iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Some amazing aurora tonight, visible from Boulder! Some highlights from tonight here. (The views from Minnesota are -spectacular- based on what I’m seeing from friends there!) Go look up!! (And north.) 🧪🔭⚛️☀️

Aurora visible over Boulder as viewed from downtown, looking north over the courthouse. Green visible at lower right, red with striations throughout. 9-second exposure on iPhone 16 Pro.

Aurora visible over Boulder as viewed from Table Mesa near NCAR, looking north-northeast between the trees. Green visible at lower elevations, red with striations throughout. 10-second exposure on iPhone 16 Pro.

Aurora visible over Boulder as viewed from Table Mesa near NCAR, looking north to the city lights. Green visible at lower elevations, red with striations throughout. 10-second exposure on iPhone 16 Pro.

Aurora visible over Boulder as viewed from Table Mesa near NCAR, looking north-northwest with the Flatirons visible at left. Green visible at lower right, red with striations throughout. 10-second exposure on iPhone 16 Pro.

311717

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 11/11/2025

Still less than half my amazing 4:59:36 record-breaking time for cross-country skiing a half-marathon. Congrats! (In my defense, it was my first time ever on skis and I had only decided to do it the night before… so I guess any time is technically a win.)

020

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Ah yes, the classic chestnut of fitting in linear space but displaying in log space, which is totally not unethical or disingenuous.

000

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

I can’t believe I missed this for so long. A very belated congrats!!

010

Reposted by Amir Caspi, Ph.D.

Laura Lopez @ohdearz.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoc Fellowship apps are OPEN! 🔭 However, app only appears on research.gov if your role "Proposed Postdoctoral Fellow"! Click "Proposals", "Prepare and Submit Proposals", then "Prepare New". If you do not see NSF 22-621, change role to "Proposed Postdoctoral Fellow"!

Screenshot of research.gov after logging in, showing link for "Prepare and Submit Proposals" on the left in a red oval.

Screenshot of "Prepare New Full Proposal" on research.gov, with "add a new role" and "NSF 22-621" circled in red. In order to see the listing of the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship, one must change role to "Proposed Postdoctoral Fellow"!

04332

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

An amazing story by my friend & colleague, @dbseaton.bsky.social, highlights the personal, professional, & societal value of NSF’s REU undergrad research program, & the irreplaceable losses if planned funding cuts are enacted. A must-read. 🔭⚛️🧪☀️ #scicomm #citsci www.nature.com/articles/d41...

nature.com

Small, affordable undergraduate research programmes changed my career and strengthen US science. Why cut them?

Like so much else, this small scientific programme is on the Trump administration’s hit list. This will hurt the United States, says Dan Seaton.

48023

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

My daughter just described light as “flavored energy.”

020

Reposted by Amir Caspi, Ph.D.

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

The documentary about our Citizen CATE 2024 project, that engaged with 36 teams of community volunteers to observe the 8 April 2024 total solar eclipse, premieres next week, April 23 at 7pm MDT. Register to attend in person or online! 🧪🔭⚛️☀️ #CitSci news.ucar.edu/133016/scree...

news.ucar.edu

Screening of 2024 eclipse documentary Gathered in Darkness | NCAR & UCAR News

091

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

news.ucar.edu

Screening of 2024 eclipse documentary Gathered in Darkness | NCAR & UCAR News

091

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

All of my earworms are now just repetitive “fuck” set to music. Currently Beethoven’s 5th (fuckth?)

000

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Where is said library? And how can I get a kitten cafe in my library? Need kittenz!!

040

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

If there’s room, I’m a space-n-pets kinda guy…

120

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 04/01/2025

So sorry to hear it… wishing you the best of luck in your next adventure!

000

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 15/12/2024

I bought 43 (for the Citizen CATE 2024 project) but none of them from those companies… and in an uncovered state. Phew! (Or Dang, depending on your level of cynicism.)

010

Reposted by Amir Caspi, Ph.D.

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

Our community-participation project for the total solar eclipse, Citizen CATE 2024, was featured on #AGU24 TV! We’re so grateful to our 225+ community scientists who helped us on this exciting project. We’re processing over 2 TB of data and will have new eclipse visuals soon! 🧪🔭⚛️☀️ #CitSci

0154

Reposted by Amir Caspi, Ph.D.

