Heidi B. Hammel
@hbhammel.bsky.social
planetary astronomer | nearly famous | jwst interdisciplinary scientist | looks just like an ordinary mom | oboist (thoughts expressed here are my own)
Metatron approved of the subject matter, but felt that the timing infringed on his feeding schedule
January 3, 2026 at 2:19 AM
Metatron approved of the subject matter, but felt that the timing infringed on his feeding schedule
no cheating, repost with the most recent pic of your pet(s)
January 2, 2026 at 3:30 AM
no cheating, repost with the most recent pic of your pet(s)
This morning I saw a news clip about the increasing flu epidemic, and noticed they only interviewed “former CDC officials” on how to protect yourself and others. For which I guess I am grateful?
As vaccination has become a political hot potato, the already patchwork of counties & schools meeting herd immunity standards has fallen further.
Maps + an interactive to lookup your local schools in this blockbuster w/ @laurenweberhp.bsky.social & @caitlingilbert.bsky.social
wapo.st/49zDc43
Maps + an interactive to lookup your local schools in this blockbuster w/ @laurenweberhp.bsky.social & @caitlingilbert.bsky.social
wapo.st/49zDc43
December 31, 2025 at 4:57 PM
This morning I saw a news clip about the increasing flu epidemic, and noticed they only interviewed “former CDC officials” on how to protect yourself and others. For which I guess I am grateful?
Stop.
Read the post below.
Do what it says.
Look at Earth - our home world - from the surface of Mars.
You are a terranaut on that fragile planet.
This moment brought to you courtesy of NASA Science.
Read the post below.
Do what it says.
Look at Earth - our home world - from the surface of Mars.
You are a terranaut on that fragile planet.
This moment brought to you courtesy of NASA Science.
Open up this picture fully.
Then look at the surface of Mars.
Then look up to the top right.
Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.
Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.
That's Earth.
Then look at the surface of Mars.
Then look up to the top right.
Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.
Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.
That's Earth.
December 31, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Stop.
Read the post below.
Do what it says.
Look at Earth - our home world - from the surface of Mars.
You are a terranaut on that fragile planet.
This moment brought to you courtesy of NASA Science.
Read the post below.
Do what it says.
Look at Earth - our home world - from the surface of Mars.
You are a terranaut on that fragile planet.
This moment brought to you courtesy of NASA Science.
Jupiter in the infrared imaged by the Gemini North 8m telescope
This week’s image is of Jupiter! Since this image comes from Gemini North NIRI, which has a field of view of 22x22”, a mosaic of multiple images was used to obtain this stunning portrait peering into Jupiter’s cloud-forming region. Check out a few paper highlights in the thread! #Astronomy
December 28, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Jupiter in the infrared imaged by the Gemini North 8m telescope
Finished my Catmas Chaos puzzle with Bea’s help
December 26, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Finished my Catmas Chaos puzzle with Bea’s help
You know what to do
Final of ✨ #planetaryScience image of 2025 ✨ is here:
Uranus vs. Earth
or
outer vs. inner Solar System
🗳️ The vote link is 3 posts down. Voting ends on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 3 p.m. UTC/4 p.m. CET/10 a.m. EST/7 a.m. PST/midnight JST. 🧪⚛️
Uranus vs. Earth
or
outer vs. inner Solar System
🗳️ The vote link is 3 posts down. Voting ends on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at 3 p.m. UTC/4 p.m. CET/10 a.m. EST/7 a.m. PST/midnight JST. 🧪⚛️
December 26, 2025 at 5:50 PM
You know what to do
Happy Fourth Launchiversary, JWST! And thanks to Richard Panek for this lovely mini review of JWST science… time.com/7342406/jame...
The James Webb Space Telescope Has Transformed How We See Space
Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, the history of our solar system is coming into focus.
time.com
December 25, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Happy Fourth Launchiversary, JWST! And thanks to Richard Panek for this lovely mini review of JWST science… time.com/7342406/jame...
Happy holidays all!
This year's gingerbread is the Vera Rubin Observatory! @vrubinobs.bsky.social
December 25, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Happy holidays all!
