Sunday, September 2, 2007

The Storm String and galaxy number 5,000

UPDATE:
...FELIX NOW A CATEGORY FIVE HURRICANE...

The latest from the National Hurricane Center is a mixed bag. it intensified quickly last night, building to a cat 2 in a matter of hours, after reaching a cat 1 just before I posted, yesterday. It's track is still to the south and west, but in 10 years at sea and nine hurricanes, I've learned to pay close attention and don't count on anything.

For this hurricane, we're utilizing a new technology, called "The Storm String". One end, pinned to our location on a chart, the other swinging free. Certain distances are marked on the string, like green for terminate operations, black for pick up the gear and red for make like an outlaw and get the fuck outta Dodge. One can grab the string, swing it toward the lat/long of the storm and determine the plan for the day, as soon as you walk into the instrument room at the beginning of your shift. Highly technical, I realize:)

*** (Jay, I stole these from you-hope you don't mind:)

This morning, I classified my 5,000 galaxy, hoping it would be a memorable one and it didn't disappoint, despite being classified by someone else, just hours before. Each galaxy needs to be classified by 20 different users in order to achieve the desired precision, btw. Anyway, I love this one; a merger with a bared, anti-clockwise spiral in the lower left, which may be interacting with it's larger, denser neighbor-making it extra-special for my 5,000th.

[all galaxy images brought to you via Galaxy Zoo and the SDSS]

6 comments:

The Pirate said...

I know. Everyone wants to use the storm string, but it requires some training, first.

You need to start with picking up random objects from the floor and tasting them, then advancing to finger-painting with the primary colors. Throw in a short session on playing with sharp objects:push pins 101. From there it's just a matter of mastering scissors and then you're good to go on the storm string:)

Anonymous said...

The storm string sounds interesting. Low tech huh? Awesome.

Congradulations on classifying yer 5,000 galaxy. That one is pretty cool btw

Anonymous said...

I believe we use the storm string in gauging the next moves of the various boards we corral. It's very similar to weather.
I'm buying some yarn tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

oh... he's gonna kill me.
beano- Utube, 'Wedding song for Dan and Mo'. at the talkeetna train station. yup. we've brought alcohol along. altitude... i mean, attitude. woohoo.

dudes got gonads.

The Pirate said...

Good lord, if you put beano on utube singing, yes he's going to kill you. I'll look at it tomorrow when i have a better sat connection-it blows right now:(

oh yeah, then told everyone reading my blog? He's gonna throw you off the top of the mountain-watch yer back!

Anonymous said...

Awesome Beano, LP & I loved it:)