Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
@astroalysa.bsky.social
Queer & disabled astronomer formerly at UofT & CITA. Dynamics, planets, & ballet. Posts reflect opinions of Sailor Galaxia, not my employer. She/her 👩🔬💃
Pinned
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
LIBRARIES MAKE BOOKS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, she shouts, apparently inaudibly
WHY DO THESE "YOU'RE A CLASS TRAITOR" PEOPLE KEEP PRETENDING LIBRARIES DON'T EXIST?
ARE THEY CLASS TRAITORS WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN LIBRARIES?
WHY DO THESE "YOU'RE A CLASS TRAITOR" PEOPLE KEEP PRETENDING LIBRARIES DON'T EXIST?
ARE THEY CLASS TRAITORS WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN LIBRARIES?
Just saw someone claim that authors who want to be paid for their work are "class traitors" because we "only let the wealthy" read our books, and I think I need to go into the woods to scream into the night for a bit.
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
It's $5, not your first-born child! I need that $5 for health insurance!
November 26, 2025 at 3:51 PM
LIBRARIES MAKE BOOKS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE, she shouts, apparently inaudibly
WHY DO THESE "YOU'RE A CLASS TRAITOR" PEOPLE KEEP PRETENDING LIBRARIES DON'T EXIST?
ARE THEY CLASS TRAITORS WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN LIBRARIES?
WHY DO THESE "YOU'RE A CLASS TRAITOR" PEOPLE KEEP PRETENDING LIBRARIES DON'T EXIST?
ARE THEY CLASS TRAITORS WHO DON'T BELIEVE IN LIBRARIES?
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
As a newly elected department chair… why am I thinking of this AO3 entry today? No reason, I’m sure…
(It is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and a student needs a snake for her defense.)
(It is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and a student needs a snake for her defense.)
archiveofourown.org
November 26, 2025 at 3:14 PM
As a newly elected department chair… why am I thinking of this AO3 entry today? No reason, I’m sure…
(It is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and a student needs a snake for her defense.)
(It is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, and a student needs a snake for her defense.)
A reminder that this gif and a similar one for the transit method are on Wikimedia Commons for anyone to use.
I'm actually putting together a teaching dossier at the moment and I'd love to hear from people if you've used any of my gifs for teaching, outreach, or science stuff!
Links to gifs below:
I'm actually putting together a teaching dossier at the moment and I'd love to hear from people if you've used any of my gifs for teaching, outreach, or science stuff!
Links to gifs below:
Omgomg my gif demonstrating using the doppler/radial velocity method for detecting exoplanets was used in the latest PBS Space Time!!!!! 🤩
November 26, 2025 at 1:53 PM
A reminder that this gif and a similar one for the transit method are on Wikimedia Commons for anyone to use.
I'm actually putting together a teaching dossier at the moment and I'd love to hear from people if you've used any of my gifs for teaching, outreach, or science stuff!
Links to gifs below:
I'm actually putting together a teaching dossier at the moment and I'd love to hear from people if you've used any of my gifs for teaching, outreach, or science stuff!
Links to gifs below:
Omgomg my gif demonstrating using the doppler/radial velocity method for detecting exoplanets was used in the latest PBS Space Time!!!!! 🤩
November 26, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Omgomg my gif demonstrating using the doppler/radial velocity method for detecting exoplanets was used in the latest PBS Space Time!!!!! 🤩
Jörgen Dance is doing a tour of the Nutcracker across Ontario, including in smaller communities. The Nutcracker is a really magical experience for kids and it's often their first exposure to ballet. I hope the truck & set pieces are located :(
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Who stole the Nutcracker set? Travelling ballet says truck with backdrops inside swiped | CBC News
A ballet company on an Ontario-wide tour of The Nutcracker says someone stole the moving truck storing its “irreplaceable” sets and backdrops.
www.cbc.ca
November 25, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Jörgen Dance is doing a tour of the Nutcracker across Ontario, including in smaller communities. The Nutcracker is a really magical experience for kids and it's often their first exposure to ballet. I hope the truck & set pieces are located :(
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
I want to post something happier today as well, so here are some scientists whom I recommend platforming and financially supporting!
I'm a bit out of the loop, so I'm bound to miss people. Please reply with your own recommendations!
