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David Levy moving to Astronomy
On Jan 4, 3:06 am, "Curtis Croulet"
wrote: With a new Editor-in-Chief at S&T, perhaps a new team is being assembled. I had a long chat with S&T's new editor, Bob Naeye, at the Pacific Astronomy and Telescope Show in September. I told him that this past summer was the first time in almost 50 years that I considered not renewing my subscription. I felt that S&T had become too much like Astronomy. Whatever the merits of Astronomy or lack thereof, there's no point in my getting two versions of the same magazine. I let both subscriptions lapse a few years ago. I had been an S&T subscriber for decades. Somehow both mags had managed to take a fascinating subject and find a way to make it boring. |
#12
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David Levy moving to Astronomy
Quadibloc wrote:
On Jan 3, 8:56 am, "George Normandin" wrote: What's happening here? I know that Sky and Telescope occasionally tries to move itself towards a more popular orientation - to catch up with Astronomy magazine. So maybe by being the more respected and technical publication it is at a disadvantage. Also, Meade used to buy several pages of ads in every issue, and now doesn't do that anymore - so Sky and Telescope shrank recently. Perhaps, what with the tight economy, the magazine is under some pressure. But that doesn't mean it's necessarily in serious trouble. John Savard Times are a changin'. I'm pretty sure Meade is having a difficult time, and that didn't start last year. Spokespeople for the magazine have attended the SAS meeting in Big Bear each year, and they explain the readership, and possibly the amateur community, as tilted to older folks--with money. However, that's shrinking, and I don't mean because of the present financial difficulty of the world. The question is how do you appeal to newcomers? -- W. eWatson (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time) Obz Site: 39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet Web Page: www.speckledwithstars.net/ |
#13
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David Levy moving to Astronomy
On Jan 3, 10:56*am, "George Normandin"
wrote: From the latest (Jan 2nd, 2009) "Astronomy" magazine news letter: "In January 2009 world-renowned amateur astronomer and comet discoverer David H. Levy joins Astronomy magazine as a Contributing Editor. Levy will write a monthly column.." First Stephen James O'Meara 'jumped ship' from S&T and moved to Astronomy and now Levy. What's happening here? George N I would move to if it was more $$$. I did that in the sign industry. worked for the highest bidder. |
#14
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David Levy moving to Astronomy
On Jan 4, 2:06 am, "Curtis Croulet"
wrote: I had a long chat with S&T's new editor, Bob Naeye, at the Pacific Astronomy and Telescope Show in September. I told him that this past summer was the first time in almost 50 years that I considered not renewing my subscription. I felt that S&T had become too much like Astronomy. Whatever the merits of Astronomy or lack thereof, there's no point in my getting two versions of the same magazine. Bob told me to expect some forthcoming changes to S&T. There'll be more on astrophotography in the magazine (techniques & equipment, not pictures), and more of the main articles will be written by scientists rather than editors. However, he denied that the magazine has been "dumbed down" in recent years. His editorial in the Feb '09 issue conforms to this view. After reading Naeye's editorial I got as far as typing up nasty letter, putting it in an envelope and putting a stamp on. I may mail the letter, but I doubt this fool will care whether a 44 year subscriber continues his subscription or not. I have 44 years bound Sky and Telescope's on my bookshelf and I often refer to them, particularly the Deep Sky Wonders and Telescope Making articles. It is very clear that Seronik has dumbed down the telescope making section compared to Bob Cox. Indeed Seronik has done more harm than good. Saying that nobody builds their own scopes any more is foolish as a quick search on the web will prove. Seronik's job is to encourage to make people feel that it is impossible. Sue French has been able to salvage Deep Sky Wonders, but I'm afraid she won't be around along. As far as more astrophotography: I wonder just how many people can afford a $1300 CCD camera and a $1500 mount (Orion prices) to make a 8 hour exposure at an increasing rare dark site two hours from home . Looks like Sky and Telescope is going to die off. |
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David Levy moving to Astronomy
On 4 Ιαν, 20:41, wrote:
