Corey S. Powell
@coreyspowell.bsky.social
Fascinated by things very big, very small, and beyond the limits of the human senses. Founder of OpenMind: www.openmindmag.org Creator of the Invisible Universe column: https://invisibleuniverse.substack.com/
Pinned
Corey S. Powell
@coreyspowell.bsky.social
· Nov 15
In honor of all the new arrivals, I'm sharing one of my favorite videos.
It shows 24 hours of Earth's rotation, with the camera locked to the sky instead of the ground. We're all hanging out on this spinning rock.
Brilliant work by Bartosz Wojczyński. 🧪
artuniverse.eu/gallery/1907...
It shows 24 hours of Earth's rotation, with the camera locked to the sky instead of the ground. We're all hanging out on this spinning rock.
Brilliant work by Bartosz Wojczyński. 🧪
artuniverse.eu/gallery/1907...
Eclipse preview for 2026.
Two lunar eclipses are on the way, along with a partial solar eclipse for much of Europe & North America.
And if you really like solar eclipses, you might want to relocate to Spain for the next couple years. 🧪🔭
Two lunar eclipses are on the way, along with a partial solar eclipse for much of Europe & North America.
And if you really like solar eclipses, you might want to relocate to Spain for the next couple years. 🧪🔭
2026 is a great year for eclipses. The 1st eclipse season starts with a remote annular solar eclipse on February 17th, spanning the Antarctic.
December 28, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Eclipse preview for 2026.
Two lunar eclipses are on the way, along with a partial solar eclipse for much of Europe & North America.
And if you really like solar eclipses, you might want to relocate to Spain for the next couple years. 🧪🔭
Two lunar eclipses are on the way, along with a partial solar eclipse for much of Europe & North America.
And if you really like solar eclipses, you might want to relocate to Spain for the next couple years. 🧪🔭
The visible universe contains about a trillion galaxies, in a dizzying variety of styles.
The blue scatter at bottom is Leo P, a nearby dwarf just one-millionth the mass of our Milky Way. It's almost pure hydrogen & helium, much like the galaxies of long ago. 🧪🔭
www.stsci.edu/contents/new...
The blue scatter at bottom is Leo P, a nearby dwarf just one-millionth the mass of our Milky Way. It's almost pure hydrogen & helium, much like the galaxies of long ago. 🧪🔭
www.stsci.edu/contents/new...
December 27, 2025 at 3:42 AM
The visible universe contains about a trillion galaxies, in a dizzying variety of styles.
The blue scatter at bottom is Leo P, a nearby dwarf just one-millionth the mass of our Milky Way. It's almost pure hydrogen & helium, much like the galaxies of long ago. 🧪🔭
www.stsci.edu/contents/new...
The blue scatter at bottom is Leo P, a nearby dwarf just one-millionth the mass of our Milky Way. It's almost pure hydrogen & helium, much like the galaxies of long ago. 🧪🔭
www.stsci.edu/contents/new...
Reposted by Corey S. Powell
Did you know that a #rainbow makes a full 360 degree circle?
In this photo, an entire rainbow was captured over Cottesloe Beach near Perth by a helicopter.
From the ground, typically, only the top portion...⤵️
➡️ apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap14093...
🔭 🧪 ⚛️ #science #naturephotography #sciart
1/4
In this photo, an entire rainbow was captured over Cottesloe Beach near Perth by a helicopter.
From the ground, typically, only the top portion...⤵️
➡️ apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap14093...
🔭 🧪 ⚛️ #science #naturephotography #sciart
1/4
December 26, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Did you know that a #rainbow makes a full 360 degree circle?
In this photo, an entire rainbow was captured over Cottesloe Beach near Perth by a helicopter.
From the ground, typically, only the top portion...⤵️
➡️ apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap14093...
🔭 🧪 ⚛️ #science #naturephotography #sciart
1/4
In this photo, an entire rainbow was captured over Cottesloe Beach near Perth by a helicopter.
From the ground, typically, only the top portion...⤵️
➡️ apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap14093...
🔭 🧪 ⚛️ #science #naturephotography #sciart
1/4
Looking for a good science book to give as a gift, or a good science read for yourself?
Check out this 2025 reading list from the editors at American Scientist (including me). Not trying to be a formal a best-of--just books that we all enjoyed. 🧪🔭
www.americanscientist.org/blog/science...
Check out this 2025 reading list from the editors at American Scientist (including me). Not trying to be a formal a best-of--just books that we all enjoyed. 🧪🔭
www.americanscientist.org/blog/science...
December 26, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Looking for a good science book to give as a gift, or a good science read for yourself?