I'm a bit out of the loop, so I'm bound to miss people. Please reply with your own recommendations!
November 23, 2025 at 2:44 PM
I want to post something happier today as well, so here are some scientists whom I recommend platforming and financially supporting!
I'm a bit out of the loop, so I'm bound to miss people. Please reply with your own recommendations!
I'm a bit out of the loop, so I'm bound to miss people. Please reply with your own recommendations!
Highly recommend this video about Lawrence Krauss and Jeffrey Epstein from Rebecca Watson (@skepchick.org)
CW discussion of sexual assault
youtu.be/VNLdyWPAz18?...
CW discussion of sexual assault
youtu.be/VNLdyWPAz18?...
So I'm in the Epstein Files
YouTube video by Rebecca Watson (Skepchick)
youtu.be
November 23, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Highly recommend this video about Lawrence Krauss and Jeffrey Epstein from Rebecca Watson (@skepchick.org)
CW discussion of sexual assault
youtu.be/VNLdyWPAz18?...
CW discussion of sexual assault
youtu.be/VNLdyWPAz18?...
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
November 20, 2025 at 5:32 PM
If you use GMail, AI (Gemini) was turned on yesterday by default and now scans all of your content for machine learning. To turn off, go to Settings>General and scroll down. Uncheck the box for "Smart features."
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
There's other "Smart" add-ons as well, but that's the one that reads your content.
Astronomy & science history folks, does anyone know more about what this would have been used for? Just saw it in the Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools exhibit @romtoronto.bsky.social! 🔭
I'm guessing we're seeing a depiction of the "heavens" (celestial sphere). I also spot the names of the planets
I'm guessing we're seeing a depiction of the "heavens" (celestial sphere). I also spot the names of the planets
November 21, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Astronomy & science history folks, does anyone know more about what this would have been used for? Just saw it in the Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools exhibit @romtoronto.bsky.social! 🔭
I'm guessing we're seeing a depiction of the "heavens" (celestial sphere). I also spot the names of the planets
I'm guessing we're seeing a depiction of the "heavens" (celestial sphere). I also spot the names of the planets
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
People learn through practice and challenge; not by receiving answers.
But a deeper problem is that an essential aspect of teaching is helping someone organize their thinking in new ways. LLMs — systems which cannot think or appreciate thinking — are incapable of doing this in a meaningful way.
But a deeper problem is that an essential aspect of teaching is helping someone organize their thinking in new ways. LLMs — systems which cannot think or appreciate thinking — are incapable of doing this in a meaningful way.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 1:29 PM
People learn through practice and challenge; not by receiving answers.
But a deeper problem is that an essential aspect of teaching is helping someone organize their thinking in new ways. LLMs — systems which cannot think or appreciate thinking — are incapable of doing this in a meaningful way.
But a deeper problem is that an essential aspect of teaching is helping someone organize their thinking in new ways. LLMs — systems which cannot think or appreciate thinking — are incapable of doing this in a meaningful way.
Please let me know if you play Crusader Kings because I need someone who's interested to talk about it with me!
It feels so good to tackle something new, struggle with it, and then finally have something click.
I've been playing Crusader Kings and I've made so many mistakes, but I'm learning and it's fun. I'm sure I could've asked ChatGPT how to minmax for me, but why?
I've been playing Crusader Kings and I've made so many mistakes, but I'm learning and it's fun. I'm sure I could've asked ChatGPT how to minmax for me, but why?
November 21, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Please let me know if you play Crusader Kings because I need someone who's interested to talk about it with me!
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 12:49 PM
It’s widely known (and, I think, pretty uncontroversial) that learning requires effort — specifically, if you don’t have to work at getting the knowledge, it won’t stick.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
Even if an LLM could be trusted to give you correct information 100% of the time, it would be an inferior method of learning it.
When I ran AstroTours, occasionally people would come in to ask us about their astrophysics theories.
Anyhow, a reminder that these kinds of inquiries aren't limited to digital communications. Keep your volunteers at your outreach events in mind!
Anyhow, a reminder that these kinds of inquiries aren't limited to digital communications. Keep your volunteers at your outreach events in mind!
Finally, I know of at least one case where the letter writer, deep into an episode of AI-induced psychosis, asked the LLM why scientists were not responding. The machine suggested that perhaps the scientists were trying to steal his discovery.
