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drnereide.bsky.social
Nereide
@drnereide.bsky.social
5.2K followers 74 following 3.5K posts
Physicist interested in Astrophysics and Particle Physics| Research in Math and Science Edu| Math and Science Writer| Teacher and Teacher Trainer| WomenInSTEM

My science blog: https://www.tutto-scienze.org/

More about me: https://x.com/settings/bio
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drnereide.bsky.social
Nereide @drnereide.bsky.social · 1d
It is thought that Jupiter's moon Europa contains a vast underground ocean, bigger than all Earth's oceans combined. For yrs, we've dreamed it might teem with life thanks to chemical energy from hot rocks. But a fresh study has weakened that idea.🔭

➡️ eeps.wustl.edu/news/jupiter...

🧪 #planetsci 1/6
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
It is thought that Jupiter's moon Europa contains a vast underground ocean, bigger than all Earth's oceans combined. For yrs, we've dreamed it might teem with life thanks to chemical energy from hot rocks. But a fresh study has weakened that idea.🔭

➡️ eeps.wustl.edu/news/jupiter...

🧪 #planetsci 1/6
January 9, 2026 at 3:04 PM
drnereide.bsky.social
It is thought that Jupiter's moon Europa contains a vast underground ocean, bigger than all Earth's oceans combined. For yrs, we've dreamed it might teem with life thanks to chemical energy from hot rocks. But a fresh study has weakened that idea.🔭

➡️ eeps.wustl.edu/news/jupiter...

🧪 #planetsci 1/6
January 9, 2026 at 3:04 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
On 7 January 1610, Galileo Galilei discovered three of Jupiter's four largest moons, known as Galilean moons (named Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto by the German astronomer Simon Marius in 1614).

Image by NASA/JPL/DLR

Public Domain

🔭 🧪 #histsci #science

1/6
"This 'family portrait,' a composite of the Jovian system, includes the edge of Jupiter with its Great Red Spot, and Jupiter's four largest moons, known as the Galilean satellites. From top to bottom, the moons shown are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto." Source: https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/family-portrait-of-jupiters-great-red-spot-and-the-galilean-satellites/
January 7, 2026 at 10:47 PM
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
On 7 January 1610, Galileo Galilei discovered three of Jupiter's four largest moons, known as Galilean moons (named Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto by the German astronomer Simon Marius in 1614).

Image by NASA/JPL/DLR

Public Domain

🔭 🧪 #histsci #science

1/6
"This 'family portrait,' a composite of the Jovian system, includes the edge of Jupiter with its Great Red Spot, and Jupiter's four largest moons, known as the Galilean satellites. From top to bottom, the moons shown are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto." Source: https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/family-portrait-of-jupiters-great-red-spot-and-the-galilean-satellites/
January 7, 2026 at 10:47 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
What a captivating thread!

Pretending to be outraged over a 1277 ban from the Bishop of Paris on the Principle of Reciprocity is refined nerd humor — while reminding us how defending the supremacy of faith over Aristotelian #philosophy once clashed with reason and academic freedom.

#histsci 1/2
johncarlosbaez.bsky.social John C. Baez @johncarlosbaez.bsky.social · 3d
I try to avoid talking about religion and politics here, but this time they've gone too far - I gotta say something.

The Bishop of Paris banned a list of 219 propositions, and number 68 goes too far: I must object.

(1/n)
January 7, 2026 at 2:01 PM
drnereide.bsky.social
What a captivating thread!

Pretending to be outraged over a 1277 ban from the Bishop of Paris on the Principle of Reciprocity is refined nerd humor — while reminding us how defending the supremacy of faith over Aristotelian #philosophy once clashed with reason and academic freedom.

#histsci 1/2
johncarlosbaez.bsky.social John C. Baez @johncarlosbaez.bsky.social · 3d
I try to avoid talking about religion and politics here, but this time they've gone too far - I gotta say something.

The Bishop of Paris banned a list of 219 propositions, and number 68 goes too far: I must object.

(1/n)
January 7, 2026 at 2:01 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
This bright image features the central region of the Omega Centauri globular cluster, where a research team, using more than 500 images from Hubble, found evidence of a rare intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) candidate.

Why do researchers think so?

➡️ science.nasa.gov/missions/hub...

