Papers, Articles 2021 ongoing
1. Review, Chris Lintott, “The Crowd and the Cosmos”, Concatenation, January 2021.
2. Comment on Deborah Byrd, ‘Do Mars dust storms cause the mysterious zodiacal light?’, Earthsky, online, March 10, 2021.
3. Comment on Alicia McDermott, ‘Ancient Indian Flying Machines – Truth in the Legends?’, Ancient Origins, 13th March 2021.
4. ‘Moonrock 2021’, Concatenation, April 2021.
5. Reply to question, ‘Can the impact of lage meteorites lead to flipping of the Earth's magnetic poles?’, researchgate.net, 19th April 2021.
6. Reply to Prof. Stan McDaniel, ‘Possibly Interesting Question’, SPSR, 18th June 2021.
7. Reply to Dr. Jiří Mazurek, Silesian University in Opava, ‘Can we detect miniature extra-terrestrial vessels in our solar system?, Researchgate, 28th June 2021.
8. ‘”The Stones and the Stars. Building Scotland’s Newest Megalith”, Orkney News, 4th July 2021.
9. Reply to Dr. Filipe Wiltgen, Doctor of Controlled Thermonuclear Fusion Engineering in Tokamak, Universidade de Taubaté, ‘What is your scientific opinion regarding use of spacecraft thrusters with nuclear reactors?’, Researchgate, 6th July 2021.
10. Review, Aliya Whiteley, “Skyward Inn”, Shoreline of Infinity 24, July 6th 2021.
11. Review, Peter Crowther, “Things I Never Knew My Father Knew”, ParSec, Vol, 1 No. 1, August 2021.
12. Review, Derek Künsden, “The House of Styx”, ParSec, Vol, 1 No. 1, August 2021.
13. Review, John Appel, “Assassin’s Orbit”, ParSec, Vol, 1 No. 1, August 2021.
14. Review, Tom Major, “Universal Language”, ParSec, Vol, 1 No. 1, August 2021.
15. Review, Paul Di Filippo, “Worldshifter”, ParSec, Vol, 1 No. 1, August 2021.
16. ‘The Solar System’s First Interstellar Visitor ’Oumumua Revisited’, Concatenation, September 14th 2021.
17. Comment on ‘Dr. John Brandenburg on The Martian Revelation’, SPSR, September 10th, 2021.
18. ‘Incoming!’, Spaceflight, October 2021.
19. ‘Remembering Ed Buckley’, Spaceflight, December 2021.
20. Reply to Ananda Siriena, ‘Could There Be Similar Heads on Mars?’, SPSR, online, November 14th, 2021. Postscript, reply to Stan McDaniel, November 15th, 2021.
21. ‘Remembering Ed Buckley’, Spaceflight, December 2021.
22. (with Rob Coppinger) ‘’Oumuamua, a guide for future human probes’, Spaceflight, December 2021.
23. Review, Gary Gibson, “Echogenesis”, ParSec #2, December 2021.
24 Review, Eric Brown, “On Arcturus VII”, ParSec #2, December 2021.
25. Reply to Shuraik Kader, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology – Department of Civil Engineering, ‘Time Travel – a “Possibility” or Not?’, Researchgate, 14th February 2022.
26. Reply to Bernie Bell, ‘The Nebra Disc’, (Orkney News Feb. 22nd 2020), 26th February 2022.
27. Obituary, Capt. Alan C. Evans, quoted at funeral 28th February 2022.
28. Reply to Paul Somerville, ‘Investigating Kepler’s Law on Planetary Motion’, Researchgate, 7th March 2022.
29. Review, Angus McAllister, “Cyber Puppets”, Shoreline of Infinity 29:1, March 2022.
30. Reply to Jay K. Mishra, ‘Is There Any Evidence of Plate Tectonics on the Moon?’, Researchgate, 22nd March 2022.
31. Review, Daniel Bennett, “Requiem for an Astronaut”, ParSec #3, 20th April 2022.
32. Review, Stephen Baxter, “Galaxias”, ParSec, Parsec #3, April 2022.
33. Review, Edward Ashton, “Mickey7”, ParSec #3, April 2022.
34. Review, Ian Whates, ed., “No More Heroes”, ParSec # 3, accepted but not used; published Orkney News, 14th July, 2024.
