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John Debes

@johndebes.bsky.social
1.3K followers 492 following 945 posts

ESA/AURA astronomer at STScI. Opinions my own. I study exoplanets and disks around stars.

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Reposted by John Debes
András Gáspár @andrasgaspar.bsky.social · 4h
I don't know if anyone else is tracking, I assume Molly is. This is from @mpudoka.bsky.social. Look like we are possibly on track to break another record.
JWST submissions. Definitely at or above Cycle 5.
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 7h
#NASARoman’s fine-guidance system, which allows the observatory to lock very steadily onto its targets during observations, passed a spate of tests from Sept. 15 to 21. Then on Sept. 22, the mission’s Coronagraph Instrument opened its eyes to cosmic light for the very first time.
science.nasa.gov
NASA Checks Roman Guidance System, Takes First Coronagraph Observation - NASA Science
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's fine-guidance system, which allows the observatory to lock very steadily onto its targets during observations,
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 12h
ProPublica-Texas Tribune reporter Zach Despart will take questions live from the r/politics Reddit community about his investigations on GOP senate candidate Ken Paxton. Join the conversation today at 2 p.m. CT: www.reddit.com/r/politics/c...
Reddit AMA: Ken Paxton's U.S. Senate bid. Ask reporter Zach Despart anything in r/politics. Our reporting shows that the Texas attorney general may have violated federal ethics and state election laws. Image: A bearded man wearing a green plaid shirt smiles as he holds up a sheet of paper that reads: AMA re: Ken Paxton. His U.S. Senate bid. Sept. 30, 2 p.m. CT. r/politics
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Sarah Kendrew @sarahkendrew.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
#JWST proposers, lest you not have enough to worry about already, check out some new language on use of the much-beloved \vspace parameter in your proposal jwst-docs.stsci.edu/jwst-opportu...
static.klipy.com
Carry On Queen Charlotte
ALT: Carry On Queen Charlotte
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
One additional 'quick fact': if your name is John, the Nobel committee is twice as likely to award you the Prize for Physics, compared to scientists who are female - Number of physics prizes to a John: 10 - Number of female physics Nobel laureates: 5 Best wishes to all the John-hopefuls this yr 👩‍🔬⚛️
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 28/09/2026
The Hubble Cycle 34 science program is set and scheduled to begin November 1! Researchers around the world were awarded more than 2,700 prime orbits—and 31% will lead a Hubble observation for the first time: bit.ly/4xL4Ioj
Large text, Hubble Cycle 34 Approved Proposals, runs atop an image of space with the Hubble Space Telescope body at lower right.
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Paul Voosen @voosen.me · 28/09/2026
New Horizons is now *three days away* from shutting off its two heliophysics instruments, simply because NASA has not provided the $2M in funding it had promised to the mission last year or this year. There is no science basis for shutting these off. Our earlier coverage:
science.org
NASA’s New Horizons mission may shut down two instruments over lack of funding
Decision risks “incalculable loss” of data from the edge of the Sun’s influence, scientists say
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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Today was incredible. The fight to save the academy of natural sciences is far from Over
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Adam Kinzinger @adamkinzinger.substack.com · 27/09/2026
This admin has spent years going after science. It proposed the largest cut in NASA’s history, about a quarter of the agency and half of its science programs. But last month, a groundbreaking telescope left the launch pad anyway. And the story of how it got there is our good news this Sunday.
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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Anybody who would decide to close this museum does not have Philadelphia’s best interests at heart.
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
I was really getting worried that Paris was just a hoax.
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
This thread reminds me of the 24 hours I got stranded in Lima and my wife had to call the airlines back in the states to get any information.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 23/09/2026
Vought holds one of the most powerful jobs in D.C., and he’s used his position to wage a quiet war to change the shape of the entire U.S. government. Here's what you should know about Trump’s shadow president. (Published Oct. 2025)
propublica.org
What You Should Know About Russ Vought, Trump’s Shadow President
Vought is the architect of President Trump’s broader plan to fire civil servants, freeze government programs and dismantle entire agencies. Here are some key things to know about the D.C. insider who ...
