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Eric Mamajek

@ericmamajek.bsky.social
456 followers 363 following 197 posts

Star guy. Statements and opinions posted here are my own.

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Reposted by Eric Mamajek
Justin Walsh @jstpwalsh.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Shane Ross at Virginia Tech created a simulation of what 500k orbital data centers, as proposed by SpaceX, would look like from your home latitude sdross0.github.io/orbital-data...
sdross0.github.io
What would orbital data centers look like from your sky?
500,000 satellites from SpaceX's FCC filing, two published brightness models and the real stars, for any latitude, date and time. Computed in your browser.
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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
The Coronagraph Instrument on NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope passed its first in-space checkout! The instrument powered on earlier this month & the team here at IPAC at @caltech.edu has been commanding the instrument and receiving data from space. 🔭 roman.ipac.caltech.edu/news/nasa-ac...
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
On this day in 1994, the Clinton administration's heathcare reform plan was declared "dead" by Congress. Over 30 years later, the US is still the only industrialized country without universal healthcare. This should be a national outrage.
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Michael Busch @michael-w-busch.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Today on the #arXiv : Miles et al. 2026 describe the weather on the brown dwarf WISE 0855: arxiv.org/abs/2609.20664 . Patchy water clouds along with carbon monoxide, methane, ammonia, and phosphine. When a star is as cold as ice...
arxiv.org
Water Cloud and Chemical Modulations in the Coldest Brown Dwarf
We present high signal-to-noise, medium resolution (R ~ 1000), time-series JWST/NIRSpec spectra of WISE 0855 (265K), the coldest known brown dwarf. Medium resolution, time-series spectroscopy gives us...
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Matthew Kenworthy @mattkenworthy.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Leiden Observatory Masters graduate Valerie Bakker leads a paper on “The Hill sphere transits of Beta Pictoris c and the search for another 1981-like event” where we (sadly) did not find circumplanetary dust… but maybe it’s already condensed into #exomoons ..? #astrodon #exoplanets
A plot showing the best fit of the 1981 brightening event seen towards Beta Pictoris using three different photometric surveys, shown as wiggling lines in red, green and blue.
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
A great summary of the life of Nancy Grace Roman, NASA’s first astronomer. Ironic that another form of “Chandrasekhar Limit” at U Chicago led Roman to seek greener pastures at NRL, which led her to being recruited by NASA early on into probably the most influential astro job of late 20th century!
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
#Roman is power-positive and on its way to L2! #NASA
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Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
If you didn’t already dislike power-hungry data centers popping up on Earth, just wait till you see what they could do to the night sky. A new study suggests proposed megaconstellations of orbital data centers could outnumber the visible stars and blot out the Milky Way.
scientificamerican.com
Orbital data centers could outshine the Milky Way
Without drastic interventions, data centers in space could disrupt scientific observations and fragile ecosystems by adding almost innumerable new “stars” to the heavens above
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IRSA IPAC @irsaipac.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
Fornax, NASA's cloud-based science platform for astrophysics, is now available in beta. docs.fornax.sciencecloud.nasa.gov/quick-start/ It provides access to NASA astrophysics data, analysis environments, and scalable cloud computing, allowing you to work with large datasets.
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Adrian Price-Whelan @adrian.pw · 18/08/2026
Gaia DR4 @esa.int is on Dec 2 🎉 Introducing...The Gaia Relay, coming to a town near you* Dec 1–4 at @flatironinstitute.org Dec 7–11 at @kitp-ucsb.bsky.social Dec 14–18 in @monashastro.bsky.social gaia.lol (*NYC, SB, or Melbourne; otherwise you have to host a meeting!) Are we unhinged? Yes! 🔭
gaia.lol
Gaia Sprints
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cosmos4u.bsky.social @cosmos4u.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The picture - from the paper - that should have been in the press release: the Gemini position in red over the VLT image where it coincides with the brightest post-processing blob.
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Seven Machina Rasmussen @toomanyspectra.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
that uh… that sure is a lot of helium escape for a rocky planet, right?