35. Reply to Chad Dixon, Del Cotter, on deep-space ion-drive missions, 24th April 2022.
36. Review, Chris Hadfield, “The Apollo Murders”, Concatenation, April 25th 2022.
37. Contribution to Bernie Bell, "‘I Think, Therefore I Am’ – René Descartes”, Orkney News, 29th April 2022.
38. Correction to ‘Ursa Major the Great Bear, Home to the Big Dipper’. EarthSky, 7th May 2022.
39. Reply to Hakan Umal, Istanbul University, ‘Is There a Way to Avoid Starlight to Find Planets?’, Researchgate, May 6th 2022, replied May 16th.
40. Review. Adam Oyebanji, “Braking Day”, Shoreline of Infinity 31, 6th June 2022.
41. Reply to Seema Tripathy, ‘Why Is There Haziness in My Comet?’, Researchgate, 28th June 2022.
42. ‘Sailplanes on Mars’, Orkney News, 4th July 2022.
43. Comment on Ananda Sirisena, ‘Landsat Looks at the Moon’, SPSR, 7th July 2022.
44. Review, Darren Speegle & Michael Bailey, eds., “Prisms”, ParSec # 4, July 2022.
45. Review, John Dodd, “Ocean of Stars”, ParSec # 4, July 2022.
46. Review, Stephen Baxter, “Galaxias”, Orkney News, 30th August 2022.
47. Review, Florian Freistgetter, “A History of the Universe in 100 Stars”, Concatenation, 15th September 2022.
48. ‘Notes on Campaign Song for Dark Skies’, Orkney News. 18th September 2022.
49. Reply to Ananda Siriensa, ‘Viking Lander Photo’, SPSR, 29th September 2022.
50. Reply to Chali Idosa Uga, ‘What is the connection between solar flares and sun halo effects? Is there a link between the CME and the sun halo?’, Researchgate, 10th October 2022.
51. Review, Chris Hadfield, “The Apollo Murders”, Orkney News, 25th October 2022.
52. Review, Gary Gibson, “Proxy” and Kate Dylan, “Mindwalker”, ParSec #5, November 2022.
53. Review, Stuart Clark, ed., “The Book of Mars”, ParSec #5, November 2022.
54. ‘Music: Duncan Lunan’. ‘Glen Cottage Cookbook’, ‘Snow, Collisions and the Ferry that Didn’t’, ‘Boom and Fireball’, excerpts from ‘Where Indivisuals Grew’ (unpublished), Dave Goulder and Friends, “The Torridon Portfolio, Rebel Hostel in the Glen, 1967-1973” (see Books).
55. Review, Florian Freistgetter, “A History of the Universe in 100 Stars”, Orkney News, January 1st, 2023.
56. Comment on ‘Scotland and New Year # On This Day’, Orkney News, 1st January 2023.
57. Review, Stuart Clark, ed., “The Book of Mars”, Orkney News, January 8th, 2023.
58. Review, Kim Stanley Robinson, “Red Moon”, Angus McAllister, “Close Quarters”, Orkney News, 15th January 2023.
59. Review, Craig Russell, “Fragment”, Shoreline of Infinity, accepted but not used.
60. Review, James Dunham, “The Helena Orbit”, Shoreline of Infinity, accepted but not used.
61. Review, Angus McAllister, “The Cyber Puppets”, Orkney News, 22nd January, 2023.
62. Review, Stephen Baxter, “The Thousand Earths”, ParSec # 6, 28th January 2023.
63. Review, Chris Lintott, “The Crowd and the Cosmos”, Orkney News, 29th January 2023.
64. Reply to Massaud Mostafa, ‘How Do You Know a Meteorite?’, Researchgate, 30th January 2023.
65. Space Notes: Helicopters in Space, Orkney News, 5th February 2023.
66. Space Notes 2: Balloons in Space, Orkney News, 12th February 2023.
67. Review, Stephen Baxter & Alastair Reynolds, “The Medusa Chronicles”, Orkney News, 19th February 2023.
68. Review, Derek Künsden, “The House of Styx”, Orkney News, 26th February 2023.
69. ‘Solar System Exploration’, Orkney News, 5th March 2023.
