Brett Morris
@brettmorr.is
Astronomer, software engineer. Supporting space telescopes, open science, and accessibility in astrophysics.
Thrilled and haunted by dots on stars.
http://brettmorr.is/
Posts my own, not my employer's.
Thrilled and haunted by dots on stars.
http://brettmorr.is/
Posts my own, not my employer's.
Reposted by Brett Morris
Senate Democrats voting to dismantle the ACA to avoid any problems with their Thanksgiving travel is tragically on brand.
November 9, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Senate Democrats voting to dismantle the ACA to avoid any problems with their Thanksgiving travel is tragically on brand.
Reposted by Brett Morris
Reposting to correct an error: trump admin is quietly gutting 13 buildings and about 100 laboratories at Goddard campus that has been instrumental to Hubble and James Webb telescope missions. Staff say they’ve be locked and told to move equipment. Anything left behind will be thrown away.
NASA may be quietly gutting an iconic campus with what it calls strategic closures, workers fear
(CNN) — Alarm is growing among federal workers at NASA’s iconic Goddard Space Flight Center’s main campus in Greenbelt, Maryland — the nerve center for groundbreaking missions like the Hubble
www.wkow.com
November 5, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Reposting to correct an error: trump admin is quietly gutting 13 buildings and about 100 laboratories at Goddard campus that has been instrumental to Hubble and James Webb telescope missions. Staff say they’ve be locked and told to move equipment. Anything left behind will be thrown away.
Reposted by Brett Morris
What is happening at Goddard is absolutely devastating. We are losing history. We are losing an incredible amount of human talent, skill, and knowledge. Rebuilding it will be impossible same for same. Industry can not absorb the people or the equipment. This is undoing space science in the US.
Goddard spacecraft engineer: "I think it just kind of speaks to the atmosphere of the agency and the nation, where people are like, 'Well, laws don't matter for the people at the top anymore.'"
NASA is sinking its flagship science center during the government shutdown — and may be breaking the law in the process, critics say
"There is just a general acknowledgement that a lot of what is happening is illegal…"
www.space.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
What is happening at Goddard is absolutely devastating. We are losing history. We are losing an incredible amount of human talent, skill, and knowledge. Rebuilding it will be impossible same for same. Industry can not absorb the people or the equipment. This is undoing space science in the US.
GOVT: No, Brett you’re missing the point. Our real priority is taking food away from hungry children, while we take away their healthcare or force them into poverty, and deploy the military against citizens. Dismantling the most popular federal agencies in US history is just a lovely byproduct.
“Tens or hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer-funded NASA property and laboratories are at risk of either being discarded, mishandled, or out-of-commission for significant time periods.” 🔭🧪
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
GESTA’s Summary of Goddard Building Closures Status
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is the largest group of scientists, technicians and engineers in the US who develop Earth and space science flight missions. Below is GESTA's understanding of the...
www.gesta-goddard.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:13 PM
GOVT: No, Brett you’re missing the point. Our real priority is taking food away from hungry children, while we take away their healthcare or force them into poverty, and deploy the military against citizens. Dismantling the most popular federal agencies in US history is just a lovely byproduct.
“Tens or hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer-funded NASA property and laboratories are at risk of either being discarded, mishandled, or out-of-commission for significant time periods.” 🔭🧪
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
GESTA’s Summary of Goddard Building Closures Status
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is the largest group of scientists, technicians and engineers in the US who develop Earth and space science flight missions. Below is GESTA's understanding of the...
www.gesta-goddard.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:50 AM
“Tens or hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer-funded NASA property and laboratories are at risk of either being discarded, mishandled, or out-of-commission for significant time periods.” 🔭🧪
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
As feds seal off labs from staff at NASA Goddard in prep for hasty evac+demolition, union reports: “Closure activities are proceeding during the government shutdown, which may be illegal under the Antideficiency Act and further endangers property.” 🔭🧪
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
GESTA’s Summary of Goddard Building Closures Status
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is the largest group of scientists, technicians and engineers in the US who develop Earth and space science flight missions. Below is GESTA's understanding of the...
www.gesta-goddard.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:48 AM
As feds seal off labs from staff at NASA Goddard in prep for hasty evac+demolition, union reports: “Closure activities are proceeding during the government shutdown, which may be illegal under the Antideficiency Act and further endangers property.” 🔭🧪
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
www.gesta-goddard.org/blog/gestas-...
