Hello, I'm
Astronomer & Web developer
I have a PhD in Astronomy from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. I currently work as a postdoctoral fellow at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC) as part of the AMIGA group. I do web development as a personal and side project. See my academic work in ORCiD and in NASA ADS.
We aim to understand how Hickson Compact Groups transition from a phase where galaxies have intricate tidal features to a later stage in which they have lost most, or even all, of their neutral hydrogen, leaving the system largely gas-poor.
We aim to measure and compare the H I deficiency of galaxies located in the cores of six Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs) against galaxies in their surrounding environments.
We to understand how environment impacts star formation in galaxies of the Hydra I cluster by combining optical Hα and infrared data to trace star formation at different timescales (10⁷ and 10⁹ years), alongside HI observations to examine cold gas content and morphology, ultimately identifying starburst galaxies whose enhanced star formation may be triggered by processes such as ram pressure stripping or tidal interactions as they fall into the cluster.
We aim to explore how science archives can evolve from simple data providers into service providers capable of delivering advanced visualisation capabilities for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), which will generate unprecedented data volumes of 700 petabytes per year.
We use MeerKAT data from MHONGOOSE to investigate how internal processes, including dark matter distribution, disk stability, and star formation activity, shape the evolution of two dwarf galaxies, ESO444-G084 and [KKS2000]23.
We developed a method to measure the oblateness parameter (q) of dark matter halos in gas-rich galaxies with extended HI discs, using stacked HI velocity dispersion and surface density data from their outer regions. The study examines how halo shape relates to galaxy properties across a sample of 20 nearby, nearly face-on galaxies spanning large discs, moderate stellar masses, and low surface brightness dwarfs.
What I specialise in and love doing
I use the 21 cm line of the neutral atomic hydrogen atom (HI) to study the gas properties, star formation, and dark matter content of galaxies.
I use state-of-the art radio telescopes, particularly MeerKAT, to map the HI distributions in galaxies and groups of galaxies at high resolution and sensitivity levels.
I aim to understand how environmental processes such as tidal interactions and gas stripping transform galaxies over time.
I am familiar with major radio astronomical tools and data vizualisation. I use TiRiFiC, pyFAT, and baygaud-PI for my kinematic modelling analysis. I use Caracal and custom Stimela script for data reduction. For data processing and visualization, I use Miriad, CASA, AIPS, CARTA, GIPSY, and Kvis.
I enjoy programming and automating tasks that would otherwise consume hours of manual effort.
For example, to automate task in Google Sheets, I use Google Apps Script to auto-populate forms, sync data between multiple sheets, etc.
For my Astronomy research, I mostly use Python for image processing and fitting models to observational data. I am comfortable switching between different programming languages. I have used different programming languages throughought my studies and careers like C, C++, Fortran, and MATLAB.
I support open science through reproducible research practices. I use Snakemake to structure end-to-end workflows and Docker/Apptainer (Singularity) to package dependencies, so analyses can be shared, rerun, and audited across different machines.
I develop web applications using Django, building robust back-end systems that handle complex data processing, user authentication, and API integrations.
I improve PostgreSQL performance and scalability through SQL optimisation, index design, connection pooling, and robust schema modelling for dynamic web platforms.
I implement caching mechanisms, security best practices such as protection against SQL injection and cross-site scripting, and create responsive, visually appealing user interfaces using CSS to deliver seamless user experiences across different devices and screen sizes.
I’m an active member of the PostgreSQL Madagascar community, where we share experience and support each other on PostgreSQL best practices.
I enjoy promoting Astronomy. I am a member of Malagasy Astronomy & Space Science (MASS), a non-profit organisation that works to inspire young people across Madagascar to explore the wonders of the universe.
While in South Africa, I used to volunteer at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) open nights in Cape Town. My task was to respond to visitor's questions and help them locate and look at planets in the sky through educational telescopes.
I have been actively involved in organising meetings to advance astronomy development in Madagascar. In 2023, I served on the organising committee for the "Astronomy in Madagascar" conference, a hybrid event that brought together the Malagasy astronomy community and international stakeholders to discuss the past, present, and future of astronomy in the country.
Kepler’s first law revealed the true shape of planetary orbits. It is still used in modern Astronomy, for example, to predict the position of objects along their orbits.
Pluto’s moon system is one of the strangest in the Solar System. It has five moons (Charon, Styx, Nix, Kerberos, and Hydra). In this article, I’ll show you what makes each one different, why the Pluto–Charon pair is so unusual, and what scientists learned when New Horizons flew past in 2015.
Pluto used to be the ninth planet. Many people born in the late 1990s still remember it that way. So why did its status change? The answer isn’t "because it’s too small". It is linked to a specific scientific definition agreed in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union.
Read my blog to learn about Astronomy in the very simplest possible way. I try to explain things in simple terms as much as possible.