Jason Nishiyama
@evilscientistca.bsky.social
Teacher, astronomer, political scientist and father. I wrote a book once: http://evl.link/df
Alberta, Canada
Alberta, Canada
M40 is an optical double star located in the constellation of Ursa Major.
It is an optical double because the stars are only close in our line of sight. One star is 470ly away while the other is 1010 ly away. The stars themselves are not associated. #astronomy
It is an optical double because the stars are only close in our line of sight. One star is 470ly away while the other is 1010 ly away. The stars themselves are not associated. #astronomy
January 20, 2026 at 2:23 AM
M40 is an optical double star located in the constellation of Ursa Major.
It is an optical double because the stars are only close in our line of sight. One star is 470ly away while the other is 1010 ly away. The stars themselves are not associated. #astronomy
It is an optical double because the stars are only close in our line of sight. One star is 470ly away while the other is 1010 ly away. The stars themselves are not associated. #astronomy
M105 (centre right) is an elliptical galaxy located about 36.6 Mly away in the constellation of Leo.
Unlike spirals which are disk shaped, elliptical galaxies are balls with no defined internal structure. The can vary in shape from spherical to a flattened ellipse. #astronomy
Unlike spirals which are disk shaped, elliptical galaxies are balls with no defined internal structure. The can vary in shape from spherical to a flattened ellipse. #astronomy
January 16, 2026 at 2:07 AM
M105 (centre right) is an elliptical galaxy located about 36.6 Mly away in the constellation of Leo.
Unlike spirals which are disk shaped, elliptical galaxies are balls with no defined internal structure. The can vary in shape from spherical to a flattened ellipse. #astronomy
Unlike spirals which are disk shaped, elliptical galaxies are balls with no defined internal structure. The can vary in shape from spherical to a flattened ellipse. #astronomy
M17 is an emission nebula located about 5500ly away in the constellation of Sagittarius.
Emission nebulae usually glow due to hot stars inside them that have recently formed. The UV light causes the gas of the nebula to glow. #astronomy
Emission nebulae usually glow due to hot stars inside them that have recently formed. The UV light causes the gas of the nebula to glow. #astronomy
January 14, 2026 at 11:07 PM
M17 is an emission nebula located about 5500ly away in the constellation of Sagittarius.
Emission nebulae usually glow due to hot stars inside them that have recently formed. The UV light causes the gas of the nebula to glow. #astronomy
Emission nebulae usually glow due to hot stars inside them that have recently formed. The UV light causes the gas of the nebula to glow. #astronomy
NGC 7662 is a planetary nebula located about 5700 ly away in the constellation of Andromeda.
It is the remnant of a low to intermediate mass star (1-6 solar masses) having blown off its outer layers, forming the nebula. #astronomy
It is the remnant of a low to intermediate mass star (1-6 solar masses) having blown off its outer layers, forming the nebula. #astronomy
January 13, 2026 at 10:49 PM
NGC 7662 is a planetary nebula located about 5700 ly away in the constellation of Andromeda.
It is the remnant of a low to intermediate mass star (1-6 solar masses) having blown off its outer layers, forming the nebula. #astronomy
It is the remnant of a low to intermediate mass star (1-6 solar masses) having blown off its outer layers, forming the nebula. #astronomy
M46 is an open cluster located about 4900 ly away in the constellation of Puppis.
The cluster contains about 500 stars spread over a radius of about 37 ly.
The planetary nebula NGC 2438 is not a member of the cluster as it is only about 1400ly away so it a foreground object. #astronomy
The cluster contains about 500 stars spread over a radius of about 37 ly.
The planetary nebula NGC 2438 is not a member of the cluster as it is only about 1400ly away so it a foreground object. #astronomy
January 13, 2026 at 1:15 AM
M46 is an open cluster located about 4900 ly away in the constellation of Puppis.
The cluster contains about 500 stars spread over a radius of about 37 ly.
The planetary nebula NGC 2438 is not a member of the cluster as it is only about 1400ly away so it a foreground object. #astronomy
The cluster contains about 500 stars spread over a radius of about 37 ly.
