Karen Masters
@karenlmasters.bsky.social
Prof. of Astronomy and Physics, Haverford College. PI of Galaxy Zoo. Radio astronomer. Check out my latest book “The Astronomers Library” about books, libraries and astronomy - three of my favourite things. Brit/US.
Reposted by Karen Masters
A hell of a resumé
November 9, 2025 at 11:50 AM
A hell of a resumé
Observatory getting ready for a (cloudy) open evening. Still fun thay we can turn off the nearest street lights.
November 8, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Observatory getting ready for a (cloudy) open evening. Still fun thay we can turn off the nearest street lights.
Any spider fans know what this is (other than some kind of egg sac?). It’s very sticky. On the underside of our sky brightness monitor.
November 8, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Any spider fans know what this is (other than some kind of egg sac?). It’s very sticky. On the underside of our sky brightness monitor.
My local food bank got so many donations this week they are asking for no more food (just help sorting it out) until they are through the backlog. We shouldn’t need this but it warms my heart it happened.
November 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM
My local food bank got so many donations this week they are asking for no more food (just help sorting it out) until they are through the backlog. We shouldn’t need this but it warms my heart it happened.
Reposted by Karen Masters
Sloan Digital Sky Survey image of Arp 13, also known as NGC 7448.
NGC 7448 has a disk of tightly wound, clumpy, and particularly bright spiral arms.
Credit: SDSS
Source
NGC 7448 has a disk of tightly wound, clumpy, and particularly bright spiral arms.
Credit: SDSS
Source
November 7, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Sloan Digital Sky Survey image of Arp 13, also known as NGC 7448.
NGC 7448 has a disk of tightly wound, clumpy, and particularly bright spiral arms.
Credit: SDSS
Source
NGC 7448 has a disk of tightly wound, clumpy, and particularly bright spiral arms.
Credit: SDSS
Source
Reposted by Karen Masters
I always find it interesting how the story changes when a lawyer gets to court. They can say anything they want outside of court without accountability but the rules are vastly different in court where you can get seriously penalized for lying.
November 6, 2025 at 7:28 PM
I always find it interesting how the story changes when a lawyer gets to court. They can say anything they want outside of court without accountability but the rules are vastly different in court where you can get seriously penalized for lying.
Reposted by Karen Masters
In light of today’s discourse, a reminder:
Women have always worked. The big shift from feminism was women getting access to all types of workplaces with an expectation of equal compensation.
When they say they want to kick us out of the workplace, they actually mean they want us to work for free.
Women have always worked. The big shift from feminism was women getting access to all types of workplaces with an expectation of equal compensation.
When they say they want to kick us out of the workplace, they actually mean they want us to work for free.
November 6, 2025 at 4:31 PM
In light of today’s discourse, a reminder:
Women have always worked. The big shift from feminism was women getting access to all types of workplaces with an expectation of equal compensation.
When they say they want to kick us out of the workplace, they actually mean they want us to work for free.
Women have always worked. The big shift from feminism was women getting access to all types of workplaces with an expectation of equal compensation.
When they say they want to kick us out of the workplace, they actually mean they want us to work for free.
Reposted by Karen Masters
When people talk about the excesses of MeToo, they have to lie, because the reality is that there was no massive social reckoning forcing people to believe survivors or hold perpetrators accountable. In fact, there has been a significant backsliding and new punishments in rejection of MeToo
November 6, 2025 at 4:33 PM
When people talk about the excesses of MeToo, they have to lie, because the reality is that there was no massive social reckoning forcing people to believe survivors or hold perpetrators accountable. In fact, there has been a significant backsliding and new punishments in rejection of MeToo
Reposted by Karen Masters
November 5, 2025 at 11:09 PM
It’s Guy Fawkes Day - the strangest British celebration to explain to non-British folks. 🔥🍎🎇
Remember remember the 5th of November...
But you'll be ok if you don't remember your hat or scarf tonight as it will be mild, breezy and mostly dry 🎆
Though some spells of rain in the north 🌧️
But you'll be ok if you don't remember your hat or scarf tonight as it will be mild, breezy and mostly dry 🎆
Though some spells of rain in the north 🌧️
November 5, 2025 at 12:03 PM
It’s Guy Fawkes Day - the strangest British celebration to explain to non-British folks. 🔥🍎🎇
Reposted by Karen Masters
My art shop has a collection of my original animal art.
