2026-04-27T15:04:22Z https://yabu.me Phil Plait https://yabu.me/npub1ctj8rwal6dmr9kmfne9zefun03jestjpkfvt3pu282k4z24kexjsg5de0g https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/109/259/127/563/812/354/original/a89703e847bb4a4e.jpg https://files.mastodon.social/accounts/avatars/109/259/127/563/812/354/original/a89703e847bb4a4e.jpg https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszh4krke3uqj2zm367zf249909p7kjpxh9dhrsfljdvzgwcr4jaxszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62dcn0k0 This may be anti-hot take, but dumping billion of tons of particles into the atmosphere to block the sun is maybe a bad idea, which is why I&#39;m very worried some billionaire will want to do it. Words by me.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/dimming-the-sun-is-probably-a-very-bad-idea">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/dimming-the-sun-is-probably-a-very-bad-idea</a> 2026-05-04T15:12:58Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsfhavafvvx4wn8q9lr40268fjk8k3u39fd595rlj35d4gqvazylkczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62rgtvwe We keep talking about dark matter as if it&#39;s all one thing, but what if it… isn&#39;t?<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/is-there-more-than-one-kind-of-dark-matter">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/is-there-more-than-one-kind-of-dark-matter</a> 2026-04-30T14:55:15Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsyl48nupzzly2nlgew9kgukt4a8ptgzamehedla58h0s93d9gr2pqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62p582hx Take a break from &lt;waves vaguely&gt; all this and let your brain soak up the amazingness of the Sombrero Galaxy, the stunning result of several cosmic collisions.<br/><br/>[Also in this issue: will Andromeda really collide with us? The chance just went up.]<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-spectacular-sombrero-galaxy">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-spectacular-sombrero-galaxy</a> 2026-04-27T14:57:16Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9d3ntx42fzmkk3lg2ynq744faj73c9gd5fhe9rwmut3e3nev4szqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62wcldrl Wanna go surfing on Saturn&#39;s moon Titan? The forecast calls for 40-meter waves of liquid methane that move slowly and freeze you death.<br/><br/>Cooooooooool.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/how-big-are-the-liquid-methane-waves-on-titan-and-another-voyager-1-instrument-turned-off">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/how-big-are-the-liquid-methane-waves-on-titan-and-another-voyager-1-instrument-turned-off</a> 2026-04-23T14:53:34Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswgh5jq2zvtv7q5qyjakrt4jtnkkr8ka2fma9ta7lq4tr4twk52kqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy628ctr9g Did you know that NASA will be *flying* around on Saturn&#39;s ridiculously huge moon Titan… in less than TEN YEARS?<br/><br/>Yeah, Dragonfly is awesome.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasas-dragonfly-mission-will-send-a-nuclear-powered-flying-drone-to-titan/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasas-dragonfly-mission-will-send-a-nuclear-powered-flying-drone-to-titan/</a><br/><br/>I wrote this! 2026-04-10T16:27:55Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsfe8uuyaqelsks642an50ucu7jjechfesw5z0j2jgc8yncp5jgcxgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62jwdlyj Today, humans will fly around the moon.<br/><br/>So let&#39;s take a look at what they saw as they left our planet. It&#39;s… a lot. And it&#39;s amazing.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/view-from-a-height-the-earth-from-artemis-ii">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/view-from-a-height-the-earth-from-artemis-ii</a><br/><br/>🚀 🌔 🌍 2026-04-06T14:19:24Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxxsg5ejy602sxz60twycfl387nwuqr7yr7ee3mwpaqzymhv5zx5czyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy629tj736 In 1991, a subatomic particle traveling *just* under the speed of light — and I do mean &#34;just&#34; — slammed into Earth&#39;s atmosphere with the energy of a major league basebal pitch! <br/><br/>But... where did it come from? And how?<br/><br/>A thing I wrote:<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-did-the-oh-my-god-particle-come-from/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/where-did-the-oh-my-god-particle-come-from/</a> 2026-04-03T14:45:24Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs05tre8jhguf6h75mp220z7h0m8lmuqammm6d8z226w9na5judc2czyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62cxswrw Need a break from the chaos and madness? Oh my, do I have a brain-melting JWST image for you. Behold, the Red Spider Nebula!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-red-spider-nebula-jwst-s-view-of-gorgeously-dying-star">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-red-spider-nebula-jwst-s-view-of-gorgeously-dying-star</a> 2026-03-30T14:36:58Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswn9kyw56f3t8w2tkyfaq2hf6v4y2r3dqmtprl95k7gkya6ajpdggzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62sjpykp The universe could be filled with teeny-weeny black holes way smaller than protons! Or not. But if so they might have exploded long ago! Unless they&#39;re like mountains.<br/><br/>Science is so damned cool.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-universe-swarming-with-tiny-black-holes/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-universe-swarming-with-tiny-black-holes/</a> 2026-03-27T15:04:00Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs057vx6xzv4wm0yqqckjx9yaxa8jnypysmd35875vxug6q0jj7ecszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy625k97sv History doesn&#39;t always mean the distant past. The woman who discovered what the universe is made of could have seen Star Wars.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-astronomer-who-discovered-what-the-universe-was-made-of">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-astronomer-who-discovered-what-the-universe-was-made-of</a> 2026-03-26T14:24:14Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs983eyum5llywue58u4l2se5d6edxh6l5r2d4dwez6wme6n6t8tsgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62prkwum Hubble watches as a comet tears itself apart. Bonus: It was seen by accident!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/hubble-accidentally-catches-a-comet-tearing-itself-apart">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/hubble-accidentally-catches-a-comet-tearing-itself-apart</a> 2026-03-23T15:10:48Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2ctyhgzl2u56jj6fx3jqymhqhsy4xz7r006ueclkgxmkhx4s0jvszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62ev09ny Here&#39;s a fun thought: Does the TV show Star Trek exist in the Star Trek universe?