Philip Massey
@philmassey.bsky.social
Astronomer who gets to do cool stuff! (He/him)
I had reason to reflect on the Trolley Problem today. I admit everything I know about moral philosophy I learned from Chidi on The Good Place. Do you continue on course and injure many, or change course and injure one? Many would say the latter, but others would argue neither is moral.
November 23, 2025 at 1:08 AM
I had reason to reflect on the Trolley Problem today. I admit everything I know about moral philosophy I learned from Chidi on The Good Place. Do you continue on course and injure many, or change course and injure one? Many would say the latter, but others would argue neither is moral.
Reposted by Philip Massey
The most insightful discussion I seen on the Loeb and his insertion into the 3I/Atlas apparition:
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
The fallacies behind the cult of Loeb
How media hype and misunderstanding fuel pseudoscientific fascination Introduction The word “cult” is used here in the sense given by...
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:37 AM
The most insightful discussion I seen on the Loeb and his insertion into the 3I/Atlas apparition:
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
Meet the "alebrije." This figurine was presented to me at IAU402's conference dinner, for having won the poster contest. It's a beautiful piece of Mexican folk art. Its origins dates back to the 1930s, when an ill Pedro Linares had a dream of one these that kept repeating the word "alebrijes."
September 21, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Meet the "alebrije." This figurine was presented to me at IAU402's conference dinner, for having won the poster contest. It's a beautiful piece of Mexican folk art. Its origins dates back to the 1930s, when an ill Pedro Linares had a dream of one these that kept repeating the word "alebrijes."
Question: it's been a few years since I did a conference poster. I really like the cloth posters, so I don't have to schlep a poster tube to the meeting. What poster companies have you had good experiences with recently?
August 30, 2025 at 11:20 PM
Question: it's been a few years since I did a conference poster. I really like the cloth posters, so I don't have to schlep a poster tube to the meeting. What poster companies have you had good experiences with recently?
I have mixed feelings about press releases, but our historian did a nice job of writing this up. What's missing from the KAFF condensation is that the work was done with @pennylr.bsky.social , @kneugent.bsky.social , and Nidia Morrell.
August 23, 2025 at 12:44 PM
I have mixed feelings about press releases, but our historian did a nice job of writing this up. What's missing from the KAFF condensation is that the work was done with @pennylr.bsky.social , @kneugent.bsky.social , and Nidia Morrell.
Well. I'm convinced.
I mean, it's highly likely, particularly the "almost no humans act like this" part
August 10, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Well. I'm convinced.
I've been working on the draft of a new paper. I was re-reading a section I'd started months ago this morning and was pretty amused to find that I had written "The second problem is how the fuck are we ever going to assign physical properties
to these suckers?" I guess I should reword this.
to these suckers?" I guess I should reword this.
July 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
I've been working on the draft of a new paper. I was re-reading a section I'd started months ago this morning and was pretty amused to find that I had written "The second problem is how the fuck are we ever going to assign physical properties
to these suckers?" I guess I should reword this.
to these suckers?" I guess I should reword this.
I had coffee this am with a friend, Meghan, and I was telling her about my run-in with someone at work a few years back, a meeting which ended with them throwing me out of their office. Meghan looked thoughtful, and said, "You know, Phil: people either love you or hate you." She's not wrong.
June 17, 2025 at 10:48 PM
I had coffee this am with a friend, Meghan, and I was telling her about my run-in with someone at work a few years back, a meeting which ended with them throwing me out of their office. Meghan looked thoughtful, and said, "You know, Phil: people either love you or hate you." She's not wrong.
Today I came pretty close to discovering if I have limits. Fortunately the Romulans surrendered before the shields collapsed and we had a warp-core breach. Still. It was closer than I liked.
June 10, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Today I came pretty close to discovering if I have limits. Fortunately the Romulans surrendered before the shields collapsed and we had a warp-core breach. Still. It was closer than I liked.
Every time I get my old copy of "Text Book on Spherical Astronomy" off the shelf, I hear the theme song to Get Smart start playing in my head.
May 30, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Every time I get my old copy of "Text Book on Spherical Astronomy" off the shelf, I hear the theme song to Get Smart start playing in my head.
Deidre was told yesterday that her somewhat pointed questions might be considered by some to be problematically rude, which made me realize how great a name that would be for a rock band.
May 29, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Deidre was told yesterday that her somewhat pointed questions might be considered by some to be problematically rude, which made me realize how great a name that would be for a rock band.
I'd like a moment of silence for the units on 2MASS zeropoints: watts per cm^2 per micron.
May 13, 2025 at 6:33 PM
I'd like a moment of silence for the units on 2MASS zeropoints: watts per cm^2 per micron.
