# BBC Sky at Night Magazine — Astronomy & Observing Guide

> Practical astronomy and observing guide with expert advice and reviews. (iPhone/iPad app by Our Media Limited.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbc-sky-at-night-magazine/id487144498 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Our Media Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1702229453)
- Category: News, Magazines & Newspapers
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.50/5 from 39 App Store ratings · 81 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 16.0 · 56 MB
- Languages: American English, German (Germany)
- Released: 2012-05-14
- Data updated: 2026-09-01
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbc-sky-at-night-magazine/id487144498/reviews.md

## What is BBC Sky at Night Magazine?

Complementing the much-loved BBC television programme, BBC Sky at Night Magazine is your practical guide to astronomy. Each issue features columns by renowned experts as well as in-depth cosmological features, practical observing tutorials, comprehensive equipment reviews, astrophotography master classes and much, much more. 

Our digital edition is specially designed for mobile and tablet viewing for a more enjoyable reading experience. Plus, you'll find handy additional tools including text adjust (reading is never a strain, even on smaller devices) and bookmarking (save your favourite reads for later).

With easy-to follow star charts and expert advice on how to get the most out of the observing month, BBC Sky at Night Magazine is essential reading for both the novice and experienced astronomer.

Subscriptions and Single Issues

Customers can buy single issues and subscriptions using In App Purchase
 
Subscriptions are available on monthly or annual terms.
 
• Your subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period 
• You will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, for the same duration and at the current subscription rate for that product 
• You can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase 
• No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. This does not affect your statutory rights
• Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when you purchase a subscription
• The app may offer a free trial. At the end of the free trial period, the full price of the subscription will be charged thereafter. Cancellations must occur 24 hours before the end of the subscription period to avoid being charged. Visit http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4098 for more information.

The subscription will include the current issue if you do not already own it and subsequently published future issues. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. 

If you would like more information or support please visit our App support page 
https://www.ourmediaapps.co.uk/apps-faqs/

Our Media Ltd Privacy Policy and Terms of Use:
https://policies.ourmedia.co.uk/privacy-policy/
https://policies.ourmedia.co.uk/website-terms-and-conditions/


* please note: this digital edition does not include the covermount gifts or supplements you would find with printed copies*

## Key features

- Expert astronomy columns
- In-depth cosmological features
- Practical observing tutorials
- Equipment reviews
- Astrophotography master classes
- Adjustable text size
- Bookmarking

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 6-Month Subscription | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| 1-Month Subscription | $5.49 | per month |
| 3-Month Subscription | $14.99 | per 3 months |
| BBC Sky at Night Magazine | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Subscription | $41.99 | per year |
| BBC Sky at Night Magazine subscription | $4.99 | per month |
| BBC Sky at Night Magazine Apple News | $44.99 | per year |
| 12-Month Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| 12-Month Subscription Bundle | $45.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sky Weekly | Free | one-time |
| Complete Guide to Astrophotography | $7.99 | one-time |
| January 2016 | $4.99 | one-time |
| February 2024 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Complete Your Collection | $69.99 | one-time |
| April 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| June 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| July 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| August 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| September 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| October 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| November 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Astronomer's Yearbook 2026 | $12.99 | one-time |
| December 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| May 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |
| February 2025 | $6.99 | one-time |


## What do users think of BBC Sky at Night Magazine?

Overall sentiment: negative

**Pros**

- 👍 Great informative magazine
- 👍 Excellent content
- 👍 Good for beginners
- 👍 Amazing photography
- 👍 Well worth the money
- 👍 Good graphics
- 👍 Worthy of a five star rating