After reading Naeye's editorial I got as far as typing up nasty letter, putting it in an envelope and putting a stamp on. I may mail the letter, but I doubt this fool will care whether a 44 year subscriber continues his subscription or not. I have 44 years bound Sky and Telescope's on my bookshelf and I often refer to them, particularly the Deep Sky Wonders and Telescope Making articles. It is very clear that Seronik has dumbed down the telescope making section compared to Bob Cox. Indeed Seronik has done more harm than good. Saying that nobody builds their own scopes any more is foolish as a quick search on the web will prove. Seronik's job is to encourage to make people feel that it is impossible. Sue French has been able to salvage Deep Sky Wonders, but I'm afraid she won't be around along. As far as more astrophotography: I wonder just how many people can afford a $1300 CCD camera and a $1500 mount (Orion prices) to make a 8 hour exposure at an increasing rare dark site two hours from home . Looks like Sky and Telescope is going to die off. Personally I am not worried about the $1300 CCD camera and/or the $1500 mount ... these prices are peanuts ... but what worries me is the degradation in the weather. For me personally, winters are out the window as far as imaging is concerned which means I have a six-month window of opportunity to do my work (April through October) each year. My belief is that the weather is the real threat to astronomy (amateur and ground-based professional). No matter how good your equipment may be and how good your seeing and lack of light pollution may also be, it means didley squat if the clear skies are not there to allow one to spend a few quality hours under the night sky. It has been five to six weeks and I have yet to manage a mere 2-hr window so that I can at least pursue an open cluster. Predictions for the next ten days are more of the same: clouds and rains. I am happy to see S&T take a more serious look at astrophotography. Take one look at the forums and you will see that a serious amount of bandwidth does indeed involve astrophotography. As for S&T, I have also noted a decline in the quality and, in fact, I find myself spending more time reading my monthly issue of Astronomy than S&T. I have never been a fan of David Levy and, therefore, I feel indifferent where he ends up. Anthony. |
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David Levy moving to Astronomy
"Curtis Croulet" wrote..... .... I know nothing about the status of David Levy with S&T -- whether he's moving totally to Astronomy or doing both mags. I see him annually at the Starry Nights Festival in Yucca Valley, and he said nothing about it this last time. But I suppose he would not have been at liberty to say anything at the time. -- Curtis Croulet On Cloudy Nights Mr. Naeye just posted that Levy will still be an assistant editor for S&T, and he will be doing a new blog on their website, but will no longer do the monthly column. While David's "move" could be related to "opportunity" at Astronomy, it might also relate to health issues or some other personal issue having nothing to do with the relative status of the two magazines. George Normandin |
#18
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David Levy moving to Astronomy
"W. eWatson" wrote ..... Times are a changin'. ...... ...... The question is how do you appeal to newcomers? -- W. eWatson Good question. A few years ago S&T tried to publish a new "beginners" magazine that I thought was pretty good, or at least the two issues I read were. However, nobody bought it off the news stands, so it died. George Normandin |
#19
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David Levy moving to Astronomy
On Jan 4, 2:59*pm, Anthony Ayiomamitis wrote:
Personally I am not worried about the $1300 CCD camera and/or the $1500 mount ... these prices are peanuts ... Peanuts?!? Maybe for Donald Trump - $2800 is three months' pay for me. |
#20
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David Levy moving to Astronomy
Saying that nobody builds their own scopes any more is foolish as a
quick search on the web will prove. Because they don't. RTMC was established to showcase amateur-built scopes, but it's now RTMC Astronomy Expo, because the homebuilt scopes have almost disappeared. I'd really like to see some of those extraordinary scopes from years ago, but they aren't there. As far as more astrophotography: I wonder just how many people can afford a $1300 CCD camera and a $1500 mount (Orion prices) to make a 8 hour exposure at an increasing rare dark site two hours from home . I gather you've never actually tried any astrophotography. -- Curtis Croulet Temecula, California 33°27'59"N, 117°05'53"W |
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