Check out this 2025 reading list from the editors at American Scientist (including me). Not trying to be a formal a best-of--just books that we all enjoyed. 🧪🔭
www.americanscientist.org/blog/science...
Check out this 2025 reading list from the editors at American Scientist (including me). Not trying to be a formal a best-of--just books that we all enjoyed. 🧪🔭
www.americanscientist.org/blog/science...
Three ways of looking at the iconic Christmas Tree Cluster, 2700 light years from Earth.
What the universe looks like depends on how we look at it. These views highlight infrared (left), x-rays (middle), and red emission from hydrogen gas. Beautiful in three different ways. 🧪🔭
What the universe looks like depends on how we look at it. These views highlight infrared (left), x-rays (middle), and red emission from hydrogen gas. Beautiful in three different ways. 🧪🔭
December 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Three ways of looking at the iconic Christmas Tree Cluster, 2700 light years from Earth.
What the universe looks like depends on how we look at it. These views highlight infrared (left), x-rays (middle), and red emission from hydrogen gas. Beautiful in three different ways. 🧪🔭
What the universe looks like depends on how we look at it. These views highlight infrared (left), x-rays (middle), and red emission from hydrogen gas. Beautiful in three different ways. 🧪🔭
Today I saw the glory.
I photographed the beautiful, delicate optical phenomenon while flying near Nashville. 🧪
www.atoptics.org.uk/droplets/glo...
I photographed the beautiful, delicate optical phenomenon while flying near Nashville. 🧪
www.atoptics.org.uk/droplets/glo...
December 25, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Today I saw the glory.
I photographed the beautiful, delicate optical phenomenon while flying near Nashville. 🧪
www.atoptics.org.uk/droplets/glo...
I photographed the beautiful, delicate optical phenomenon while flying near Nashville. 🧪
www.atoptics.org.uk/droplets/glo...
People tend to take the Moon for granted, but it can be a source of constant wonder.
It shaped life on Earth, it helped validate Einstein's general relativity, and it still flashes with constant meteor strikes. My latest Invisible Universe column: 🧪🔭
invisibleuniverse.substack.com/p/its-strang...
It shaped life on Earth, it helped validate Einstein's general relativity, and it still flashes with constant meteor strikes. My latest Invisible Universe column: 🧪🔭
invisibleuniverse.substack.com/p/its-strang...
December 24, 2025 at 6:38 PM
People tend to take the Moon for granted, but it can be a source of constant wonder.
It shaped life on Earth, it helped validate Einstein's general relativity, and it still flashes with constant meteor strikes. My latest Invisible Universe column: 🧪🔭
invisibleuniverse.substack.com/p/its-strang...
It shaped life on Earth, it helped validate Einstein's general relativity, and it still flashes with constant meteor strikes. My latest Invisible Universe column: 🧪🔭
invisibleuniverse.substack.com/p/its-strang...
"What is the point of space travel?"
Folks out there have questions. I have answers (or some strong thoughts, at least). 🧪
www.quora.com/What-is-the-...
Folks out there have questions. I have answers (or some strong thoughts, at least). 🧪
www.quora.com/What-is-the-...
December 23, 2025 at 7:32 PM
"What is the point of space travel?"
Folks out there have questions. I have answers (or some strong thoughts, at least). 🧪
www.quora.com/What-is-the-...
Folks out there have questions. I have answers (or some strong thoughts, at least). 🧪
www.quora.com/What-is-the-...
Many stars shine. Some explode. And, in very rare cases, a star can HALF-explode.
The nebula Pa 30 is the result of a half-exploded star. Its zombie corpse keeps energizing it, creating a firework shape that closely resembles a high-altitude nuclear explosion (right). 🧪🔭
arxiv.org/abs/2512.03140
The nebula Pa 30 is the result of a half-exploded star. Its zombie corpse keeps energizing it, creating a firework shape that closely resembles a high-altitude nuclear explosion (right). 🧪🔭
arxiv.org/abs/2512.03140
December 23, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Many stars shine. Some explode. And, in very rare cases, a star can HALF-explode.
The nebula Pa 30 is the result of a half-exploded star. Its zombie corpse keeps energizing it, creating a firework shape that closely resembles a high-altitude nuclear explosion (right). 🧪🔭
arxiv.org/abs/2512.03140
The nebula Pa 30 is the result of a half-exploded star. Its zombie corpse keeps energizing it, creating a firework shape that closely resembles a high-altitude nuclear explosion (right). 🧪🔭
arxiv.org/abs/2512.03140
Reposted by Corey S. Powell
Radio engineer, amateur astronomer, and Chicagoan Grote Reber was born #OTD in 1911.