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
The sky above Rubin is giving some serious festive-season glitter vibes ✨
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's dome is coated with aluminum, which reflects sunlight during the day and cools off slowly at night. This prevents thermal turbulence near the telescope, keeping images crisp. 🔭🧪
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's dome is coated with aluminum, which reflects sunlight during the day and cools off slowly at night. This prevents thermal turbulence near the telescope, keeping images crisp. 🔭🧪
December 23, 2025 at 4:10 PM
The sky above Rubin is giving some serious festive-season glitter vibes ✨
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's dome is coated with aluminum, which reflects sunlight during the day and cools off slowly at night. This prevents thermal turbulence near the telescope, keeping images crisp. 🔭🧪
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's dome is coated with aluminum, which reflects sunlight during the day and cools off slowly at night. This prevents thermal turbulence near the telescope, keeping images crisp. 🔭🧪
👇🏻 this
Every trans person--including every trans child--deserves the chance to be fully themselves. I'm so sick of seeing trans folks harmed repeatedly and unrelentingly, against all reason and scientific precedent. To my trans friends--I'm so sorry the world keeps trying to dim your light.
December 18, 2025 at 7:05 PM
👇🏻 this
Europa Clipper observations of comet #I/ATLAS released - Clipper had a unique vantage point to study the comet's tails
Europa Clipper has observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with its ultraviolet spectrograph instrument! News here:
www.swri.org/newsroom/pre...
www.swri.org/newsroom/pre...
December 18, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Europa Clipper observations of comet #I/ATLAS released - Clipper had a unique vantage point to study the comet's tails
Should be a great talk!
Join my amazing colleague Stefanie Milam later today (9pm UK) for a discussion of Solar System #planetsci from #JWST.
www.youtube.com/live/BgrD1bd...
www.youtube.com/live/BgrD1bd...
Planets, Asteroids, and Interstellar Interlopers, OH MY! Revealing the Solar System with JWST
YouTube video by Space Telescope Science Institute
www.youtube.com
December 17, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Should be a great talk!
Yesterday’s official opening of the new “Windows on the Universe” outreach center on Kitt Peak near Tucson AZ noirlab.edu/public/news/...
December 17, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Yesterday’s official opening of the new “Windows on the Universe” outreach center on Kitt Peak near Tucson AZ noirlab.edu/public/news/...
HiRISE is an amazing camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) that has been mapping the surface of Mars since MRO arrived at Mars in 2006! That's two decades and 100,000 images of stunning views of the Red Planet.
Celebrating the 100,000th image taken by the HiRISE camera!
www.nasa.gov/missions/mar...
www.nasa.gov/missions/mar...
One of NASA’s Key Cameras Orbiting Mars Takes 100,000th Image - NASA
Mesas and dunes stand out in the view snapped by HiRISE, one of the imagers aboard the agency’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.
www.nasa.gov
December 16, 2025 at 4:41 PM
HiRISE is an amazing camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) that has been mapping the surface of Mars since MRO arrived at Mars in 2006! That's two decades and 100,000 images of stunning views of the Red Planet.
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
You've heard of elf on a shelf. Now get ready for... 🔭
December 11, 2025 at 11:01 PM
You've heard of elf on a shelf. Now get ready for... 🔭
New results from the International Gemini Observatory 🔭 on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, in which it continues to do fun cometary things! The new spectrum confirms 3I/ATLAS is actively emitting CN, C3, and C2 gases, plus a visible dust fan. www.astronomerstelegram.org?read=17503
December 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
New results from the International Gemini Observatory 🔭 on interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, in which it continues to do fun cometary things! The new spectrum confirms 3I/ATLAS is actively emitting CN, C3, and C2 gases, plus a visible dust fan. www.astronomerstelegram.org?read=17503
Amazing 3-D effect in this JWST image of the tip of HH 49/50. The dusty tip of this nearby "cosmic tornado" is so thin that it allows a more distant spiral galaxy to shine through (science.nasa.gov/asset/webb/h...) More info in this Sci-Am story: www.scientificamerican.com/article/cosm...
