TomKrajci 🇺🇦 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️

Air Force Academy. Intelligence. Citizen Scientist. Glider instructor. Soaring over the Sacramento Mountains near Timberon, New Mexico. Black Lives Matter.

Public Key

npub19hyyfhdr2p8mxyua78ghdws3504nqjqd7cg25vtxek63hr6e4jqqrtj9h2

NIP-05 Address

KrajciTom_at_universeodon.com@mostr.pub

Profile Code

nprofile1qqszmjzymk34qnanzwwlr5tkhgg686esfqxlvy92x9nvmdgm3av6eqqvmra45

Author Public Key

npub19hyyfhdr2p8mxyua78ghdws3504nqjqd7cg25vtxek63hr6e4jqqrtj9h2

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Last Notes

2024-10-01 13:32:55

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) on 01 Oct, as seen from the Sacramento mountains of southern New Mexico.
1st image is a stack of 38 5-second exposures. The trees in the horizon are blurred as the camera follows the motion of the rising sky.
2nd image is a single exposure.
3rd image has the sky gradient flattened and color saturation greatly boosted. The dust tail is yellow and extends across the frame.
4th image is a closeup of the coma and inner tail. You can see that the comet and dense central dust cloud may be very bright, but that it also casts a shadow in the inner tail.
Put a red circle around 12 Oct on your calendar. That evening this comet will show up in the evening sky after sunset. If it doesn't break apart and melt, it may be an easy naked eye object in evening twilight.
#NewMexico #Comet #Astronomy #Astrophotography #Photography
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/113/232/401/353/054/567/original/f07d1ff28c43abaa.jpg
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/113/232/402/247/848/048/original/36332282641b4cfd.jpg
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/113/232/403/517/932/023/original/32b20ed198b9eb90.jpg
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/113/232/404/396/694/593/original/c439bb2cff0047e7.jpg

2024-09-03 14:35:09

Sierra Blanca peak shows max green in late monsoon season.
It was a very transparent morning, and the polarizer really cut through what little haze was in the air for the 30-mile view of this mountain in southern New Mexico.
#Monsoon #NewMexico #Photography #Telephoto #Polarizer
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/113/074/096/238/980/880/original/a22c850181b07cc2.jpg

2024-08-25 18:29:05

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@npub1te6…zc4l
That sounds like a Perseid meteor from what you describe.

2024-08-13 00:08:41

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@npub1can…6675
Meet your new best friend:
https://universeodon.com/@hydrate@botsin.space

2024-07-21 17:15:11

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@npub1lzz…jhl3
I'm gonna keep on encouraging local neighborhood activism:
https://universeodon.com/@KrajciTom/112824680915734209
Or am I wasting my time?

2024-06-22 23:33:12

Alamogordo, New Mexico celebrated Juneteenth today in Washington Park.
We have all sorts of local color on display when we celebrate.
#NewMexico #Juneteenth #Juneteenth2024
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/112/662/873/743/539/542/original/a81e012bd7afa2dc.jpg

2024-06-20 20:30:53

The low clouds have lifted enough so that I have a clear view of the western portion of the South Fork fire in southern New Mexico.
Fire activity is visible.
Wind is clearly blowing from the east.
#SouthForkFire #SaltFire #NMwx #NewMexico #Ruidoso #MescaleroApacheTribe
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/112/650/823/824/995/604/original/84c386f4dc0e36bb.jpg

2024-06-19 00:22:15

Support from World Central Kitchen is coming to southern New Mexico.
https://wck.org/news/new-mexico-first-alert
#SouthForkFire #SaltFire #NMwx #NewMexico #Ruidoso #MescaleroApacheTribe #WorldCentralKitchen #WCK #WKC

2024-05-17 21:58:48

White puffy clouds in a very dark sky - Infrared.
The conifers look snow covered because vegetation is so bright in infrared.
There is so little haze in the long distance view - Infrared.
Taken in the mountains of southern New Mexico.
#Photography #Infrared #Monochrome #NewMexico #Mountains
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/112/458/657/062/372/302/original/ce46d3dabf8c2e24.jpg

