How to Meet Fellow Stargazers, PR Flacks

New social-networking sites shoot for niche audiences to give participants some common ground.

As if Friday’s announcement of a social-networking site for the unemployed weren’t enough, two new sites cropped up on Tuesday that have their target audiences picked out with red pen. Telescope manufacturer Celestron launched MySkyScout.com, a social-networking site for stargazers, and MyRagan.com sprang up as a social-networking site especially for those in the public relations industry.

Celestron came up with the idea of a social-networking site to coincide with their SkyScout Personal Planetarium, a handheld device that identifies stars, planets, and constellations just by pointing and clicking. Astronomy buffs can visit MySkyScout.com for real-time information on current celestial events and astronomical happenings, updated news and images, links to product support, software updates, product development news and advice from fellow amateur astronomers.

MyRagan.com bills itself as "the Facebook of the internal communications and public relations industry." Presumably, this means PR flacks now have a place to post photos of themselves drinking and to write cute messages to out-of-town friends about how they can’t wait to see them again. Maybe Facebook wasn’t the greatest comparison. In reality, the site includes forums, instant messaging and chat rooms, bulletin boards, favorites lists and video or audio chat.

Both sites are up now and offer free signup at their respective Web sites.