Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Lynn Carter

Casey Dreier @caseydreier.bsky.social · 25d

[BREAKING] The Planetary Society and 14 partner organizations released a joint letter calling for explicit NASA science protections in Congress's stopgap spending bill.

Read it here:

www.planetary.org/press-releas...

Coalition of science, education, and space organizations urges…

A coalition of science, education, labor, and space advocacy organizations today sent a joint letter to congressional appropriations leaders urging them…

www.planetary.org

1 41 80

Reposted by Lynn Carter

ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · Sep 12

Venus is a Solar System enigma.

Although Venus is similar in size and distance from the Sun to Earth, it has evolved very differently from our planet.

Our #Envision mission will aim to solve some of the puzzle by thoroughly studying our closest neighbour.
www.esa.int/Science_Expl... 🔭

Top five Venus mysteries Envision will solve

Venus is a Solar System enigma. Similar in size to Earth and orbiting the Sun at a similar distance, it is remarkable how the two planets evolved so differently. While conditions on Earth allowed life...

www.esa.int

7 41 210

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Sep 10

Wow the banquet at #epscdps.

1 8

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Sep 8

Wow the Venus talks are in a room with an organ! They should have told people in advance so they could plan more dramatic talks! #epscdps

2 1 23

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Sep 8

Every conference facility has its quirks. In this case I was at Saturn (room) and need to head back toward the Sun (room) but am not sure how. Maybe I need help from a dynamicist! #epscdps2025

7

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Aug 21

I'm sorry this looks extremely dangerous.

2

Reposted by Lynn Carter

UArizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory @uarizonalpl.bsky.social · Aug 5

Please join us in congratulating Samantha Moruzzi, who today successfully defended her Ph.D. Dissertation, Geophysical Evolution of Sputnik Basin on Pluto.

Congratulations, Samantha!

📸: Samantha is pictured with her advisor, Dr. Jeff Andrews-Hanna.

4 49

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Aug 1

The REASON Ice Penetrating Radar produced good test data when we flew by Mars! All looking good for seeing inside #Europa in a few years. www.nasa.gov/missions/eur...

NASA’s Europa Clipper Radar Instrument Proves Itself at Mars - NASA

The agency’s largest interplanetary probe tested its radar during a Mars flyby. The results include a detailed image and bode well for the mission at

www.nasa.gov

34 130

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Aug 1

This looks like a department party!

1

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Jul 30

This looks like it could also solve our Mars sample return problem. Look at the trunk space!

6

Reposted by Lynn Carter

UArizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory @uarizonalpl.bsky.social · Jul 29

It's time to mark your calendars! The 2025 LPL Evening Lecture Series features "Space on Earth." You can attend any lecture in-person or virtually. We hope to see you there! lpl.arizona.edu/calendar/eve...

5 2

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Jul 27

🇵🇷

Beach with blue calm water, dark rocks, white cumulus clouds, and a green hill in the background to the right.

4

Reposted by Lynn Carter

Captain Mark Kelly @captmarkkelly.bsky.social · Jul 17

The first photos from the Vera Rubin Observatory are stunning — thanks in part to the University of Arizona, which helped build its mirror. Proud to see Arizona leading the way in space science.

8 85 700

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Jul 17

By the 4th one he’ll be speaking directly to the aliens in his mind!

3

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Jul 8

New Triassic pterosaur: "the creature would have been small enough to comfortably perch on a person’s shoulder..."
wapo.st/4krp5QG

North America’s oldest pterosaur, a winged reptile, discovered in Arizona

The 209-million-year-old fossil offers clues to the evolution of the reptiles, which have more than 150 named species including the well-known pterodactyl.

wapo.st

6

Reposted by Lynn Carter

Casey Dreier @caseydreier.bsky.social · Jul 7

Today, *every* living prior leader of NASA's science directorate have released a joint letter condemning the proposed cuts to NASA science. These individuals every administration from Reagan to Biden, and all believe these cuts are insanely destructive: www.planetary.org/press-releas...

Every living NASA science chief unites in opposition to unprecedented…

The entire past leadership of NASA’s science activities have released a joint statement condemning the proposed 47% cuts proposed to the agency’s science…

www.planetary.org

11 610 1.4K

Reposted by Lynn Carter

AAS Public Policy @policy.aas.org · Jul 2

The Senate reconciliation bill passed yesterday is separate from the annual appropriations process, which determines funding for our federal science agencies. Learn more about the differences here: aas.org/posts/news/2...

