Post your ominous signs
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@liamvhogan For anyone that's wondering, the phantom that room contained was this thing, the UK Schmidt Telescope's phantom. It is a specialised electro-mechanical computer, used by the telescope's original control system to keep the telescope dome and its windscreen aligned with the telescope itself. It has since been exorcised from the phantom room and banished to an unused office.
The pointer in the middle of the phantom was linked to the telescope drives, and pointed in the direction the telescope was looking. As it moved it pushed the white arch (representing the dome) and the D-shaped frame (representing the dome windscreen) around. Sensors on the arch & frame were linked to the dome & windscreen drives, making them follow the telescope. The phantom enabled the UK Schmidt Telescope to do real time coordinate tranformations without needing an electronic computer at all from 1973 to 2013.
Photos by me, from 2019.
@spacelizard @liamvhogan
Fascinating! Looping in fellow astronomy enthusiasts @anna , @astronomerritt , @nyrath and @isaackuo ... and everyone I forgot! -
Post your ominous signs
@liamvhogan *ominous signifiers
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Good advice as long as you have that one remaining eye
@greatlaketrout
You stared into the beam, didn't you? -
Post your ominous signs
@liamvhogan
I'm a bit worried about how the world will go forward. It's looking dire, in both official languages. -
@liamvhogan and two gems from the fascinating genre of Singapore police signs. They don’t mess around with anti-crime communication
@joannaholman @liamvhogan but if the glove don't fit, we must acquit!
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Post your ominous signs
@liamvhogan Beware of the art.
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@liamvhogan *Dr Evil intensifies*
@dryobbo @liamvhogan counterpoint
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Post your ominous signs
@liamvhogan Sounds like advice borne from experience.
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Post your ominous signs
@liamvhogan Via a buddy visiting Grand Canyon. The high desert does not play.
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Post your ominous signs
@liamvhogan
This one is pretty much straight to the point. -
@dryobbo @liamvhogan counterpoint
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@dryobbo @mike it’s @thewetmale’s toots
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@dryobbo @mike it’s @thewetmale’s toots
@liamvhogan @mike @thewetmale What is the elephant site if not a federated special reclamation orifice
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Post your ominous signs
@liamvhogan This one caught the kids attention at Yellowstone
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Post your ominous signs
@liamvhogan this one was at Yulong Snow Mountain. The signs in China were always polite.
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@liamvhogan this one was at Yulong Snow Mountain. The signs in China were always polite.
@jamesh [Kenny Loggins intensifies]
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@liamvhogan this one was at Yulong Snow Mountain. The signs in China were always polite.
@jamesh @liamvhogan They even constructed the sign out of Kenny LOGgins!
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Post your ominous signs
When did the North Pole become a desert? All roads lead to Hackberry Springs!
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@liamvhogan and two gems from the fascinating genre of Singapore police signs. They don’t mess around with anti-crime communication
@joannaholman @liamvhogan @NewtonMark if you molest, we will arrest but if it’s a bit, we will acquit
