Chara
@astrochara.bsky.social
Astronomy student, planetary science and exoplanet enthusiast, amateur artist.
Reposted by Chara
This is so cool. Siblings of the Pleiades strewn over the entire sky. Within some of the oldest written languages in the world, from Sumerian to Eblaite to Akkadadian and Hebrew, the name for Pleiades has etymological links to the word "family," and now that family is much bigger.
Check out NYT coverage of the latest results from Young Worlds Lab graduate student Andy Boyle. 🧪🔭✨⭐️
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/12/s...
The ‘Lost Sisters’ of the Pleiades Fill the Entire Night Sky
www.nytimes.com
November 12, 2025 at 2:16 PM
This is so cool. Siblings of the Pleiades strewn over the entire sky. Within some of the oldest written languages in the world, from Sumerian to Eblaite to Akkadadian and Hebrew, the name for Pleiades has etymological links to the word "family," and now that family is much bigger.
Yesterday, two preprint about #Quaoar dropped on arXiv. One is about its second moon discovered by stellar occultation. The other constrains the orbit of the known moon Weywot. But I was drawn to its findings on Quaoar. (More in alt text)
#art #astronomy #space #SolarSystem #planet #dwarfplanet
#art #astronomy #space #SolarSystem #planet #dwarfplanet
November 12, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Yesterday, two preprint about #Quaoar dropped on arXiv. One is about its second moon discovered by stellar occultation. The other constrains the orbit of the known moon Weywot. But I was drawn to its findings on Quaoar. (More in alt text)
#art #astronomy #space #SolarSystem #planet #dwarfplanet
#art #astronomy #space #SolarSystem #planet #dwarfplanet
Reposted by Chara
I've summarized the truth about Loeb's 10 "anomalies" about 3I/ATLAS in one post.
Thanks to @deschscoveries.bsky.social @michael-w-busch.bsky.social @cometary.org and @marshall-eubanks.bsky.social for contributing their expertise!
Thanks to @deschscoveries.bsky.social @michael-w-busch.bsky.social @cometary.org and @marshall-eubanks.bsky.social for contributing their expertise!
Loeb’s 3I/ATLAS “Anomalies” Explained
Avi Loeb continues to claim that 3I/ATLAS has many anomalous behaviors that lead to the conclusion that it “might” be an alien spacecraft. He carefully hedges the probability that it is a spacecraft ...
sites.psu.edu
November 10, 2025 at 12:22 AM
I've summarized the truth about Loeb's 10 "anomalies" about 3I/ATLAS in one post.
Thanks to @deschscoveries.bsky.social @michael-w-busch.bsky.social @cometary.org and @marshall-eubanks.bsky.social for contributing their expertise!
Thanks to @deschscoveries.bsky.social @michael-w-busch.bsky.social @cometary.org and @marshall-eubanks.bsky.social for contributing their expertise!
Reposted by Chara
Why are planetary scientists, astrobiologists and and SETI scientists so negative (pissed off, even) about Avi Loeb’s repeated claims that 3I/Atlas may be an invading alien spaceship?
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November 10, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Why are planetary scientists, astrobiologists and and SETI scientists so negative (pissed off, even) about Avi Loeb’s repeated claims that 3I/Atlas may be an invading alien spaceship?
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Reposted by Chara
Hey you. YES YOU. Super persnickety astronomer. You know who you are.
NASA Exoplanet Archive just updated our overview pages so the stars are closer to their actual colours, as per Harre & Heller (2021) and Cranmer (2021).
You're welcome. 😎
(You can thank @kevinkhu.bsky.social!)
NASA Exoplanet Archive just updated our overview pages so the stars are closer to their actual colours, as per Harre & Heller (2021) and Cranmer (2021).
You're welcome. 😎
(You can thank @kevinkhu.bsky.social!)
November 8, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Hey you. YES YOU. Super persnickety astronomer. You know who you are.
NASA Exoplanet Archive just updated our overview pages so the stars are closer to their actual colours, as per Harre & Heller (2021) and Cranmer (2021).
You're welcome. 😎
(You can thank @kevinkhu.bsky.social!)
NASA Exoplanet Archive just updated our overview pages so the stars are closer to their actual colours, as per Harre & Heller (2021) and Cranmer (2021).
You're welcome. 😎
(You can thank @kevinkhu.bsky.social!)
Reposted by Chara
Brown. Dwarfs. Are. Purple.
Fixing what really matters (to me) on the NASA #Exoplanet Archive since December 2024. 🤣 🔭
Fixing what really matters (to me) on the NASA #Exoplanet Archive since December 2024. 🤣 🔭
Hey you. YES YOU. Super persnickety astronomer. You know who you are.
NASA Exoplanet Archive just updated our overview pages so the stars are closer to their actual colours, as per Harre & Heller (2021) and Cranmer (2021).
