The Improbable Universe

Slide Show + Audio (.mp4) Transcript: This is a talk I originally prepared to present as part of the 2206-2007 convocation series at Illinois College. Since then I have given it before several other audiences, and with every presentation I’ve had more people ask, will this be online. Finally,...

Mt Palomar and San Diego Fires

N.B. I just checked the Palomar Observatory website. They simply say the observatory is closed due to fire. I tried accessing the Hale webcam and my connection timed out. Nothing good comes from a firestorm. Perhaps this one will at least spare the...

New Computers and Returning Carnivals

I got a new laptop. I’m currently trying to transplant my brain onto it and the surgery is taking longer than expected (although, so far there seem to be no complications). The surprise I had planned for yesterday it currently sedated, but I expect the patient to start to get out of bed tomorrow. In...

Making photometric data fit in a Standard System Using Excel

This entry goes out to all you amazing observers who want to do better science with your photometric data. Over on the AAVSO listervs I also see emails from folks asking for good comparison stars for variable stars, especially those one off variables – supernova and nova – that tend to go off...

AstroFest

I go to a lot of conferences. Some are good, some are bad, and most are just, well, a generic conference. In addition to the science content presented, I tend to judge conferences by three other criteria: Is it pleasant (are the hotel and conference center places I like being and within walking distance of...