this post was submitted on 01 Jun 2026
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xkcd #3253: Sunbeam

Title text:

While weather control is typically thought of as a superpower, the unconscious ability of astronomers and astrophotographers to summon clouds is more properly classified as a curse.

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Source: https://xkcd.com/3253/

explainxkcd for #3253

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[–] Ooops@feddit.org 4 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

Wow... finally one I don't understand.

The thing about waether control in funny (or sad - depending on perspective^), but what is the point about knowing in which direction the sun moves? Doesn't everyone learn that in the first years of their life?

[–] LPThinker@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

I would think an Astrophotographer needs to know which distant objects in the night sky are going to be illuminated and/or washed out when, so maybe that's what it's referring to? I.e. the joke is not that he knows where the sun is pointing on Earth, but that he knows where in the observable galaxy the light will be best for his needs?

[–] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 1 points 1 hour ago

No.

I worked a job where I sat in the passenger seat and directed my partners where to go.

I was constantly informed that I was a human map.

We were working in a city with grid streets, most of them numbered