<br/><br/>Probably not, but this raises a lot of cool questions to geek out over! <br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/does-scifi-exist-in-a-scifi-universe">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/does-scifi-exist-in-a-scifi-universe</a><br/><br/>🖖<br/><br/>[And yes, that&#39;s me in front of the ACTUAL ENTERPRISE MODEL USED IN TOS] 2026-03-16T15:03:58Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqstym3avvcwn4dvcvgu2p8jv2hmrgw4lgc8fwajtz6rwgx0d72dtsszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62hyxwhr Looks like the moon is safe from a 2032 asteroid impact — unfortunately, kinda — and if you want to keep up with the changing sky, the Rubin Observatory will be happy to alert you millions of times per day.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/looks-like-the-asteroid-2024-yr4-won-t-impact-the-moono-plus-rubin-observatory-sends-out-its-first-c">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/looks-like-the-asteroid-2024-yr4-won-t-impact-the-moono-plus-rubin-observatory-sends-out-its-first-c</a> 2026-03-09T15:10:06Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsr282fd590m2lgqep6xpn5e73cy9m8hfht4gc6qlht7m4p9pfwycszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy6287vw9h Elon Musk has already started plans to launch a million satellites.<br/><br/>Yes. A MILLION.<br/><br/>This is a colossally bad idea, and it&#39;s not too late to make your voice heard. I explain everything:<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rampant-growth-of-satellite-mega-constellations-could-ruin-the-night-sky/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/rampant-growth-of-satellite-mega-constellations-could-ruin-the-night-sky/</a> 2026-03-06T16:05:49Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsv2tywd576xyggxgjd4nftp8ctjz9cmsk5w0frsp8r94hquu0ydlszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62ufdu42 A pulsar is one of the scariest objects in the universe, yet we keep finding planets orbiting them. Of course, any pulsar planet is gonna be weird… but still, here&#39;s an egg-shaped one that may once have been a star and got mostly eaten. So, yeah.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-egg-shaped-planet-orbits-a-death-star">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-egg-shaped-planet-orbits-a-death-star</a> 2026-02-23T16:21:13Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9njzvvztqaujhf2z045kumeqp60f2adhttekwcn43w0zhhe8lwcgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62tvxq5w A dying star beams a searchlight into space, illuminating its past.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/hubble-unscrambles-the-egg-nebula">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/hubble-unscrambles-the-egg-nebula</a> 2026-02-16T16:17:38Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswxzt53jylmghpspf96arkh9rq8dgrlsvcvpmhceelsnzseumvshgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy6273gzzq Hey, if you want your mind absolutely crushed into dust today then read my article at Scientific American about how much energy is released when two supermassive black holes collide. To borrow from Douglas Adams, it&#39;s the best bang since the big one.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-much-energy-is-released-when-supermassive-black-holes-collide/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-much-energy-is-released-when-supermassive-black-holes-collide/</a> 2026-02-13T15:03:37Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsqzr6jy005qk9xwsh9qh7eflhjsfsy4upgcgwcykf78mdnphu5c9szyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62aslm3w The way things are going these days I can&#39;t blame anyone for going to a bar but geez one that&#39;s a light-year long and made of ionized iron? <br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-dying-star-goes-to-an-iron-bar">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-dying-star-goes-to-an-iron-bar</a> 2026-01-19T15:56:38Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2gm77gq5mck8w2rec6tfng44fl8x8akv2xzfcpcj5v659jsufukqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62nv5jzm This has bugged me for years but I only just now finally got around to writing about it. I guess resistance is futile.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/no-you-weren-t-hit-by-50-000-volts">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/no-you-weren-t-hit-by-50-000-volts</a> 2026-01-12T18:53:41Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszx6zj4x36u543f8fuhqeq046x78px3nnn8jm59yuhs0c56r23wpczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62jezxke I have some really cool pix from Mars in the newsletter today: the amazing HiRISE camera&#39;s *100,000th* image, and some crepuscular rays and iridescent clouds! It&#39;s like someone at mission control took all these shots just for me specifically.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/red-planet-special-hirise-s-100-000th-image-and-martian-crepuscular-rays">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/red-planet-special-hirise-s-100-000th-image-and-martian-crepuscular-rays</a> 2026-01-05T15:37:28Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9lc7ks6hqlj5gk7uj8yemqe76w9prl5j9pwy7080juszds7qfqjgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy626rm29f When I woke up this morning one thing I noticed right away is that Earth wasn&#39;t violently torn to vaporous shreds by a supermassive black hole. So yeah, that&#39;s cool.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/today-our-planet-will-not-be-destroyed-probably">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/today-our-planet-will-not-be-destroyed-probably</a> 2025-12-18T16:13:55Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsrr8tfnqkqhyt3l7zhuhxf9847evc5q0ydec554gv9apu0jmxfqfgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62sys43e Get ready for one of the very best meteor showers of the year! The Geminids are great and this year&#39;s show over the weekend should be excellent.<br/><br/>Also: a gorgeous star cluster with a dramatic swirl of stars.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/watch-the-geminids-and-a-cluster-s-stars-swirl-down-the-drain">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/watch-the-geminids-and-a-cluster-s-stars-swirl-down-the-drain</a> 2025-12-11T15:51:55Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszryqqk3zds8wkv9m8cxj5yz5x0jzuhg5srwg5eq0m60w4lzup9yqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy623fd602 My &#34;The Universe&#34; column today in Scientific American is about an extremely weird effect where distant objects actually start to appear *bigger* instead of smaller with distance. <br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cosmic-magnification-is-one-of-the-universes-weirdest-optical-illusions/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cosmic-magnification-is-one-of-the-universes-weirdest-optical-illusions/</a> 2025-12-05T18:48:10Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxp6g8je5csquv2kzv40m9h6kvxrfgsh0xu9v7xrz9thpw45udr4qzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62g42ezh This is a staggering cool JWST image of one of the most terrifying star systems I have ever seen. Apep is a monster… *three* monsters, actually, and blasting out radiation and dust and junk at speeds to freeze the soul.<br/><br/>Read all about it!