This will get someone killed sooner or later.
This will get someone killed sooner or later.
November 21, 2025 at 12:14 PM
When I ran AstroTours, occasionally people would come in to ask us about their astrophysics theories.
Anyhow, a reminder that these kinds of inquiries aren't limited to digital communications. Keep your volunteers at your outreach events in mind!
Anyhow, a reminder that these kinds of inquiries aren't limited to digital communications. Keep your volunteers at your outreach events in mind!
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
so, so good. run it as a political ad.
November 21, 2025 at 6:09 AM
so, so good. run it as a political ad.
"I have a theory that there is something in the Italian landscape which inclines even the most stolid nature to romance."
a man in a white shirt is standing in a field of tall grass
Alt: A man in an early 1900s day suit is standing in a field of tall barley, fanning his face with his hat. A woman in a white 1900s lingerie dress walks towards him. Scene from A Room With A View.
media.tenor.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:55 AM
"I have a theory that there is something in the Italian landscape which inclines even the most stolid nature to romance."
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
Another TikZ masterpiece I cooked up today 🧪⚛️🧮
November 7, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Another TikZ masterpiece I cooked up today 🧪⚛️🧮
Wacky waving inflatable tube man, but it's Kate Bush at the end of the Wuthering Heights music video
November 1, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Wacky waving inflatable tube man, but it's Kate Bush at the end of the Wuthering Heights music video
Just a little creepy
September 12, 2025 at 12:57 AM
Just a little creepy
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
For the day 4 #SciArtSeptember prompt riverbank I am sharing my portrait of geologist & #paleontogist Alice Wilson (1881-1964) who mapped the Ottawa-St Lawrence river valley. 🐡🧪👩🏼🔬⚒️
After completing her BSc in ‘11 she was 1st woman offered a position at GSC & 1st female geologist in #Canada. 🧵
After completing her BSc in ‘11 she was 1st woman offered a position at GSC & 1st female geologist in #Canada. 🧵
September 4, 2025 at 11:32 AM
For the day 4 #SciArtSeptember prompt riverbank I am sharing my portrait of geologist & #paleontogist Alice Wilson (1881-1964) who mapped the Ottawa-St Lawrence river valley. 🐡🧪👩🏼🔬⚒️
After completing her BSc in ‘11 she was 1st woman offered a position at GSC & 1st female geologist in #Canada. 🧵
After completing her BSc in ‘11 she was 1st woman offered a position at GSC & 1st female geologist in #Canada. 🧵
I'm watching a documentary series about Jane Austen and the subtitles are comically large. It's like they assumed anyone watching this is 80+ years old
August 24, 2025 at 5:52 PM
I'm watching a documentary series about Jane Austen and the subtitles are comically large. It's like they assumed anyone watching this is 80+ years old
I think I hate the part I’m currently at the most, though (hotel basement RIP)
Me booting up the Last of Us: I love this game! This will be fun!
Me playing the Last of Us: Ahhhhhh I hate this part!
Me playing the Last of Us: Ahhhhhh I hate this part!
March 14, 2025 at 1:47 AM
I think I hate the part I’m currently at the most, though (hotel basement RIP)
Me booting up the Last of Us: I love this game! This will be fun!
Me playing the Last of Us: Ahhhhhh I hate this part!
Me playing the Last of Us: Ahhhhhh I hate this part!
March 14, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Me booting up the Last of Us: I love this game! This will be fun!
Me playing the Last of Us: Ahhhhhh I hate this part!
Me playing the Last of Us: Ahhhhhh I hate this part!
Reposted by Dr. Alysa Orbits (Obertas)
My questions for NASA HQ at this conference mostly boil down to - are you trying to protect the scientific community? are you taking risks to help us not collapse from the inside? What is the future of planetary science worth?
March 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
My questions for NASA HQ at this conference mostly boil down to - are you trying to protect the scientific community? are you taking risks to help us not collapse from the inside? What is the future of planetary science worth?
Would you watch a stream of me playing video games and chatting about astronomy? Like, viewers can ask questions and I’ll answer them or just chat about cool space stuff? 🔭🎮
March 10, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Would you watch a stream of me playing video games and chatting about astronomy? Like, viewers can ask questions and I’ll answer them or just chat about cool space stuff? 🔭🎮