70. ‘Scottish Space Writers’, Orkney News, 12th March 2023.
71. ‘Scottish SF Writers’, Orkney News, 19th March 2023.
72. Review, Jane Yolen, “Midnight Circus”, Shoreline of Infinity, 21st March 2023.
73. Space Notes: Art, Poetry and Music. Orkney News, 26th March 2023.
74. Space Notes: Howlers that Weren’t, Orkney News, 2nd April 2023.
75. Space Notes: Capt. Eric Brown, RN, Orkney News, 9th April 2023.
76. Space Notes: Spacecraft, by Jupiter, Orkney News, 16th April 2023.
77. ‘Launch Costs in the New Era’, Concatenation, 17th April, 2023.
78. Review, Daniel R. Altschuler, Fernando J. Ballesteros, “The Women of the Moon”, Orkney News, 23rd April 2023.
79. Review, Michio Kaku, “The Future of Humanity”, Orkney News, 30th April 2023.
80. ‘The Earth from Space’, Orkney News, 7th May 2023.
81. ‘’Oumuamua – Astronautical Interpretations’, Analog, May-June 2023, illus. William K. Hartmann, David A. Hardy, Sydney Jordan.
82. Review, Ulinka Rublack, “The Astronomer and the Witch, Johannes Kepler's Fight for His Mother”, Orkney News, 14th May 2023.
83. Review, M.D. Lachlan, “Celestial”, ParSec #7, 18th May 2023.
84. Review, H.G. Parry, “The Magician’s Daughter”, ParSec #7, 18th May 2023.
85. Review, A.G. Riddle, “Quantum Radio”, ParSec #7, 18th May 2023.
86. Review, Neil Williamson, “Queen of Clouds”, ParSec, accepted but not used, 2023.
87. Review, Ted Nield, “Incoming!”, Orkney News, 21st May 2023.
88. ‘Observing the Moon’, Orkney News, 28th May 2023.
89. ‘The Lunar Farside’, Orkney News, 4th June 2023.
90. ‘The Ownership of the Moon, Part 1’, Orkney News, 11th June 2023.
91. ‘The Ownership of the Moon, Part 2’, Orkney News, 18th June 2023.
92. ‘More Lunar Oddities’, Orkney News, 25th June 2023.
93. ‘Lunar Anomalies Part 2 – 1366 and All That’, ‘Orkney News’ 2nd July 2023.
94. Review, Stephen Baxter, “The Thousand Earths”, Orkney News, 9th July 2023.
95. ‘Shelfspace – David Gregory’, Orkney News, 16th July 2020.
96. ‘Curiouser and Curiouser’, Orkney News, 23rd July 2023.
97. ‘The M.52 and the Douglas Skyrocket’, Orkney News, 30th July 2023.
98. Review, Paul Beaver, “Winkle, The Extraordinary Life of Britain’s Greatest Pilot”, Orkney News, 6th August 2023.
99. ‘Unbuild Your Own Solar System’, Orkney News, 13th August 2023.
100. ‘Lost on the Moon’, Orkney News, 20th August 2023.
101. ‘Why I Don’t Play the Machines’, Orkney News, 27th August 2023.
102. Review, Hugh Kolb, “Seven Stars, Ancient Astronomy and the English Public House”, Orkney News, 3rd September 2023.
103. ‘Space Notes: My SF’, Orkney News, 10th September, 2023.
104. ‘My SF, Part 2: Space, SF and Music’, Orkney News, 17th September, 2023.
105. ‘Spacesuits, Part 1’, September 24th, 2023
106. Letter, ‘Brass Tacks: interstellar lightsail navigation’, Analog, September 2023.
107. ‘Spacesuits, Part 2’, Orkney News, October 1st, 2023.
108. ‘Jeff Hawke, Part 1 – Space Rider’, Orkney News, October 8th, 2023.
109. ‘Jeff Hawke, Part 2 – First Citizen of the Space Age’, Orkney News, October 15th, 2023.
