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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭

@iuastro.bsky.social
148 followers 20 following 171 posts

🔭 Department of Astronomy at Indiana University Bloomington 📍Home to the Kirkwood Observatory 🌌 Profile picture by Lexi Gault Learn More About Us Here! astro.indiana.edu

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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 7h
Join us this weekend for an Astronomy Afternoon in Español to celebrate Latine Heritage Month! ✨🔭 Saturday, October 10, 3:30 PM at the newly renovated Kirkwood Observatory
Astronomy Afternoon in Espanol flyer.
"Celebrating Latine History Month
Astronomy Afternoon in Espanol
3:30 PM | Saturday, Oct 10 | Kirkwood Observatory
Observacion Solar (Solar Viewing)
Observa el Col con un telescopio solar (Observe the Sun through a solar telescope [20 min activity]
Pistas de la Luz (List's Clues)
Descubre con lampraras y lentes de diffraccion como la luz revela la composicion de estrellas y planetas. (Use lamps and diffraction glasses to discover how light reveals the composition of stars and planets.) [10 min activity]
En Busca de Vida (The Search for Life) 
Aprende como descubrimos planetas observando la luz de ortas estrellas y como el telescopio espacial James Webb busca senales de vida. (Learn how we discover planets by observing light from other sstars and how the James Webb Space Telescope searches for signs of life.) [20 min talk]
Presented by Professor Cristobal Pretrovich and graduate students: Agustin Heron, Daniel Gallego, and Miguel Maldonado. 
Activities in English and Spanish, Talk in Spanish.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
🔔 Kirkwood Observatory Update 🔔 Construction on the building should be completed by the end of September! Meaning, we will have our first official Kirkwood open house night in early-October! Of course, we will keep you updated if anything changes. We look forward to seeing you back very soon! ✨
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Congratulations, Naomi! 🎉🔭 From studying galaxy evolution at IU to studying abroad in Greece, Naomi made the most of her time with IU Astronomy. We’re proud to have her as one of our alumni and excited to see what comes next! 🌌
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
In addition to our recent Bachelor's graduates, we would also like to celebrate our four Ph.D. graduates who all defended this spring! 🎓✨ Congrats to Dr. Brooke Kimsey-Miller, Dr. Laurin Gray, Dr. Ethan White, and Dr. Brandon Radzom!
Graphic with pictures of PhD graduates with Swain West in the background
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Reposted by IU Department of Astronomy 🔭
Astro on Tap Bloomington @aotbloomington.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Reminder upcoming AoT event tomorrow! Can't wait to see you all there! 📅Date: September 3rd, 2026 📍Location: Heartwork Brewing 🕠Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm 🌠Speakers: Dr. Mallory Thorp and Kristin Baker
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
As we enter a new school year, we want to take a moment to celebrate our recent Bachelor's graduates! 🎓✨ Congrats to Camille Annan, Dominic Bishop, Isaac da Silva, Zachary Doolin, Audrey Galloway, Bradley Hutchinson, Owen Leonard, Robbie Mailliard, Colton Romines, Clara Scheumann, and James Wells!
