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Heidi B. Hammel

@hbhammel.bsky.social
4.3K followers 337 following 992 posts

planetary astronomer | nearly famous | jwst interdisciplinary scientist | looks just like an ordinary mom | oboist (thoughts expressed here are my own)

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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
SpacePolicyOnline @spacepolicyonline.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Thomas Zurbuchen, former head of science at NASA, is joining Blue Origin as SVP of Advanced Concepts. www.linkedin.com/posts/zurbuc... Congrats Thomas!!
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
After my AAS Shapley Lectureship in West Virginia, my hosts from Morgan County Observatory gave me a lovely gift bag including this original painting - so thoughtful and apropos!
The picture shows a painting of three Grateful Dead bears (colored green, yellow, and orange) all wearing space helmets and big smiles, dancing in front of a cyan-colored planet Uranus with its ring system with a dark star-filled sky in the background
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
The Cycle 6 JWST 🔭 Call for Proposals deadline has been extended to October 1, at 5 pm Eastern Time (US) due to APT server issues. For updates, please check: “Late Breaking News” at the Call for Proposals jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-opportu...
static.klipy.com
Me Using James Webb Telescope To Find Who Asked
ALT: Me Using James Webb Telescope To Find Who Asked
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Compound Interest | Chemistry infographics @compoundchem.com · 23/09/2026
It's the autumn equinox in the northern hemisphere 🍂 Here's the chemistry behind the foliage colour changes we'll be seeing over the coming months: www.compoundchem.com/2014/09/11/a... #ChemSky 🧪
Infographic on the chemistry of the colours of autumn leaves. Green is caused by chlorophyll, carotenoids and flavonoids give yellows, and oranges come from carotenoids, which also contribute to reds along with anthocyanins.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Nice overview of the JWST Chariklo paper by David Chandler in @skyandtelescope.bsky.social ... Last quote by me is a foreshadowing of JWST's capabilities for the suite of Uranus occultations coming in the coming decade! skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
skyandtelescope.org
Webb Telescope Discovers Surprising Changes in an Asteroid’s Rings
Painstaking observations have revealed unexpected evolution in the rings around Chariklo, a tiny outer-solar-system object.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Sweet! And I didn’t notice the misaligned data back then either.
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA-CSIC) @iaacsic.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
🗣️ Declaración de Pablo Santos-Sanz, investigador del IAA-CSIC que lidera el estudio ‘JWST stellar occultation reveals unexpected changes in Chariklo’s ring system’ www.youtube.com/watch?v=caTF...
youtube.com
"El telescopio espacial James Webb descubre que los invisibles anillos de Chariklo están cambiando"
YouTube video by IAA - Comunicación
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Hot off the press! JWST 🔭 reveals surprising changes in the double-ring system surrounding distant Chariklo! The data were part of my JWST GTO time, and the awesome international team was led by @psantossanz.bsky.social. Congrats, Pablo and all! www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
science.org
JWST stellar occultation reveals unexpected changes in Chariklo’s ring system
Ring systems have been found around several small bodies in the outer Solar System through stellar occultations. While such observations provide constraints on ring geometry and dynamical interactions...
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 08/09/2026
Observations from Hubble have revealed a huge decagon encircling Saturn’s south pole! This giant, evolving 10-sided atmospheric wave is remarkably similar to Saturn’s famous hexagon at its northern pole, but is also distinctly different. Read more 👉 esahubble.org/news/heic2612/ 🔭 🧪
Side-by-side comparison of two views of the gas giant Saturn, labeled “August 29, 2025” at the top left corner. At left is a straight-on view of Saturn, a globe with pale yellow horizontal bands at the equator and orange and pink at the mid-latitudes. Some bands towards the north and south pole have a light blue hue. There are prominent horizontal rings circling at the equator. At right, labeled “Saturn’s south pole,” the south-polar view of Saturn shows concentric bands in its atmosphere, mostly tan and orange, surrounding a dark central region that has a 10-sided outline. A small, dashed circle at the very center of the pole with an “X” inside denotes missing data.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
NASA and ESA track the five objects orbiting L2 with high precision, and they are maneuverable, so no worries. I’m more concerned about the tens of thousands of objects orbiting Earth, with unfettered US tech bros and now others launching thousands more every month. Xref Kessler syndrome . . .
