With the recent launch of the Nebula chassis, we thought it fitting to connect with Massimo Pascale, a fifth-year Berkeley graduate student who is hyper-passionate in astrophysics. In the ever-expanding realm of distant galaxies, black holes, and the phenomena of gravitational lensing, having the right tools is crucial. Massimo Pascale takes us through his astrophysics research using the Lemur Pro. We learn about the importance of the Sunburst Arc, Stellar Populations, and computational tools.
The Lemur Pro’s impressive computing capabilities, including ample RAM (40GB in Massimo’s configuration), provide him with the performance needed for complex astrophysical simulations and data analysis. It’s a testament to the laptop’s capacity that he can effortlessly run multiple projects simultaneously, eliminating the need to constantly close and restart applications.
In summary, the Lemur Pro isn’t just a laptop; it’s a catalyst for scientific exploration and discovery. It enables researchers like Massimo to delve into the cosmos, analyze gravitational lensing, explore the Sunburst arc, and study superstar clusters—all while fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing through open source and Linux. It’s a testament to how technology empowers us to reach for the stars and unlock the secrets of the universe.
Surprisingly, they use the Lemur Pro which is the smallest, most portable system76 machine. I would have assumed it was something huge like the Bonobo or Serval with Desktop class CPUs and workstation GPUs and fifteen minutes of battery life.
Also it hinted that the person is not using Pop!_OS, but rather instead running a Linux based distro. Now I’m curious as to what their setup looks like. I remember about six months ago, KDE was bragging about how that desktop is used by astrophysics for research and also at NASA.