Good news for buyers in the USA, your art will be sent duty paid, and art is exempt from the tariffs!
folksy.com/find/shop/th...
#AnimalArt #OriginalArt #Drawing #Painting #Artwork #GiftIdeas #SupportSmallBusiness #ChristmasGifts #bsnm
Good news for buyers in the USA, your art will be sent duty paid, and art is exempt from the tariffs!
folksy.com/find/shop/th...
#AnimalArt #OriginalArt #Drawing #Painting #Artwork #GiftIdeas #SupportSmallBusiness #ChristmasGifts #bsnm
November 5, 2025 at 12:01 PM
My art shop has a collection of my original animal art.
Good news for buyers in the USA, your art will be sent duty paid, and art is exempt from the tariffs!
folksy.com/find/shop/th...
#AnimalArt #OriginalArt #Drawing #Painting #Artwork #GiftIdeas #SupportSmallBusiness #ChristmasGifts #bsnm
Good news for buyers in the USA, your art will be sent duty paid, and art is exempt from the tariffs!
folksy.com/find/shop/th...
#AnimalArt #OriginalArt #Drawing #Painting #Artwork #GiftIdeas #SupportSmallBusiness #ChristmasGifts #bsnm
Reposted by Karen Masters
Yes, but could we please use some term other than “soft skills”? Both “non-technical” and “professional” are more descriptive.
How can a physics graduate get a job outside of academia? To understand what companies look for when hiring, Physics Today's Alex Lopatka recently spoke to scientists in the private sector. The big takeaway: soft skills like communication are often just as important as technical skills. #physics
Landing a job in the private sector
Technical knowledge and skills are only some of the considerations that managers have when hiring physical scientists. Soft skills, in particular communication, are also high on the list.
physicstoday.aip.org
November 5, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Yes, but could we please use some term other than “soft skills”? Both “non-technical” and “professional” are more descriptive.
Some of the students I met at Louisville last year worked at UPS at night (and college in the day). I hope everyone is ok.
A UPS plane carrying three people aboard crashed shortly after takeoff from the airport in Louisville, causing a large fire that sent a plume of smoke high into the sky, officials said.
Read more: bit.ly/4onvajJ
Read more: bit.ly/4onvajJ
November 5, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Some of the students I met at Louisville last year worked at UPS at night (and college in the day). I hope everyone is ok.
Reposted by Karen Masters
The @herts.ac.uk astronomy MSc and PhD applications are open.
I'm offering PhD projects on JWST spectroscopy of young stars in Tr 14 and star-cluster formation.
I'm also offering an MSc project on variability of YSOs.
www.herts.ac.uk/research/cen...
#galactic #stellarastro #astro #Physics
I'm offering PhD projects on JWST spectroscopy of young stars in Tr 14 and star-cluster formation.
I'm also offering an MSc project on variability of YSOs.
www.herts.ac.uk/research/cen...
#galactic #stellarastro #astro #Physics
Solar, Stellar and Time-domain Astrophysics
Star formation and Stellar Evolution PhD Projects.
herts.ac.uk
November 4, 2025 at 4:36 PM
The @herts.ac.uk astronomy MSc and PhD applications are open.
I'm offering PhD projects on JWST spectroscopy of young stars in Tr 14 and star-cluster formation.
I'm also offering an MSc project on variability of YSOs.
www.herts.ac.uk/research/cen...
#galactic #stellarastro #astro #Physics
I'm offering PhD projects on JWST spectroscopy of young stars in Tr 14 and star-cluster formation.
I'm also offering an MSc project on variability of YSOs.
www.herts.ac.uk/research/cen...
#galactic #stellarastro #astro #Physics
Mostly local stuff in PA, but I also voted in PA Supreme Court retention decision. I voted by mail. What’s your plan to vote fellow Americans?
a red and blue button that says i voted on it
Alt: a red and blue button that says i voted on it
media.tenor.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Mostly local stuff in PA, but I also voted in PA Supreme Court retention decision. I voted by mail. What’s your plan to vote fellow Americans?