You're welcome. 😎
(You can thank @kevinkhu.bsky.social!)
NASA Exoplanet Archive just updated our overview pages so the stars are closer to their actual colours, as per Harre & Heller (2021) and Cranmer (2021).
You're welcome. 😎
(You can thank @kevinkhu.bsky.social!)
November 8, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Brown. Dwarfs. Are. Purple.
Fixing what really matters (to me) on the NASA #Exoplanet Archive since December 2024. 🤣 🔭
Fixing what really matters (to me) on the NASA #Exoplanet Archive since December 2024. 🤣 🔭
Reposted by Chara
November 6, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Reposted by Chara
neck deep in the scarlet devil mansion so of course i can only think about the bar none funniest touhou post ever writ
November 2, 2025 at 10:39 PM
neck deep in the scarlet devil mansion so of course i can only think about the bar none funniest touhou post ever writ
Reposted by Chara
“We are told that AI is inevitable, that we must adapt or be left behind. But universities are not tech companies. Our role is to foster critical thinking, not to follow industry trends uncritically.”
‘Study after study shows that students want to develop these critical thinking skills, are not lazy, and large numbers of them would be in favor of banning ChatGPT and similar tools in universities’, says @olivia.science www.ru.nl/en/research/...
‘Opposing the inevitability of AI at universities is possible and necessary’ | Radboud University
Since the widespread release of ChatGPT in December of 2022, AI has taken over much of the world by storm – including academia. Most of this happened with very little pushback, despite a myriad of iss...
www.ru.nl
November 1, 2025 at 10:45 PM
“We are told that AI is inevitable, that we must adapt or be left behind. But universities are not tech companies. Our role is to foster critical thinking, not to follow industry trends uncritically.”
Reposted by Chara
Cassini NAC natural color view taken on 2011-04-25 19:34 UTC.
Distance to Rhea: 2.23 million km
Distance to Dione: 3.12 million km
Distance to Enceladus: 2.98 million km
Distance to Saturn: 2.75 million km
Phase angle: 67 deg
live.staticflickr.com/7257/7148482...
Distance to Rhea: 2.23 million km
Distance to Dione: 3.12 million km
Distance to Enceladus: 2.98 million km
Distance to Saturn: 2.75 million km
Phase angle: 67 deg
live.staticflickr.com/7257/7148482...
January 6, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Cassini NAC natural color view taken on 2011-04-25 19:34 UTC.
Distance to Rhea: 2.23 million km
Distance to Dione: 3.12 million km
Distance to Enceladus: 2.98 million km
Distance to Saturn: 2.75 million km
Phase angle: 67 deg
live.staticflickr.com/7257/7148482...
Distance to Rhea: 2.23 million km
Distance to Dione: 3.12 million km
Distance to Enceladus: 2.98 million km
Distance to Saturn: 2.75 million km
Phase angle: 67 deg
live.staticflickr.com/7257/7148482...
Reposted by Chara
Reposted by Chara
So Avi has been arguing 3I/ATLAS is weird, and a common rebuttal has been “weird compared to what?” - as in we only have 2 other ISOs to compare to. But an interesting thought is that if Oort clouds mix during stellar encounters, many of our comets may in fact already be ISOs in origin.
November 2, 2025 at 1:49 PM
So Avi has been arguing 3I/ATLAS is weird, and a common rebuttal has been “weird compared to what?” - as in we only have 2 other ISOs to compare to. But an interesting thought is that if Oort clouds mix during stellar encounters, many of our comets may in fact already be ISOs in origin.
Reposted by Chara
What about other planets? We applied state of the art techniques to evaluate the presence of any additional signal in the data, finding nothing. In fact, we could establish that no planets with m sin i larger than 2-20 Me (depending on period) are present in the system. #exoplanets 🔭
October 31, 2025 at 10:35 AM
What about other planets? We applied state of the art techniques to evaluate the presence of any additional signal in the data, finding nothing. In fact, we could establish that no planets with m sin i larger than 2-20 Me (depending on period) are present in the system. #exoplanets 🔭
Reposted by Chara
Likely the silliest use of decades high precision radial velocity measurements
New article dropping today on a very important and timely topic — the potential planetary system of Zeta² Reticuli, and what it might mean for planetary security #exoplanets 🔭
In space there will be no need to scream - Limits to the presence of giant planets in the $ζ^2$ Ret system
The search for life beyond our Solar system has been a long and difficult endeavour. The majority of current efforts are focused on the potential detection of biosignatures. However, their detection a...
