it's an entire galaxy!!!

Saturday evening, a friend and I decided to try out a telescope I got for the Let's Talk Science program a while ago. Since it is November, and Manitoba, being outside at night becomes far more agreeable when dressing right, so even though it was just around zero degrees, I equipped myself with three layers on my legs, and 5 on upper body (including wool, fleece and a downjacket as the crowning piece. A friend of mine let me "inherit" a pair of horse skin mittens. They are amazing - they manage to keep my hands warm, an accomplishment previously unheard of. Anyways, you get my point; it's important staying warm.
After learning the little quirks of the telescope, we managed to observe the comet Holmes (presently bigger than the sun..!) which due to its size actually was best observed through binoculars. Maiko was very impressed: "WOW! WOW! That's totally awesome!" etc. Slightly paraphrased perhaps. I was equally ecstatic about it. We also checked out Mars, the halfmoon, and M31 (the Andromeda galaxy). Now, a galaxy is cool. There's not many things cooler than a galaxy. And M31 is a very pretty specimen. From a small telescope like ours, it looks however mainly like a fuzzy elongated... fuzzball. The following conversation thus took place:
Maiko, upon observing fuzzball galaxy for first time, slightly disappointed: "That's IT?"
Heather, somewhat exasparated: "It's an entire GALAXY!" This gave me the giggles... But it turned out an eye-opener for me too. Maybe I've grown too used to what's going on in my life. What is it really we are looking at? From where? And how? Every trial of writing down that feeling of incredible awe turns out halfbaked. But seriously... it's an entire galaxy!!!!!

klag och mindre klag

Det är lustigt hur man aldrig hinner/orkar skriva nåt här, pga tidsbrist, och nu när jag verkligen inte har nån tid, så måste jag klaga om det. Hur ska man nånsin kunna fixa färdigt allt det här i tid? (med "det här" avses förstås hela iden att bli doktor). Mummel.

Reflection: If I communicate with someone from home, the next thing I do will be in Swedish. If someone interrupts and my brain changes language, when I continue writing, this happens.

Anyways, small interesting things going on: Yesterday we had 16 degrees, this morning snow lay on the ground. I'm going to Hawaii this winter. Twice. And home during reading week in February. Research is going forwards (YES!) but oh so slow (gaaaaah). Soon, if I can get the optical data right, I will have finished mass modeling for NGC 3556 from scratch. That is about time. It doesn't help either, that spontaneously, softwares I need to use, decide to stop working, or working in a different manner than what I am used to. The plan is to have this done by tomorrow, as well as instructions on HOW to do it written out and 14 lab reports graded. Also, I need write a thesis chapter and start a paper.

The Hawaii trips, btw, are first a honey moon in December and second observing at JCMT in January.

Och - jag har köpt en trevlig kappa.

Saker jag vill göra NU: webalbum med alla bilder från i höst. Skriva ned allt som pågått också. Måla 2 tavlor. skriva två artiklar. Vara färdig med allt mass modeling tjafs. Ha första kapitlet helt färdigt. vara förberedd för observationerna i januari. Ha tid att öva dans. Beställa Hnolulu-hotell. Göra en ansökan för en "award". FLYGA!!! Och plugga på flygandet. Det som hinns med? inget utom mass modeling, som ändå aldrig blir färdigt, och små korta stunder av vilande (såsom detta). Därav det inte ens sporadiska skrivandet på sista tiden (det blev svenska igen, för jag pratade med min far samtidigt.. )