Exceptional Seeing At Dome C in Antarctica

Michael Ashley writes "A paper published in Nature today reports on the exceptional astronomical seeing conditions at Dome C (Coral link) in Antarctica. Obtaining the data posed some significant technological challenges, given that Dome C is uninhabited over winter. The experiment was controlled by a PC/104 computer system that had to survive temperatures down to -85C, and supervise the generation of its own electricity using a jet-fuel powered stirling engine. The computer, running Linux, communicated with the outside world using an Iridium phone. The results are also covered in New Scientist, and the Sydney Morning Herald. Disclaimer: I'm a co-author."

Comments

Three cheers for global pollution

[nlawalker]

Looks like making the ozone hole actually accomplished something.

Re:Three cheers for global pollution

[garcia]

They claim it's great in the winter when the sun is below the horizon. The reason they claim they can't see anything in the summer is because they are all covering their faces (see here for an example of what I mean!

This poor motherfucker is the one that is actually there in the Winter (when they claim the telescope is controlled via sat. phone). Notice how *HE* can see!

The other guys are such wimps. Fur lined face masks and goggles. Sheesh!

the hole in the ozone is good for something

[Anonymous Coward]

polluters, the other scientists.

Vow

[savagedome]

Dome C is uninhabited over winter. The experiment was controlled by a PC/104 computer system that had to survive temperatures down to -85C

Now, that's a savage dome!

Re:Vow

[Ubergrendle]

With a -85C ambient temperature, think of how much you could overclock your Athlons...

It's a bird, it's a plane...No it's Tux

[GillBates0]

The experiment was controlled by a PC/104 computer system that had to survive temperatures down to -85C...The computer, running Linux, communicated with the outside world using an Iridium phone.

I would have to say Linux was the ideal choice in this case. Penguins are polar creatures. you know. I wonder how the Microsoft Rainbow-bee-man would've fared under such conditions.

Re:It's a bird, it's a plane...No it's Tux

[recharged95]

Yeah, but the MS butterfly would definitely not make it. What's needed is the FreeBSD guy to heat things up down there.

Could have used an...

[PhraudulentOne]

Hell, all that they had to do was stick a new Geforce and an Athlon in there and she'd be warm as toast ;)

As Captain Murphy would say..

[Peter Cooper]

God I hate those jerks in Dome C!

outta beew

[Himring]

Base camp: So how's it going there?
Dome C: Weh, Biwwy daywed me to stiwck my tung to the waw. Oh, and we'we outta beew....

Re:outta beew

[Anonymous Coward]

You need to do more Yoga.

Re:outta beew

[Celsius10]

Which is also known as a "Saturday night" in Germany.

Re:Mod submitter up...

[rokzy]

What's a link?

Re:Screen shot of web page on mobile phone

[xutopia]

Celvin?

Re:Screen shot of web page on mobile phone

[Anonymous Coward]

Cold?

geography question

[WormholeFiend]

so, how far is the secret nazi base from Dome C?

Good sense of humor

[arose]

They seem to maintain a good sense of humor despite the cold. What do the authors look like?

Re:Seeing Conditions

[lucabrasi999]

You'd think they'd have a cooler word for that...

I apologize in advance for recycling an old joke, but here are some ideas for 'cooler words' (and phrases):

Untwinkly.

Non-Twinklifying.

Steady-State Stars.

De Tinky Winkied Star.

Sluggish Stars (antonym of 'vigorous').

Lethargtic star viewing.

Warning for those in Antartica...

[sgant]

Stay away from the Norwegian camp....they dug up something in the ice and we've lost contact with them....

Last we heard, one of their sled dogs were running this way with a helecopter following it....

Re:Screen shot of web page on mobile phone

[Innova]

Says battery temperature is -34.5 (is that C or F?)

Seeing how it says -34.5C I'm guessing that would be C.

Re:Mostly off topic

[Billy the Mountain]

I'd just go down there for a week, talk with people, and pass out resumes.

Re:Mod submitter up...

[dodo_dodo]

What?

Iridium phone?

[raehl]

I'm apalled that we are polluting Antartica with this radioactive material. What if the phone melts down? This could have devastating consequences for all of Antartica's residents.

Re:Surviving temps down to -85???

[1984]

Pfft. Next you'll be telling us it's tricky to design space probes to be caught by passing helicopters.

Now you can see the alien overlords coming...

[IronChefMorimoto]

Thanks to the excellent astronomical seeing conditions at Dome C, the Australian scientists started work on their second paper:

"Quasi-Formulaic Investigations into the Space-Time Arrival Calculations of the Zarlanian Horde"

The paper is being rushed to press with journals such as Nature and New Scientist in the hopes of beating the inevitable alien invasion and, thus, enjoying the publicity prior to enslavement and/or annihilation.

"We're pretty excited about this second research opportunity. As soon as we turned on our Dome C equipment and saw the bristling plasma gun turrets from the Zarlanian Horde lead star cruiser, we knew that we had at least 1 more paper opporunity in us," said Rich Godfrey, a previously unmentioned post-doc working on the project.

The research team is taking full advantage of the excellent seeing conditions now, confident that they'll be able to put together a rough draft of the paper shortly before the first scout troops from the Zarlanian Horde arrive.

IronChefMorimoto

Re:Mostly off topic

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd just go down there for a week, talk with people, and pass out resumes.

I heard Southwest Airlines is offering a special from Reno direct to Dome C. Just get to the airport early so you can get the pink boarding pass. You don't want to be in the middle seat for THAT flight.