Ted Stryk
@tedstryk.bsky.social
Interplanetary Dumpster Diver. Asteroid (230728) Tedstryk
Images I post are Copyright Ted Stryk (processed or taken by me) unless otherwise noted. Professor at Roane State CC in Oak Ridge, TN
Images I post are Copyright Ted Stryk (processed or taken by me) unless otherwise noted. Professor at Roane State CC in Oak Ridge, TN
These little worlds are fascinating. Given the little swarms around Uranus and Neptune, plus the whole host of KBO objects, it is enough to wet one's appetite, but our datasets are so limited.
February 20, 2026 at 11:52 AM
These little worlds are fascinating. Given the little swarms around Uranus and Neptune, plus the whole host of KBO objects, it is enough to wet one's appetite, but our datasets are so limited.
In February of 1972, Luna 20 was on the moon in the Apollonius highlands, with its sampling arm hard at work finding a place to drill and then burrowing into the surface. This would be the only one of the three successful Soviet sample return missions to photograph the surface...maybe...
February 16, 2026 at 2:38 PM
In February of 1972, Luna 20 was on the moon in the Apollonius highlands, with its sampling arm hard at work finding a place to drill and then burrowing into the surface. This would be the only one of the three successful Soviet sample return missions to photograph the surface...maybe...
Not to mention that I could give a thousand students the feedback volume I give my current students with AI. It would be utter shyte, but at a glance it would look thorough. So they could get rid of most faculty without, they think, students noticing much, particularly online.
I'm starting to believe that the push for ChatGPT Edu in UK/US academia is not driven by student needs but by the all-administrative university model. As we see all over industry these days, bureaucracy loves AI. Expect to see increasingly and extreme AI use by uni administrations soon.
February 15, 2026 at 4:09 PM
Not to mention that I could give a thousand students the feedback volume I give my current students with AI. It would be utter shyte, but at a glance it would look thorough. So they could get rid of most faculty without, they think, students noticing much, particularly online.
The deposits around the volcano Pele on Io looked like a heart as Voyager 1 approached in March of 1979. For today, I rotated it around to emphasize that. By the time Galileo saw it in 1996, the indentation at the top of this image was mostly gone. Happy Valentine's Day!
February 14, 2026 at 5:47 PM
The deposits around the volcano Pele on Io looked like a heart as Voyager 1 approached in March of 1979. For today, I rotated it around to emphasize that. By the time Galileo saw it in 1996, the indentation at the top of this image was mostly gone. Happy Valentine's Day!
It all depends on one's definition of true
It's more knowing more about light than most people do
By definition calling something a color means it doesn't absorb that hue
It's more knowing more about light than most people do
By definition calling something a color means it doesn't absorb that hue
Roses are red,
But that's not quite true,
They absorb every wavelength of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum,
*Except* for that hue.
But that's not quite true,
They absorb every wavelength of the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum,
*Except* for that hue.
February 14, 2026 at 5:38 PM
It all depends on one's definition of true
It's more knowing more about light than most people do
By definition calling something a color means it doesn't absorb that hue
It's more knowing more about light than most people do
By definition calling something a color means it doesn't absorb that hue
Sometimes you will see someone who describes themself as a "visionary" in their bio. If it is ironic or sarcastic, they're fine. But if not, it's very important that you do not follow that person. They have nothing to offer.
February 7, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Sometimes you will see someone who describes themself as a "visionary" in their bio. If it is ironic or sarcastic, they're fine. But if not, it's very important that you do not follow that person. They have nothing to offer.
Mariner 10 receding from humanity's first encounter with Mercury in March of 1973. New features slowly rotate into view, including the large crater "Mozart" just below the center of the terminator.
February 7, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Mariner 10 receding from humanity's first encounter with Mercury in March of 1973. New features slowly rotate into view, including the large crater "Mozart" just below the center of the terminator.
I hope you enjoyed the 40th anniversary tour of the Uranian system. I hope we see this it again as soon as possible.
February 7, 2026 at 3:51 AM
I hope you enjoyed the 40th anniversary tour of the Uranian system. I hope we see this it again as soon as possible.
Io, moon of Jupiter, from the Galileo spacecraft on April 4, 1997. The dark spot surrounded by the red circle is Pele, a large volcano. The caldera Loki can be seen as a black spot with an island in the middle near the terminator.
February 5, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Io, moon of Jupiter, from the Galileo spacecraft on April 4, 1997. The dark spot surrounded by the red circle is Pele, a large volcano. The caldera Loki can be seen as a black spot with an island in the middle near the terminator.
I created a Substack. I have no immediate plans to use it to do anything but read, but if any of you write on there, feel free to connect with me so I can follow you. tedstryk.substack.com/p/hello-subs...
Hello, Substack
I’m just here to read.
tedstryk.substack.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:52 PM
I created a Substack. I have no immediate plans to use it to do anything but read, but if any of you write on there, feel free to connect with me so I can follow you. tedstryk.substack.com/p/hello-subs...
Io from the Juno spacecraft on February 3, 2024. The night side can be seen in reflected light from Jupiter. The quality of this dataset is truly stunning.
February 4, 2026 at 2:49 PM
Io from the Juno spacecraft on February 3, 2024. The night side can be seen in reflected light from Jupiter. The quality of this dataset is truly stunning.
Sixty years ago today, on February 3, 1966, Luna-9 was the first spacecraft to survive landing on the surface of another world. It is wild to think that the Space Age is so young that there are still millions alive now who were adults when this happened.
