Chad Bender

This literally just happened in our house.

I've been looking for this system for 25 years.

Finally finished Ken Burn's American Revolution. If you haven't made it through it, the last 15 minutes of Episode 6 are worth skipping ahead to, particularly in these trying times that we live in today: a true encapsulation of what it means to be the United States of America and an American.

No animals were serious harmed in this experiment, but the cat is trying to figure out how to dry his tail. I presume the fish are amused.

Tonight is the night that the dumb cat discovered what happens when he jumps on top of the fish tank while the lid is open for feeding. Turns out the fish are protected by more than glass.

And this is why I'll order from almost anyone except for Uline.

Ah Tucson in January, where the local public radio host gives the hourly weather update and describes it as "a chilly 55".

Ah, the classic astronomer "version control in the filename" scheme. Just add "_THISONE" after your edits are complete.

Indeed. It's almost as if we're not good at only signing up for things we can reasonably accomplish.

Yikes

I went into my lab yesterday and the hood was off. Fortunately no chemicals under it since we hadn't restarted work there yet. Fan is in the roof. FM turned it on in 24 hours, but no word why it was off and no placard about non-use.

If You Think This Instrument Is Hard to Play, Try Building One

As a recovering oboist myself, this is a great article (and the comments section is pretty wild...) www.nytimes.com/2026/01/14/a...

I rearranged my desk in my office so I can stare out the window. It has the side benefit that I'm not staring down the hallway, so I'm not continuously distracted by people walking past. Minor downside is that folks occasionally sneak up on me when I'm blueskying.

That doesn't seem right...

YouTube video by Federal Reserve Statement by Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell

Video message from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=KckG...
www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/s...

Only organized when I put things back where they belong. There is "almost" a home for everything. I cannot recall any time where everything was actually in its home.

Hobbies are important for happiness, and particularly in this era of non-stop chaos that we are in. Hobbies that can draw blood, and so require close focus, are particularly interesting. Fortunately, the only blood this weekend came from a potato peeler, when i was not paying attention. 4/4

The dimensions for the dresser come from one of the excellent books published by Robert Lang, which has held an important place on my woodworking bookshelf for nearly 20 years. 3/4

Wooden boards laid out in a garage for inspection.

I'm making this out of curly cherry from PA that I purchased in a matched set from Irion Lumber a few years back. This way all of the wood should age the same color, and have the same grain pattern. Hidden bits of the frames and the future drawer sides use plain cherry. 2/4

A wooden dresser being fitted up, on its side in a workshop

Finally managed to get some time in my wood shop this weekend, and made good progress test fitting a dresser I've been working on for a while. This is modeled after the Harvey Ellis designed #913 in the Gustav Stickley catalog. I've used paneled sides and back, and full web-frames inside. 1/4

Picard management tip: Suppress your inner alarm. Be the calmest person in the room.

No kidding. I think we all need a nap.

Google’s Former C.E.O. Wants to Build a Cosmic Search Engine

why you need big telescopes for spectroscopy -- “You have to collect enough photons because you’re spreading them out,” said @chadfbender.bsky.social, an astronomer at the University of Arizona, which is in charge of LFAST. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/s...

Google’s Former C.E.O. Wants to Build a Cosmic Search Engine

www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/s...

#LFAST in the NY Times.

Yes, but I have some caveats. I need to better understand the development status of fiber beam lines. But I have other ideas that may not require them. Maybe should chat offline.

Nominally 1 -
it's a single object fiber feed, with high-res in mind. But, at some (potential) array scales, there are different answers to that.

Packed splinter session at #AAS247 for the announcement of The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Observatory System—a modular, rapid-response network of four novel observatories designed to democratize access to the cosmos.

Read more about the initiatives here: www.schmidtsciences.org/focus-area-a...

Ex–Google CEO funds private space telescope bigger than Hubble Schmidt Sciences announces investments in orbiting observatory and three ground-based instruments

Just spent the day doing a thing: www.science.org/content/arti...

Roger Angel and I are Co-PIing the LFAST telescope, which is being built at @stewardobservatory.bsky.social and provides the ground based spectroscopic component of this venture.

@schmidtsciences.bsky.social #AAS247 #Arizona #LFAST

Happening now!

Crowded convention room with no empty seats.

Standing room only for the Schmidt Sciences presentation at AAS.