Hoy, el Grupo de Trabajo en Nomenclatura de Cuerpos Menores de la IAU publicó el Volumen 5, número 17 del Boletín WGSBN:

https://www.wgsbn-iau.org/files/Bulletins/V005/WGSBNBull_V005_017.pdf

Es un gran honor para mí que en esta edición (pág. 31), el asteroide (714378) 2015 MT₁₂₈, miembro del Cinturón Principal entre Marte y Júpiter, ha sido nombrado oficialmente 714378 Char.

Este es un gesto muy significativo hacia mis humildes contribuciones de varios años como astrónomo aficionado, en las áreas de divulgación, educación e investigación astronómica. Es el resultado de una fructífera colaboración con EURONEAR, una red internacional liderada por el astrónomo rumano Ovidiu Vaduvescu (quien amablemente propuso esta designación de asteroide), por un proyecto de minería de datos de MBAs y NEAs. (Esto también condujo a mi descubrimiento de 2014 OL₃₃₉, ¡un cuasi-satélite de la Tierra!).

Sin duda, este y otros logros han sido posibles en gran medida gracias a mis actividades en el Centro de Astronomía de la U. de Antofagasta y el valioso apoyo del Dr. Eduardo Unda-Sanzana.

Esta es una de mis pequeñas huellas en la astronomía, pero claramente una muy especial— optimistamente, una inspiración para futuros astrónomos amateur; ciertamente, una forma de ser recordado por algo “escrito en las estrellas”.

https://minorplanetcenter.net/db_search/show_object?object_id=714378

https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/tools/sbdb_lookup.html#/?sstr=714378&view=VOP

Astrofotografía como herramienta para la comprensión de fenómenos celestes: Iniciativa que aborda y explica los más llamativos fenómenos y dinámicas del cielo nocturno, desde el desierto de Atacama en la región de Antofagasta (Chile).

Su entregable principal fue el fotolibro “Astrofotografía de fenómenos celestes” (disponible en versión online (a través de Google Books) e impresa, la cual está disponible en la Biblioteca Regional de Antofagasta. Soy autor junto a Eduardo Unda-Sanzana, Director del Centro de Astronomía de la U. de Antofagasta.

También incluyó una exposición virtual 3D desplegando todas las obras incluidas en el fotolibro, a fin de proveer una experiencia interactiva y accesible para cualquier usuario; por último, una serie de cápsulas audiovisuales fueron publicadas para explicar algunos de los fenómenos celestes más llamativos, pudiendo visitarse en su canal YouTube.

Desierto de noche: el cielo nocturno como patrimonio natural y cultural: Exposición astrofotográfica cuyas imágenes son obra mía y de Eduardo Unda-Sanzana, Director del Centro de Astronomía de la U. de Antofagasta.

En su versión presencial, esta iniciativa se presentó en Antofagasta (Biblioteca Regional) y Chiu Chiu (Observatorio Paniri Caur), entre los meses de julio y agosto de 2022. Esta obra mostró diversas facetas (“ejes temáticos”) de los cielos del desierto de Atacama, con el propósito de transmitir distintos mensajes, significados y reflexiones:

a) “Nuestra conexión con la noche”; b) “Comprendiendo el Universo”; c) “Cultura y turismo”; d) Vestigios del pasado (primeros planos de hitos regionales bajo el cielo estrellado); y e) Amenazas al patrimonio natural.

Además, este proyecto incluyó entrevistas a personajes destacados relacionados a cada eje temático, quienes compartieron testimonios y miradas desde sus distintas experticias.

Esta exposición también tuvo una versión online, como exhibición virtual 3D, a fin de servir como experiencia interactiva y accesible para cualquier persona, independiente de su ubicación geográfica.

Marte en la Tierra: Proyecto cuyo resultado principal fue un micro documental que aborda las similitudes entre el desierto de Atacama en Chile y el planeta Marte, con un enfoque desde la astrofotografía, a lo largo de 5 breves capítulos que combinan imágenes, videos y sonidos del desierto (complementados con astrofotografías), así como entrevistas e imágenes del planeta rojo capturadas por sondas espaciales y robots de exploración.

