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)
👀
Gas giants are dead!
Long live ice giants!
(at a bus stop in Edinburgh)
@jjfplanet.bsky.social @markmarley.bsky.social
Long live ice giants!
(at a bus stop in Edinburgh)
@jjfplanet.bsky.social @markmarley.bsky.social
January 20, 2026 at 1:49 AM
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Charlemagne “assists” in the making of the valentines door wreath
January 20, 2026 at 1:48 AM
Charlemagne “assists” in the making of the valentines door wreath
Let’s give a big #caturday welcome to young Charlemagne! Metatron finds him acceptable as long as Charlemagne respects Met’s personal space.
January 17, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Let’s give a big #caturday welcome to young Charlemagne! Metatron finds him acceptable as long as Charlemagne respects Met’s personal space.
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
If you are in Seattle, please go patronize this store because this is amazing content/promo 😂 (laughing to keep from crying, and I do kind of low-key want that orange spider plant I have never seen that before)
Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DTQrTqZ...
Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DTQrTqZ...
January 17, 2026 at 1:33 AM
If you are in Seattle, please go patronize this store because this is amazing content/promo 😂 (laughing to keep from crying, and I do kind of low-key want that orange spider plant I have never seen that before)
Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DTQrTqZ...
Source: www.instagram.com/reel/DTQrTqZ...
👀
Looks like the nasa AGs are no more science.nasa.gov/planetary-sc...
Letter from the NASA Planetary Science Director: the Future of the Planetary Science Analysis and Assessment Groups (AGs) - NASA Science
A Letter from the NASA Planetary Science Director, Dr. Louise M. Prockter: the Future of the Planetary Science Analysis and Assessment Groups (AGs)
science.nasa.gov
January 16, 2026 at 10:46 PM
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One more heartbreak to process 💔 - fare thee well, Bobby
Bob Weir, guitarist, singer and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died at age 78. Weir’s death was announced Saturday in a statement on his Instagram page.
Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir dies at 78
Bob Weir, guitarist, singer and founding member of the Grateful Dead, has died at age 78. Weir’s death was announced Saturday in a statement on his Instagram page.
bit.ly
January 11, 2026 at 1:22 AM
One more heartbreak to process 💔 - fare thee well, Bobby
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
HIRING: The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore is searching for a Office of Public Outreach Division Head. The person would lead the science communication and public outreach activities for the Institute.
Apply today or share this post with your network: https://bit.ly/4qeUTMt
Apply today or share this post with your network: https://bit.ly/4qeUTMt
January 9, 2026 at 7:50 PM
HIRING: The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore is searching for a Office of Public Outreach Division Head. The person would lead the science communication and public outreach activities for the Institute.
Apply today or share this post with your network: https://bit.ly/4qeUTMt
Apply today or share this post with your network: https://bit.ly/4qeUTMt
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
January 9, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Kenneth Chang @kchang.bsky.social @ NYT reviews the new telescope 🔭 system being pursued under the patronage of the Schmidt Sciences team, with some closing thoughts by me . . . www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/s...
Google’s Former C.E.O. Wants to Build a Cosmic Search Engine
www.nytimes.com
January 9, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Kenneth Chang @kchang.bsky.social @ NYT reviews the new telescope 🔭 system being pursued under the patronage of the Schmidt Sciences team, with some closing thoughts by me . . . www.nytimes.com/2026/01/09/s...
The interior of Uranus may be even weirder than you thought… 😉 www6.slac.stanford.edu/news/2026-01...
This exotic form of ice just got weirder
Researchers find evidence of coexisting atomic stacking patterns in superionic water.
www6.slac.stanford.edu
January 9, 2026 at 1:32 AM
The interior of Uranus may be even weirder than you thought… 😉 www6.slac.stanford.edu/news/2026-01...
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
STScI astronomer Kailash Sahu will receive the 2026 Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize from the American Astronomical Society. He was recognized for his work using microlensing to detect isolated black holes and measure the masses of stars: https://news.stsci.edu/4poB18k #AAS247
January 8, 2026 at 3:20 PM
STScI astronomer Kailash Sahu will receive the 2026 Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize from the American Astronomical Society. He was recognized for his work using microlensing to detect isolated black holes and measure the masses of stars: https://news.stsci.edu/4poB18k #AAS247
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: Funded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt and launching as soon as 2029, the Lazuli Space Observatory would be bigger than Hubble and the first-ever full-scale private space telescope. By @nadiadrake.bsky.social.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/schm...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/schm...
Lazuli, a Billionaire-Funded Private Space Telescope, Signals a New Strategy for Astronomy
Bigger than Hubble and launching as soon as 2029, the Lazuli Space Observatory would be the first-ever full-scale private space telescope
www.scientificamerican.com
January 7, 2026 at 10:30 PM
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: Funded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt and launching as soon as 2029, the Lazuli Space Observatory would be bigger than Hubble and the first-ever full-scale private space telescope. By @nadiadrake.bsky.social.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/schm...
www.scientificamerican.com/article/schm...
Stoked for HWO! 🚀 🔭 🪐
“The Habitable Worlds Observatory is exactly the kind of bold, forward-leaning science that only NASA can undertake...” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman...
🔭✨🧪🧵☄️
#exoplanets
#extragalactic
🔭✨🧪🧵☄️
#exoplanets
#extragalactic
NASA Selects Tech Proposals to Advance Search-for-Life Mission - NASA
NASA announced Monday the selection of industry proposals to advance technologies for the agency’s Habitable Worlds Observatory concept – the first mission
www.nasa.gov
January 7, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Stoked for HWO! 🚀 🔭 🪐
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
ok who gave The Onion my phd thesis
NASA Discovers Distant Planet With Conditions That Could Sustain Rocks https://theonion.com/nasa-discovers-distant-planet-with-conditions-that-could-sustain-rocks/
January 6, 2026 at 9:33 PM
ok who gave The Onion my phd thesis
Reposted by Heidi B. Hammel
Great opportunity at @stsci.edu to lead the Institute's Public Outreach division. Based in Baltimore, and STScI supports hybrid work. Details here: recruiting2.ultipro.com/SPA1004AURA/... 🔭
recruiting2.ultipro.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Great opportunity at @stsci.edu to lead the Institute's Public Outreach division. Based in Baltimore, and STScI supports hybrid work. Details here: recruiting2.ultipro.com/SPA1004AURA/... 🔭
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. 🔭🧪