Profile avatar
diffractionspikes.bsky.social
Astronomer, but I would rather be playing (or maybe watching) volleyball. Love teaching astronomy to anyone, anywhere, at anytime, but can mostly be found doing so at Penn State University.
42 posts 96 followers 236 following
Regular Contributor
Active Commenter
Posts 16 Comments 27

Not sure how Blue Sky decided to serve me up stories about this besides mindreading. Anyway, if anyone wants to hear a fun story about our local 2024 and 2025 civics bee, I'm happy to oblige. Turns out this guy isn't the only 60+ year old PA legislator who thinks the Civics Bee is a hit on Fox News.

submitted 39 days ago • 0 comments

Have to use this account the same way I used my now defunct Twitter account. State College, it has been a long run of dreary, grey skies, and tonight it is clear as a bell and the Moon looks beautiful next to Jupiter. Go outside, take some deep breaths of the night air, and look up. It is wonderful.

submitted 56 days ago • 0 comments

Soo... I created this, found a bunch of folks, posted a bit, and then got distracted by life, the universe, and everything. But folks keep telling me this is the place to be, so I'm back. Going to do some more follows / follow backs, and try to reengage with everyone here.

submitted 92 days ago • 0 comments

This summer, Penn State Astronomy will be hosting a workshop for high school science teachers with a theme of Black Holes: sites.psu.edu/psiwa/. If you know of any teachers looking for a summer workshop in astronomy, please share! #EduSky

submitted 448 days ago • 0 comments

Sing it with us 🎤: “Total Eclipse of April 2024!” 🧪 🔭 Join us on Tuesday as NASA’s Michael Kirk will describe how this eclipse is more than just an awe-inspiring celestial occurrence: youtube.com/live/MafbgwR...

submitted 452 days ago • 0 comments

For those interested in Penn State and sustainability - our college has created a crowdfunding site to raise money to pay for decarbonization efforts to offset e.g., student travel for education abroad trips. The idea came from our study abroad coordinator. give.communityfunded.com/o/annual-giv...

submitted 454 days ago • 0 comments

Super interesting to read this article about the return to Rec game our basketball team just played against Illinois: onwardstate.com/2024/02/23/a...

submitted 459 days ago • 1 comment

Want to relate a fun story of students going above and beyond that relates to one of my favorite things to spend time on -- PSU astronomy history. First off, in many pictures of Old Main, the armillary sphere that was the class gift of 1966 is featured.

submitted 460 days ago • 1 comment

I haven’t found too many of my State College folks on here yet, but if you live close by, there is a beautiful young Moon with lots of Earthshine right now.

submitted 471 days ago • 0 comments

Got lunch yesterday and paid with square, and the screen indicated I was “Order 66”. I almost couldn’t go through with paying. Never expected Dave Filoni to impact my daily life in this way.

submitted 473 days ago • 0 comments

Happy Faculty Activity Report Eve to those who celebrate! Is it coincidence that this happens to be so close to Groundhog Day?

submitted 482 days ago • 0 comments

I have a question for #astronomy folks - Hubble's website had a wonderful resource (made in Flash) called "Telescopes from the Ground Up". I never wrote my own notes on telescopes because I just used that resource. Now it is gone like all Flash content. Anyone know of something as good?

submitted 494 days ago • 1 comment

I'm the advisor for the Eberly College of Science Student Council, and they are fundraising for Penn State's THON fundraiser for childhood cancer. If you plan to donate and are looking for a great student org that is participating, please consider using this link: donate.thon.org?fuseaction=d...

submitted 496 days ago • 0 comments

I guess as another intro style post, I can explain my choice of handle (don't think I ever did that before, but maybe?)

submitted 496 days ago • 1 comment

Whoa! There are a ton of folks here I used to follow at the other place. I tried looking when I first signed up and failed, not sure why my searches didn't work previously. Anyway, looking forward to starting over here.

submitted 496 days ago • 0 comments

Hello, world!

submitted 501 days ago • 1 comment