Contact [Philip P. Ide]

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- Aardvaark
  - Contactplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigContact
    
    If you have a burning desire to contact me, use the discussion form below. Anything you say remains private between you and me.
  - Cookie Policy & GDPRplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCookie Policy & GDPR
    
    There are NO tracking cookies on this site!
    
    The Cookie policy is straightforward. This site only uses cookies that are required to make your experience of using this site better, and only uses session cookies (see exceptions below). Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser.
  - Daily Mars Weather Reportsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDaily Mars Weather Reports
    
    These reports are provided by NASA's InSight lander in the south-west corner of Elysium Planitia.
    
    Daily readings are usually a couple of days behind reality (it takes time for the lander to transmit its data back to Earth).
  - Downloadsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDownloads
    
    Orbital Calculator Current Version This is a portable application, meaning there is no installer. Just unzip into a folder and run the executable. Since it is portable, it can be run from a USB stick.
    
    A full description and a list of the features are available
  - Rules on Reviewingplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigRules on Reviewing
    
    First off, you should know I only have a limited amount of time, so I can't review a hundred novels at once. Sorry, but that's basic physics for you. If I agree to review your novel, you may have to wait a while for me to get around to it, and then I'll need time to read it. I only review hard copies.
- Articles
  - General
    - A Keen Interest In Marsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigA Keen Interest In Mars
      
      [MOLA globe of Mars]You may have noticed from pages such as the Mars Weather Report page, that I have a keen interest in Mars, Martian weather, and the InSight lander.
      
      Mars itself, and the incredible science we are doing there is of course a fascination in and of itself. However, my interest goes deeper than that. My latest novel (at the time this article was written - March 2019) is about the exploration of Mars. NASA have provided a wealth of data and information for …
    - A New Siteplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigA New Site
      
      Yup, the old site was as ugly as sin and to find a blog entry you had to scroll through the feed or take your chances with the search option.
      
      This new site is just as easy to maintain, has extensive search capabilities, and both orders and structures the entries. Not only does this make it easier for you to find stuff, it encourages you to browse around. It's not as ugly either.
    - Getting To Marsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigGetting To Mars
      
      [Mars] Edit: updated to include
      
      There are multiple ways to get to Mars, and each has pros and cons. The one thing they all have in common is orbital mechanics. Some options can get to Mars in a short period of time, while others could take up to a year. Some are better suited for robotic missions, others for crewed missions. This article takes a look at the problems of getting to Mars (and getting back) and what options are available.
    - How do I Calculate Distance from Period?plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigHow do I Calculate Distance from Period?
      
      I've been asked how Orbital Calculator can calculate the distance an object is from a gravitational mass, using just its period (the time it takes to complete an orbit). The technique is relatively simple, so I'll explain it.
    - Martian Spring Weirdnessplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMartian Spring Weirdness
      
      [Mars (northern hemisphere)]Spring in the northern hemisphere of Mars is odd to say the least. The further the season moves away from winter, the warmer we should expect things to get, but this is not the case. It gets colder. By examining why, we can see why Earth is pretty much a special case, and begin to be able to predict weather patterns on other planets.
    - NASA Boarding Passplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigNASA Boarding Pass
      
      I took the plunge and got my NASA boarding pass for the Mars 2020 Rover mission.
      
      [NASA Boarding pass for Mars 2020 Mission]
      
      Get yours here: NASA Website SEND YOUR NAME TO MARS
    - NASA Receives 2 Emmy Awardsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigNASA Receives 2 Emmy Awards
      
      NASA recently won (14th-15th Sept 2019) two Emmy's for interactive content. Aside from the obvious achievements of winning the awards, there is something else going on here that should be recognised and encouraged. Awards, of course, are intended to recognise, encourage and promote excellence, but I'm talking about NASA not only reaching out to the public, but interactively engaging them.
    - Orbital Calculator v1.0.0.5 Updateplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator v1.0.0.5 Update
      
      You can now calculate distance from a gravitational mass using the orbital period. The image above shows a calculation for Mars which has a 687 day year.
      