**Cons**

- 🐛 App crashes constantly
- 🐛 App fails to download issues
- 🐛 Unable to access subscription
- 🐛 Subscription not recognized
- 🐛 Restoring purchases fails
- 🐛 App is unusable
- 🐛 Does not work with older iOS versions
- 🐛 No support for landscape view
- 🐛 Cannot sign into account
- 🐛 Content is not accessible
- 🐛 App is not iPad friendly
- 🐛 Misleading subscription offers
- 🐛 Basic tech incompetence
- 🐛 Rubbish app
- 🐛 App is broken
- 🐛 Useless app
- 🐛 Impossibly difficult to access content
- 🐛 Crashing on launch
- 🐛 Issues not downloading
- 🐛 Not a proper facsimile of print magazine
- 🐛 Loss of old issues
- 🐛 Customer service is horrible
- 🐛 Bait and switch tactics
- 🐛 Not optimized for digital
- 🐛 Slow loading times
- 🐛 Keeps asking to log in
- 🐛 App revamp is a disaster
- 🐛 No response to emails
- 🐛 Cannot read downloaded magazines
- 🐛 No refund for purchased content
- 🐛 App is a con
- 🐛 Does not load or run
- 🐛 Lost money on updates
- 🐛 Asked to pay again
- 🐛 App upgrade is a failure
- 🐛 Onerous download task
- 🐛 Not happy with upgrade
- 🐛 Cannot get into account
- 🐛 Cannot access previous purchases
- 🐛 Taken money under false pretenses
- 🐛 Lost subscription and back issues
- 🐛 App does not work
- 🐛 Cannot restore data
- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Cannot read on iMac
- 🐛 Does not work with iOS 8
- 🐛 Support is unhelpful
- 🐛 Magazine won't download
- 🐛 Expects payment for advertising
- 🐛 App is unstable
- 🐛 Refuses to open
- 🐛 Paid for a year, got two weeks
- 🐛 Does not work with iOS 8
- 🐛 Not fully optimized for digital
- 🐛 Double spread images require landscape

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Unable to access subscription
- App crashes constantly
- App fails to download issues
- Subscription not recognized
- Restoring purchases fails
- Cannot sign into account
- Content not accessible
- App not iPad friendly
- App is not working
- App is unstable
- App refuses to open
- App crashes on launch
- Issues not downloading
- Loss of old issues
- Cannot restore data
- Crashes and freezes
- Does not work with older iOS versions
- No support for landscape view
- Misleading subscription offers
- Basic tech incompetence
- Rubbish app
- App is broken
- Useless app
- Impossibly difficult to access content
- App revamp is a disaster
- No response to emails
- Cannot read downloaded magazines
- No refund for purchased content
- App is a con
- Does not load or run
- Loss of subscription and back issues
- App upgrade is a failure
- Onerous download task
- Not happy with upgrade
- Cannot get into account
- Cannot access previous purchases
- Taken money under false pretenses
- Support is unhelpful
- Magazine won't download
- Expects payment for advertising
- Not fully optimized for digital
- Double spread images require landscape

**Most requested features**

- Ability to save articles or images
- Link to online content
- Support for landscape view
- More interactive content
- Option to read on iMac
- Fully optimizing layout for digital medium

## Recent user reviews (10 of 81)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bbc-sky-at-night-magazine/id487144498/reviews.md

### 1/5 — App is broken

*2025-05-22*

I am unable to access my subscription.  I have been billed.  Done a reinstall and restore my purchases and I get a message to contact support via the app.  I have done this 3 times and never received a response.  Avoid this App.

### 3/5 — Why I have stopped my subscription

*2023-03-31*

The content of the magazine is excellent.. But the app has glitches which forced me to re-install it several times. With each installations I loose all the issues downloaded previously. This is VERY disappointing as the downloading takes significant time. This is the main reason why I stopped my subscription. And now, in January 2023, after two yrs after reporting about the first bug, I have lost access to the app. The app requires to log in, but there is now window to input my login information(and actually which login should submit?)..
After my feedback in January 2023 the developer contacted me once and informed about “work in progress”.. Nothing happened since then. The app still is not working.. Very disappointing experience.

**Developer response:** We're really sorry to hear of the trouble you're having with the app. It is certainly not the level of service we aim to deliver.

Please get in touch with more details, including the table/phone model you use and iOS version and we will assist you further: apps@immediate.co.uk

### 1/5 — Recent update now even worse

*2022-11-02, version 7.0.2*

Update. I emailed the editor of the magazine almost a month ago. No response. I guess if the editor is unable or unwilling to respond then things will never be resolved. The cycle of developer “sorry tell us what’s wrong we’re sorry” which ends in “uninstall and re install” is not worth the effort. Astronomy Now app has always worked. So no point in renewing my subscription. The presenters and contributors if they read this may wonder what’s going on. I somehow doubt the developers will be challenged.

### 1/5 — Useless

*2022-06-04, version 7.0*

A useless app. Unable to sign into my account.
Zero stars but not able give zero.

### 1/5 — Impossibly difficult to access subscribed content

*2021-11-22, version 7.0*

The app is impossible to use. The access to content I have purchased by annual subscription is virtually impossible to access. It seems if I go to menu and randomly click sky magazines there is an option for a sign in. but then It never seems to let me sign in properly even when I reset my password via this sky site. 
About to cancel my subscription and delete app. 
Shame as the print magazine is a good read most months… thought this would be a better option as online but in reality appear to demonstrate basic tech incompetence.

