David S. F. Portree
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David S. F. Portree
@dsfpspacefl1ght.bsky.social
history guy, science writer, educator, map librarian, archivist, 57 yrs a space exploration nut, ex-NASA, ex-US Geological Survey, now doing local history among the pines in Flagstaff AZ USA

Save NASA space science

https://spaceflighthistory.blogspot.com
Pinned
New images for the forthcoming NASA Manned Spacecraft Center minimum-energy crewed Mars landing blog post. I am still tidying up some of these.

Lots of orbital mechanics stuff in this one, which is fun.
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
🔭 Until now, observing the inner regions of the Sun’s enigmatic atmosphere – the corona – was close to impossible.

🛰️🛰️☀️ The satellite duo making up @esa.int’s Proba-3 mission fills this observation gap by creating artificial solar eclipses in orbit 👉 www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...
December 17, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
This problem has more or less been flying under the radar. We are already seeing malnutrition in insects, resulting in smaller specimens and reduced reproduction.
December 19, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
The meta-analysis is here for those who want to read the original paper.
CO2 Rise Directly Impairs Crop Nutritional Quality
This analysis studies the direct effect of CO2 rise on nutrient quality by synthesizing pre-existing data on ~59,000 samples across 43 different food crops, where half of the plants were grown under ...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 19, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
NASA’S PUNCH Releases Refined Images of Eruptions from the Sun

science.nasa.gov/blogs/punch/...

Video shows coronal mass ejections erupting from the Sun’s surface from Oct. 21 to Nov. 12, 2025. Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) is seen at the top, Venus at the left, and Mercury to the right of center. 🧪🔭
December 19, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
This video will inspire you and break your heart and remind you why we humans have a chance - this is famous Ukrainian ‘Schedryk’ - you might know it as Carol of the Bells - performed live at one of DTEK thermal power situations ruined by Russian attacks

P.s. it will make you cry.
December 19, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
December 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
"Not a knocker,--but Marley's Face!" Charles Green illustration for Dickens's A Christmas Carol, Pears' Christmas Annual 1892 (Day 2 of 7).
December 19, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
Canada lynx
December 19, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
A wind farm off the coast of China appeared to boost fish numbers and supported colonies of oysters and barnacles, according to new research
Offshore Wind Farm in China Becomes a Haven for Oysters, Barnacles, and More, Study Finds
A wind farm off the coast of China appeared to boost fish numbers and supported colonies of oysters and barnacles, according to new research
www.scientificamerican.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
HiPOD: A Volcanic Cone in Claritas Fossae

This image captures an atypical cone with associated flow-like features. The shape of the cone suggests that there was a larger cone whose summit area was removed and a newer cone formed inside.

https://uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_076556_1510

#Mars #science
December 19, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
Hallo zusammen - wie gewohnt mit einem aktuellen Bild der Sonne per Satellit GOES-19 (Credit: NOAA). Und damit verabschieden wir uns für ein paar Tage in die Winterpause. Schöne Weihnachtszeit euch allen!
December 19, 2025 at 9:26 AM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
🔊 #NowPlaying on #BBCRadio3:

#ThroughTheNight
- Rameau, Handel, Farrenc and Mozart

The German Symphony Orchestra, Berlin play Rameau, Handel, Farrenc and Mozart.

▶️ Relisten on BBCSounds
BBC Radio 3 - Through the Night, Rameau, Handel, Farrenc and Mozart
The German Symphony Orchestra, Berlin play Rameau, Handel, Farrenc and Mozart.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 19, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
In a historical milestone, Hubble has witnessed the catastrophic collision of asteroids in the nearby Fomalhaut planetary system 🪨💥 

Observations also revealed that an object previously suspected to be a candidate planet was, in fact, a dust cloud. 
🔭 🧪
December 18, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
I might be biased, but today the South Polar Cap of Mars looks a lot like Scotland to me 😂

Full size image & info: flic.kr/p/2oqrPg1 🔭🧪
Credit: ESA/DLR/FUBerlin/AndreaLuck

ESA Mars Express HRSC 2015-04-09
December 18, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
In 1892, Charles Green contributed 28 fresh illustrations to a reprinting of Dickens's A Christmas Carol. To kick off my Christmas Carol illustration advent this year, here's his half-page title. (1/7)
December 18, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
🔊 #NowPlaying on #BBCRadio3:

#Radio3InConcert
- Bach's Christmas Oratorio

Polyphony, the Britten Sinfonia and Stephen Layton perform Bach’s Christmas masterpiece.

▶️ Relisten on BBCSounds
BBC Radio 3 - Radio 3 in Concert, Bach's Christmas Oratorio
Polyphony, the Britten Sinfonia and Stephen Layton perform Bach’s Christmas masterpiece.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 18, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
HiPOD: An Inverted Channel in Flammarion Crater

Topographic inversion is a process where geologic features that were once low-lying, like impact craters or riverbeds, become elevated over time, like mesas or ridges.

More: https://uahirise.org/ESP_089631_2065

#Mars #science #NASA
December 18, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
HOW WILL WE LEARNE THINGES?
Uh, what about bookes, filmes, teachinge, educacioun?
HOW ABOUT WE MAKE A MACHYNE THAT DOTH KNOWE STUFFE
Uh, what about bookes, filmes, teachinge, educacioun?
AND IT DOTH STEALE & HURT THE EARTHE
Uh, what about bookes, filmes, teachinge, educacioun?
YEAH THE MACHYNE
December 18, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
Healthcare premiums are rising — and House Republicans are heading out on vacation.

They found trillions for billionaire tax cuts, but not enough to protect affordable health care.

That tells you everything you need to know about the state of the Republican Party.
December 18, 2025 at 8:20 PM
New images for the forthcoming NASA Manned Spacecraft Center minimum-energy crewed Mars landing blog post. I am still tidying up some of these.

Lots of orbital mechanics stuff in this one, which is fun.
December 18, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
Europa Clipper has observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS with its ultraviolet spectrograph instrument! News here:
www.swri.org/newsroom/pre...
December 18, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
“Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.
~ President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
December 16, 2025 at 2:55 AM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
"How to Spot AI Hallucinations Like a Reference Librarian" HT @tjowens.bsky.social open.substack.com/pub/cardcata...
How to Spot AI Hallucinations Like a Reference Librarian
The verification tricks that would make fact-checkers weep with joy.
open.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by David S. F. Portree
Weee whirly stuff at Jupiter's high latitudes from the Juno spacecraft!
@leighfletcher.bsky.social +
arxiv.org/abs/2512.15696
🧪🔭☄️
December 18, 2025 at 9:10 AM