@sundogplanets@mastodon.social
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sundogplanets

@sundogplanets@mastodon.social

Professor of astronomy, farmer of goats. Asteroid (42910). She/her.

Has mostly lived in warmer places, now learning to live respectfully on Treaty 4 lands (Saskatchewan, Canada)

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sundogplanets, to random
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Incredible auroras all night, doesn't seem like we're in Kessler Syndrome yet (yay) but apparently GPS and Starlink internet aren't working for people.

A goat got into chicken food and I had to force feed him baking soda to try to save his life (we'll see how that goes ☹️ ).

I emailed the CNN reporter who interviewed me about satellite pollution a couple years ago to see if she's interested in the space junk story.

And it's Vaisakhi/Khalsa Day, so I'm going to get amazing free food!

sundogplanets,
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@BashStKid I think it's on a different day in Regina - we used to go to the huge one in Surrey when we lived closer, which was in April. But there's still snow on the ground in April here, so I think they just hold it later.

sundogplanets, to random
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HAHAHAHA

sundogplanets,
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@mojala @angiebaby Kessler Syndrome

sundogplanets,
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@xiroux Read about it here: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

sundogplanets, to random
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Every chance I've had to interact with satellite operators in conferences, I've asked them about their plans for dealing with solar storms (I'm particularly worried about Starlink, which requires dozens of maneuvers per day to avoid collisions. What if a large fraction shuts down for a few hours?!)

The universal response to my inquiries has been "Don't worry about that, it'll be fine!"

I guess we're going to find out very soon. https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

sundogplanets,
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@bigjsl I sincerely hope so

sundogplanets,
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@Winwaed @tony I am fully aware, I got interviewed by the New York Times about that incident :)

sundogplanets,
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Here's a citation for that "dozens of maneuvers per day" stat, by the way: https://www.space.com/starlink-satellite-conjunction-increase-threatens-space-sustainability

sundogplanets,
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@azonenberg This is real time data of close approaches: http://astriacss03.tacc.utexas.edu/ui/min.html

And yes, the odds are low, but with dozens happening per day, those low odds add up to high odds very quickly

sundogplanets,
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@azonenberg @abucci I never said guaranteed Kessler Syndrome. But it's definitely something I'm very worried about. I'm very good at math, by the way.

sundogplanets, to random
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I am talking o a reporter about this in a couple hours: https://regina.ctvnews.ca/from-outer-space-sask-farmers-baffled-after-discovering-strange-wreckage-in-field-1.6880353

This is about an hour away from my farm, so this'll be a fun conversation, and yet another great opportunity to tell a lot of people about what a huge problem we have with unregulated commercialization of orbit. (Also I just redid my slides for my public talk next week, this is going in!)

sundogplanets,
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@wa7iut Oh that's so cool! Thanks for sharing

sundogplanets,
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@dheadshot That was apparently how he first figured out it was SpaceX, he googled a serial number and it came up as being from Boeing 😬

sundogplanets,
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@moz That's what gave me the idea!!

sundogplanets,
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HAHAHA they added my interview in to the redone version of the new story: https://regina.ctvnews.ca/from-outer-space-sask-farmers-baffled-after-discovering-strange-wreckage-in-field-1.6880353

And apparently it made national news(?!), because someone I'm on a committee with in Ontario said she saw me. I think it's time to go to bed (and hope for no more reentries...)

sundogplanets,
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@elaterite Yeah agreed. Though the guy who found it is a conventional grain farmer, so he's not too worried about chemical exposure...

sundogplanets,
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@mycrowgirl Yes, that's what gave me the idea :)

sundogplanets,
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I just got an email back from one of the CSA people I contacted yesterday, and they just sent me SpaceX's media inquiry email. Given than literally every article that talks about SpaceX has "SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment" in it, this is...less than helpful 🙄

Edit to add: I just noticed it says "UNCLASSIFIED" in all caps at the top of the email, which is...hilarious? Man this situation just keeps getting weirder. I hope some journalists pick up on this.

sundogplanets,
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Ok the latest twist in this saga: a different person at CSA emailed me and asked if I had the farmer's contact info, because they want to buy samples of it?!! This is getting more hilarious with every email

sundogplanets,
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Oh my gosh it just keeps coming. So, I reached out to a colleague who I trust and respect on space law issues, asking them what actually the law says about space junk on someone's farm in another country. And I fully expected to hear something like "oh yes, the Outer Space Treaty says this and this" with clear directions.

Instead, they asked for the farmer's contact info so THEY COULD TRY TO BUY THE SPACE JUNK

That's the hardest I've laughed in a really long time. Wow.

sundogplanets,
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@alysondecker Right! Ugh I hate that I am suddenly supposed to be a space law expert. I don't want to know any of this... At least it's funny.

sundogplanets,
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Well, I again didn't get a big giant thing done that I've been procrastinating on for months because it sucks. But I did learn a hell of a lot about space law and I have a feeling I will have zillions of news interview in the next few days, which is great! I hope this gets lots of people talking about unregulated commercialization of orbit!

Quitting work stuff for the day. Time for goats, auroras, and wondering if my trip to Toronto will actually happen or if space weather will cancel it...

sundogplanets,
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@fembot this particular situation is hilarious. The complete lack of regulation and commercial free-for-all in orbit that has led to it is terrifying and infuriating. I laugh to keep going in this fight.

sundogplanets,
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@fembot Thank you :)

sundogplanets, (edited ) to random
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Hello Toronto - I'm giving a public talk there in 8 days. Want to hear me yell about satellites for an hour? Come say hi!

EDITED to add: Oops I didn't give image credit! The image in the poster was taken by Joshua Rozells, see APOD link: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220614.html

sundogplanets,
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@EricFielding Well, I lived in LA for many years. But I've been living in rural Saskatchewan for the last 5 years, and I've really adapted to it!

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