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IAU NAEC Team USA
@naec-teamus.bsky.social
51 followers 180 following 7 posts
IAU OAE National Astronomy Education Coordination Team (USA). Promoting astronomy and space resources across the nation!
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Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
esa.int
NASA and Axiom Space delay Axiom Mission 4 launch to the International Space Station.

@exploration.esa.int
NASA, Axiom Space Delay Axiom Mission 4 Launch to Space Station - NASA
NASA and Axiom Space are postponing the launch of Axiom Mission 4 to the International Space Station. As part of an ongoing investigation, NASA is working with Roscosmos to understand a new pressure s...
www.nasa.gov
June 12, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
esa.int
Captured by Copernicus EU Sentinel-1, this radar image shows the Mahakam River delta with the city of Samarinda located in the river’s northern bank.

Can you spot the many ships? They look like scattered bright spots.🚢

Access the image at its full resolution: www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
This radar image is from 31 March 2025, it is in false-colour and in ‘dual polarisation’ horizontal and vertical radar pulses. Compared to a single acquisition, this dual mode provides more detailed and complementary information about Earth’s surface. Different colours represent different types of land cover, such as yellow for dense vegetation and forests and dark blue for water. Here, the land is dominated by forests, dotted with numerous small lakes appearing as dark blue spots. Brighter zones suggest built-up areas, mainly located along the course of the Mahakam River, which runs across the image. The capital of the province, Samarinda, can be seen on the northern bank of the river. Radar reflections from the ships stand out like shining jewels in the dark water of the river, as well as the sea. The Mahakam River fans out into a labyrinth of distributaries before emptying into the Makassar Strait through a large and complex delta. The area alternates between agriculture and aquaculture, particularly shrimp farming, and extensive wetlands dominated by mangrove ecosystems. Zooming in, aquaculture structures can be seen in dark blue. Varying colours of the seawater are caused by different atmospheric fronts and wind conditions, with stronger winds on the left in the lighter zone, and calmer conditions on the right. Distinct greenish patches visible on the ocean surface, especially within the lighter blue area, are ‘rain cells’ – distinct areas of rainfall within a larger precipitation system. As we can see in the image, these cells can range in size, from small, localised showers to larger, more extensive rainfall events. As rain cells are easy to spot using satellite radar, scientists also exploit these images to monitor the weather.
June 13, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
apod.shinyakato.dev
🔭 Enceladus in True Color

Image Credit: NASA, ESA, JPL, SSI, Cassini Imaging Team

apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap25061...
A picture of a mostly white orb is shown that has many craters and crevasses. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
June 10, 2025 at 8:00 AM
naec-teamus.bsky.social
Check out the information for the 7th Annual SHAW-IAU workshop on astronomy education November 2025

astro4edu.org/shaw-iau/
Shaw-IAU Workshops from the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education
astro4edu.org
June 13, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
uahirise.bsky.social
HiRISE 3D: Groups of Ridges in Granicus Valles

The objective of this observation is to determine the nature of groups of ridges. There are groups that appear to have different directions. There also seems to be old ring-mold craters in the image field.

www.uahirise.org/anaglyph/ESP...

#Mars
3D image shows a group of prominent ridges, all very close to one another, in Granicus Valles on Mars. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona)
June 4, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
handle.invalid
Like images of broken light, Webb captured these carbon-rich dust shells around a binary star system. Drifting swiftly outwards, they are seeding their surroundings with carbon - one way elements spread across the universe. https://t.co/gjfLhdaP1x https://t.co/rbFjcpKjgm
January 14, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
lenaackermann.bsky.social
If you’re a STEM professional (broadly defined!) looking for a cool outreach opportunity, check out prescientist.org! Pen pal registration for the upcoming school year closes in less than 48 hours. I’ve participated twice as a STEM pen pal and just signed up for another year - highly recommended!
Home - Letters to a Pre-Scientist
The Pen Pal Program Inspiring Students To Explore a Future in STEM Letters to a Pre-Scientist connects students to STEM professionals through snail mail to broaden students ’ awareness of ...
prescientist.org
August 2, 2024 at 5:47 AM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
esa.int
🎉 #50YearsOfESA: for half a century, we've been serving Europe as its space agency and inspiring its citizens. Join us this anniversary year to reflect not only on our past achievements, but also on our future perspectives!
May 30, 2025 at 2:33 PM
naec-teamus.bsky.social
One of our fabulous members also creates free and wonderful YouTube content on their channel by inviting lecturers, like the NASA Solar System Ambassadors! Here’s a video on Weird Moon facts:

youtu.be/tms3SatdlPc?...
Seth Lockman (NASA Solar System Ambassador) on "Weird Moon Facts ..." (Episode #59).
YouTube video by Earth & Space Reports
youtu.be
June 3, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
nmsi.bsky.social
STEM doesn’t have to be complicated or costly to inspire students.

Discover how small classroom adjustments can make a significant impact.