2024-05-16 02:40:51

The eight-day old crescent moon in infrared (850 nanometers long pass).
Taken from the mountains of southern New Mexico at an elevation of 9,400 feet.
The terminator is facing us directly - great for all the craters and terrain relief highlighted by the low sun angle
#Moon #Astronomy #Astrophotography #Photography #Infrared #Monochrome
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/112/448/450/132/101/666/original/18a30fdbb9af9258.jpg

2024-05-14 02:52:29

The six-day old crescent moon in infrared (850 nanometers long pass).
Taken from the mountains of southern New Mexico at an elevation of 9,400 feet.
#Moon #Astronomy #Astrophotography #Photography #Infrared #Monochrome
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/112/437/163/967/010/781/original/3ab494eb8d2ff97a.jpg

2024-04-15 20:50:21

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@npub1a4e…0hum
"...have been 600,000 years old."
Have been?
Have bean!
I get it!
#humor
#Pun
#Joke

2024-04-09 00:00:17

Crepuscular rays while driving home from the eclipse. (Between Snyder and Lamesa in Texas.)
#TXwx #Texas #Eclipse #Clouds #CrepuscularRays #photography
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/112/238/314/529/318/142/original/4e6fc77393302fd8.jpg

2024-03-26 00:32:20

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@npub1skv…aky3
One way to 'you do you':
https://universeodon.com/@scream@botsin.space

2024-02-07 15:52:09

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@npub1zdz…tl8u
Ummmm, can you be more vague? ;-)

2024-01-26 17:16:48

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@npub1t98…9gnt @npub1te6…zc4l
There was an 'advice' column that ran until 2017 under the title "Ask A Mexican!" that tried to dispel common gabacho myths about food/culture.
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=12167201

2024-01-20 15:03:51

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@npub1te6…zc4l
From my limited experience and travels, there appear to be considerable regional/national differences in Spanish. Spanish in Texas is different than Spanish in Mexico, Colombia, etc.
I contrast that with my Russian studies.
The iron fist of the Soviet Union made damn sure that everyone studied and spoke Moscow Russian.

2024-01-12 22:36:42

A new round of melting means that I now have ice stalagmites, and stalactites.
This is two days after:
https://universeodon.com/@KrajciTom/111734197724438280
#NewMexico
#Icicle
#Plastic
#PlasticFlow
#Snow
#Winter
#Stalagmite
#Stalactite
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/745/361/847/160/798/original/2208f4d979b12a72.jpg

2024-01-05 17:38:07

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@npub1te6…zc4l
Sometimes, you get the bear. Sometimes, the bear gets you.
Sometimes, you get the fossils. Sometimes, the fossils get you.

2023-12-28 15:11:59

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@npub1wcu…vgyk
Are there peer-reviewed scientific papers that you can point to that support this?
Thanks in advance.

2023-12-27 02:35:53

Evening twilight sky full of stars.
Looking from 9,000 feet down to the Tularosa basin in southern New Mexico.
The lights of La Luz are visible. (Alamogordo is hidden behind the foreground ridge at the left edge of the frame.)
#NewMexico
#Twilight
#Astrophotography
#Photography
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/650/016/234/612/517/original/a68062d1e1c2f460.jpg

2023-12-04 18:56:55

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@npub1khx…geyg
If you were to do a Google reverse image search on some of your profile photos...what would turn up?

2023-11-29 18:11:15

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@npub1khx…geyg
Probably won't attend, but will slides/text/video/paper be available?
Thanks in advance,
Tom Krajci
Cloudcroft, New Mexico

2023-11-13 03:45:00

Comet C/2023 H2 (Lemmon) on 12 November.
The comet has just recently passed closest to Earth, so its apparent motion is near maximum.
This is a stack of almost 70 images, each exposure being 30 seconds.
The comet is crossing the milky way in Aquila (so many star trails!), and I'm impressed that the stacking software always determined an accurate centroid on the comet's nucleus. Even when the comet passed next to a star, the software tracked the comet's location quite well.
The faint tail extends up and to the left from the nucleus.
#Comet
#Astrophotography
#Photography
#Astronomy
#NewMexico
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/401/150/401/824/883/original/2d52add16109c136.jpg

2023-11-07 18:42:37

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
Which do you have more of? Files, or clamps?

2023-10-29 16:13:22

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@npub1g57…y839
Where is the support crew? The groupies? The roving press detachment?
No livestream?