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-ridiculously-jaw-dropping-jwst-image-of-a-fantastically-terrifying-star-system">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-ridiculously-jaw-dropping-jwst-image-of-a-fantastically-terrifying-star-system</a> 2025-12-01T16:09:06Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsd6vq308ckdgrzjmkhc9csd9xshsk46xl2w5yxq9k4cmq9mafeqfczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy627hu7ue Have you ever heard of Betty Webster? I hadn&#39;t until recently, and she co-discovered the first black hole ever found! Here&#39;s her story, to honor her memory and fantastic accomplishment.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-woman-who-discovered-the-first-black-hole">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-woman-who-discovered-the-first-black-hole</a> 2025-11-18T15:50:51Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsy7gss8uzz92p5amtqqql5r0x46k5umrlgpvmg0cqk8s0xh5eku6qzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62qwglqu In 1885, after traveling for over two million years, the light from an exploding star swept over caused astronomers to think the universe was way smaller than it really is.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-irony-of-supernova-1885a">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-irony-of-supernova-1885a</a> 2025-11-17T19:30:33Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsw8xeytlw0shc4x23wkn30dlypnqelqeelra0pesxdcemc4d4x3ggzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62azsltc Holy moly did we get a close shave from an asteroid last week: it missed Earth by *230 km*! Barely above the atmosphere.<br/><br/>OTOH it was only about the size of a beachball, so no worries either way. Meet 2025 UC11.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-wee-asteroid-came-very-close-to-us-last-week">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-wee-asteroid-came-very-close-to-us-last-week</a> 2025-11-06T15:42:17Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxpkuwgtgrsvlsjx54meywycpxt288afkmqan6nanndx8rhhvqurqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy6299wpfy Welp. I did it. I finally got COVID.<br/><br/>I&#39;m fine now, but I do sincerely wish every ivermectin-chugging MAGA ass and every antivax RFK-supporting jerk of whatever political persuasion a very merry up yours.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/i-got-covid-and-a-fast-radio-burst-progenitor-found">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/i-got-covid-and-a-fast-radio-burst-progenitor-found</a> 2025-10-14T14:50:21Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsz0pkd2p3se7uyzr3v0zsvmmc96vh794xhgjx7gqvnsf6da73nd2szyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62t2086h Look, almost everyone gets acne at some point in their life, but can you imagine being able to see it from 1.4 quadrillion kilometers away?<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-exoplanet-reveals-its-star-s-spotty-face">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-exoplanet-reveals-its-star-s-spotty-face</a> 2025-10-02T15:40:14Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsv6urwttqedjl46gpdff2jetk5206x0v4fnuq5847htnvwjfdmpaqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62rjcjfq So JWST has seen these weird objects called Little Red Dots that appear to be extremely luminous and way on the other side of the universe from us. What the heck are they?<br/><br/>Well, they could be immense star-like objects powered by black holes. So, yeah.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/little-red-dots-at-the-edge-of-the-universe-may-be-black-holes-powering-gigantic-balls-of-gas">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/little-red-dots-at-the-edge-of-the-universe-may-be-black-holes-powering-gigantic-balls-of-gas</a> 2025-09-15T15:38:39Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqstqnkpsyqex04cazmms0j80vpveccclcjqgfzu5ntxe052ark37kczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy623r24c5 Earth&#39;s oldest crater found!<br/><br/>[Normally, Thursday issues of my newsletter are for paid subscribers, but this was so cool I put the story above the paywall. Enjoy!]<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/earth-s-oldest-crater-found">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/earth-s-oldest-crater-found</a> 2025-09-11T14:55:14Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8yal4zd45g4mmgrywf0wh8s4luekhecm6gc775gw4ufqg9je65tczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62ra98k9 How big can a black hole get?<br/><br/>Really, really, REALLY soul-vaporizingly big.<br/><br/>But it turns out there&#39;s an upper limit to how massive they can be, because a) they&#39;re sloppy eaters, and 2) the universe is only so old.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-big-can-a-black-hole-get/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-big-can-a-black-hole-get/</a> 2025-09-05T15:03:49Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsr69pq2xlqeqnrvrssgfskrewkacm3pam9fsqp05rfn24mzqdcavszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62xhrrk8 Did you know astronomers commonly see objects in space moving faster than light? But seeing is not believing: superluminal motion is an illusion!<br/><br/>Me, for Scientific American:<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-see-faster-than-light-motion/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-see-faster-than-light-motion/</a> 2025-08-29T15:29:46Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs22pyzlcpsxzveddnm32hqkv7atd5q34ufnhpvmmlhmmrfvl0xtkqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy620pwawm In 2032 there is a small chance that the 60-meter asteroid 2024 YR4 will impact the Moon. If it does, we could get a helluva meteor shower from it. We&#39;re safe on Earth&#39;s surface, but our satellites may suffer.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-a-lunar-impact-in-2032-cause-a-meteor-storm/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-a-lunar-impact-in-2032-cause-a-meteor-storm/</a> 2025-08-22T15:34:41Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswrzg7sw7he8k2sng2lfhh2ackm5lgzhpkflk8xeqa7ml5246gcrszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy626zfxwa A nearby brown dwarf shows its mass as it orbits a Sun-like star.<br/><br/>Plus: Fast Radio Bursts might be space rocks slamming in to neutron stars at 2/3 the speed of light, so, wow.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-brown-dwarf-reveals-its-mass-02149746784fd963">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-brown-dwarf-reveals-its-mass-02149746784fd963</a><br/><br/>[Issue for paid subbies only today!] 2025-08-19T14:07:30Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqspsvzkdjrn9vqmhncy7rllcusgflwxzjs0a7xzhu8hjlxrgqtctdqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62d4hkjt It&#39;s (well past) time to impeach RFK Jr. You can sign a petition to help!<br/><br/>Also: (very) old issues of Scientific American magazine were very, very odd. <br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/impeach-rfk-jr-88205b8ff57eacf9">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/impeach-rfk-jr-88205b8ff57eacf9</a> 2025-08-18T15:20:02Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8j9nyxj7w66644f92r626vu4xwrrawpuwyt7z02wes9jc95yqhpqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62q7rl7r I bet it&#39;s been a while since you&#39;ve had your mind vaporized by a JWST image so here&#39;s one of a cluster of galaxies so immense it&#39;s visibly warping space.