"congrats ~2026~ grads!" black text with a graduation cap line drawing overlaid on a colored background image of Kirkwood Observatory.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
🔔 Kirkwood Observatory Update 🔔 Construction on the building will continue until about mid-September 2026. Unfortunately this means our public nights will start later into the semester. Keep an eye out here for more observatory and astronomy updates! We look forward to seeing you back very soon!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Kirkwood Observatory will be closed through July 2026 to enable construction of a ramp that will allow visitors with disabilities to access the lobby of this iconic building on IU’s campus. We look forward to welcoming all visitors when the Observatory reopens in August.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Kirkwood observatory is scheduled to be open tonight from 10:00-11:30 pm! See you there!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
CLOSED: Kirkwood Observatory will not be open tonight due to the weather. We hope conditions are better next Wednesday!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 27/05/2026
Kirkwood Observatory is scheduled to be open tonight from 10 to 11:30 pm. The forecast isn't looking favorable, though — it's currently predicting some cloud cover, a moderate chance of rain, and high humidity. Check back later tonight around 8 pm for a final call! 🔭
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
Kirkwood will be closed tonight, May 20, due to the weather ☁️. We will hopefully see you next week! ✨
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
Kirkwood is currently scheduled to be open tonight, May 20, from 10-11:30 PM. However, the forecast is calling for some significant cloud cover tonight. Check in closer to 8pm for a final decision! 🔭
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
Kirkwood Observatory will be open tonight, May 13th, from 10:00-11:30 pm! See you there!✨
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
Kirkwood is currently scheduled to be open tonight, May 13, from 10-11:30 PM. The forecast is calling for partly cloudy skies, but check in closer to 7pm for a final decision.🪐
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Kirkwood observatory will be open tonight from 10:00-11:30 pm! See you there!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
Kirkwood is currently scheduled to be open tonight, May 6, from 10-11:30 PM. The forecast is calling for clear skies, but check in closer to 7pm for a final decision.🪐
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Kirkwood observatory will be open tonight from 9:30-11 pm! See you there!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Kirkwood is currently scheduled to be open tonight, April 29th, from 9:30-11:00 PM. However, the forecast is looking cloudy, so please check in closer to 7pm for a final decision.🪐
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
OPEN: Kirkwood Observatory will be open for Solar Saturdays today, April 25th, from 1:00 to 3:00pm. Come learn about our favorite star and see it through the solar telescope! See you there!☀️
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 24/04/2026
Our next Solar Saturday of the semester will be held this Saturday, April 25th from 1 to 3pm!☀️ The weather is looking clear for tomorrow, but check around 11am on April 25th for the final call!
Flyer for Solar Saturdays at Kirkwood Observatory, presented by the IU Astronomy Department. Bold orange retro-style text reads "Solar Saturdays" against a white background with large illustrated sun flames in orange and yellow. The IU Solar Saturdays logo — a circular badge with an illustration of the observatory dome — appears in the top right. Event details: Join us from 1–3 PM on March 28 and April 4, 11, 18, and 25. Visitors can view the sun through Kirkwood's solar telescope. Weather permitting. Find updates on the website and Bluesky at @IUAstro.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
OPEN: The weather is looking like it will be clear tonight, 4/22, so the observatory will be open to the public from 9:30pm-11pm. Come enjoy Earth Day with us!🌎🌍🌏
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 22/04/2026
Kirkwood is currently scheduled to be open tonight, April 22nd, from 9:30-11:00 PM. The forecast is calling for clear skies, but check in closer to 7pm for a final decision.🪐
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
CLOSED: Due to weather and cloud cover, Solar Saturdays for tomorrow, April 18th, is cancelled. Sorry for the inconvenience! Join us for the next installment on April 25th!☀️
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Unfortunately it looks like it will stay cloudy tonight, so Kirkwood will be closed this evening, April 15th. We hope to see you next week!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Kirkwood is currently scheduled to be open tonight, April 15th, from 9:30-11:00 PM. The forecast is calling for clouds, so check in closer to 7pm for a final decision.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 11/04/2026
CLOSED: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Solar Saturdays for tomorrow, April 11th, is cancelled. Sorry for the inconvenience! Join us for the next installment on April 18th!☀️
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
The forecast is clearing up, so Kirkwood Observatory will be open tonight from 9:30-11:00 PM! Hope to see you there!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
Kirkwood is currently scheduled to be open tonight, April 8, 9:30-11:00 PM. The forecast is calling for clouds, so check in closer to 7pm for a final decision.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 04/04/2026
CLOSED: Due to weather, Solar Saturdays for today, April 4th, is cancelled. Sorry for the inconvenience! Join us for the next installment on April 11th!☀️
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 03/04/2026
Our next Solar Saturday of the semester will be held this Saturday, April 4th from 1 to 3pm!☀️ The weather is looking cloudy for tomorrow, but check around 11am on April 4th for the final call!