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Adam Frank @adamfrank4.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Young researchers, apply for our post-docs! The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Rochester invites applications positions in theoretical and computational approaches to complex systems, information theory, and the emergence of autonomous agency. apply.interfolio.com/189157
apply.interfolio.com
Apply - Interfolio {{$ctrl.$state.data.pageTitle}} - Apply - Interfolio
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Pittsburgh Pirates @pirates.com · 08/07/2026
RYAN O'HEARN...ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! 3RD HOME RUN OF THE GAME. 100TH OF HIS CAREER.
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Jarlath @jarlathhare.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
I've never experienced such an amazing fireworks display in my life! 🎆🎇 Hope everyone here at #Anthrocon had an awesome 4th of July! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 #Pittsburgh #USA250 #4thJuly
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Laura Helmuth @laurahelmuth.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
Springer Nature retracted two studies by Max Planck. In response to a question from @samkean.bsky.social, they issued this statement: "Detailed information about specific retractions is usually confidential and can only be shared with the relevant authors.”
science.org
Why have papers by one of history’s most famous physicists been retracted?
Springer Nature has removed two studies by Max Planck. A bot may be to blame
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American Astronomical Society (AAS) @aas.org · 24/06/2026
✨ AAS Virtual Graduate Admissions Fair ✨ We’re excited to announce that the AAS plans to host its first-ever virtual graduate admissions fair on Wednesday, 16 September, 3:00–5:00 pm ET! Confirm your department/unit’s interest by 10 July. Registration fee: $500. aas.org/aas-virtual-... 🔭
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Science Magazine @science.org · 22/06/2026
Exclusive: The National Science Foundation is trimming this year’s budgets for hundreds of its traditional basic science programs by roughly 20% to 30%, even though its overall budget is down just 3%. scim.ag/4xY2KCm
science.org
Exclusive: NSF slashes research programs to support new tech initiative, insiders say
Unexpected shift in funds has meant sharp drop in grants this fiscal year
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
NASA ASTRA workshop Sept 1-3, 2026 science.nasa.gov/astrophysics... #AAS #AAS248 #ExoPAG #COPAG #PhysPAG #astrophysics
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Update at #NASA Astrophysics ASTRA session at #AAS248 on new X-ray Flagship Mission Study and the mid-Decadal Survey review #ExoPAG #COPAG #PhysPAG #AAS
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NASA Webb Telescope @nasawebb.extwitter.link · 16/06/2026
One well-done gas giant planet, coming right up! Webb examined a “hot Jupiter” exoplanet called HD 80606 b, with four times Jupiter’s mass, and a very elliptical orbit that sweeps close by its Sun-like star. t.co/X3s69WG4qQ 🔗 go.nasa.gov/3QtN6xr
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David Grinspoon @drfunkyspoon.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
Bears repeating today…
If you really want a Star Trek future, it’s not just going to space in cool machines.
It’s building a society w respect for all life, sentient & otherwise, applying science wisely, & pursuing principles of justice, fairness & reason.
Let’s build that and ride it to the stars.
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
#Meta #AI imagining an apocalyptic tornado hitting Pennsylvania cities in 2025 that didn’t exist. NWS recorded no tornados in PA that day. There were no tornados in eastern PA stronger than EF1 in 2025. There were no EF5 tornados in the US that day. Where does it get this stuff? #Facebook
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Kevin Hardegree-Ullman @kevinkhu.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
A wonderful summary from @caltechipac.bsky.social of our Scaling K2 #exoplanet project lead by @aussiastronomer.bsky.social and worked on by me for the last (many) years! The excellent graphic from Keith Miller will be very useful in talks henceforth! 🔭 www.ipac.caltech.edu/news/finding...
ipac.caltech.edu
Finding Patterns in Planets: Researchers Explore the Demographics of Alien Worlds in K2 Data
The Kepler mission and its follow-on K2 discovered thousands of exoplanets around different types of stars, and new work reveals broader trends in the planetary populations of the Milky Way.
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Katie Mack @astrokatie.com · 29/05/2026
It’s truly astonishing to see how comprehensively the US government is tearing down every part of the system that has made it up until now a world-leading power in science, research, and technological development. The entire world will suffer from this wanton destruction.
