Steinn Sigurðsson
Professor of Astrophysics at Pennsylvania State University. Science Editor at Astrophysical Journal. Icelandic. Herder of Cats.
catdynamics
Posts by this author
July 10, 2006
It is the Tesla Sesquicentennial!
Happy Birthday!
No, not this Tesla, that Tesla
As his SI unit celebrates he was clearly a very intense guy.
Though I don't know that he was really 10,000 Gauss!
Coturnix is the Source for all things Tesla
July 8, 2006
GSFC's Terra mission detects indisputable evdence for gravity waves.
From the MISR instrument
Ok, this was inspired by last month's Physics Today, but y'all remember that "gravity waves" are old fashioned fluid waves with gravity as the restoring force, and quite distinct from gravitational waves…
July 7, 2006
Prof Hawking is stirring things up again...
seen on CNN...
Hawking put out a Social Science question on Yahoo's "Ask the Planet".
Got about 18,000 answers.
Bono got even more...
Oh, the question: "How can the human race survive the next hundred years?"
Answer: Little luck.
Al Gore had a serious…
July 7, 2006
Friday, and I went blueberry picking.
So, we ask the mighty iPod...
This cloning business, are we going anywhere with that?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: Help Save the Youth of America - Billy Bragg
The Crossing: Strange Days - Doors
The Crown: Allegro: Eine Kleine Nachtmusic…
July 6, 2006
I don't want to see anyone picking on Al Gore again.
Apparently, Bush is "in the process of solving" the debate over whether global warming is caused by human activity
Well, no, dear, you're not.
"In an interview with People magazine, President George W. Bush said there is "a worthy debate" on…
July 6, 2006
Yikes, Dynamics of Cats is nowhere on the Nature science blog rankings.
That, dear folks, is because most of you are still pointing at ye olde catdynamics.blogspot.com, or at least I like to think so...
Move those blogrolls and web links.
The web values based on connectivity...
(ok, I admit, I…
July 6, 2006
Ask a Science Blogger: On July 5, 1996, Dolly the sheep became the first successfully cloned mammal. Ten years on, has cloning developed the way you expected it to?...
Yes. More or less exactly as I expected, in fact. So there.
Oh, an explanation...
The original cloning effort was an early…
July 5, 2006
France vs Italy eh, could be good, could be not good...
Italy did well to hold off Germany, their defence+goalie look invulnerable.
They're good on the counter, but the first goal looked like a defensive error by the Germans, looked like someone missed their assignment.
Only saw the last few (and…
July 5, 2006
It was NASA proposal season last month, meant to comment on it, but was so exhausted and pissed off about the whole thing that I needed some space.
A typical proposals is 15 pages of main text; including biblio, bios, associated documents and blurbs the final (electronic) package is typically 40-55…
July 4, 2006
Word out of Space Telescope Institute is that the Advanced Camera has taken blanks and the spare electronics are good. Low read noise and bias, and system is stablising at operational temperature.
Both cameras working.
Should have first calibration frames by now, looks good as new.
Will look for "…
July 3, 2006
Mm, fresh Rainer cherries go very well with vanilla skyr
For some reasons there are an amazing number of wild raspberry canes fruiting this year; we're picking a pint or two in 20-30 mins (with two munchkins "helping" this is not as slows as it sounds), and there's more every day, both black and…
June 30, 2006
Topical friday and so we ask the Mighty One a Topical Question:
Oh, mighty iPod: will LIGO, now that it has reached phase I design sensitivity and is in double coincidence science run mode, detect the ringdown from the formation of intermediate mass black holes in the local universe?
Whoosh goes…
June 30, 2006
Side 2 (spare) electronics were powered up on the Advanced Camera for Surveys.
Preliminary indications are that they are in good shape and that the ACS will be live and taking science data again by July 4th.
Looks good.
June 29, 2006
Jim Baen died.
He was publisher of Baen Books, the primary source of libertarian and military oriented science fiction, with emphasis on the above. He discovered and promoted some excellent authors, and kept teenage boys everywhere amused for hours.