After reading about Karl Jansky’s accidental discovery of galactic radio emissions, he built a 9m radio telescope *in his back yard* and carried out the first radio survey of the sky. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭 📡
Image: NRAO
After reading about Karl Jansky’s accidental discovery of galactic radio emissions, he built a 9m radio telescope *in his back yard* and carried out the first radio survey of the sky. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭 📡
Image: NRAO
December 22, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Radio engineer, amateur astronomer, and Chicagoan Grote Reber was born #OTD in 1911.
After reading about Karl Jansky’s accidental discovery of galactic radio emissions, he built a 9m radio telescope *in his back yard* and carried out the first radio survey of the sky. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭 📡
Image: NRAO
After reading about Karl Jansky’s accidental discovery of galactic radio emissions, he built a 9m radio telescope *in his back yard* and carried out the first radio survey of the sky. 🧪 ⚛️ 🔭 📡
Image: NRAO
Phobos hovering over the giant volcanoes of Mars! Fabulous view from ESA's Mars Express orbiters.
Phobos is the 25 km (15 mile) wide flying grey rock at center. The volcanoes are (l-r) Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons. Processing by Andrea Luck. 🧪🔭
www.flickr.com/photos/19227...
Phobos is the 25 km (15 mile) wide flying grey rock at center. The volcanoes are (l-r) Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons. Processing by Andrea Luck. 🧪🔭
www.flickr.com/photos/19227...
December 22, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Phobos hovering over the giant volcanoes of Mars! Fabulous view from ESA's Mars Express orbiters.
Phobos is the 25 km (15 mile) wide flying grey rock at center. The volcanoes are (l-r) Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons. Processing by Andrea Luck. 🧪🔭
www.flickr.com/photos/19227...
Phobos is the 25 km (15 mile) wide flying grey rock at center. The volcanoes are (l-r) Arsia Mons, Pavonis Mons, and Ascraeus Mons. Processing by Andrea Luck. 🧪🔭
www.flickr.com/photos/19227...
There are now four flying saucers circling the Earth.
They arrived on Thursday, when a NASA-funded program launched these experimental DiskSats. They have a versatile, standardized form that could simplify a wide variety of science & tech missions. (Illo below) 🧪
aerospace.org/kickstage/su...
They arrived on Thursday, when a NASA-funded program launched these experimental DiskSats. They have a versatile, standardized form that could simplify a wide variety of science & tech missions. (Illo below) 🧪
aerospace.org/kickstage/su...
December 21, 2025 at 3:16 PM
There are now four flying saucers circling the Earth.
They arrived on Thursday, when a NASA-funded program launched these experimental DiskSats. They have a versatile, standardized form that could simplify a wide variety of science & tech missions. (Illo below) 🧪
aerospace.org/kickstage/su...
They arrived on Thursday, when a NASA-funded program launched these experimental DiskSats. They have a versatile, standardized form that could simplify a wide variety of science & tech missions. (Illo below) 🧪
aerospace.org/kickstage/su...
Asteroid collisions spotted around another star!
Twice over the past two decades, the Hubble telescope saw new dust clouds around the star Fomalhaut. They're probably places where large rocks crashed into each other in a young, forming planetary system. 🧪🔭
news.berkeley.edu/2025/12/18/a...
Twice over the past two decades, the Hubble telescope saw new dust clouds around the star Fomalhaut. They're probably places where large rocks crashed into each other in a young, forming planetary system. 🧪🔭
news.berkeley.edu/2025/12/18/a...
December 20, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Asteroid collisions spotted around another star!
Twice over the past two decades, the Hubble telescope saw new dust clouds around the star Fomalhaut. They're probably places where large rocks crashed into each other in a young, forming planetary system. 🧪🔭
news.berkeley.edu/2025/12/18/a...
Twice over the past two decades, the Hubble telescope saw new dust clouds around the star Fomalhaut. They're probably places where large rocks crashed into each other in a young, forming planetary system. 🧪🔭
news.berkeley.edu/2025/12/18/a...
Wow! Not only can we see the disks where planets are being born around young stars, now we can sense the pull of the worlds taking shape within.
Blue ovals show orbits of 31 newfound stellar companions. Bottom right: a simulation of our solar system at the same age. 🔭🧪
www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Blue ovals show orbits of 31 newfound stellar companions. Bottom right: a simulation of our solar system at the same age. 🔭🧪
www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
December 18, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Wow! Not only can we see the disks where planets are being born around young stars, now we can sense the pull of the worlds taking shape within.