2023-10-23 04:01:28

8 day old moon. Grayscale image. Shadowed craters are easily visible all along the terminator. Dark maria contrast with very bright recent impact features. The sky is black.
#Moon
#Gibbous
#Astronomy
#Astrophotography
#NewMexico
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/282/303/775/676/426/original/a7bf7c493dfbac7e.jpg

2023-10-21 23:29:34

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@npub1skv…aky3
Retired USAF. Yes, that was part of the daily lexicon.
Same with FUBAR
Have you read Catch-22?
Or seen the movie adaptation? (ca. 1970)? Or the recent TV series?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JARn16yojbQ
And if you want to go farther down the rabbit hole:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Soldier_%C5%A0vejk

2023-10-17 03:17:06

Two day old moon as seen from the mountains of southern New Mexico at 9,000 feet.
The moon was low enough in the sky that it had a distinct yellow tint, but it was much higher and easier to see than 24 hours ago:
https://universeodon.com/@KrajciTom/111242457081116604
#Photography
#Astronomy
#Moon
#Astrophotography
#NewMexico
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/248/152/401/536/637/original/d90c5ab1cb928577.jpg
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/248/153/168/752/055/original/6375ea4bd1e675aa.jpg
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/248/154/131/845/337/original/5cf2b5ccdf24bb02.jpg

2023-10-10 22:16:22

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
Did you consider fiber reinforced epoxy? Glass? Carbon? Kevlar?
Pro-tip: to cut Kevlar with scissors, you have to grind a different rake angle.

2023-10-09 17:44:33

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
I have been known to take a spade bit and grind down the sides for a custom hole size.
Spade bits are relatively inexpensive, but their holes are not quite as smooth as Forstner bits make.

2023-10-05 00:08:16

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
"they’re starting to run out..."
"...until the next shipment comes in, but nobody knows when that will be)."
These sound like descriptions of dystopian 'workers paradise' things: shortages, information shortfalls, slow traveling news.
Is this the United States?

2023-09-17 00:51:11

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
Was the turkey migrating south for the winter?

2023-09-08 02:56:43

Comet C/2023 P1 Nishimura !!!
07 Sept - part deux
Two views, 135mm lens...clouds, haziness, moonlight on clouds.
It's a #Mood
This is a stack of 154 images (1.5 seconds exposure) when the comet was not obscured by clouds, and morning twilight was not too bright.
This is an example of what you can do in a dark sky, with relatively simple equipment (fixed tripod, many short exposures.)
Friday will probably be my last chance for this morning apparition. In six days or so, the comet will be very, very low in the west right after sunset.
Recap - Thursday (135mm lens)
https://universeodon.com/@KrajciTom/111024102292792799
Recap - Wednesday (85mm lens)
https://universeodon.com/@KrajciTom/111018974905961149
Recap - Tuesday (55mm lens)
https://universeodon.com/@KrajciTom/111012688991573494
#Comet
#Astrophotography
#Astrodon
#Astronomy
#NewMexico
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/027/261/641/911/720/original/a04192df22e4cd78.jpg
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/111/027/262/863/320/374/original/df114bccea03160a.jpg

2023-08-06 16:31:35

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@npub1te6…zc4l
We are going to look into ways to monitor aquifer depth.
Maybe these folks will help in material ways? Or at least give good advice?
https://geoinfo.nmt.edu/resources/water/amp/home.html

2023-08-06 14:18:49

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@npub1te6…zc4l
What is your source of water for your home/family? A well? Do you have any way to monitor the health of your well...level of the aquifer you tap into?
This is an issue I'm transitioning to. Our property owner's assoc meets Labor Day. Let's see how the group addresses this potential future issue.

2023-08-06 02:22:04

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@npub1te6…zc4l
Here is a prediction for sunset today (Saturday) for smoke extent. It appears fairly accurate when compared to visible weather satellite images.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/110/840/282/093/613/972/original/b99d58e4ddaf60b1.png

2023-08-06 02:06:20

Today the Gila Wilderness and surrounding forested land got very active.
#NMfire
#NMwx
#NewMexico
No real monsoon yet. Heatwave over us. This will only get worse.
IR weather satellite view of the southwest corner of New Mexico. All the small black dots are active forest fires. Some are across the state line in eastern Arizona.
Red circles and ellipses added around each active fire, or each cluster of nearby active fires.
The fires are approximately 175 miles west of me, and I can see the smoke on the horizon.
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/110/840/205/371/402/178/original/76ca48583b4c64e5.png
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/110/840/205/802/094/207/original/e493bdfd0eeec85a.jpg

2023-08-01 03:12:26

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
Got 0.8 inch rain today and temperature up here is 52F. It feels, at least for today, like monsoon.

