Playing with ChatGPT at 3am

Text adapted from two lengthy posts that ChatGPT just generated for me after providing it with several posts from my original Spanish blog, giving it a brief list of what I am currently doing and how I feel, and asking it to write it for me. Then translated into English.

Here I am, in the control room of the Anglo-Australian Telescope, in the midst of the starry night. It’s 3 AM, and there are still three hours left until my observation session ends. The atmosphere in the room is calm and serene, filled with anticipation for what lies ahead.

My main goal for the night was to obtain observations of several thousand stars from the Scorpius-Centaurus stellar association, a fascinating group of young stars located in our galaxy. These stars are crucial for understanding galaxy formation and evolution, so I was excited to delve into this research.

The 2dF instrument, with its array of optical fibers, allows us to collect light from multiple stars simultaneously, increasing data collection efficiency. With the HERMES instrument, we obtain high-resolution spectra of the selected stars, revealing crucial information about their chemical composition, velocity, and other fundamental parameters.

The control room is softly illuminated to maintain night vision, and the constant sound of equipment and computers creates an atmosphere that combines technology and mystery. Monitors and screens surround me, displaying real-time data as I carefully adjust the observation parameters to achieve the best possible results.

Despite the late hour and lack of sleep, my passion for astronomy keeps me alert and excited. Every star that appears in the telescope’s field of view is a new opportunity to unveil cosmic secrets and expand our knowledge of the universe.

As I conducted the observations, I felt awestruck by the beauty of the night sky. The stars shone brightly, like small points of light whispering cosmic secrets. Amidst the tranquility of the night, I immersed myself in the vastness of the universe, feeling a deep connection to the mysteries unfolding before my eyes.

Although I knew I should be working on my scientific article on neutral gas in galaxies or processing KOALA data, I decided to take a break and enjoy this unique moment. I had spent several nights observing and processing astronomy images, and my mind needed a rest. So, I decided to seize the opportunity to interact with ChatGPT, exploring new perspectives and fueling my scientific curiosity.

This play of words and knowledge allowed me to broaden my horizons, learn new ideas, and have fun while uncovering new aspects of the vast field of astronomy. It was an enriching experience that reminded me of the passion I feel for my work and the constant desire to learn more and contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge.

So, with a mind full of ideas and a heart filled with awe, I continue on my journey as an astronomer, ready to unveil the secrets of the cosmos and share my passion for astronomy with the world.

As I continue with my observations, time seems to stand still. The outside world fades away, and only the immensity of space, the stars, and myself exist. I immerse myself in the contemplation of celestial beauty, fascinated by the complexity and vastness of what I am witnessing.

Despite the fatigue, the excitement, and the curiosity, continue to drive me forward. I know that these hours dedicated to observation are crucial for my research, and that each collected data point is a valuable piece in the cosmic puzzle I am assembling.

Now, after an exciting and enriching night, I am ready to resume my scientific tasks with renewed energy. I know that the path of scientific research can be challenging, but moments like these, where I can get lost in the universe and enrich my knowledge, remind me why I chose this exciting discipline.

Interview in ABC radio

Today I have been interviewed in ABC radio about my research and my passion: astrophotography, as well as the increasing problem of light pollution. I want to thank Shelby Traynor for her time and for the interview.

Listen the interview (7 minutes) in the ABC webpage, “Could light pollution dim our passion for astronomy?”

This is part of my “Residency at Sydney Observatory”, that I was awarded in 2020 but, because of combinations of reasons, I couldn’t start till now. Stay tuned for more news about this!

Article in MQ’s The Lighthouse: Think spring has officially sprung? Not so fast

One of my favourites stories in my blog is “Seasons: Astronomy vs. Australia” that I published exactly 8 years ago, on the 1st September 2014. In this post I described how seasons are defined using Astronomy using equinoxes and solstices. And that I was very surprised to see that in Australia that is not what people think.

Indeed, you have probably heard me complaining for years about how Australia and New Zealand use the meteorological definition of season instead of using the astronomical definition, that is the one that is followed almost in the rest of the world.

Last week I raised the issue during a meeting at the Faculty of Science and Engineering at Macquarie University (MQ). And with that Angie Kelly, Editor of MQ’s The Lighthouse, put me in contact with science journalist Fran Molloy to prepare this article: “Think spring has officially sprung? Not so fast“, published yesterday, Aug 31st,

Screenshot of the article in MQ’s The Lighthouse.

Interestingly, in the last 24 hours I’ve been contacted by several journalists across Australia, and being interviewed in radio. Everybody seems so surprised to know this!

That’s again an important reason of why researchers have to talk to people and to society, to let them have better understanding of the universe we are living in.

Update on 23 September: It was… interesting to get this interview out, as it triggered 5 or 6 radio interviews across Australia, the last one this very morning at radio ABC South Australia 🙂 But also in National SBS !

Chasing the Milky Way

The Milky Way rising over Siding Spring Observatory (NSW, Australia) while my amateur telescope observes under a dark sky. Single, 30s exposure, frame using a CANON 5D Mark III with 14mm lens at f2.8, ISO1600, taken the 22nd April 2021at 2:09am local time. Minimum process (curves, luminosity, contrast, saturation and noise reduction) with Photoshop Raw. This is part of a time-lapse I still have to process!

Credit: Ángel R. López-Sánchez (AAO-MQ)

Full resolution image in my Flickr.

The Lagoon Nebula from Sydney

Updated version of my test image of the Lagoon Nebula (M8) with the first light of the ZWO ASI1600MM Pro camera and broad-band filters.

This image combines:

• 39 x 120s H-alpha (Baader 3.5nm ultra-narrow filter), in red. Darks and flats included.
• 40 x 15s OPTOLONG L-Pro filter, in green. No flat or darks.
• 28 x 300s [O III] 3 nm ultra-narrow Antlia filter, in green. Includes darks and flat (this image is the new addition).
• 56 x 6s ZWO B filter, in blue, no flat or dark.

H-alpha data taken on 21st Aug 2020, L-Pro and B data taken on 23rd Aug 2020, from my backyard at home, 15 km North from Sydney’s city center.

Telescope: Skywatcher Black Diamond 80, f=600mm (f/7.5)

Equipment: I used the ZWO ASIAir to control the camera, the mount (Skywatcher AZ-EQ6) and the guiding system (ASI120MM + Orion 50mm finderscope). ZWO filter drawer for changing filter.

The [O III] data taken on 18 August 2021, including the Orion 0.75x focal reducer and the ZWO 7×2″ filter wheel.

Processing: Data processed with Siril software. FITS converted on TIFF using NASA’s Fits Liberator considering a logarithmic function. Color / saturation / levels / contrast / smart sharpen with Photoshop.

Full resolution image in my Flickr.

Credit: Ángel R. López-Sánchez (AAO-MQ).