He also premiered online fan discussion with…
June 28, 2006
ScienceBlogger asks: "What are some unsung successes that have occurred as a result of using science to guide policy?"
Um, errr...
Ok, since the place is full of bio/med/geo types, lets narrow the field to astro and space.
Astronomers have been extremely successful in guiding space science policy…
June 28, 2006
The Las Cumbres Observatory is a private foundation planning a network of 5-7 homogenous 2m telescopes around the world, and an associate network of smaller educational telescopes for schools.
As I'm told, they have one operational telescope and one under construction.
The observatory has…
June 28, 2006
From space.com
Vandenberg AFB launched an NRO sat on a Delta 4 last night.
Launch was scheduled around 8 pm, I had dinner obligations but we sat outside and I was facing the right way, less than perfect angle, but still.
Actual launch was 8:33, so I missed the burn, saw the sunset reflect off the…
June 27, 2006
space.com is running the top ten weird things in space.
Some of the choices don't seem that strange, but then familiarity does bring contempt.
Go vote. Vote early. Vote often.
June 27, 2006
Your results:You are Spider-Man
Spider-Man
70%
Hulk
65%
Green Lantern
55%
Robin
52%
Superman
50%
Batman
40%
Iron Man
40%
The Flash
35%
Supergirl
30%
Catwoman
30%
Wonder Woman
20%
You are intelligent, witty, a bit geeky and have great power and responsibility.
Click here to take the "…
June 27, 2006
The first few minutes are not warm up.
The game is still on even if it is the last minute.
Fascinating game Gha vs Bra.
The Ghanan's are dominating the midfield and the Brazilians are relying on the quick counter.
The Brazilians look like they don't want to be there most of the time...
Oh, and the…
June 26, 2006
DC flooded, more on the way
You should sooo read this book - 40 signs of rain by KSR
NSF panels, biotech, global climate change, NSA, and Tibetan Monks. What more could you want?
Sequel is good to.
From flickr...
June 26, 2006
There it is, back after a hundred years in the outer system.
From CARA - the Cometary Archive for Amateur Astronomers in Italy.
Nice one.
June 26, 2006
Good game by the Ozzies, they are actually somewhat dominating the midfield at halftime and the Italians are trying to slow things down to regain control. Toni looks a bit off pace, he's had good shots, very good shots, but he's not been running onto balls his teammates looked for.
The Ozzies are…
June 25, 2006
The Minor Planet Center reports the discovery by L. Buzzi of the Schiaparelli
Observatory, Varese, Italy of comet P/2006 M3.
Computations by Green strongly suggests it is Barnard's comet of 1889 (c). Returning with a about a 128 year period.
Welcome back.
New orbit estimate is 119 year period,…
June 25, 2006
Quick trip to California, and between life, the neighbours dogs, and a late connection I was drive to the ultimate in desperation...
I bought one of the "snack boxes" on United Airlines.
The "healthy" one.
Judging by the state of the contents, I was the only customer dumb enough to actually buy…
June 25, 2006
The newly instated University of California at Santa Cruz Chancellor, Prof D. Denton died saturday in San Francisco in a fall from a tall building.
News media are conjecturing it was suicide.
There was a lot of media play over senior UC personnel in the last year or so, with a lot of insinuation…
June 23, 2006
Rainy friday, and we approach the mighty iPod with a topical question.
Oh, mighty iPod, when LISA is finally launched, will it see shitloads of EMRIs?
Whoosh goes the randomizer.
Whoosh.
The Covering: La seenade interrompue - Claudio Arrau
The Crossing: Accident Waiting to Happen - Billy Bragg…
June 22, 2006
Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are on a roll tonight.
I too think the WSJ editorial board should be left behind to tough it out in the event of a suitable catastrophe. like the SCOTUS ruling gay marriage constitutional.
"More of the Same" I don't think so.
Red Staters to the Red Planet.
June 22, 2006
I don't know. But I'll answer anyway.
Enthusiasm for the subject
Comfort with the level of knowledge and understanding of the material
Some minimal level of organization ability
Pacing
Some patience, but not too much
Some ineffable ability to explain stuff
Did I mention patience, lots of…