📚 Read →https://www.nms.org/Resources/Newsroom/News/How-Teachers-Can-Incorporate-STEM%E2%80%94Without-Making-I.aspx

#STEMeducation #schoolleaders #EduSky
June 3, 2025 at 10:32 AM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
astro4edu.bsky.social
Brown dwarfs are celestial objects that are too massive to be considered planets but not massive enough to become true stars. They are also very different one from the other: Let’s learn how they are classified, making models with this activity coming from Brazil
astroedu.iau.org/en/activitie...
Banner for the astroEDU educational activity "The Brown Dwarf builder's guide" for May 2025 with a background photo of four styrofoam models in different colours
May 27, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
apod.shinyakato.dev
🔭 Mars in the Loop

Image Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel (TWAN)

apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap25053...
This composite of images spaced a weather-permitting 5 to 9 days apart, from 2024 September 19 (top right) through 2025 May 18 (bottom left), faithfully traces ruddy-colored Mars as it makes a clockwise loop through the constellations Gemini and Cancer in planet Earth's night sky. You can connect the dots and dates with your cursor over the image, but be sure to check out this animation of the Red Planet's 2024/25 retrograde motion. Of course Mars didn't actually reverse the direction of its orbit. Instead, the apparent backwards motion with respect to the background stars is a reflection of the orbital motion of Earth itself. Retrograde motion can be seen each time Earth overtakes and laps planets orbiting farther from the Sun, the Earth moving more rapidly through its own relatively close-in orbit. In this case Mars' apparent eastward motion began to reverse around December 8, when it seemed to linger near open star cluster M44 in Cancer. After wandering back to the west, under Gemini's bright stars Castor and Pollux, Mars returned to pose near M44 by early May. At its brightest near opposition on 2025 January 16, Mars was a mere 96 million kilometers away.
May 30, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
skyandtelescope.bsky.social
A new study of the motion of Jupiter’s moons has revealed that the king of planets, when it was young, was at least twice as large and 50 times more magnetically potent than it is today.
buff.ly/SxiV9UN
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#astronomy #jupiter #cosmology #planetformation
Newborn Jupiter Was Twice as Big As It Is Today
A new study of Jupiter’s moons has revealed that the planet was once at least twice as large as it is today.
buff.ly
June 2, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
chuckles-s.bsky.social
Pluto never gave up:)
June 1, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
astro4edu.bsky.social
How do students reason about astronomy? Chad Leukes explored student reasoning on astronomy topics such as 'Why do stars twinkle?' at the 6th Shaw-IAU workshop, revealing that their answers, although incorrect at times, show that coherent reasoning
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIa-...
Investigating Student Reasoning in Astronomy: Chad Leukes at the OAE’s 6th Shaw-IAU Workshop
YouTube video by IAU Office of Astronomy for Education
www.youtube.com
June 2, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
nisenet.bsky.social
6/3/25 Online Workshop: America 250 - How Can Children's Museums and Science Centers Celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial? Register now!
#onlineworkshop #America250 #Semiquincentennial #nisenet #nisenetwork #museums #planetarium #InformalScience #sciencecenters #childrensmuseum
Online Workshop: America 250 - How Can Children's Museums and Science Centers Celebrate the United States Semiquincentennial? | NISE Network
Online workshop sharing ideas and resources available for celebrating the US Semiquincentennial.
nisenet.org
May 31, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Reposted by IAU NAEC Team USA
nisenet.bsky.social
Rubin Observatory First Look Watch Parties will be held around the world in June or July 2025. Learn how you can participate!
#rubinobservatory #nisenet #nisenetwork #museums #planetarium #InformalScience #sciencecenters #childrensmuseum
Rubin First Look Watch Parties | Rubin Observatory
Our First Look at imagery from Rubin Observatory is nearly here — learn about how to host or attend a Rubin First Look Watch Party and join in the global celebration
rubinobservatory.org
May 31, 2025 at 5:03 AM
naec-teamus.bsky.social
Each National Astronomy Education Coordinator (NAEC) team is tasked with helping the OAE document how astronomy is used in teaching and organizing professional development for teachers and developing readily accessible and high-quality educational material!

astro4edu.org/naec-network/
The IAU OAE National Astronomy Education Coordinator teams
The IAU Office of Astronomy for Education is the IAU's office focussed on primary and secondary education.
astro4edu.org
June 2, 2025 at 2:59 AM
naec-teamus.bsky.social
Here’s a little snippet about what we do, by our fearless leader, Dr. Christine Bernhardt! #scicomm #STEM #STEMeducation

youtu.be/syjE_ppW9zE?...
Multinational Study in Astronomy Education: Christine H Bernhardt at the OAE’s 4th Shaw-IAU Workshop
YouTube video by IAU Office of Astronomy for Education
youtu.be
June 1, 2025 at 11:46 PM
naec-teamus.bsky.social
Hello world!

We are Team USA for the International Astronomical Union Office of Astronomy for Education! 👋

We would love to share and interact and support educators and STEM groups with our space resources! 🔭 ✨
June 1, 2025 at 11:39 PM