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Matthew Kenworthy @mattkenworthy.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Student paper day part 1: Michiel Darcis+ on “The spectral energy distribution of YSES 1 b and its circumplanetary disc” where it’s detected in optical wavelengths with MagAO-X: including the circumplanetary disk now revises the mass up to 26-41 Mjup depending on age #astrodon #exoplanets 🪐🔭
images of YSES 1b in optical wavelengthsspectral model of YSES 1b with a circumstellar disk model
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Matthew Kenworthy @mattkenworthy.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Student paper day 2: Elina Kleisioti+ on “Interior-Atmosphere Coupling on TRAPPIST-1 f, g, and h: Cryovolcanic Water Exospheres and Infrared Detectability” where tidal heating between transiting exoplanets generates H2O vapour exospheres but too thin for JWST detections #astrodon #exoplanets 🪐🔭
model of transmission spectrum of TRAPPIST 1f with a water atmosphere.
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Conaire Deagan @conairedeagan.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Happy to say that my second paper “Astrometric exoplanet detection survives solar-like stellar contamination” has been accepted by MNRAS and is now up on the arxiv: arxiv.org/pdf/2605.18953 Takeaway: Missions like TOLIMAN and SHERA could find earth-twins assuming solar like noise.
arxiv.org
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Andy Rivkin @asrivkin.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Yep. Here's the list of telescopes that were used to achieve the goals of NASA's DART mission, and basically every single one of them outside the USA depended on collaborations with and labor* from scientists and non-scientists who are not US residents. *and that labor paid for by non-US sources
A map of the world with the locations of several dozen telescopes listed, including at least one on every single continent.
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Paul Byrne @theplanetaryguy.com · 24/05/2026
This is a newly processed view of the largest volcano in the Solar System, Olympus Mons. It's 21 km tall. It's as wide as Arizona. Metropolitan LA fits inside its summit caldera. Its basal cliff is 7 km high. And it started to grow ~3.5 billion years ago but has lavas only 2 million years old.
Olympus Mons. The summit caldera (and two impact craters) are clearly visible at the top of the edifice. A large escarpment circles the volcano. An orographic cloud is at centre right.
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Great session on Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) at #AbSciCon26. Here are QR links to more on HWO and how to get involved
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
Summary of NASA DARES (Decadal #Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy) update at #AbSciCon26. Draft slides posted in June, followed by public comment period, working towards release of DARES report in Dec 2026
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
#AbSciCon26 getting underway. Take cover.
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Reposted by Eric Mamajek
Wisconet @wisconet.bsky.social · 17/05/2026
A new TORNADO WARNING now includes all of Madison including @uwmadison.bsky.social.
Supercell moving across Madison.
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janiceleeastro @janiceleeastro.bsky.social · 12/05/2026
(1/n) 🧵 Now published in Part 1 of the HWO25 conference proceedings, this collection of 60 science cases illustrates the extraordinary scientific reach of the #HabitableWorldsObservatory from... 🧪🔭☄️ #extragalactic #exoplanets #galactic
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Megan Watzke @mwatzke.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Martin Weisskopf, who helped shape modern X-ray astronomy and was the Chandra Project Scientist for many years, died last week at the age of 84. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that people write letters of support to sustain the mission. www.berryhillfh.com/obituaries/m...
berryhillfh.com
Martin Charles Weisskopf Obituary May 2, 2026 - Berryhill Funeral Home & Crematory
View Martin Charles Weisskopf's obituary, send flowers, find service dates, and sign the guestbook.
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Stephen Kane @exocytherean.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
I'm extremely proud of my friend and colleague, Michelle Hill, for her brilliant work in investigating the effects of planet size on sustainability of atmospheres and habitability. arxiv.org/abs/2605.00170
arxiv.org
Smaller Than Earth Habitability Model (STEHM): The Lower Size Limit for Atmosphere Retention in the Habitable Zone
With recent advances in exoplanet observational techniques enabling the discovery of increasingly smaller planets, a crucial question emerges in the search for habitable planets: how small can a plane...