      I've allowed the use of tokens to identify time components to make it easy to use. The examples shown in the image should explain how it works.
    - Orbital Shenanigansplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Shenanigans
      
      [MOLA map of Mars coloured by elevation]
      
      Edited: 2019-03-14
      
      Sometimes when you do some research – actually, quite often – you find out some really interesting stuff and end up changing your mind. In my story, I had some people on the ground on Mars, and wanted a spacecraft in a geostationary orbit above them to give them communications between them at all times. Just for info, when talking about geostationary orbits, the accepted term for Mars is aerostationary. I’ll use g…
  - Info Posts
    - Mars Solar Conjunctionplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMars Solar Conjunction
      
      This page is currently inactive for 2019 conjunction (until next conjunction in 2021)
      
      Mars is heading for a solar conjunction, which in layman's terms means it's on the opposite side of the sun from the Earth. For a short period, no commands will be sent to the Mars spacecraft (which includes landers and rovers) since the sun's corona could corrupt those commands and result in unintended actions, disablement of the spacecraft or worse.
    - Mars Weather Page Updateplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMars Weather Page Update
      
      [Temperature over time] I've updated the format of the Temperature Over Time chart on the Mars Weather page to make it more readable. The sol numbers were overlapping each other, despite being broken into two rows. The chart is now interactive, in that you can use your mouse (or other pointing device) to select a position on one of the temperature graphs, and the sol number will be displayed at the bottom.
    - Orbital Calculator 2.0.4 Releaseplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator 2.0.4 Release
      
      Added three new calculations:
      
      * Distances between stars (using start-chart coordinates) * Apparent magnitude of stars from other stars * Hohmann Transfer Orbits
      
      Hohmann transfer orbits allow migration from a lower to a higher orbit or vice-versa. When used for interplanetary travel, these are solar orbits, but this kind of orbit can be used to move satellites to a higher altitude (or bring them back to a lower one).
    - Orbital Calculator for Linuxplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator for Linux
      
      The portable version for Linux has been released and is now available on the Downloads page. There are also instructions and sample files to setup a desktop icon/launcher in case you want that too.
      
      The application comes in both 32-bit and 64-bit variations.
    - Orbital Calculator v2.0.2.2634 Releasedplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator v2.0.2.2634 Released
      
      [Mars] A bugfix and a new function has been added. Details are on the Release Notes page.
      
      In addition, an import file is also available on the Downloads page that contains 669 exoplanets with confirmed size and mass, culled from a NASA archive.
    - Real-time Martian Clockplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigReal-time Martian Clock
      
      I had a momentary lapse last night - or was it inspiration? Anyway, I've added a real-time clock that shows the current time on Mars using the Martian clock (the seconds are a bit longer) for the location of the InSight lander.
    - Site Softwareplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigSite Software
      
      Some people have expressed an interest in what software I use for this site. It's built around DokuWiki with some extensions to make it work like a blog, keep it transparent (all the articles and entries are visible in the treeview menu) and to spruce things up - such as the auto-tooltip which displays the first part of a page when the user mouses over an internal link (this also works in the top-bar menu). Some extensions make administering the site easier, such as moving articl…
    - This Article Has Movedplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThis Article Has Moved
      
      This article has moved to Self-Publishing Traps
  - Science
    - NASA Technology Review 2019
      - SmartSuitplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigSmartSuit
        
        SmartSuit: A Hybrid, Intelligent, and Highly Mobile EVA Spacesuit for Next Generation Exploration Missions
        
        Developer: Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station
        
        I think the title says it all, but just in case it wasn't crystal clear, this is what they have to say about it:
      - THE MOST Space Telescopeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigTHE MOST Space Telescope
        
