Keith Smith
@drkeithsmith.bsky.social
PhD, occasional astronomer, talking head, science geek, cynic. Senior Editor at @Science.org, responsible for research papers in astronomy and planetary science. Views own, duh. Bio: https://www.science.org/content/author/keith-t-smith
A major loss. Don York is best known for leading SDSS, which brought optical astronomy into the era of big data.
I met him through his work on the diffuse interstellar bands. Every time we interacted, he was kind, encouraging, and happy to chat with a then-young PhD student (me). 🔭☄️
I met him through his work on the diffuse interstellar bands. Every time we interacted, he was kind, encouraging, and happy to chat with a then-young PhD student (me). 🔭☄️
Donald G. York, co-founder of Sloan Digital Sky Survey and ‘visionary’ astronomer, 1944-2025
news.uchicago.edu/story/donald... 🧪🔭
news.uchicago.edu/story/donald... 🧪🔭
Donald G. York, co-founder of Sloan Digital Sky Survey and ‘visionary’ astronomer, 1944-2025
UChicago professor emeritus helped transform modern astronomy, mapped interstellar medium
news.uchicago.edu
January 16, 2026 at 12:51 PM
A major loss. Don York is best known for leading SDSS, which brought optical astronomy into the era of big data.
I met him through his work on the diffuse interstellar bands. Every time we interacted, he was kind, encouraging, and happy to chat with a then-young PhD student (me). 🔭☄️
I met him through his work on the diffuse interstellar bands. Every time we interacted, he was kind, encouraging, and happy to chat with a then-young PhD student (me). 🔭☄️
Li et al. monitored a repeating fast radio burst (FRB). They identify a transient excursion of its rotation measure (RM), which increases by orders of magnitude for 2 weeks. Possible causes include a coronal mass ejection from a binary companion star. ☄️ #radioastro
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
January 15, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Li et al. monitored a repeating fast radio burst (FRB). They identify a transient excursion of its rotation measure (RM), which increases by orders of magnitude for 2 weeks. Possible causes include a coronal mass ejection from a binary companion star. ☄️ #radioastro
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Keith Smith
Undergraduates: Curious about a career in astronomy? 🔭
Take your first step with @cambridgeastro.bsky.social’s Summer Internship Programme and gain 8 weeks of research experience.
Applications from underrepresented groups in astronomy are encouraged.
Apply by 27 February 👇
https://bit.ly/4qYR0LD
Take your first step with @cambridgeastro.bsky.social’s Summer Internship Programme and gain 8 weeks of research experience.
Applications from underrepresented groups in astronomy are encouraged.
Apply by 27 February 👇
https://bit.ly/4qYR0LD
January 14, 2026 at 1:01 PM
Undergraduates: Curious about a career in astronomy? 🔭
Take your first step with @cambridgeastro.bsky.social’s Summer Internship Programme and gain 8 weeks of research experience.
Applications from underrepresented groups in astronomy are encouraged.
Apply by 27 February 👇
https://bit.ly/4qYR0LD
Take your first step with @cambridgeastro.bsky.social’s Summer Internship Programme and gain 8 weeks of research experience.
Applications from underrepresented groups in astronomy are encouraged.
Apply by 27 February 👇
https://bit.ly/4qYR0LD
What should a major scientific project do if one of its grants is cancelled or an unexpected budget over-run occurs? @cyberlyra.bsky.social draws on the history of NASA space missions to examine which approaches work, and which make things worse. 🧪⚛️🔭🛰️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Weathering budget cuts: Lessons from NASA
The current uncertainty and cuts to science funding affect universities, research facilities, and laboratories across the United States, but this situation is not unprecedented. Under pressure to fund...
www.science.org
January 9, 2026 at 3:48 PM
What should a major scientific project do if one of its grants is cancelled or an unexpected budget over-run occurs? @cyberlyra.bsky.social draws on the history of NASA space missions to examine which approaches work, and which make things worse. 🧪⚛️🔭🛰️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Kader, @justtheletteru.bsky.social et al. use multi-wavelength observations to show a precessing jet in an active galaxy is driving a gas outflow. This galactic feedback is removing enough material to affect the star formation rate.