<br/><br/>Bonus: I explain what you&#39;re seeing! Because that&#39;s kinda my thing!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-incredible-jwst-image-of-an-immense-city-of-galaxies-268f6abd24e75d16">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-incredible-jwst-image-of-an-immense-city-of-galaxies-268f6abd24e75d16</a> 2025-08-11T15:11:47Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsrj47h586psslkduavly22fsqtvk0v3dpc79lfuddyk2wlmn30f6gzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62fu2ddf Sure you&#39;ve heard of sound echoes, but have you heard of…<br/><br/>Light ECHOES echoes ᵉᶜʰᵒᵉˢ?<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-are-light-echoes-and-why-do-they-matter/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-are-light-echoes-and-why-do-they-matter/</a> 2025-08-08T18:14:09Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswvmq3z04uppr7g7jaqz7p77523n70ky72znehfvcveel49f7u3hczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62ethpk7 WHOA.<br/><br/>Astronomers may have found a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, the closest sun-like star to the Sun! It&#39;s a binary system, too, so if this is confirmed it&#39;ll be an AMAZING discovery!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-planet-for-alpha-centauri-a-2f030ca9ae7bcd82">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-planet-for-alpha-centauri-a-2f030ca9ae7bcd82</a> 2025-08-07T15:12:01Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsvgpru3gvw4cz0rwxscws236dg8ywk2vsdgfyz0w6p95qfmgqy52szyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62yhm0d9 Hot take time!<br/><br/>So, about that Sean Duffy claim of wanting NASA to put a nuclear power plant on the Moon...<br/><br/><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syLNyBAyHcw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syLNyBAyHcw</a> 2025-08-05T20:34:59Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszuyjjf2xk298awmcpc3dgh5rkd93mur785xg5wgerwyzs3em8gaczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy625sta0a Lightning strikes occur on Earth more than a *billion* times per year.<br/><br/>What triggers it? Turns out, exploding stars. Yes, seriously.<br/><br/>And also, black holes.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-triggers-lightning-exploding-stars-0b7dba172a12c191">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-triggers-lightning-exploding-stars-0b7dba172a12c191</a> 2025-08-05T15:36:24Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsrqpe3x07kmq52c5m0dgng53y67e4ykhncd7kehq9d70kd33s254czyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy629n8l45 Betelgeuse is a binary! Maybe!<br/><br/>A second star has possibly been found orbiting the soon-to-be supernova. It still needs to be confirmed (despite a LOT of breathless articles saying it&#39;s real) but if it is it&#39;ll have implications for how we study Big B.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-second-star-for-betelgeuse-1046533a7498c414">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-second-star-for-betelgeuse-1046533a7498c414</a> 2025-07-28T15:19:50Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs0kjp0qwvqr2qu50zw397yxm52cscrdfhta4xk6wfzl0434rg2phqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62p0sqtz HUNDREDS of NASA employees sign a declaration protesting the brutal attacks by Trump and his regime. I signed it too, as should you.<br/><br/>Plus: Incredible image of dusty spirals blasted out by a terrifying binary star.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/nasa-declaration-against-trump-s-science-attacks-more-dusty-wr-star-spirals-dc20f3c8449ace7e">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/nasa-declaration-against-trump-s-science-attacks-more-dusty-wr-star-spirals-dc20f3c8449ace7e</a> 2025-07-22T14:34:38Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsqncvgx6ths4eqp06ujmld9u03r5cufed6ece77ev58wekvwmnyzqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62h3r2dw This may be one of the single greatest astronomy questions I&#39;ve ever been asked:<br/><br/>Can you drink Saturn&#39;s rings?<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-you-drink-saturns-rings/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-you-drink-saturns-rings/</a> 2025-07-18T14:15:21Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsgxcnavjfgzlkmpzx5vp7yay5yut448j9ewxz2wyugvr6zsqu0faczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy627r63ew In 2023, astronomers detected a cosmic blast so powerful it released more energy than ALL THE STARS IN THE UNIVERSE COMBINED. The cause: two black holes colliding and merging… which is a problem, because they were way bigger than we thought possible.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-biggest-black-hole-merger-ever-detected-so-far-rocked-the-universe-dc6b8bba789d58bd">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-biggest-black-hole-merger-ever-detected-so-far-rocked-the-universe-dc6b8bba789d58bd</a> 2025-07-14T14:49:23Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqstaness6k0nam99785feturwnhx0lvvnlzgdlcljnw5vuq66j330czyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62ah56np For years, planetary scientists studying Mars have wondered if streaks on crater walls and scarps might be from liquid water. A new study dries that claim up.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/water-on-mars-probably-doesnt-explain-these-weird-streaks/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/water-on-mars-probably-doesnt-explain-these-weird-streaks/</a> 2025-07-11T14:49:41Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqst3kk9vt9a9wdeqt8myvlysrnr0y7h9j0uxeshvtdeqjxrap9gl5szyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62e6emsw Something lost a bit in the amazing images released earlier: Vera Rubin Observatory is a steely-eyed asteroid hunter! It&#39;s already found thousands of new ones in just a few nights, and is predicted to find *3.7 MILLION* more.<br/><br/>THREE POINT SEVEN MILLION<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/vera-rubin-observatory-will-find-millions-of-asteroids-millions-513f">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/vera-rubin-observatory-will-find-millions-of-asteroids-millions-513f</a> 2025-06-26T14:46:32Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsweqs007gasrmzx7z3ezlsn6juyjqrenvfvjqkayj29efaac4wgsgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy620cvg5q I give you a momentary reprieve from the madness:<br/><br/>The Vera Rubin Observatory has taken its first images of the sky, and they are *extraordinary*. Mind blowing detail, jaw dropping beauty. <br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/rubin-opens-its-eye-and-what-it-sees-is-the-universe-8203">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/rubin-opens-its-eye-and-what-it-sees-is-the-universe-8203</a> 2025-06-24T14:29:41Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsra4phktnexlwllnw9vwdpzp0kww0gutdf9ydhwe7q2kl4et9v7fczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62nz5lx0 I can think of a LOT of places in the universe I&#39;d rather be than in the middle of a clump of nearly a dozen quasars blasting out planet-vaporizing amounts of energy. The question is, what are they doing there in the first place?