iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I painted young stars in the center blue and older stars are yellow. You can see NIRCam's 8 diffraction spikes on several bright stars. Cooler gas is represented by red. This was one of the largest canvases I have painted so far. #spaceart

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Tarantula's Heart (May 2026) [acrylic on canvas]. I started working on this piece in August 2025. It was inspired by the JWST NIRCam image mosaic of the Tarantula Nebula's star-forming region. I have changed the colour palette to show more pinks and purples. 🐡🔭🎨

Canvas hanging on a wall with the label Tarantula's Heart. Vivid colours on a black background show the nebula.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

To design the cover, I combined inspiration from the spiral-galaxy logo of Stefan's running group, maps of Andromeda's dust made with the Herschel space telescope, and my imagination. Stefan is now continuing his work on interstellar dust properties at CEA Paris-Saclay

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

His research asks how dust grows (and gets destroyed) in the interstellar medium. To design the cover, I combined inspiration from the spiral-galaxy logo of Stefan's running group, maps of Andromeda's dust made with Herschel, and my imagination.

Photo of the spine and back of the book.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 12/06/2026

Last year I had the pleasure of designing the cover for Stefan van der Giessen's thesis titled "The resolved lifecycle of metals and dust in nearby galaxies." For his PhD, Stefan combined multiwavelength observations of nearby galaxies with hydrodynamic simulations and chemical evolution models. 🔭🐡

Photo of a hand holding a book. The book has a dark background with half a red/orange spiral galaxy in the foreground. The title reads "The resolved lifecycle of metals and dust in nearby galaxies". The author is Stefan Anthony van der Giessen.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Are you a Southeast Asian student (3rd-year undergrad and above) interested in astronomy research and STEM careers? Join an international virtual astronomy program featuring lectures, discussions, hands-on projects, and mentorship! July–Sept 2026 Register: bit.ly/IVC2026ast Deadline: 17 June 🔭

Text that reads, "International Virtual Course (IVC) 2026. International Virtual Course (IVC) 2026 – Southeast Asian STEM Through Astronomy Research (SEASTAR)."
"This collaborative course and project, offered by ITB, CfA Harvard & Smithsonian, NARIT, Mahidol University, Universiti Malaya, and International Islamic University Malaysia, includes lectures on fundamental concepts, paper discussions, hands-on projects, and student presentations."
Profiles of lecturers and mentors.

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Reposted by Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she)

Dr Emma Muhlack @dremmamuhlack.bsky.social · 19/02/2026

Well to the surprise of absolutely NOBODY, the Australian University Census on Staff Wellbeing found that the sector is (to put it mildly) a bit fucked when it comes to psychosocial safety climate, with 44% of respondents in a very high risk environment. #AcademicSky

a figure displaying survey respondents and their placement in low, medium, high, or very high risk environments. Benchmark figures are between 54 and 62% low, and 11-12% very high. The census in question has a low risk placement of 18%, and a very high risk placement of 44%.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Happy LGBTQinSTEM Day!! I just ordered a pin for myself and a pin for my trans femme partner who is also called Robin... I hope she never gets sick of my robin themed cards and gifts... Like this card I painted digitally with the robin's egg nebula. 🐡

Digital art with a circular nebula in the center colored pink and blue. On top is a bird with an orange breast - about the same size as the nebula.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

I look forwards to seeing what the Vera C. Rubin observatory will help reveal about the universe. Here is a timelapse (condensed into 30s) of my artwork from the software I use, Procreate (on ipad). #sciart

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

In June, @harvardplatestacks.bsky.social held an event celebrating a new U.S. quarter honouring Dr Vera Rubin. Her colleagues and granddaughter shared stories: Vera was not only an amazing scientist, but she was also warm, down-to-earth, loving, curious, and an advocate for women astronomers. (4/5)

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

Dr Vera Rubin changed the way we view the universe. Her meticulous observational work showed that galaxies were rotating faster than expected. Her work convinced scientists that dark matter must exist, and that there’s far more of it than regular matter. 🌌 (3/5)

