Frequently asked questions

[ToSeek]

INDEX
1. How do I report an inappropriate post?
2. How do I report inappropriate private messages (PMs)?
3. Who are the moderators and administrators of this forum?
6. What does [mysterious series of capitalized letters] stand for?
4. The forum is slow at certain times. Is there a reason for that?
5. How do I make exponents, superscripts, subscripts, Greek letters, and other special characters in a post?
7. Why does my post not show up immediately?
8. How do I embed maths?
9. How do I change my username?
10. I just joined CosmoQuest and I can't edit my Profile.
11. Moon Mappers FAQ
12. BB codes
13. What happens if I break the rules (infraction system)
14. Dead forum links to "bautforum.com"
15. I lost my post, can I get it back?


1. How do I report an inappropriate post?

Click on the triangular icon () in the lower-left corner of the post you have a concern about.

That will bring up a separate page with a text field you should fill in to explain your concern. The resulting message will be sent to all the moderators and administrators.

Please do not use this capability for any other purpose, but don't hesitate to use it if you do have a concern. We moderators cannot monitor every post on every thread - your help is not only encouraged but essential in order to maintain the quality of this forum.

(Entered to replace this thread in the sticky list.)

[ToSeek]

2. How do I report inappropriate private messages (PMs)?

Private messages now have a report button just like posts. See above for details.

(Entered to replace this thread in the sticky list.)

[ToSeek]

3. Who are the moderators and administrators of this forum?

Moderators:

• grapes
• Jim
• kmasterdo
• slang
• Sticks
• Swift
• antoniseb
• tusenfem
• chrissy

Administrators:

• ToSeek
• PetersCreek
  

Team Scientists:

• IreneAnt
• astrostu

Build Team / Hangout Producers:

• NoisyAstronomer

Owner/administrators:

• Fraser
• Pamela Gay

[ToSeek]

4. The forum is slow at certain times. Is there a reason for that?

The forum is backed up starting at 1100 UTC daily (6 am EST, 3 am PST, noon Central European Time). This only takes about ten minutes, but the forum will be slower and more prone to errors during that period.

[ToSeek]

5. How do I make exponents, superscripts, subscripts, Greek letters, and other special characters in a post?

Superscripts and subscripts are easy. Use the following codes

[sup]super[/sup]script and [sub]sub[/sub]script 

to produce ^superscript and _subscript.

For special characters, you can cut-and-paste from the below:

= ≠

< ≤ ≥ >

+ - ÷ ×

² ³

⅓ ⅔ ⅛ ⅜ ⅝ ⅞ ¼ ½ ¾

√ ∞ ≡ ≈ ∫ ∩

← ↑ → ↓ ↔ ↕ ∙

Α Β Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω

α β γ δ ε ζ η θ ι κ λ μ ν ξ ο π ρ ς σ τ υ φ χ ψ ω

∀∁∂∃∄∅∆∇∈∉∊∋∌∍∎∏∐∑−∓∔∕∖∗∘∙

√∛∜∝∞∟∠∡∢∣∤∥∦∧∨∩∪∫∬∭∮∯∰∱∲∳

∴∵∶∷∸∹∺∻∼∽∾∿

≀≁≂≃≄≅≆≇≈≉≊≋≌

≍≎≏≐≑≒≓≔≕≖≗≘≙≚≛≜≝≞≟

≠≡≢≣≤≥≦≧≨≩≪≫≬≭≮≯≰≱≲≳≴≵≶≷≸≹≺≻≼≽≾≿⊀⊁

⊂⊃⊄⊅⊆⊇⊈⊉⊊⊋⊌⊍⊎⊏⊐⊑⊒⊓⊔⊕⊖⊗⊘⊙⊚⊛⊜⊝⊞⊟⊠⊡

⊢⊣⊤⊥⊦⊧⊨⊩⊪⊫⊬⊭⊮⊯⊰⊱⊲⊳⊴⊵⊶⊷⊸⊹⊺⊻⊼⊽⊾⊿

⋀⋁⋂⋃⋄⋅⋆⋇⋈⋉⋊⋋⋌⋍⋎⋏⋐⋑⋒⋓⋔⋕⋖⋗⋘⋙

⋚⋛⋜⋝⋞⋟⋠⋡⋢⋣⋤⋥⋦⋧⋨⋩⋪⋫⋬⋭⋮⋯⋰⋱⋲⋳⋴⋵

For additional advice, see this thread, from which I have shamelessly copied the above.