<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-clump-of-quasars-really-defies-the-odds-ba8b">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-clump-of-quasars-really-defies-the-odds-ba8b</a> 2025-06-23T14:41:20Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs02upc3zrpf9afxupqzwya7nf8r9zq680ap82ttkjd5nqkhrj0rvgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62lp88rw You know that &#34;gravitational slingshot&#34; thing they always use in scifi movies and TV shows?<br/><br/>Yeah, that&#39;s real*. Here&#39;s how it works.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-a-gravitational-slingshot-work/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-a-gravitational-slingshot-work/</a><br/><br/>* though they usually get it wrong in movies and TV shows 2025-06-20T16:07:33Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsqvnhd73gq8cdmzf34k3shqge826d92f7kkuu3cy8pdvfs2lsqqqgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy6227shxw A city-sized sphere of neutrons with the mass of a star is doing weird stuff while plowing through the gas floating around the galaxy.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-pulsar-plucks-the-guitar-nebula-2d88">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-pulsar-plucks-the-guitar-nebula-2d88</a><br/><br/>This article is for paid subscribers, who literally make it possible for me to buy food and stay alive. 2025-06-19T15:46:14Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsp0a3n2d7cpfgf9zh2h0mxsv9w8vq2hqmcd7f9w6jrfvhhsgvqatszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62v7r28t Some thoughts on the #nokings protest, and the SPECTACULAR JWST shot of the iconic Sombrero Galaxy pulled a fast one on me.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/no-kings-protest-thoughts-the-spectacular-sombrero-galaxy-fools-me-again-3e79">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/no-kings-protest-thoughts-the-spectacular-sombrero-galaxy-fools-me-again-3e79</a> 2025-06-16T15:15:51Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqster3acr7k8q4slt2pqutje9zun4excg45cdsk5n3lye5vmjj3yjszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62xytr7x I know y&#39;all have other things on you&#39;re mind right now, but if you need a distraction I wrote about a very nearly complete census taken of all cosmic objects within 65 light-years of the Sun, and it&#39;s cool.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mapping-nearby-stars-could-solve-a-deep-cosmic-mystery/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mapping-nearby-stars-could-solve-a-deep-cosmic-mystery/</a> 2025-06-13T15:27:12Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsfxk8xelwnug8vn3j8yg7mz30krttdxcys3frvavru3q5ywag7jwszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62e7n4cm I am furious — incandescently furious — over the attacks on science by Trump and his regime, especially the actions of RFK Jr., which, *as history has plainly show us*, result in deaths upon deaths.<br/><br/>You want the receipts? I&#39;ve got the receipts.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/standing-up-for-science-ca09">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/standing-up-for-science-ca09</a> 2025-06-11T15:08:17Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqstlrllnhw339jlwz6ahaptjvk2h4ff8g2eu3x0tydr8tszjcne9nqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62j253mg My new conspiracy theory: Earth is indeed round, but its orbit is shaped like a bowling pin. <br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-analemma/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-analemma/</a> 2025-06-06T14:43:55Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2ee7q2jc0fy3ze03mj35tcec2zn4u8mxa5x5yhafktf5ny8acrzqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62mcx462 I am furiously, flamingly, incandescently, *supernova-levels* of angry right now.<br/><br/>Trump is trying to kill NASA science. And hoo boy, do I have something to say about it.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/trump-threatens-to-eviscerate-nasa-cb96">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/trump-threatens-to-eviscerate-nasa-cb96</a> 2025-06-02T15:32:12Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqstqzfjz8enx38aawg86h73rypjn8w8jp8vh6eyxj629ujlq2z5u2qzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62v5apf6 A supermassive black hole in another galaxy tore a star to shreds and spewed its guts all over space.<br/><br/>&lt;puts finger to earpiece&gt; We&#39;re getting reports of a second supermassive black hole<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-star-ripped-to-shreds-reveals-a-galaxy-s-second-black-hole">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-star-ripped-to-shreds-reveals-a-galaxy-s-second-black-hole</a> 2025-05-12T14:22:28Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8et59krzmx6meh5dvnmhpx2zuzmsclh264nse5ddzq9durr63jygzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62adkll8 Good news for a change: It looks like WR 104, the potential source of a mind-vaporizingly powerful gamma-ray burst death ray, is not pointed exactly at Earth. <br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/is-the-wr-104-system-pointing-a-gamma-ray-burst-at-earth-probably-not">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/is-the-wr-104-system-pointing-a-gamma-ray-burst-at-earth-probably-not</a> 2025-05-05T14:56:14Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsdnu3ku2kc4eyqkunfcp0dz46egst4u9gw0ccx2vdy95ahu2wjunszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62uxhrsj I dumped all things Meta. Zuck can kiss my ass.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/goodbye-meta-also-a-first-planetary-discovery-for-jwst">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/goodbye-meta-also-a-first-planetary-discovery-for-jwst</a><br/><br/>Also, paid subscribers can learn about a new planet discovered by accident in JWST observations! 2025-04-29T14:27:28Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs8my5th5whtgqtz7nhpw2gfsu58y8ay65nxtzcv2fewea5a2w3lzczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62qkgv53 I&#39;ve got an update on the exoplanet K2-18b, and it doesn&#39;t look good for the biosignatures. Also, I have opinions on how this has played out.<br/><br/>As an assuagement, a gorgeous galaxy for Hubble&#39;s 35th.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/update-was-anything-seen-from-k2-18b-also-a-gorgeous-galaxy-for-hubble-s-35th">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/update-was-anything-seen-from-k2-18b-also-a-gorgeous-galaxy-for-hubble-s-35th</a> 2025-04-28T15:41:20Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9c0248lk2uv829nnjl06gdx6vw7hv7mz7selq08na8j7r305qddqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62rmc46v Something very, very weird is going on over at Andromeda.