National events have really overwhelmed me. I found this 14-minute commentary by Ezra Klein helped me better understand what is really happening. Maybe you'll benefit from it too. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
Don't Believe Him
Podcast Episode · The Ezra Klein Show · 02/02/2025 · 14m
podcasts.apple.com
February 8, 2025 at 1:31 PM
National events have really overwhelmed me. I found this 14-minute commentary by Ezra Klein helped me better understand what is really happening. Maybe you'll benefit from it too. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d...
I had what appeared to be an incomprehensible spectrum taken with HST: H-gamma was strongly in emission but H-delta was strongly in absorption. I had been using the standard STIS pipeline but it's in a crowded field. I re-extracted with IRAF and indeed it now all makes sense. Whew!
January 14, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I had what appeared to be an incomprehensible spectrum taken with HST: H-gamma was strongly in emission but H-delta was strongly in absorption. I had been using the standard STIS pipeline but it's in a crowded field. I re-extracted with IRAF and indeed it now all makes sense. Whew!
Something I just read in Andy Horowitz's Report, a quote from Susie Essnan on how to keep your sanity over the next four years: "Focus on the micro, because the macro is fucked." There are nearby things that I can affect (maybe not "control") but the big stuff, I can't do much about.
December 5, 2024 at 12:14 PM
Something I just read in Andy Horowitz's Report, a quote from Susie Essnan on how to keep your sanity over the next four years: "Focus on the micro, because the macro is fucked." There are nearby things that I can affect (maybe not "control") but the big stuff, I can't do much about.
After one challenging night at the Swope I am once again always coming home. My daughter woke me up yesterday by texting she's got covid. My wife is still negative, but that situation is unlikely to last, and I want to join in the fun. My excellent colleague will be handing the observing solo.
December 2, 2024 at 3:57 PM
After one challenging night at the Swope I am once again always coming home. My daughter woke me up yesterday by texting she's got covid. My wife is still negative, but that situation is unlikely to last, and I want to join in the fun. My excellent colleague will be handing the observing solo.
Upon arrival, I was greeted at the gate by a lone guanaco, which was certainly appropriate. Note the profile picture.
December 1, 2024 at 12:18 AM
Upon arrival, I was greeted at the gate by a lone guanaco, which was certainly appropriate. Note the profile picture.
Very old human named Dennis collapsed in the row ahead of me on the DFW to SCL flight shortly after leaving gate. The crew was fantastic.He was on his way to the hospital within minutes, and had regained consciousness.We then waited 2 hours while they replaced the O2 tank they’d used to revive him.
November 30, 2024 at 4:32 PM
Very old human named Dennis collapsed in the row ahead of me on the DFW to SCL flight shortly after leaving gate. The crew was fantastic.He was on his way to the hospital within minutes, and had regained consciousness.We then waited 2 hours while they replaced the O2 tank they’d used to revive him.
On hour 31 of a 35 hour trip from my home in Flagstaff to Las Campanas Observatory to use the Swope for 6 nights. I am grateful for the privilege but worn out at the same time. Stressful trip with two multi hour delays and near connection misses. I’ll be happy to be on the mountain eventually.
November 30, 2024 at 4:27 PM
On hour 31 of a 35 hour trip from my home in Flagstaff to Las Campanas Observatory to use the Swope for 6 nights. I am grateful for the privilege but worn out at the same time. Stressful trip with two multi hour delays and near connection misses. I’ll be happy to be on the mountain eventually.
On flight to la Serena, woman boards wearing a Vera Rubin Observatory jacket. I smile and say Soy astronomo, and add that Vera was a family friend. People should know she was a real person.
November 30, 2024 at 4:23 PM
On flight to la Serena, woman boards wearing a Vera Rubin Observatory jacket. I smile and say Soy astronomo, and add that Vera was a family friend. People should know she was a real person.
Reposted by Philip Massey
I discovered we are now including first initials in citations in the ApJ/AJ when I got back my page proofs. The AAS Publications Board had been planning this but were surprised by the timing. It may take some getting used to. It is for a good enough reason. aas.org/posts/news/2...
A Few Updates to AAS Journal Style | American Astronomical Society
You may have noticed a few recent changes in the look and style of articles published in AAS journals. The Publications Committee explains some of the recent style updates here.
aas.org
September 14, 2024 at 12:31 PM
I discovered we are now including first initials in citations in the ApJ/AJ when I got back my page proofs. The AAS Publications Board had been planning this but were surprised by the timing. It may take some getting used to. It is for a good enough reason. aas.org/posts/news/2...
It's been 228 weeks and 1 day since March 13, 2020, just in case you were wondering.
July 27, 2024 at 6:34 PM
It's been 228 weeks and 1 day since March 13, 2020, just in case you were wondering.
Reposted by Philip Massey
I wonder if I'm the only one who unconsciously makes hand motions as if I was operating the transporter whenever I'm moving a whole bunch of files.
January 16, 2024 at 6:13 PM
I wonder if I'm the only one who unconsciously makes hand motions as if I was operating the transporter whenever I'm moving a whole bunch of files.