Jun
29
2009

Zuyd University

My diploma/degree/proof-I’m-a-teacher says that’s what the ‘school’ I’m graduated from in 2007 is called in English and today, that was the location for another lecture about Galaxy Zoo, citizen science, the discovery of Hanny’s Voorwerp and how my life changed ever since.

 

One of my former teachers asked me to come to school (remember, in Dutch we call everything from primary school to university ‘school’) to be an example of how far an open attitude can bring you and to tell a group of teachers-to-be how you can learn, discover and be amazed through this online astronomy project, which you can use with a group of kids as well.

 

It was funny to be in the same classroom I took classes not that long ago, but to be in front of it now. This group of students were in their third year, so I knew some of them and they knew me, as I was in my last year when they were in their first. Anyway, it was a nice bunch as they actually chose to learn more about science, rather than being told to come and listen to me.

 

I still had some automatic accounts left from the event we did in NEMO, so we used those to try classifying galaxies right after a few good questions. They did very well and it was a good morning.

 

There’s no photographic evidence though, but here are the pictures from this month’s Dutch magazine for schools called ‘Didactief’. Last April I did an interview for them and the photographer came to see me at the event in NEMO. It’s a nice piece and I’ve updated my pages too.

 

Oh, and I want to end this with thanking everyone who recently told me they really like my blog, it’s very motivating and I really appreciate it.

 

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Credit: Allard de Witte for Didactief.

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Credit: Allard de Witte for Didactief.

 

By Hanny | Posted in Lectures, Media | Comments (4)
Jun
28
2009

The Zoo documentary in Oxford

“Are you guys from a real zoo?” I heard the girl from The Big Bang restaurant say. But nope, we’re from a Zoo of Galaxies and we come from different places to meet up and hang out frequently.

 

This time the occasion was the making of a documentary, which was organised by Colin and Brendon from Pulse Project. Their goal was to show how much fun it is (for amateurs) to participate in a science project like Galaxy Zoo. Besides my story about Hanny’s Voorwerp and being an ambassador ever since, they also “gave ‘my’ peas a chance” with their few minutes of fame. I say ‘mine’ affectionately, as I reported the first on the Galaxy Zoo Forum a while ago (naming them Peas), but it really became a community project when other volunteers found more and sorted them out.

 

I was the first they interviewed in front of the camera, in the garden of The Royal Oak pub we stayed at that afternoon. I’m thinking pre-recorded ones are a bit trickier than live actually, but it was a lot of fun and I’m sure the guys will make a nice video of it. All ‘zooites’ present got the chance to tell the world what a nice bunch we are and I’m looking forward to seeing the result.

 

When Chris first heard of my involvement in the Peas by the way, his joking response was: “Oh no, don’t tell me that was you again!” As he was afraid people might think you need to be Hanny van Arkel to discover something, but we still think it just shows how far an open mind and curiosity can bring you. Anyway, Chris was at this meet-up on Sunday too and together with Pamela, Arfon and Georgia, he showed us a new task involving mergers.

 

In the pub we had the chance to catch up, even though we all agree that a single day is too short. It was nice though to see the familiar faces again and to meet a few new and we had lots of fun there in Oxford. I brought the Playboy magazine for Chris and he had me signing it for him. It now hangs on the wall of his office.

 

Lots of us stayed in Oxford that night and so did Edd and I. It would be the last night of this holiday together. After an ice-cream from G&D’s and another pub stop at The Eagle and Child, we all walked to our hotels and since Tommy was staying in the same as us, we ended up with drinks in one room. I don’t drink alcohol, but I can get in a drunk mood, which this evening was triggered by Tommy noticing a clock saying it’s ten to eleven. (I know it doesn’t sound funny now, but you had to be there!)

 

The next day Edd had to leave early for work. Tom and I paid Chris and Arfon a visit at Astrophysics when we bumped into Christian and later Els and we had lunch with Graham, back in London. The gentlemen were being gentlemen, carrying this flowery suitcase for me, until I had to take over myself again to take it back home. Thanks everyone for a brilliant weekend and l’m looking forward to the Summer already!