### 1/5 — Sky at night App review

*2021-09-20, version 5.6.7*

I’ve downloaded the latest above app, which seems to crash on an almost constant rate. The reasons for this are unknown to me but I’ve now decided not to waste any more time and effort to get this to work.

This will also undoubtedly be a reason for me not to continue with my current subscription which is due to finish in the next few months.

In a single word of your app - Rubbish

### 3/5 — 购买后书籍无法下载

*2021-09-19*

购买书籍后无法下载，难过过
但是其他的免费阅读美容都可以打开，就是我买的书没法打开

### 5/5 — Magazine subscription

*2021-08-29, version 5.6.7*

Sky at night is a really good informative magazine I really like Astronomy and I always learn things I didn’t know about space and the planets keep up good work by the way lower your subscriptions some of prices are ridiculous you’d expect a free gift for what you have to fork out

### 1/5 — Awful

*2020-10-03, version 5.6.4*

This app keeps failing. The very latest update (2020 September) will not even open on an iPad 3. Have made many contacts with support over the months (rarely get a response) yet each issue requires at least one reinstall. Have several other magazine and journal subscriptions that work well on the iPad. This is by far the most troublesome. Please get it fixed.

### 2/5 — Just about serves its purpose but so frustrating

*2020-06-07, version 5.6.1*

It’s easy enough to get to the articles but:

- having subscribed for a year (via buysubscriptions.com) AND bought ALL back issues it’s ridiculous that one third of the “Library” tab is still taken up with an advert to get 12 back issues with an annual subscription!
- similarly, the “Subscribe” tab is still there with a FULL PAGE offer to subscribe (via iTunes) to what I’ve already subscribed to so, probably, it would be possible, however silly it is, to have and therefore pay for two subscriptions to the same magazines at the same time!
- no support for landscape view
- no ability to save a copy of any articles or just images (some may be protected by copyright for third parties but the monthly night sky chart, for example, is clearly intended to be used as a ‘tool’ by the astronomy enthusiasts but is not practically useable on the limited space on an iPhone screen so really NEEDS to be printed)
- at the bottom of the monthly sky chart article and other articles it says, “More online” but how and where? There’s no link provided.

In addition (not directly related to the app but readers should be aware):
- the buysubscriptions.com website is not at all intuitive - even thought I bought the subscription through them, the subscription itself didn’t show on my account portal until I clicked the “Create an Account” button (why would an account portal have a “Create an ACCOUNT” button?) and actually gave it my SUBSCRIPTION number and my surname!
- the buysubscriptions.com team have not responded to any of my questions. I understand they may be affected by COVID-19 right now but it’s been over two weeks; that’s not acceptable.

## Frequently asked questions about BBC Sky at Night Magazine

### What does the BBC Sky at Night Magazine app offer?

The app serves as a practical guide to astronomy, featuring articles by renowned experts, in-depth cosmological features, observing tutorials, equipment reviews, and astrophotography master classes. It's designed for mobile and tablet viewing with features like text adjustment and bookmarking.

### How can I purchase issues or subscriptions?

You can buy single issues and subscriptions directly within the app using In App Purchase. Subscriptions are available on monthly or annual terms. The app may also offer a free trial period before charging for a subscription.

### What devices is this app compatible with?

The digital edition is specially designed for mobile and tablet viewing, ensuring an enjoyable reading experience across various devices. Specific compatibility details would typically be found on the app store listing.

### Can I cancel my subscription?

Yes, you can manage your subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal by going to your Account Settings after purchase. Cancellations must occur at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period to avoid being charged for renewal.

### What are the benefits for a novice astronomer?

For novice astronomers, the app provides easy-to-follow star charts and expert advice on how to get the most out of observing the night sky each month. This makes it an essential reading resource for beginners.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 8.4 — 2026-03-20

This update includes bugfixes and necessary compatibility improvements. Please download to ensure your app remains fully functional.

### 8.3 — 2023-08-02

We are always making improvements to our app, so keep updating to make sure you're on the latest version. This new update includes general bug fixes and performance improvements.

### 8.2 — 2022-12-22

Our latest update contains a log in bug fix to make your app experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible. We are always making improvements to our app, so keep updating to make sure you're on the latest version.

### 8.0 — 2022-11-17

Thanks for using our app! In our latest update you’ll find notable performance improvements to make our app run faster and give you a more reliable reading experience.

### 7.0.2 — 2022-10-06

Thanks for using our app! In our latest update you'll find some general bug fixes to make your reading experience more reliable.

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All apps by Our Media Limited: https://appshunter.io/developer/1702229453

## Related topics

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*