超新星コンデンセート
Supernova Condensate is a blog about our place in the Universe. Of astronomy, chemistry and life in the big bad bubble of academia.
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Invader Xan is a molecular astrophysicist and part-time alien invader, who spends life looking at very small things on very large scales, and trying to better understand the chemistry of interstellar space.
DFTBA ♥
すべての我々は星で作られています。
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Writing this blog is a labour of love, and one which I evidently need a little encouragement towards on occasion. If you like what I write, the best way to show your gratitude would be to fuel my caffeine addiction and buy me a coffee to say thank you. All coffee donations are gratefully accepted!
Author Archives: Invader Xan
木星
So here’s an interesting little fact. In Chinese and Japanese, Jupiter is known as 木星 which means “wood star” – and I think that’s a wonderful name for it! Interestingly, the name is pure coincidence. Just as our name for the … Continue reading
Why Michael Gove is a reprehensible spam faced tool bag
The internet is such a fickle beast. After staying up well past my bedtime yesterday to live tweet Juno being inserted into Jupiter’s orbit, I achieved a thin slice of tinned internet fame for tweeting at UK politician Michael Gove to call … Continue reading
Ludicrous Speed
So Juno is now safely in orbit around Jupiter, and NASA scientists are triumphant, celebrating it as the “hardest thing NASA’s ever done.” They may not be wrong. No spacecraft has ever passed so close to Jupiter before. Jupiter’s radiation … Continue reading
Like shooting womp rats
It’s pretty late in my currnet part of the world. But all the same, I’m debating whether or not I should sleep at a sensible time. Mostly because it’s not every day that humanity sends robots to other planets. It’s … Continue reading
Apparently, I’m a terrible and negligent blogger who’s barely written a thing in ages, despite the number of times I’ve talked about and intended to do precisely that. This time, I really should try and make more effort. I think I … Continue reading
Schrödinger’s Racist: On Safety and Pins
You’re not a racist. Of course you’re not. Nor are you a xenophobe. I’m sure you’d never dream of speaking ill of anyone purely based on their skin colour or country of origin. No, you’re a decent and wholesome member of … Continue reading
Posted in life
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Lurking Giant
Well this is quite interesting. There’s some latest news about the possibility of a giant planet lurking on the outskirts of our solar system. The near mythological “planet X” which astronomers have been hunting for for decades. This latest study … Continue reading
❝ Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt. ❞ William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure
How to write a proposal – part II
A few months ago, I wrote a little about how to put together a research proposal. At the time, I acknowledged that I was no expert and had a lot still to learn. I still acknowledge this, perhaps now even … Continue reading
Posted in academia
Tagged links, postdoc life, postdoc problems, reading lists, student life
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“She is an astronomer”
Today marks the 100th anniversary of women being allowed membership into the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) in the UK. While this is most certainly a thing to celebrate, one thing about this still gives me pause. It’s only been 100 years. … Continue reading
Posted in academia, life
Tagged postdoc life, postdoc problems, scientists, student life
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