arxiv.org
October 31, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Likely the silliest use of decades high precision radial velocity measurements
Reposted by Chara
Two Jovian moons Io and Europa eclipses the sun darkening Jupiter's sky. Volcanic plumes and sulfur halo can be seen around Io and water ice jets are erupting from Europa's crust. Also Jupiter's rings, solar corona and zodiacal light also glows in this darkened sky #SciArt #spaceart #Jupiter
October 30, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Reposted by Chara
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 Chara
Will repeat my belief that even softer sci fi stuff could gain a lot by injecting some realistic space ship design elements, simply because the soft-sf "WW2 in space" aesthetic has gotten really fucking boring by now
October 28, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Will repeat my belief that even softer sci fi stuff could gain a lot by injecting some realistic space ship design elements, simply because the soft-sf "WW2 in space" aesthetic has gotten really fucking boring by now
Reposted by Chara
I will say it doesn’t really seem like much of us are doing full blown feature work with it. Most the horror stories I hear of that level of usage are from product/sales people trying to get a team to adapt their features they “built” with AI into the production apps.
October 28, 2025 at 7:39 PM
I will say it doesn’t really seem like much of us are doing full blown feature work with it. Most the horror stories I hear of that level of usage are from product/sales people trying to get a team to adapt their features they “built” with AI into the production apps.
Reposted by Chara
Reposted by Chara
Hope isn't enough. Boycott Microsoft, Amazon, EA, Activision, Facebook, Meta, anyone using AI. Support companies that employ humans and pay good wages. Buy from Indies wherever possible and give money directly to creators. Vote for progressive policies. There is no other way out of this mess.
October 29, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Hope isn't enough. Boycott Microsoft, Amazon, EA, Activision, Facebook, Meta, anyone using AI. Support companies that employ humans and pay good wages. Buy from Indies wherever possible and give money directly to creators. Vote for progressive policies. There is no other way out of this mess.
Reposted by Chara
For gamers who aren't in game dev, you should know that we are in one of the worst periods in game dev history in terms of industry stability and the reason you're not seeing that play out through products is because the average development window of games is 3-7 years so it hasn't reached you yet.
October 29, 2025 at 8:49 PM
For gamers who aren't in game dev, you should know that we are in one of the worst periods in game dev history in terms of industry stability and the reason you're not seeing that play out through products is because the average development window of games is 3-7 years so it hasn't reached you yet.
Reposted by Chara
VTUBERS! Drop your PNGs!
Ever been curious what role you'd play on a nefarious corporate research station in the outer Solar System?
Well, now's your chance to find out, because this Friday, I'll be ranking y'all based on what role you'd fill in my lab!
#vtuber #envtuber #vsky
Ever been curious what role you'd play on a nefarious corporate research station in the outer Solar System?
Well, now's your chance to find out, because this Friday, I'll be ranking y'all based on what role you'd fill in my lab!
#vtuber #envtuber #vsky
October 26, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Reposted by Chara
At this point, publications that platform Loeb's comments, or feature him as the story lede (i.e., "Harvard Astronomer says....") deserve to be ridiculed and not taken seriously.
If you choose to look away from the hugely negative impact is having for the sake of clicks, then that's on you.
If you choose to look away from the hugely negative impact is having for the sake of clicks, then that's on you.
October 29, 2025 at 8:56 AM
At this point, publications that platform Loeb's comments, or feature him as the story lede (i.e., "Harvard Astronomer says....") deserve to be ridiculed and not taken seriously.
If you choose to look away from the hugely negative impact is having for the sake of clicks, then that's on you.
If you choose to look away from the hugely negative impact is having for the sake of clicks, then that's on you.
Reposted by Chara
Disappointingly little media attention being paid to this alarming new study. Instead, we're hearing about Bill Gates "tough truths" [read b.s.] downplaying the climate crisis.
We are living in #DontLookUp
We are living in #DontLookUp
"22 of Earth's 34 'vital signs' are flashing red, new climate report reveals — but there's still time to act" | Nice article on our new #Bioscience article by @saschapare.bsky.social for @livescience.com: www.livescience.com/planet-earth...
22 of Earth's 34 'vital signs' are flashing red, new climate report reveals — but there's still time to act
Earth's systems are nearing tipping points that could plunge the planet into a "hothouse" regime — but there's still time to prevent that from happening, scientists say.
www.livescience.com
October 30, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Disappointingly little media attention being paid to this alarming new study. Instead, we're hearing about Bill Gates "tough truths" [read b.s.] downplaying the climate crisis.
We are living in #DontLookUp
We are living in #DontLookUp
Reposted by Chara
I feel like my experience of posting on the internet is 90% just shitposting, 9.9% attempts at actual science communication, and then 0.1% accidentally going viral big time and not knowing what button i pressed to cause it, but going along with the ride anyway I guess
October 30, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I feel like my experience of posting on the internet is 90% just shitposting, 9.9% attempts at actual science communication, and then 0.1% accidentally going viral big time and not knowing what button i pressed to cause it, but going along with the ride anyway I guess