We inform the variable-star community that the publication of the
``Peremennye Zvezdy'' (Variable Stars) journal, founded by Prof.
B.V. Kukarkin (1909-1977) in 1928, is planned to be resumed by
November, 2005. Currently it is possible for us to publish
``Peremennye Zvezdy'' only as an electronic journal. To make the
journal accessible for as wide an audience as possible, we intend
to publish it in English (with only the title and abstract
translated into Russian and presented at a special
Russian-language sub-page of the journal). We will take measures
that the contents of our electronic journal is covered by
international data bases, like ADS and SIMBAD.
The publication of ``Peremennye Zvezdy'' will be supported by two
Moscow astronomical institutions, the Sternberg Astronomical
Institute (University of Moscow) and the Institute of Astronomy
(Russian Academy of Sciences). The web support will be provided
by the ``Astronet'' project. The editor-in-chief of the
electronic journal will be Dr. N.N. Samus.
It is mutually understood that the resumed journal will not
compete with the IBVS but, contrary, will help the IBVS by
providing the community with additional publication
possibilities, so that the IBVS will be able to still better
fulfill its most important role of quick publications of
comparatively short papers on the most urgent and important
results in the field of variable stars. We are planning to
introduce electronic references to relevant IBVS papers in
``Peremennye Zvezdy''.
``Peremennye Zvezdy'' is intended to be a professional-level
journal open to papers on the whole variety of variable-star
topics. Papers from amateur astronomers are welcome, provided
that these papers satisfy the high scientific standards the
journal is going to maintain. The submitted papers will be
refereed by experts in the variable-star science. As for copy
editing (language editing), it will be undertaken by the editors
within reasonable limits. The editors reserve their right to
reject papers because of their English being too poor for
understanding their meaning and making necessary editor's
corrections. We are currently not planning to introduce ``page
charges'' of any kind. As it was during the last years of its
existence in the paper form, the journal will consist of two
parts, the main journal and the Supplement. The main journal will
accept original scientific papers containing theoretical results
as well as results based on detailed analysis of variable-star
observations. There will be virtually no volume limitations for
papers published in the main journal, thus it will be possible to
publish much more lengthy papers than those in the IBVS. The
Supplement will publish results based on observations. We
encourage our potential authors to present discoveries of
individual variable stars and studies of known variable stars in
the form resembling that currently used in the many-author issues
closing each volume of the IBVS, but we also leave possibilities
for Supplement papers of different formats. In our opinion, any
new discoveries of any variable stars, from new original
observations or from data mining, regardless of variability type,
are important. However, we reserve our right to reject
announcement of discoveries based on a couple of deviant data
points, since such announcements only increase the number of poorly
studied, ``suspected'' variables. The authors should try to
additionally investigate such stars before announcing them, for
example, to determine types and to derive periods for periodic
variables.
The quickly increasing flow of variable-star information makes us
to issue a warning that we are not intending to publish raw
observing data, without any analysis and any scientific
conclusion. We are not going to publish lists of variable-star
extrema based on visual observations. Such information should be
channeled to the variable-star index at the AAVSO.
The papers to ``Peremennye Zvezdy'' should be submitted in LaTeX,
using the style file that will be available at
http://www.astronet.ru/db/varstars/. Manuscripts should be
submitted by e-mail to the address <varstar @ sai . msu . ru> .
Authors who are able to do it are encouraged to additionally send
us Russian-language titles and abstracts of their papers;
alternatively, titles and abstracts are translated into Russian
by the editors. Standard-format papers intended for submission to
the Supplement should be submitted through the web forms at
http://www.astronet.ru/db/varstars/. When submitting results
based on original observations (i.e. those coming not from data
mining), it is desirable to submit also files with observations.
In case of data mining, references to the data should be
indicated. More detailed instructions can be found at
http://www.astronet.ru/db/varstars/. Please note that the
site's full functionality will be opened on December 1, 2005;
this is also the earliest date for submissions by e-mail .
The resumed ``Peremennye Zvezdy'' is the editors' first attempt
to run an electronic journal. We hope that we will be able to
maintain the journal at a good modern level but ask our potential
authors for their understanding during the first organizational
period.
INFORMATION BULLETIN ON VARIABLE STARS
Konkoly Observatory
Budapest
6 December 2005
HU ISSN 0374 - 0676 (print)
HU ISSN 1587 - 2440 (on-line)
AS AN ELECTRONIC JOURNAL