March, 2013....J. Dana Hrubes...updated March 31, 2013,  0007 GMT
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SPT sunset
The sun back-lights the South Pole Telescope (SPT) on March 20th; just a couple more days until it is gone for 6 months

The sun finally set for six months on about March 22.  It is hard to pinpoint the day and time of sunset because the sun sets very slowly and the refractive index of the atmosphere is variable. The sun just appears to rotate 360 degrees around us as it slowly sets.  We had a sunset dinner on Saturday, the 23rd, and it was a beautiful sight to watch the last glow of the sun sink away, not to be seen again until about Spetember 23rd.      south pole telescope    south pole telescope sunset     cloud striations near sunset   
     early March long shadows in the dark sector               ICL neutrino lab sunset     ICL sunset   


flagline to the dark sector
   The flagline to the Dark Sector is ready for the upcoming 6 months without the sun. SPT is just visible in the distance at the end of the flagline.

   flagline to dark sector in early March    flagline from dark sector in early March    flagline SPT telephoto    flagline telephoto-1     flagline telephoto-2    

last of the sun
The last bit of sun just barely visible

   dark sector sunset     last of the sun for 6 months   

Here are a couple of photos of inside the Dark Sector Laboratory (DSL) where I work on the South Pole Telescope (SPT).
   SPT control room (under the telescope)     DSL  first floor work area with SPT control room in the distance

  


Next Month: April - Stars and Aurora Australis Appear!
Recent South Pole Telescope Technical Papers  

A Real-Time Photo of South Pole Station as Seen from the ARO Building (live when satellite is up)
A Comprehensive South Pole Web Site by Bill Spindler
Winterover Web Pages (Bill Spindler's List)

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