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

The inspiration image was created in May 2025 and combines 678 separate images, allowing us to see the faintest details. The picture shows the Trifid nebula (top right, blue) and the Lagoon nebula (central, pink). You can read more about them here: rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-f... (2/5)

rubinobservatory.org

Trifid and Lagoon Nebulae | Rubin Observatory

Get a Rubin's-eye view of the Trifid and Lagoon Nebulae

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 18/11/2025

New frontiers 🔭🎨 This art was inspired by one of the first images released by the Vera C. Rubin Observatory. The Rubin Observatory will capture images of the entire sky every few days using the 3200 megapixel LSST camera, allowing astronomers to identify and study targets that move or change. (1/5)

digital art with an orange, yellow gaseous background, a central pink elongated nebula, and a top right pink and blue circular nebula. Lanes of dark brown dust clouds are across the image.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

Thank you Jonathan for your decades of work shaping such an amazing program! Very cool to think about/see how many people's lives you've influenced.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

Wowowow! That was quick! These look incredible!

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Reposted by Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she)

Jeyhan Kartaltepe @jeyhan.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

It's finally here! We've just released all of our COSMOS-Web images and catalogs, along with an interactive viewer where you can explore the data! Check it out at: cosmos2025.iap.fr

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

You can find a list of Christian's publications here: orcid.org/0000-0002-88... Congratulations, Dr. Groeneveld!

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Christian’s research focused on the Perseus galaxy cluster. They confirmed two giant structures: a radio "mini-halo" around the central galaxy, and a much larger "giant radio halo" over a million ly! These halos likely come from turbulence caused by past cosmic mergers, which re-energize particles.

Digital artwork depicting the Perseus galaxy cluster as a swirling, abstract formation. A bright white core is surrounded by turbulent, filament-like structures in shades of green, blue, and soft white, suggesting the presence of radio halos. The outer edges blend into a glowing green aura, evoking the sense of motion and energy from cosmic turbulence. The image symbolizes the invisible structures seen in low-frequency radio observations of galaxy clusters.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Studying space at such low frequencies is incredibly challenging because the Earth's ionosphere distorts the incoming radio waves. Christian helped develop a new calibration technique that enables higher sensitivity and resolution imaging at these wavelengths.

Back cover of a PhD thesis featuring a background of real LOFAR decameter-wavelength radio data in dark green tones, overlaid with four bright blue-white objects representing active galactic nuclei (AGN). These AGN appear as luminous, irregularly shaped sources with glowing cores and faint jets, distributed across the frame. The background is textured with starburst-like calibration artifacts centered on numerous faint point sources.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Today, my colleague Christian at Leiden University successfully defended his PhD thesis, "Galaxy Clusters in the Decameter Sky"! In it, he mapped the sky at a relatively unexplored range of radio frequencies—10–30 MHz—using the LOFAR telescope. I had the honour of designing Christian’s thesis cover!

Cover of a PhD thesis titled "Galaxy Clusters in the Decameter Sky" by Christian Groeneveld. The background features real decameter-wavelength radio data in glowing green tones, filled with faint point-like sources. At the center is an abstract, swirling digital illustration representing the Perseus galaxy cluster, with luminous filaments and a bright central core, evoking the turbulent energy of radio halos.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

These are great! I would put prints of a set up in my office.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

Hi Bunny! What a fabulous idea - it would be an honour to collaborate. I'll DM you.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Aww thanks for the sweet words! I'm so happy you like my art. Yes, please repost with credit :-) 🙏

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

I was asked to give my social media accounts when applying for my work visa last fall.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

I hope so too Susan. I think too often scientists try to remain applitical and (are told to) "stick to the science". I try to remember that science is (and has always been) political and we scientists are also (first and foremost) humans.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

The pillars of creation were first made famous when imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 (and again in 2014) in visible light - which I have previously painted. The near-infrared view from JWST helps us peer through more of the dust - revealing many more stars that are forming within.

painting of the pillars of creation in visible light. The 3 pillars are dark brown and block the light.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

My mini painting of the Pillars of Creation was inspired by the JWST NIRCam image. This region of active star formation lies ~6,500 lyr away. Glowing red lines near the edges of some pillars reveal where stars are ejecting material as they form. 🔭🧪 🎨

painting of the "pillars of creation". The three pillars are brown, but also have red and yellow colours

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 27/02/2025

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Reposted by Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she)

The Neuroverse Initiative @neuroverse-tni.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

Hi bluesky 👋🏻 We're a brand new 501(c)3 non-profit that works at the intersection of neurodiversity 🧠 and space science 🚀 If you're neurodivergent and in space aligned fields/interests, then we are here to help you!! FOLLOW US here so you're the first to know when we roll out our programs!