        Few telescopes can honestly say they've reinvented the concept, yet THE MOST certainly has. It works on a surprisingly old principle, by passing light through two prisms. As Isaac Newton demonstrated, this first splits light into its constituent components, then recombines it back again.
    - Dragonfly to Explore Titanplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDragonfly to Explore Titan
      
      Credits: NASA/JHU-APL Few worlds excite exoplanetary chemists like Titan, Saturn's enigmatic and largest moon. It is the second-largest moon in the solar system, and the only one known to have a dense atmosphere. As such, it is seen as an analogue to the early Earth, and therefore important in understanding how life might have evolved on our homeworld.
    - How Big Is The Universe?plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigHow Big Is The Universe?
      
      [Hubble deep Field Image]
      
      I recently came across a youtube video explaining a method for multiplication that was quite different from long multiplication. To explain why this was so interesting, let’s first talk about long multiplication and what’s wrong with it, and then we'll calculate the size of the visible universe in centimeters.
    - Landing the Mars 2020 Rover Safelyplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigLanding the Mars 2020 Rover Safely
      
      Autonomous landings are always fraught with danger. One of the most dangerous terrains any landing might occur on is a boulder field. Not only would the impact of the landing on these hard objects be a threat, but the boulders are likely to be jagged too. Another threat are the steep cliffs of the crater - not falling off them (although that's a possibility), but crashing into them.
    - Magnetic Field Lines on a Galactic Scaleplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMagnetic Field Lines on a Galactic Scale
      
      [Powerful magnetic fields are visible]
      
      The Cigar galaxy (M82) is already famous for the speed at which it creates new stars. The composite image shows the powerful magnetic field lines on a truly epic scale, wrapping around the entire galaxy. NASA's SOFIA observatory (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy - a converted Boeing 747) has shed light on what is happening.
    - Mysterious Starplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigMysterious Star
      
      Back in 2016, Tabetha Boyajian gave a TED talk about a star with nifty little name KIC 8462852. The Kepler space telescope had studied it and lots of other stars over the course of four years, but this one stood out.
      
      Also known as Tabby's Star, it is a main-sequence F-type star located in the constellation Cygnus, about 1,480 light-years from Earth. Its claim to fame of course, is that it was suggested that alien megastructures would explain the weird data that Kepler had recor…
    - NASA Got it Wrong - Oops!plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigNASA Got it Wrong - Oops!
      
      It's not every day you get the chance to tell NASA they screwed up.
      
      I was reviewing the data I'd collected from NASA's Mars Weather page, and I noticed that the graphs they generated didn't match the summary data.
      
      For example, the summary data for Sol 169 shows the maximum temperature peaking at -17.6°C, while the graph for the same day showed the temperature never rising above -25°C.
    - To the Moon and Marsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigTo the Moon and Mars
      
      [The Moon - watch out, here we come (again)!]NASA has outlined an aggressive timetable for an equally aggressive return to the Moon, with a view to making the Moon a waystation for trips to Mars. This requires the development of a whole slew of new technologies, as well as ramping up existing technologies and capabilities to whole new levels.
  - Software
    - Calculate your Age and Weight on the Planetsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCalculate your Age and Weight on the Planets
      
      This little calculator allows you to calculate how old you would be on each of the planets in the solar system, and what your weight would be. If you have weight issues, don't look at the result for Jupiter!
    - DLCounter Pluginplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDLCounter Plugin
      
      [screenshot]
      
      This download-counter plugin for DokuWiki enables you to keep track of the number of downloads of media files such as zip, gzip, tarballs and pdf's (your choice of media formats). This plugin has been developed and tested on “Greebo
    - DLCounter Plugin Bugtrackerplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDLCounter Plugin Bugtracker
      
      If you have any issues with the plugin, leave a comment here.
    - Orbital Calculatorplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator
      
      Orbital Calculator is the result of satisfying a need. There are online calculators for working out the orbital characteristics for satellites and spacecraft orbiting Earth, and they’re pretty cool gadgets as far as that goes, but quite limiting.
    - Orbital Calculator 2.0 Releasedplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator 2.0 Released
      
      It's been a while in coming but it's finally here, with a packed feature list. It has increased precision and is generally a lot easier to use.
      
