Tim Lichtenberg
@timlichtenberg.bsky.social
Assistant Professor of Planetary Physics at Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, University of Groningen 🇪🇺 he/him | formingworlds.space | born at 351 ppm
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Had a great time at #RockyWorlds4 this week - presenting my PhD work on magnetic field generation in planetesimals 🧲 and learning lots about magma oceans 🔥ready for my post doc project. Thanks to everyone for such great discussions and @rockyworlds.bsky.social for organising a fantastic meeting!
January 23, 2026 at 10:52 AM
Had a great time at #RockyWorlds4 this week - presenting my PhD work on magnetic field generation in planetesimals 🧲 and learning lots about magma oceans 🔥ready for my post doc project. Thanks to everyone for such great discussions and @rockyworlds.bsky.social for organising a fantastic meeting!
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Poster discussions at #RockyWorlds4 has been amazing! Coffee breaks are on 🔥🔥🔥Super creative posters with incredible science, I think we are improving as a community to communicate our research to other colleagues 🧐 Looking forward for the poster competition ✨ @rockyworlds.bsky.social
January 22, 2026 at 8:42 AM
Poster discussions at #RockyWorlds4 has been amazing! Coffee breaks are on 🔥🔥🔥Super creative posters with incredible science, I think we are improving as a community to communicate our research to other colleagues 🧐 Looking forward for the poster competition ✨ @rockyworlds.bsky.social
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
My 25th (!) newsletter post shares my main takeaway from the #RockyWorlds4 conference: Hot rocks are what's cool in rocky exoplanet research right now.
Lava planets, especially look like they're about to teach us a *ton* about how rocky planets work.
So come on in, the lava's fine! 🧪🔭
Lava planets, especially look like they're about to teach us a *ton* about how rocky planets work.
So come on in, the lava's fine! 🧪🔭
Hot rocks are what's cool in rocky exoplanet research
Habitable zone? Pfft. For exciting planetary science discoveries, keep your eye on lava worlds and hot rocks.
www.reviewertoo.com
January 22, 2026 at 7:33 PM
My 25th (!) newsletter post shares my main takeaway from the #RockyWorlds4 conference: Hot rocks are what's cool in rocky exoplanet research right now.
Lava planets, especially look like they're about to teach us a *ton* about how rocky planets work.
So come on in, the lava's fine! 🧪🔭
Lava planets, especially look like they're about to teach us a *ton* about how rocky planets work.
So come on in, the lava's fine! 🧪🔭
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Looks like Planet Earth is a fan of #RockyWorlds4 as it gifted us with a gorgeous conference souvenir last night! 🤩🔭🧪
✨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 8:17 AM
Looks like Planet Earth is a fan of #RockyWorlds4 as it gifted us with a gorgeous conference souvenir last night! 🤩🔭🧪
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Another cool result shared at #RockyWorlds4: Nearly all sub-Neptunes, if they are gas dwarfs (as opposed to water worlds), should have magma oceans beneath their hydrogen atmospheres.
That includes the notorious K2-18b — if it is indeed a gas dwarf and not an ocean planet.
Preprint:
That includes the notorious K2-18b — if it is indeed a gas dwarf and not an ocean planet.
Preprint:
Most Rocky Sub-Neptunes are Molten: Mapping the Solidification Shoreline for Gas Dwarf Exoplanets
Sub-Neptunes are the most common type of detected exoplanet, yet their observed masses and radii are degenerate with several interior structures. One possibility is that sub-Neptunes have silicate/iro...
arxiv.org
January 20, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Another cool result shared at #RockyWorlds4: Nearly all sub-Neptunes, if they are gas dwarfs (as opposed to water worlds), should have magma oceans beneath their hydrogen atmospheres.
That includes the notorious K2-18b — if it is indeed a gas dwarf and not an ocean planet.
Preprint:
That includes the notorious K2-18b — if it is indeed a gas dwarf and not an ocean planet.
Preprint:
You're welcome! 🔭😊 The LOC of #RockyWorlds4 (groningen2026.rockyworlds.org/organisers/loc) is doing everything they can to make the conference an unforgettable experience. 😁
January 20, 2026 at 8:07 AM
You're welcome! 🔭😊 The LOC of #RockyWorlds4 (groningen2026.rockyworlds.org/organisers/loc) is doing everything they can to make the conference an unforgettable experience. 😁
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
✨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
✨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🌌
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
@johannateske.bsky.social's #RockyWorlds4 talk on TOI-561 b just reinforces my feeling that this weird little planet is one to keep an eye on.
It's among a handful of hot rocks challenging what we think we know about which planets have air.
I wrote about this last year for @sciam.bsky.social:
It's among a handful of hot rocks challenging what we think we know about which planets have air.