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Reposted by Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she)

Astronomers for Planet Earth @a4e.org · 20/12/2024

Dear all! Come celebrate A4E's 5th Anniversary! Thursday, January 23, 2025, UTC 0800-1100 & UTC 1800-2100; Zoom + Spatial VR. Will you discuss with us where A4E can be in another 5 years? All info and registration at astronomersforplanet.earth/5th-annivers...

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Reposted by Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she)

James Trayford @trayford.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

...and here's the sonified video of a prototype COLIBRE test simulation - conveying star formation and cosmic thermodynamics with sound! More info in the YT description... 🧪🔭⚡ ⚛️🎵🐡 #extragalactic #musicianfeed #philsci #art #stellarastro #cosmology #EduSky youtu.be/4BPFHTVMmbQ?...

youtu.be

Galaxy Formation - A Sonification

YouTube video by Audio Universe

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Reposted by Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she)

James Trayford @trayford.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Check out this article from STFC about our sonification of astronomical data, and beyond! including a new sonification at the end - perceive multi-scale information about galaxy formation in our cosmological simulations... 🧪🔭⚡🐡. medium.com/big-science-...

medium.com

The sound of silence: how sound brings space to life

The vacuum of space is famously silent, but what if you were able to use sound to help you visualise the Universe? What would a black hole…

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 18/11/2024

I'm a #QueerinSTEM astronomer. Having queer communities and safe spaces, especially in the workplace, is so important! Which reminds me of the asto outlis, which can help you find queer astronomers and allies near you astro-outlist.github.io

astro-outlist.github.io

Astronomy and Astrophysics Outlist

Outlist and ally list for LGBTQIA+ members in the astronomy and astrophysics community

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 09/10/2024

I'm excited to take part in Dragonfly Mental Health's Global Migration on October 10th, celebrating World Mental Health Day and raising awareness about #MentalHealth in #academia. I'll be delivering a Basics of Burnout Seminar at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, USA

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 29/09/2024

The cotton wool gives the piece a soft look, similar to the nebula's cloud-like appearance, while the hot glue creates and highlights sharp details, enhancing the nebula's "witch-like" profile. 4/4

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 29/09/2024

The blue color of the nebula is due to interstellar dust reflecting Rigel's light, which is more efficiently scattered by blue wavelengths. I used hot glue and cotton wool to create a 3D effect - adding texture and depth to the artwork. 3/4

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 29/09/2024

Its nickname comes from its uncanny resemblance to the profile of a caricature witch's head, complete with a hooked nose and pointed chin. This eerie-looking nebula is illuminated by the bright blue star Rigel, located in the nearby constellation Orion. 2/4

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 29/09/2024

Mixed media Witch Head Nebula. The Witch Head Nebula, also known as IC 2118, is a reflection nebula located about 900 light-years away in the constellation Eridanus. 🐡🔭 #Sciart #spaceart #witch 1/4

Photo of a square canvas surrounded by fairy lights. On the canvas is the artwork of the witch head nebula.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 23/08/2024

I really enjoy watching videos of acrylic pours and it was very fun to incorporate the technique for these paintings 1. Impressions of a gas giant 2. Impressions of an exo-moon 3. Impressions of Mercury 4. Impressions of Mars. #SciArt 🔭🐡 #spaceart #planet #acrylicpouring

Photo of a painting of a planet with gold, red, white, hues on a square canvas. Stars in the background.

Photo of a painting of a circular object, the exo-moon, with purple, blue, red, orange circles blending together. Gold flecks are scattered across the surface.

Photo of a painting of a planet with silver, grey, and white colors.

A photo of a painting on a square canvas of a planet that is orange and red, reminiscent of Mars. Gold flecks are also on the surface.

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 14/08/2024

Calculations suggest that IC 2163 is currently moving past NGC 2207, having made its closest approach about 40 million years ago. However, IC 2163 lacks the energy to escape NGC 2207's gravitational pull. Eventually, billions of years from now, they will merge into a single, more massive galaxy. 7/7

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Dr. Sarah Biddle Leslie (they/she) @extragalactic.bsky.social · 14/08/2024

Cream represents new data from the JWST's MIRI instrument (mid-infrared), which traces thermal dust emission and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) features. (6/7)

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