We’ve now long passed the one-year anniversary of my move to Hartford, Connecticut. The benefit of occupying the same post downtown for all of that time is being present for those singular perfect nights with incredible post-storm skies.
Author: adohertyh
Chuck
A shot of a basically antique lathe from back in the Berkeley student machine shop. New or old, that chuck needs to keep the part in place when it spins up to speed—and it definitely did.
Capitol Dome in Summer
The golden dome of Connecticut’s Capitol looks perfect against a sunset sky. My favorite detail is the concert happening on the lawn of Bushnell Park in the background.
A Kind of Self Portrait
I captured this image more than a decade ago to show the pleasing trio of power receptacles mounted to the wall behind our boxed-up laser system, but I was also inadvertently capturing a kind of self-portrait in the reflection of my legs and tripod in the polished laser box panel.
Capitol on the Hill
The highest hill in Hartford is the site of the State Capitol… in 2024. But before being relocated, this was once the home of Trinity College.
Optical Sequence
For all of the fancy-looking holders and posts and hardware, an optical table is ultimately designed to put specific optics in front of the laser beam as it travels to generate a desired effect. This view of the space leading to our detector shows how many parts can accrue in pursuit of a given goal.
Tornado Warning Sunset
A weekend of terrifying phone-buzzes presaging possible tornadoes provided two positive outcomes come Sunday evening: (1) no tornadoes (more importantly) and (2) an incredible, dramatic sunset sky over Hartford.
Bushnell Park Stack
Summer has arrived and layer upon layer of Bushnell Park is lush and currently under enjoyment by Hartford’s residents and guests.
Retroreflection I & II
Retroreflectors are used in optics to send a beam of light back from whence it came. While this can sometimes involve laborious alignment of adjustable mirrors, these custom-built “zero degrees of freedom” mounts hold the high-reflector mirrors against perfect-90º prisms to guarantee the correct geometry.
The Southern End of Downtown Hartford
I’ve long been interested in visualizing gradients between different levels of density in housing and construction; here in Hartford, Bushnell Tower is the sort of final edge point between the tall structures of downtown and the medium-rise buildings in the rest of the city. Bushnell Park in the foreground acts as a counterpoint to both.
There Are Many Cryostats Like It But This One Is Mine
Going back to images I took of now-nonexistent scientific apparatus is sort of a rare thrill; it honestly makes me wish I’d taken more pictures during graduate school. In the foreground of this image is the blue cryostat that I used to bring my samples down to -75ºC for experiments in low-temperature chemical reactions.
Cap Concert
Summer concerts in Bushnell Park have begun and the lawn beneath the Capitol looks idyllic.
Kookaburra Grid
I like the interplay between the metal grid and the diamond bokeh of wire mesh—two regular, human-made patterns with the far more natural form of a kookaburra amidst them.
Reunion Sky 2024
Another June brings another set of reunions to Trinity’s campus, but the experience is notably different now that I’m a faculty member who walks across this quad every weekday on my way to the office.
NIRC Oars
The arrayed oars of college crew teams at Quinsigamond State Park make for a rhythmic demonstration of the number of competitors present. I’m told (though I’m no expert) that the two kilometer course is considered a particularly excellent one.
Decaseconds 