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/more-cosmic-weirdness-what-s-going-on-with-the-andromeda-galaxy-s-satellites">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/more-cosmic-weirdness-what-s-going-on-with-the-andromeda-galaxy-s-satellites</a> 2025-04-14T14:33:56Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsgee3hcf390k0w73cktwg0aqg9uwelt2jcfl9xf4ankpwpy7zqlhgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62p4alex With everything looking down, why not look up for a moment?<br/><br/>This is, quite seriously, one of the most gorgeous astronomical images I have ever seen. And I&#39;ve seen a *lot*.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-utterly-gorgeous-cosmic-latte">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-utterly-gorgeous-cosmic-latte</a> 2025-04-07T14:46:36Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsyjfapshqg9txm8054c7sx88zwhu4zujwu7vzq4t446ntk64lhw9gzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62g0aph2 An extremely distant galaxy — we see it as it was just 330 million years after the Big Bang! — is blasting out ultraviolet radiation. That in itself isn&#39;t surprising, but the thing is, *we shouldn&#39;t be able to see it*.<br/><br/>How about some Monday science?<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-mind-crushingly-distant-galaxy-lights-up-the-universe-around-it">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-mind-crushingly-distant-galaxy-lights-up-the-universe-around-it</a> 2025-03-31T14:27:27Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqszqlwkzczslg5l2393p6dh4xxkzrz0jh6lt598z0su2p5qshfttcczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62etsh40 When was the first exoplanet discovered? You might read it was in 1992, but in fact the first evidence for the existence of alien worlds was found before then. Way before then.<br/><br/>Like, in *1917*.<br/><br/>I love this story.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-was-the-first-exoplanet-discovered/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-was-the-first-exoplanet-discovered/</a> 2025-03-28T15:04:23Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2r978y8rv7lzrs589he0w9d6t3tnqe0f7mcpujkmzvuc2zyqrdaczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62tg05mu The Universe is doing weird stuff again. If this pans out, and that looks likely, our understanding of the cosmos will have to fundamentally change. Again.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/is-the-universe-misbehaving-again">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/is-the-universe-misbehaving-again</a> 2025-03-24T14:37:52Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsqlwc5vex4tvmm6hm6wqsmzwttllre5dmg46kv2sxvz6stpdhz35gzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62g7v8st Sometimes, the most amazing photos from space are of objects close to home. <br/><br/>Or even *of* our home.<br/><br/>This is a lunar eclipse as seen from the Moon. That black disk? That&#39;s Earth. And the ring around it? Why, that&#39;s the magic.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/incredible-space-photo-the-lunar-eclipse-seen-from-the-moon">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/incredible-space-photo-the-lunar-eclipse-seen-from-the-moon</a> 2025-03-17T15:26:41Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsfzr7xmv5fy9u6nyd4w33y65503ume3g6uwjdhv42mt4ykdsk6phszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy626q3cl5 Astronomers have found a planet *as dense as lead*. Also, a new crater on Mars from an impact that occurred in 2021!<br/><br/>Both stories? Metal.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-exoplanet-that-s-twice-as-dense-as-earth-and-a-fresh-impact-crater-on-mars">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/an-exoplanet-that-s-twice-as-dense-as-earth-and-a-fresh-impact-crater-on-mars</a> 2025-03-04T16:04:29Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxk9yx09swxpmhfupq8vnprm5cgk0yx2j5452pdlkukdeapucnfrczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62neuf2w There may be tens of BILLIONS of small (10 - 100 meter) asteroids out in the main belt past Mars, but they&#39;re too small to be seen from with our telescopes… until now. Astronomers used JWST data in a unique way to find over 130 of them!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/hundreds-of-small-asteroids-found-in-the-main-belt-using-jwst">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/hundreds-of-small-asteroids-found-in-the-main-belt-using-jwst</a> 2025-03-03T16:04:23Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsvj0uegs2yxk69l3fcnjxndxtg0ucjlqpk3unthkq96dtwgswls0szyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62gjz45u IMPORTANT: Are you ready to Stand Up For Science?<br/><br/>I am, and here&#39;s what I have to say about it:<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/stand-up-for-science">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/stand-up-for-science</a> 2025-02-25T16:22:49Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsfmhx38h77vuht0qjg9lyudfnmllfjs6hf3zflaqt7tecdavynvlgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62fwsdn2 The odds of an impact from the asteroid 2024 YR4 just went up a teeny bit. That&#39;s expected, but the good news is we&#39;re getting JWST observations of it in a few weeks! That&#39;ll help nail down its size and maybe help with an impact prediction.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/jwst-to-observe-the-potentially-scary-asteroid-2024-yr4">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/jwst-to-observe-the-potentially-scary-asteroid-2024-yr4</a> 2025-02-18T15:51:58Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswejq9lk2m9hkej0h4tah4499hs8te7ncjqqlxdza0u22d9yh3ljqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62ulvnp4 Time for, well, not a distraction so much as a palate cleanser: a truly phenomenal shot from Hubble of a galaxy that is rippling like a pond that had a rock tossed in it… because that&#39;s what happened! Kinda.<br/><br/>And YES you want to grab the hi-res version.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/incredible-and-spectacular-hubble-image-of-a-galaxy-that-got-whacked-by-another-galaxy">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/incredible-and-spectacular-hubble-image-of-a-galaxy-that-got-whacked-by-another-galaxy</a> 2025-02-11T16:36:34Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsx2nlwykakgcu7tqdrhjavp73cj27uvzu6f8qh0dh8jdv8e4jt8qszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62x7n6f9 Trump and the GOP are in a full-out war against science.<br/><br/>I have a lot to say about that.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-attacks-on-science">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-attacks-on-science</a> 2025-02-10T16:02:37Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs2y7n8v3pyn6lrllmas0t9lauuq02zyy4yamhj784ggp77thgaxvgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62phfae5 With the small asteroid 2024 YR4 still on the risk list for Earth impact, I wrote an explainer on how we know what the orbits of these objects are in the first place, and why the chance of one hitting us changes over time.