Paul Byrne
@theplanetaryguy.bsky.social
Associate Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science at Washington University in St. Louis • Planetary Data System Geosciences Node Director • Planetary Bastard • he/him/Sir
This is a dust devil... on Mars.
November 10, 2025 at 9:45 PM
This is a dust devil... on Mars.
Dramatic vista at LC-39 where Blue Origin's New Glenn-2 rocket, with NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission, is awaiting the right conditions for launch.
November 9, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Dramatic vista at LC-39 where Blue Origin's New Glenn-2 rocket, with NASA's ESCAPADE Mars mission, is awaiting the right conditions for launch.
Thinking of my pals who are down at the Cape today for the launch of the ESCAPADE dual-spacecraft mission to Mars!
ESCAPADE, one of NASA's SIMPLEx-2 mission selections, was originally slated to launch with the Psyche mission. It's now going up on Blue Origin's New Glenn 2 (NG-2) flight.
ESCAPADE, one of NASA's SIMPLEx-2 mission selections, was originally slated to launch with the Psyche mission. It's now going up on Blue Origin's New Glenn 2 (NG-2) flight.
November 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Thinking of my pals who are down at the Cape today for the launch of the ESCAPADE dual-spacecraft mission to Mars!
ESCAPADE, one of NASA's SIMPLEx-2 mission selections, was originally slated to launch with the Psyche mission. It's now going up on Blue Origin's New Glenn 2 (NG-2) flight.
ESCAPADE, one of NASA's SIMPLEx-2 mission selections, was originally slated to launch with the Psyche mission. It's now going up on Blue Origin's New Glenn 2 (NG-2) flight.
Once you're above the clouds on Venus, the sky is blue.
Just like home.
Just like home.
November 9, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Once you're above the clouds on Venus, the sky is blue.
Just like home.
Just like home.
Some rocks on Mars, photographed Thursday.
November 7, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Some rocks on Mars, photographed Thursday.
It might not look like much, but that white blob in the middle of this image is comet 3I/ATLAS—the third known interstellar visitor ever—photographed from the orbit of Mars.
November 6, 2025 at 1:28 AM
It might not look like much, but that white blob in the middle of this image is comet 3I/ATLAS—the third known interstellar visitor ever—photographed from the orbit of Mars.
Seeing a lot of this after Mamdani's win from the right lol
November 5, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Seeing a lot of this after Mamdani's win from the right lol
This is the surface of Saturn's giant icy moon Titan, photographed by the Huygens probe on 14 January 2005.
It is the farthest place from Earth where we have so far landed.
It is the farthest place from Earth where we have so far landed.
November 4, 2025 at 7:32 PM
This is the surface of Saturn's giant icy moon Titan, photographed by the Huygens probe on 14 January 2005.
It is the farthest place from Earth where we have so far landed.
It is the farthest place from Earth where we have so far landed.
Holy shit look at this
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), photographed by Chuck Ayoub on 30 October 2025.
The comet made its closest approach to Earth (90 million km) on October 2025.
Source: Chuck's Astrophotography (@chucksastropho1 on Twitter), h/t @p-s-v.bsky.social
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), photographed by Chuck Ayoub on 30 October 2025.
The comet made its closest approach to Earth (90 million km) on October 2025.
Source: Chuck's Astrophotography (@chucksastropho1 on Twitter), h/t @p-s-v.bsky.social
November 1, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Holy shit look at this
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), photographed by Chuck Ayoub on 30 October 2025.
The comet made its closest approach to Earth (90 million km) on October 2025.
Source: Chuck's Astrophotography (@chucksastropho1 on Twitter), h/t @p-s-v.bsky.social
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon), photographed by Chuck Ayoub on 30 October 2025.
The comet made its closest approach to Earth (90 million km) on October 2025.
Source: Chuck's Astrophotography (@chucksastropho1 on Twitter), h/t @p-s-v.bsky.social
Time to put on my costume and get trick-or-treating
October 31, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Time to put on my costume and get trick-or-treating
When NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft flew past Mercury in the 1970s, it imaged less than half of the planet's surface.
The MESSENGER mission team saw the unknown hemisphere in 2008.
And were horrified by what they saw.
The MESSENGER mission team saw the unknown hemisphere in 2008.
And were horrified by what they saw.
October 31, 2025 at 5:22 PM
When NASA's Mariner 10 spacecraft flew past Mercury in the 1970s, it imaged less than half of the planet's surface.
The MESSENGER mission team saw the unknown hemisphere in 2008.
And were horrified by what they saw.
The MESSENGER mission team saw the unknown hemisphere in 2008.
And were horrified by what they saw.
This day ten years ago.
On 30 October 2015 the now-destroyed Arecibo radio telescope images this giant skull looming out of the dark of space.
