View Post

They Should Have Sent a Poet

In ACEAP by Brian Koberlein2 Comments

Astronomy requires dark and clear skies, and that often means you need to build telescopes in remote places such as Cerro Tololo, where we have been staying the past couple days. While it’s dark skies that brings us to Cerro Tololo, it as also a region of profound beauty. It is a land so wondrous that I feel inadequate to …

View Post

Moving Through a Dream

In ACEAP by Brian Koberlein5 Comments

It’s 12:30 am as I write this. The day starting with meetings at AURA, and a tour of some of the facilities. After that long day we went to Cerro Mayu observatory to observe the southern sky. It was the first time I got to see Alpha Centauri and the Southern Cross with my own eyes. While I’m somewhat familiar …

View Post

Valley of Stone and Sky

In ACEAP by Brian Koberlein1 Comment

Santiago is bounded by ocean and mountains. What’s amazing to see is just how large, rugged and close the mountains are to downtown. When walking among the city buildings, you’ll catch a glimpse of the mountains that seem to holdĀ Santiago in a valley of stone and sky. While this makes for stunning views, it also makes for a region of …