      You can now perform two-body orbital calculations, so the masses of both a star and planet (or planet and moon) are taken into consideration. Time dilation can now be calculated either as a function of the speed of light or (in a much more mundane and realistic way) from an orbit. Orbital time-dilation takes into conside…
    - Orbital Calculator v2.x Release Notesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigOrbital Calculator v2.x Release Notes
      
      This lists the important notes on each new release, explaining what has changed and what's new.
      
      See the Downloads page to download Orbital Calculator for various platforms. A full description of the product is available on the
    - Surface Gravity Calculatorplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigSurface Gravity Calculator
      
      Want to know what the surface gravity is on any celestial object? You just need to know it's mass in terms of Earth masses (e.g. Earth = 1, Venus = 0.815, Mars = 0.107 etc.) and it's radius. This calculator will do the rest.
- Articles on Writing
  - Description or Teaser?plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigDescription or Teaser?
    
    When you write the blurb that goes on the back of the book, should you write a description or a teaser? This article explores that question, explaining why each of them work and what their effects are, and why sometimes one is a better choice than the other.
  - Proper Paragraph Spacing and Indenting on Web Pagesplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigProper Paragraph Spacing and Indenting on Web Pages
    
    This is a short article on how to setup the correct CSS in order to replicate the paragraph spacing and indenting displayed in a book on your web pages. It will also enlarge and embolden the first character in the scene.
  - Self-Publishing Trapsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigSelf-Publishing Traps
    
    Sometimes it's a while before I post a new book review. Usually this is because I've read some self-published novels that I don't want to review. When I post a review, I'm telling readers about a book I'd recommend. This is good for readers, and it's good for the authors who get the recommendation. I'm not out to harm someone's writing career - which can always be turned around in the future - and I'm certainly not the sort of pompous umm, donkey, that simply lets my mouth…
  - Smart but Dumb Aliensplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigSmart but Dumb Aliens
    
    We all know the problem, especially from video games and movies, where the super-smart aliens turn out to be really dumb. This is usually because the creator hasn't put much thought into it.
    
    So, you're creating a super-intelligent alien or species or civilisation for your short story or novel or whatever. How do you avoid the pitfalls of dumbing them down?
  - Story Structure (Hero's Journey)plugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigStory Structure (Hero's Journey)
    
    The Hero's Journey is an overlay for the 4-part story structure. See how they work in conjunction with the character arc.
    
    ----------
    
    Click on this image to review it, then click it again to see it full size
    
    Other Structures
  - Voices in the Darkplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigVoices in the Dark
    
    A scene that is all dialogue and no action creates the dreaded “voices in the dark”. Perhaps they're at a conference table, or standing around talking things through before making a decision that will propel the story into its next phase.
- Book Reviews
  - Fantasy
    - Casey White
      - Silvertongueplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigSilvertongue
        
        [Silvertongue]
        
        Silvertongue is the first in a series named “Remnants of Magic”, and both the title of the novel and the series become readily apparent in the first scene. Speaking of the first scene, it's a big one at 100 pages spanning eleven chapters, but don't let that put you off - it's one hell of a scene. The story kicks you straight into the action and that first scene is a long and continuous battle - and the poor protagonist (Jon) hasn't got a clue what's going on or why…
    - Jay Northearn
      - Beyond Falcon's Reachplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigBeyond Falcon's Reach
        
        Beyond Falcon's Reach by Jay Northearn, is a mish-mash of high fantasy, gothic-horror, steampunk and electropunk, with a dash of semi-intelligent machine-learning AI's thrown-in to boot. Yet for all of this, the world Northearn has created is homogenous and holistic - two watchwords I'll bang on about until the cows come home, to anyone who'll listen. Giving everything in your world a place and a reason for being there is something that every writer should always keep i…
  - Non-Fiction
    - The Bluffers Guide to the Quantum Universeplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigThe Bluffers Guide to the Quantum Universe
      
