Introduction

Hi everyone,

This is the blog of Ryan Keisler, a graduate student in physics at the University of Chicago, while he is working at the South Pole. I (Ryan) will be there for about 3 months during the 2006-2007 austral summer to help build a new radio telescope called the "South Pole Telescope". This 10-meter telescope will, among other things, help us to understand a force in our universe known as "dark energy". Dark energy is causing the expansion of our Universe to accelerate and is one of the most puzzling physical phenomena ever observed.

I'll be at the South Pole with a bunch of other people (about 10) that also work on the South Pole Telescope. We'll be working outside every day in -30F weather, trying to put together this giant telescope bolt by bolt. It should be tough but rewarding work.

I'll keep a record of my South Pole experience on this blog. There is also a blog which other members of the SPT team will contribute to. Check this blog out by clicking on its link on the side of this page (or just go directly to http://southpoletelescope.uchicago.edu/blog/ ).

Ok, thanks for visiting!

-Ryan