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 02/09/2026
Meet Saturn’s decagon, seen in recent images from Hubble. The new 10-sided atmospheric wave at the planet’s southern pole resembles the famous hexagon at the Saturn’s northern pole, but is also distinct: news.stsci.edu/4g9Gm1U
Side-by-side comparison of two views of the gas giant Saturn, labeled “August 29, 2025” at the top left corner. At left is a straight-on view of Saturn, a globe with pale yellow horizontal bands at the equator and orange and pink at the mid-latitudes. Some bands towards the north and south pole have a light blue hue. There are prominent horizontal rings circling at the equator. At right, labeled “Saturn’s south pole,” the south-polar view of Saturn shows concentric bands in its atmosphere, mostly tan and orange, surrounding a dark central region that has a 10-sided outline. A small, dashed circle at the very center of the pole with an “X” inside denotes missing data.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
"I will name him George, and I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him"
static.klipy.com
Looney Tunes Hug
ALT: Looney Tunes Hug
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
No dark spot, at least on this hemisphere. Tracking those dark storms why we still need Hubble - their max contrast is in the blue. This view takes me all the way back to my very first Hubble images of Neptune in 1994, when I discovered that the Voyager-era Great Dark Spot had disappeared!
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Uranus. I said what I said.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Today is Ginger Cat Appreciation Day, and I sure do appreciate this ginger Metatron!
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Where is the Roman Space Telescope heading? The Sun-Earth Lagrange 2 point ("L2"), where it will occupy a different orbit than its big brother, JWST. See image (which cites me as a content consultant). More at: www.scientificamerican.com/article/wher...
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
If this detection is confirmed as evidence for dark matter, this could be a Very Big Deal . . .
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
The science I pursue requires apertures larger than Roman's small mirror, and requires Hubble's wavelength coverage (esp blue and UV). So I'd rather NASA build the Habitable Worlds Observatory: BIG aperture and Hubble wavelength coverage.
nytimes.com
How a Canceled Spy Satellite Became NASA’s New Window Into the Universe
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, scheduled to launch on Sunday, will study dark energy and discover a multitude of planets.
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory @rubinobservatory.org · 30/08/2026
A new set of eyes is heading for the cosmos! 🚀🔭 Congrats to NASA, Space Telescope Science Institute (our sister org in AURA Astronomy), and all on the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope! 🎉 NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory and Roman together will give us complementary views of the cosmos🌟
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Nominal launch, nominal trajectory. Next up: awesome science!
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Gorgeous launch 🚀 of the Roman Space Telescope 🔭 !
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
NASA live stream starts soon - Roman Space Telescope launch is 7:26 am US eastern if nominal! Fingers crossed. . .
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Roman’s wide field and coronograph will complement JWST and Hubble. But JWST still rules with unparalleled sensitivity & spectra, and Hubble is still utterly crucial for science that requires blue & UV wavelengths (including detection of Neptune’s highly variable Great Dark Spots).
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
We are going to launch a new space telescope tomorrow (weather permitting) - a great wide-field complement to JWST and Hubble
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 26/08/2026
➡️ Follow @stsci.edu for the most up-to-date information on this weekend's scheduled launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. 🔭 #NASARoman Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab.
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Jason Perry @volcanopele.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Ontario Lacus is a hydrocarbon lake near the south pole of Saturn’s moon Titan. Measuring 235 kilometers long by 75 kilometers across, Ontario Lacus is slightly smaller than its terrestrial counterpart, Lake Ontario. Lakes on Titan are named after lakes on Earth that are roughly the same size.