As NASA closes Goddard Space Flight Center, Union says: “High profile missions currently supported by the public, Congress and/or the President (e.g., Roman, Dragonfly) will be immediately harmed or endangered.” 🧪🔭
GESTA’s Summary of Goddard Building Closures Status
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is the largest group of scientists, technicians and engineers in the US who develop Earth and space science flight missions. Below is GESTA's understanding of the...
www.gesta-goddard.org
November 6, 2025 at 2:44 AM
As NASA closes Goddard Space Flight Center, Union says: “High profile missions currently supported by the public, Congress and/or the President (e.g., Roman, Dragonfly) will be immediately harmed or endangered.” 🧪🔭
This is how you incinerate a field of science. 🔭🧪
NASA is sinking its flagship science center during the government shutdown — and may be breaking the law in the process, critics say
"There is just a general acknowledgement that a lot of what is happening is illegal…"
www.space.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:39 AM
This is how you incinerate a field of science. 🔭🧪
We’re now watching the murder of space sciences in America. Unless someone can stop this, this is the beginning of the end.
The brain drain will accelerate until there’s nothing left to stay for. 🧪🔭
The brain drain will accelerate until there’s nothing left to stay for. 🧪🔭
Most of the Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt Campus is planned to be demolished by March 2026, if not sooner.
www.space.com/space-explor...
www.space.com/space-explor...
November 6, 2025 at 2:36 AM
We’re now watching the murder of space sciences in America. Unless someone can stop this, this is the beginning of the end.
The brain drain will accelerate until there’s nothing left to stay for. 🧪🔭
The brain drain will accelerate until there’s nothing left to stay for. 🧪🔭
Reposted by Brett Morris
BREAKING: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is illegally closing 13 campus buildings (including ~100 laboratories).
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
November 2, 2025 at 4:55 AM
BREAKING: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is illegally closing 13 campus buildings (including ~100 laboratories).
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
Report coming from GESTA, the Goddard employee union
Reposted by Brett Morris
Heads up: the deadline for regular registration for #AAS247 is Friday, November 7. (Late registration is still an option after Friday, but more expensive).
While you and your colleagues/students register, remember to register for the @astropy.org workshop! 🔭 #astrocode
While you and your colleagues/students register, remember to register for the @astropy.org workshop! 🔭 #astrocode
Register yourself or a student for the 'Python and Astropy for Astronomical Data Analysis' workshop at @aas.org on January 4, 2026. 🔭 #aas247 #astrocode
You'll get a broad overview of the astropy functionality that powers astronomy, taught by the @astropy.org team.
github.com/astropy/astr...
You'll get a broad overview of the astropy functionality that powers astronomy, taught by the @astropy.org team.
github.com/astropy/astr...
November 4, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Heads up: the deadline for regular registration for #AAS247 is Friday, November 7. (Late registration is still an option after Friday, but more expensive).
While you and your colleagues/students register, remember to register for the @astropy.org workshop! 🔭 #astrocode
While you and your colleagues/students register, remember to register for the @astropy.org workshop! 🔭 #astrocode
Reposted by Brett Morris
Live in the Northern Hemisphere and want to see a comet older then the Solar System? Nice overview of upcoming pre-dawn visibility for interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with small amateur telescopes 🔭🧪
All Eyes on Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS will soon exit the Sun's glare to enter the morning sky. Get ready for the observing opportunity of a lifetime.
skyandtelescope.org
November 1, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Live in the Northern Hemisphere and want to see a comet older then the Solar System? Nice overview of upcoming pre-dawn visibility for interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with small amateur telescopes 🔭🧪
Reposted by Brett Morris
California police boost patrols at grocery stores as millions set to lose SNAP benefits
California police boost patrols at grocery stores as millions set to lose SNAP benefits
www.foxla.com
October 29, 2025 at 11:38 PM
California police boost patrols at grocery stores as millions set to lose SNAP benefits
Reposted by Brett Morris
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-...