Reconciliation vs Appropriations | American Astronomical Society

Here we outline the key difference between the reconciliation process, which deals with mandatory spending and taxes, and the appropriations process, which determines the funding levels for discretion...

aas.org

1 16 35

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Jul 2

Another interstellar asteroid friend is traveling through the neighborhood! ☄️

7

Reposted by Lynn Carter

Mark Marley @markmarley.bsky.social · Jun 27

What is the impact of the proposed mission terminations and cancellations on Arizona (U of A + ASU) Universities? These charts flag the missions with AZ participation and those impacted.

NASA planetary missions with AZ participation and those slated for cancellation.

Chart of NASA Heliophysics missions showing those slated for cancellation and those with AZ participation.

1 10 19

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Jun 27

I really wish there were fewer mistakes in Arizona governance. Please everyone come to work and try to make sure you do your job correctly. Maybe double check the letters, just for example.

Jen Fifield @jenafifield.bsky.social · Jun 27

Maricopa County voters 🚨

Please share this widely. If you get one of these letters in the mail telling you you’re going to be moved off the active voter rolls, know that it’s a mistake. Read my full story in 🧵 , and email me your thoughts: [email protected].

1 1 3

Reposted by Lynn Carter

Heidi B. Hammel @hbhammel.bsky.social · Jun 26

An update on the "Save NASA Science" campaign led by The Planetary Society @exploreplanets. Unrelated to TPS, I hear there is protested planned for NASA HQ on Monday morning 7-11 am to support the NASA Science budget.

The Planetary Society @planetarysociety.bsky.social · Jun 26

You’ve seen our advocacy efforts to Save NASA Science—here’s what happened and what’s next as we approach critical budget decisions in Washington. ⬇️ www.planetary.org/articles/sav...

Save NASA Science Campaign progress report

A status update from The Planetary Society's policy experts.

www.planetary.org

5 13

Reposted by Lynn Carter

Kat Volk @katvolk.bsky.social · Jun 24

PSI's Amanda Hendrix wrote a really great op-ed for the local Tucson newspaper about what's at stake in the fight against the president's budget request for NASA: tucson.com/opinion/colu...

Local opinion: Southern Arizona space science is in crisis

NASA science dollars generate $337 million in Arizona's economy each year, so the budget bill as written now would be a huge hit on the local economy.

tucson.com

25 64

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Jun 23

Wow! Amazing!

NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory @vrubinobs.bsky.social · Jun 23

Introducing...your sneak peek at the cosmos captured by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory!

Can you guess these regions of sky?

This is just a small peek...join us at 11am US EDT for your full First Look at how Rubin will #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪

#RubinFirstLook
ls.st/rubin-first-look-livestream

A sprawling, textured field of galaxies scattered across the deep black of space. It is filled with the delicate smudges and glowing cores of galaxies of many shapes, sizes and colors, as well as the bright multi-colored points of stars. The image focuses on a collection of interacting galaxies connected by delicate streams of stars. At top center lies a large elliptical galaxy that is dense and smooth, like a polished stone glowing with golden light. Like delicate spider silk or stretched taffy, these stellar bridges link the large elliptical to the few larger galaxies beneath, evidence of past collisions.

All throughout the image, thousands of galaxies gather in clusters or are spread throughout, like glittering gems strewn on a table. Some are sharp-edged and spiral, like coiled ribbons; others round and diffuse, like polished pebbles. Still others are just smudges of various colors against the black of space. The background is peppered with pinpoint stars in reds, yellows, and blues, crisp against the velvet black.

A cosmic tapestry of glowing tan and pink gas clouds with dark dust lanes. In the upper right, the Trifid Nebula resembles a small flower in space. Its soft, pinkish gas petals are surrounded by blue gas, and streaked with dark, finger-like veins of dust that divide it into three parts. It radiates a gentle, misty glow, diffuse and soft like the warmth of breath on a cold hand. To the lower left, the much larger Lagoon Nebula stretches wide like a churning sea of magenta gas, with bright blue, knotted clumps sprinkled throughout where new stars are born. Both nebulae are embedded in a soft tan backdrop of gas that is brighter on the left than on the right, etched with dark tendrils of dust and sprinkled with the pinpricks of millions of stars.

1

Lynn Carter @lynncarter.bsky.social · Jun 21

Oh and TGO is cassis right? So we are on that as well.

2 2