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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 20/09/2026
Attention Philadelphia! We need your help saving the Academy of Natural Sciences! The Save the Academy Coalition needs volunteers to help hand out organizing flyers in front of the museum this weekend, Sept 25-27. Please sign up here if you can take a shift! docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com
Help Save the Academy: Volunteer to talk with visitors and hand out flyers at the Academy.
Sign up for a shift outside the Academy of Natural Sciences during its last open days: Fridays to Sundays, Sept 18 to 20 and 25 to 27, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Volunteers will be on the ground outside the Ac...
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 15/09/2026
#NASARoman activated the Wide Field Instrument—a 300-megapixel infrared camera that will allow it to explore wide swaths of the cosmos quickly. This test image captures the very first photons of starlight to reach the instrument—taken as an initial performance assessment: go.nasa.gov/4rg4qEc
At the top, a grid of 21 panels shows a series of blue images with tiny neon green and yellow circles. A larger image highlights a section of the grid with circular patterns, and an inset presents a detailed star-like diffraction pattern. The colors consist of blue, green, and yellow.
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NPR @npr.org · 15/09/2026
NASA employees say they've lost vital equipment and staff needed to make sophisticated spacecraft amid the agency's abrupt relocations over the past several months. n.pr/3SK34oz
n.pr
NASA rushed engineers out of their labs. They say it risks future space missions
NASA employees say they've lost vital equipment and staff needed to make sophisticated spacecraft amid the agency's abrupt relocations over the past several months.
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 14/09/2026
Look at this photo we found from Donald Trump Jr.’s lavish Bahamas wedding. Can you spot the Russian oligarch close to Putin who bankrolled the event? 🧵
A group photo shows about 35 people, including Donald Trump Jr.; his wife, Bettina Anderson; Ivanka Trump; Jared Kushner; Tiffany Trump; and Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev.

Little Pipe Cay/Lux Hospitality Bahamas; Laura Gordon Photography via Instagram; Laura Gordon Photography
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Important to note that there is a “background” usage of marker words. So the study measures the word frequency relative to that and sees a large increase in LLM assisted papers.
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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Save the Academy organizers need some volunteers to help hand out informational flyers at the academy of natural sciences this weekend. If you are able to help please get in touch via this contact form save-the-academy.org/contact.html
save-the-academy.org
Contact us — Save the Academy
Questions, press, partnerships, or a way to help? Write to the Save the Academy campaign.
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Dr. Laci Brock 🪐 @stellerarts.com · 09/09/2026
Amaze amaze amaze. Tiny paintings for space nerds. Project Hail Mary and Artemis II mini print restock is in one week! stellerarts.com/pages/shop
Mini painting of Rocky in field of dandelions Mini painting of Erid. A blue planet with rings 4 mini prints of my Project Hail Mary paintings
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ProPublica @propublica.org · 11/09/2026
Did you know? Every year, the Supreme Court’s nine justices fill out a form that discloses their financial connections to companies and people. Our database allows you to search for organizations and people that have paid them, reimbursed them for travel and given them gifts.
projects.propublica.org
Supreme Connections: Search Supreme Court Disclosures — ProPublica
Search Supreme Court financial disclosures for organizations and people that have paid justices, reimbursed them for travel, given them gifts and more.
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Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Scoop: This afternoon NSF will formally announce its four 'Frontier Initiatives', and a suite of other changes in a public letter. These Frontier Initiatives (left) are identical to OSTP's 'Grand Research Challenges' that we have been reporting on (right). www.nature.com/articles/d41...
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Matthew R Francis @bowlerhatscience.org · 08/09/2026
theonion.com
CDC Successfully Eradicates Children
ATLANTA—Hailing its success as a major victory for the public health and safety of all Americans, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that it had successfully eradicated ch...
