Tips and Tricks
GitHub GISTs are a perfect way to display code snippets on Medium. But how can one create, update and delete GISTs in a feasible way and integrate such a process in a CI/CD pipeline?
Using GISTs
Medium has become a great source for articles of any kind. This includes also programming tutorials covering data science or machine learning topics. But covering actual coding parts requires one thing: a proper formatting and programming-language-depending colour-highlighting. Sometimes one sees code snippets in the following format:
# Import standard module
import time# Print the current Unix Time
print(time.time())
… this format is totally fine for a few lines of code, but covering an entire tutorial in these grey-style blocks are tiring to read. Instead, most writers on Medium use GitHub GIST. GitHub provides a simple link of a created…
Years ago I started to study astro- and geophysics. Bachelor thesis. Master thesis and finally the doctorate studies. Years of learning, research and, of course, self-organisation and writing. What were useful habits to focus and motivate myself to pursue my academic goals?
No, I do not want to write generic tips, motivational speeches about life and academic research or supportive ideas to prevent procrastination. It is not about finding the right supervisor or working group. You may have already started or you stumbled across this article to get new impulses for a new working framework.
In this article, I would like to share my own experiences and methods I actually used and that helped me for years! I would like to provide ideas that are not all an “own creation”. …
Space Science in a Nutshell
Radiation pressure … a quantum effect that is known and observed on microscopic scales can also cause (after some time) macroscopic outcomes.
Preface
In 1963 the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center (NAIC) was founded and an over 300 m diameter radio telescope was build in Puerto Rico: The Arecibo Observatory. For over 50 years this instrument was the largest single-aperture radio telescope in the world. Eventually, an over 500 m diameter dish was setup in China a few ago.
This year, after countless hours of observations, dozens of scientific discoveries and resulting publications the observatory shut down its operations after a…
Space Science in a Nutshell
Our cosmic vicinity is populated with thousands of minor bodies: asteroids, comets, meteoroids. Some of them approach our home planet quite closely: Near-Earth Objects, short: NEOs
It’s the 30th June 1908. A huge explosion devastated in a short period of time hundreds of square-kilometres in the Russian region of Tunguska. Millions of trees were bend and burnt down in this Siberian region. For the researchers and people who live there, this so-called Tunguska Event was a mystery of unknown cause.
What happened? Well, there are several explanations:
- A gas explosion. A large amount of methane or other gases ignited and caused this event.
- Another geophysical explanation: A volcanic-like eruption was mistaken for an explosion and devastated everything around the eruption centre
- An asteroid or comet entered…
Space Science with Python
Part 24 of the tutorial series provides an overview of the current science project’s state. We create an Open Source Python library for our project that shall be sustainable and extensible for future science work.
Preface
This is the 24th part of my Python tutorial series “Space Science with Python”. All codes that are shown in the tutorial sessions are uploaded on GitHub. The shown Python library SolarY can be found on GitHub, too. Enjoy!
Project Recall and Purpose
Last time we discussed how one can develop sustainable and (relatively) accurate and well tested code: e.g., by using a Test Driven Development (TDD) approach.
Let’s recall our project idea and purpose briefly:
- Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) approach the Sun at least in a distance of 1.3 Astronomical Units (AU). This border has been set artificially.
- Consequently, a certain sub-population of NEOs…
Space Science with Python
Part 23 of the tutorial series continues with the third part of our science project. Today we will go in detail, step-by-step, through a Test Driven Development example.
Preface
This is the 23rd part of my Python tutorial series “Space Science with Python”. All codes that are shown in the tutorial sessions are uploaded on GitHub. Enjoy!
TDD and now?
Last time we discussed the concept of Test Driven Development, short: TDD. TDD shall help us to develop a Python library for our project that ensures from the beginning on less bugs, a higher reliability (and quality) and maintainability. Of course we will develop new numerical simulations and model a complex “computational chain” to determine the detectability of Near-Earth Objects (NEOs). …
Space Science with Python
In our first 20 Space Science with Python tutorial sessions we learned some astro-dynamical basics and the usage of Python for scientific tasks and objectives. Now we are well prepared for our first science project!
In the last couple of weeks we learned some space science and astro-dynamical basics as well as Python libraries and some space science use cases. After 20 tutorial sessions we are ready to aim for a first, larger project.
Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) are minor bodies, like asteroids, comets and meteoroids that have a perihelion of equal or less than 1.3 AU. Currently (Mid 2020) 25,000 objects are known that are separated into 5 sub-categories. Partly, these objects encounter our home planet closely or cross even its orbit. Entering Earth’s atmosphere, small NEOs with a diameter of only a few meters…
Space Science with Python
Part 22 of the tutorial series continues with the second part of our science project. Before we dive deeper into Python and Near-Earth Objects, let’s take a look at Test Driven Development
Preface
This is the 22nd part of my Python tutorial series “Space Science with Python”. All codes that are shown in the tutorial sessions are uploaded on GitHub. Enjoy!
Introduction
No, we are not yet starting with any Near-Earth Object (NEO) related Python development or implementation. We need to sharpen the axe before we can cut any tree. In our case: Let’s dive into some development concepts that will lead to a sustainable long-term project and Python library.
How do you code? Most developers (either free-time coders or professionals) like to see quick results; they develop a prototype, some clickable interface, or…
Space Science with Python
Part 21 of the tutorial series starts with a first science project: The detectability of so called Near-Earth Objects (NEOs).
Preface
This is the 21st part of my Python tutorial series “Space Science with Python”. All codes that are shown here are uploaded on GitHub. Enjoy!
Motivation
In our last 20 Space Science with Python tutorials we have learned some astro-dynamical basics, miscellaneous Python libraries and tools that are helpful for a space scientist and we worked on a few use cases (like the comet 67P, the movement of Venus in the sky any many more).
We have a solid skillset to start working on a first science project. …
Space Science in a Nutshell
Do you know where we are currently? Not you, personally, but our home planet? Well, somewhere in the Solar System, between Mars and Venus.
Sending spacecraft missions or probes into space requires more, detailed knowledge of our position in space. We need a coordinate system (see my last article) and mathematical methods to compute and predict the position in three dimensions, as well as the corresponding velocity vector of our planet (in which direction is our home planet heading?).
HORIZONS
Do not worry though. You do not need programming skills and you do not need to be a “rocket scientist” to…
Thomas Albin
Data Scientist and Engineer. Astrophysicist and Solar System researcher — Now working in the automotive industry