December 9, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Amazing 3-D effect in this JWST image of the tip of HH 49/50. The dusty tip of this nearby "cosmic tornado" is so thin that it allows a more distant spiral galaxy to shine through (science.nasa.gov/asset/webb/h...) More info in this Sci-Am story: www.scientificamerican.com/article/cosm...
As an astronomer I get asked a lot what kind of telescope 🔭 so-and-so should get for themselves or their [spouse/kid/etc]. I’m clueless. I use BIG telescopes and have never purchased one in my life. But @philplait.bsky.social knows! Thx, Phil! badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/ban-275-te...
BAN #275: Telescope buying advice, Book: It’s Alive, Dial-A-Moon 2021
30 November 2020 Issue #271
badastronomy.beehiiv.com
December 7, 2025 at 10:09 PM
As an astronomer I get asked a lot what kind of telescope 🔭 so-and-so should get for themselves or their [spouse/kid/etc]. I’m clueless. I use BIG telescopes and have never purchased one in my life. But @philplait.bsky.social knows! Thx, Phil! badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/ban-275-te...
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
A “Dressbarn” in Muncie, Indiana had been named the inaugural winner of the FIFA “Most Super Glamorous Parisian Haute Couture” award.
December 5, 2025 at 7:55 PM
A “Dressbarn” in Muncie, Indiana had been named the inaugural winner of the FIFA “Most Super Glamorous Parisian Haute Couture” award.
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Bad framing: ACIP voted to scrap the universal hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for newborns.
Accurate framing: Anti-vax conspiracy theorists appointed to ACIP by Robert Kennedy Jr., who made a fortune as an anti-vax profiteer, voted to expose babies to a preventable, incurable, deadly illness.
Accurate framing: Anti-vax conspiracy theorists appointed to ACIP by Robert Kennedy Jr., who made a fortune as an anti-vax profiteer, voted to expose babies to a preventable, incurable, deadly illness.
December 5, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Bad framing: ACIP voted to scrap the universal hepatitis B vaccine recommendation for newborns.
Accurate framing: Anti-vax conspiracy theorists appointed to ACIP by Robert Kennedy Jr., who made a fortune as an anti-vax profiteer, voted to expose babies to a preventable, incurable, deadly illness.
Accurate framing: Anti-vax conspiracy theorists appointed to ACIP by Robert Kennedy Jr., who made a fortune as an anti-vax profiteer, voted to expose babies to a preventable, incurable, deadly illness.
Fun. I think this makes it a total of 12 main-belt comets . . .
Newly-discovered main-belt comet
Not related to the guy who used to appear with Johnny Carson afaik.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ama...
Not related to the guy who used to appear with Johnny Carson afaik.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ama...
December 5, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Fun. I think this makes it a total of 12 main-belt comets . . .
Today’s “CDC” apparently stands for Center for Disease Continuity. Sad. I miss the old CDC that used fact-based evidence to try to control disease and protect helpless newborns from entirely preventable illness.
December 5, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Today’s “CDC” apparently stands for Center for Disease Continuity. Sad. I miss the old CDC that used fact-based evidence to try to control disease and protect helpless newborns from entirely preventable illness.
This is great news that Roman Space Telescope 🚀🔭 is functionally completed! Still some testing, and then Roman will move the Kennedy to be mated with the launch vehicle. Roman is a wide-field Hubble - exciting!
NASA has completed the construction of #NASARoman! Last month, technicians joined the inner and outer portions of the observatory in Maryland.
After final testing, Roman will move to the launch site at the Kennedy Space Center for launch preparations in summer 2026: https://go.nasa.gov/48EqnE8 🔭 🧪
After final testing, Roman will move to the launch site at the Kennedy Space Center for launch preparations in summer 2026: https://go.nasa.gov/48EqnE8 🔭 🧪
December 4, 2025 at 8:21 PM
This is great news that Roman Space Telescope 🚀🔭 is functionally completed! Still some testing, and then Roman will move the Kennedy to be mated with the launch vehicle. Roman is a wide-field Hubble - exciting!