Este proyecto incluyó una exhibición virtual 3D, con astrofotografías obtenidas durante la realización audiovisual, de la cual fui su impulsor principal junto a la colaboración del productor audiovisual Omar Villegas y la voz en off de Esteffanía Rojas.

Todos estos proyectos se encuentran registrados y resumidos en la sección “Proyectos” de mi sitio web, Austrinus.

Es todo lo que puedo decir de este año, mi mayor felicidad. De todo lo demás, de todo el resto del mundo, me he olvidado.

in memoriam:

https://farid.austrinus.com/tita

Mi amada mascota, la criatura más fiel a mi lado.
14 años
Agosto 20, 2020

Una historia finalista en un concurso internacional de ciencia ficción. Ishterión es una novela corta que he lanzado como eBook y Paperback (“libro de bolsillo”) en la Kindle Store de Amazon, oficialmente disponible desde el 15 de agosto 2020.

La imagen del post te lleva a su link directo para más detalles, por si deseas adquirirla. A continuación un vistazo a los contenidos de esta historia:

Sinopsis

La llegada a un planeta desierto, provisto de condiciones ideales para la vida, fue un gran motivo de alegría para la raza ishteriana. Excepto para Vilet, un científico que ansiaba contactar a civilizaciones inteligentes.
Todo era progreso. Hasta que tuvo lugar un hallazgo inusual, tan inesperado como enigmático. Y aún sin saber su significado, las pistas apuntan a un acontecimiento siniestro. Algo que a falta de testigos presenciales, sólo permiten imaginar el terror, la desesperación y luego el silencio absoluto.
Quizás sea mejor dejar el pasado en paz. Aunque nadie sabe si el peligro que antecedió al terror podría aún seguir allí. Silencioso. Acechante. Implacable. Brutal.
Esta es una historia que tal vez ya sucedió.
Sólo tal vez.

• Si vives en EE.UU. o Latinoamérica, éste es su link en Amazon.com
• Si vives en España, éste es su link en Amazon.es
  (para otros países con Amazon propio, búscalo por su ASIN: B08FGHFVV7).

I was all February in Asian countries. Specifically in Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Thailand. More details about my preference for this area of the world will be mentioned later. The relevant thing is that this trip in particular, was highlighted because of the COVID-19 boom.

I already knew this when I departed from Chile, but the mere option of postpone or suspend my plans was absolutely out of the question. Mis main fears weren’t to caught the virus, but logistics related to the trip instead. Knowing that the main outbreak was in China (fortunately this country was not in my itinerary nor as a layover), and that all the countries visited have rising active cases, I was cautious, taking all actions deemed as necessary.

Maybe my decision to not use a face mask might look as polemic, but it wasn’t a random decision. As far as I understand, this is not a strictly effective method, except if you want to avoid a contagion of a respiratory disease you already have, in other people (that situation doesn’t apply to me, because I never got a cold during my stay); instead, I washed my hands frequently (almost all shopping centers and touristic places had dispensers at the entrance). Anyway, in Asia the usage of face mask is frequent (from long time before of COVID-19) and its use is not mandatory (except, maybe, in 1 or 2 places in Seoul, but anyway I had no plans to go there). I also noticed that in South Korea a popular method to prevent a cold is to drink Red Ginseng, with many available brands. It was a novelty for me, although this hot drink is a really bitter. Sometimes I included the Woongjin Red Ginseng Honey, much more sweet and delicious.

I guess that the main logistic problem was that my 2 first destinations were experiencing low, Winter temperatures: Japan (Fukuoka)= 4° C; South Korea (Seoul)= -5° C, but the next 2 countries, enjoying tropical temperatures: Philippines (Manila)= 28° C; Thailand (Bangkok)= 33° C. This involved to use (and buy) warm clothes (in UNIQLO, ¡my favorite clothes store in Japan!) para counteract any risk of getting a cold, with additional baggage, later unnecessary when landed in warmer destinations. At least this action was effective and I had no problems for adaptation to the hot/humid weather in the upcoming days.