🧵
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Reposted by Brett Morris
Today’s Daily Cartoon, by Adam Douglas Thompson. #NewYorkerCartoons
Sign up for our humor newsletter at the link in our bio to get more cartoons and other funny stuff right in your inbox: https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/humor
Sign up for our humor newsletter at the link in our bio to get more cartoons and other funny stuff right in your inbox: https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/humor
October 21, 2025 at 11:10 PM
Today’s Daily Cartoon, by Adam Douglas Thompson. #NewYorkerCartoons
Sign up for our humor newsletter at the link in our bio to get more cartoons and other funny stuff right in your inbox: https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/humor
Sign up for our humor newsletter at the link in our bio to get more cartoons and other funny stuff right in your inbox: https://www.newyorker.com/newsletter/humor
Reposted by Brett Morris
Encourage a student to register for the astropy workshop! 🔭 #astrocode
Register yourself or a student for the 'Python and Astropy for Astronomical Data Analysis' workshop at @aas.org on January 4, 2026. 🔭 #aas247 #astrocode
You'll get a broad overview of the astropy functionality that powers astronomy, taught by the @astropy.org team.
github.com/astropy/astr...
You'll get a broad overview of the astropy functionality that powers astronomy, taught by the @astropy.org team.
github.com/astropy/astr...
October 21, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Encourage a student to register for the astropy workshop! 🔭 #astrocode
Jobs! Postdoc on crowded field photometry with the Roman Space Telescope at @stsci.edu. 🔭 #astrocode
Deadline December 5:
stsci.slideroom.com#/login/progr...
Deadline December 5:
stsci.slideroom.com#/login/progr...
Space Telescope Science Institute - SlideRoom
Apply to Space Telescope Science Institute. Powered by SlideRoom.
stsci.slideroom.com
October 21, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Jobs! Postdoc on crowded field photometry with the Roman Space Telescope at @stsci.edu. 🔭 #astrocode
Deadline December 5:
stsci.slideroom.com#/login/progr...
Deadline December 5:
stsci.slideroom.com#/login/progr...
Q: How old is the star HD 140283, at the center of this image?
A: Quite nearly as old as the universe itself.
Paper (Lundkvist et al., from last week): arxiv.org/abs/2510.11532
View on the sky: aladin.cds.unistra.fr/AladinLite/?...
A: Quite nearly as old as the universe itself.
Paper (Lundkvist et al., from last week): arxiv.org/abs/2510.11532
View on the sky: aladin.cds.unistra.fr/AladinLite/?...
October 20, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Q: How old is the star HD 140283, at the center of this image?
A: Quite nearly as old as the universe itself.
Paper (Lundkvist et al., from last week): arxiv.org/abs/2510.11532
View on the sky: aladin.cds.unistra.fr/AladinLite/?...
A: Quite nearly as old as the universe itself.
Paper (Lundkvist et al., from last week): arxiv.org/abs/2510.11532
View on the sky: aladin.cds.unistra.fr/AladinLite/?...
One-hour crash course: how astronomers' shortest path to measuring the air on a habitable zone planet is menaced by the very star that throws light on the planet.
