MagAO-eXtreme Posts

  • MagAO-X 2022B Day 1: On Strike

    2022-11-22

    Jared Males

    MagAO-X 2022B Day 1: On Strike
    There seems to be a rule that no matter how early we ship MagAO-X, it won’t get to the Santiago airport until I do. This trip followed that rule. The instrument has now cleared customs and is scheduled to make the journey to LCO tomorrow. However, it could have been on its way as ...
  • MagAO-X 2022B Day 0: Launched to LCO

    2022-11-21

    Joseph Long

    MagAO-X 2022B Day 0: Launched to LCO
    Well, @warrenbfoster still owes us vacation photos from Valparaiso, but who knows what his internet situation is. Someone’s still gotta write the Day 0 blog post, though. Hello again, LSC hardstand. Compared to last time this trip didn’t have many surprises. We did learn several things, though: When there’s a choice of LATAM and Delta for the 10-hour ...
  • 2022B Packing Operation: Success

    2022-10-31

    Eden McEwen

    2022B Packing Operation: Success
    What’s on more wheels than it should be, has three bulk bags of desiccant for a carry on, and is heading for a South American Vacation??? Only our favorite high contrast imaging system! The team has spent the last week in booties and safety boots making sure that the instrument gets to Chile as cozy ...
  • In recognition of astronomically significant time intervals

    2022-10-14

    Vizzy Viscacha

    In recognition of astronomically significant time intervals
    According to Poor Vizzy’s Almanack, every October 14th some nonsense transpires in Tucson, Arizona. Usually having to do with this guy. This time, he received a surfeit of cupcakes: Artisanal wrapping paper: A Starbuck™: Many happy returns! Inspirational stickers will be available through the usual channels. Song of the Day Well, what’d you expect? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laPhvAZ_2m4 Happy Birthday Swing – Lucky Seven
  • AO Summer School 2022: Eye Day

    2022-08-17

    Eden McEwen

    AO Summer School 2022: Eye Day
    Summer school posts were delayed due to blog server space, but we’re back with recap blogs! It’s summer camp season. The older you get, the harder it gets to secure a summer full of bunk-bed living, bug spray, buffet lunches, and late night card games. The folks at Santa Cruz gave us a pretty wonderful approximation, ...
  • UCSC’s AO Summer School 2022: The Times That We Live In

    2022-08-16

    Jay Kueny

    UCSC's AO Summer School 2022: The Times That We Live In
    I think I speak for all three of us MagAO-Xians that went to the AO workshop last week when I say that it was a blast! Between the beautiful campus at UCSC, fun hands on activities, and friendly participants there was always something to focus on (heh). Unfortunately it was probably the diverse group of ...
  • AO Summer School Day 1: Closing the loop on California mysteries

    2022-08-09

    Warren Foster

    AO Summer School Day 1: Closing the loop on California mysteries
    I am generally horrible at finishing things, and there were so many stories to tell about good times in Santa Cruz that I never finished my blog post. I started writing during the first night of the workshop, but didn’t return to tell the stories of renting a bike and spending afternoons enjoying rides in ...
  • MagAO-X Takes Montréal Day 5: La conférence d’espionnage

    2022-07-21

    Vizzy Viscacha

    MagAO-X Takes Montréal Day 5: La conférence d'espionnage
    It is extremely illegal to smuggle Andean mammals of the high desert into downtown Montréal, but I have always wanted to try poutine, and MagAO-X already got me as far as Tucson anyway. At the border, I tried to explain I was going to the SPIE conference but I’m not sure Google Translate was working. Today, Laird ...
  • MagAO-X Takes Montréal: Days 3 and 4

    2022-07-20

    Eden McEwen

    MagAO-X Takes Montréal: Days 3 and 4
    *A new grad student has entered the chat.* Hello Blog! I’m Eden and I’ll be joining the MagAO-X team this fall as an OpSci grad student. This SPIE I’m presenting my wavefront profiling work on imaka, a GLAO demonstrator,  but I’ll be joining the high contrast crew in no time. Happy to report that I survived my ...
  • MagAO-X Takes Montréal: Meanwhile back home…

    2022-07-19

    Logan Pearce

    MagAO-X Takes Montréal: Meanwhile back home...
    While the whole group is living up up north, those of us left behind in the sweltering heat and humidity of Tucson in July got a treat today: Everyone safe and sound in the loading dock staging room. The big white box in the back is MagAO-X, the foreground is the electronics box, and the ...