The touristic destinations in Japan and South Korea never disappoints, although it was clear the lack of tourists at certain places. The most interesting places of Fukuoka (a city I stayed 2 times before) are the surroundings of Hakata and Tenjin stations, as well as the Fukuoka Tower, all illuminated at night. Important mentions to Uminonakamichi Seaside Park, Nokonoshima Island and Ainoshima Island (the “cat island“ ). In Seoul, the Gyeongbokgung Palace is majestic and imposing; reaching the Seoul Tower by foot (in a mountaintop) is like a pilgrimage of infinite stairs, but memorable (going down in cable car was very pleasant). Discovering the spot of infinite padlocks left by visitors with diverse messages, ¡very impressing!

(I left my name there too…)

Fortunately, all the main attractions were open during my stay. The absence of people was more obvious when taking flights from/to Seoul. As an example, from the Incheon airport (one of the more beautiful and elegant ones, in my opinion), my ICN-FUK flight had only a few passengers, despite being a very popular route.

Philippines and Thailand were different experiences. Even if I was able to not use 3 daily layers of clothes and a scarf, the hot and humid weather is a different suffering, at least for me, not so accustomed to hot weather. But the bigger contrast was to see that almost no filipino was using a face mask (only 1 COVID-19 case there during my stay), and that in general their inhabitants are much more relaxed, so to say (I consider that the concept of “Latins of Asia” is somewhat correct). Additional contrasts were a change to much lower prices, as a couple of dishes plus a soft drink for USD ~1.8 (Jollibee is my favorite fast food chain there).

Last but not least, Thailand was my last and favorite destination. I have been 6 times there, and even when you think that this is country I not so advanced compared to my first 2 destinations, Thailand has not only imposing temples and cultural richness, but also endless shopping centers, cheap and unbeatable street food and some traditions that I admire, because respect is extremely important. Transiting countries where Confucianism and Buddhism predominates (except by Philippines) is very clear and I like it. If I want to create an entire blog post about all things I hate of Chile, probably many of these things simply doesn’t exist, or it is in very low levels in some Asian countries.

Thailand, during my stay, had only 37 COVID-19 cases. As I said, even not being so developed, this country is controlling relatively well the influx of this virus, and it was clear when I saw the great amount of hand sanitizer and public announcements everywhere. Same as Japan and South Korea, the absence of tourists was evident in certain places (such as Wat Arun and Wat Pho), given the high volume of Chinese tourists normally visiting Bangkok.

I would say that from beginning to end, I never fell threatened by the current situation. The Asian authorities were very strict when controlling passengers and fortunately I never had any symptoms. I traveled there because I already knew that catching the virus was a latent risk, even taking precautions (always could happen something apparently harmless, such as put your hand in an infected surface, then scratch your eyes -based on the announced ways of transmission-, and that’s it, you got infected.

Anyway, I hope the situation improves in order to contain this virus soon. In new posts I will write on previous and future trips, but I think this specific holiday deserved its own publication.

The photos depicted here are in low resolution for reference purposes. The high-res versions will be published in my online album soon.

Imagine that you are a fox in the desert. Cunning and sagacious. From your early days as a baby you lived in the desert, where all horizons are equally flat and solitaries.

Your parents tried to help you since you was young, but you always opted to use your own resources and trust in your own intelligence. You got all you wanted, all what a solitary fox could wish: a soft fur, plenty of food, warm caves to sleep; even a cute wool pendant you found and now you show to others in your neck.

You got all in your life, except to see a lake. A lake full of crystalline waters, pure and clean, reflecting sunlight with wonderful blue tones. During all your life you only saw sand, rocks and some plants, but you never had the pleasure to get wet in a water source to refresh your ideas and give you new energy to live. Occasionally you saw the rain, but it wasn’t enough. Some day you believed to have found it, but it was only a dirty spot of mud in middle of the undergrowth.

