"P-dog" scribble

"P-dog" by L. M.
Astronomy 210L
Fall Semester 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

This doodle was found on the back of an introductory astronomy exam, presumably a caricature of the instructor.

Extraterrestrial hypothesis tryptich

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3087116819/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3087119633/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X


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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3088597420/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Dramatizations of the original 1974 Arecibo message, the Drake equation, and the purported 2001 Chibolton crop circle "reply."

Erasing slate: like life?

"If only life was like erasing slate." by Anonymous
December 1, 2008
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Latest scribbling on the lift-and-erase slate in the hallway, outside the office door.

Venus and Jupiter pair up with waxing crescent Moon

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3073185079/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X


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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3073186081/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X


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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3073186499/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X


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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3073186951/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X


Venus, Jupiter, and the waxing crescent Moon on November 30, 2008, seen from Turlock, CA. Photos taken with a Panasonic Lumix LZ-8 in night scene mode, with 10 second timer to avoid shudder.

Binary star masses

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3069568005/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Proper motion data of Sirius A and B, used to determine their masses using Kepler's third law.

Cream-in-coffee model: Jupiter vs. Saturn

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/waiferx/3062504322/
Originally uploaded by Waifer X

Cream-in-coffee model of Jupiter and Saturn weather patterns. Jupiter's core is hotter, and has more active convection and weather patterns, as evidenced by the self-mixing of cream in the cup of hot coffee, compared to Saturn's cooler core, which has less active convection and weather patterns, seen by the settling cream in the cup of cold coffee. (The secondary effect of sunlight bringing the cloud levels higher in Jupiter above the hydrogen haze, compared to Saturn is not modeled here.)