On 30 October 2015 the now-destroyed Arecibo radio telescope images this giant skull looming out of the dark of space.
October 30, 2025 at 5:27 PM
This day ten years ago.
On 30 October 2015 the now-destroyed Arecibo radio telescope images this giant skull looming out of the dark of space.
On 30 October 2015 the now-destroyed Arecibo radio telescope images this giant skull looming out of the dark of space.
Nothing to see here.
Just two gigantic eyes in deep space, staring.
Unblinking.
Just two gigantic eyes in deep space, staring.
Unblinking.
October 30, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Nothing to see here.
Just two gigantic eyes in deep space, staring.
Unblinking.
Just two gigantic eyes in deep space, staring.
Unblinking.
This is footage taken earlier today of the eye of Hurricane Melissa.
The entire view is remarkable, of the core of one of the strongest Atlantic basic hurricanes in recorded history, and a catastrophic hit to Jamaica and the central Caribbean.
The entire view is remarkable, of the core of one of the strongest Atlantic basic hurricanes in recorded history, and a catastrophic hit to Jamaica and the central Caribbean.
October 29, 2025 at 2:15 AM
This is footage taken earlier today of the eye of Hurricane Melissa.
The entire view is remarkable, of the core of one of the strongest Atlantic basic hurricanes in recorded history, and a catastrophic hit to Jamaica and the central Caribbean.
The entire view is remarkable, of the core of one of the strongest Atlantic basic hurricanes in recorded history, and a catastrophic hit to Jamaica and the central Caribbean.
Another STUNNING image from JWST, this time of the Red Spider Nebula—the vast, wispy, gaseous remains of a now-dead star, the white dwarf core still glowing in the centre.
October 28, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Another STUNNING image from JWST, this time of the Red Spider Nebula—the vast, wispy, gaseous remains of a now-dead star, the white dwarf core still glowing in the centre.
Day one million of Paul photoshopping Star Wars things into pictures from Jezero Crater
October 27, 2025 at 10:07 PM
Day one million of Paul photoshopping Star Wars things into pictures from Jezero Crater
A reminder that Mercury is basically a giant, molten ball bearing in space.
October 27, 2025 at 3:13 AM
A reminder that Mercury is basically a giant, molten ball bearing in space.
Saturn peeking out from behind the Moon.
Photographed by Paul Stewart (astrostew.bsky.social) on 14 May 2014, this scene is a composite of three images given the vastly different brightness levels of the Moon and Saturn when viewed from Earth.
At the time, Saturn was 1.625 billion km from Earth.
Photographed by Paul Stewart (astrostew.bsky.social) on 14 May 2014, this scene is a composite of three images given the vastly different brightness levels of the Moon and Saturn when viewed from Earth.
At the time, Saturn was 1.625 billion km from Earth.
October 26, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Saturn peeking out from behind the Moon.
Photographed by Paul Stewart (astrostew.bsky.social) on 14 May 2014, this scene is a composite of three images given the vastly different brightness levels of the Moon and Saturn when viewed from Earth.
At the time, Saturn was 1.625 billion km from Earth.
Photographed by Paul Stewart (astrostew.bsky.social) on 14 May 2014, this scene is a composite of three images given the vastly different brightness levels of the Moon and Saturn when viewed from Earth.
At the time, Saturn was 1.625 billion km from Earth.
Ganymede.
The biggest moon in the Solar System.
Bigger than Mercury, and with a rocky interior under NINE HUNDRED KILOMETRES of ice and water.
The biggest moon in the Solar System.
Bigger than Mercury, and with a rocky interior under NINE HUNDRED KILOMETRES of ice and water.
October 24, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Ganymede.
The biggest moon in the Solar System.
Bigger than Mercury, and with a rocky interior under NINE HUNDRED KILOMETRES of ice and water.
The biggest moon in the Solar System.
Bigger than Mercury, and with a rocky interior under NINE HUNDRED KILOMETRES of ice and water.
Mars, last Tuesday.
A very sci-fi shot.
A very sci-fi shot.
October 24, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Mars, last Tuesday.
A very sci-fi shot.
A very sci-fi shot.
Just gave my talk at the Geological Society of America Connects 2025 meeting in San Antonio, about how you could turn Earth into Venus (if you wanted to).
Look out for the corresponding paper some time this side of the heat death of the Universe!
Look out for the corresponding paper some time this side of the heat death of the Universe!
October 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Just gave my talk at the Geological Society of America Connects 2025 meeting in San Antonio, about how you could turn Earth into Venus (if you wanted to).
Look out for the corresponding paper some time this side of the heat death of the Universe!
Look out for the corresponding paper some time this side of the heat death of the Universe!