2023-07-31 15:19:00

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
I am on a shared well. I am trying to start a dialogue with other members of the POA...what if this is the new (ab)normal? What if we get less monsoon moisture? How can we monitor the health of our water table? Do we think about developing other water sources? Plumb houses to use gray water, then harvest rain/snow to flush toilets? Hmmmmmm.

2023-07-31 14:59:27

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
White puffies already building over Sierra Blanca, and over my house at 830AM. We'll see storms today. Maybe not raining on us, but we'll see storms develop down south.

2023-07-31 13:47:15

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@npub1mp3…qjxj
Excerpt at the end: (enjoy a few days of possible showers...then it gets drier again.)
"The high pressure system aloft is forecast to migrate westward from over TX Wednesday and Thursday, to over southeast AZ and southwest NM Friday through Saturday, then potentially further west Sunday (if the operational run of the GFS is right). This will draw drier air into the forecast area from the northwest with a downward trend in thunderstorm coverage and wetting footprints in many places starting Friday."

2023-07-17 17:14:36

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@npub19lt…qfjk
It appears I don't know about the fundamentals. I got some learning to do.
You say this stuff is rarely exposed to the user. As a user, can I change that? Or am I at the mercy of developers?

2023-07-17 17:11:50

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@npub19lt…qfjk
It sounds like there is some work that needs to be done in this area. (I'm being intentionally vague, and I don't write code.)

2023-07-17 16:55:52

I have some questions about #AltText
Are there any screen grab/screenshot apps/software that don't just capture the image, but also capture the alt text?
If I download/save an image that contains alt text, do common image file formats (jpg, gif, and so on) save the alt text as metadata?
Overall, I'm looking for ways to make alt text more transportable, shareable, and savable across platforms, instances, devices, OS's, etc.
Thanks in advance.

2023-07-12 15:16:45

Summer Milky Way, fisheye lens looking straight up.
The mottled texture of the summer milky way is brightest at the bottom of the frame, but extends up to the top of the frame. Stars are scattered throughout the image, but at the horizon there are fewer stars and the sky background is a bit brighter. To the right are some low clouds, illuminated from below by a nearby city.
Tech info: Sony a6300 camera. ISO 1600, 30 seconds. Fixed tripod. 6.5mm circular fisheye lens, f/2. Post processing boosted contrast and boosted blue channel to make sky background neutral in tone for aesthetic reasons.
#Photography
#Astrophotography
#MilkyWay
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/110/701/749/774/587/908/original/a0df081dd5ba555e.jpg

2023-07-11 21:32:43

The interior of the Shaffer Hotel and Dining Room in Mountainair, New Mexico. It was built in 1923.
It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
The ornate folk art ceiling has various patterns and shapes on the ceiling. You may think you see the Nazi swastika, but it's a Navajo symbol, sometimes called "whirling logs," that represents healing, and can face either left or right.
#NewMexico
#Navajo
#Art
#FolkArt
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/110/697/552/918/222/336/original/b8f072b730e5cd91.jpg

2023-06-11 03:59:17

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@npub1mp3…qjxj @npub1f7s…mtrz
The yucca flowers are two different colors...two different species?

2023-05-23 12:49:58

Moon and Venus last night.
First shot is in bright twilight. Second shot is a half hour later in dark twilight, and longer exposure to show earthshine.
Tonight the moon will be a bit higher than Venus. Easy to find in the western sky about 20 - 30 minutes after sunset.
#Moon
#Venus
#Photography
#Astrophotography
#Astronomy
#Astrodon
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/110/418/067/198/642/792/original/039771421b6e3497.jpg
https://media.universeodon.com/media_attachments/files/110/418/067/985/833/080/original/deeadf5ccb32e2e0.jpg

2023-04-11 15:37:47

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#[0]
#[1]
Makes me think of Asteroid City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FXCSXuGTF4