James Davenport
@jradavenport.com
Coffee drinking, year-round-plaid wearing space dad. Astronomy professor in Seattle. Searching for ET, caring for humans.
https://jradavenport.github.io
https://jradavenport.github.io
Here’s my office. I’ve tried to fill it with art and tools for collaborative idea building (especially my chalkboard!). I’m going to be changing the furniture some next term to make it even better I hope!
November 25, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Here’s my office. I’ve tried to fill it with art and tools for collaborative idea building (especially my chalkboard!). I’m going to be changing the furniture some next term to make it even better I hope!
It's UNCLEAR if the DOJ will do what it has been told to do, or if it will use "ongoing investigation" as an excuse? This DOJ has already done EXACTLY THAT. Democrats need to stop patting themselves on the back for this vote and make sure what comes next is a monumental scandal
November 19, 2025 at 4:15 PM
It's UNCLEAR if the DOJ will do what it has been told to do, or if it will use "ongoing investigation" as an excuse? This DOJ has already done EXACTLY THAT. Democrats need to stop patting themselves on the back for this vote and make sure what comes next is a monumental scandal
Soon after its discovery, 3I/ATLAS looked very much like other objects we have seen. Here is a plot of the typical asteroid color-color space. It is such an interesting object, but it is not an anomaly in so many of these parameter spaces in ANY way
November 18, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Soon after its discovery, 3I/ATLAS looked very much like other objects we have seen. Here is a plot of the typical asteroid color-color space. It is such an interesting object, but it is not an anomaly in so many of these parameter spaces in ANY way
I have two 100W panels on my garden shed, hooked to a Jackery power station, which charges all of my tool batteries, and provides a very helpful backup if the power goes out
November 14, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I have two 100W panels on my garden shed, hooked to a Jackery power station, which charges all of my tool batteries, and provides a very helpful backup if the power goes out
Today in class I bemoaned how humans don't live long enough to properly see how massive stars vary, since the pulsation timescales are so long.
... except the Wonderful star, Mira, which has left us mass loss record over tens of thousands of years, stretched over lightyears. AMAZING🔭🧪U
... except the Wonderful star, Mira, which has left us mass loss record over tens of thousands of years, stretched over lightyears. AMAZING🔭🧪U
November 4, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Today in class I bemoaned how humans don't live long enough to properly see how massive stars vary, since the pulsation timescales are so long.
... except the Wonderful star, Mira, which has left us mass loss record over tens of thousands of years, stretched over lightyears. AMAZING🔭🧪U
... except the Wonderful star, Mira, which has left us mass loss record over tens of thousands of years, stretched over lightyears. AMAZING🔭🧪U
Teaching is very serious business. In other news, I made this critical diagram during the class I was teaching today. Might have to put this into my next NSF proposal
October 30, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Teaching is very serious business. In other news, I made this critical diagram during the class I was teaching today. Might have to put this into my next NSF proposal
America: fascists, beating and kidnapping people in the streets. Military being used to destroy fishing boats and wage war without congressional approval. White House, being destroyed and remodeled without oversight.
Also America:
Also America:
October 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
America: fascists, beating and kidnapping people in the streets. Military being used to destroy fishing boats and wage war without congressional approval. White House, being destroyed and remodeled without oversight.
Also America:
Also America:
America: government shut down for 4 weeks, millions going without pay or essential services. Trade war and economic chaos for 9 months
Also America:
Gee, I wonder why things aren’t getting better for the working class this year?
Also America:
Gee, I wonder why things aren’t getting better for the working class this year?
October 27, 2025 at 4:09 PM
America: government shut down for 4 weeks, millions going without pay or essential services. Trade war and economic chaos for 9 months
Also America:
Gee, I wonder why things aren’t getting better for the working class this year?
Also America:
Gee, I wonder why things aren’t getting better for the working class this year?
Currently watching my laptop melt as it renders this in 4K for playback on the planetarium🤩
Est. 1.5hrs for 24min runtime (from 230GB raw master frames) 🤣
Est. 1.5hrs for 24min runtime (from 230GB raw master frames) 🤣
October 20, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Currently watching my laptop melt as it renders this in 4K for playback on the planetarium🤩
Est. 1.5hrs for 24min runtime (from 230GB raw master frames) 🤣
Est. 1.5hrs for 24min runtime (from 230GB raw master frames) 🤣
To be clear, I take flag desecration weirdly seriously too. Symbolism is important. For example, you should never ever wear the flag like this. it disrespects the flag and all those who have fought to protect it. Literally, it is in the US flag code.
October 4, 2025 at 12:25 AM
To be clear, I take flag desecration weirdly seriously too. Symbolism is important. For example, you should never ever wear the flag like this. it disrespects the flag and all those who have fought to protect it. Literally, it is in the US flag code.
Sunday recovery day. 3rd bowl of this intoxicating Italian sausage and kale soup I made. I’ve got a zillion things I need to do today, but my body crashed out this AM and making this was all I had left in me. Now nap time
September 28, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Sunday recovery day. 3rd bowl of this intoxicating Italian sausage and kale soup I made. I’ve got a zillion things I need to do today, but my body crashed out this AM and making this was all I had left in me. Now nap time
This week began my new grad class on time domain astro. Wrapped first class with an activity: campfire stories, draw the light curve of a camp fire. Students had a ton of great intuition and I hope it sets the stage for some critical data analysis! 🔭🧪⛺️🪵🔥
September 27, 2025 at 2:13 AM
This week began my new grad class on time domain astro. Wrapped first class with an activity: campfire stories, draw the light curve of a camp fire. Students had a ton of great intuition and I hope it sets the stage for some critical data analysis! 🔭🧪⛺️🪵🔥
Yesterday: huh, what is that short white tube in this 1919 photo?