110. ‘Jeff Hawke, Part 3 – The Extraterrestrials’, Orkney News, October 22nd, 2023.
111. ‘Jeff Hawke, Part 4 – Not As We Know It’, Orkney News, October 29th, 2023.
112. ‘Rockets. For November 5th’, Orkney News, November 5th, 2023.
113. “Launch Vehicle Costs’, Orkney News, November 12th, 2023.
114. ‘Rockets: Launcher Development’, Orkney News, November 19th, 2023.
115. Reply to Rik Naresh, ‘What is the twin planet of Earth and why do tropical regions receive more solar radiation than regions with moderate and cold climates?’, Researchgate, 20th November 2023.
116. Reply to Robert Shour, ‘How many dark energy space telescopes are currently planned or operating?’, Researchgate, 20th November 2023.
117. ‘Rocket Aircraft, Part 1’, Orkney News, 26th November 2023.
118. Reply to Paul Somerville on visibility of Halley’s Comet, Researchgate, 27th November 2023.
119. Reply to Rik Naresh, ‘Can anything break free from Earth’s gravitational pull and what gives the moon its gravitational pull of the Earth?’, Researchgate, 28th November 2023.
120. Reply to Rik Naresh, ‘Does changing the eccentricity change the period of the planet and if Earth's orbit had high eccentricity was more elliptical the seasons would?’, Researchgate, 28th November 2023.
121. Reply to Rik Naresh, ‘Why is Moon not affected by Sun’s gravity but seemingly affected strongly by Earth’s gravity and Moon have less gravity and less mass than Earth?’, Researchgate, 28th November 2023.
122. ‘Rocket Aircraft Part 2: Wings into Space’, Orkney News, 3rd December 2023.
123. Reply to Rk Naresh, ‘Does latitude increase decrease or remain same as one move away from equator & daytime temperature at the moon’s equator and its pole the same?’, Researchgate, 4th December 2023.
124. Reply to Rk Naresh, ‘What kind of force is acting on Moon by Earth & in what direction force exerted & force is responsible for the Moon revolving around the Earth?’, Researchgate, 4th December 2023.
125. ‘Prestwick Spaceport Past, and Future’, Orkney News, 10th December 2023.
126. ‘’Oumuamua Part 1’. Orkney News, 17th December 2023.
127. Reply to Ananda Siriena, ‘Attached Photo Asks a Question?’, SPSR, 18th December 2023.
128. ‘’Oumuamua Part 2’, Orkney News, 24th December 2023.
129. ‘Humour in Science’, Orkney News, 31st December 2023.
130. ‘Outer Planet Updates’, Orkney News, 7th January 2024.
131. ‘Update on Spaceflight’, Orkney News, 14th January 2024.
132. ‘Green Green It’s Green They Say’, Orkney News, 21st January 2024.
133. Review, Gary Gibson, “Echogenesis”, Orkney News, 28th January 2024.
134. ‘Space Notes 37 – February 2024’, Orkney News, 4th February 2024.
135. Review, Benjamin Percy, “The Sky Vault”, ParSec # 9, 9th February 2024.
136. Review, Lavie Tidhar, “The Circumference of the World”, ParSec # 9, 9th February 2024.
137. Review, Sean Williams, “The Sky Inside”, ParSec # 9, 9th February 2024.
138, ‘Axiom Attic and Orbital Reef’, Orkney News, 11th February 2024.
139. Review, E.E. Hale, “The Brick Moon”, Orkney News, 18th February 2024.
140. Review, Jules Verne, “The Sphinx of the Ice Realm”, Orkney News, 25th February 2024.
141. ‘Space Notes 39, March 2024’, Orkney News, 3rd March 2024.
142. Review, William S. Dietz, “Into the Guns”, Orkney News, 10th March 2024.
143. ‘When Shuttles Crash’, Orkney News, 17th March 2024.
144. Review, Michael Cobley, “Ancestral Machines”, Orkney News, 24th March 2024.
145. Review, Gareth L. Powell, “Embers of War”, Orkney News, 31st March 2024.
146. ‘Space Notes 41 - April 2024’, Orkney News, 7th April 2024.
