@grb090423@mastodon.social cover
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

grb090423

@grb090423@mastodon.social

Interests: cosmology, astronomy, the sciences in general, wildlife.
Rusty polyglot. Slowly learning Gàidhlig (Scottish Gaelic).
I informally tweet ESA news when I can.
GRB090423 was the furthest Gamma Ray Burst known to us back when I started on social media.
Both avatar and header images were taken by me.
I rarely boost images that don't have Alt Text.
I boost The Vagina Museum posts; please don't be offended... it's good to learn.
I always check your TL - If no posts, I don't follow back.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. For a complete list of posts, browse on the original instance.

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

BOING!

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Who is this? New?

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Oh! He's back! 😻

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

I’m listening to “Wildacre”; historical fiction by Philippa Gregory.

The protagonist is evil. An utter psychopath. Admittedly, life for a woman in the 18th century is rough, and the opportunities Beatrice’s skills warrant are passed to incompetent men. But the body count is unpleasant!

It’s a very long book and a stressful read. Frankly, I want to stop but I also want to know the outcome and I’m not sure a synopsis will be satisfactory.

In short, I’m in a hostage situation with an audiobook.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

I think I'd have to put it away, maybe come back to it another time.

Well done you for persevering! 👍

(Have to admit, half of me wants you to continue as I need to know the outcome 🤦‍♀️😄)

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Oh crikey! 😯😂😂😂

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Thank you for the summary.

I'm really not certain I'd ever be tempted to read these books! :D

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

And it sounds like this one was most valid indeed! 😆

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

The International Astronomical Union () are hosting an gallery in ! The event is on May 27 from 11am - 12:30pm UTC and May 28 from 8pm - 9:30pm UTC, and showcases astronomical photographs captured with a smartphone 📱🌌

The event is being held in spatial.io, which is accessible from a VR headset (Quest), or just from your computer browser (i.e. no headset needed).

This is a super cool event and y’all gotta go!

Link to (free) tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/iauofficeforastronomyoutreach/1230291

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Brilliant!

Tickets ordered 👍

Looking forward to this.

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

I’m having to join the morning push into Yokohama and was not expecting the trains to be as crushed as central Tokyo.

I was not correct about that assumption! I am now Elizabeth in 2D.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Oof! This brings back memories of commuting into London 😖

Hope you're ok and not too grossed out by others' armpits!

TatianaIlyina , to random
@TatianaIlyina@mas.to avatar

An incomplete list of inappropriate comments I received from my male colleagues recently:

  • You look furious.
  • You have a quiet voice. A woman from Ukraine in our department also has a quiet voice.
  • You look nervous.
  • You gave me an angry look at the elevator and I didn't dare to discuss a project with you.
  • You are so modest.
  • You don't have to get so confrontational.

They reduce our professional interactions to an imaginary emotional state of mine.

Do men talk like this to each other?

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@TatianaIlyina

In a word... NO!

No they don't. I don't know why they feel they have to do this to women. Do they think it's being nice?

I really don't understand but it makes my blood boil.

(I put up with this my entire working career, btw)

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@TatianaIlyina

Apparently it seems so.

🤦‍♀️

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@TatianaIlyina @DebR

Yes. Good idea. They need to know they're doing it and it's not acceptable.

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

Look, this is pretty much how "Day of the Triffids" started, people. Don't you forget that.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

😂😂

Scarily true!

dillyd , to random
@dillyd@allies.social avatar

OMG aurora borealis!!!

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@dillyd

It's beautiful, isn't it!

🤗🌞🤗

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@dillyd

It's the first time I've seen it so I feel really happy right now. 🤗

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@dillyd

Ohhh brilliant! 👏🤗

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

I apparently put this seat hotspot on sideways (a function that lets your avatar "sit" in a chair).

But also. Mood.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

LOVE this! 👏😁

flexghost , to random
@flexghost@mastodon.social avatar

Happy

1/

Insane orange cat attacking a box then killing a family of 4

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@flexghost

This must feel so good! 💕

futurebird , to random
@futurebird@sauropods.win avatar

Loves to be talked to.
Can't understand words.
Absurdly warm and soft at all times just to burn up cat food.
Desperate and clingy. But also disdainful and superior.
Small but impossibly heavy to pick up. Can pin a grown man to the couch for literal days. But still a "baby"

Imperial ruler, scared of the hallway.

Eats small insects like its a normal thing to do.

Wants so very badly: the world must know. But what is it she wants? She doesn't know.

Cats are so deeply intractably weird.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@futurebird

...and wonderful.

