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March 7, 2017 | 3:45am EDT

 

Welcome to the new Cosmology and Space Research Website
Welcome to the new “research” website. While we have been reporting just news for the past three years, I have been a part of the Astronomy and Cosmology field, first as an amateur starting in 6th grade, to a professional, specializing in using my computer science talents in the field I have done work in since 1971.

In the coming months, we have planned a large expansion for what will become a research organization, the research we will conduct, and the news we’ll cover, and the only way to make sure everyone gets equal space was to find a format that allowed for expansion and was cleaner to look at.

 

What’s New (March 7, 2017)? European Space Agency Embargo List of Breaking News
We published our first breaking news after we are now on the European Space Agency’s news embargo list. We will be getting news from them with a minimum of 48 hours notice so we can put together other information on the subject or discovery as time and resources allows. This is not only a major step for us, it is also an awesome responsibility we take very seriously. As we get more of these, they will be published in the [Space News] tab.

We also started a new feature on our site – Space Exploration Photos. Many times we get releases that are not quite stories. Especially from the Hubble group, we get series of photos with long captions. So we’ve decided that these photos are just as newsworthy and instead of putting them out in [Space News], they have their own tab, [Space Exploration Photos].

And as always, we provide the largest files, so when you click on the image, its larger high-resolution photo will appear. Also, publishing these pages with photos, we can also provide you now with direct links to NASA’s or ESA’s page and links to various other photo sizes and even videos.

On the 18th of March we reached out to India’s Space Agency. Lately some exciting news has come from there, and we are trying to get ourselves set up to receive notices on upcoming discoveries, papers, and planned missions.

And while information is scant, we have tried to reach out to China’s space program with little success. What ever websites that are available to the public does not have the latest information on it, and we will be looking for a contact there to reach out to. Anyone who reads this and knows someone, have them contact me here via the form or directly by email at gjmcginn@cosmologyandspace.com

Also in the works and planned for the next 30 days we plan to contact Japan (JAXA) and the Russian Space Agency as well. We have some contacts at observatories in Russia, and even quoted them in some of our original reports.

In the longer term, we are still planning to contact universities once we get our program for publishing original research papers and possibly thesis and doctorate work. This part of our organization is taking slower than I would like, but there are some very exciting news in the coming months, and we’d like to include it on our site.

All the kinks have been ironed out with double posting on Twitter, and I believe on Facebook as well. The program and App we use, BlogPad Pro, seems to have a bug in it. If I do an immediate post, I get two Twitter and Facebook posts. Yet when I schedule the release, it only posts once on each.

What’s New (January 23, 2017)? Changes to our Twitter Feed/IBM Softlayer Negotiations
During the past week and continuing for the month of January, we are creating lists for our Twitter Account, @cosmology_space that includes everything from professionals by specialties, amateurs, astrophotographers, observatories and planetariums, educators, and those specializing in specific fields, whether amateur or professionals, such as Planetary Science, Asteroids and Comets, Stars and Galaxies, Nebula and Radio Astronomy to name a few. Most of these lists are already up and running, while others will be shortly.

We plan to fill these lists, all public so information is available to everyone, with members and those we follow alike. If anyone feels they are in the wrong list, or fell they want to be added to other lists may send me a request either via our Twitter Account or by email at gjmcginn@cosmologyandspace.com. Same goes if you want to be removed from our lists.

We also would like to ask that you add us to your lists as well. We notice that many of you have already done so and would like to thank you. As a new organization and research group, exposure will be something that both of us will benefit from in the futrure. With any SEO activity, we must give it time to reap the benefits.

Also, we have noticed that some of you have followed us then unfollowed us once we recipitated. We are not an individual or group that you need to do this just to get us to follow you. And unlike others, we will not unfollow you just because many feel that its better to have followers versus being followers.

Here we value both, and quite frankly, we value those who follow us as they get notifications when new exciting posts are made and read them before the public or those non-followers do, as they must check out our account on a daily basis. We value those we follow in a different way as they are the ones who will provide cutting edge news and break stories before anyone else.

So we have developed a plan to actively seek out those to follow that will have great value to our membership. And any member who follows us will always get a follow back in return. This we do both as a common courtesy and we feel that your posts on the subject is as important as those we seek out to follow.

One word of caution – spammers, advertisers seeking clients from our membership lists, those with eggs as photos, and porn will be removed from following us. You will still be able to follow us publicly, as even porn stars have interest in Cosmology and Space Exploration, so unless you are a flagrent violator of our Terms of Service or those of Twitter, we will not ban you completely.

However, we do recognize that some may have written books or educational material, or have a website that advances knowledge in our field, and we also do not want to deprive our followers from such information.

While we run an advertisement free site (Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) those who would like to promote their book, website or wish to write may contact me at gjmcginn@cosmologyandspace.com. Once we make contact and introductions are made, we’ll explain how we would like you to post your information and as long as our agreements are followed, there will be no issue, unless we get complaints. We investigate complaints fairly.

To help our followers understand who should be considered a spammer, we will post and make available our generic and negotiated terms of posting services. We also will make available via our website each person who we approved and our specific agreeement will be made public. This is to prevent any confusion, let members know who we approved, what we approved, and they will generally both benefit from your information and let us know if you exceed our negotiated terms.