The planetary nebula NGC 2438 is not a member of the cluster as it is only about 1400ly away so it a foreground object. #astronomy
M95 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 33 Mly away in the constellation of Leo.
The central bar of stars is common amongst spiral galaxies. Our own Milky Way galaxy is a barred spiral.
The central bar of stars is common amongst spiral galaxies. Our own Milky Way galaxy is a barred spiral.
January 8, 2026 at 10:57 PM
M95 is a barred spiral galaxy located about 33 Mly away in the constellation of Leo.
The central bar of stars is common amongst spiral galaxies. Our own Milky Way galaxy is a barred spiral.
The central bar of stars is common amongst spiral galaxies. Our own Milky Way galaxy is a barred spiral.
Abell 2666 is a cluster of galaxies about 340 Mly away in the constellation of Pegasus.
Most galaxies tend to be in clusters, gravitationally influencing each other. The larger galaxies in the image are part of the Abell cluster. #astronomy
Most galaxies tend to be in clusters, gravitationally influencing each other. The larger galaxies in the image are part of the Abell cluster. #astronomy
January 7, 2026 at 10:56 PM
Abell 2666 is a cluster of galaxies about 340 Mly away in the constellation of Pegasus.
Most galaxies tend to be in clusters, gravitationally influencing each other. The larger galaxies in the image are part of the Abell cluster. #astronomy
Most galaxies tend to be in clusters, gravitationally influencing each other. The larger galaxies in the image are part of the Abell cluster. #astronomy
The Double Cluster is a pair of open clusters (NGC 884, left, and NGC 869, right) located about 7500 ly away in the constellation of Perseus.
#astronomy
#astronomy
January 7, 2026 at 12:01 AM
The Double Cluster is a pair of open clusters (NGC 884, left, and NGC 869, right) located about 7500 ly away in the constellation of Perseus.
#astronomy
#astronomy
Comets are icy messengers from the farthest reaches of the solar system.
The short period comets (p<200 years) originate in the Kuiper belt past the orbit of Neptune.
The long period comets originate from the Oort cloud, which extends to nearly a light year away from the Sun.
#astronomy
The short period comets (p<200 years) originate in the Kuiper belt past the orbit of Neptune.
The long period comets originate from the Oort cloud, which extends to nearly a light year away from the Sun.
#astronomy
January 5, 2026 at 10:43 PM
Comets are icy messengers from the farthest reaches of the solar system.
The short period comets (p<200 years) originate in the Kuiper belt past the orbit of Neptune.
The long period comets originate from the Oort cloud, which extends to nearly a light year away from the Sun.
#astronomy
The short period comets (p<200 years) originate in the Kuiper belt past the orbit of Neptune.
The long period comets originate from the Oort cloud, which extends to nearly a light year away from the Sun.
#astronomy
Reposted by Jason Nishiyama
#Instacart, Stop Using American Shoppers as Lab Rats During an Affordability Crisis www.commondreams.org/opinion/inst...
Instacart, Stop Using American Shoppers as Lab Rats During an Affordability Crisis | Common Dreams
The grocery delivery app is conducting large-scale, hidden pricing experiments on unsuspecting shoppers to determine just how much money they can extract from customers on the groceries they buy to fe...
www.commondreams.org
December 26, 2025 at 2:56 PM
#Instacart, Stop Using American Shoppers as Lab Rats During an Affordability Crisis www.commondreams.org/opinion/inst...
Reposted by Jason Nishiyama
Extremely funny to call the pope “holier-than-thou”
December 25, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Extremely funny to call the pope “holier-than-thou”
Reposted by Jason Nishiyama
I'm sure #TeamVeggie who called for more CO2 will be happy to update their position on this critical issue, now that they have this information...
Perhaps not.
Perhaps not.