Flyer for Solar Saturdays at Kirkwood Observatory, presented by the IU Astronomy Department. Bold orange retro-style text reads "Solar Saturdays" against a white background with large illustrated sun flames in orange and yellow. The IU Solar Saturdays logo — a circular badge with an illustration of the observatory dome — appears in the top right. Event details: Join us from 1–3 PM on March 28 and April 4, 11, 18, and 25. Visitors can view the sun through Kirkwood's solar telescope. Weather permitting. Find updates on the website and Bluesky at @IUAstro.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
Unfortunately it looks like it will stay cloudy, with a persistent chance of rain, so Kirkwood will be closed tonight. We hope to see you next week!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 01/04/2026
Kirkwood is scheduled to be open tonight, April 1, 9:00-10:30 PM. Unfortunately, it looks like it will be rainy, but check back around 7 for the final call.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
OPEN: Kirkwood Observatory will be open for Solar Saturdays today, March 28th, from 1:00 to 3:00pm. Come learn about our favorite star and see it through the solar telescope! See you there!☀️
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
Our first Solar Saturday of the semester will be held this Saturday, March 28th from 1 to 3pm!☀️ The weather is looking clear for tomorrow, but check around 11am on March 28th. Come on out and look at the Sun through our solar telescope!
Flyer for Solar Saturdays at Kirkwood Observatory, presented by the IU Astronomy Department. Bold orange retro-style text reads "Solar Saturdays" against a white background with large illustrated sun flames in orange and yellow. The IU Solar Saturdays logo — a circular badge with an illustration of the observatory dome — appears in the top right. Event details: Join us from 1–3 PM on March 28 and April 4, 11, 18, and 25. Visitors can view the sun through Kirkwood's solar telescope. Weather permitting. Find updates on the website and Bluesky at @IUAstro.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
The Star Party with Monroe County Parks and Rec has been rescheduled to tomorrow because of the rain. We hope to see you there!
Event flyer: Monroe County Parks and Rec and IU Astronomy present Flatwoods Park Star Party. Rescheduled: March 28th, 8-10 PM, weather permitting. Come celebrate our oldest and grandest natural resource with the IU Astronomy Department and MCPR. Family friendly, constellation and star talks, guided telescope observations, hobbyists welcome, hot beverages provided. Location: Flatwoods Park, 9499 Flatwoods Rd, Gosport, IN 47433. The flyer background is a photo of the Milky Way with the silhouette of someone looking through a telescope.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
Kirkwood is scheduled to be open tonight, 9:00-10:30pm! Unfortunately, the forecast looks cloudy, but we’ll still be open for tours!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
We have a busy week coming up to kick off our spring outreach season! Tonight, March 25, 9-10:30pm: Kirkwood Observatory opens for the season Friday, March 27, 8-10pm: Star Party with Monroe County Parks and Rec at Flatwoods Park Saturday, March 28, 1-3pm: The first spring Solar Saturday
Event flyer: Monroe County Parks and Rec and IU Astronomy present Flatwoods Park Star Party. March 27th, 8-10 PM, weather permitting. Rain date: March 28th. Come celebrate our oldest and grandest natural resource with the IU Astronomy Department and MCPR. Family friendly, constellation and star talks, guided telescope observations, hobbyists welcome, hot beverages provided. Location: Flatwoods Park, 9499 Flatwoods Rd, Gosport, IN 47433. The flyer background is a photo of the Milky Way with the silhouette of someone looking through a telescope.Event flyer: the IU Astronomy Department presents Solar Saturdays at Kirkwood Observatory. Join us from 1-3 PM on March 28, April 4, April 11, April 18, and April 25 to look at the sun through Kirkwood's solar telescope! This event is weather permitting. Find us on our website and bluesky for viewing updates. The flyer background is a drawing of the sun.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