Now 24 years have passed in your old live of a fox, and you still without knowing a lake. You had deep thoughts that this shouldn’t be something too difficult, because you are not even asking the see, you can settle with a lake, because its waters will be same crystalline and the same essence of sea water. Through the years your anxiety increases and, if previously you searched the lake with so much patience and moderation, now your desires are so strong that your impulses are overwhelmed. You are very clear about how to jump, dip, get wet and refresh in those waters once you see them; you are clear about how you have to round them to find the softer and warmer shore; you are clear about surrounding that lake there will be plants, palms and fruits, because you know that its waters attract life and beauty.

Your face looks worn, thirsty and haggard. You feel tired and you spend too much time looking those sand dunes moving as whirlpools by the wind. In that moment, when you never expected that, you see it: a beautiful lake right there in the horizon, surrounded by green palms and red fruits. The sound of its waters attracts you progressively, and that vision is enough for, despite your tiredness, you ran decidedly to that tasty spring. Your intelligence has not decreased and you are still very clear how you are going to jump, dip and get wet; you are still very clear how you must surround its shore and look for the warmer spot. You know what to do, but your anxiety makes you act accelerated. While you run toward the lake, you stumble, you fall, even your wool pendant have fallen to the ground.

But it doesn’t matter. The lake seems bigger, clearer and more crystalline. Its droplets raised by the wind seem to hit your face and renew your energy. You feel that your abilities are increased and that your life in that desert worth it. However, your desires are too much powerful and you don’t mind in make sure that your vision is true. In the past you believed to see lakes, but actually it were traps from poachers, thorny cacti or pale rocks. This time you are convinced and your determination becomes stronger. When you are just one meter away from the lake, you stop. You look at its beauty, the little noise from its waters and the fish passing by, in the deep.

In that moment, you don’t want to wait one more second. You jump. You can’t wait. You waited long time for this lake to appear in front of your eyes, and now it’s there. You know you must be cautious, but your desire is stronger. However, when you are in the air, in your trajectory to fall in the lake, you realized that it was only a mirage, that fades and denies you to get wet in that nectar of happiness. When you fall, you realized that the lake had become quicksand, and they drag you slowly toward a slow agony from which you will be able to escape, but it will cost effort, sacrifice and survival techniques that fortunately you learned in your life.

While the sands are trapping you, you know you have been a victim of your lack of patience. You thought that the lake will smile at you and it would be happy to receive you, because you was careful to conquer it with your look. But it was not in that way, and now you complaint that the quicksand are shaking in a way similar to water, because you know that is not water. You would like to turn it into blue waters, but you know that probably you can’t. While you try, the palms and fruits want to help you, but you tell them that leave you alone. That is has been your own fault.

I think that’s why I have been unsuccessful in love.

I always enjoy to read beetween lines. I like to dissect, analyze, understand. To extract the essence. To exalt the symbolism (and put it in many of my actions, at the sentimental level).

Occasionally, I feel identified with some background message in books and movies, just as happens in other people. Maybe recently I paid more attention to those background messages, in my attempt to cheer me up in recent months and convince myself that disgraces happening to me, also happens to others. Maybe as a pure instinct, I found myself buying the appealing “Be happy embarrasses me, and other tales”, and “I’m tired of me, and other tales”, written by S. Wainrach. But I realized that nothing have caused such powerful “mirror” sensation, to see my reflection in the symbolism of an external masterpiece, as Hayao Miyazaki films.

I’m not an Otaku, I don’t read mangas not watch anime series (except for InuYasha and Evangelion, in a very specific time and context), but later I understood, from that time I watched Spirited Away and then Castle in the Sky, Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke, among others, until reaching the more recent The Wind Rises. All of them are different stories, but all converge in elements that someway, somehow, reflect my life almost perfectly. The recurrent analysis of his films is centered in invisible worlds, allusions to childhood and dreams, and those mostly are inviting to deep thoughts from the audience, but there’s something more in my case. A big amount of things happening to me (good or bad), are happening because I think too much, sometimes dreaming awake and make a bet that some situations or ideas belonging to an imaginary world, would be possible in the real world. Sometimes I feel I have enough talent or strength to bypass to an obstacle and the result can be positive or negative, but at the end of the day a part of me is still feeling so vulnerable as one of these characters from Studio Ghibli.