147. ‘Waverider – a Spacecraft in Waiting, Newly Topical’, 4th Prize, Griffith Observer Seidel Essay Contest, Griffith Observer, May 2024 (published mid-April).
148. ‘The Glory in Space’, Orkney News, 14th April 2024.
149. Review, Garth Nix, “Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz”, PartSec #10, 17th April 2024.
150. Review, Ian McDonald, “Empress of the Sun”, Orkney News, 21st April 2024.
151. Reply to Orkney News, ‘Earth Evanescent for # Earth Day’, Orkney News, 22nd April, 2024.
152. ‘Burning the Sky’, Orkney News, 28th April 2024.
153. ‘Space Notes, May’, Orkney News, 5th May 2024.
154. ‘How Long for Hubble?’, Orkney News, 12th May 2024.
155. Reply to “The science from #Hubble has been phenomenal,” Orkney News, 14th May 2024.
156. ‘Space Notes – Mid-May 2024’, Orkney News, 19th May 2024.
157. Review, Neil Williamson, “Queen of Clouds”, Orkney News, 26th May 2024.
158. Review, Russell Grant, Ian Ash. “Comets, Earth’s most mysterious visitors from space”, Orkney News, 2nd June 2024.
159. Reply to Ananda Sirisena, ‘More “Conspiracy” Stories About Mars”, SPSR, 4th June 2024.
160. ‘Space Notes – June 2024’, Orkney News, 9th June 2024.
161. Review, John Grant, “Tell No Lies”, Orkney News, 16th June 2024.
162. ‘Martian Dust Storms’, Orkney News, 23rd June 2024.
163. ‘The Need to Save Chandra’, Orkney News, 30th June 2024.
164. ‘Space Notes – July 2024’, Orkney News, 7th July 2024.
164A. Review, Ian Whates, ed., “No More Heroes”, ParSec # 3, accepted but not used (see 2022); published Orkney News, 14th July, 2024.
165. ‘Lava Tubes’, Orkney News, 21st July 2024.
166. Reply to Chinnaraji Annamalai, ‘Every star like the sun is at a stationary position. Am I right?, Researchgate, 22nd July 2024.
167. ‘Colour in Space Art’, Orkney News, 28th July, 2024.
168. Reply to Karl Pfeifer, University of Saskatchewan, ‘Are There Possible Uses for Space Junk?’. Researchgate, 29th July 2024.
169. Review, Dave Bailey, “This Island Earth, 8 Features from the Drive-In”, ParSec # 11, July 2024.
170. Review, Douglas Preston, “Extinction”, ParSec # 11, July 2024.
171. Review, Emily Hamilton, “The Stars Too Fondly”, ParSec # 11, July 2024.
172. Review, Marcus Heitz, “The Return of the Dwarves, Book 1”, ParSec # 11, July 2024.
173. ‘Space Notes – August 2024, Orkney News, 4th August 2024.
174 Review, Edward Ashton, “Mickey7”, Orkney News, 11th August 2024.
175. Review, James Morrow, “The Madonna and the Starship”, Orkney News, 18th August 2024.
176. ‘Visit to Machrie Moor’, Orkney News, 25th August 2024.
177. Review, Martin MacInnes, “In Ascension”, Shoreline of Infinity website,
summer 2024.
178. Review, Andrew Lane & Nigel Foster, “Netherspace”, Orkney News, 1st September 2024.
179. ‘Space Notes – September 2024’, Orkney News, 8th September 2024.
180. ‘Polaris Dawns’, Orkney News, 15th September 2024.
181. 'Ptolemy, The Book of Astronomy in Antiquity,A New Introduction edited by Christian C., Carman, Concatenation, 15th September 2024.
182. ‘Polaris Dawn 2’, Orkney News, 22nd September 2024.
183. Review, Temi Oh, “Do You Dream of Terra-Two”, Orkney News, 29th September 2024.
184. ‘Space Notes, October 2024’, Orkney News, 6th October 2024.
185. ‘Postponements and Disappointments’, Orkney News, 13th October 2024.
186. ‘Success After Disappointment’, Orkney News, 20th October 2024.