I wrote about this last year for @sciam.bsky.social:
This Fiery Exoplanet Shouldn’t Have an Atmosphere—But It Does
Hot, small and old—exoplanet TOI-561 b is just about the worst place to look for alien air. Scientists using JWST found it there anyway
www.scientificamerican.com
January 19, 2026 at 1:51 PM
@johannateske.bsky.social's #RockyWorlds4 talk on TOI-561 b just reinforces my feeling that this weird little planet is one to keep an eye on.
It's among a handful of hot rocks challenging what we think we know about which planets have air.
I wrote about this last year for @sciam.bsky.social:
It's among a handful of hot rocks challenging what we think we know about which planets have air.
I wrote about this last year for @sciam.bsky.social:
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
At #RockyWorlds4 in Groningen, scientists explore rocky planets with radically different chemistries and atmospheres. With the LIFE mission, they aim to study exoplanets directly and look for unexpected signs of life — not aliens, but subtle atmospheric clues. Read more: www.rug.nl/fse/news/mat...
De zoektocht naar buitenaards leven – en kunnen we die ook wat oprekken?
Op zoek naar buitenaards leven kijken we meestal naar planeten die min of meer lijken op de aarde. RUG-astrofysici Inga Kamp en Floris van der Tak leggen...
www.rug.nl
January 19, 2026 at 10:11 AM
At #RockyWorlds4 in Groningen, scientists explore rocky planets with radically different chemistries and atmospheres. With the LIFE mission, they aim to study exoplanets directly and look for unexpected signs of life — not aliens, but subtle atmospheric clues. Read more: www.rug.nl/fse/news/mat...
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Congratulations, @nichollsh.bsky.social! Your thesis was a joy to read, and it was great to get to know you over the past 1.5 years. I look forward to seeing the research that you and Oli get up to at Cambridge. Perhaps almost as impressive was your AOPP champagne cork shot! Video below.
January 18, 2026 at 12:39 PM
Congratulations, @nichollsh.bsky.social! Your thesis was a joy to read, and it was great to get to know you over the past 1.5 years. I look forward to seeing the research that you and Oli get up to at Cambridge. Perhaps almost as impressive was your AOPP champagne cork shot! Video below.
Congratulations @nichollsh.bsky.social for your outstanding work and thesis results! 🔭🚀🌋 It has been and continues to be privilege to work with you, and all the very best for your new endeavour at Cambridge! 🌟💻
Very pleased to share that I have been awarded a Pass, with no corrections, following my DPhil defence at Oxford AOPP (@oxoplanets.bsky.social).
My thanks go to Paolo Sossi and @tadkomacek.bsky.social for their valuable input on my thesis, and their thoughtful suggestions for future directions.
My thanks go to Paolo Sossi and @tadkomacek.bsky.social for their valuable input on my thesis, and their thoughtful suggestions for future directions.
January 18, 2026 at 11:41 AM
Congratulations @nichollsh.bsky.social for your outstanding work and thesis results! 🔭🚀🌋 It has been and continues to be privilege to work with you, and all the very best for your new endeavour at Cambridge! 🌟💻
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
I'm excited to spend the week hearing and talking about rocky worlds! This is one of my favorite meeting series, I leave energized and with new ideas. 😁 You can follow along with the talks on YouTube if you aren't joining us in person or on Zoom: www.youtube.com/@rockyworlds...
Wondering why we've been so quiet this month? That's because we're busy preparing to welcome everyone *next week* to Groningen 🇳🇱 for...
🌋✨🚀 The ROCKY WORLDS 4 Conference 2026! 🪐✨☄️
Updates will be posted throughout the week from this account & others using the #RockyWorlds4 hashtag – stay tuned! 🔭🧪
🌋✨🚀 The ROCKY WORLDS 4 Conference 2026! 🪐✨☄️
Updates will be posted throughout the week from this account & others using the #RockyWorlds4 hashtag – stay tuned! 🔭🧪
January 17, 2026 at 11:16 PM
I'm excited to spend the week hearing and talking about rocky worlds! This is one of my favorite meeting series, I leave energized and with new ideas. 😁 You can follow along with the talks on YouTube if you aren't joining us in person or on Zoom: www.youtube.com/@rockyworlds...
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
P.S. Follow along on Bluesky with #RockyWorlds4 (h/t @nplinnspace.bsky.social 🙌🏻)
I'm excited to spend the week hearing and talking about rocky worlds! This is one of my favorite meeting series, I leave energized and with new ideas. 😁 You can follow along with the talks on YouTube if you aren't joining us in person or on Zoom: www.youtube.com/@rockyworlds...
Wondering why we've been so quiet this month? That's because we're busy preparing to welcome everyone *next week* to Groningen 🇳🇱 for...
