Discoveries in the Physics & Astronomy shop | Science, curiosities, and surprises
Just over two decades ago, this was our introductory Astronomy lab packet. Things have evolved since then, but the bones are still there!
Three distinct nighttime observing labs, though? Jeez. Night sky conditions really were better back then.
Don’t put your fingers into a high-voltage electrical socket when the power is on. Don’t do it when the power is off, just in case.
It’s not even clear why someone would do this when the entire apparatus is unplugged.
Just don’t go sticking fingers into places not meant for fingers, please.
Rearranging the shop is no small task. Organizing it all is a complex nightmare. We’re forever behind the 8 ball, too.
But it’s hard to throw away perfectly good and useful stuff, given that you never know what projects will walk through the door.
“CAUTION: AI does not know how to write a proper lab report. Do not risk losing easy points by trusting something that has never attended labs.”
Entirely reasonable position from instructors: do your own work, and please don’t cheat.
Of course, we also get this message in the same week:
‘Twas update-the-computers season in the department, and the new Windows laptops have eliminated the right-side Control key in favor of one for Microsoft’s AI. Ditched a very useful key for one that’s utterly pointless.
For example: with only a single Control key on the left, it is no longer possible to log into this laptop with a single hand, even if you’ve got hands like Andre the Giant.
Sigh.
There it goes, our old 1968 Bridgeport. Cast iron and steel, in need of a little refurbishment, and off to a new home across campus. The replacement’s on its way.
That we got the old one out the door is a small miracle by itself. Installing the new milling machine? There’s a budget to pay someone else to do that.
All it’s missing is the chalk outline and little tents with numbers.
With the right crystal structure, as with calcite (a form of good, old calcium carbonate), you get some neat effects. With a refractive index that varies depending on the polarization of the light passing through, a chunk of iceland spar is birefringent and causes a visual doubling effect of the objects seen beyond. How cool is that?
Behold, Canis Major, the Greater Dog! He’s such a good boy!
Sirius-ly.
Campus can really be quite lovely when it’s quiet.
Bar magnets, over time, lose some of their intensity. From time to time, a top-up’s in order, using this glorious little contraption.
Two magnets, a conducting bar, and the fantastic sound of BZZZZ-THUNK as those iron atoms line up. Cool!
Sometimes you stumble across little gems, squirreled away in the back closets, like these illuminance meters, acquired in March of 1964. Sadly, no cost etched into the side. Eventually, these were replaced with more modern versions, before being phased out of labs entirely.
We can guess how they were used – being next to a box of slide frames with a rainbow of color filters – and assume they’re not making a comeback. But check out all of that tiny, mid-century text crammed on there!
Especially intrigued at the specific note about newsprint requiring twice the incident light of other reading, writing, and general tasks.