<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[RSS Feed]]></title><description><![CDATA[RSS Feed]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com</link><image><url>http://direct.ecency.com/logo512.png</url><title>RSS Feed</title><link>http://direct.ecency.com</link></image><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 03 May 2026 13:58:14 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="http://direct.ecency.com/@ptsouth97/rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Swan Song]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1. Henrietta Swan Leavitt. Credit: (Johnson 2005) Henrietta Swan Leavitt was born on the Fourth of July in 1868 in Lancaster Massachusetts to George Roswell Leavitt and his wife, also named Henrietta]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/swan-song</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/swan-song</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 04 Mar 2019 11:32:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/C3TZR1g81UNaPs7vzNXHueW5ZM76DSHWEY7onmfLxcK2iPEQBgJtEXN3Q1UbphPU7LoBfhsixEiaU1HRyrRKe5myFW9VoLmbeXjpEmxMbqiANyVBeKznb3L?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Using Stellarium to Control a Telescope]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the most awesome features of modern amateur telescopes is that they can connect with a computer to allow control by a wide assortment of software. Planetarium software is particularly cool because]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/using-stellarium-to-control-a-telescope</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/using-stellarium-to-control-a-telescope</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 03 Mar 2019 17:33:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/C3TZR1g81UNaPs7vzNXHueW5ZM76DSHWEY7onmfLxcK2iPJofgj1VYbxw7vcws8YDmPExa5TUgCBvAf8vi617Erqi52H2M1XAnaLcBrypScUsh6FoRvpUsY?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Binning]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1. Examples of binning. Credit: Templeton & Beck 2014 Binning groups pixels together which has the effect of making the group appear as a bigger single pixel as shown in figure 1 above (Templeton]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/binning</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/binning</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 02 Mar 2019 13:23:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/C3TZR1g81UNaPs7vzNXHueW5ZM76DSHWEY7onmfLxcK2iP4eVhWC7Xnbfc7fkBeuaBUFb8AwDreBj3sYzmLxdq6SFjnwdZQpDcLfA8aHxuiTuTNHWADGfzn?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Image calibration]]></title><description><![CDATA[Image calibration is simply the removal of the anomalies from the camera sensor and imperfections in the optical pathway. When taking astronomical pictures, this helps make the image "pretty."]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/image-calibration</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/image-calibration</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:05:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/3jpR3paJ37V8JxyWvtbhvcm5k3roJwHBR4WTALx7XaoRovdtsvHUV2dUKgxWHnCusxMqckbHJyPE3og75ELU5ZV2SA1DugkUvXbgLx1B2R4zSzdW9BoSvAQnP8jJKZ4PkKR9x?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[New twist on classical novae]]></title><description><![CDATA[We've all heard of a supernova, but what about classical novae? These close astronomical cousins are similar in many ways. They both involve a close binary system with a white dwarf and a main sequence]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/classical-novae</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/classical-novae</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 01 Mar 2019 03:41:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/C3TZR1g81UNaPs7vzNXHueW5ZM76DSHWEY7onmfLxcK2iNqNNPBpssWweP4FdV2jqYRr3a5mJsFGxTPRpZFuatBFmtTRT3svQxQUyhMjeM7WFgetBD8RGRk?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Jupiter-sized exoplanet detected]]></title><description><![CDATA[David et al. 2019 recently reported the detection of exoplanet V1298 Tau b. The first part of the name (i.e., V1298 Tau) represents the 1298th variable star found within the Taurus constellation boundaries.]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/jupiter-sized-exoplanet-detected</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/jupiter-sized-exoplanet-detected</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 28 Feb 2019 01:44:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/Zskj9C56UonWToSX8tGXNY8jeXKSedJ2aRhGRj6HDecqrgFRVb48SxhV1Na9zbVKK2yoS8Ze7F67VHadwfAmdkGv55X9YXRBVueRwJQh6CQ7aRi26gXg?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Multipolar Planetary Nebula]]></title><description><![CDATA[No, planetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets. Instead, these are low and intermediate mass stars in the senior citizen phase of their lives. After they have puffed off their outer layers, the]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/multipolar-planetary-nebula</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/multipolar-planetary-nebula</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2019 01:26:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/C3TZR1g81UNaPs7vzNXHueW5ZM76DSHWEY7onmfLxcK2iPeK7DTULPJc3zJD4wxBPTDrNawEY3dQ54d9VhfrKs1Lt6MqEKtABmaKrvBBp4HaFvixwZ9sfMx?