Yourong Frank Wang

Category: Writing

  • [LUX] NASA Capstone Launch – A Photo Album

    Introduction

    Hi there!

    Since my misadventure has even garnered a headline in national news, I thought I’d quickly put together a travel log of sorts. Sans the few hours under the playful gaze of the stars, it has been a much-needed solo journey to talk to and catch up with my wants, visions, and priorities.

    Before I ramble on, many of you might have just come to see my rocket launch photo in full HD, and here it is.

    Feel free to use it (CC-BY-SA 4.0).

    I did quite publicly promise a technical aside on the significance of CAPSTONE (Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment). but I think in the interest of time I am better off pointing you to NASA.

    Alternative version: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:CAPSTONE-LAUNCH.jpg

    Comment on That Image

    During the launch window, the sky cooperatively cleared up, and most low-level clouds drifted away. As such, the “halo” you see around the thruster flame trail is most likely just due to condensation on the surface of my camera lens.

    I wasn’t able to take a temperature / humidity reading of the moist night at Nuhaka beach, but that my lens was consistently fogging up in the matter of minutes really underscored the challenge of the environment (and caught me by surprise).

    The surprise factor was especially because I’d performed a full dress rehearsal at the same location the night prior. In hindsight, the test was conducted during civil twilight, and the sands were still warm. Certainly a mis-controlled variable.

    Before I further compromise the time ordering, here’s the test shot produced 28 hours before the actual launch. For many-a northern hemisphere readers of mine, the southern celestial pole is clearly visible, which might not be a familiar sight (it’s much lamer than the Big Dipper and Polaris anyway).

    Other stuff

    This trip was organized under the assumption that the launch was to go ahead in the evening of Saturday 25th of June, but was stretched to accommodate the revised dates (Monday 27th, and later Tuesday 28th — better late than fail). It was indeed a good lesson on managing expectations and realistically-assessed risks. I say that after I got to see the launch, but have made up my mind far before reaching certainty that I will.

    During these days, I’ve driven over 1700km according to my odometer, with most travels being meaningful and only less than 30% of those roads being unsealed gravel.

    I had also produced a pile of real-time narrated driving footages, like this one

    The current generation FW Virtual Passenger – a GoPro.

    Selected Images (In CHRONOLOGICAL Order)

    24 June (Matariki) – Auckland, Taupo, Napier

    25 June – NAPIER, HASTINGS, NUHAKA, Gisborne

    26 June – Gisborne

    27 June – GISBORNE, Mahia, Wairoa

    28 June – MAHIA, Wairoa, Nuhaka, The Launch, RotorUa

    Secret bonus content.

  • to the High school Physics Students I Met Recently

    Originally published in April 2022, access restored April 2024.

    This essay shall not be taken as a direct address to any particular individuals with whom I interfaced at this weekend’s unnamed national-level physics competition event, where I have served as a judge for quite some time now.

    2022 has also been the first year I have grown wise enough to remove the “High School Honours and Achievements” section from my own CV. From a perspective not so far removed from that change, I hope I can explain why I both feel bad about the event in its current format, and will be like extending my participation through the rest of my residency in Auckland.

    In Series …
    THE APERIODICALS
    Local (personal, potentially shallow, and subject to change) outlooks on science, technology, growth, and occasionally culture and history. The goal is to write something every week, but whether it can make its way to FWPhys is random. Hence the series title.

    (more…)

  • FW’s Cosmology Unwrapped 2021: a year of papers in Review [Ongoing]

    A summary of papers I keep in a special Mendeley folder: stuff that I consider big news and major developments in the field of cosmology and nearby areas.

    I will do one every year from now on. This is aimed at a general physics audience, and the stories are not presented in any particular order.

    (more…)

  • [Lux : Phys] Bubbles and Thin-Film Interference

    With beautiful afternoon daylight, a brain freshly loaded with spherical harmonics, a vial of soap water, and a powerful lens, I ran behind bubbles and attempted to zoom in on their exquisite optical details.

    Multibubble Thin Film Pattern Details
    Whand A
    Whand B
    Whand C
    Whand A’
    Hand

  • A Meta Joke

    Genghis Khan (K): I unified the Mongol clans.
    Mark Zuccboi (Z): I founded Feicebuk.

    K: I expanded my empire, and proved that the Mongols were the most capable.
    Z: I expanded my empire, and also discovered that Feicebuk is the most influential.

    K: Under my rule, the Mongolian Empire became the largest country on the earth.
    Z: Under my rule, Feicebuk became the largest social network empire on earth too.

    K: Later somebody told me “The Great Mongolian Empire” doesn’t sound good, and needed changing.
    Z: Somebody too told me “Feicebuk” doesn’t sound good, and needed changing.

    K: After extensive deliberation, we decided on a cool name, “元” (Yuan), English translation “Meta”.
    Z: After extensive deliberation, we decided on a cool name, “Meta”, Chinese translation “元”.

    K: Later Yuan was conquered by a new empire called 明 (Ming).
    Z: Heck. Legal? Go look up if there’s a Ming LLC out there, and if you find one, shut it down!

    (Adapted from Chinese)

  • [Lux] Cherries and Bees

    More technical writing coming soon.

  • Ernest Solvay, and Related Chemical History

    (more…)