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-can-we-know-if-an-asteroid-will-hit-earth/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-can-we-know-if-an-asteroid-will-hit-earth/</a> 2025-02-07T15:36:27Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsq9yf3uewz5s478v3hh9zz98gz0ydzxkvfz6xutmh6g4ydsalppdszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62mr5vye Is Pluto a planet? How many planets do we have in our solar system then?<br/><br/>Turns out, *these are the wrong questions to ask*.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-many-planets-are-in-the-solar-system/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-many-planets-are-in-the-solar-system/</a> 2025-01-31T16:32:41Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsgsdfezs2ezxj5u8nt84qq9wx70w6pnxlcpzsakdcfua827y6jprczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62q7pm3e D O N &#39; T P A N I C<br/><br/>A decently big (50-meter) asteroid called 2024 YR4 has a 1.2% chance of hitting Earth in 2032. Here&#39;s what we know, and why I&#39;m not terribly worried about it.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/will-the-asteroid-2024-yr4-hit-earth-in-2032-probably-not">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/will-the-asteroid-2024-yr4-hit-earth-in-2032-probably-not</a> 2025-01-30T15:47:35Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9w07y9ahrltear3p3d57xhtmedcju6a493y3v04heef2zwghc0ygzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62hmaksr YES, YOU *DO* WANT TO SEE THE MIGHTY 11,000 X 8,000 PIXEL IMAGE OF THIS NEARBY CLUSTER FULL OF GALAXIES UNLESS HAVING YOUR BRAIN LEAP OUT OF YOUR SKULL IN WONDER IS SOMETHING YOU *DON&#39;T* WANT<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-antlia-galaxy-cluster-is-spectacular-but-which-galaxies-are-actually-in-it">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/the-antlia-galaxy-cluster-is-spectacular-but-which-galaxies-are-actually-in-it</a> 2025-01-13T16:54:18Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsqhtanp7r39v4d804czqqcc6ssz2nhmhgntzfu9nactcw80a98mgczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62fdwsyg Hi! I&#39;m a Libra! Except not really. But the zodiac is a real thing, even if it&#39;s not at all what astrologers claim it is.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-zodiac-and-what-does-it-mean-for-you/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-the-zodiac-and-what-does-it-mean-for-you/</a> 2025-01-03T16:03:22Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsgck4kkv620g7829dzmxfajvejesjr6ete7j2tytgsttwf7rfgz4szyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy625cxp0h 20 years ago today, a tiny neutron star reached halfway across the galaxy and slammed our planet with a gamma-ray hammer.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/an-earth-rocking-cosmic-explosion-turns-20/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/an-earth-rocking-cosmic-explosion-turns-20/</a> 2024-12-27T16:23:48Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsvyp6ye9dars2xg99zcl8tthtyeeremchwtavfvn43s32wzh5dhdqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62pal6gz Wanna get away from the news, or maybe family? Then how about taking a deep dive into a quasar with me? <br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/take-a-deep-dive-into-a-quasar-though-not-literally-that-would-be-bad">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/take-a-deep-dive-into-a-quasar-though-not-literally-that-would-be-bad</a> 2024-12-23T17:28:09Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsdcy6yp3cnwqs0a02446wmdtyfgfqvew24jdv0xewj5chm8s8enpczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62fv424f My book Under Alien Skies was just translated into Estonian! That&#39;s a 1st for me. You can get it at fine Estonian booksellers. Also? I really like this cover!<br/> <img src="https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/681/088/182/179/265/original/b9de161967f6da8f.jpg"> <br/> 2024-12-19T19:17:14Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxz27atuhr2ammr467c4rzqwnxylkxdx7tkgsugz50nnw8h45xwqszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62929l34 Portrait of a neglected Buddy who I&#39;ve only been scritching for 15 minutes straight but stopped for two seconds to scratch my own nose.<br/> <img src="https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/658/007/082/310/585/original/20733ba239e52404.jpg"> <br/> 2024-12-15T17:27:03Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsxr709aupsq29w06zjx2j849a9s6ncd2vddltkxhucrxj80czdlnszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy6203fz03 So let&#39;s say you spot a rogue black hole bearing down on Earth and bent on destroying us all. How do you tell other astronomers where to find it? Let&#39;s talk celestial coordinates!<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-astronomers-navigate-the-sky/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-astronomers-navigate-the-sky/</a> 2024-12-13T18:02:32Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsf2em6c7xfsz50mptg2f7laltqdncyy7sg5szdfq8r8qwyxv8gzlqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62xk7hx9 Aw, Universe, why do you have to be this way?<br/><br/>We&#39;ve been suspicious for a while that the expansion of the cosmos is doing weird stuff, and new results from JWST seem to confirm it.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/jwst-yup-the-universe-is-expanding-weirdly">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/jwst-yup-the-universe-is-expanding-weirdly</a> 2024-12-09T16:10:55Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsdc4nxsled9plazqlfwrexrc6qy93s9vxlwrfs5n9y47cdtkly0vszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy626aql7f I got to write in Scientific American about one of my all-time favorite cosmic objects: Barnard 68! It&#39;s like a hole in space, except… it isn&#39;t.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whats-inside-our-galaxys-darkest-place/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whats-inside-our-galaxys-darkest-place/</a> 2024-12-06T15:45:34Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsrmagr72u78mxlj7apt2s4tjq4yu33gaxtt492cpgrtgv3s32gppczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62608d78 So here&#39;s a new way black holes can literally shake the fabric of the universe. <br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-new-way-black-holes-shake-the-fabric-of-the-universe">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-new-way-black-holes-shake-the-fabric-of-the-universe</a> 2024-12-02T16:41:20Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsvh2dl5xq8gqf9j4wxxjdpuqtvd0ex35l5k6gxqzw94jlqv0tz5jgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62hse8g9 Sometimes, the simplest questions lead to the most profound of results.<br/><br/>For example, a child might ask, &#34;Why is the sky dark at night?&#34; Astronomers asked that for centuries, but it took a poet to answer it. And you&#39;ll never guess which one…<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-the-night-sky-dark-olbers/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-is-the-night-sky-dark-olbers/</a> 2024-11-22T16:31:56Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsfldfv6gh6vwd06f54spv2jwhkgevgxph68tt4y8a8deqvflqwdzgzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62lcmqhd What&#39;s the roundest human-made object ever made? One of Einstein&#39;s most bizarre predictions led to a pretty dang spherical ball bearing because of course it did.