☄️ #extragalactic #AAS247
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
☄️ #extragalactic #AAS247
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
January 8, 2026 at 5:33 PM
Kader, @justtheletteru.bsky.social et al. use multi-wavelength observations to show a precessing jet in an active galaxy is driving a gas outflow. This galactic feedback is removing enough material to affect the star formation rate.
☄️ #extragalactic #AAS247
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
☄️ #extragalactic #AAS247
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Mars Sample Return - a planned mission to retrieve the rocks collected by the Perseverance rover and bring them to Earth for lab analysis - has been effectively cancelled by US Congress.
The budget does provide some funding for technology development of a future replacement mission. #planetsci 🔭🧪
The budget does provide some funding for technology development of a future replacement mission. #planetsci 🔭🧪
My latest: The compromise spending bill is mostly full of good news for NASA science. But there is one off note: Mars Sample Return, as it's been currently devised, has no way forward.
NASA’s Mars Sample Return mission is dead
Congress backs Trump administration’s efforts to kill project that would ferry martian rocks to Earth
www.science.org
January 7, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Mars Sample Return - a planned mission to retrieve the rocks collected by the Perseverance rover and bring them to Earth for lab analysis - has been effectively cancelled by US Congress.
The budget does provide some funding for technology development of a future replacement mission. #planetsci 🔭🧪
The budget does provide some funding for technology development of a future replacement mission. #planetsci 🔭🧪
A news report from @danclery.bsky.social discusses a space telescope concept. It could provide resolved images of a rocky #exoplanet, using the Sun as a gravitational lens. The engineering challenges are daunting, as is the required mission duration, but it's a neat idea. 🔭 #instrumentation
The Sundiver mission will show how thin solar sails could accelerate spacecraft to the Sun’s focus, beyond the Solar System. https://scim.ag/4pUlnmf
Sun’s gravitational lens could reveal alien planets’ surfaces
Bold concept calls for sending telescopes 10 times farther than Pluto
scim.ag
January 5, 2026 at 5:26 PM
A news report from @danclery.bsky.social discusses a space telescope concept. It could provide resolved images of a rocky #exoplanet, using the Sun as a gravitational lens. The engineering challenges are daunting, as is the required mission duration, but it's a neat idea. 🔭 #instrumentation
Reposted by Keith Smith
A new type of telescope designed to accelerate a new sort of astronomy was completed this year on a mountaintop in Chile. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory will relentlessly sweep across the heavens.
Learn more about Science's 2025 #BOTY and the runners-up: https://scim.ag/3MGESjx
Learn more about Science's 2025 #BOTY and the runners-up: https://scim.ag/3MGESjx
January 2, 2026 at 11:50 PM
A new type of telescope designed to accelerate a new sort of astronomy was completed this year on a mountaintop in Chile. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory will relentlessly sweep across the heavens.
Learn more about Science's 2025 #BOTY and the runners-up: https://scim.ag/3MGESjx
Learn more about Science's 2025 #BOTY and the runners-up: https://scim.ag/3MGESjx
How can astronomers weigh an isolated planetary-mass object that isn't orbiting a star? Dong et al. observe a free-floating planet microlensing event from ground- and space-based telescopes. The time delay indicates it was caused by a Saturn-mass object. ☄️ #exoplanets
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A free-floating-planet microlensing event caused by a Saturn-mass object
A population of free-floating planets is known from gravitational microlensing surveys. None have a directly measured mass, owing to a degeneracy with the distance, but the population statistics indic...
