Space Studs

This blog entry may strike some people as sexist. If you think so, then hear me now and believe me later, I will pummel you. Because astronomy is for real men. Okay, fine, women, too. But wussies need not apply. At least, I try to convince Mrs. Bad Astronomer of this. She's skeptical. But professional astronomy isn't for scaredy cats. Think about it: you're up all night, which takes some stamina. You have to stay sharp, keep your wits. You're around very large, heavy machinery which can be dangerous. There can be extremely caustic and scary chemicals involved (early exoplanet searches used hydrogen fluoride, a very scary chemical indeed). To top it off (literally!) you are usually on the apex of a very tall mountain, and observatories can be several stories tall, with easy access to the outside via a catwalk. This is macho stuff. Still don't believe me? Well, ...