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Alexis Quintana @alexis-space.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
The paper has been accepted for publication in MNRAS! 🔭 The revised list contains 56 OB associations within 1 kpc, double the historical census! Besides tracing star formation and structure of the local Milky Way, this catalogue will be useful for target/follow-up studies! #stellarastro #galactic
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Two ultra-cool wolves in high-redshift-red-blob-sheep's clothing.... "Two Exciting High-redshift Galaxy Candidates Turn Out to Be Two Exciting Ultra-cool Brown Dwarfs" by Bradač et al. arxiv.org/abs/2604.23668
arxiv.org
Two Exciting High-redshift Galaxy Candidates Turn Out to Be Two Exciting Ultra-cool Brown Dwarfs
From the onset of observations of JWST we have discovered unexpectedly luminous galaxies at redshifts $z>10$ and as high as $z=14$. With their discovery, the question immediately followed as to where ...
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Michael Clemens @mclem.org · 27/04/2026
The United States now has the most government restrictions on academic freedom of any high-income country. www.chemistryworld.com/news/academi... Raw data from @vdeminstitute.bsky.social —> academic-freedom-index.net/research/Aca...
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Matthew Kenworthy @mattkenworthy.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
Another place you can look is in the geysers around Enceladus - so we looked at CASSINI images to look for the glint there... and we saw something! (but not entirely sure what...) ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025Icar...
ui.adsabs.harvard.edu
Peculiar rainbows in Saturn's E ring: Uncovering luminous bands near Enceladus
We report observations of stripe-like features in Enceladus' plumes captured simultaneously by Cassini's VIMS-IR and ISS NAC instruments during flyby E17, with similar patterns seen in VIMS-IR data fr...
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Astronomy Picture of the Day 🪐 @apod.shinyakato.dev · 27/04/2026
🔭 Comet R3 PanSTARRS Behind Satellite Trails Image Credit & Copyright: Uli Fehr ap260427
A night sky filled with lines and dashed-lines 
appears above a hilly landscape featuring a distant
lit-up tower. Near the center of the image is a comet
shown by its small green coma and ion tail to the upper 
right.
Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
This is a majorly bad piece of news for the NSF 🔭🧪#astrosci
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
1/ New paper reports new TESS exoplanet candidates arxiv.org/abs/2604.15560 "oh look, new hab zone planets... I gotta check this out." But after about 30 sec it is clear something is really wrong. The TOIs don't correctly cross-match the TIC IDs...
arxiv.org
ExoNet: Multimodal Deep Learning for TESS Exoplanet Candidate Identification via Phase-Folded Light Curves, Stellar Parameters, and Multi-Head Attention Fusion
NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has identified thousands of exoplanet candidates, yet many remain unconfirmed due to the limitations of manual vetting processes. This paper present...
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Tara Murphy @taramurphy.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Excited to announce the first data release from our ASKAP Variables and Slow Transients survey is now available! doi.org/10.1017/pasa... This is a database of 6.4 million measurements of 0.5 million radio sources in our survey footprint. (By @ozgrav.bsky.social Iris de Ruiter) #RadioAstronomy
The VAST Extragalactic Survey footprint, showing the number of observations of each field. The sky map is plotted with J2000 equatorial coordinates in the Mollweide projection. The VAST Galactic survey is plotted in grey for reference. Typically, each field has been observed 10–11 times to date. 

Image from de Ruiter et al. (2026)
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Andres Meza @nbody6.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
🥺 NASA Shuts Off Instrument on Voyager 1 to Keep Spacecraft Operating
science.nasa.gov
NASA Shuts Off Instrument on Voyager 1 to Keep Spacecraft Operating - NASA Science
On April 17, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California sent commands to shut down an instrument aboard Voyager 1 called the
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SpacePolicyOnline @spacepolicyonline.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
House SS&T Dems just issued a report re NASA and the FY2026 budget: "Mission Aborted: How NASA Illegally Implemented the President's Budget Request Without Congressional Approval." Calls on Isaacman to "defend" NASA and not do the same w/FY2027 request. democrats-science.house.gov/imo/media/do...
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Eric Mamajek @ericmamajek.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Acknowledging the problem is the first step to recovery #nerdsniping
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HiRISE Beautiful Mars (NASA) @uahirise.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
The HiRISE team notes the passing of two esteemed friends and colleagues: Deputy Principal Investigator emerita Candice Hansen-Koharcheck and Co-Investigator Paul Geissler. More about Candice: www.psi.edu/staff/profil... More about Paul: www.legacy.com/us/obituarie...
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