A. Kirwan

Astronomer and teaching fellow/technical officer University College Dublin. I like space, learning, and music.
My views are my own.

2025-05-16

@PWei888 This is incredible

2025-05-15

I wonder sometimes if there's been anything written about the effect of e.g. ChatGPT on technical/academic/scientific writing, particularly in the prevalence of bullet points. Because it feels at times like I'm marking PowerPoint presentations rather than project reports...

A. Kirwan boosted:
Tryst 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 :ms_asexual_flag: :ms_cat_grin:tryst@meow.social
2025-04-30

Meanings of the smoke for the upcoming papal conclave:

Black smoke means they're burning oil, which could be a sign of piston ring or valve stem seal wear

White smoke means they're burning coolant and the papal head gasket has blown

2025-04-10

After a long week working with students in Tenerife, I rented a car and went up Teide and it was so worth it.

A mountaintop peaks above a dense layer of clouds.
2025-03-19

I'm not convinced my #dog isn't some kind of #cryptid...

A three legged dog is lying very comfortably on its back with its legs sprawled in various directions, giving it a bizarre insect-like appearance.
2025-03-04

Went down a rabbit hole reading about Venus today and holy damn the Soviets didn't mess around. First pictures of the surface of another planet AND first audio recordings of the surface of another planet?

mentallandscape.com/C_CatalogV

archive.org/details/venera-14-

#venus #spacerace #spacehistory

A. Kirwan boosted:
Kamala Kara A 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️Covok@dice.camp
2025-02-15

HOLY FUCK! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! THE LADS ACTUALLY DID IT!

BILLIE PIPER AND CHRISTOPHER ECCELSTON ARE BACK!

BIG FINISH IS FINALLY DOING A 9TH DOCTOR AND ROSE SET.

youtube.com/watch?v=xc8WHNUt3N

#DoctorWho #9thDoctor #RoseTyle #BigFinish

An on-set image of Christopher Eccelston as the 9th Doctor and Billie Piper as Rose Tyler. This is from the British TV Show, Doctor Who, a series about a time-traveling reincarnating alien and his rotating cast of human companions. The shot is them facing the camera with the TARDIS behind them. The TARDIS is the Doctor's time-machine and the name stands for "Time And Relative Dimension In Space." The 9th Doctor's TARDIS went for a grungy aesthetic to reflect his inner-conflict after having to commit double genocide to end The Last Great Time War.
2025-02-15

What's the silliest thing you've ever said in an interview? I was laughing today when I remembered once being asked how I'd describe an inductor to a second year student and I said it was like a resistor but only for "wiggly current". Child at heart.

2025-02-11

@rjblaskiewicz @badastro
Extra fun if you intentionally misgender the ones so intent on enforcing their narrow concept of gender.

My uncle is a big Trump fan — last time I saw him he had "Make Liberals Cry Again" Trump hoodie — and I decided to respond with "Yes ma'am" to something he asked me and he was not happy. Oh the irony.

A. Kirwan boosted:
Phil Plaitbadastro
2025-02-11

Time for, well, not a distraction so much as a palate cleanser: a truly phenomenal shot from Hubble of a galaxy that is rippling like a pond that had a rock tossed in it… because that's what happened! Kinda.

And YES you want to grab the hi-res version.

badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/inc

A. Kirwan boosted:
bartholin (losing it arc)bartholin@fops.cloud
2025-01-11
Computer programmer at work
2025-01-01

@khm well that's thoroughly disappointing

A. Kirwan boosted:
2024-11-13

@timelordiroh

tldr "if you want social interaction try talking to people."

2024-11-12

@PWei888 Yeah it makes me wish I'd applied as well! The last few times it was just so tough.

2024-11-12

@PWei888 The fight for MUSE time is brutal!

A. Kirwan boosted:
✨🏳️‍⚧️Timelordiroh :she_her:🇵🇸timelordiroh@mstdn.iroh.tv
2024-11-06

Also, please send your friends cute cat/dog/whatever they like pics. You never know who might need it.

A. Kirwan boosted:
nixCraft 🐧nixCraft
2024-11-02

On November 2nd, 1991, Vim was released. Happy cake day, ! Let the celebration start with Vim Easter egg:

Open VIM

Type

:smile

vim Easter egg
A. Kirwan boosted:
Jason Spyromilio Ιάσωνapolitosb@astrodon.social
2024-11-01

Forbidden lines are not quenched.

I wrote this note for myself. After some cajoling by my interlocutors to submit it for publication, it is now accepted at PASP.

arxiv.org/abs/2410.22539

So many text books, papers and lecture notes use the wrong language when speaking about the physics of forbidden lines

A. Kirwan boosted:
Project Gutenberggutenberg_org
2024-09-24

American astronomer Charlotte Moore Sitterly was born in 1898.

She is is best known for her comprehensive compilation of atomic energy levels and spectra, which remain foundational references in atomic spectroscopy. She is known for her extensive spectroscopic studies of the Sun and chemical elements. Her tables of data are known for their reliability and are still used regularly.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlott

Charlotte E. Moore Sitterly National Institute of Standards and Technology Digital Archives, Gaithersburg, MD 20899

National Institute of Standards and Technology - https://nistdigitalarchives.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16009coll3/id/333/rec/6

Charlotte E. Moore Sitterly is often depicted in professional attire, reflecting her position as a scientist working in a predominantly male field. Her appearance is formal, typical of the academic and scientific environment of the mid-20th century.

In her portraits, Moore Sitterly’s expression conveys a sense of focus and calm, with a poised demeanor.

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