Before we shut MagAO-X down to prepare it for the summit, we had some last-minute tests to do. Over breakfast, Laird and Jared kept talking about “doing the green laser”, which I assumed was some kind of dance move and/or illicit drug. It turns out they actually wanted to send a green laser through the instrument to identify which optical surface was killing green light throughput, which is also cool, I guess.
This run will also involve commissioning a new polarimetry mode, thanks to our Brazilian colleagues. Here’s some colorful cubes inside our instrument, one of which splits polarized light.
As you know, MagAO-X is famous for its detailed procedures, always followed to the letter. Today’s procedure is called “Installing MagAO-X on the Telescope”, the title of which may fool you into thinking we installed MagAO-X on the telescope.
While we always follow our procedures to the letter, we also change them all the time. Today we enjoyed what in the biz is called a “process improvement”. By splitting the installation over two days (just like last time), we add a bit of slack into the schedule and prevent premature derangement of students and Ph.D.s alike.
Today we de-cabled, wrapped, and moved half of MagAO-X.
The Isuzu flat-bed truck featured in many of our procedure documents is, alas, no more. I think it’s been set free to roam the Pan-American highway for the rest of its days. Fortunately the new(-ish) Hyundai Mighty rose to the occasion.
That means we’ll start tomorrow with the optical table already staged at the summit. There’s still plenty left to do tomorrow (starting with section 6.3.6 of the handbook), but we’ll be better-rested and make fewer mistakes.
Not that we ever make those.
This means we had an evening “off”. (The final evening off for several weeks, for some of us.) We had to make the most of it.
Nature
The most unexpected wildlife of all was a spotting of Felis catus.
Billiards
A few of us were not ready to turn in after sunset, and went in search of other amusements.
Even when given no tasks, the physicists find a way to do physics… for fun.
How disgusting.
Blog Rules Compliance Certification
I only see movies because my friends drag me to them. One exception is airplanes, where I’m forced by circumstance to do nothing for an extended period. There’s also nobody around to incredulously yell “You’ve never seen Alien?!” which is a definite plus.
On the flight to Santiago, I watched Wicked (Part I). It sure was… something. Kind of an odd addition to Jon M. Chu’s directorial oeuvre; I’d rather have Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022) or Crazy Rich Asians (2018).
Anyway, where’s part two of that, Jon? We’re all waiting.
Song of the Day
Bet you thought it was going to be from Wicked, but no! It’s an anime opening theme.
Wait, where are you going? Come back!
It’s really good, I promise! It’s critically acclaimed!!
I frequently find myself running low on energy transiting Santiago’s airport, but the last two times I’ve been saved by Yoko Kanno’s soundtrack to the award-winning show Cowboy Bebop. 10/10.