🔭 🧪 1/7
This image, a collection of myriad stars colored red, white, and blue on the black background of space, shows the central region of the Omega Centauri globular cluster, where #Hubble found evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) candidate.
January 5, 2026 at 11:38 PM
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
This bright image features the central region of the Omega Centauri globular cluster, where a research team, using more than 500 images from Hubble, found evidence of a rare intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) candidate.

Why do researchers think so?

➡️ science.nasa.gov/missions/hub...

🔭 🧪 1/7
This image, a collection of myriad stars colored red, white, and blue on the black background of space, shows the central region of the Omega Centauri globular cluster, where #Hubble found evidence for an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) candidate.
January 5, 2026 at 11:38 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
In a 2025 study, Guanming Liang and Robert Caldwell of Dartmouth College propose a new theory for the origin of dark matter (DM).

➡️ home.dartmouth.edu/news/2025/05...

Graphic by Midjourney/Richard Clark

🔭 🧪 #cosmology #science

1/11
Graphic about a deep space view with a big galaxy front and center—kinda elliptical with spiral vibes—in dark blues, purples, and indigo. Bright yellow-orange core in the middle. Black background full of tiny light specks like distant galaxies or stars, giving that early Big Bang universe feel. Pretty abstract and mysterious overall.
January 5, 2026 at 12:01 AM
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
In a 2025 study, Guanming Liang and Robert Caldwell of Dartmouth College propose a new theory for the origin of dark matter (DM).

➡️ home.dartmouth.edu/news/2025/05...

Graphic by Midjourney/Richard Clark

🔭 🧪 #cosmology #science

1/11
Graphic about a deep space view with a big galaxy front and center—kinda elliptical with spiral vibes—in dark blues, purples, and indigo. Bright yellow-orange core in the middle. Black background full of tiny light specks like distant galaxies or stars, giving that early Big Bang universe feel. Pretty abstract and mysterious overall.
January 5, 2026 at 12:01 AM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
Two intriguing Saturn's moons: icy Rhea in front of the orb of potent Titan.

A splendid true-color view, taken by Cassini spacecraft on June 16, 2011.

➡️ photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA1...

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

🔭 🧪 #planetsci #science #space
The image shows Saturn's two moons, Titan and Rhea, apparently overlapping. In the foreground, Rhea, the smaller of the two, occupies the lower part of the image. It is spherical in appearance, with a grey, cratered surface. Titan is significantly larger. It has a distinctly different appearance: it is shrouded in a thick, opaque atmosphere that is reddish-orange in color, giving it a warm, uniform, almost hazy hue. The deep black background of space accentuates the contrast between the cool grey of Rhea and the warm orange of Titan that dominates the scene.
June 1, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
1/2 🧪 🔭 #planetsci
In the summer of 1989, Voyager 2 became the first spacecraft to observe Neptune, its final planetary target.

This spectacular pic shows Neptune and its largest moon, Triton, about 3 days after the flyby.

Source➡️ science.nasa.gov/image-detail...

Triton is smaller crescent and⤵️
This image features a dramatic view of the crescents of Neptune and its moon Triton. North is to the right.
December 12, 2024 at 11:29 AM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
Here is the Nebra sky disk, considered by some the oldest known illustration of the night sky.

The artifact was discovered near Nebra alongside several Bronze Age weapons and is linked to the Unetice culture, which thrived in parts of Europe...

➡️ apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap18031...

🔭 🧪 #histsci

1/4
A circular bronze disk, about 30 cm across, with a dark green patina from age. Gold leaf inlays form a night sky: scattered round dots represent stars, a tight cluster of seven marks the Pleiades, a full circle near the center is the Sun, and a thin crescent below it is the Moon. Two gold arcs curve along opposite edges, possibly horizons or solstice markers; a third arc at the bottom may indicate a boat or river. The surface shows faint hammer marks and corrosion.
November 11, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Reposted by Nereide
davidho.bsky.social
If a king is going to drag us into war, he should be on the frontline fighting.
January 3, 2026 at 11:17 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
This pic from Mike Selby and Mark Hanson is as pretty as a painting, but it's absolutely real.

It shows a blue reflection nebula known as NGC 2626, which lies some 3200 light-years from Earth along the Vela Molecular Ridge.

➡️ apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap23020...