RADAR SAR image of Ontario Lacus. Ontario is a dark, footprint-shaped feature in the middle of the frame. Hills surround Ontario Lacus to the north, marked by bright, rough terrain in this SAR image.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
I was not prepared to hear about Dolly Parton 💔 death don’t have no mercy. We deperately need more good humans like her. RIP
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
"match the size, speed and duration of an award to the character of the research it supports"? character is certainly an "interesting" turn of phrase to apply to research
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Forecast for Uranus and Neptune: cloudy with a chance of diamonds (if you are at the planets’ cores) www.llnl.gov/article/5480...
llnl.gov
Melting diamond could unlock triple fusion gain and the secrets of ice-giant planets
Diamond is more than a dazzling gem — the extremely hard form of carbon makes up the pellet that encases fuel for inertial confinement fusion, and scientists believe it rains down deep inside ice gian...
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
New science from the world’s largest solar telescope 🔭
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Rebecca R Helm @rebeccarhelm.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
Today is the day the story There Will Come Soft Rain is set. An amazing and heartbreaking work of fiction for our modern age. Read it here:
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Carla @cwalworth.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Very good post and article at so many levels. “Joy and struggle can co-exist.” Find a little joy.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Awesome to see JWST doing such great 🔭 work in the outer Solar System! Phyllosilicates on small Neptune moons!! Whodathunkit?
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Love the frontispiece 🔭 image of Jupiter with the garGANtuan Great Red Spot
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
This is one of the key radio dishes in the Deep Space Network (DSN) which we use to communicate with distant spacecraft throughout the Solar System
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
!!!
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Nice 🧵 about the power of Rubin Observatory, the newest big telescope 🔭 in the portfolio managed by @aura-astronomy.bsky.social
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Happy First Birthday to Kit Charlemagne!
Charlemagne is a handsome black tuxedo cat with a white blaze on his nose, white bib, long white whiskers and white toes. He stands atop a green cat furniture gazing up to the sky. Behind him is a bit of the JWST Cosmic Cliffs image printed on silk.
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Charlemagne shows some beanage during lap time
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 10/07/2026
OPPORTUNITY: The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, MD, is seeking a Human Resources Division Head to serve as a senior leader responsible for aligning HR strategy with STScI's institutional vision and goals: bit.ly/4bmi9CD
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
No way was I going into hot DC this July 4th weekend, so I made this celebratory puzzle instead - better than being there!
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
AURA Astronomy @aura-astronomy.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Happy 250th U.S.A. from AURA! In patriotic red white & blue, from NASA’s Hubble, this is the largest protoplanetary disk ever observed circling a young star. 📷 NASA, ESA, STScI, Kristina Monsch (CfA); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI) 250 years of American astronomy!
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Say what you want, but Cape Verde made Argentina work for that win
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Cape Verde WHAT!
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
Here comes the Sun
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Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Benjamin Pope @benjaminpope.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
cutting pure science to prioritize applications is fundamentally like asking farmers not to waste time producing grain, cheese, and tomatoes and focus on making pizzas
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
[star] Lights, [huge] Camera, aaaand ... Action! The NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory's @vrubinobs.bsky.social 🔭 Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST) has started! Congrats to all who have worked so hard on this project! noirlab.edu/public/news/...
noirlab.edu
Action! NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory Begins Capturing the Greatest Cosmic Movie Ever Made - The 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time has officially started, marking the beginning of a new era ...
The wait is over: NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, is now capturing the cosmos in unprecedented detail, ...
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 29/06/2026
What did you think?
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Friends in Cambridge/Boston: I'm trying to help a young person looking for a job. Smart, hard worker. They are working remotely but are looking for something new. Please let me know if you have leads, either for a job or a good recruiter who can help them find a job. DM me for details. TIA!
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Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Carolyn was a lovely person, as was Gene
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