EU_Commission , to random
@EU_Commission@social.network.europa.eu avatar

📅 On the agenda today → .

👋 Come visit our headquarters at Berlaymont in Brussels!

Explore our villages and find out how Europe is striving to become more resilient, fairer, safer and stronger.

Not in Brussels? There are events taking place across the European Union. Join one close to you!

Ahead of , this is the moment to celebrate our 🇪🇺 Union together!

Explore our website to discover events across the EU: https://europa.eu/!3yR6hX

A photo of a person dancing in front of Berlaymont.
A photo of a boy in front of a mic and two people standing behind him.
A photo of two girls standing in front of an Erasmus+ memories wall where people have shared what this programme means to them.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@EU_Commission

Can we come back yet (UK)? Ignore what the idiots in government say, they don't represent the majority of our country.

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

A quick box model this morning in ! Anyone recognise the shape?

It needs to be as low poly as possible (for ), and the circles do look a bit blocky. I was thinking of creating a high resolution version, baking the normals, and using these for the blocky version.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Lol, a wide variety of other thoughts but JWST was the first thing in my mind.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker @futuremeetings

Yep. Not a chance 😂😄

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker @futuremeetings

Yes indeed! 😁👍

Glastomichelle , to random
@Glastomichelle@c.im avatar

It is Beltane tomorrow, the beginning of Summer. The fire starts to burn just a little bit brighter. This morning, sunrise on Glastonbury Tor.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@Glastomichelle

A photo of Glastonbury Tor in the morning at sunrise. The sun, not yet visible, is vividly streaking the skies purple and red making the Tor stand out almost in silhouette. The path leading to the Tor looks pink from the skies above.
It looks like a calm and serene landscape.

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

This week, we're hitting the shop floor for a big design that (I hope) will ultimately become a space for a conference.

So far... it's a doughnut.

Is this to remind attendees that they better getting running around this track to burn off eating too many pastries? We shall see...

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

I absolutely love this railing though! Understand it probably can't stay but it's so lovely. I'd love it outside my home (if I ever win the lottery, which I don't do, so... 😂😁)

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

😄👍

Maybe you could suggest they get it erected somewhere at Jaxa 🤔😁

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

I’m playing a Doraemon game on my Nintendo Switch and this suspiciously helpful child appears to be called… Ranch 🤔

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

😁

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

I’m on my way to tennis, but everyone else on this train has a giant suitcase and is presumably departing the city for Golden Week 🤔

(“Golden Week” is a run of national holidays that occur in Japan end of April / start of May. This year they’ve fallen on the Monday, Friday, Saturday and Monday, which isn’t a great line up, but many people will supplement with their paid vacation and take the week away.)

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Wise move 😄👍🙂

MelanieGywer , to random German
@MelanieGywer@troet.cafe avatar

Kaffee zweipunktnull, der Mietzekater liegt auf dem Schreibtisch, Herr Gywer schläft noch

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@MelanieGywer

Today I learned how to say pussycat in German 👍🙂

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

One of my coworkers is retiring today and brought around the prettiest treats!

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

How lovely!

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

Asking the team on behalf of an outreach colleague who is creating an animation of the spacecraft:

Could I confirm that the instruments are mounted externally on the body of the spacecraft?

Reply:
If they were installed inside, you wouldn't be able to see to make observations 😐

I mean... OK FAIR POINT 🤣 Buuuuut part of the instrument body might have been tucked into the panel, so it was a legit question.

Engineers, people. Can't live with 'em, can't build spacecraft without 'em.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

😄

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

So I'm in work on a Saturday because I wanted to create a graphic of a glass planet.

(Please blithely accept this to get to the punch line of this tale.)

The reflections with Blender Cycles were squishing my home computers flat, so I went in to try my new work Mac Studio.

And may I just say...

SWEEEEEEET.

GPU-intensive work usually shouts "windows machine" but the Studio is crushing it. It's a pity it won't do PCVR.

A second view of the glass planet, with the star around the other side (and out of view).

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

It looks amazing!

Can't wait to find out more 🙂

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

OCTOCHOMPERS AT THE READY!

The NASA-led Dragonfly mission to Titan is cleared to progress to the final design.

Dragonfly is a bonkers (in a good way) 8-rotor craft that will be able to fly on the Saturn moon, Titan, due to the moon's thick atmosphere. It'll visit a bunch of places and see if anything sorta life-y or useful-to-life is around. JAXA are designing the seismometer to peek below Titan's surface!