Thanks @afeinstein20.bsky.social for inviting me to MSU, it was a great trip! 🔭🧪 #stellarastro
Thanks @afeinstein20.bsky.social for inviting me to MSU, it was a great trip! 🔭🧪 #stellarastro
Physics and Astronomy Colloquium delivered by Dr. Brett Morris (STScI)
Title: The Stars Behind The PlanetsAbstract: Observations of exoplanet atmospheres measure atmospheric chemical abundances, temperature structures, and dynamics. As we observe a growing samp...
mediaspace.msu.edu
October 20, 2025 at 3:00 PM
One-hour crash course: how astronomers' shortest path to measuring the air on a habitable zone planet is menaced by the very star that throws light on the planet.
Thanks @afeinstein20.bsky.social for inviting me to MSU, it was a great trip! 🔭🧪 #stellarastro
Thanks @afeinstein20.bsky.social for inviting me to MSU, it was a great trip! 🔭🧪 #stellarastro
We can still debate how many students should be trained for the small number of jobs that await them.
Zero isn’t the number anyone wants. This is turning off the pipeline. 🔭🧪
Zero isn’t the number anyone wants. This is turning off the pipeline. 🔭🧪
Growing list of astronomy PhD programs that are pausing admissions this year 🔭
aas.org/posts/news/2...
aas.org/posts/news/2...
AAS Working Group Shares Status of 2026 Astronomy Graduate Admissions | American Astronomical Society
The Working Group on Graduate Admissions has surveyed over 150 astronomy and physics graduate programs to understand how the current funding and policy environment has affected their admissions plans ...
aas.org
October 20, 2025 at 12:03 PM
We can still debate how many students should be trained for the small number of jobs that await them.
Zero isn’t the number anyone wants. This is turning off the pipeline. 🔭🧪
Zero isn’t the number anyone wants. This is turning off the pipeline. 🔭🧪
For this money, your tax dollars could have paid for a second TESS mission to find planets, but instead:
I know something about aircraft pricing, and when you "need" to get updated avionics, safety equipment etc.
This is grotesquely wasteful, unnecessary, and self-aggrandizing.
No Kings. Also, no cosplay Marie Antoinettes.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/u...
This is grotesquely wasteful, unnecessary, and self-aggrandizing.
No Kings. Also, no cosplay Marie Antoinettes.
www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/u...
Coast Guard Buys Two Private Jets for Noem, Costing $172 Million
www.nytimes.com
October 18, 2025 at 6:53 PM
For this money, your tax dollars could have paid for a second TESS mission to find planets, but instead:
To be clear, they’re still welcome in the party. Just swapping leadership.
Republican leaders in New York voted on Friday to disband the state’s young Republican group after racist texts among group members became public.
After Racist Texts, New York G.O.P. Disbands Young Republican Group
State party leaders eliminated the New York State Young Republicans’ charter, allowing them to reconstitute the organization with new leaders.
nyti.ms
October 17, 2025 at 6:37 PM
To be clear, they’re still welcome in the party. Just swapping leadership.
gut check on the fall of the republic:
October 17, 2025 at 4:46 PM
gut check on the fall of the republic:
Reposted by Brett Morris
"The secret sauce has been poured down the drain," says David Draper, former Deputy Chief Scientist of NASA, over the recent firing or departure of 1000s of NASA employees, which will be catastrophic for the legacy of the US🇺🇸😖🚀
www.planetary.org/articles/400...
h/t @floragraham.bsky.social 🧪
www.planetary.org/articles/400...
h/t @floragraham.bsky.social 🧪
4,000 gone: Inside NASA’s brain drain
In exclusive interviews, ex-NASA scientists speak out on the impact of the agency's mass departures.
www.planetary.org
October 16, 2025 at 7:29 PM
"The secret sauce has been poured down the drain," says David Draper, former Deputy Chief Scientist of NASA, over the recent firing or departure of 1000s of NASA employees, which will be catastrophic for the legacy of the US🇺🇸😖🚀
www.planetary.org/articles/400...
h/t @floragraham.bsky.social 🧪
www.planetary.org/articles/400...
h/t @floragraham.bsky.social 🧪