Monday, 28 September 2009
Exoplanet App
I downloaded a nice free app for my iPhone today - the Exoplanet App by Hanno Rein. I became aware of it from @exoplanetology's twitter feed. The app is a more visual and iPhone friendly version of the Extrasolar Planets Catalog. It shows an image for each planet based on Jupiter, Neptune or the Earth indicating what type of planet it is thought to be. The colour of the image shows an estimate of the temperature of the planet - I assume that is the equilibrium temperature - the redder the planet the hotter it is. Basic data for the planet and star is given plus links to Simbad, ADS, exoplanet.eu and arXiv. The links to Simbad and ADS perform searches on those databases relevant to selected planet, the other two just link to the sites.
The app description says a pro version will be available soon, I assume that will not be free. It promises more features including daily updates of new data. I would like to see database sorting options added; currently the data is presented only alphabetically. I would also like to see the temperature given explicitly, even if it is just a rough estimate, rather than having to be inferred from the colour of an image. However, this app is a major step forward in helping me carry around the key information I require for my research and I look forward to supporting Hanno by purchasing the pro version.
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Welcome
Welcome to the Norahnet - my attempt to enter the blogosphere.
I hope this will become my place to let of a bit of steam, tell the world a little about what is currently interesting me but mostly I want it to get me into the writing habit. As a second year PhD student the need to produce a book length thesis is starting to become more real. The requirement to write some papers is also pressing. I'm finding the writing so tough, but as my supervisor said, "until it is written and published the research isn't complete." I'm hoping that the discipline of writing a few hundred words per week will help me develop my abilities. If, in the meantime, I provide a pleasant diversion on occasion for one or two people then that will be a real bonus.
I don't intend to have a theme for the blog but I assume some common threads will develop over time. My guess is that the main topics will include Charlie my pet beagle and astronomy especially extra-solar planets which are the subject of my research. But I hope to cover much else that interests me. My biggest worry is not finding material to write about but actually doing the writing. I kept a diary as a child over several years but looking at it now shows it to be depressingly empty. If I am to have an academic career I must develop an ability to write on demand. I hope that like regular exercise builds fitness that regular blogging will build a facility, or even a desire, for writing.
See you again soon I hope.
I hope this will become my place to let of a bit of steam, tell the world a little about what is currently interesting me but mostly I want it to get me into the writing habit. As a second year PhD student the need to produce a book length thesis is starting to become more real. The requirement to write some papers is also pressing. I'm finding the writing so tough, but as my supervisor said, "until it is written and published the research isn't complete." I'm hoping that the discipline of writing a few hundred words per week will help me develop my abilities. If, in the meantime, I provide a pleasant diversion on occasion for one or two people then that will be a real bonus.
I don't intend to have a theme for the blog but I assume some common threads will develop over time. My guess is that the main topics will include Charlie my pet beagle and astronomy especially extra-solar planets which are the subject of my research. But I hope to cover much else that interests me. My biggest worry is not finding material to write about but actually doing the writing. I kept a diary as a child over several years but looking at it now shows it to be depressingly empty. If I am to have an academic career I must develop an ability to write on demand. I hope that like regular exercise builds fitness that regular blogging will build a facility, or even a desire, for writing.
See you again soon I hope.
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