Blue ovals show orbits of 31 newfound stellar companions. Bottom right: a simulation of our solar system at the same age. 🔭🧪
www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Blue ovals show orbits of 31 newfound stellar companions. Bottom right: a simulation of our solar system at the same age. 🔭🧪
www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Some plants generate their own heat to attract warmth-seeking pollinators. Heat-guided pollination may be an ancient trick that predates scent & color as a way to help plants reproduce.
Amazing what you see when you look at the world in thermal vision. 🧪
news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
Amazing what you see when you look at the world in thermal vision. 🧪
news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
December 18, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Some plants generate their own heat to attract warmth-seeking pollinators. Heat-guided pollination may be an ancient trick that predates scent & color as a way to help plants reproduce.
Amazing what you see when you look at the world in thermal vision. 🧪
news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
Amazing what you see when you look at the world in thermal vision. 🧪
news.harvard.edu/gazette/stor...
Reposted by Corey S. Powell
“This is a shocking betrayal that tears out the core of American scientific prominence," said Pamitha Weerasinghe of @usacompetes.bsky.social.
To help #SaveNCAR, read our update below & visit this page, where you can find email & call scripts to share with your reps.
agu.quorum.us/campaign/151...
“This is a shocking betrayal that tears out the core of American scientific prominence," said Pamitha Weerasinghe of @usacompetes.bsky.social.
To help #SaveNCAR, read our update below & visit this page, where you can find email & call scripts to share with your reps.
agu.quorum.us/campaign/151...
December 18, 2025 at 3:37 PM
“This is a shocking betrayal that tears out the core of American scientific prominence," said Pamitha Weerasinghe of @usacompetes.bsky.social.
To help #SaveNCAR, read our update below & visit this page, where you can find email & call scripts to share with your reps.
agu.quorum.us/campaign/151...
“This is a shocking betrayal that tears out the core of American scientific prominence," said Pamitha Weerasinghe of @usacompetes.bsky.social.
To help #SaveNCAR, read our update below & visit this page, where you can find email & call scripts to share with your reps.
agu.quorum.us/campaign/151...
What's causing these weird blue flashes in the sky?
A new study suggests an extreme explanation: The most recent flash probably came from a giant star, 10x the mass of the Sun, being completely consumed by a black hole in just a few days. Ulp. 🧪🔭
noirlab.edu/public/news/...
A new study suggests an extreme explanation: The most recent flash probably came from a giant star, 10x the mass of the Sun, being completely consumed by a black hole in just a few days. Ulp. 🧪🔭
noirlab.edu/public/news/...
December 16, 2025 at 9:05 PM
What's causing these weird blue flashes in the sky?
A new study suggests an extreme explanation: The most recent flash probably came from a giant star, 10x the mass of the Sun, being completely consumed by a black hole in just a few days. Ulp. 🧪🔭
noirlab.edu/public/news/...
A new study suggests an extreme explanation: The most recent flash probably came from a giant star, 10x the mass of the Sun, being completely consumed by a black hole in just a few days. Ulp. 🧪🔭
noirlab.edu/public/news/...
The universe is constantly remaking itself. Here, for the first time, we clearly see how exploding stars fill space with the element potassium.
Some of that potassium ended up in you, where it enables your heartbeat & signaling between your cells. 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/missions/xri...
Some of that potassium ended up in you, where it enables your heartbeat & signaling between your cells. 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/missions/xri...
December 16, 2025 at 1:37 PM
The universe is constantly remaking itself. Here, for the first time, we clearly see how exploding stars fill space with the element potassium.
Some of that potassium ended up in you, where it enables your heartbeat & signaling between your cells. 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/missions/xri...
Some of that potassium ended up in you, where it enables your heartbeat & signaling between your cells. 🧪🔭
science.nasa.gov/missions/xri...
I could use some light in this darkness right now, so I thought I'd share a gorgeous image from JWST.
This cosmic butterfly is a star being born. New planets are forming within the vertical dark line. Galaxies shine through the scene from the far distance. 🧪🔭
esawebb.org/images/potm2...
This cosmic butterfly is a star being born. New planets are forming within the vertical dark line. Galaxies shine through the scene from the far distance. 🧪🔭
esawebb.org/images/potm2...
December 15, 2025 at 3:57 PM
I could use some light in this darkness right now, so I thought I'd share a gorgeous image from JWST.
This cosmic butterfly is a star being born. New planets are forming within the vertical dark line. Galaxies shine through the scene from the far distance. 🧪🔭
esawebb.org/images/potm2...
This cosmic butterfly is a star being born. New planets are forming within the vertical dark line. Galaxies shine through the scene from the far distance. 🧪🔭
esawebb.org/images/potm2...