Back from taking students on educational trip to @greenbankobservatory.org.web.brid.gy - and was excited to catch GBT while it was observing MaNGA @sdssurveys.bsky.social galaxies for me! 🔭👩🔬🧪🎢
November 4, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Back from taking students on educational trip to @greenbankobservatory.org.web.brid.gy - and was excited to catch GBT while it was observing MaNGA @sdssurveys.bsky.social galaxies for me! 🔭👩🔬🧪🎢
Reposted by Karen Masters
This a million times. Denial never really changes, just shifts to update its language with new discoveries and new terminology. We see the same with evolution and HIV denial. Plus, people were sick of antivaxxers even in the late 1800s.
November 4, 2025 at 11:48 AM
This a million times. Denial never really changes, just shifts to update its language with new discoveries and new terminology. We see the same with evolution and HIV denial. Plus, people were sick of antivaxxers even in the late 1800s.
Reposted by Karen Masters
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
November 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
Reposted by Karen Masters
The USDA has more than $5 billion in emergency funds available to cover SNAP benefits but is refusing to spend them during the government shutdown. It's the first time in the history of the program that the federal government has refused to spend those funds
SNAP benefit freeze will leave millions nationwide struggling to pay for food – including 472,711 people in Philadelphia
Starting Nov. 1, 2025, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will stop being distributed in Pennsylvania due to the federal government shutdown, which began Oct. 1.
buff.ly
October 30, 2025 at 10:48 AM
The USDA has more than $5 billion in emergency funds available to cover SNAP benefits but is refusing to spend them during the government shutdown. It's the first time in the history of the program that the federal government has refused to spend those funds
Poor Kevin Masters - gets absolutely none of the emails about his kids's athletics team, and I can't figure out how to respond to tell them to remove me and actually add Kevin....
October 29, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Poor Kevin Masters - gets absolutely none of the emails about his kids's athletics team, and I can't figure out how to respond to tell them to remove me and actually add Kevin....
Excellent Halloween display found this morning in the @haverfordcollege.bsky.social Astronomy Library. Skeleton is reading Stellar Structure by Chandrasekhar of course! :) 🔭🧪🎃
October 29, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Excellent Halloween display found this morning in the @haverfordcollege.bsky.social Astronomy Library. Skeleton is reading Stellar Structure by Chandrasekhar of course! :) 🔭🧪🎃
Reposted by Karen Masters
The NY Times and WaPo may be lost causes but holy shite look at PEOPLE out here absolutely killing it with 100% unvarnished truths 🌟
October 28, 2025 at 1:09 AM
The NY Times and WaPo may be lost causes but holy shite look at PEOPLE out here absolutely killing it with 100% unvarnished truths 🌟
Reposted by Karen Masters
Python was awarded a funding grant, funding grant asked Python foundation to remove all diversity and inclusion initiatives they have.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Please read our statement, share it with your networks, and support us if you can. www.python.org/sponsors/app... psfmember.org/civicrm/cont...
October 27, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Python was awarded a funding grant, funding grant asked Python foundation to remove all diversity and inclusion initiatives they have.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Python foundation said no and rejected the grant.
If you use Python, send a few dollars to the charity to keep it going. I’m pushing a dono on behalf of ScamGuard.
Reposted by Karen Masters
A little bit of fun trivia ... the old Australian $50 note, also features Murriyang, the CSIRO Parkes radio telescope, and the first pulsar it observed.
You can see The Dish in the centre and the pulses on the left hand side of the note.
You can see The Dish in the centre and the pulses on the left hand side of the note.
October 23, 2025 at 9:38 AM
A little bit of fun trivia ... the old Australian $50 note, also features Murriyang, the CSIRO Parkes radio telescope, and the first pulsar it observed.
You can see The Dish in the centre and the pulses on the left hand side of the note.
You can see The Dish in the centre and the pulses on the left hand side of the note.
Reposted by Karen Masters
Finally caught some shots of Comet Lemmon
(iPhone 16 pro)
(iPhone 16 pro)
October 28, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Finally caught some shots of Comet Lemmon
(iPhone 16 pro)
(iPhone 16 pro)