187. Review, Jane Yolen, “The Midnight Circus”, Orkney News, 27th October 2024.
188. ‘Space Notes, November 2024’, Orkney News, 3rd November 2024.
189. ‘A Farewell to the WISE’, Orkney News, 10th November 2024.
190. ‘Westwind and Skynet’, Orkney News, 17th November 2024.
191. ‘Lasers in Space’, Orkney News, 24th November 2024.
192. Review, Cixin Liu, “A View from the Stars”, ParSec # 12, 28th November 2024.
193. Space Notes, December 2024, Orkney News, 1st December 2024.
194. 'Losing Data', Orkney News, 8th December 2024.
195. 'A Transatlantic Tunnel, Bravo', Orkney News, 15th December 2024.
196. 'Santa in Space', Orkney News, 22nd December, 2024.
197. Reply to Dr. Mitchell Swartz, 'China Releases Moon Footage of Alien Base', SPSR, 26th December 2024.
198. Review, A.S. Thom, 'Walking in All of the Squares', Orkney News, 29th December 2024.
199. 'Ptolemy, The Book of Astronomy in Antiquity, A New Introduction edited by Christian C., Carman', Orkney News, 5th January 2025.
200. 'Space Notes, January 2025', Orkney News, 12th January 2025.
201. Reply to Robert Johnstone, '25 Biggest Space Conspiracy Theories: Debunked', SPSR, 19th January 2025.
202. Review, Dave Bailey, 'This Island Earth, 8 Features from the Drive-In', Orkney News, 19th January 2025.
203. Review, Craig Russell, 'Fragment', Orkney News, 26th January 2025.
204. 'Space Notes, February 2025', Orkney News, 2nd February 2025.
205. 'The President and Air Traffic', Orkney News, 4th February 2025.
206. 'Introduction to the Politics of Survival', Orkney News, 9th February 2025.
207. 'The Politics of Survival, Part 1', Orkney News, 16th February 2025.
208. 'The Politics of Survival, Part 2', Orkney News, 23rd February 2025.
209. Reply to David Saunderson, 'The Phantom London Bus: Unravelling an Urban Legend', Spooky Isles, 15th February 2025.
210. 'The Politics of Survival, part 3', Orkney News, 2nd March 2025.
211. Replies to Ananda Sirisena, 'Double Speak', SPSR, 5th and 6th March 2025.
212 'Space Notes, March 2025', Orkney News, 9th March, 2025.
213. Reply to Del Cotter, 'Eltanin Asteroid Impact', London Group, 9th March 2025.
214. Reply to Robert Johnstone, 'New Scientist Viking Piece 2007'. SPSR, 15th March 2025.
215. Review, Robert Preston, "Extinction", Orkney News, 16th March 2025.
216. 'More Arran Stones', Orkney News, 23rd March 2025.
217. 'Space Notes, April 2025', Orkney News, 6th April 2025.
218. Review, Adrian Tchaikovsky, "Shroud". ParSec 13, April 7th 2025.
219. Reply to Dr. Maaneli Derakshani, 'Anomalies in Enhanced Image from Blue Ghost Mission 1', SPSR, April 11th, 2025.
220. Reply to Dr. Maaneli Derakshani and Ananda Siriena, '"Glass worm" and other worm-like structures on Mars', SPSR, April 11th, 2025.
221-222. 2 replies to Dr. Maaneli Derakshani, 'Anomalies in Enhanced Image from Blue Ghost Mission 1', SPSR, April 12th & 13th 2025.
223. 'Inflows and Outflows', Orkney News, 13th April 2025.
224. 'Notes from an Arctic Journal', Orkney News, 20th April 2025.
225. 'Space Notes', Orkney News, 27th April 2025.
226. 'Pale Red Dots', Orkney News, 4th May 2025.
227. 'Beyond the Pale Red Dots', Orkney News, 11th May 2025.
Pending
1. Review, Neil Willimason & Andrew J. Wilson, eds. "Nova Scotia 2", Shoreline of Infinity, accepted.
2. 'Alexander Thom's Star Dates', Honorable Mention, 2024 Joan and Arnold Seidel Griiffith Observer Science Writing Contest, in press.