www.science.org
January 2, 2026 at 12:45 PM
How can astronomers weigh an isolated planetary-mass object that isn't orbiting a star? Dong et al. observe a free-floating planet microlensing event from ground- and space-based telescopes. The time delay indicates it was caused by a Saturn-mass object. ☄️ #exoplanets
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Keith Smith
🔭🕰️⌛ ** Reminder ** ⌛🕰️🔭
The closing date for applications to be the next Editor-in-Chief of MNRAS is Friday week: 9th January 2026. Interested? Visit ras.ac.uk/mnras-eic for more information. @royalastrosoc.bsky.social
The closing date for applications to be the next Editor-in-Chief of MNRAS is Friday week: 9th January 2026. Interested? Visit ras.ac.uk/mnras-eic for more information. @royalastrosoc.bsky.social
Call for applications: Editor-in-Chief, MNRAS
The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is seeking to appoint a new Editor-in-Chief (EiC) of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (MNRAS) to
provide outst...
ras.ac.uk
December 31, 2025 at 8:35 AM
🔭🕰️⌛ ** Reminder ** ⌛🕰️🔭
The closing date for applications to be the next Editor-in-Chief of MNRAS is Friday week: 9th January 2026. Interested? Visit ras.ac.uk/mnras-eic for more information. @royalastrosoc.bsky.social
The closing date for applications to be the next Editor-in-Chief of MNRAS is Friday week: 9th January 2026. Interested? Visit ras.ac.uk/mnras-eic for more information. @royalastrosoc.bsky.social
Reposted by Keith Smith
Sun’s gravitational lens could reveal alien planets’ surfaces | Science | AAAS @science.org 🔭🧪 www.science.org/content/arti...
Sun’s gravitational lens could reveal alien planets’ surfaces
Bold concept calls for sending telescopes 10 times farther than Pluto
www.science.org
December 22, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Sun’s gravitational lens could reveal alien planets’ surfaces | Science | AAAS @science.org 🔭🧪 www.science.org/content/arti...
Reposted by Keith Smith
“Is Europa truly dead?” a planetary scientist asked himself after some disheartening results for the moon. “Or should we broaden our perspective on other mechanisms that can sustain life?” (Spoiler: he chose the latter)🌱🦠
Read my last #AGU2025 story (for now!) at @science.org: tinyurl.com/4dd67hhw
Read my last #AGU2025 story (for now!) at @science.org: tinyurl.com/4dd67hhw
Life in Europa’s ocean could feed on rocks’ radioactive decay
After series of bleak findings, theory sparks hope for alternative energy source within Jupiter’s intriguing moon
tinyurl.com
December 24, 2025 at 1:37 AM
“Is Europa truly dead?” a planetary scientist asked himself after some disheartening results for the moon. “Or should we broaden our perspective on other mechanisms that can sustain life?” (Spoiler: he chose the latter)🌱🦠
Read my last #AGU2025 story (for now!) at @science.org: tinyurl.com/4dd67hhw
Read my last #AGU2025 story (for now!) at @science.org: tinyurl.com/4dd67hhw
Reposted by Keith Smith
Breaking news: U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R–KY) has asked Science to divulge a range of confidential information about its scholarly articles and external private communications on that family of viruses.
U.S. senator asks Science to provide its coronavirus manuscripts, emails
Rand Paul has blasted government science officials and scientists over COVID-19’s origin
www.science.org
December 19, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Breaking news: U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R–KY) has asked Science to divulge a range of confidential information about its scholarly articles and external private communications on that family of viruses.