      [The Bluffers Guide to the Quantum Universe]
      
      The Bluffers Guide to the Quantum Universe is a very funny guide (read: hilarious) to things surrounding quantum mechanics. Who the major players were, how the major theories won out over each other... or didn't. Tons of interesting facts you can toss around at parties and make it look like you know what you're talking about when discussing anything to do with quantum theory, quantum mechanics, who was who…
  - Sci-Fi
    - Andrew Bannister
      - Creation Machineplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigCreation Machine
        
        Andrew Bannister’s “Creation Machine” is the best novel I’ve read this year – and that’s saying something, I’ve read some of the best sci-fi novels from the last five years in the last ten months.
        
        The breadth and depth of his imagination is incredible. He’s created an entire artificial galaxy, given it character and taken us on a tour that is as exciting as it is varied.
      - Iron Godsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigIron Gods
        
        Another novel of The Spin, and following on from Creation Machine, Iron Gods continues in much the same vein. There are intriguing and plausible characters, a spaceship AI that has had its lobotomy reversed, strange worlds and even stranger economic forces.
      - Stone Clockplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigStone Clock
        
        The third outing in The Spin series from acclaimed author Andrew Bannister, Stone Clock, has a dark edge to it. Already an accomplished writer, Bannister has taken things up a notch.
        
        His usual mélange of lucid and slightly demented imagination is in full force, and the array of modes of humour are all present and permeate the pages as if they’d been dipped in the stuff.
    - chris_morton
      - Hard-Boiled Wonderlandplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigHard-Boiled Wonderland
        
        [Hard-Boiled Wonderland]
        
        Chris Morton is a writer with a certain pedigree, having been shortlisted for a Guardian award, this story is his third novel and his first in science-fiction.
        
        It tells the story of a man (Maggie Flycatcher) who has almost certainly the most boring job in history: he's a lemon tree supervisor. The creative talent that can come up with such a pointless job is one that deserves some recognition, so it instantly grabbed my attention. Flycatcher's …
    - Gerald M. Kilby
      - Colony One Marsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigColony One Mars
        
        [Colony One Mars] [4.5 stars]
        
        Colony One Mars promises to be a fast-paced sci-fi thriller, and it certainly delivers. The prologue is short and sweet, and although it doesn't offer any story information that isn't in the story proper, it does set up the atmosphere for what is to follow. The tension ramps up very quickly and most unexpectedly, and everything changes before we've had a chance to grab our breath.
      - Colony Three Marsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigColony Three Mars
        
        [Colony Three Mars by Gerald M. Kilby] [4 Stars] The third instalment in the saga is even messier (for the protagonists) than the previous two, ramping up the tension and the action, and making the solution even harder for the reader to predict. The cast of protagonists has grown a little, but that's fair because the cast of antagonists has too.
      - Colony Two Marsplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigColony Two Mars
        
        [Colony Two Mars] [4 Stars] Colony Two Mars picks up the story a few years after the preceding story, Colony One Mars left off. I really enjoyed the first instalment in this trilogy, but this is a much better, much stronger story. As the overarching story of the trilogy begins to emerge, Kilby's eye for a good story starts to pay dividends.
    - Science Fiction Double Featureplugin-autotooltip__default plugin-autotooltip_bigScience Fiction Double Feature
      
      [Science Fiction Double Feature ]
      
      This pair of novellas comes courtesy of Zombie Pirate Publishing, and indeed the stories themselves come from the publishing house's founders and resident editors, Sam M. Phillips (Into the Eye) and Adam Bennett (Phosphorus).
      
      Since they come as a pair it is necessary of me to review each in turn before giving an overall impression, and I've chosen the order they appear between the covers.

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