If you're not familiar with the term skunkworks, it's an experimental laboratory or department of a company or institution, typically smaller than and independent of its main research division. Basically, it's where all the cool stuff happens. The term was first used by Lockheed Martin back in 1943, and their Skunk Works was responsible for a number of aircraft designs, highly classified research and development programs, and exotic aircraft platforms.
For me, skunkworks means experimenting with my astronomy setup, my computer setup, the hardware and software I use, and other astronomy-related crazy ideas. It also means having a skunk mascot, because who doesn't think the little buggers are cute?!? To that extent, I'd like y'all to meet Borealis, the Texas Dark Skies skunk.
Borealis was designed and brought to life by my favorite graphic artist, Louis Bressie. His stripes aren't traditional while, but reflect the colors of the aurora borealis. He also sports some stars stuck in his fur instead of burrs. I think he's absolutely adorable and I love him.
So Borealis is going to help me oversee some of my upcoming experiments, such as multistreaming to both YouTube and Twitch, broadcasting NASA events, posting space news articles to my YouTube channel, using my SeeStar smart telescope for variable star observing, and building a radio telescope from an old Dish Network satellite dish for monitoring the hydrogen line, just to name a few. I also plan to use Borealis to help explain astronomy concepts to little kids in some upcoming videos made just for them.
So keep an eye out on my upcoming videos and posts on YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram for Borealis!
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