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Mysterious "bullets" from V Hya]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1. The carbon star V Hya displaying a "bullet", a collimated jet-like emission from its center of mass. Credit: Sahai et al. 2016 V Hya is a carbon star on the asymptotic giant branch]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/mysterious-bullets-from-v-hya</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/mysterious-bullets-from-v-hya</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 25 Feb 2019 14:13:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/qjrE4yyfw5pEPvDbJDzhdNXM7mjt1tbr2kM3X28F6SraZgAYA5ao5MiJ3CbFRsq3MkUUzXsbkR2a7bxzEa6D8uibphSU3MMAPVBH2GcXGsCtaqJa4tnnp5BC?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Linearity testing]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1. CCD bucket analogy. Credit: Howell 2006 Each pixel of a CCD sensor is like a bucket, but instead of collecting rain water, these buckets collect electrons that are generated by the incoming photons.]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/linearity-testing</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/linearity-testing</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 24 Feb 2019 12:03:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/Zskj9C56UonWToSX8tGXNY8jeXKSedJ2aRhGRj6HDecqrfW2M6T24sACGygnSxZAfeuha284PHwqawmJJbo7XFmZrsuMRZiq6p8bDjESvS6yuDpKy4b8?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[TECMO]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of my goals this year is to build a remote observatory for astronomical imaging equipment: The Elizabeth Crosby Memorial Observatory (TECMO). This blog will be dedicated to covering the activities]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/tecmo</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/tecmo</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 23 Feb 2019 14:34:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/C3TZR1g81UNaPs7vzNXHueW5ZM76DSHWEY7onmfLxcK2iNuqw2MSeLw6BDRtvQu7WM9DWexX8Cz5zgiRgfZQ12TuddaRH4YbtGRQyhVn2fv9hSXLbETLo1x?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Puzzle of Polaris]]></title><description><![CDATA[As our compass to the north, Polaris is one of the most famous stars in the night sky. However, in a recently accepted article to Astronomy and Astrophysics, astronomer Richard Anderson explains that Polaris]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/the-puzzle-of-polaris</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/the-puzzle-of-polaris</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 22 Feb 2019 17:09:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/8SzwQc8j2KJZWBXFXnbnQ1FtoZhRqrTWozhqoqWHpGmpmoCF92tRYFxTz2zMUjyDfP8WMX6CBRCPusCq5eZx7qbifoZnFgCW3YP2vsKRneri3C59xUn?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Historical solar observations]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1. Photograph taken using Ca II K filter shows features in the sun's atmosphere affected by magnetic activity. Credit: Stephen Ramsden We live in an era where both massive ground and space-based]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/historical-solar-observations</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/historical-solar-observations</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2019 18:30:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/3W72119s5BjVs3Hye1oHX44R9EcpQD5C9xXzj68nJaq3CeSr7jy98zsDJNwaVvvg5nszK5JyXW5EBm6qcdPyPHDoQzVN29QMJb3vzBKazE3ecgcCPz19HQ?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Backyard amateur helps make a big astronomical discovery]]></title><description><![CDATA[Astronomy is one of the few fields where amateurs can have a meaningful impact. I've never heard of an amateur nuclear physicist, but amateur astronomers regularly make significant contributions with their]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/backyard-amateur-helps-make-a-big-astronomical-discovery</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/backyard-amateur-helps-make-a-big-astronomical-discovery</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 20 Feb 2019 18:22:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/qjrE4yyfw5pEPvDbJDzhdNXM7mjt1tbr2kM3X28F6SraZkVgxvsX1Scav1VhqmCMS4yncXL5ZVvpsDkSMb4yKhsZiXTbodsAXdqSTKXJMCsECoacxLL45Q1U?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Survey confirms 81 new variable stars]]></title><description><![CDATA[As a member of the AAVSO, variable star astronomy is near and dear to my heart. Astronomers at the Moletai Astronomical Observatory (MAO) in Lithuania recently submitted their results on the photometric]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/variable-star-search</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/variable-star-search</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 19 Feb 2019 16:01:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/6VvuHGsoU2QBt9MXeXNdDuyd4Bmd63j7zJymDTWgdcJjo1NwMB8GbDPV7MQoLBQiRaqyayqPqsFoCpD2amYnPRBoQniuvEnWeRofWFr8dvjcn1NcJtjZwzv67Y7sgi?