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Trevor A. Branch @trevorabranch.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
This is seismic news for fisheries scientists. Northern cod is *the* iconic symbol of total fisheries collapse due to overfishing (and other factors) *and* the iconic symbol of a complete failure to recover for decades afterwards. This is like announcing the complete recovery of bison on land.
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Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Penultimate? FY26 NSF grantmaking update One month ago (8/4) New grants: 4310/7761 — 55.5% of avg. Obligations: 4.10/5.08 billion — 80.7% of avg. Now (9/7) New grants: 6,144/10,857 — 67% of avg.* Obligations: 5.97/7.49 billion — 80% of avg. *avg. from 21–24 grantwitness.org/nsf/analyses...
grantwitness.org
Agency Pulse: Grantmaking at NSF
An independent, up-to-date, grant-level record of federal science funding disruptions in the United States.
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Caltech IPAC @caltechipac.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
#NASARoman’s Coronagraph Instrument is powered on and being tested as we speak 🔋 ⚡️ 🔭 Check out these photos from the Coronagraph Command Center at IPAC, right when we confirmed that the instrument turned on! roman.ipac.caltech.edu/news/nasa-ro...
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Dr. Susan E. Mullally @mustaric.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Take a tour of the sky as stored by the MAST archive and presented by Dr. Meghan Gray. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Zs6.... She does an excellent job of showing off an image created by Julie Imig, a scientist at MAST.
youtube.com
The Most Observed Patch of Space - Sixty Symbols
YouTube video by Sixty Symbols
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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission @cpsc.gov · 06/09/2026
Tabletop fire pits that refuel by pouring rubbing alcohol in bowl where the fire was just burning are dangerous. This Labor Day weekend, throw these away. Show anyone who has one this video.
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InfoWars @realinfowars.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Now in Gunmetal Grey!
A person in the background carrying a bag over their shoulder. In the foreground, a large gray cat sits beside a cardboard box labeled "CATS FOR MEN." The text above reads "Introducing CATS FOR MEN™," and below the box, it says "The first feline designed for real, masculine men."
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Once again, I would not be a scientist without the love of nature that this museum provided for me at an early age. 4 yo me was obsessed with dinosaurs and going to the Academy taught me there was a whole world of science to be a part of. If you're in #Philadelphia I hope you can go.
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Best management tip I have: it takes so little to appreciate people in the everyday actions but it goes such a long way to build trust. We are all just looking for that positive word in our daily life.
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Sarah McAnulty, Ph.D. @sarahmackattack.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Attention Philadelphia! We're hosting a rally to demand that Drexel University maintain The Academy of Natural Sciences Museum open to the public. Join us on Tuesday morning at 10am in front of the academy. Please spread the word, we need all hands on deck! RSVP here: luma.com/1qwnrqz2
A dinosaur on a white background with the text SAve the academy of Natural sciences museum rally Tuesday Sept 8 10am in front of the academy 1900 ben Franklin Parkway. "Tell Drexel University "Keep the museum open!" with the logos for Philly Science Action, Skype a Scientist, and Green Philly
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AstroArxiv @astroarxiv.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Spatially Scanned STIS Spectra of the Exoplanet Host Star 55 Cnc. D. E. Welty (1) et. al. arxiv.org/abs/2608.25184
Figure 1Figure 2Figure 3Figure 4
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European Space Agency @esa.int · 03/09/2026
🔴 LIVE NOW: #BepiColombo's Mercury Transfer Module separation. Follow events live from our Main Control Room. • 14:00: MTM separation • 14:30: Stream pause • 15:30: Stream resumes • 15:53: Earliest signal acquisition & spacecraft check Watch live: youtube.com/live/oC7lQngNG3o
youtube.com
BepiColombo’s Mercury arrival begins (Official ESA broadcast)
YouTube video by European Space Agency, ESA
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ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 03/09/2026
The moment has come 🥺 After nine billion km and 22 loops around the Sun, it's time to say goodbye.