Reposted by Corey S. Powell
The number of active satellites in orbit has now passed the 14000 mark according to my estimates:
December 15, 2025 at 1:22 PM
The number of active satellites in orbit has now passed the 14000 mark according to my estimates:
New images of interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS are coming in!
This one, from the Gemini North observatory, was taken a couple weeks ago but just released today. The green glow is probably due to emission from diatomic carbon. 🧪🔭
noirlab.edu/public/news/...
This one, from the Gemini North observatory, was taken a couple weeks ago but just released today. The green glow is probably due to emission from diatomic carbon. 🧪🔭
noirlab.edu/public/news/...
December 12, 2025 at 8:08 PM
New images of interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS are coming in!
This one, from the Gemini North observatory, was taken a couple weeks ago but just released today. The green glow is probably due to emission from diatomic carbon. 🧪🔭
noirlab.edu/public/news/...
This one, from the Gemini North observatory, was taken a couple weeks ago but just released today. The green glow is probably due to emission from diatomic carbon. 🧪🔭
noirlab.edu/public/news/...
New results are in from the huge, underground LZ experiment: We really, really, really have not found dark matter.
LZ is so sensitive that it can see neutrinos! But still no sign of the hypothetical WIMP dark matter it was designed to detect. 🔭🧪
sanfordlab.org/news/lz-sets...
LZ is so sensitive that it can see neutrinos! But still no sign of the hypothetical WIMP dark matter it was designed to detect. 🔭🧪
sanfordlab.org/news/lz-sets...
December 12, 2025 at 5:25 PM
New results are in from the huge, underground LZ experiment: We really, really, really have not found dark matter.
LZ is so sensitive that it can see neutrinos! But still no sign of the hypothetical WIMP dark matter it was designed to detect. 🔭🧪
sanfordlab.org/news/lz-sets...
LZ is so sensitive that it can see neutrinos! But still no sign of the hypothetical WIMP dark matter it was designed to detect. 🔭🧪
sanfordlab.org/news/lz-sets...
And on humanity's visionary side:
Not only can we see neutrinos, we can now measure their spectrum. In essence, we can see neutrinos in *color* and start to track down the cosmic sources that create them. 🔭🧪
www.science.org/content/arti...
Not only can we see neutrinos, we can now measure their spectrum. In essence, we can see neutrinos in *color* and start to track down the cosmic sources that create them. 🔭🧪
www.science.org/content/arti...
December 10, 2025 at 1:35 PM
And on humanity's visionary side:
Not only can we see neutrinos, we can now measure their spectrum. In essence, we can see neutrinos in *color* and start to track down the cosmic sources that create them. 🔭🧪
www.science.org/content/arti...
Not only can we see neutrinos, we can now measure their spectrum. In essence, we can see neutrinos in *color* and start to track down the cosmic sources that create them. 🔭🧪
www.science.org/content/arti...
One of NASA's new PUNCH satellites got smacked by a micrometeorite. You can see bits of debris flying off at bottom left!
Fortunately, PUNCH is OK, continuing to monitor storms on the Sun. (The colors here indicate polarization of light in the Sun's corona.) 🧪🔭
punch.space.swri.edu/punch_news.p...
Fortunately, PUNCH is OK, continuing to monitor storms on the Sun. (The colors here indicate polarization of light in the Sun's corona.) 🧪🔭
punch.space.swri.edu/punch_news.p...
December 8, 2025 at 1:59 PM
One of NASA's new PUNCH satellites got smacked by a micrometeorite. You can see bits of debris flying off at bottom left!
Fortunately, PUNCH is OK, continuing to monitor storms on the Sun. (The colors here indicate polarization of light in the Sun's corona.) 🧪🔭
punch.space.swri.edu/punch_news.p...
Fortunately, PUNCH is OK, continuing to monitor storms on the Sun. (The colors here indicate polarization of light in the Sun's corona.) 🧪🔭
punch.space.swri.edu/punch_news.p...
It's funny to read headlines (left) that we may have just "seen" dark matter. I covered similar claims, based on similar data from the same space telescope...in 2014 (right).
Now, as then: interesting observation, but weak evidence of a dark matter signal. 🧪🔭
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
Now, as then: interesting observation, but weak evidence of a dark matter signal. 🧪🔭
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
December 8, 2025 at 6:36 AM
It's funny to read headlines (left) that we may have just "seen" dark matter. I covered similar claims, based on similar data from the same space telescope...in 2014 (right).
Now, as then: interesting observation, but weak evidence of a dark matter signal. 🧪🔭
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
Now, as then: interesting observation, but weak evidence of a dark matter signal. 🧪🔭
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...