My Summer Internship Photo on BBC
Hey, it looks like the BBC liked my summer photo of a thunderstorm roaming the Arizona desert, and featured it on their website for their popular show PRI’s The World.
Here’s a big version of the photo, which I took at sunset right during one of my last observing runs on the 2.1 meter at Kitt Peak. I still haven’t quite gotten over the amazing view from the mountain. Click to embiggen!
A summer thunderstorm roams the Arizona desert behind the astronomical flock of telescopes at Kitt Peak, shepherded by the 4-meter Mayall telescope.
I’m in Boston for the next few weeks – having some fun with J (who deserves it big time after the crazy few months she’s had at the hospital), seeing some old friends, and getting ready for the next school year. J’s here doing an outrotation for her residency in palliative medicine at Harvard/MGH.
If you’re in the area, send me a note! It’s great to be back after 10 years. I lived here from 1995-2000, and certainly missed it. Bonuses: I get to drive like a maniac again to fit into the traffic pattern here. Minuses: The traffic is just as bad as before the Big Dig! The construction has just migrated from the Expressway to other parts of the city, the Orange Cone conservation law holding as always. Oh yeah, while I was gone, the Patriots have won a few superbowls, the Red Sox won a few world series, and the Celtics won a championship. And Ted Kennedy died. C’mon Boston, do something!
I also have a renewed intrest in the town, and going to graduate school here. After my internship at NOAO, I’ve decided to specialize in observational astronomy, and some of the best work in extrasolar planet discovery and characterization is going on at Harvard and MIT.
What’s everyone doing for Labor Day?
September 4th, 2009 at 1:40 am
I am very jealous- you should look my sister and brother-in-law up while you guys are there. They live in Sudbury and would love to take you guys to dinner or something. My brother in law would be fascinated by what you both do and would talk your ears off. Let me know if I could give your contact info to my sister.
September 4th, 2009 at 12:09 pm
Awesome photo and congratulations, that is too cool! Enjoy Boston, I would love to visit/live there someday – maybe after Z gets home from Iraq I can talk him into a vacation before I take over Iowa State.
September 4th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Have fun in Boston! Fantastic city! I can’t believe that the traffic is still as bad as before the the Big Dig. Hadn’t heard of the “Orange Cone” conservation law — makes perfect sense. I’m sure it helps the economy to keep the Orange Cone companies in business. Unless the cones are actually migrating extraterrestrials that create construction zones to find new habitats…
September 5th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Hey Paul! Yes, it’s true – but maybe that’s a good thing. If the Boston drivers actually got more momentum due to less traffic, that might make them more dangerous! There are some positive changes – a new cool looing skyscraper is in the Back Bay, and I’m off today to see the other new major addition to the city – the new Institute for Contemporary Art over on the water front. Very cool place in an awesome building.
Hope your semester is beginning well!
September 5th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Jen – when does Z get back? How are you holding up?? I’d highly recommend a vacation when he gets back – you guys deserve it.
September 5th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Hopefully he’ll be home late 2010 or early 2011, assuming they don’t extend his deployment any longer, but so far we are faring much better than I had inititally planned.