"Seeing how dramatic some of the nutritional changes were, and how this differed across plants, was a big surprise"... We aren't seeing a simple dilution effect but rather a complete shift in the composition of our foods"...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Food becoming more calorific but less nutritious due to rising carbon dioxide
Researchers noticed ‘dramatic’ changes in nutrients in crops, including drop in zinc and rise in lead
www.theguardian.com
December 21, 2025 at 12:21 AM
I'm sure #TeamVeggie who called for more CO2 will be happy to update their position on this critical issue, now that they have this information...
Perhaps not.
Perhaps not.
M11 is an open cluster located about 61oo ly away in the constellation of Scutum.
Open clusters are groups of stars that were formed more or less at the same time in the same star forming nebula. This makes them useful in the study of how stars evolve through their lives. #astronomy
Open clusters are groups of stars that were formed more or less at the same time in the same star forming nebula. This makes them useful in the study of how stars evolve through their lives. #astronomy
December 18, 2025 at 11:18 PM
M11 is an open cluster located about 61oo ly away in the constellation of Scutum.
Open clusters are groups of stars that were formed more or less at the same time in the same star forming nebula. This makes them useful in the study of how stars evolve through their lives. #astronomy
Open clusters are groups of stars that were formed more or less at the same time in the same star forming nebula. This makes them useful in the study of how stars evolve through their lives. #astronomy
Reposted by Jason Nishiyama
The one where we showed the world what Rubin can do...and, wow 🤩
On June 23, NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory unveiled its First Look images!
These large, detailed images showed why Rubin's 10-year survey will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe. 🌌 #RubinRecap2025 🔭🧪
On June 23, NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory unveiled its First Look images!
These large, detailed images showed why Rubin's 10-year survey will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe. 🌌 #RubinRecap2025 🔭🧪
December 17, 2025 at 11:39 PM
The one where we showed the world what Rubin can do...and, wow 🤩
On June 23, NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory unveiled its First Look images!
These large, detailed images showed why Rubin's 10-year survey will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe. 🌌 #RubinRecap2025 🔭🧪
On June 23, NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory unveiled its First Look images!
These large, detailed images showed why Rubin's 10-year survey will revolutionize our understanding of the Universe. 🌌 #RubinRecap2025 🔭🧪
Reposted by Jason Nishiyama
No big deal, but the Alberta government just increased the fee to submit a citizen initiated petition from $500 to $25, 000. After the separatism initiative was approved, but before Corb Lund's coal mining petition gets re-approved. No political shenanigans going on here.
December 18, 2025 at 12:53 AM
No big deal, but the Alberta government just increased the fee to submit a citizen initiated petition from $500 to $25, 000. After the separatism initiative was approved, but before Corb Lund's coal mining petition gets re-approved. No political shenanigans going on here.
M1, the Crab nebula, is a supernova remnant located about 6500ly away in the constellation of Taurus.
The supernova that created M1 was observed and recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054. The actual explosion would have happened 6500 years earlier. #astronomy
The supernova that created M1 was observed and recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054. The actual explosion would have happened 6500 years earlier. #astronomy
December 17, 2025 at 10:40 PM
M1, the Crab nebula, is a supernova remnant located about 6500ly away in the constellation of Taurus.
The supernova that created M1 was observed and recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054. The actual explosion would have happened 6500 years earlier. #astronomy
The supernova that created M1 was observed and recorded by Chinese astronomers in 1054. The actual explosion would have happened 6500 years earlier. #astronomy
A wee bit blizzard-y outside.
December 17, 2025 at 6:43 PM
A wee bit blizzard-y outside.
M24 is a star cloud located about 10kly away in the constellation of Sagittarius.
Not an object per se, but a hole in the dust and gas of our Galaxy. We are seeing millions of stars deep into the Galaxy. #astronomy
Not an object per se, but a hole in the dust and gas of our Galaxy. We are seeing millions of stars deep into the Galaxy. #astronomy
December 17, 2025 at 3:57 AM
M24 is a star cloud located about 10kly away in the constellation of Sagittarius.
Not an object per se, but a hole in the dust and gas of our Galaxy. We are seeing millions of stars deep into the Galaxy. #astronomy
Not an object per se, but a hole in the dust and gas of our Galaxy. We are seeing millions of stars deep into the Galaxy. #astronomy
M26 is an open cluster located about 5200 ly away in the constellation of Scutum.