🔭 🧪 #science

1/3
Admire this stunning shot from a telescope showing a bright patch of blue glow right in the middle—that's NGC 2626, lit up by a young star buried inside it. Dark dusty streaks cut across like veins, hiding parts behind them. Nearby, you get these soft red areas where hydrogen gas is shining from a big zone called RCW 27. All of it sits in a busy part of space full of clouds where new stars are born, way out in the Vela area, with little stars twinkling far off in the dark.
January 3, 2026 at 12:14 AM
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
This pic from Mike Selby and Mark Hanson is as pretty as a painting, but it's absolutely real.

It shows a blue reflection nebula known as NGC 2626, which lies some 3200 light-years from Earth along the Vela Molecular Ridge.

➡️ apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap23020...

🔭 🧪 #science

1/3
Admire this stunning shot from a telescope showing a bright patch of blue glow right in the middle—that's NGC 2626, lit up by a young star buried inside it. Dark dusty streaks cut across like veins, hiding parts behind them. Nearby, you get these soft red areas where hydrogen gas is shining from a big zone called RCW 27. All of it sits in a busy part of space full of clouds where new stars are born, way out in the Vela area, with little stars twinkling far off in the dark.
January 3, 2026 at 12:14 AM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
Fireworks over, then this beauty: Jupiter's bands, the fading Great Red Spot, and little Europa as a distant dot.

Stunning detail—this is a wonderful start to 2026.

🔭 🧪 #science #planetsci #HappyNewYear
stim3on.bsky.social Simeon Schmauß @stim3on.bsky.social · 8d
Last night I set up my telescope so we could all watch the planets while waiting for the new year to arrive.

After the fireworks had subsided, I attached my camera and captured my first astrophoto of the year featuring Jupiter and its moon Europa. #astrophotography

Happy New Year everyone!
The planet Jupiter with its many bands of clouds spanning around it. The Great Red Spot is visible on the right side of the planet, about to rotate out of view. To the left of the planet is a bright dot, which is the moon Europa.
January 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM
drnereide.bsky.social
Fireworks over, then this beauty: Jupiter's bands, the fading Great Red Spot, and little Europa as a distant dot.

Stunning detail—this is a wonderful start to 2026.

🔭 🧪 #science #planetsci #HappyNewYear
stim3on.bsky.social Simeon Schmauß @stim3on.bsky.social · 8d
Last night I set up my telescope so we could all watch the planets while waiting for the new year to arrive.

After the fireworks had subsided, I attached my camera and captured my first astrophoto of the year featuring Jupiter and its moon Europa. #astrophotography

Happy New Year everyone!
The planet Jupiter with its many bands of clouds spanning around it. The Great Red Spot is visible on the right side of the planet, about to rotate out of view. To the left of the planet is a bright dot, which is the moon Europa.
January 2, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”
~Carl Sagan~

Every #NewYear reminds us that we are part of the cosmic cycle of birth and transformation.

#HappyNewYear everybody

🔭 🧪 #universe 1/2
A vibrant, face-on view of the Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946), a beautiful spiral galaxy located in the constellation Cepheus.The image shows a colorful cosmic portrait with a yellowish core dominated by older stars, transitioning to loose and fragmented spiral arms featuring bright blue clusters of young stars and vivid reddish-pink star-forming regions glowing like bursts of fireworks against the dark backdrop of star-studded space.
December 31, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by Nereide
johncarlosbaez.bsky.social
Happy New Year!

Last year was so bad that I decided that what people need from me most is not more warnings, but a bit of happiness.

Like this design for a stained glass window by @gregegansf.bsky.social, based on a 4-dimensional lattice (see alt text).

You could build it with a few parts!
A quasiperiodic design built from two shapes: isosceles triangles with 36° - 72° - 72° angles, and isosceles triangles with 36° - 36° - 108° angles. The latter look transparent and you can see a blue sky behind them. The former are pink. These were created by Greg Egan's applet https://www.gregegan.net/APPLETS/31/31.html setting n = 4. This creates tilings are known as “Tübingen triangular tilings”, based on the Aₙ lattice. The n-dimensional lattice Aₙ consists of (n+1)-tuples of integers that sum to zero; it's a lattice in the hyperplane consisting of (n+1)-tuples of real numbers that sum to zero. Taking n = 4 we get the A₄ lattice. Spheres centered at points of this lattice give the densest packing of spheres in 4-dimensional space! For more details see: https://www.gregegan.net/APPLETS/12/deBruijnNotes.html
January 1, 2026 at 11:57 AM
drnereide.bsky.social
“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.”
~Carl Sagan~

Every #NewYear reminds us that we are part of the cosmic cycle of birth and transformation.

