Popular Astronomy (UK magazine)

The magazine was started in 1953 with the name The Junior Astronomer.^[1] Before 2011 it was a quarterly publication. Before 1981 the journal was known as Hermes,^[2] and earlier still it was called The Junior Astronomer. The magazine is published by the Society for Popular Astronomy, a national society for amateur astronomers.^[3]

The magazine aims to present the science in plain English, avoiding unnecessary jargon. As well as main features covering professional and amateur research, regular articles include:

• AstroNews - updates on some of the most interesting current developments in professional astronomy;
• Amateur Scene - a look around local astronomy clubs;
• Deep Sky Notes - surveying the season's deep celestial sights;
• Sky Diary - what's happening in the sky in the coming weeks;
• Glorious Universe - comparing amateur and professional observations of celestial objects and phenomena;
• Also, readers' letters, plus book and product reviews, society news, competitions and more.

The magazine also includes a section for Young Stargazers to help younger readers to understand modern astronomy.

• Richard Baum (1953 June–1955 October)
• Patrick Moore (1956)
• Richard Baum (1957 January–July)
• Gilbert Satterthwaite (1957 October–1961 April)
• John Lytheer (1961 July–1964 April)
• George Teideman (1964 July–1967 April)
• Ian Ridpath (1967 July–1974 April)
• Paul Sutherland (1974 July–1982 July)
• Enid Lake (1982 October–1985 October)
• Ian Ridpath (1986 January–1989 July; editor-in-chief until 1992 October)
• Tom Hosking (1989 October–2000 July)
• Peter Grego (2000 October–2016 February)
• Amanda Doyle (2016 February-2018 July)
• Mandy Bailey (acting ed.) (2018 July-2019 January)
• Osnat Katz (2019 January-2020 January)
• Robin Scagell (acting ed.) (2020 January- ).

Changes of name: The Junior Astronomer from 1953 June until 1960 July; Hermes from 1960 October to 1980 October; Popular Astronomy 1981 January to present.^[1]

• Official website