La Palma

[Rommie]

So how about I'm TAing for an observing course where we take the students to La Palma for a week of observing (for the 8 M.Sc. students we drop 10k Euro, making this the most expensive course in the university, meaning they get a very stern "do NOT fuck up" lecture the first day). But then we just showed them this video too, and I thought y'all would love it too- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLv6TwDn ... tu.be&hd=1

Wow I canNOT wait for October!

[geonuc]

Nice. Need any help? Someone to carry your laptop, empty the trash? Anything?

[Swift]

Coo-ell

[Rommie]

Nice. Need any help? Someone to carry your laptop, empty the trash? Anything?

Isn't that what the students are for?

No really, it kinda bugged me that during the first class several of them it seemed were just pissed off that since we're going in the middle of the semester they can't take off extra weeks on either end (cause we're already on good graces since the other profs lose a week of classes) and since we're up at the observatory they don't get to go to the beach. I'm a bit WTF on all this- observatories are awesome to hang out at, and would you rather not go or something on your free trip to La Palma?!

Kids these days, amirite...

[SciFi Chick]

Kids these days, amirite...

You are right. All they're interested in is drinking and fucking in various locales.

[Swift]

I love Ritchie Valens' song about that observatory.

What do you mean, "no, that was La Bamba"?

[Rommie]

Kids these days, amirite...

You are right. All they're interested in is drinking and fucking in various locales.

Yep I totally never did that.

[SciFi Chick]

Kids these days, amirite...

You are right. All they're interested in is drinking and fucking in various locales.

Yep I totally never did that.

You misunderstand me. I'm not using hyperbole. I am being anecdotal, but I can not stress enough how much 75% of the people who worked for me were only interested in drinking and fucking all the time. Emphasis on the word 'all'.

[geonuc]

OK, so if the kids are all out drinking and fucking, you'll definitely need someone to help with the actual research. And take the trash out.

ME!!!!!

[Rommie]

Hahaha

To be fair to my students, I agree with what you're saying SFC but I suspect when it comes time to actually GO all 8 (or at worst, 6-7 with one semi-slacker) will shape up and take it seriously. This is because we are talking Astronomy MSc students here and slackers tend to not make it that far up the chain... and I will politely point out to the kiddos that our first observing night is a Monday anyway, so anyone astute can easily take a beach weekend beforehand (I certainly will, though I will likely fly to another island to check it out).

Sorry geonuc!

[geonuc]

dammit

[Rommie]

Well guys we reached the best position of all when it comes to the student you can tell is going to be annoying and was complaining- she dropped the class!

Guess we've got a spot open geonuc.

[geonuc]

I'm already packed.

[Rommie]

So this is totally going down, like right now. I'm in La Palma but we had two days on the beach- rather nice island but I'm pretty excited to get up to the observatory tonight!

[geonuc]

So this is totally going down, like right now. I'm in La Palma but we had two days on the beach- rather nice island but I'm pretty excited to get up to the observatory tonight!

Looking forward to photos on your blog.

[Sigma_Orionis]

Hope the Jamon Serrano is good at the Canary Islands.

[Rommie]

Made it!

This place is awesome- it feels like I've found the roof of the world, clouds all around and the astronomy observatories waking up for nighttime.

[Rommie]

For anyone keen, my trip report is up! Artie Aardvark Looks at La Palma

Putting a stuffed animal in front of stuff seems to make it way cuter, I've noticed

[Swift]

Better watch it, the might award the PhD to Artie, instead of you.

[SciFiFisher]

That was a very fascinating article. Thank you!

[geonuc]

Rommie, do you happen to have any closeups of the control panel shown in the sixth photo of the blog entry? In particular, there are three things at the top left of the second panel from the left that look weird. They actually look like outsized PIDG ring lugs. I must know what they are.

[Rommie]

No but I do have this unused photo from another control panel that was at the Isaac Newton-



I think it might have more detail on the sort of thing you're asking?

[Rommie]

Just searched what you asked for and yeah sorry, no photos.

I think your guess is correct though.

[geonuc]

Just searched what you asked for and yeah sorry, no photos.

I think your guess is correct though.

Bummer. It wasn't a guess. I said they look like outsized ring lugs. There's no way they are actually that.

See, if you had taken me up on my offer, I'd have been there to find out for myself. It's all your fault.

[Rommie]

Just searched what you asked for and yeah sorry, no photos.

I think your guess is correct though.

Bummer. It wasn't a guess. I said they look like outsized ring lugs. There's no way they are actually that.

See, if you had taken me up on my offer, I'd have been there to find out for myself. It's all your fault.

Sorry

Interestingly, seems like Sky & Telescope is going to accept my idea of writing an article about La Palma, so it's looking like a most profitable adventure.