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
My skeet is raising a lot of questions already answered by the skeet
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Brandi Buchman @brandibuchman.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Timeline cleanse from the Black Flute Brigade of Los Angeles.
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 02/09/2026
#NASARoman is making its three-month journey to Lagrange Point 2. Along the way, Roman is undergoing a process called commissioning, where systems are turned on, adjusted, calibrated, and prepared for science operations. Follow along with Roman's commissioning! We're currently on Day 3. ⬇️
science.nasa.gov
Roman Commissioning - NASA Science
Roman is making its three-month journey from Earth to Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 2, or L2. Along the way, Roman is undergoing a process called commissioning,
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Dan Garisto @dangaristo.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
The House has now passed (370–48) the Senate's version of the continuing resolution, so the government will remain funded until Dec. 11 and the OMB rule will remain on ice until then as well.
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
I don’t know if I would’ve been a scientist if little geeky me didn’t absolutely love going and seeing the dinosaurs at the Academy.
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 01/09/2026
Early on the morning of Sunday, August 30, 2026, #NASARoman was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. STScI is the science operations center for the telescope. This mission will revolutionize our understanding of dark energy, extra-solar planets, and astrophysics. 🔭 Credit: STScI.
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NPR @npr.org · 30/08/2026
The tour-bus-sized telescope aims to unravel cosmic mysteries and identify more than 100,000 planets beyond our solar system. n.pr/4xpmKNr
n.pr
NASA has successfully launched its newest space telescope
The tour-bus-sized telescope aims to unravel cosmic mysteries and identify more than 100,000 planets beyond our solar system.
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 30/08/2026
This morning's launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope from the Kennedy Space Center was amazing! Roman is now on a million-mile journey to Lagrange point 2, where it will soon reveal the universe’s darkest secrets: go.nasa.gov/4qIa69I #NASARoman 🔭 Credit: J. Barrientes/STScI.
A rocket is launching into the sky from a launch pad, emitting bright flames and smoke. Trees are visible in the foreground.Crowd capturing a SpaceX rocket launch with smartphones, against a sunrise sky.A rocket launches into a cloudy sky, emitting a bright trail of light and smoke.A rocket with a fiery trail ascending into a clear blue sky, leaving a thick plume of white smoke underneath.
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 28/08/2026
Around Baltimore, staff from the Space Telescope Science Institute are sharing their enthusiasm about the upcoming launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Let us know if you see one of our staff signs out in the wild! #NASARoman 🔭
Grid of images showing various yards and gardens with a small sign in the grassy area. The sign features the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope logo with the text "Expanding Our View."
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 28/08/2026
🚨 The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is “go” for launch! 🚨 Meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force’s Space Launch Delta 45 Weather Squadron are predicting a 60% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, which is targeted for 7:26 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 30 from Kennedy. #NASARoman 🔭
science.nasa.gov
NASA's Roman Space Telescope ‘Go' for Launch
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is “go” for launch following completion of the agency and SpaceX's Launch Readiness Review Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Disgusting
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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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Rolling Stone @rollingstone.com · 25/08/2026
Dolly Parton's family asked that, in lieu of flowers, fans make a donation to the singer's Imagination Library. Here's what the charity does ⬇️ www.rollingstone.com/music/music-...
rollingstone.com
Turning Pages: Inside Dolly Parton's Imagination Library
Core team of 15 staff and thousands of volunteers and partners help the country-music philanthropist deliver books to kids around the world.
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John Debes @johndebes.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
😬😬😬
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JWST Observer @jwstobserver.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Late breaking news: Get the details of a new #JWST Cycle 6 Call for Proposals policy update pertaining to eligibility for funding. ow.ly/ve7O50ZEOPq
Illustration of Webb's mirrors with each segment displaying a different space image, centered on a starry background.
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