🌋✨🚀 The ROCKY WORLDS 4 Conference 2026! 🪐✨☄️
Updates will be posted throughout the week from this account & others using the #RockyWorlds4 hashtag – stay tuned! 🔭🧪
🌋✨🚀 The ROCKY WORLDS 4 Conference 2026! 🪐✨☄️
Updates will be posted throughout the week from this account & others using the #RockyWorlds4 hashtag – stay tuned! 🔭🧪
January 17, 2026 at 11:18 PM
P.S. Follow along on Bluesky with #RockyWorlds4 (h/t @nplinnspace.bsky.social 🙌🏻)
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Wondering why we've been so quiet this month? That's because we're busy preparing to welcome everyone *next week* to Groningen 🇳🇱 for...
🌋✨🚀 The ROCKY WORLDS 4 Conference 2026! 🪐✨☄️
Updates will be posted throughout the week from this account & others using the #RockyWorlds4 hashtag – stay tuned! 🔭🧪
🌋✨🚀 The ROCKY WORLDS 4 Conference 2026! 🪐✨☄️
Updates will be posted throughout the week from this account & others using the #RockyWorlds4 hashtag – stay tuned! 🔭🧪
January 16, 2026 at 3:41 PM
Wondering why we've been so quiet this month? That's because we're busy preparing to welcome everyone *next week* to Groningen 🇳🇱 for...
🌋✨🚀 The ROCKY WORLDS 4 Conference 2026! 🪐✨☄️
Updates will be posted throughout the week from this account & others using the #RockyWorlds4 hashtag – stay tuned! 🔭🧪
🌋✨🚀 The ROCKY WORLDS 4 Conference 2026! 🪐✨☄️
Updates will be posted throughout the week from this account & others using the #RockyWorlds4 hashtag – stay tuned! 🔭🧪
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Hi all! If you are looking for a conference in exoplanet interiors in 2026, check out "Layers of Understanding: Model Intercomparisons of Exoplanet Interiors": layersofunderstanding2026.github.io
It will take place in MPIA's campus in April 13-17th. The registration deadline is 15 January 2026
It will take place in MPIA's campus in April 13-17th. The registration deadline is 15 January 2026
December 5, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Hi all! If you are looking for a conference in exoplanet interiors in 2026, check out "Layers of Understanding: Model Intercomparisons of Exoplanet Interiors": layersofunderstanding2026.github.io
It will take place in MPIA's campus in April 13-17th. The registration deadline is 15 January 2026
It will take place in MPIA's campus in April 13-17th. The registration deadline is 15 January 2026
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Are you a grad student interested in writing for Astrobites, or do you know one? We're recruiting! Apply by November 26 :)
astrobites.org/2025/10/31/a...
astrobites.org/2025/10/31/a...
Apply to Write for Astrobites 2025!
Love astronomy, astrophysics, and science communication? Come join the Astrobites team! Applications due November 26th.
astrobites.org
October 31, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Are you a grad student interested in writing for Astrobites, or do you know one? We're recruiting! Apply by November 26 :)
astrobites.org/2025/10/31/a...
astrobites.org/2025/10/31/a...
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
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🧵
The official home of the Python Programming Language
www.python.org
October 27, 2025 at 2:47 PM
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
🧵
🧵
Together with Kristina Kislyakova, Louis Müller, Anuja Raorane, and @exocytherean.bsky.social we are organising the session "Early Solar system: crucial timings for habitability" at @egu.eu 2026. Please consider submitting an abstract if you work on these issues. :)
Session PS5.2
meetingorganizer.copernicus.org
October 26, 2025 at 2:50 PM
Together with Kristina Kislyakova, Louis Müller, Anuja Raorane, and @exocytherean.bsky.social we are organising the session "Early Solar system: crucial timings for habitability" at @egu.eu 2026. Please consider submitting an abstract if you work on these issues. :)
@kapteynastro.bsky.social of @rug.nl invites applications for in total 7 PhD and 4 ERC-funded postdoc positions in our annual call. ⭐🔭
PhD positions:
aas.org/jobregister/...
Postdoctoral positions:
aas.org/jobregister/...
#exoplanet #astronomy #geoscience 🧪🔭⭐
[Image credit: Mark A. Garlick.]
PhD positions:
aas.org/jobregister/...
Postdoctoral positions:
aas.org/jobregister/...
#exoplanet #astronomy #geoscience 🧪🔭⭐
[Image credit: Mark A. Garlick.]
October 16, 2025 at 7:40 PM
@kapteynastro.bsky.social of @rug.nl invites applications for in total 7 PhD and 4 ERC-funded postdoc positions in our annual call. ⭐🔭
PhD positions:
aas.org/jobregister/...
Postdoctoral positions:
aas.org/jobregister/...