February 3, 2026 at 11:08 PM
Sixty years ago today, on February 3, 1966, Luna-9 was the first spacecraft to survive landing on the surface of another world. It is wild to think that the Space Age is so young that there are still millions alive now who were adults when this happened.
Oberon, the second largest moon of Uranus, got the worst coverage of all. Still, it can be seen that there is some dark intrusion on the floor of the ray crater near the center of the moon, hinting that it was once active. The last image is Puck, smaller than Miranda, the only one showing detail.
February 2, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Oberon, the second largest moon of Uranus, got the worst coverage of all. Still, it can be seen that there is some dark intrusion on the floor of the ray crater near the center of the moon, hinting that it was once active. The last image is Puck, smaller than Miranda, the only one showing detail.
With the Uranian moon Umbriel, we enter the territory of worlds which we can only marginally call explored. It is about the same size of Ariel, but with a dark, cratered surface which is punctuated by some bright spots and a bright crater rim called "Wunda."
January 31, 2026 at 3:01 PM
With the Uranian moon Umbriel, we enter the territory of worlds which we can only marginally call explored. It is about the same size of Ariel, but with a dark, cratered surface which is punctuated by some bright spots and a bright crater rim called "Wunda."
Reposted by Ted Stryk
NASA's Juno spacecraft detected the largest volcanic hotspot ever seen in our solar system. It appeared on Jupiter's moon Io, it covers 100,000 square kilometers (bigger than Lake Superior), and it radiates 80 trillion watts of heat. 🧪🔭
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-ju...
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-ju...
January 30, 2026 at 4:18 PM
NASA's Juno spacecraft detected the largest volcanic hotspot ever seen in our solar system. It appeared on Jupiter's moon Io, it covers 100,000 square kilometers (bigger than Lake Superior), and it radiates 80 trillion watts of heat. 🧪🔭
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-ju...
www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-ju...
Titania is the largest of the Uranian moons. While Voyager couldn't fly close to it and still get to Neptune, it recorded more images of it than any other moon. The surface appears cratered with some clear tectonic features. The highest resolution images were at 4.5 km/pixel.
January 30, 2026 at 2:23 AM
Titania is the largest of the Uranian moons. While Voyager couldn't fly close to it and still get to Neptune, it recorded more images of it than any other moon. The surface appears cratered with some clear tectonic features. The highest resolution images were at 4.5 km/pixel.
In addition to Miranda, Ariel, the next-innermost major moon of Uranus, received a decently close flyby from Voyager in 1986, revealing a complex, tectonically altered, and just-possibly active moon.
January 29, 2026 at 2:43 AM
In addition to Miranda, Ariel, the next-innermost major moon of Uranus, received a decently close flyby from Voyager in 1986, revealing a complex, tectonically altered, and just-possibly active moon.
Flying by Miranda with Voyage 2 in 1986. Forty years ago, this moon, with its jumbled surface, awed the world.
January 27, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Flying by Miranda with Voyage 2 in 1986. Forty years ago, this moon, with its jumbled surface, awed the world.
Like I thought, my account on the old site is basically a zombie account with phantom followers now. Which means there's no reason to save it in case the site is sold.
January 26, 2026 at 5:05 AM
Like I thought, my account on the old site is basically a zombie account with phantom followers now. Which means there's no reason to save it in case the site is sold.
Today in 1986, Voyager 2 made humanity's first and only encounter with Uranus, revealing its clouds, rings, and fascinating zoo of moons.
January 24, 2026 at 5:18 PM
Today in 1986, Voyager 2 made humanity's first and only encounter with Uranus, revealing its clouds, rings, and fascinating zoo of moons.
Neptune and its moon Triton from Voyager 2 on June 24, 1989, and from the Hubble Space Telescope on July 10, 1991.
January 16, 2026 at 7:59 PM
Neptune and its moon Triton from Voyager 2 on June 24, 1989, and from the Hubble Space Telescope on July 10, 1991.
Reposted by Ted Stryk
From NASA:
Get my good side! In 2016, our Cassini spacecraft was still orbiting the ringed giant, Saturn. Here's one of our favorite posts from that year.
Get my good side! In 2016, our Cassini spacecraft was still orbiting the ringed giant, Saturn. Here's one of our favorite posts from that year.
January 16, 2026 at 5:01 PM
From NASA:
Get my good side! In 2016, our Cassini spacecraft was still orbiting the ringed giant, Saturn. Here's one of our favorite posts from that year.
Get my good side! In 2016, our Cassini spacecraft was still orbiting the ringed giant, Saturn. Here's one of our favorite posts from that year.
239 years ago, William Herschel discovered Oberon & Titania, the largest Uranian moons. All but a few of Uranus' moons are named after characters from Shakespearean plays. Oberon and Titania pay homage to the fairy king and queen in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
January 11, 2026 at 1:20 PM
239 years ago, William Herschel discovered Oberon & Titania, the largest Uranian moons. All but a few of Uranus' moons are named after characters from Shakespearean plays. Oberon and Titania pay homage to the fairy king and queen in "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
This is much needed. The Hubble Space Telescope will turn 36 this year, and the James Webb Space Telescope does not see in the visible area of the spectrum except the very reddest part. There is no space telescope of this capability in the works from any agency in this time frame.
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 8, 2026 at 4:57 PM
This is much needed. The Hubble Space Telescope will turn 36 this year, and the James Webb Space Telescope does not see in the visible area of the spectrum except the very reddest part. There is no space telescope of this capability in the works from any agency in this time frame.
