As an astronomer, I’ve seen and done a lot of weird stuff. I got eye-to-eye with a copperhead snake outside an observatory. I’ve poured liquid nitrogen all over the floor of the dome to clean it. I once saw a pair of floating red eyes off in the distance while peering out the dome slit (scared the bejeesus outta me). While observing for my Masters degree I watched as the door to the dome turned into the mouth of hell while reading The Exorcist (that’s true).
But I’ve never actually seen strong potassium emission lines in a spectrum that turned out to be from something somewhat more local.
I love astronomy. I was made for it. But sometimes, just sometimes, it seems like a weird match.
Tip o’ the smoking jacket to Bernie Kalp.
