A Penguin in the Orchard

Return to Japan

I spent two weeks in Japan in December last year. I fell in love with the country and wrote about it here, here, here, and here. When I left the telescope company in January, I thought I’d probably seen the last of Japan.

It looks at least possible that I’ll be returning to the “Beautiful Stars” of Bisei, Okayama, Japan in December. Our one-meter telescope at the Bisei Spaceguard Center is undergoing some upgrades that were scheduled before my return to OMI. At the time, the agreement with Mitsubishi Aerospace was to send two staff to perform the upgrades. However, given the bizarre skill set I bring back to the job, I can be of some use in optics/mechanics, in the software upgrades, and in the area of upgrading the network used to operate the telescope. All but the optical/mechanical part is pure Linux. We’ll reinstall and realign the optics, add some new Invar trusses, correct a small focusing problem, and upgrade both the software and the network. Then, weather permitting, we’ll be able to take some phenomenal images. Up to that point, we’ll work 18 - 20-hour days. But the images make it all worth the work.

The trip for me is not yet a certainty. We should know next week whether I’ll be going or not. Nonetheless, I’m glad to be back working with Linux in an incredible field that offers world travel. Even if I don’t make the Japan trip, I should be in Spain in early February, the Virgin Islands in late February, and Tenerife in March. I travel well and my family adapts almost too well to my absences. I work my ass off for 5-7 days, then get the greatest reward a view of the galaxies that few have ever seen.