edited both. And both magazines were unique, because everyday people who also loved and lived their special interest wrote the articles in the magazines. Thus, two communities were born. "The role the two magazines played was enormous - the technology used in large, ultra-compact Dobsonians was displayed, reinvented and refined in TM. TM also saw the refinement of computerized telescope control that's so popular today in many commercial telescopes. TM covered the large telescope-making conferences. Couldn't make Stellafane? In all likelihood, TM covered it and the best new telescopes were talked about and pictured. TM also served as an early platform for the spread of amateur-based CCD technology. "And great things happened in DS, too. A core group of observers discovered that they could use modern amateur telescopes to observe faint deep-sky objects. They learned how to comb the professional literature to find challenging new objects once considered the exclusive targets of the large professional telescopes. They confirmed to one-another that they could actually see this stuff and even work with professional astronomers in various ways. Through DS, publishers were convinced that markets existed for new, better star atlases. Computerized databases were found, talked about and found their way into commercial telescope controls. "When Kalmbach stopped publishing the two magazines, a void was left. Several people tried stepping into that void: Tom and Jeannie are among the few survivors. They dreamed up Amateur Astronomy as a replacement for both magazines. Running a business wasn't new to Tom and Jeannie - they are the owners of Tectron, which sells Dobsonian telescopes and is well known for its collimation tools. "Today, about four years after its first issue, AA is published quarterly, just like TM and DS had been. And like those before, AA relies heavily on the input of its readers. Articles are not edited for style - so the voices of the authors are loud and clear. You don't write for AA for the money - you write because you love your topic and you burn to share your knowledge with others. That desire often makes the articles in AA more enjoyable than you might expect. "Typical issues run about 70 pages with only a few ads. Tom does an excellent job of culling interesting articles from club newsletters. Articles that would otherwise be seen by a few are now seen by many. Recently, Tom ran an article about observing Comet Hyakutakye from Florida by NOVAC's own Bill Burton that had appeared in the NOVAC newsletter. Among recent articles: 'observing with green lights instead of red', 'skunks and observing', 'explorations of the southern skies' and 'optical quality'. "Tom loves star parties and the magazine covers most. The most recent issue had a review of the ''New" Texas Star Party as well as articles about deep-sky objects in Lyra; Fall deep sky objects that start off catalogs - NGC I, Jones I Kemble 1, etc.; a visit to Mauna Kea and the Keck telescope, short bios of well-known amateurs Tom Cave, Michael Covington, and Jack Newton; pieces about lightweight portable 22-inch and 30-inch Dobsonians, a super portable 10-inch that rides to star parties on a motorcycle; and... well, you get the picture! "I don't really have any complaints about AA. It would be easy to say that AA needs more observing pieces, or that the telescope-making pieces could use more detail. But that wouldn't be fair. Tom can only publish what readers send. So instead of complaining, I'll write up a good telescope-making article and a good, detailed observing article and send them in! "When TM and DS were put to sleep, each had about 10,000 subscribers. After four years, AA is up to about 1,800, so it's cooking right along. If you are at all serious about the hobby of astronomy, I highly recommend a subscription to AA. For $18, you get four issues and an entrance to a cozy room full of avid and enthusiastic people. Don't expect glossy color pics, or poetic writing - expect raw knowledge that can be used to make your enjoyment of the hobby more exciting. Expect to learn about the people who are shaping the future of the hobby, and the business of commercial telescopes. Expect to look forward to curling up with a good cloudy evening's read." Robert Bunge
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Tom Clark - Editor
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