 

Hanny and I

A few pictures of me and my English friends in the pub. Taken by different people there.
Here’s Tommy and me.

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Graham (Infie) and me, in the garden of the pub.

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Els (from Belgium) and me.

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Edd and me (outside again).

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Chris and me. He asked if I could pose like a Playboy bunny…

By Hanny | Posted in Galaxy Zoo, Holidays, Media | Comments (1)
Jun
24
2009

Leaving, on a jet plane

Friday 19th June, 13.00 pm, somewhere between Donegal and Dublin.

 

I’m quiet. I’m as silent as serene Donegal, while we drive back to the city again. The only thing on my mind is how much I enjoyed driving through the amazing county and how much I’ll miss it. There’s a song on the radio, something about leaving and a parachute. Edd says he likes it. I do too, though neither of us heard it before. Sweet as Edd is, he planned the trip back past more beautiful places like Sligo and something called ‘Dooney Rock’. But slowly we’re going into another world.

 

Saturday 20th June, 14.00 pm, in the city of Dublin again.

 

We had booked another night at the same hotel as the one we started this trip with, so we could easily go to the airport today. When we checked in, this guy said it was a shame we were only staying one night, but he didn’t know it would be our third this week really. He explained where room number 31 was, but I said I knew, as we had 30 the other days. He joked that this one was better. It was really though! Anyway, we had dinner at the same nice place we had dinner the first night and I slowly had to get used to the idea of leaving. After we checked out again, we went for lunch in the city and we found it was a different place on Saturday. There’s lots of street artists here. One guy is singing and playing guitar as good as the Idols on X-factor. And there’s a guy with a dog. The dog is his sand sculpture!

 

Saturday 20th June, 22.00 pm, Edd’s home in Portsmouth.

 

The friendly sandy dog, would be one of the last things we saw in Neverneverland. Our plane was delayed and it took its time landing, while my left ear really gave me a hard time. I’m still deaf on that side and Edd and I are both tired. I’m glad I made the decision of having a short stop here, as I get foolishly sentimental when travelling back home from a wonderful time.

 

Tuesday 23rd June, 21.00 pm, my home in Heerlen.

 

I just typed out my notes, of which some I had scribbled down and some were just stuck in my head. I never really was a diary-writing person, but now I guess I am. Marcel was being a gentleman and picked me up from the station this afternoon. I pretty much went straight to bed though. Yes, in the middle of the day. It’s not the ferry’s fault, the beds are nice, but I was restless. It felt weird to be home again. I had to get used to the room, and my boots on the floor sounded different. I hate unpacking and I haven’t done it yet. I only took out the present for my mum, when she was just here to view the 589 pictures.

 

I have to get back to work again tomorrow, so I’m pretty much ‘back to reality’ again. There is a part missing in this diary though, which is the Galaxy Zoo meet-up in Oxford on Sunday and travelling with friends on the Monday. I’ll get those words on screen later though, I think I need more sleep first.

 

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The forest at Dooney Rock, when on our way back.

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I love the macro function.

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Thank you Edd!

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And I love all these lakes too!

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Leaving the beautiful island… (Pictures: Hanny van Arkel).

 

By Hanny | Posted in Holidays, Private | Comments (3)
Jun
20
2009

Another day in Paradise

I woke up feeling the most lucky person in the world: I woke up in Donegal and I had a whole day ahead of me here. The only thing on our agenda was enjoying the environment, while climbing the Errigal mountain.

 

I’m pretty sure the word ‘paradise’ is Irish and was invented right here. What caught my attention first was how silent it is. If you hear anything, it’s the wind playing with the leaves of the trees, or a bird passing by. So peaceful. We drove past enormous meadows of green, with hills and mountains and rocks and plants. The shadow of some clouds stroke over the mountains, to make space for the Sun’s beams. On the hills you can see one or two houses. Some abandoned years and years ago. Some surrounded by sheep.