That’s a wrap on #AAS247! Thanks to everyone who joined us for our presentations this week. For more on research and outreach happening in the IU Astronomy department, follow us here and check out our website: astro.indiana.edu/index.html
Several current and former members of the IU Astronomy department in front of a large sign with the AAS logo. Left to right: Zohreh Safari, Caty Pilachowski, Robert Howard, Brandon Radzom, James Wells, Kristin Baker, Jennifer Sieben, Tash Sandford, Robbie Mailliard, Lexi Gault, Sarah Popp, Kathy Rhode, Laurin Gray, and John Salzer.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 08/01/2026
Today at #AAS247: Several grad students are presenting a poster this morning, 9-10am, on the Python workshops we led and developed! (Terminal 69) Professor Caty Pilachowski is giving a talk at 10:40 about our summer research program for undergraduates, room 226B.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 07/01/2026
Today at #AAS247: Grad student Brandon Radzom is giving a talk this afternoon, 2:20-2:40pm, in room 222C. Grad students Zohreh Safari (terminal 97), Sarah Popp (98), Robert Howard (101), and Kristin Baker (127) and undergraduate Declan Dougan (100) all have posters this evening, 5:30-6:30.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Come see Laurin and Tash at their posters until 10am!
Laurin Gray, a white woman with long brown hair wearing a suit, in front of a scientific poster. Tash Sandford, a white person with brown hair in a bun and a black shirt in front of a scientific poster.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Today at #AAS247: Grad students Tash Sandford and Laurin Gray are both presenting posters this morning, 9:00-10:00am. Tash is at terminal 73 and Laurin is at terminal 128. Undergraduate Robbie Mailliard is giving a talk this afternoon, 2:30-2:40pm, in room 229A.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
IU Astronomy is at #AAS247! Each day we’ll share a schedule of all presentations by members of our department. Today: Undergraduate James Wells has a poster in the evening poster session, 5:30-6:30pm, at terminal 50.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 19/11/2025
CLOSED: Due to weather and cloud cover, Kirkwood Observatory will be closed tonight, 11/19. Please join us next semester for our next run of Kirkwood Open Nights! Happy Holidays !🌌
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
CLOSED: Due to more cloud cover than expected, Solar Saturdays for today, November 15th, is cancelled. Sorry for the inconvenience! Join us next semester for the next run of Solar Saturdays!!☀️
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 15/11/2025
Our next Solar Saturday will be held this Saturday, November 15th from 1 to 3pm! The weather is looking cloudy for tomorrow, but check around 11am on November 15th. Come on out and look at the Sun through our solar telescope!☀️
Flyer for “Solar Saturdays” presented by the IU Astronomy Department at Kirkwood Observatory. Event runs from 1–3 PM on August 30; September 6, 13, and 27; October 4, 18, and 25; November 8 and 15. Large orange text reads “Solar Saturdays.” A graphic of flames decorates the bottom. Top right corner shows the Indiana University Solar Saturdays logo with an observatory dome. A circular icon at bottom left says “Weather Permitting!” with a cloud, sun, and lightning graphic. Bottom right text: “Take a look at the Sun through Kirkwood’s solar telescope!” Social media and website info follow: find updates on the website, Bluesky (@IUASTRO), and a QR code.
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
OPEN: The weather is looking like it will be clear tonight, 11/12 so the observatory will be open to the public from 7-8:30pm. Come enjoy the stars with us!✨
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
Kirkwood Observatory is scheduled to be open tonight (11/12) from 7-8:30pm! The current forecast is looking clear, but check back around 5:30pm for the final call!
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IU Department of Astronomy 🔭 @iuastro.bsky.social · 08/11/2025
CLOSED: Due to more cloud cover than expected, Solar Saturdays for today, November 8th, is cancelled. Sorry for the inconvenience! Join us for the next installment on November 15th!☀️
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