For some not-so-mysterious reason, it impresses/reflects a lot too, to know Miyazaki’s romantic vision behind animation (excerpts from here):

“To my way of thinking, creating animation means creating a fictional world. That world soothes the spirit of those who are disheartened and exhausted from dealing with the sharp edges of reality, or suffering from a near-sighted distortion of their emotions (…)”

Or his purpose in creating such films:

“My foundation is this: I want to send a message of cheer to all those wandering aimlessly through life.”

I don’t want to say spoilers, and I don’t think would be useful for this post’s purpose, specially for those familiar with the filmography of this Director, because they would realize what I’m talking about. For those who are not, but interested in knowing more only by reading, I can recommend a couple of in-depth analysis of his films, in Spanish and English. If I want to recommend something better, then I suggest to see any of his movies.

Maybe starting with Castle in the Sky.

Are you an astrologer, tarotist, medium, ufologist or simply a believer in paranormal topics and especially the unbeatable accuracy of the Mayan culture? If yes, are you interested in earn $1.000.000 (~US$ 1.600)?

Then don’t wait more! I defy you to bet against me about what will happen in the Earth on December 21, 2012. You will have the chance to win this fabulous amount of money.

[Update: This bet is finished, no punters were able to win it]

My Bet: On December 21, 2012, no end-of-the-world catastrophe of prophetic nature will happen.

Your Bet: On December 21, 2012, there will be a end-of-the-world catastrophe of prophetic nature.

My allowed “weapons”

• Scientific skepticism

Your allowed “weapons”

• Astral charts and horoscopes
• Ouija board
• Numerology analysis
• Card deck
• Candles, incenses
• Crystal pyramids
• Telepathy and telekinesis
• Tachyonic water and creams 
• Bach flowers
• Celestial maps of Hercóbulus
• Nostradamus’ centuries
• Lapis lazuli amulets
• UFOs and grey aliens
• Mayan calendar
• Jesus Christ, Buddha and Vishnu
• Charles Berlitz’s ghost
• All your friends believing the same as you

Only requirement for you to win the Bet: To demonstrate scientifically que the devastating event will be related with an end-of-the-world prophecy and not related to simple phenomena occurring normally within the boundaries of coincidences. Given this case, I must pay you the mentioned amount of money.

Only requirement for me to win the Bet: Thanks to my humble scientific skepticism, allowing me to examine and debunk the so-called evidences favoring the Apocalipsis, on December 21, 2012 will be just as expected: as a simple normal day. Given this case, you must pay me mentioned amount of money.

My paranormal-lover friend, considering the great advantages on your side, don’t think more and join this opportunity NOW!

P.S. If you thought that this bet it’s a trap, because if you win the world will be terminated, all of us will be dead and therefore I won’t be able to pay you, think about this: all the characters mentioned in your “weapons” (aliens, mayans, Jesus Christ, Buddha, Vishnu, Berlitz’s ghost) will use their power and conspire so the only human beings after the Apocalypse will be me and the other punter, so I will be able to pay you after all.

Update 1: In my astronomy website I published an article, in order to debunk the 2012+mayan fraud in detail. Please read it before comment (!).

Update 2: Because I don’t want to waste my time repeating recurrent explanations, below you will see colors related to topics already explained, so if your question is about one of them, first go to these linked explanations with its correspondent color. The article cited above also responds to the most common doubts, read it! (please understand, I have more important activities as amateur astronomer and not only check this post).

• Galactic alignment >
• Storm/solar flare > 
• Calendar/mayan astronomy > 
• Hercóbulus/ Nibiru > 
• Magnetic field > 
• Nostradamus >
• Novelty Theory, Web-Bot and other stuff >