  

I tried driving on the opposite of the ‘right’ side of the road as well (if only for a mile or so), which I have to admit, was not all that strange. We parked the car on the foot of mount Errigal and climbed up. It’s a wonderful workout: you barely notice you’re using your muscles and it’s so much fun! The wind felt like a nice breeze, though it was too strong to go all the way up. But that didn’t matter. The view was indescribably pretty. My new mountain climbing shoes turned out the be really waterproof by the way, when I stepped into a waterfall.

  

When we came back down, I looked at the mountain again and I could hardly believe we were up there not that long ago. We drove past Glenveagh National Park, through Gweedore, on to the Bloody Foreland area, which was one of the places recommended to us. It was not hard to see why. There were a few houses looking over the ocean and I had to oppress the urge to knock on one of the doors and tell the locals how lucky they are. I mean, what if this is your life?

  

How different your life would be if you were born here. In one of the villages we passed, I saw a little building, which was obviously a school, for probably only one class. The kids wear uniforms, and start at 9.30 am (I asked)! I’m writing this while we’re driving back to our last night in the hotel in Donegal and I’m a bit sleepy. I don’t want to close my eyes though, I don’t want to miss one view. Every inch of this place is – I’m going to say it one more time – beautiful.
 

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The waterfall surrounding Errigal. Its water is very tasty.

 

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Errigal mountain, from the car.

 

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One of the views from mount Errigal.

 

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And the view from the other side.

 

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Me, on top of (well almost) the mountain. (Picture by Edd Edmondson).

 

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The ocean view at Bloody Foreland.

 

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…. (Pictures by Hanny van Arkel.)

  

By Hanny | Posted in Holidays | Comments (3)
Jun
19
2009

Fort of The Foreigner

That’s the English translation of ‘Dún na nGall’, which I learned from Duncan, who wrote to me saying he really enjoyed my lecture (thanks!). It’s Wednesday (I keep losing track of what day it is here, which feels very relaxed) and this morning we walked around in the little town Donegal.

 

With the emphasis on ‘little’. But that is nice and it seems to have everything it needs. Letterkenny and Portsalon were going to be our next destinations. The first visit in Letterkenny was for an interview in the studio of Highland Radio. It was a nice one and it went well. Everybody here seems to be very laidback. Also, I found out my face was published in the local newspaper! After that we went to Portsalon beach, to come to Letterkenny again later for the second lecture.

 

This really must be the most beautiful place in the world! Is what I thought when I saw this beach. I took over a hundred pictures of it, but it’s just impossible to show its beauty on an image. I stood on the spongy sand and made a 360 degree turn. Gorgeous. Everywhere. And we were the only ones there… how rich can you be? We have been extremely lucky with the weather as well: we saw a lot of sun and the rain showers we did have were phenomenal. It was never really cold, but I think temperature is more or less a state of mind anyway. So I had to get in that water.

 

I changed clothes in the car and we drove back to Letterkenny to have dinner before the lecture. While I was in the bathroom I heard Edd telling the waitress we were going to the Institute of Technology. She asked if there would be a good show on we were going to see. Edd said: “Yeah, hers”. And it was a nice show: I felt calm and enthusiastic and the audience was lovely. Afterwards a boy came to shake my hand and said “Thank you for coming over”. Apparently it’s hard for them to find people who want to come up here and give lectures. How unthinkable, I am still stunned.

 

Also, when we were in Dublin, I was asked if I thought the Irish people were unfriendly, as the young lady had heard such thing. Ridiculous. On this trip we found ourselves looking lost twice and both times someone came up to us to ask if we needed help. Also, at least four people attending my lecture in Letterkenny came up to give us advice about ‘must sees’ in county Donegal.

 

The whole county is a ‘must see’ though, so we are back on the road again, to get some sleep before another wonderful day. The road on which almost everybody is waving at you by the way.


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The Highland Radio studio in Letterkenny.

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It’s beautiful up close, in detail, as well.

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The lucky people living here can look at the sea every day.

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I was really here, at Portsalon beach.

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And in the sea too!

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Right before the second lecture, in Letterkenny. (Picture: Edd Edmondson).

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OK - one more of the beach. (Pictures: Hanny van Arkel).

 

By Hanny | Posted in Holidays, Lectures, Media | Comments (6)