A&G publishes content of interest to professional astronomers and geophysicists, including: news reports, interviews, topical reviews, historical investigations, obituaries, meeting reports and updates on the activities of the RAS. Full-length articles are peer-reviewed, but A&G does not publish original research papers.
A&G was established in 1997 as a glossy magazine replacement for the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society (QJRAS; 1960–1996); it continues the same volume numbering from QJRAS. The editor is Sue Bowler of the University of Leeds.
Furthermore, in keeping with the tradition of the Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society, it publishes discussions of fundamental science and scientific debates. The journal also functions as a channel of communication between the membership, the council, and the Society's Officers.[2][3][4]
Contributions to Astronomy & Geophysics are not restricted to RAS members.[2][3][4]
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society
The Quarterly Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society (Q. J. R. Astron. Soc, ISSN0035-8738) was published by
the Royal Astronomical Society from September 1960 to December 1996, and was produced by Blackwell Science in its later period. During that time 37 volumes were issued. The journal included articles reviewing modern astronomy or geophysics, discussions about research topics, meeting reports, contributions about the history of science, and reports of astronomical research groups and institutes. It gave less emphasis to detailed scientific research papers, which instead were published in the society's Monthly Notices. (ISSN0308-3322).[8][9][10]
Before 1960 the Royal Astronomical Society had published proceedings of its activities in its Monthly Notices alongside research papers, and published research reviews in its Occasional Notes. The Quarterly Journal was established in 1960 to free the Monthly Notices to concentrate on original research, and the Occasional Notes were discontinued.