No telescopes open and more snow on the way. We could do some laundry for excitement, but are saving that for tomorrow in case we need more excitement then. Chris needs cheering up – please help!
And in a rash moment, he gave posting access to his fellow observers, heheh… so
Chris Quote of the day: (we were walking past the visitor centre where someone was grappling with a shiny metal thermos) “Look, that man has a telescope!” Um… yeah, that’s why they pay you the big bucks, Chris…
Survival Tactic of the day: not eating the Prawns of Death, which re-appeared again on the salad buffet. They’re kinda brown now.
Alice Sheppard on February 7, 2008
Poor Chris. Come back to the UK and come to Astrofest with us instead!
I’ll try to think of something. In the meantime:
What happened to the man who broke the law of gravity? He got a suspended sentence.
Two atoms go into a bar. One of them says to the other, “Hey, you know what? I think I’ve lost an electron!” The other says, “Are you sure?” The first says, “Yes – I’m positive!”
Rob on February 7, 2008
Don’t worry Chris, bad weather seems endemic. This afternoon’s partial solar eclipse here in Sydney was totally obscured by heavy thunderstorms. We have had heavy rainfall all week and I’m off tomorrow with 35 G&T students for from NSW for a road trip to all the major telescopes in NSW; Parkes, the AAT, the Australia Telescope Compact Array and others interspersed with viewing nights with small optical telescopes under wonderful dark skies. Unfortunately the 5 day forecast is anything but good
A colleague of mine was at Mauna Kea a couple of weeks ago for his second visit. His first a few years ago was totally in fog. This time wasn’t much better though some semi-clear skies tempted him to set up his impressive camera gear only to have more clouds roll in.
Hope you manage to get some good weather and fresh seafood!
Hanny on February 7, 2008
Heh Alice, that’s a good idea!
Oh and Chris, if you read this, I finally got a copy of the Dutch “Bang!” and I LOVE it!
Hold on over there and talk soon…
Adam Primus on February 7, 2008
Heisenberg is driving along the motorway & gets pulled over by a police car.
The policeman says to him “Do you know how fast you were going back there?”
Heisenberg replies, “No, but I do know where I am.”
Alice Sheppard on February 7, 2008
Plainly there is hope – if the prawns are suntanned, then the sun will come out again eventually, as will the other suns in our galaxy and the other galaxies in the Zooniverse.
By the way, who’s Jane?
KPM on February 7, 2008
The reply from number 10 has come back so feel happy that you were part of getting people to lobby :
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You recently signed a petition relating to the Science and Technology
Facilities Council (STFC): http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Physics-Funding/
You may wish to know that the STFC issued a statement on its funding plans
today – you can read the statement on the STFC website by going to:
http://www.scitech.ac.uk/PMC/PRel/STFC/CouncilPR010208.aspx
Regards,
Downing Street petitions
Petition information – http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Physics-Funding/
If you would like to opt out of receiving further mail on this or any other
petitions you signed, please email optout@petitions.pm.gov.uk
jane on February 7, 2008
… I’m an astrobiologist from Scotland. I work on extrasolar comets and exo-planet habitability – take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tau_Ceti for some work we did on tau Ceti at JCMT!
Loved the Heisenberg joke!!
Chris went up at 6 am this morning to help with Snow Inspection. Not seen him back yet. Maybe a case of “I ‘m going out, I may be some time…”
Alice Sheppard on February 7, 2008
Nice to meet you, Jane!
Um . . . that’s quite worrying . . . I do hope he comes back eventually – was this before or after he posted about the response from Downing Street?
“There’s snow Chris around at present . . .”
Astroant on February 8, 2008
When I left Chris and Jane on the mountain last night they were in high spirits and (foolishly) optimistic for their observing prospects. The smiley face on Mars could not fail to cheer anybody up.
However, all this talk about Prawns of Death and Dutch Bang is making me worried for your sanity up there. And now Chris has gone walkabout up there…. anybody else read “Into Thin Air”?
I must say, I have regularly seen the Prawns of Death at HP and have never been tempted – projectile vomiting at altitude while sitting in front of your shiny MacBook not advisable to anyone. As for Dutch Bang… well I’ve never tried but it sounds like something I’d be willing to try… as long as it doesn’t involve getting my shiny MacBook dirty!
Alice Sheppard on February 8, 2008
It’s a Dutch version of the book “BANG!” which Chris wrote with Sir Patrick Moore and Brian May a couple of years ago . . .
Alice Sheppard on February 10, 2008
(Me yet again . . .)
I must say, doing laundry sounds a right washout!
I hope you did get some good observing done eventually – and the Astrofest stories will keep you entertained for a long time. That is, if you don’t sack me.
Galaxy Zoo has certainly proved that people CAN all get to know each other over the Internet . . . I look forward to all of us making you laugh a lot . . . safe flight!
Douglas on February 11, 2008
Gosh… that Jane! Hello!
Frank Ryan Jr on February 18, 2008
I always find the old ‘boot-polish-on-your-observing-partners-binoculars’ gag
does it for me when I need cheering up.
Ahh the Beano, what a repository of information it was.