It is a relatively young cluster at only 83 million years old. #astronomy
It is a relatively young cluster at only 83 million years old. #astronomy
December 15, 2025 at 10:50 PM
M26 is an open cluster located about 5200 ly away in the constellation of Scutum.
It is a relatively young cluster at only 83 million years old. #astronomy
It is a relatively young cluster at only 83 million years old. #astronomy
M30 is a globular cluster located about 27 kly away in the constellation Capricornus.
Though globulars are common (at least 150 around our Galaxy) and orbit other galaxies, we don't have a clear idea of how they were formed. #astronomy
Though globulars are common (at least 150 around our Galaxy) and orbit other galaxies, we don't have a clear idea of how they were formed. #astronomy
December 11, 2025 at 10:53 PM
M30 is a globular cluster located about 27 kly away in the constellation Capricornus.
Though globulars are common (at least 150 around our Galaxy) and orbit other galaxies, we don't have a clear idea of how they were formed. #astronomy
Though globulars are common (at least 150 around our Galaxy) and orbit other galaxies, we don't have a clear idea of how they were formed. #astronomy
NGC 5826 is a planetary nebula located about 2000 ly away in the constellation Cygnus.
It contains FLIERs (Fast Low Ionization Emission Regions) which can be seen going down and left and up and right. #astronomy
It contains FLIERs (Fast Low Ionization Emission Regions) which can be seen going down and left and up and right. #astronomy
December 10, 2025 at 10:51 PM
NGC 5826 is a planetary nebula located about 2000 ly away in the constellation Cygnus.
It contains FLIERs (Fast Low Ionization Emission Regions) which can be seen going down and left and up and right. #astronomy
It contains FLIERs (Fast Low Ionization Emission Regions) which can be seen going down and left and up and right. #astronomy
M109 is a barred spiral located about 67 Mly away in the constellation of Ursa Major.
It is the largest galaxy in the M109 group of galaxies which contains about 50 galaxies. #astronomy
It is the largest galaxy in the M109 group of galaxies which contains about 50 galaxies. #astronomy
December 10, 2025 at 1:05 AM
M109 is a barred spiral located about 67 Mly away in the constellation of Ursa Major.
It is the largest galaxy in the M109 group of galaxies which contains about 50 galaxies. #astronomy
It is the largest galaxy in the M109 group of galaxies which contains about 50 galaxies. #astronomy
NGC 2438 is a planetary nebula located about 1400 ly away in the constellation of Puppis.
At first glance NGC 2438 appears to be part of the open cluster M46, however M46 is about 5000 ly away so the PN is very much a foreground object. #astronomy
At first glance NGC 2438 appears to be part of the open cluster M46, however M46 is about 5000 ly away so the PN is very much a foreground object. #astronomy
December 8, 2025 at 10:45 PM
NGC 2438 is a planetary nebula located about 1400 ly away in the constellation of Puppis.
At first glance NGC 2438 appears to be part of the open cluster M46, however M46 is about 5000 ly away so the PN is very much a foreground object. #astronomy
At first glance NGC 2438 appears to be part of the open cluster M46, however M46 is about 5000 ly away so the PN is very much a foreground object. #astronomy
M9 is a globular cluster located about 26 kly away in the constellation of Ophiuchus.
Though 26 kly from us, it is only 5.5 kly from the centre of our Galaxy making it one of the closer globular clusters to the Galactic core. #astronomy
Though 26 kly from us, it is only 5.5 kly from the centre of our Galaxy making it one of the closer globular clusters to the Galactic core. #astronomy
December 4, 2025 at 10:51 PM
M9 is a globular cluster located about 26 kly away in the constellation of Ophiuchus.
Though 26 kly from us, it is only 5.5 kly from the centre of our Galaxy making it one of the closer globular clusters to the Galactic core. #astronomy
Though 26 kly from us, it is only 5.5 kly from the centre of our Galaxy making it one of the closer globular clusters to the Galactic core. #astronomy