[ToSeek]

6. What does [mysterious series of capitalized letters] stand for?

AACS - Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem
AAMOF - as a matter of fact
AAS - American Astronautical Society
ACS - Attitude Control System
AFAIK - as far as I know
AIAA - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
ALSEP - Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package
APOD - Astronomy Picture of the Day
AU - astronomical unit
ATM - against the mainstream
BABB - Bad Astronomy Bulletin Board
BAUT - Bad Astronomy/Universe Today
BB - Big Bang (alt BBT - Big Bang Theory)
BH - black hole
BIS - British Interplanetary Society
BTW - by the way
** - Bart Sibrel
c - speed of light in a vacuum
CEO - close Earth orbit
CERN - European Organization for Nuclear Research
(http://public.web.cern.ch/Public/en/About/Name-en.html)
CETI - Communication with Extraterrestrial Intelligence
CM - Command Module
CSM - Command/Service Module
CT - Conspiracy Theories/conspiracy theorist
CQ - Cosmoquest
DoD - Department of Defense
EDL - entry, descent, and landing
ESA - European Space Agency
ET - external tank -or- extraterrestrial
ETA - edited to add
ETLA - extended three-letter acronym
EU - electric universe
EUV - extreme ultraviolet (121 nm - 10 nm)
EVA - extravehicular activity
FUV - far ultraviolet (200 nm - 122 nm)
FWIW - for what it's worth
G - universal gravitational constant
g - acceleration due to gravity at the Earth's surface
GEO - Geostationary Orbit
GMT - Greenwich Mean Time
GO - geostationary orbit
GR - General Relativity
GSFC - Goddard Space Flight Center
GSO - geosynchronous orbit
GTR - General Theory of Relativity
GUT - grand unified theory
HB - hoax believer
HEO - highly elliptical orbit
HST - Hubble Space Telescope
ICBM - intercontinental ballistic missile
ID - intelligent design
IIRC - if I remember/recall correctly
IMHO - in my humble opinion
IMNSHO - in my not so humble opinion
IMO - in my opinion
IOW - in other words
IR - infrared
ISS - International Space Station
Jet-A - commercial jet fuel (refined kerosene)
JP-1 - jet propellant-1 (refined kerosene)
JPL - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
JSC - Johnson Space Center
KSC - Kennedy Space Center
LEO - low Earth orbit
LH2 - liquid hydrogen
LHC - Large Hadron Collider
LLRE - Lunar Laser Ranging Experiment
LOX - liquid oxygen
LRRR - Lunar Ranging Retro-Reflector
LM - Lunar Module
LRV - Lunar Roving Vehicle
MECO - main engine cut off
MEO - medium Earth orbit
MMU - manned maneuvering unit
MOND - Modified Newtonian Dynamics
MPG - miles per gallon
MSFC - Marshall Space Flight Center
MUFON - Mutual UFO Network
MUV - middle ultraviolet (300 nm - 200 nm)
N2O4 - nitrogen tetroxide
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NEO - near-Earth object
NORAD - North American Air Defense Command
NSA - National Security Agency
NUV - near ultraviolet (400 nm - 300 nm)
NWO - New World Order
OMS - Orbital Maneuvering System
OP - Original Post (also Original Poster)
OT - off-topic
OTOH - on the other hand
OTS - off-the-shelf
OWLS - one-way light speed
PAN - Pro-Apollo nutter
PAO - Public Affairs Officer
PC - plasma cosmology
PX - Planet X
TEOTWAWKI - the end of the world as we know it
[T]PTB - [the] Powers That Be
Q&A - Questions and Answers
RAF - Royal Air Force
RLV - reusable launch vehicle
RP-1 - rocket propellant-1 (refined kerosene)
SETI - Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
SM - service module
SMAL - Small Media at Large
SOL - speed of light
SR - Special Relativity
SRB - solid rocket booster
SSME - Space Shuttle main engine
STR - Special Theory of Relativity
TLA - three-letter acronym
TOE - theory of everything
TWLS - two-way light speed
UDMH -unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine
UFO - unidentified flying object
USAF - United States Air Force
UT - Universal Time
UV - ultraviolet
UVA - ultraviolet A (400 nm - 315 nm)
UVB - ultraviolet B (315 nm - 280 nm)
UVC - ultraviolet C (280 nm - 100 nm)
WWTSD - what would ToSeek do?

further reference -
http://tla.surly.org/
http://www.braeunig.us/space/glossary.htm
https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/he...yms/index.html
__________________

(Courtesy of Gillianren)

[Jim]

7. Why does my post not show up immediately?

Unfortunately, the vast majority of new members are spammers. As a result, any posts made by new members are held for moderator review. This holds until you reach a certain (small) number of posts, after which posting should no longer be delayed. If you would like to accelerate the process, you're welcome to send a private message to administrator ToSeek, who can override the process manually if he's persuaded that you're a genuine contributor.

[pzkpfw]

8. How do I embed maths?

Try using one of the free services that exist for translating latex into images.