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

Our upcoming CubeSat, CubIXSS, was featured on #AGU24 TV. Launching in late 2025, CubIXSS will study solar flares & the Sun’s multi-million-degree corona. Together with @suncetcubesat.bsky.social, we’ll make groundbreaking new observations of solar eruptions and the hot corona! 🧪🔭⚛️☀️

0173

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 12/12/2024

0154

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 10/12/2024

0173

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

OMFG I just discovered “Human vs Hamster” on Magnolia Network where people run a human-sized rodent gauntlet in a race against a hamster — who wins half the time — and the hosts are straight out of the Panem Capitol from Hunger Games and I feel like I’m having a stroke

041

Reposted by Amir Caspi, Ph.D.

camwing @camw.ing · 05/12/2024

In 2025 (less than 30 days away), PayPal will start selling your transaction history for targeted advertising. I very highly recommend logging into your account and going to Settings > Data & Privacy > Personalized Shopping. If you're reading this, turn that off RIGHT NOW before you forget.

A screenshot of PayPal's terms of service. Big wall of legalese text, which I will be pasting in below. You don't need to read it, here's the important part:

"The key update to the Privacy Statement explains how we will share information with merchants to personalize your shopping experience and recommend our services to you. Personal information we disclose includes, for example, products, preferences, sizes, and styles we think you’ll like. Information gathered about you after the effective date of our updated Privacy Statement, November 27, 2024, will be shared with participating stores where you shop."

Here's the whole paragraph:

We are updating our Privacy Statement to explain how, starting early Summer 2025, we will share information to help improve your shopping experience and make it more personalized for you. The key update to the Privacy Statement explains how we will share information with merchants to personalize your shopping experience and recommend our services to you. Personal information we disclose includes, for example, products, preferences, sizes, and styles we think you’ll like. Information gathered about you after the effective date of our updated Privacy Statement, November 27, 2024, will be shared with participating stores where you shop, unless you live in California, North Dakota, or Vermont. For PayPal customers in California, North Dakota, or Vermont, we’ll only share your information with those merchants if you tell us to do so. No matter where you live, you’ll always be able to exercise your right to opt out of this data sharing by updating your preference settings in your account under “Data and Privacy.”

366110598253

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

One of the replies (and subthread) has pretty convincing arguments that say no. I’m not versed enough to understand any of it but the mentioned inconsistencies seem important! bsky.app/profile/carl...

100

Reposted by Amir Caspi, Ph.D.

Seven Machina Rasmussen @toomanyspectra.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

good news everyone! the science continues! check out Physics & Astronomy 2 (electric boogaloo): go.bsky.app/4Kr3B48

53111

Reposted by Amir Caspi, Ph.D.

Seven Machina Rasmussen @toomanyspectra.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

attempting to collect #scicomm focused #physics and #astronomy accounts into one #starterpack! this list is by no means complete—if I've missed you, please just shoot me a DM. go.bsky.app/NvQERru

a blue background featuring seven faces of members of the starter pack

53349105

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

I do scicomm as well if you’re amenable to adding me 😃 thanks for these lists!

120

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 22/11/2024

I’m so sorry, I’ve been there with my cats too. It’s really hard. But you’re giving her the best life she could have. ❤️

000

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 17/11/2024

Sure, why not? I guess I do heliophysics when I’m not doing paperwork.

010

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

“Something is borked” is their new motto

000

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

It’s a mess. The new login system, too. Proposal due Friday and I’m just flailing.

110

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 09/11/2024

Good old Vallejo, my favorite hybrid name.

010

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 08/11/2024

Hi Amy, happy to help if I can. I do spectroscopy (mostly on the Sun, but it's a star...). =)

010

Amir Caspi, Ph.D. @astronamir.bsky.social · 08/11/2024

Camus understood the human condition so well. His works are so often overlooked because of mandatory reading in high school where kids are often not ready for the subtlety and nuance in his writing (which can also be affected by the translation). One of my favorite authors.

110