We feel this is better than charging advertising. Sure, as someone disabled, I sure can use the extra revenue to run this site and pay the exorbinate fees for telescope time to help with my research projects, whether I’m doing this form my own projects, or helping other scientists with theirs. However, before becoming a professional in a sense where I have been paid to provide feedback on peer-review papers and proof the science and math of books and apps, I feel that getting the information out is more important than making money from this. This is why we do not have advertisements. And since we use free services for the time being (we have entered talks with IBM’s Softlayer to setup a new webserver that meets our needs more and allow me more flexibility in development) we will be moving to our own platform rather than having to endure any ads that WordPress or others want to put on our site because we refuse to pay or can’t afford to pay/

In the coming month we will have an announcement once a deal has been made with IBM/Softlayer, and what it means for our (yours and mine) future.

About Cosmology and Space and how we reach the public
We will continue to provide the same articles from NASA and the rest of the world on discoveries, results during missions, and published papers that advances science in astronomy, cosmology, physics, space and space exploration.

We will also start publishing our own peer-reviewed and research papers. And yes, this will include papers that I publish, as I also am currently working on three research projects.

We are also in the process of getting our not-for-profit status, and looking for volunteers to either help review papers submitted to us, or, if you have a paper that needs publication, you can send it to us. We’ll have a page set up for submission, but until now, send me an email with the abstract and any other information for me to make a decision. Please don’t send the paper unless I ask for it.

And as in the past, we’ll still report on space exploration news, and it will have its own tab as we separate our research papers from our news articles from press releases we receive.

The new changes include this static front page that will change from time to time. All stories will now be found in the link “Space News.” We hope to also add an Aside tab, which will contain notes of new things, changes in processes, and anything that is site-related information that you need to know.

While we like the look we have right now, depending on technological needs it may change. Don’t worry, as any change I make will only improve your experience and making finding the information you seek easier.

For the media and public, we still will publish press releases sent to us or one’s that we feel are important to our readers and the public.
Media – Flickr and Instagram
Another change is that Cosmology and Space Research, besides having our own Twitter and Facebook pages, now have a Flickr and Instagram accounts. All artwork used will be placed on these websites.

We’ll make announcements once we make these sites live.

While almost all images and videos are provided without copyrights, their are some conditions for those outside media must understand and be able to follow. Until we get clarification from NASA, since they say, with some exceptions that no copyrights exist on their materials, they will be filed as “Public Domain.”

Any image that is copyrighted and intended only for news media outlets to use will not appear on Flickr and Instagram, and will only appear on Facebook if it is part of sharing our initial news story or research paper.

We also indicate all credits for any image provided by NASA, including work they provide, and if a copyright exists, we will also include the copyright notices.

Regardless, for images from NASA, we will follow their Media Guideline Usage page.
Peer-review Papers and Books
Coming soon will be a page for submitting peer-review papers, research papers, or excerpts from books. The author or primary author must make all requests.

In addition, any paper that has been already published elsewhere that is newsworthy, we will write a story about the paper, and either link directly to the paper, or with the author’s permission, keep a copy on our site and link to it.

Others may also be filed in the arXiv Archive, which we will also provide a direct link to it (Any paper we get in whole will be backed up on our server in case something happens to the link). Otherwise, we will link to the paper after providing its abstract. If the publication charges for the paper, it will be up to you to purchase the paper directly from the publication.

In the past I have been asked to proof peer-review or peer papers that will be sent directly to a governing body and/or orally presented. I have also been asked to proof read a book as well. I will be happy to do so, and please send me your request as we need to discuss the scope of what is expected and fees.

For example, the last project I worked on concerned Leap Seconds, where I was asked to proof the math and science in both a peer paper that was sent to the committee and a book to help the public understand the problems with Leap Seconds and possible solutions.
Currently Published Books
One of the other things I have been asked to do is to review books for either the science or math. If you have a book you wish to be reviewed, send me an email until the form for such a request is posted.

I will also provide a page, “The Bookstore,” where recently published books relevant today will be listed, and you can order them directly from our site. We will then send you to the seller of the book so you can complete your purchase.

While we will not sell items directly (this may change as we evolve), one think we will never allow is advertising. I own the server and the site, and perform all the coding and upkeep. I do so as a volunteer because I’ve been involved in many studies, reviewing data and papers during the past 50 years, as well as writing computer programs or designing systems.

Like many amateurs and professionals, I do my own observations or I will verify observations published or made available on websites, and did so out of love for the field.
The Future Stories & Videos Planned for Cosmology & Space
In the future we will provide tabs so that news from around the world will be made available here. We would like to provide exposure for many studies and discoveries that may get little press.

There are plans for Cosmology and Space Research to have a YouTube page or channel. We haven’t worked out whether we will run a weekly program or do specials or features.

And nothing I have added, like the link to the mobile Apps from NASA will be lost. When you click on the heading at the top for NASA, a drop-down will appear with all the pages listed. Also when you are directed to the page, the links at the top will change and all the links pertain to, say NASA, will appear across the top of the page they are associated with.
There will be more to come, but please excuse the mess as I must update this site while live, so some things will be different. I’ll write a post when everything is complete.

Thanks for your patience.

George McGinn
Cosmology and Space Research

Page last updated: March 7, 2017 at 3:45am EDT.