South Pole Adventure Travel Log: jan 23, 2000

Travel Log: January 23rd, 2000

Home | Experiments & Activities | Q&A | Travelogue | Pictures

January 23rd, 2000

Randy writes:

Felt cold to me today! The official weather station says:
01-23-2000 at 16:59 Z
Temperature -28.7 C -19.6 F
Wind 359 At 15.5 Knots
Windchill -53.1 C -63.6 F
Barometer 688 mB
Physio Altitude 10325. ft
Now that we have adjusted to the environment Steve and I have been talking with all sorts of people looking for projects for the industrial design students to work on. One of the things that I love about the South Pole is that people are so interesting and friendly here. There is a wonderful sense of community and people seem to be more interesting than your average bear. Everyone has a story and people ask intent questions about the science and the education projects, and you as an individual. John Carlstrom commented on how the audiences for the Sunday science seminars, although heavily populated with non-scientists (e.g. trades people, cooks, etc.), is perhaps the best audiences he has ever encountered. "They hang on your every word and follow the presentation with an amazing intensity."
Today's science talk will be given by AST/RO scientist Tony Stark, and I as many others am looking forward to it. The title is "How our Galaxy Works."
Last night, Saturday night, everyone seems to have some fun and to relax a bit more. Dinner as always on Saturday was pizza, and Everyone Loves Pizza Night. After dinner there were many things going on and people lingering and talking more than on other days. Nils Halverson went outside to play some croquet. Myself, Clem Pryke, Steve, and a few others went to a concert in the summer camp lounge. It was really nice, especially the ode to "Orange Fanta" which apparently they have had way too much of around here.
Yesterday I also walked out to the clean air sector to the AERO building looking for people to talk to about the ozone testing, which I want to write an article about. My walk into the wind was for naught as no one was out there. I did track the people down and we will talk today after the Science Talk.

Click on any small image to retrieve a larger one...

The crowd during the Sunday Science Talk

The Australians maintain a collection of telescopes that help monitor the quality of the site for astronomical observations. They have a live Antarctic webcam and some very cool movies where you can see the Sun moving round and round the sky, just like it's supposed to....