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Peering into a pre-stellar core]]></title><description><![CDATA[Under the influence of gravity, stars are born from collapsing clouds of gas and dust. These dense regions form a pre-stellar (i.e., before star) core. Although much is known about this process, it is]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/peering-into-a-pre-stellar-core</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/peering-into-a-pre-stellar-core</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2019 14:20:03 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/3W72119s5BjVs3Hye1oHX44R9EcpQD5C9xXzj68nJaq3CeF8ptawUK4fmyx4trMgTasmqhFoYekb1iAA9fdDYTkHcUVdEf6Ecr97pNaCSLEW5Tgu3ubfD8?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Big Bad Binaries and Other X-ray Sources]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1: Hubble Space Telescope image of nebula around Wolf-Rayet star WR 124. Credit: wikipedia Yesterday I wrote about binary systems and their components. Sometimes those components can be massive,]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/big-bad-binaries-and-other-x-ray-sources</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/big-bad-binaries-and-other-x-ray-sources</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 15 Feb 2019 15:14:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/8SzwQc8j2KJZWBXFXnbnQ1FtoZhRqrTWozhqoqWHpGmpmnhXzDZwWDDzTcRdDGQ4EwNxkMixyq58cWfqR6nXVJEPTFFgMNHswym9cfpcwVAJ8SQXq3t?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Chemical Make-up of Eclipsing Binary Systems]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1. Artist's rendering of a contact binary star. Credit: ESO/L. Calcada In a recent submission to the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS), astronomers described their findings]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/astrosteem/@ptsouth97/chemical-make-up-of-eclipsing-binary-systems</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/astrosteem/@ptsouth97/chemical-make-up-of-eclipsing-binary-systems</guid><category><![CDATA[astrosteem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 14 Feb 2019 12:55:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/4i88GgaV8qiFU89taP2MgKXzwntUGAvkoQiKU7VxyD37q9U5GVZFfWfJKeDF9MhMrXhBymSpbaH821m6iWJVy3PRdtmrDECJy6F7HcoR82ZJTmfMpJ5NcckBTL?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Variables Found in White Dwarf Survey]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1. Color-color diagrams showing the 49 variable objects as well as the non-variable objects. Credit: Dame et al. 2019 Astronomers recently submitted their findings identifying 49 new variable objects]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/astrosteem/@ptsouth97/new-variables-found</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/astrosteem/@ptsouth97/new-variables-found</guid><category><![CDATA[astrosteem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 14 Feb 2019 02:32:27 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/RGgukq5E6HBM2jscGd4Sszpv94XxHH2uqxMY9z21vaqHt53nRRKsSGue2YLQg916J6vEQj3i7nifvK4xoB5byr8mUqrg3Pm2NakranBXC6HfY43JY77MdibA6NnW1vn?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Tilted Exoplanets]]></title><description><![CDATA[On Earth, our seasons are caused by the 23.5 tilt in our axis relative to our orbit around the sun. Elsewhere in our solar system, the planet Uranus is well known to have a significant tilt in its axis]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/tilted-exoplanets</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/steemstem/@ptsouth97/tilted-exoplanets</guid><category><![CDATA[steemstem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 12 Feb 2019 19:03:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/2r8F9rTBenJQfQgENfxADE6EVYabczqmSF5KeWefV5WL9WCxB47cHCDbGdhiLQtfJoJwaRrcppEkAKerMXn9v2jZCuanHM1LXD22g7x2UGMfdm7wn53NxHtkwVhmipkJS?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item><item><title><![CDATA[Seven White Dwarfs]]></title><description><![CDATA[Figure 1: The original seven dwarfs. Credit: Encyclopedia Britannica Astronomers in Budapest recently submitted their findings on seven white dwarfs to Acta Astronomica. These seven white dwarfs are potential]]></description><link>http://direct.ecency.com/astrosteem/@ptsouth97/seven-white-dwarfs</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://direct.ecency.com/astrosteem/@ptsouth97/seven-white-dwarfs</guid><category><![CDATA[astrosteem]]></category><dc:creator><![CDATA[ptsouth97]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 11 Feb 2019 16:57:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://images.ecency.com/p/2FFvzA2zeqoVJ2SVhDmmumdPfnVEcahMce9nMwwksSDdRvUtbexWutGR7AU2Hwp8Vsf6AsvLMqCbqcx4cX9e21JZufikT2PD9t6KQZK7LkS5jWfa17fuM6bhTJQJA?format=match&amp;mode=fit" length="0" type="false"/></item></channel></rss>