Karen Masters
@karenlmasters.bsky.social
Prof. of Astronomy and Physics, Haverford College. PI of Galaxy Zoo. Radio astronomer. Check out my latest book “The Astronomers Library” about books, libraries and astronomy - three of my favourite things. Brit/US.
Observatory looked beautiful last night but clouds scuppered my plans to check the pointing model for our planewave mount. 🔭🧪🎢
November 18, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Observatory looked beautiful last night but clouds scuppered my plans to check the pointing model for our planewave mount. 🔭🧪🎢
Beautiful morning moon today with the last of our Autumn colours. 🔭🌓
November 11, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Beautiful morning moon today with the last of our Autumn colours. 🔭🌓
I also tried to capture how much less glare our new dark sky friendly lamps create (first one) compared to the old style (further down the road). 🔭👩🔬🧪🎢
November 8, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I also tried to capture how much less glare our new dark sky friendly lamps create (first one) compared to the old style (further down the road). 🔭👩🔬🧪🎢
Observatory getting ready for a (cloudy) open evening. Still fun thay we can turn off the nearest street lights.
November 8, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Observatory getting ready for a (cloudy) open evening. Still fun thay we can turn off the nearest street lights.
Any spider fans know what this is (other than some kind of egg sac?). It’s very sticky. On the underside of our sky brightness monitor.
November 8, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Any spider fans know what this is (other than some kind of egg sac?). It’s very sticky. On the underside of our sky brightness monitor.
There’ll be a delay in most student pictures (on a film camera taken inside the most restricted area for electronics) but here’s a group shot by the Grote Reber antenna (first purpose built dish used for radio astronomy). 🔭👩🔬🧪🎢
November 4, 2025 at 12:30 PM
There’ll be a delay in most student pictures (on a film camera taken inside the most restricted area for electronics) but here’s a group shot by the Grote Reber antenna (first purpose built dish used for radio astronomy). 🔭👩🔬🧪🎢
Back from taking students on educational trip to @greenbankobservatory.org.web.brid.gy - and was excited to catch GBT while it was observing MaNGA @sdssurveys.bsky.social galaxies for me! 🔭👩🔬🧪🎢
November 4, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Back from taking students on educational trip to @greenbankobservatory.org.web.brid.gy - and was excited to catch GBT while it was observing MaNGA @sdssurveys.bsky.social galaxies for me! 🔭👩🔬🧪🎢
Excellent Halloween display found this morning in the @haverfordcollege.bsky.social Astronomy Library. Skeleton is reading Stellar Structure by Chandrasekhar of course! :) 🔭🧪🎃
October 29, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Excellent Halloween display found this morning in the @haverfordcollege.bsky.social Astronomy Library. Skeleton is reading Stellar Structure by Chandrasekhar of course! :) 🔭🧪🎃
Pretty colours today.
October 26, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Pretty colours today.
This from yesterday - no regrets that I went for a walk even though I didn’t really have the time to!
October 24, 2025 at 10:03 PM
This from yesterday - no regrets that I went for a walk even though I didn’t really have the time to!
Pretty sunset Monday night. I’ve been distracted since took this. I fell victim to the observatory stairs shortly after. Luckily just a sprain… but observatories are dangerous places as I warn my students, and this year demoed for them. 🔭👩🔬
September 17, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Pretty sunset Monday night. I’ve been distracted since took this. I fell victim to the observatory stairs shortly after. Luckily just a sprain… but observatories are dangerous places as I warn my students, and this year demoed for them. 🔭👩🔬
Dedication to book I just started. Think I might enjoy this one!
September 13, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Dedication to book I just started. Think I might enjoy this one!
Proof I was really there. 👩🔬🧪
September 12, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Proof I was really there. 👩🔬🧪
We ended with a visit to Noether’s grave in the beautiful Bryn Mawr cloisters. A modest remembrance in a beautiful spot. 👩🔬🧪
September 12, 2025 at 5:57 PM
We ended with a visit to Noether’s grave in the beautiful Bryn Mawr cloisters. A modest remembrance in a beautiful spot. 👩🔬🧪
Haverford College observatory opening up for use in advanced observational class this evening. 🔭
September 12, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Haverford College observatory opening up for use in advanced observational class this evening. 🔭
Husband sent me a picture of my book “The Astronomer’s Library” in the wild in the UPenn bookstore. Awesome!
September 10, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Husband sent me a picture of my book “The Astronomer’s Library” in the wild in the UPenn bookstore. Awesome!
Current status of trying to get a Covid shot (both me and daughter are still eligible) at our local pharmacy (CVS).
August 28, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Current status of trying to get a Covid shot (both me and daughter are still eligible) at our local pharmacy (CVS).
Here’s a screen grab. Covid isn’t an option any more for vaccine appointments (was last weekend).
August 24, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Here’s a screen grab. Covid isn’t an option any more for vaccine appointments (was last weekend).
A pleasant way to pass the time. This book is so beautiful. Some of the descriptions are like poetry. ☕️🔭👩🔬
August 23, 2025 at 6:34 PM
A pleasant way to pass the time. This book is so beautiful. Some of the descriptions are like poetry. ☕️🔭👩🔬
Satellite or plane? That's 10s in V-band from Haverford College 16" telescope (30x30 arcmin field of view - from a run in August). The only one with anything like that in it... I thought satellite except for the two going together (and flashing?) making me think plane.... #astronomy
August 21, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Satellite or plane? That's 10s in V-band from Haverford College 16" telescope (30x30 arcmin field of view - from a run in August). The only one with anything like that in it... I thought satellite except for the two going together (and flashing?) making me think plane.... #astronomy
For my summer activity I practiced walking on water (aka my fitness tracker ap doesn't understand tides).
August 18, 2025 at 1:26 PM
For my summer activity I practiced walking on water (aka my fitness tracker ap doesn't understand tides).
A selection of calm from the trip. Many long walks on the beach!
August 15, 2025 at 11:03 AM
A selection of calm from the trip. Many long walks on the beach!
Really enjoying our night sky photometer. Here the cyan is "clear" skies (18.5 mag/arcsec^2 is bad - but we're pretty near to Philadelphia, so not unexpected). It's interesting to see the clouds pass through (green) and the increase in brightness that brings.
July 24, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Really enjoying our night sky photometer. Here the cyan is "clear" skies (18.5 mag/arcsec^2 is bad - but we're pretty near to Philadelphia, so not unexpected). It's interesting to see the clouds pass through (green) and the increase in brightness that brings.
Guess the timezone (a) of the person who made the poll, and (b) of the majority of the people who responded the poll. Darker green = more people can make, and the times listed are in EDT.
July 22, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Guess the timezone (a) of the person who made the poll, and (b) of the majority of the people who responded the poll. Darker green = more people can make, and the times listed are in EDT.