Dr. Kelley Hess
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khesser.bsky.social
Dr. Kelley Hess
@khesser.bsky.social
Astronomer/Senior Researcher at Onsala Space Observatory/Chalmers University, Sweden; ultra runner, adventure racer, cyclist. Ironman WC 2012, 2014. Xterra World Champs 2014.
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What’s up new followers. Welcome to Bluesky! Tonight we had another amazing sunset at the Onsala Space Observatory (note the deer 🦌 !). I often tweet about telescopes and galaxies, with some running, bikes, and legos thrown in. I reskeet cool science, women’s sports, and other stuff.
Woohoo! 🎉 Congrats to Barbara Šiljeg on having her most recent paper accepted, and for successfully defending her PhD @rug.nl this week! The lesson here is that one needs to resolve HI single-dish detections in order to properly ID their optical counterparts and to constrain their kinematics. 🔭 🧪 📡
Not so-dark: High resolution HI imaging of J0139+4328 and identification of an optical counterpart. Barbara Šiljeg et. al. https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.12513
January 22, 2026 at 3:16 PM
I need at least 3 more folk to sign up for my Edinburgh Adult Education Programme archaeology classes at Craigentinny, or the course will be cancelled. If you know anyone who might be interested, please let them know. Thank you!

adulteducationedinburgh.spydus.co.uk/cgi-bin/spyd...
January 22, 2026 at 11:50 AM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
Great aurora visible in Dwingeloo yesterday!
January 20, 2026 at 10:08 AM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
✨Auroras✨ over Groningen,NL during the first after-conference day of @rockyworlds.bsky.social This planet is just so incredible! Looking forward for the talks, sessions and activities the rest of the week🌌
January 20, 2026 at 6:34 AM
Underrated: Gothenburg is one of the best connected cities in Europe (I love living here!). Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo are all within a 3.5 hour train ride. I got up at a not insane time and will be in Oslo before lunch. 🥰🚄🚆Almost forgot I needed a passport. 🤦‍♀️
January 20, 2026 at 7:36 AM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
As far south as Budapest! 🔭
Holy aurora, Batman!! :O
January 20, 2026 at 7:23 AM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
Dr. Gladys West, the pioneering mathematician whose work laid the foundation for modern GPS technology, has died. She was 95.
Dr. Gladys West, Mathematician Whose Work Made GPS Possible, Dies at 95
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Dr. Gladys West, the pioneering mathematician whose work laid the foundation for modern GPS technology, has died. She passed away
thezebra.org
January 19, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
I literally just bought a "melt ICE" charity polish from Pahlish (she's based in Minneapolis). Glitch lacquer has a Palestine collection also!
January 17, 2026 at 9:15 PM
Completed the Sandsjöbacka 60 km trail race yesterday. Had a really good time running with my friend Tom. His first ultra! Most of the trail was muddier and wetter than pictured here, but beautiful and tough. A 5000 calorie day. 😂
January 18, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
Holy hell, what an obituary
Renfrew Christie Dies at 76; Sabotaged Racist Regime’s Nuclear Program
www.nytimes.com
January 15, 2026 at 4:57 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
in a refreshing change of pace, both bandcamp and games workshop announced this week that they've banned AI to varying extents. these stances are crucial during a time when AI is being rammed down our throats at every turn, and some people are starting to accept it
January 14, 2026 at 9:59 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
Oh it gets better:

Much of the "landmass" is actually below sea level and isn't really land (until it isostatically rebounds in 20,000 years).

www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/new-gre...
January 13, 2026 at 6:05 PM
In today’s very Scandinavian day, went cross country skiing with @lboschman.bsky.social in the afternoon (until the sunset at 3:50 pm), and later saw a wee bit of aurora from the snow covered ferry terminal across the Göta älv river with ice flows.
January 11, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
January 8, 2026 at 10:58 PM
Breaking: SKA-Mid achieved first fringes last month! This is the first step towards individual dishes becoming an interferometer. It's kind of a big deal. Congrats to the SKA Mid Commissioning Team! Looking forward to first SKA Mid image in 2026. 🔭 📡 🧪
www.skao.int/en/news/693/...
January 9, 2026 at 1:57 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
Kendra asked about how learning about Fred Hampton and COINTELPRO in my 30s changed my perspective on like, what America is and how I exist in it as a white person, and I had a lengthy thread of thoughts
I am happy to! I like answering this question. I think the simplest way to sum it up is that it's like, someone explained to you how the magician did that card trick. or Dorothy realizing Oz the Great and Powerful is literally just some guy. you can read the docs so you can see how the scam was done
January 7, 2026 at 9:48 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
It's an MTV simulator with almost 30,000 videos, organized by decade, with special sections for Headbanger's Ball and Yo! MTV Raps. This is so good.
January 6, 2026 at 5:11 PM
SKAO is hiring SKA-Mid Commissioning Scientists: 4+ year fixed-term positions with potential to go permanent, or potential for secondments. 📡 🔭 🧪 recruitment.skao.int/vacancy/skam...
SKA-Mid Commissioning Scientists - SKA Observatory
recruitment.skao.int
January 6, 2026 at 8:20 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
At the AAS meeting this week? Find Kyle if you'd like to get some free sticker swag for your laptop! 🔭☄️
Going to be at the AAS meeting in Phoenix next week? Find me (or visit my poster on Monday) to pick up an AstroSky Ecosystem sticker! Send your friends too.
January 3, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
"GenAI is the futu--
January 6, 2026 at 3:31 AM
In case you missed it, SKAO posted a really nice 2025 Year in Review video of all the progress has been made towards construction of the two telescopes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6er... 🧪🔭📡
2025 year in review: the SKA telescopes begin to take shape
YouTube video by SKA Observatory
www.youtube.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:52 PM
New Gear Day! Icebug shoes featuring integrated spikes with carbide tips for ice and snow. Sandsjöbacka 60 km in 2 weeks. Spent my last long run testing possible solutions to current weather outlook. Icebugs or YakTraxs on trail shoes. Both work but Icebugs win: less toe pinching and more stability.
January 4, 2026 at 2:10 PM
Time for a new Academic Work Tracker. Thx so much @brkeogh.bsky.social for this. It’s going to be my third year using it. Highly recommend. ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
The Academic Work Tracker spreadsheet is now updated with 2026 dates! If you don't already, 2026 is a great time to start treating your academic work like the wage job where you are paid to work a certain amount of hours that it actually is: docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Academic Work Tracker Template v2.3 (2026)
docs.google.com
January 2, 2026 at 10:33 AM
Reposted by Dr. Kelley Hess
The retirement of the MetroCard at midnight tonight is bittersweet for me. In 1983, as a young lawyer, I took a year's leave of absence from my law firm to serve as special counsel to Richard Ravitch, chairman of the NY MTA. He gave me the task of leading a study ...
It's the final day of MetroCard sales—so as we say farewell to an icon, let's take a look at how it all started.

Thank you, MetroCard, for moving New York to the very last swipe.
January 1, 2026 at 3:33 AM