The nearby star Fomalhaut is orbited by a dust belt. Kalas et al. use coronagraphic imaging to identify a transient source at the edge of the belt. They interpret it as a dust cloud, generated by a collision between two planetesimals. ☄️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
December 19, 2025 at 6:23 PM
The nearby star Fomalhaut is orbited by a dust belt. Kalas et al. use coronagraphic imaging to identify a transient source at the edge of the belt. They interpret it as a dust cloud, generated by a collision between two planetesimals. ☄️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
100 years ago, Edwin Hubble published the first* measured distance to a 'spiral nebula' (NGC 6822) using Cepheid variables. It was well outside the Milky Way, therefore a separate galaxy. Wendy Freeman discusses this discovery and its implications for cosmology. 🔭🧪⚛️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A century of modern cosmology
Edwin Hubble’s measurement of a galaxy beyond the Milky Way led to the discovery of cosmic expansion
www.science.org
December 19, 2025 at 2:05 PM
100 years ago, Edwin Hubble published the first* measured distance to a 'spiral nebula' (NGC 6822) using Cepheid variables. It was well outside the Milky Way, therefore a separate galaxy. Wendy Freeman discusses this discovery and its implications for cosmology. 🔭🧪⚛️
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Keith Smith
Ever wondered how many bins to choose when making a histogram of data? The answer is that you shouldn't choose a number of bins yourself! ☄️ #astrocode
Here's a little notebook explaining how to make less biased histograms:
Here's a little notebook explaining how to make less biased histograms:
Making histograms is a common way to estimate the true density distribution of a sample. But how can we choose the number of histogram bins? And if we get fancy and use kernel density estimation (KDE)...
Making histograms is a common way to estimate the true density distribution of a sample. But how can we choose the number of histogram bins? And if we get fancy and use kernel density estimation (K...
gist.github.com
December 19, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Ever wondered how many bins to choose when making a histogram of data? The answer is that you shouldn't choose a number of bins yourself! ☄️ #astrocode
Here's a little notebook explaining how to make less biased histograms:
Here's a little notebook explaining how to make less biased histograms:
Reposted by Keith Smith
Science has named the seemingly unstoppable growth of renewable energy worldwide as the 2025 Breakthrough of the Year.
Learn more about this year's #BOTY and other big advances in science: https://scim.ag/493Tpgx
Learn more about this year's #BOTY and other big advances in science: https://scim.ag/493Tpgx
December 18, 2025 at 7:05 PM
Science has named the seemingly unstoppable growth of renewable energy worldwide as the 2025 Breakthrough of the Year.
Learn more about this year's #BOTY and other big advances in science: https://scim.ag/493Tpgx
Learn more about this year's #BOTY and other big advances in science: https://scim.ag/493Tpgx
Reposted by Keith Smith
After a tumultuous year that saw his nomination withdrawn and resubmitted, Jared Isaacman, the billionaire businessman, pilot, and two-time private astronaut, was confirmed today by the U.S. Senate as NASA administrator. https://scim.ag/3MBotNj
New NASA administrator takes over after a year of scientific loss—and survival
Following Senate confirmation, billionaire Jared Isaacman will lead a diminished workforce
scim.ag
December 18, 2025 at 2:24 PM
After a tumultuous year that saw his nomination withdrawn and resubmitted, Jared Isaacman, the billionaire businessman, pilot, and two-time private astronaut, was confirmed today by the U.S. Senate as NASA administrator. https://scim.ag/3MBotNj
Williford et al. have used the Perseverance rover on Mars to investigate rocks around the rim of Jezero crater. They find igneous intrusions that were later modified by liquid water with dissolved CO2, producing carbonates. ☄️ #planetsci #AGU2025
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
December 17, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Williford et al. have used the Perseverance rover on Mars to investigate rocks around the rim of Jezero crater. They find igneous intrusions that were later modified by liquid water with dissolved CO2, producing carbonates. ☄️ #planetsci #AGU2025
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
In this week's @science.org, a profile of NEO Surveyor. This infrared space telescope is designed to find 'city killer' asteroids that might one day impact Earth. It's currently under construction and due for launch in 2027.
Feature-length story by @squigglyvolcano.bsky.social, ☄️🔭 #planetsci
Feature-length story by @squigglyvolcano.bsky.social, ☄️🔭 #planetsci
NEW: When she worked at NASA’s JPL, Amy Mainzer used to rack up high scores on the 1979 Atari game ASTEROIDS. Very apt, now she’s in charge of a space mission that will save the world from killer asteroids.
