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Task Guide: Preparing & Delivering a Radio-Astronomy Observatory Lecture

Alpha status (14 October 2026): XiSlides is planned and its public installer is not verified. This page describes the checked DeckCraft foundation; XiKey integration is still in progress. Alpha is free today.

Scenario Overview

In this guide, you will assemble and deliver a 45-minute university guest lecture on Millimeter-Wave Interferometry & Pulsar Timing Arrays. You will embed native math equations and spectral line charts, trim an interferometer array time-lapse video clip with a custom poster frame, rehearse slide timings with Speaker Notes, and deliver the talk using dual-screen Presenter View with live laser pointer and pen ink annotations.

Step 1: Insert Interferometry Equations and Spectral Charts

  1. On Slide 4 (Baseline Angular Resolution), click Insert › Equation and enter the Rayleigh interferometric resolution formula:
    \theta \approx \frac{\lambda}{B_{\max}}
    Size the equation block to 36 pt with high-contrast ivory text over the dark observatory theme background.
  2. On Slide 7 (Hydrogen 21-cm Line Flux Density), choose Insert › Chart › Scatter / Line and enter the velocity-channel flux table directly in the Chart Data editor. Add the available axis labels and a legend; advanced chart options are limited. Use a prepared chart image if error bars are essential. Label the axes (Radial Velocity km/s vs. Flux Density Jy).

Step 2: Embed and Trim the Dish-Array Time-Lapse Video

  1. On Slide 10 (Submillimeter Array Slew Sequence), select Insert › Video and pick dish-array-slew-4k.mp4.
  2. In the Media Inspector on the right:
    • Set Trim Start to 00:04.50 and Trim End to 00:22.00 to cut dead time before the antennas begin slewing.
    • Scrub to 00:11.20 (where the Milky Way core rises behind the dishes) and click Set Poster Frame so the slide displays a clean still frame before playback starts.
    • Set Start to Automatically when advancing to Slide 10, and enable Loop until Stopped.

Step 3: Add Speaker Notes, Custom Shows, and Rehearse Timings

  1. In the Speaker Notes pane below each slide, type your key verbal cues, telescope baseline specifications, and citation reminders.
  2. Because you have both a 45-minute colloquium slot and a 20-minute public planetarium summary, open Slide Show › Custom Slide Shows › New and create a subset named Short Public Summary (14 Slides) without duplicating the .pptx file.
  3. Click Slide Show › Rehearse Timings to run a full practice pass. XiSlides records the time spent on each slide and displays your per-slide and cumulative pacing in Slide Sorter View.

Step 4: Deliver Live with Presenter View and Ink Annotations

  1. Start the show with F5, or Shift+F5 / Ctrl+Enter from the current slide (Command+Enter on macOS). Enable the separate presenter window.
  2. Move show and presenter windows to the intended displays manually; automatic placement is not implemented. Inspect the audience screen before beginning.
  3. The presenter window offers current/next slides and notes. Pointer and pen controls are available through show shortcuts; highlighter ink and adjustable notes font size are not established.
  4. Export PDF handouts for students and inspect each page. Narrated recording and video export are unavailable.

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