Monthly Archives: January 2022
What time is it?
I had a course in grad school where the clock in the classroom ran a few minutes fast. The professor would awkwardly wait until the clock indicated a few minutes past the hour to start, and was always a bit confused as to when class ended. One day I got the bright idea that I…
Sky and Telescope
Way back in July of 2020 I shared some writing with my friends at the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, and one of the members encouraged me to submit an essay to Sky and Telescope. While camping in Anza Borrego State Park that Thanksgiving I finally came up with a good idea. I had it written…
Systematic Scientific Observation
I recently came across a phrase in a conference paper on utilizing AU vs to explore shipwrecks that I think is worth repeating. “Navigation provides the common reference for overlaying observations from multiple sensors into coregistered maps. This transforms otherwise purely observational explanation into systematic scientific investigation.” There is a metaphorical truth in that statement…
Play your position
I played youth baseball back in middle school. Once during practice the shortstop ran what seemed like halfway across the outfield to catch a fly ball. Afterwards, our coach commented that it was a good catch, but the center fielder was in position to make the catch and the shortstop should have been elsewhere on…
It’s like baseball
I would think everyone would want to drive a Mars rover if given the chance, but that’s not entirely the case. One of the questions I often get from colleagues outside of operations is along the lines of, “Don’t you get bored basically doing the same thing all the time?” I get where they’re coming…
Localize Me
Anyone who has read a few entries on this site will know that I am keen on maps and navigation. My brain is good at spatial thinking and I’m generally good at remembering where things happened in a geographic sense. I also have fifteen years’ worth of photos saved on my computers that I never…