#HappyNewYear everybody

🔭 🧪 #universe 1/2
A vibrant, face-on view of the Fireworks Galaxy (NGC 6946), a beautiful spiral galaxy located in the constellation Cepheus.The image shows a colorful cosmic portrait with a yellowish core dominated by older stars, transitioning to loose and fragmented spiral arms featuring bright blue clusters of young stars and vivid reddish-pink star-forming regions glowing like bursts of fireworks against the dark backdrop of star-studded space.
December 31, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
This JWST's view of the Red Spider Nebula (NGC 6537) is spectacular!

It's about a planetary nebula i.e. the remnants of a Sun-like star shedding its outer layers, ionizing the ejected gas.

Webb's NIRCam reveals hot dust & stunning details amid stars.

➡️ esawebb.org/images/potm2...

🔭 🧪 1/6
"A large planetary nebula. The nebula’s central star is hidden by a blotchy pinkish cloud of dust. A strong red light radiates from this area, illuminating the nearby dust. Two large loops extend diagonally away from the centre, formed of thin ridges of molecular gas, here coloured blue. They stretch out to the corners of the view. A huge number of bright, whitish stars cover the background, also easily visible through the thin dust layers."
December 30, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
The Boomerang Nebula, with a temperature of 1 degree Kelvin, is the coldest natural place known in the Universe, colder than the cosmic microwave background (about 2.73 Kelvin), which is the faint afterglow of the Big Bang.

➡️ public.nrao.edu/news/alma-re...

🔭 🧪 #cosmology #science
The image of the Boomerang Nebula, observed with the ALMA telescope, reveals a complex and ghostly shape, combining unique visual details with a more intricate structure than previous observations. The nebula has a shape that, in its inner regions, resembles an hourglass or a double lobe, with two symmetrical areas extending in opposite directions from a narrow center. These inner regions are dominated by shades of hazy blue, giving them a cool and ethereal appearance, due to the starlight reflecting off the dust grains. Visually superimposed on the central part of this hourglass is a ghostly shape, described as "eerily ghost-like", which manifests itself in a vivid bright orange-red. This central, apparition-like structure contrasts sharply with the surrounding blue, creating a striking visual effect, as if a bright, hot core is pulsating inside a cooler shell. The ALMA observations, however, reveal that the classic double-lobe shape, previously observed by the #Hubble Space Telescope, is only part of the story. The outer regions of the nebula expand into a larger shape, with less sharp edges and a more uniform distribution of gaseous material. These outer areas gradually fade into darker, more transparent hues, merging with the black background of space. A dense band of dust, visible as a duller, darker area, surrounds the central star, contributing to the hourglass effect in visible light: the starlight filters through only in two opposite directions, accentuating the contrast between the illuminated and shadowed regions. Overall, the image evokes a sense of dynamism, with the orange-red ghostly shape at the center appearing to float within the blue hourglass structure, while the nebula expands outward into a large gaseous halo, creating a contrast between the sharpness of the nucleus and the softness of the outer edges.
June 17, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Reposted by Nereide
drnereide.bsky.social
#OTD in 1906, the pioneering physicist Maria Goeppert-Mayer was born.

She entered history as the nuclear shell model theorist &
as the 2nd woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics, after Marie Curie.

M. G. Mayer and J. H. D. Jensen shared one half of the Nobel Prize

⚛️ 🧪 #WomenInStem #HistSci
1/2
Black and white portrait of Maria Goeppert- Mayer, sitting. She is wearing a patterned dress and has short hair, her gaze is directed upward. Behind her, and in the background, there is a black board full of graphic symbols.
June 28, 2025 at 12:33 PM
drnereide.bsky.social
🧵
This JWST's view of the Red Spider Nebula (NGC 6537) is spectacular!

It's about a planetary nebula i.e. the remnants of a Sun-like star shedding its outer layers, ionizing the ejected gas.

Webb's NIRCam reveals hot dust & stunning details amid stars.

➡️ esawebb.org/images/potm2...

🔭 🧪 1/6
"A large planetary nebula. The nebula’s central star is hidden by a blotchy pinkish cloud of dust. A strong red light radiates from this area, illuminating the nearby dust. Two large loops extend diagonally away from the centre, formed of thin ridges of molecular gas, here coloured blue. They stretch out to the corners of the view. A huge number of bright, whitish stars cover the background, also easily visible through the thin dust layers."
December 30, 2025 at 6:17 PM