The LaTeX code is embedded in the URL.

e.g. [img]http://www.codecogs.com/eq.latex?\frac{V_{1}+V_{2}}{\sqrt[]{1+\frac{V_{1}V_{2}}{c^{2}}}}[/img] gives:



Other services can be found at: this place


EDIT: New TEX tags have been implemented:

e.g. [tex]\frac{V_{1}+V_{2}}{\sqrt[]{1+\frac{V_{1}V_{2}}{c^{2}}}}[/tex] gives:

[ToSeek]

9. How do I change my username?

You can't do so yourself, but if you send a private message to one of the administrators (preferably the one who wrote this post), your request will generally be granted. We do reserve the right to reject username changes based on issues including the appropriateness of the name to a family forum, the similarity to an existing user, and how often you've made such requests in the past.

[Jim]

10. I just joined CosmoQuest and I can't edit my Profile.

This is an anti-spam measure we had to start because of Profile abuse by spammers. After a few posts, the software learns to "trust" you and will give you access to your Profile. (This does not mean you can start spamming.)

[Swift]

11. Moon Mappers FAQ

Moon Mappers FAQ Link

[grapes]

12. BB codes

The available BB codes are listed at the bottom of each of our board pages, just click on the "BB Code is on" link:
https://forum.cosmoquest.org/misc.php?do=bbcode

Here is the list (which are surrounded with noparse codes(see below)):

Bold / Italic / Underline [b], [i], [u]
Color [color]
Size [size]
Font [font]
Highlight [highlight]
Left / Right / Center [left], [right], [center]
Indent [indent]
Email Linking [email]
URL Hyperlinking [url]
Thread Linking [thread]
Post Linking [post]
Bulleted Lists / Advanced Lists [list]
Images [img]
Videos [video]
Code [code]
PHP Code [php]
HTML Code [html]
Quote [quote]
Stop BB Code Parsing [noparse]
Attachment [attach]
Signature Picture [sigpic]
Spoiler [spoiler]
Strikethrough [s]
Subscripts [sub]
Superscript [super]
Use LaTex [tex]

Note that all tags need to be opened (e.g., [spoiler]) before and closed ([/spoiler]) after the text to be modified.

[Swift]

CQ has moderators and administrators who enforce the rules. For minor offenses, particularly if you are new to CQ, you will probably only receive some advice or a warning from them, either as a post in the thread in which the problem occurred, or as a Personal Message (PM). When a moderator or administrator is giving official advice or instructions in a public thread, the text will be in their "moderator color", usually red, purple or blue (personal preference of the moderator).

For more serious offenses, CQ using an infraction system of increasing points. An explanation of this system can be found here.

[slang]

These are links to other posts, threads or sub-forums from when we were still called BAUT forum, and were hosted at bautforum.com. After moving to Cosmoquest, for a long time many of these links were "magically" forwarded to the new website. Unfortunately, this is no longer possible, and we have decided that trying to translate all the links automatically in the database is too risky. Fortunately, it's not very difficult to use those links anyway.

An example. Let's assume you find this URL, and it won't work:
http://www.bautforum.com/showthread.php?72891-Frequently-asked-questions
Copy the link, paste it into your browser's addressbar, and simply replace the bolded part with cosmoquest.com/forum, so it looks like:
http://forum.cosmoquest.org/showthread.php?72891-Frequently-asked-questions
Press enter, and you should see the thread.

Similar tricks are possible with other forms of URL into the old forum, the key part is to feed the end part of the link to the current location of showthread, like above. For some time, we used links that had the name of the subforum as part of the link. which looked something like this:
http://www.bautforum.com/Astronomy/72891-Frequently-asked-questions
In those cases, you'd need to replace everything before the number part so it looks like:
http://forum.cosmoquest.org/showthread.php?72891-Frequently-asked-questions.

If you encounter even older links like the one below (from when we were called BABB and were hosted at Bad Astronomy), we're not aware of any method to find the intended post. If anyone knows of one, share.
http://www.badastronomy.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?topic=3741&forum=6&29
You may have some luck trying to find links like these over at archive.org. You can use this URL as a starting point, or try to find some later copy of the website in the WayBackMachine Internet Archive:
http://web.archive.org/web/20020602174515/http://www.badastronomy.com/phpBB/

[slang]

(Most popular trick to not lose a big post is still to write it somewhere else, like a word processor or maybe email thingy, that is more stable or has reliable auto-save functionality and then copy/paste the text to the forum...)

No promises... but there is a chance.

When writing a reply or a post in a Reply, Reply With Quote or Quick Reply box (and maybe others), you may see a quick notice "Auto-saved". This means the forum temporarily stored a copy of your message, in case something goes wrong (browser crash, empty battery, who knows).



To get that stored copy of your message back, make your browser reload the forum page where you were writing a post or reply. Such reloading can happen on pressing F5, or by clicking the reload button of your browser, or clicking from the main page back to the subforum and thread you were in. In the lower left of the edit box, something like a button with the text "Restore Auto-Saved Content" should appear. Click it for the magic.



Probably only works when logged in. No guarantees, it may or may not work, due to the enormous amount of different kinds of devices and browsers and protections out there.