Planet Protector, my new feature for @science.org, is live. www.science.org/content/arti...
Planet Protector, my new feature for @science.org, is live. www.science.org/content/arti...
NASA telescope will hunt down ‘city killer’ asteroids
With an infrared eye, NEO Surveyor will target dangerous space rocks glowing in the dark
www.science.org
December 12, 2025 at 5:18 PM
In this week's @science.org, a profile of NEO Surveyor. This infrared space telescope is designed to find 'city killer' asteroids that might one day impact Earth. It's currently under construction and due for launch in 2027.
Feature-length story by @squigglyvolcano.bsky.social, ☄️🔭 #planetsci
Feature-length story by @squigglyvolcano.bsky.social, ☄️🔭 #planetsci
Reposted by Keith Smith
More than half of the “city killer” asteroids that might threaten Earth remain undiscovered. With an infrared eye, NASA’s NEO Surveyor aims to find them. Learn more on the @science.org podcast w/ Robin Andrews
www.science.org/content/podc...
www.science.org/content/podc...
December 12, 2025 at 2:02 PM
More than half of the “city killer” asteroids that might threaten Earth remain undiscovered. With an infrared eye, NASA’s NEO Surveyor aims to find them. Learn more on the @science.org podcast w/ Robin Andrews
www.science.org/content/podc...
www.science.org/content/podc...
Reposted by Keith Smith
I'm happy to report that "Scenario 2" won't be necessary, as NASA has just communicated to us that SciX funding will continue in 2026 (albeit at a reduced level). Therefore, we will not be forcing astronomers to leave ADS, but rather develop a plan that allows a longer transition.
December 9, 2025 at 5:20 PM
I'm happy to report that "Scenario 2" won't be necessary, as NASA has just communicated to us that SciX funding will continue in 2026 (albeit at a reduced level). Therefore, we will not be forcing astronomers to leave ADS, but rather develop a plan that allows a longer transition.
Well this is worrying. NASA has maintained funding for ADS but not SciX (a broader database). In response, management is planning to *close* ADS in Feb 2026, forcing all users to switch to SciX. ☄️🔭
Funding info: ads.harvard.edu/adsug/2025/0...
Transition plan: ads.harvard.edu/adsug/2025/0...
Funding info: ads.harvard.edu/adsug/2025/0...
Transition plan: ads.harvard.edu/adsug/2025/0...
December 9, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Well this is worrying. NASA has maintained funding for ADS but not SciX (a broader database). In response, management is planning to *close* ADS in Feb 2026, forcing all users to switch to SciX. ☄️🔭
Funding info: ads.harvard.edu/adsug/2025/0...
Transition plan: ads.harvard.edu/adsug/2025/0...
Funding info: ads.harvard.edu/adsug/2025/0...
Transition plan: ads.harvard.edu/adsug/2025/0...
I heard a very British announcement at the station today:
“We apologise that this train is not delayed by as much as it says on the screens”
“We apologise that this train is not delayed by as much as it says on the screens”
December 6, 2025 at 11:27 AM
I heard a very British announcement at the station today:
“We apologise that this train is not delayed by as much as it says on the screens”
“We apologise that this train is not delayed by as much as it says on the screens”
Editor's choice: lunar laser navigation. Cascioli et al. aimed the lidar on Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at retroreflectors placed on the surface (by Apollo and other landers). The resulting range measurements improve the spacecraft orbital solution. 🔭☄️ #planetsci
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
In Other Journals
Editors’ selections from the current scientific literature
www.science.org
December 5, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Editor's choice: lunar laser navigation. Cascioli et al. aimed the lidar on Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter at retroreflectors placed on the surface (by Apollo and other landers). The resulting range measurements improve the spacecraft orbital solution. 🔭☄️ #planetsci
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...