<br/><br/>[also, more on kicking Elon&#39;s Nazi bar to the curb]<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-is-the-roundest-human-made-object-also-i-nuked-my-twitter-account">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-is-the-roundest-human-made-object-also-i-nuked-my-twitter-account</a> 2024-11-18T19:46:19Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsdf6nnyef3yhl8np5u2fv66sgttj0we3hh44n2d3c0xw9wdp0z0lqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62wql78y Getting a good full moon shot with a phone is impossible. I just shot this, and it&#39;s too bright in a dark background. But! The light reflects inside the camera, creating a fainter ghost image. That has features you can see!<br/> <img src="https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/490/433/393/107/517/original/a5367e82cd77ed0b.jpg"> <br/> 2024-11-16T03:11:21Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9eyuvs96hm6swwwzzn3r8ry66tqtrq6mva08706fnpgt0gg5gjtqzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy6222kv7w WHEN WE FIND IT WE&#39;LL HAVE A BALL<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whats-the-roundest-object-in-the-universe/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/whats-the-roundest-object-in-the-universe/</a> 2024-11-15T16:07:10Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsv2ynp6pez0cjpx9eypt9w4tayn3mprhlkqdhqk9u78xl6ue7mylczyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy624wmreg This past week has taken a lot out of all of us<br/> <img src="https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/471/474/487/285/371/original/b7a95129a6755338.jpg"> <br/> 2024-11-12T18:49:28Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsrdd6ka2shme3vs40pr8tq4npy4jug8mm4j5qj0tusz04tzfcmy9gzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy6278lfut Happy New Year!!<br/><br/>If you&#39;re a Martian, that is. The ol&#39; calendar is flipping over from 37 to 38 next Tuesday, November 12!<br/><br/>So yeah, um… why 38 and why November 12?<br/><br/>Because astronomers, that&#39;s why.<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/happy-martian-new-year/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/happy-martian-new-year/</a> 2024-11-08T16:07:02Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqswj9zackeuh08d57cd4ergq6vvprqtvgp9rks738fxyvlfdseqe2gzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy620xh72r LOOK AT THIS NEW JWST IMAGE!<br/><br/>LOOK AT IT!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/mind-vaporizing-image-from-jwst-may-show-first-ever-brown-dwarfs-seen-in-another-galaxy">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/mind-vaporizing-image-from-jwst-may-show-first-ever-brown-dwarfs-seen-in-another-galaxy</a><br/><br/>Then click that link and READ ABOUT IT! Because it&#39;s even more awesome than you think. 2024-10-24T19:41:58Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsplc53vmj4cah5ate7tgft4rlf54lhvneg27ut6484sjfs20uk6qszyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy627j4jat Goodbye Earth, goodbye Moon.<br/><br/>I *love* photos of Earth taken from spacecraft on their way out to deep space, especially when you can see the Moon, too!<br/><br/>Read this for more, including a weird thermal shot:<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/earth-and-moon-from-space-from-hera">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/earth-and-moon-from-space-from-hera</a> 2024-10-21T14:56:22Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsde00k4fuv3u5vflhu3xga0fmnv4uqfvvgzcfl47ms94ptus62q2qzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy6268a8se C&#39;mon, T Coronae Borealis, you&#39;re starting to embarrass us!<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-will-this-exploding-star-blow-its-top/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/when-will-this-exploding-star-blow-its-top/</a> 2024-10-11T17:27:29Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqspqher33g27z0zurylycj0jqd67pxmz9q2n27k8y6ecncpsat294szyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62e9y886 HOLY HIGH-ENERGY SOLAR WIND PARTICLES! <br/><br/>I can see the aurora by eye! MY FIRST TIME EVER!!!<br/><br/>The bright star in the middle is Deneb. The glow shows up way better in photos. <br/><br/>Holy wow. Wow.<br/> <img src="https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/113/285/958/717/723/616/original/88bdff4587a6f3e7.jpg"> <br/> 2024-10-11T00:30:20Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsgwgphenty880g67ucg0k9an2tn9eq805ql0nelfe3ylwnv50qh0qzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62uwkwfr Big news! The closest single star to the Sun has a planet!<br/><br/>The galaxy must be *filled* with planets.<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-planet-for-barnard-s-star-this-time-for-real">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/a-planet-for-barnard-s-star-this-time-for-real</a> 2024-10-01T14:05:30Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs082ykmnd0kzyam62r6g82vmsu95mdfs4kz7e2chjk9csas94le4czyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62yt0nn3 As of yesterday afternoon, Earth has two natural moons!<br/><br/>Kinda! And not for long!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/earth-has-a-second-moon-sorta">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/earth-has-a-second-moon-sorta</a> 2024-09-30T15:13:10Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqs9s5jwyvfauyels8nsks94tcm2ej3r9zkc5pcpvj9vk5x63c7cs3czyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62c0rsc2 Heads up! A new comet is already bright enough to see naked eye and may be a show stopper in a couple of weeks!<br/><br/><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-be-the-brightest-of-the-year/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/will-comet-tsuchinshan-atlas-be-the-brightest-of-the-year/</a> 2024-09-27T15:09:21Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsp43ze3ltlta90ahz0ceac82m8mzfjx3sqceqlcmuha5sgx9whj6qzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62shnuan So let&#39;s say astronomers see a big ol&#39; asteroid heading right for Earth. What can we do?<br/><br/>DON&#39;T PANIC. I mean, first off.<br/><br/>Also: nuke it. Seriously. But not for the reason you think!<br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/nuking-an-asteroid-might-actually-work">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/nuking-an-asteroid-might-actually-work</a> 2024-09-24T14:48:09Z https://yabu.me/nevent1qqsz8rnp99yzwalfranxw648zvn8s50zulz9a44pnjr6fyjxm48ud3qzyrpwgudmhlfhvvkmdx0y5t98jd7xtxpwgxe93wy83ga265f2kmy62jd32j7 In the past, maps of solar eclipse paths assumed Earth and the Moon were spheres. But they&#39;re not! And when you take that into account, eclipses get a *whole* lot more complicated. <br/><br/><a href="https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/total-eclipses-from-the-imperfect-moon">https://badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/total-eclipses-from-the-imperfect-moon</a> 2024-09-23T15:12:51Z