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/dragonfly/nasas-dragonfly-rotorcraft-mission-to-saturns-moon-titan-confirmed/

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Excellent! 👏

Collaborative missions are the way forward 👍

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

Our Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) mission is currently receiving the flight models (ready to go 🚀 ) for the scientific instruments that will be onboard, which have been developed at labs around the world.

We've asked for comments from the engineers to include in blog posts celebrating the arrival of each instrument at the main spacecraft manufacturer.

Every comment can be summed up as "THAT WAS SO F***ING HARD!!!". I am struggling to translate these in an original and uplifting manner 🤣

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

It's telling of just how difficult space engineering is.

I wish you success putting it into nicer terms! ... 😄

elizabethtasker , (edited ) to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

OK, OK... so IMPORTANT QUESTION. Can we say "globally" when discussing the entire surface of a celestial body such as Phobos? That Martian moon baby isn't remotely spherical. It's a potato.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Oh, I do like spudally!

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

Took a ship out in VRChat and... uh... landed it... SLIM lunar lander-style... but I hear that's how the coolest land nowadays.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Brilliant! 😂😄

(That's absolutely my kind of landing!)

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker 😄😂

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

Watched another immensely irritating episode of "House", where an 18 year old refuses treatment so that his illness can prevent him being the primary carer of his two young siblings.

One of the doctors puts pressure on him to accept treatment and take back on that humongous responsibility. And frankly, that makes him an asshole.

No one should be forced to sacrifice their life to be a carer in this situation.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Absolutely!

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

Home!

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

Aww :) :)

And Norah looks very happy to see you :)

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

Me n’ my asteroid chip! A selfie at the London Science Museum yesterday, seeing the exhibit of the grain from asteroid Ryugu returned by the Japanese Hayabusa2 mission. This is the first time I’d seen the exhibit after delivering the asteroid grain from JAXA to London last summer! (The how-to for smuggling asteroids is here: https://cosmos.isas.jaxa.jp/how-to-carry-an-asteroid-around-the-world/ )

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker

I wonder if those around you knew who they were in the presence of...

I mean, smuggler-royalty! 😃

eclectech , to random
@eclectech@things.uk avatar

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@sollat @eclectech

Bamburgh castle, Northumberland.

(Or Bebbanburg, if you watched The Last Kingdom 😊)

elizabethtasker , to random
@elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

I’m in the Science Museum in London… searching to find the tiny asteroid grain I smuggled in from Japan last summer!

… this is somewhat of a challenge. Grain is small. Museum big.

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@elizabethtasker @simonbp

😄

rbreich , to random
@rbreich@masto.ai avatar

Harlan Crow and a few other GOP megadonors have provided Clarence Thomas with:

-38 destination vacations

-26 private jet flights

-6 helicopter flights

-Yacht voyages

Still wondering why SCOTUS approval ratings have hit record lows?

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@rbreich

Still wondering why people are being gifted planet killing flights.

parismarx , (edited ) to random
@parismarx@mastodon.online avatar

After AI-generated porn of Taylor Swift spread on Twitter, the issue finally got more attention — but it’s much bigger than celebrities.

On #TechWontSaveUs, I spoke to @kattenbarge about how deepfake nudes are wreaking havoc in women’s lives.

https://techwontsave.us/episode/215_deepfake_abuse_is_a_crisis_w_kat_tenbarge

#tech #deepfake #ai #artificialintelligence

grb090423 ,
@grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

@parismarx @kattenbarge

Techbros don't care about this because it doesn't affect them.

dillyd , to random
@dillyd@allies.social avatar

[Thread, post or comment was deleted by the author]

    •
    grb090423 ,
    @grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

    @dillyd

    Beautiful photos 💕

    elizabethtasker , to random
    @elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

    I’m heading home!

    grb090423 ,
    @grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

    @elizabethtasker

    Early flight!

    Hope your room's ready for you 👍🙂

    grb090423 ,
    @grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

    @elizabethtasker

    Gah! Jetlag. It takes me forever to recover 🙄😄

    It'll be nice for you to see your parents again 👍🙂

    grb090423 ,
    @grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

    @elizabethtasker

    Mmm, not had a pork pie for too long 😋

    elizabethtasker , to random
    @elizabethtasker@mastodon.online avatar

    Text to parents:

    Me: Remember I'm coming home tomorrow 🙂

    Mother: haha!

    🤨

    grb090423 ,
    @grb090423@mastodon.social avatar

    @elizabethtasker

    😄🤞🙂

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