A friend sent me an email yesterday with a link to an article on the Top 100 Space and Astronomy Blogs . They said this was how they found my blog. I was shocked.
First, who do I know that isn't on Facebook, Twitter, CVnet or the AAVSO email lists? By now, all those people know where to find Simostronomy.
Second, Simostronomy made the list!
"I'd like to thank my wife and cats for all their support. My variable star friends, like RX Andromeda and KT Perseus for the inspiration. Thank you, Find Schools Online dot com for including me on the list. And lastly to Google Blogger for making it so easy and convenient."
Seriously, there are some really fine blogs on this list, and it is an honor to be included among them. Some of them are my favorite bloggers. I'm happy to say I know many of these authors personally. Many of them participate in the AAVSO Writers Bureau.
So, if it's been a busy week at AAVSO, and I haven't posted much, like this week, here are 99 suggestions for alternative astronomy reading.
Minggu, 03 November 2013
Top 100 Astronomy Blogs
Vote for the best science blog post of 2009!
There is a lot of great science blogging going on out there. The people over at Three Quarks Daily are sponsoring a contest to select the best science blogs of 2009. Details of the contest can be found here.
Just reading the blog posts on this list (click here) will make you realize how much great science blogging is going on. I've found several new favorite blogs and writers!
Results of this public voting round (the top twenty most voted for posts) will be posted on the 3QD main page on June 8, 2009, so you have a few days to catch up on your blog surfing before picking the best of the best.
The ultimate winners of the contest, as decided by Steven Pinker, will be announced on June 21, 2009.
Yes, there are a few Simostronomy posts in the running. But you've read those already. Try some of the other offerings before making your choice. THEN vote for one of my blogs!
Busy signal
Hi, thanks for stopping in. That sound you here is a busy signal. I'm on the road again and have been pretty busy in June between preparing for this trip, writing three Restless Universe podcasts and trying to keep my grass mowed between all the rain showers!
I'll be back to posting to the blog any day. I hope to have some interesting pieces about Charles Scovil, Director of the Stamford Observatory who I am staying with for a few days. I'm going to interview him about the history of the observatory and his role as director. Chaz is also a long time AAVSO member/observer/past president/recipient of the Director's Award, etc., etc. I plan to ask him about some of the colorful and amazing AAVSO people he's known over the last fifty years. Mama Joules Hosts the Carnival of Space
One of the really cool things about the Carnival of Space is taking the time to learn about some of the excellent, creative, unique blogs out there in the blogosphere. This week finds Carnival of Space #139 parked on the doorstep of Mama Joules.
Mama Joules is "a family-friendly place for kids of all ages to share fun ideas & interesting ways to learn about science." If you read some of her material you'll find Mama has some fun, interesting ideas alright! Here's an example-
One of my favorite memories is when my mom and I would look at rocks. But I wonder if I would have liked it so much if she had started lecturing me by saying, "Now, this is granite. Granite is an igneous rock ..."
Mom never said that. My mom would say things like, "Look at this cool rock! I think it's a fossilized dinosaur turd." You can imagine how many rocks I brought to my mom! I loved hearing her make up stories about my rocks.
By all means, check out the Carnival and all its fine offerings this week. But take a minute to get to know Mama Joules.
This One's For You--Thank You
Sometimes, after researching and writing a blog for hours or days, I finally post it and then basically...nothing happens.
There is no applause, a paycheck doesn't arrive, no one slaps my butt on the way back to the huddle and says "good one, man." It just silently goes out there for the world to read- if they can find me, and if they like it.
Well, it looks like you've found me, and you like it. My feedback loop is a website hit counter and the number of references to the blog now being found on the Internet.
The number of visitors and page views to the blog has grown steadily over the past twelve months, with several humongous spikes in August and now again in September. We already have as many visitors in September as we had on average in May, June and July this year.
In July, Simostronomy cracked the Top 100 science blogs on Wikio. In August, we climbed up to number 32, and have been holding our spot in the top 40 since then. Wikio tracks blogs by the references and back links to them, so that means not only are people visiting but the articles are being linked and referenced all over the web. Many of you are sharing the blog through your own links, blogs and Facebook pages. Simostronomy has been the #1 astronomy blog on Facebook's Networked Blogs for all of 2009.
The thing that has become obvious from the numbers is, the more I write the more you come. If you take out the steady growth trend, the graph of visitors mirrors the number of posts per month almost exactly. It's like the line in 'Field of Dreams', "If you write it, they will come." I will keep writing, and I'll try to keep a steady flow of interesting stellar astronomy pieces coming. Your loyalty is my reward, and I will try to deserve it every month.
The numbers don't lie. You've voted by coming here and staying long enough to read a page or more each time something new goes up. Thank you, all of you.
Now, publishers like National Geographic, NOVA and Arizona University Press are even sending me comp astronomy books and DVDs to review. Sure, if you want me to read it, send a free one!
So, thank you to all of you who have found me, heard my voice and keep coming back for more. I am flattered, and will try to keep earning your readership.
There are some individuals to whom I owe a special thanks (pulls out Academy Award list):
Pamela Gay, for encouraging me to give this a try in the first place by pushing me into the Web 2.0 pool and yelling "swim!"
Fraser Cain, for including me in the Carnival of Space and allowing me to host the Carnival several times.
Aaron Price, for gentle nudges, hints and encouragement along the way (even if he still calls it Simo-astronomy).
Slackers, Michael Koppelman and Doug Welch for reminding me every time I am with them that I'm not the only one who thinks astronomy is serious, but also seriously fun!
And to the other astro-bloggers I've come to know and admire, and who inspire me to pick up my game, particularly Ray Villard, C.C. Petersen, Kurtis Williams, Ian O'Neill, Nicole Gugliucci, Jennifer Ouellette, and Amanda Bauer.
And last but not least- thank you Google, for making Blogger so user friendly and simple even I can do it.
Thank you, thank you, thank you...
Seriously,
Thank you.
