^* Geologists use these ongoing astronomical data to measure the movements of the earth’s tectonic plates. The eastern edge of the Hawaiian plate is part of the infamous San Andreas fault in California and the data show that the plate is moving northeasterly, toward North America. Steve’s dad’s data will thus help define how soon Los Angeles and San Francisco will be crushed down into the earth in the Cascadia subduction zone.

^† The angular velocity of our planet at this altitude near the equator.