As an astronomer, I've seen and done a lot of weird stuff. I got eye-to-eye with a copperhead snake outside an observatory. I've poured liquid nitrogen all over the floor of the dome to clean it. I once saw a pair of floating red eyes off in the distance while peering out the dome slit (scared the bejeesus outta me). While observing for my Masters degree I watched as the door to the dome turned into the mouth of hell while reading The Exorcist (that's true). But I've never actually seen strong potassium emission lines in a spectrum that turned out to be from something somewhat more local. I love astronomy. I was made for it. But sometimes, just sometimes, it seems like a weird match. Tip o' the smoking jacket to Bernie Kalp.
Dome and domer
Discover the strange encounters at the copperhead snake observatory and the experiences of an eager astronomer.
Written byPhil Plait
| 1 min read
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