The first time I operated a professional telescope, I was 17 years old; I did it for 9 years at the Cerro Tololo Observatory. Later, I continued my professional astronomy career, traveling the world until three years ago when I finally landed at Las Campanas as an Instrument and Operations Specialist for the Magellan Telescopes. Yet, as fate and vacations would have it, I found myself back in the operator’s chair last Tuesday, temporarily filling in for Carla while she enjoyed a well-earned break. And so began a week with the MagAO-X team.
The MagAO-X team doesn’t just occupy the control room—they own it, both in spirit and sound, filling the nights with a stream of ideas, laughter, and cutting-edge science and technology. This shift, we enjoyed some truly exquisite seeing, sharp stars at their best under a spotless sky (most of the time), mixed with the excitement of students and supervisors over their successful experiments and observations. Between moments of scientific triumph, we soaked in the hues of sunset skies and occasional green flash, navigated a maze of colliding chairs, and dealt with the quirks of unreliable sanitary devices… because even the Universe has a dirty sense of humour!
The best friends of MagAO-X team:
superb seeing…
… and lots of food!
My favourite moment? Watching the team gather in the dome after a successful night, faces lit with joy and wonder, as Clay gently closed its eye to rest.
Thank you, MagAO-X team, for the vitality and good vibes, and for making me feel 17 years old again 😉 . You have my deepest admiration for your amazing work.
яoger
“Apu” by MagNolia Blues Rock
This is a band from La Serena (my cousin plays the keyboard in it), and this is one of their latest songs.
The word apu in the Quechua language means “lord” or “chief.” For the Inca people, apus were protective spirits who watched over humans, livestock, and crops in the surrounding area. The Incas believed that every mountain had its own apu, with a unique name and geographical domain, directly influencing the life cycles of the region they presided over.
This song by MagNolia celebrates Cerro Grande, the mountain around which La Serena has grown for over 500 years, as well as the ancient people that lived before the Spaniard arrival. Enjoy it!