#exoplanet #astronomy #geoscience 🧪🔭⭐
[Image credit: Mark A. Garlick.]
PhD positions:
aas.org/jobregister/...
Postdoctoral positions:
aas.org/jobregister/...
#exoplanet #astronomy #geoscience 🧪🔭⭐
[Image credit: Mark A. Garlick.]
w/ Oli Shorttle, @johannateske.bsky.social & Eliza Kempton we reviewed our current understanding and prospects for peaking on the inside of small #exoplanets in "Constraining exoplanet interiors using observations of their atmospheres": www.science.org/stoken/autho... & arxiv.org/abs/2510.08844 🔭🧪⚒️☄️
October 13, 2025 at 12:27 PM
w/ Oli Shorttle, @johannateske.bsky.social & Eliza Kempton we reviewed our current understanding and prospects for peaking on the inside of small #exoplanets in "Constraining exoplanet interiors using observations of their atmospheres": www.science.org/stoken/autho... & arxiv.org/abs/2510.08844 🔭🧪⚒️☄️
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
How can we tell what's inside an #exoplanet? @timlichtenberg.bsky.social et al review how a planet's atmosphere interacts with its interior. Atmospheric observations can distinguish between lava worlds, water worlds, temperate surfaces or supercritical interiors. ☄️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
October 9, 2025 at 6:20 PM
How can we tell what's inside an #exoplanet? @timlichtenberg.bsky.social et al review how a planet's atmosphere interacts with its interior. Atmospheric observations can distinguish between lava worlds, water worlds, temperate surfaces or supercritical interiors. ☄️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
The goal of this workshop is to define and implement a roadmap for a detailed intercomparison project between multiple leading computational frameworks of magma ocean evolution. bit.ly/3IZbJyn
@timlichtenberg.bsky.social @lavainspace.bsky.social @astroyami.bsky.social @meteodenny.bsky.social
@timlichtenberg.bsky.social @lavainspace.bsky.social @astroyami.bsky.social @meteodenny.bsky.social
October 6, 2025 at 2:07 PM
The goal of this workshop is to define and implement a roadmap for a detailed intercomparison project between multiple leading computational frameworks of magma ocean evolution. bit.ly/3IZbJyn
@timlichtenberg.bsky.social @lavainspace.bsky.social @astroyami.bsky.social @meteodenny.bsky.social
@timlichtenberg.bsky.social @lavainspace.bsky.social @astroyami.bsky.social @meteodenny.bsky.social
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
📢 Don't forget to join us for this talk tomorrow (Thursday)!
13:00 UTC = 15:00 CEST = 09:00 EDT = 06:00 PDT = 22:00 JST
If you haven't signed up to our mailing list to access the Zoom-link, you can also watch it live on our YouTube channel 🔭☄️🧪 #exoplanet livestream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMr2...
13:00 UTC = 15:00 CEST = 09:00 EDT = 06:00 PDT = 22:00 JST
If you haven't signed up to our mailing list to access the Zoom-link, you can also watch it live on our YouTube channel 🔭☄️🧪 #exoplanet livestream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMr2...
Cloudy with a chance of... haze? Aerosol? Carbon dioxide?!🌦️
Next #RockyWorldsDiscussion on Thu 2 Oct @ 13:00 UTC will feature Kazumasa Ohno (NAOJ) and recent JWST results that lift the hazy veil on the composition of sub-Neptune #exoplanet GJ 1214 b 🪐🔭🧪
More: www.rockyworlds.org/event-detail...
Next #RockyWorldsDiscussion on Thu 2 Oct @ 13:00 UTC will feature Kazumasa Ohno (NAOJ) and recent JWST results that lift the hazy veil on the composition of sub-Neptune #exoplanet GJ 1214 b 🪐🔭🧪
More: www.rockyworlds.org/event-detail...
October 1, 2025 at 2:20 PM
📢 Don't forget to join us for this talk tomorrow (Thursday)!
13:00 UTC = 15:00 CEST = 09:00 EDT = 06:00 PDT = 22:00 JST
If you haven't signed up to our mailing list to access the Zoom-link, you can also watch it live on our YouTube channel 🔭☄️🧪 #exoplanet livestream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMr2...
13:00 UTC = 15:00 CEST = 09:00 EDT = 06:00 PDT = 22:00 JST
If you haven't signed up to our mailing list to access the Zoom-link, you can also watch it live on our YouTube channel 🔭☄️🧪 #exoplanet livestream: www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMr2...
Reposted by Tim Lichtenberg
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin ✨ figured out what stars are made of ✨ when she was just 25. 🔭🧪
Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.
I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:
Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.
I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:
September 24, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin ✨ figured out what stars are made of ✨ when she was just 25. 🔭🧪
Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.
I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:
Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.
I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:
