Gideon van Buitenen
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vanbuitenen.nl
Gideon van Buitenen
@vanbuitenen.nl
210 followers 150 following 110 posts
Amateur astronomer | Musician | Software developer
Author of http://astro.vanbuitenen.nl
Dutch Comet Section
MPC Observatory G06
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
hectorsocas.bsky.social
"The fallacies behind the cult of Loeb"
New entry in my blog. Other articles have covered the scientific aspects; this one reflects on the social phenomenon. I argue it’s driven by a series of fallacies
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
The fallacies behind the cult of Loeb
How media hype and misunderstanding fuel pseudoscientific fascination  Introduction The word “cult” is used here in the sense given by...
tinieblasyestrellas.blogspot.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
comethunter.de
Finally! The paper is out!
Want to see a naked eye daylight comet? Mark your calendars for 2097! At least if the "ancestry line" given in the paper is correct. Sadly, I won't live to see it. Would I bet my money? I'd say yes.

www.sciengine.com/JAHH/doi/10....

☄️🔭 #CometWatch #histsci #histastro
Observation of the tail of comet C/1743 X1 by Jean-Philippe Loys de Cheseaux on the mornings of 8 and 9 March 1744, from 1744. Traitè de la Comete qui a Paru en Decembre 1743 & en Janvier, Fevrier & Mars 1744. Lausanne, Marc-Michel Bousquet & Compagnie., my scan/collection. Observation of the tail of comet C/1743 X1 by Jean-Philippe Loys de Cheseaux on the mornings of 8 and 9 March 1744, from 1744. Traitè de la Comete qui a Paru en Decembre 1743 & en Janvier, Fevrier & Mars 1744. Lausanne, Marc-Michel Bousquet & Compagnie., my scan/collection. "THE GREAT COMET C/1743 X1: POSSIBLE IDENTIFICATION IN HISTORIC RECORDS OF 1402, 1032, 676, and 336" Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 28(1), 29 – 49 (2025). Abstract: "The great comet of 1744, C/1743 X1, is notable for its brightness, which enabled it to be seen close to the Sun during the day and exhibit an impressive tail. One of the first orbit calculators, O. P. Hiorter, had already noted the comet's resemblance to the great daylight comet C/1402 D1. This was later supported by H. W. M. Olbers and J. Holetschek. This work re-evaluates the historic astrometry and shows that the data are fully compatible with the identity first suggested by Hiorter. Based on a tentative link of both apparitions, we show that the comets of 1032, 676, and possibly of 336 are also fully compatible with this comet based on the comparison with the historic records. We present a prediction for the next perihelion passage, which might occur at the end of 2097."
April 28, 2025 at 5:51 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
comethunter.de
Comet C/2025 F2 (SWAN) seems to be running out of steam. recent images show the comet becoming fainter despite nearing perihelion. It could still be an effect of the moon and low height but it is certain that the comet does not brighten.
🔭☄️ #CometWatch
comethunter.de Maik Meyer ☄️ @comethunter.de · Apr 15
C/2025 F2 (SWAN) this morning by Norbert Mrozek, Germany. Brightness stuck around 8.5 mag.
forum.vdsastro.de/viewtopic.ph...
🔭☄️ #CometWatch
A comet with a slim long tail and a condensed head set against a starry sky.
April 17, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
comethunter.de
Comet SWAN25F has been announced officially as C/2025 F2 (SWAN). CBET 5538 gives a timeline of the events & credit to all the amateurs who were crucial in discovery & confirmation it. I won't mention the MPEC which is a disgrace to all of us.
🔭☄️ #CometWatch

www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu/iau/cbet/005...
www.cbat.eps.harvard.edu
April 9, 2025 at 5:14 AM
vanbuitenen.nl
The bright new #comet temporarily named SWAN25F has now been formally designated C/2025 F2 (SWAN)

The orbit is perpendicular to the ecliptic (i=90.4°) from north to south. Perihelion will occur on May 1 at 0.33 au from the sun.

See MPEC 2025-G102 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025F2

#CometWatch
Orbit of C/2025 F2 (SWAN)
April 9, 2025 at 5:48 AM
vanbuitenen.nl
New, but faint #comet confirmed: C/2025 D5 (PANSTARRS)

It will reach perihelion in May of this year at 2 au from the sun.

See MPEC 2025-E99 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025D5

#CometWatch
Orbit of C/2025 D5 (PANSTARRS)
March 6, 2025 at 7:26 AM
vanbuitenen.nl
New #comet confirmed: C/2025 E1 (PANSTARRS)

Perihelion will occur in September of 2026 at 4 au from the sun.

See MPEC 2025-E58 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025E1

#CometWatch
Orbit of C/2025 E1 (PANSTARRS)
March 4, 2025 at 2:04 PM
vanbuitenen.nl
New periodic #comet confirmed: P/2025 D4 (ATLAS)

Perihelion was on Feb 14. It currently has an orbital period of 26.6 years.

See MPEC 2025-D235 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025D4

#CometWatch
Orbit of P/2025 D4 (ATLAS)
February 28, 2025 at 10:23 AM
vanbuitenen.nl
New Jupiter-family #comet confirmed.

It has an orbital period of 7.9 years. Last perihelion occurred in July of 2024.

See MPEC 2025-D211 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025D3

#CometWatch
Orbit of P/2025 D3 (PANSTARRS)
February 27, 2025 at 1:08 PM
vanbuitenen.nl
New object on a cometary orbit confirmed: A/2025 A7

It is on a retrograde (i=134°) orbit, reaching perihelion on March 28 at 2.9 au from the sun.

See MPEC 2025-D151 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025A7

#CometWatch
Orbit of A/2025 A7
February 25, 2025 at 9:20 AM
vanbuitenen.nl
New periodic #comet confirmed: P/2025 D2 (PANSTARRS)

The current orbital elements (based on 13 observations dating back to Feb 4) give perihelion in Jan 2028 at 7.2 au from the sun, and a 29.7 year orbital period.

See MPEC 2025-D149 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025D2

#CometWatch
Orbit of P/2025 D2 (PANSTARRS)
February 25, 2025 at 9:11 AM
vanbuitenen.nl
New, distant #comet confirmed:
C/2025 D1 (Groeller)

The comet is on a highly inclined orbit, reaching perihelion in May 2028 at a record distance of 14.1 au from the sun!
Pre-discovery observations are dating back to June 2018.

See MPEC 2025-D83 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025D1

#CometWatch
Orbit of C/2025 D1 (Groeller)
February 24, 2025 at 9:06 AM
vanbuitenen.nl
New returning #comet confirmed:
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)

It approaches on a retrograde orbit and may reach mag 10 in October of this year. Perihelion occurs in November. The current orbital elements imply a ~1386 year orbital period.

See MPEC 2025-D55 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025A6

#CometWatch
Orbit of C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)
February 24, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
adrianusv.bsky.social
Teken de petitie voor het behoud van Volkssterrenwacht Mercurius
www.astroblogs.nl/2025/02/23/t...
February 23, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
joshuaeakle.com
Steve Bannon, after calling for Trump to be President for life, did a Nazi salute on stage at CPAC.

Nazism has officially taken over the GOP.

The few remaining conservatives have a choice: either leave the party and obstruct it—or choose to be complicit.
February 21, 2025 at 2:05 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
tomtatum.bsky.social
"What started as US election interference has now spread to other countries. We're currently doing the same thing in Germany and other European nations."

WE MUST BAN META AND X, AND INCRIMINATE MUSK AND ZUCKERBERG
Do not just like, SHARE EVERYWHERE

theconcernedbird.substack.com/p/elon-musks...
Elon Musk's and X's Role in 2024 Election Interference
The confessions of a concerned bird.
theconcernedbird.substack.com
February 16, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
rgoodlaw.bsky.social
"The enormity of Defendants’ actions cannot be overstated."

Please read this paragraph in court case filed on Monday.⬇️

Details the devastating, immediate and far-reaching, real-world impacts of the #USAID funding freeze.

From famine to counternarcotics and counter-terrorism programs, more.
February 11, 2025 at 3:28 PM
vanbuitenen.nl
New Jupiter-family #comet confirmed: P/2025 C1 (ATLAS)

The current orbital elements give it a period of 8.8 years with perihelion on Feb. 4

See MPEC 2025-C158 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025C1

#CometWatch
Orbit of P/2025 C1 (ATLAS)
February 10, 2025 at 7:04 PM
vanbuitenen.nl
New, distant #comet confirmed: C/2025 B2 (Borisov)

It will reach perihelion in September of 2026 at 8.3 au from the sun. It has a highly inclined (91.8°) orbit.

See MPEC 2025-C153 and astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2025B2

#CometWatch
Orbit of C/2025 B2 (Borisov)
February 10, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
kovanhuissteden.bsky.social
Star link killing the ozone layer. First generation (Gen1) Starlink satellites are being retired to make way for newer models. "More than 500 of the 4700 Gen1 Starlinks have now reentered," When Starlinks reenter, they disintegrate before hitting the ground, adding metallic vapors to the atmosphere. In February 2023, NASA flew a WB-57 aircraft 60,000 feet over Alaska to collect aerosols. 10% of the particles contained aluminum and other metals from the "burn-up" of satellites. What we're observing is a giant uncontrolled experiment in atmospheric chemistry. The demise of just one Gen1 Starlink satellite produces about 30 kilograms (66 pounds) of aluminum oxide, a compound that eats away at the ozone layer. A new study finds these oxides have increased 8-fold between 2016 and 2022, and the recent surge is increasing the pollution even more. https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=06&month=02&year=2025
February 8, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
elsschot.bsky.social
Weinig verrassend dit....😖

www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2025/...
Bij de VVD komen de bezwaren tegen een vuurwerkverbod vooral vanuit de vuurwerkbranche zelf
Vuurwerkverbod: Voordat de VVD op 19 februari in de Tweede Kamer debatteert over een algemeen vuurwerkverbod, wil de partij tijdens een debatavond horen van haar leden. De vuurwerkdiscussie blijkt een...
www.nrc.nl
February 7, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
tjissepeter.bsky.social
February 6, 2025 at 1:09 PM
vanbuitenen.nl
Sturmabteilung
brunojnavarro.bsky.social Bruno J. Navarro @brunojnavarro.bsky.social · Feb 5
“They apparently just sort of walked past security and said: ‘Get out of my way,’ and they’re looking for access for the IT systems, as they have in other agencies,” said a former Noaa official. “They will have access to the entire computer system, a lot of which is confidential information.”
Doge staffers enter Noaa headquarters and incite reports of cuts and threats
Members reportedly sought access to IT systems at agency that Project 2025 has called ‘harmful to US prosperity’
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Gideon van Buitenen
merijnoudenampsen.org
Met haar ‘agenda voor werkend Nederland’ zet de VVD de middenklasse en uitkeringsgerechtigden tegen elkaar op. Mijn column voor de @groene.nl van deze week.
Met haar ‘Agenda voor werkend Nederland’ zet de VVD de middenklasse en uitkeringsgerechtigden tegen elkaar op
Vorige week presenteerde de VVD de ‘Agenda voor werkend Nederland’. De partij zet hiermee een nieuwe koers in, die doet terugdenken aan Mark Rutte.
www.groene.nl
February 4, 2025 at 12:08 PM
vanbuitenen.nl
Elon Musk's DOGE illegally obtained access to the US Treasury payment system. This may very well be the largest and most dangerous data leak the world has ever seen.
Senate Democrats on Elon Musk Getting Access To Treasury Payment System
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) held a news conference on the Trump administration giving Elon Musk, head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), access to the Tre...
www.c-span.org
February 4, 2025 at 11:54 AM