BBC Sky at Night
A copy of the first issue of BBC Sky at Night has sold for more than £100 on eBay. That is a striking price for a British astronomy magazine that once sat on ordinary shelves. The opening issue disappeared so thoroughly that back copies can no longer be bought from the publisher. Why did that single issue vanish? What does a magazine offer when it borrows its name from a famous television program? And who has guided it from the start?
Patrick Moore was the face on the cover of the very first issue, which appeared in 2005. Readers who picked it up also received a free gift, a copy of Moore's Moon map. That pairing of a famous name and a practical keepsake proved irresistible. The issue sold out, and the publisher no longer holds back issues. Moore's tie to the magazine ran deeper than one cover, and it began with the television program that supplied the magazine's name.
Viewers of the BBC television program The Sky at Night will recognize the name on the magazine's masthead. The magazine takes its title from that series. It goes further than the screen version, though, by carrying more technical and scientific information. Its readers are amateur astronomers, and the publisher is a company called Our Media. In April 2007, the magazine marked the 50th anniversary of The Sky at Night on BBC TV with a specially themed issue. That issue was printed with two different covers. The link to the series once reached readers in a more literal form, through classic episodes drawn from the BBC archives.
Until 2015, issues of the magazine came with a bonus CD-ROM. The disc held software programs for astronomers, along with the latest astronomical photographs and written materials. It also carried those classic episodes of The Sky at Night from the BBC archives. In 2015, the monthly material that had been on the disc moved online instead. The printed pages that remained were shaped by a small group of named editors.
Patrick Moore served as an editorial advisor with the title of Editor Emeritus. Chris Lintott worked alongside him as Contributing Editor. As of 2025, the editor is Chris Bramley. Steve Marsh is Art Editor, and Ezzy Pearson is features editor. Jess Wilder is production editor. The masthead's final name for 2025 is Iain Todd, content editor, who completes a five-person line-up led by Bramley.
Up next
Updated
Common questions
What is BBC Sky at Night magazine?
BBC Sky at Night is a British monthly magazine about astronomy aimed at amateur astronomers. It is published by Our Media and takes its title from the BBC television program The Sky at Night.
When was BBC Sky at Night magazine launched?
BBC Sky at Night magazine was launched in 2005. Its first issue featured Patrick Moore on the cover and came with a free copy of Moore's Moon map.
How much is the first issue of BBC Sky at Night worth?
Copies of the first issue of BBC Sky at Night have sold for over £100 on eBay. The issue sold out, and back copies are no longer available.
How is BBC Sky at Night magazine different from the TV program?
The BBC Sky at Night magazine includes more technical and scientific information than the television series The Sky at Night. It is aimed at amateur astronomers.
Did BBC Sky at Night magazine come with a CD-ROM?
Until 2015, BBC Sky at Night magazine included a bonus CD-ROM with software programs, the latest astronomical photographs, written materials and classic episodes of The Sky at Night. From 2015, the monthly material moved online.
Who edits BBC Sky at Night magazine?
As of 2025, Chris Bramley is the editor of BBC Sky at Night magazine. Steve Marsh is Art Editor, Ezzy Pearson is features editor, Jess Wilder is production editor and Iain Todd is content editor.
All sources
7 references cited across the entry
- 1NewsMag ABCs: Full circulation round-up for the first half of 201315 August 2013