Today: OMG, I found it!! (It’s a camera!)
Today: OMG, I found it!! (It’s a camera!)
September 19, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Yesterday: huh, what is that short white tube in this 1919 photo?
Today: OMG, I found it!! (It’s a camera!)
Today: OMG, I found it!! (It’s a camera!)
Students, research scientists, and faculty celebrating 50yrs of work at UW Astro… I love this event!
September 18, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Students, research scientists, and faculty celebrating 50yrs of work at UW Astro… I love this event!
So excited that @niais.bsky.social brought our department’s annual AstroFest talk roundup to our historic campus observatory this year! 🔭
September 18, 2025 at 8:55 PM
So excited that @niais.bsky.social brought our department’s annual AstroFest talk roundup to our historic campus observatory this year! 🔭
Doing research on our campus observatory, & loved this quote from 1916 by the Dean of Sciences
"An observatory had been built because the President at that time was an astronomer. He could not be censured for preferring to look at the stars rather than at the terrestral things around about him"
"An observatory had been built because the President at that time was an astronomer. He could not be censured for preferring to look at the stars rather than at the terrestral things around about him"
September 17, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Doing research on our campus observatory, & loved this quote from 1916 by the Dean of Sciences
"An observatory had been built because the President at that time was an astronomer. He could not be censured for preferring to look at the stars rather than at the terrestral things around about him"
"An observatory had been built because the President at that time was an astronomer. He could not be censured for preferring to look at the stars rather than at the terrestral things around about him"
Double bagged, half the ability to carry. I have kids, Kroger, I can’t spend all day carrying these damn bags in from the car
September 14, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Double bagged, half the ability to carry. I have kids, Kroger, I can’t spend all day carrying these damn bags in from the car
I don’t know squat about paper or manufacturing. According to the vendor’s website (note: the URL they give doesn’t work for me), handle bags are 2x more expensive, ~$0.19 per bag. But the checker DOUBLE BAGGED IT. Net savings: zero.
September 14, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I don’t know squat about paper or manufacturing. According to the vendor’s website (note: the URL they give doesn’t work for me), handle bags are 2x more expensive, ~$0.19 per bag. But the checker DOUBLE BAGGED IT. Net savings: zero.
Remember when folks said “hey… maybe we shouldn’t let Kroger own every grocery store?”
But Kroger & the government was like “oh, it’ll TOTALLY improve the customer experience by bringing value to our shareholders”
& now I pay 8cents per bag that don’t have handles
But Kroger & the government was like “oh, it’ll TOTALLY improve the customer experience by bringing value to our shareholders”
& now I pay 8cents per bag that don’t have handles
September 14, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Remember when folks said “hey… maybe we shouldn’t let Kroger own every grocery store?”
But Kroger & the government was like “oh, it’ll TOTALLY improve the customer experience by bringing value to our shareholders”
& now I pay 8cents per bag that don’t have handles
But Kroger & the government was like “oh, it’ll TOTALLY improve the customer experience by bringing value to our shareholders”
& now I pay 8cents per bag that don’t have handles
I’m proud of my kids, especially, who have put up all summer with water damage, fans, saws… endless banging of hammers, and dad saying swear words
September 14, 2025 at 4:38 PM
I’m proud of my kids, especially, who have put up all summer with water damage, fans, saws… endless banging of hammers, and dad saying swear words
I’m proud of my students keeping our observatory open and welcoming to the public. This week we have our last open house of the season, and then will be hosting the entire astronomy department for a fun beginning of the year event. This old building gives me a lot of hope for the future.
September 14, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I’m proud of my students keeping our observatory open and welcoming to the public. This week we have our last open house of the season, and then will be hosting the entire astronomy department for a fun beginning of the year event. This old building gives me a lot of hope for the future.
I’m proud of my students, who have been working hard on a much needed upgrade to our planetarium. This week we saw the first test of our new system. So amazing!
September 14, 2025 at 4:27 PM
I’m proud of my students, who have been working hard on a much needed upgrade to our planetarium. This week we saw the first test of our new system. So amazing!
Was walking to the Observatory on North Campus today, and this story pole stopped me in my tracks! It’s huge and beautiful, and I can’t wait to learn more about it next week!!
September 12, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Was walking to the Observatory on North Campus today, and this story pole stopped me in my tracks! It’s huge and beautiful, and I can’t wait to learn more about it next week!!
People: I think something is wrong with my pinky, my Dr says I have nerve damage from using these wide/thin phones. Maybe we should think about ergonomics again?
Apple: What's that, you said make it so big it needs a crossbody strap?!
Apple: What's that, you said make it so big it needs a crossbody strap?!
September 9, 2025 at 8:47 PM
People: I think something is wrong with my pinky, my Dr says I have nerve damage from using these wide/thin phones. Maybe we should think about ergonomics again?
Apple: What's that, you said make it so big it needs a crossbody strap?!
Apple: What's that, you said make it so big it needs a crossbody strap?!
Spent a bunch of time this past weekend working on my passion project: a coffee table book of my midcentury garage door photo collection… ❤️📖
September 5, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Spent a bunch of time this past weekend working on my passion project: a coffee table book of my midcentury garage door photo collection… ❤️📖