Links below are to home pages of periodicals. Most do not include text of articles or abstracts. SSU readers may obtain access to online versions of most of these periodicals through the library website. The NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS) Abstract Service contains full content of several of the major journals from about three years ago back to about a century ago.

Popular Magazines (easy reading, most useful to students)
Astronomy
The Griffith Observer
Mercury — the bimonthly magazine of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, available only electronically, and only to subscribers, as of 2008.
Scientific American
Sky & Telescope
Spacefight— the magazine of the British Interplanetary Society.

Semipopular Magazines (sometimes fairly readable)
Astronomy & Geophysics — the successor to the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, which may be found under “Royal” in the library.
Nature (contains some original research). SSU readers now have free online access to some issues via Snoopy.
Physics Today — the magazine of the physics and astronomy community. Some articles are available online.
Science (contains some original research). SSU readers now have free online access to most issues via Snoopy.

Review Journals (occasionally readable, especially after reading easier material, they contain extensive bibliographies)
Annual Reviews of Astronomy and Astrophysics (shelved as books; SSU students can read online)

Primary Journals (original research; written for specialists)
The Astronomical Journal — the AJ, not quite as difficult as the ApJ. (Library has on paper or microfilm through 2006, other issues available online. Anyone can read back issues at the ADS.
Astronomical Society of the Pacific, Publications of the — the PASP, containing some review articles and often easier to read than the ApJ. Library has most issues through April 2001. Anyone can read back issues at the ADS.
Astronomy and Astrophysics— the leading journal in continental Europe. (Library has many issues on paper; issues since 2001 are available online)
Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplements Series (Library has through 1998) — longer papers, seldom useful for student papers.
Astrophysical Journal— the ApJ, including Astrophysical Journal Letters, which is now available electronically. (Our library has a subscription, so SSU students have free access.) Anyone can read back issues at the ADS.
Astrophysical Journal Supplements— longer papers, unlikely to be useful for student papers.
Icarus: International Journal of Solar System Studies (Library has through 1994. More recent volumes are available online.)
Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage (Library subscription began in 2008)
Journal for the History of Astronomy (Library has in hard copy)
Journal of Geophysical Research (Library has through 1992)
Royal Astronomical Society, Monthly Notices of the— the MNRAS, the leading British journal (Library has through 1992. Issues from 1998 are available online). Anyone can read back issues at the ADS.

Useful Search Methods
Start with the library’s electronic databases, which can be searched at great speed for articles in thousands of periodicals. You can search by author, title, keyword, or subject. If this fails, or you want something more technical, try the ADS Abstract Service. You may wish to consult Finding and Citing References as well as How to Get a Better Grade on Your Paper.