What Sky & Telescope does

Sky & Telescope is a privately held astronomy media brand founded in 1941 and operated through AAS Sky Publishing, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the nonprofit American Astronomical Society. The company publishes a flagship print and digital magazine covering celestial events, observing guides, equipment advice, and astronomy news, and supports it with a multi-channel digital ecosystem including the skyandtelescope.org website (with a metered paywall), the monthly Sky Tour Astronomy Podcast, an Interactive Sky Chart tool for planning observing sessions, an Online Gallery for community astrophotography, an Astronomy Clubs & Events Directory, and email newsletters. Revenue is generated through four diversified streams: magazine subscriptions (print and digital, starting at $38.14/year), metered-paywall digital access on the website, display advertising from astronomy-related advertisers, and e-commerce merchandise and equipment sales via Shop at Sky.

The business serves three primary customer segments: amateur astronomers and stargazers seeking observing guidance, astrophotographers looking for a showcase platform, and general astronomy enthusiasts following space science news. The underlying technology stack is a content publishing platform with interactive sky-mapping tools and community submission features; no APIs, SDKs, or proprietary AI/ML systems are disclosed. Sky & Telescope operates with editorial independence from the AAS and distributes globally through direct subscriptions, self-serve digital access, and e-commerce, supported by an active social presence on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Name

Sky & Telescope

Legal name

AAS Sky Publishing, LLC

Website

https://skyandtelescope.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sky & Telescope is an 80+ year-old astronomy media brand, published by AAS Sky Publishing LLC (a subsidiary of the American Astronomical Society), serving amateur astronomers and stargazers through a magazine, metered-paywall website, podcast, and e-commerce store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Astronomy Media & Publishing

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Gaming Magazines (MPAJAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Binoculars, Scopes & Sport Optics Retail (CRACAHAI)

Keywords

• Astronomy magazine
• Astronomy news
• Observing guides
• Stargazing content
• Astrophotography community

Headquarters

HQ city

Palm Coast

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital subscriptions to Sky & Telescope magazine, published for over 80 years, covering astronomy news, observing guides, and expert journalism
2. Website Subscriptions/Paywall: Premium digital access to full website content including articles, archives, and exclusive features behind a metered paywall
3. Merchandise Sales: E-commerce sales through Shop at Sky (shopatsky.com) including astronomy equipment, calendars, atlases, and branded merchandise
4. Advertising: Display advertising on website and in magazine from astronomy-related advertisers, equipment manufacturers, and tourism companies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sky & Telescope is a multi-platform astronomy media brand that publishes a flagship magazine (in print and digital formats) and operates a content website covering celestial events, observing guides, and astronomy news. The company sells subscriptions to its magazine and metered digital access, distributes a monthly podcast, hosts an astrophotography community gallery, and runs an e-commerce marketplace for astronomy equipment and branded merchandise.

Product overview

Sky & Telescope operates as a multi-platform astronomy media company offering a unified portfolio of products and services. The flagship product is Sky & Telescope Magazine (print and digital subscriptions), complemented by the Interactive Sky Chart tool for practical stargazing, the Sky Tour Astronomy Podcast for audio content, an Online Gallery for community astrophotography sharing, a Marketplace for equipment and merchandise, an Events & Clubs Directory for community connection, Astronomy Equipment Guides for educational content, and Email Newsletters for ongoing engagement. These offerings work together to serve astronomy enthusiasts from content consumption to practical observing and community participation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Night Sky: A publication brand associated with Sky & Telescope for amateur astronomy enthusiasts
• Sky Tour Podcast

Products and services

• Sky & Telescope Magazine Flagship astronomy magazine offered in print and digital subscription formats, featuring articles on celestial events, observational guides, equipment advice, and space science news for amateur astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts.
• Interactive Sky Chart Online tool that helps users identify celestial objects and plan stargazing sessions by providing real-time sky maps with customizable viewing parameters and observing information.
• Sky Tour Astronomy Podcast Monthly podcast highlighting current celestial events, constellation guides, and stargazing tips for amateur astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts.
• Shop at Sky Marketplace E-commerce platform operated through shopatsky.com offering astronomy equipment, branded merchandise, books, atlases, calendars, and accessories for amateur astronomers and skywatchers.
• Sky & Telescope Email Newsletters Email newsletter subscriptions providing regular updates on astronomy news, celestial events, observing guides, and new content for astronomy enthusiasts.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Astronomical Society (AAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSky & Telescope is a wholly owned subsidiary of AAS Sky Publishing LLC, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the American Astronomical Society. While Sky & Telescope maintains strict editorial independence from the AAS in its reporting, the ownership relationship provides scientific credibility and institutional backing. The magazine and website operate under the AAS Sky Publishing brand while maintaining editorial independence in astronomy coverage.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Space.com: Large-scale space and astronomy news site (Future plc) competing for the same enthusiast reader base with a much broader content footprint and free-access model.
• EarthSky: Science news site with a strong astronomy focus and daily sky-watching content, serving amateur astronomers with free articles and a newsletter product similar to Sky & Telescope's.
• BBC Sky at Night Magazine: UK-based astronomy magazine with a comparable mix of observing guides, equipment reviews, and celestial event coverage, serving the same amateur astronomer segment internationally.
• Universe Today: Leading independent astronomy and spaceflight news website that competes for the same amateur astronomer audience, primarily through free online content rather than subscriptions.
• Astronomy Magazine: Competitor astronomy enthusiast magazine published by Kalmbach Media, covering celestial events, observing guides, and equipment—directly overlapping with Sky & Telescope's target audience and product offering.

Emerging players

• Live Science: Digital-first science publication with dedicated astronomy coverage; competes for search-driven astronomy traffic and casual stargazers via free content rather than subscriptions.

Broad incumbents

• Scientific American: Major science magazine with astronomy coverage as part of a broader science portfolio; competes for science-curious readers but covers physics, biology, and policy well beyond astronomy.
• Discover Magazine: General-interest science magazine covering astronomy alongside other disciplines; overlaps with Sky & Telescope's science-curious audience but at a broader editorial scope.
• National Geographic: Iconic magazine and digital platform that includes space and astronomy as one of many beats; competes for the same casual science enthusiast reader but operates at far greater scale.
• Kalmbach Media: Parent company of Astronomy Magazine and other enthusiast hobbyist titles (e.g., Bird Watching, Model Railroader); represents the scaled hobbyist publishing model Sky & Telescope competes against in the astronomy vertical.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/skyandtelescope
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SkyandTelescopeMedia
• Facebookfacebook.com/66274830772
• Instagraminstagram.com/skyandtelescopemag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sky-telescope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sky & Telescope