Dr. Gerard van Belle
@fringedoctor.bsky.social
Active astronomer, intrepid interferometrist, doting dad, happy hubby, heuristic homebrewer, lapsed pilot, former Director of Science at Lowell Obs. Asteroid 25155 van Belle.
I love messing with my kids
August 19, 2025 at 2:05 AM
I love messing with my kids
Pics from our first day of #WorldCon! @dougvanbelle.bsky.social and I did some panel pinch-hitting with "Finding Exoplanets and Extreme Solar Systems", and then two interviews for our "Life in a Universe Full of Exoplanets" podcast with Larry Niven and Rebecca Demarest
August 14, 2025 at 4:48 AM
Pics from our first day of #WorldCon! @dougvanbelle.bsky.social and I did some panel pinch-hitting with "Finding Exoplanets and Extreme Solar Systems", and then two interviews for our "Life in a Universe Full of Exoplanets" podcast with Larry Niven and Rebecca Demarest
I mean, it's highly likely, particularly the "almost no humans act like this" part
August 8, 2025 at 11:31 PM
I mean, it's highly likely, particularly the "almost no humans act like this" part
Caught interstellar comet C/2025-N1 (ATLAS) with the 20" Titan Monitor at Lowell Observatory a couple of nights ago
July 7, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Caught interstellar comet C/2025-N1 (ATLAS) with the 20" Titan Monitor at Lowell Observatory a couple of nights ago
Best thing I'll do all day
June 27, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Best thing I'll do all day
We were married beneath a Hooker
May 9, 2025 at 10:16 PM
We were married beneath a Hooker
No cheating. Post the last photo of your pet.
March 15, 2025 at 11:09 AM
No cheating. Post the last photo of your pet.
There are elements of this timeline that are at least amusing
March 6, 2025 at 8:51 PM
There are elements of this timeline that are at least amusing
I'm with you
February 26, 2025 at 1:56 AM
I'm with you
Goose (short for Giuseppe Piazzi, discoverer of the first four asteroids) is tired and dirty after the dog park this AM
February 9, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Goose (short for Giuseppe Piazzi, discoverer of the first four asteroids) is tired and dirty after the dog park this AM
I'm sorry, but "we're endorsing a paper tiger in four years like A Chinese New Year balloon animal" doesn't quite hit like you think it does
And it certainly doesn't hit like a billion kg of #2024YR4 going 17km/s
And it certainly doesn't hit like a billion kg of #2024YR4 going 17km/s
February 7, 2025 at 3:25 PM
I'm sorry, but "we're endorsing a paper tiger in four years like A Chinese New Year balloon animal" doesn't quite hit like you think it does
And it certainly doesn't hit like a billion kg of #2024YR4 going 17km/s
And it certainly doesn't hit like a billion kg of #2024YR4 going 17km/s
The closet was fine. You even get robes for lounging around in the dark in the stuffy air!
January 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
The closet was fine. You even get robes for lounging around in the dark in the stuffy air!
Here's a standard floor layout with room numbers, if you like to request being away from the elevators or ice makers
January 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Here's a standard floor layout with room numbers, if you like to request being away from the elevators or ice makers
And now here is the show stopper: the air quality in the rooms is *terrible*. No ventilation - and none possible! In my room at least, the windows appear to be painted shut, and the various settings on the thermostat appeared to be for cosmetic purposes only. Remember to get out for fresh air.
January 25, 2025 at 4:48 PM
And now here is the show stopper: the air quality in the rooms is *terrible*. No ventilation - and none possible! In my room at least, the windows appear to be painted shut, and the various settings on the thermostat appeared to be for cosmetic purposes only. Remember to get out for fresh air.
How do we know this is the conference hotel for Know Thy Star? Because there's NO COFFEE!
January 25, 2025 at 4:47 PM
How do we know this is the conference hotel for Know Thy Star? Because there's NO COFFEE!
A small fridge is included with the rooms. Mine appears to work.
January 25, 2025 at 4:47 PM
A small fridge is included with the rooms. Mine appears to work.
There is wired internet in the rooms. So if you bring a cable and ... psych! It's not connected to anything. Blarrrgh.
January 25, 2025 at 4:45 PM
There is wired internet in the rooms. So if you bring a cable and ... psych! It's not connected to anything. Blarrrgh.
Wifi: Not gonna win any awards, but it does work. But wait ...!
January 25, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Wifi: Not gonna win any awards, but it does work. But wait ...!
The shower: truly a highlight of the room. It's like standing underneath Victoria Falls during monsoon season. It delivers enough output to float the Titanic, and then send it to a watery grave.
January 25, 2025 at 4:44 PM
The shower: truly a highlight of the room. It's like standing underneath Victoria Falls during monsoon season. It delivers enough output to float the Titanic, and then send it to a watery grave.
The bathroom layout is a little odd - I like the openness, and not sure what the doubles are like, but if they're like this and you're sharing, I hope you know that person well!
January 25, 2025 at 4:44 PM
The bathroom layout is a little odd - I like the openness, and not sure what the doubles are like, but if they're like this and you're sharing, I hope you know that person well!