My New Job In Astronomy!

[@tulliusagrippa5752]

Well done, lad. Congratulations. An amazing beginning to a scientific career.

[@PHDiaz-vv7yo]

I honestly can’t wait. So happy to see somebody doing a job they love

[@RyanRidden]

I'm pretty excited to see where it goes!

[@tyshingleton7005]

Looks like the best office view you could ask for!

[@RyanRidden]

Observatories are always in the best places!

[@PeterHamiltonz]

Welcome to the country. Just in time for lockdown.

[@AstroAndrew100]

Amazing scenery!

[@wayneharper2273]

Congratulations on your new role at Canterbury University.

[@SiggyPony]

Good choice of location, hopefully you can get back out there soon. No fun being stuck at home now :( Working from home is dumb lol.

[@RyanRidden]

I definitely had enough of working from home last year in the USA, so I certainly agree. That said, we do need to lock down now and make sure that NZ is safe again. Compared to the rest of the world NZ has done incredibly well at keeping everyone safe, so here's hoping we get back to normal again soon!

[@thentil]

New Zealand is such a wonderful place... Enjoy!

[@jonathandevries2828]

Cheers!

[@AnyZee]

The fact that the seasons are inversed for you guys down there still boggles my mind 🤯

[@RyanRidden]

I'm sure you would find how we celebrate holidays like Christmas quite bizarre! All the songs talk about snow and how cold it is, meanwhile its usually 30+ Celsius!

[@thefungusamongus3958]

Remember the Cant!

[@alistairmerrifield5035]

Congrats! Church of the good shepherd just down the road. And Aoraki up the road… not a bad office.

[@RyanRidden]

I haven't been to Aoraki in a long time, so I'm definitely looking forward to going back and trying out some of the rock climbing routes there!

[@avef]

Fascinating, mate!

[@RyanRidden]

It will be interesting to see where it goes!

[@richardbrockie]

Congrats on the new job! I suspect the scenery in the South Island beats Maryland?

[@RyanRidden]

Thanks! I'm a sucker for mountains, so the South Island wins for me!

[@ronmani9476]

Congrats!

[@eloquentsarcasm]

Outstanding news! Between this and your supernova paper you've been having an excellent time lately. Mountains and snow with a bit of honey mead is my idea of heaven, Tromso Norway with the astounding auroras is on my top 3 places but where you're at looks amazing.

[@RyanRidden]

A lot of work over the past few years seems to be starting to fall into place and pay off now, so there is a lot more coming! You're idea of heaven sounds pretty good to me, I need to go aurora hunting in NZ sometime!

[@thetaleteller4692]

What a view, I somewhat expect to see a group of Hobbits traveling in the distance :-D

[@RyanRidden]

I know what you mean! It's pretty dangerous me being there because I keep getting distracted by the landscape and always need to fight the urge to just start walking out to the mountains!

[@rezadaneshi]

Amazing that scientists agreed to put a telescope there!

[@RyanRidden]

It's an incredible place, and usually pretty clear. Depending on how much you like snow I just got unlucky/lucky this time!

[@rezadaneshi]

@@RyanRidden it’s a dream you’re living. You can always put on more cloths for cold. But your equipment and your access is priceless.

[@2601Wendy]

Congratulations! Wow, an amazing place to work.

[@andysmith6975]

Welcome to Aotearoa!

[@global_nomad.]

Congratulations on your new post, best wishes, seems like a good time to be back in New Zealand, (current lockdown not withstanding).....waiting for our delayed move to La Palma island in the Canaries (from the UK) so might bump into you one day at those telescopes..

[@RyanRidden]

NZ definitely is a good place to be! I've always wanted to visit La Palma, so I may well see you there in the future! I hope you make the move soon and it goes smoothly!

[@global_nomad.]

@@RyanRidden I'll send you an invite when I get there....

[@estherstrek4796]

Congratulations on your new project!

[@RyanRidden]

Thanks!

[@stanikbr]

That's amazing!

[@hubrismaxim]

The snow looks good though...

[@RyanRidden]

It was really nice snow to mess around in!

[@SuperAngela40]

Omg congrats ! Did you have any trouble re entering your country w the COVID stuff ? I bet your family there is happy you are back !

[@RyanRidden]

I've been extremely lucky and came back to NZ in March and worked remotely for the first half of the year. This opportunity awesome came up just at the right time!

[@Protorit]

Have you been to the Polynesian spa? And can you please say "Hunter, Wrecker, Tech"?

[@RyanRidden]

I haven't explored much of the North Island, but I'm hoping I'll be able to soon! I'll try to remember to say those words for you sometime soon!

[@silviomanuel473]

Congrats, man! But what's with your projects, does it mean that all your work on TESS and such stays with the previous place of employment, or you're taking your projects with you, or how does it even work in the scientific field?

[@RyanRidden]

Jobs in science generally are pretty fluid, especially in astronomy. I'm still working with my old supervisor in the USA on exploding things, but now I'm also working with my new group on Solar System things and building an observatory. In the end everyone is pretty happy, because you end up connecting groups. It might turn out that there is a problem, or a project that the two groups can work together on, making things easier and the science better! There are no doubt some fields where groups are more secretive and protective of their work, but luckily that's not really the case in astronomy!

[@silviomanuel473]

@@RyanRidden that's even better then!

[@martensjd]

So you got tired of another hot, humid Baltimore summer, and found the opposite?

[@Darlkstalker]

How hard is to get a master's in astronomy

[@Grandunifiedcelery]

Ski place as well?

[@RyanRidden]

There are a few close by. I haven't done much skiing before, but now might be a good time to give it a go!

[@Grandunifiedcelery]

@@RyanRidden Good luck!

[@starkillerz6235]

Too bad we're in lockdown now ;(

[@RyanRidden]

We had to leave the observatory last night to get back before the lockdown. A shame we couldn't stay there longer this time, but it's much more important to make sure we all stay safe!