Trestan Simon
@flare.observer
he/him; solar astrophysics, Wikipedia, and FOSS/Linux; undergrad at CU Boulder/LASP; the.flare.observer
Pinned
Trestan Simon
@flare.observer
· Feb 10
Solar filament eruption from February 6 originating in active region 13575. This region has since rotated behind the limb where it was responsible for yesterday's X3.3-class solar flare. (Footage courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA science team.) 🔭
#bskycometography no. 350
C/1948 V1 (Eclipse Comet)
1948 Nov 1: Disc on photographs taken during the total solar eclipse at 2° from the sun at maybe -3 mag. From Nov 5 seen from the ground. Max tail ~20°. Perihelion on Oct 27 at 0.14 au. Last seen 1949 Apr 3. ALT for image source.
☄️🔭 #CometWatch
C/1948 V1 (Eclipse Comet)
1948 Nov 1: Disc on photographs taken during the total solar eclipse at 2° from the sun at maybe -3 mag. From Nov 5 seen from the ground. Max tail ~20°. Perihelion on Oct 27 at 0.14 au. Last seen 1949 Apr 3. ALT for image source.
☄️🔭 #CometWatch
November 2, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Reposted by Trestan Simon
A sunspot group over about an hour on 2022-09-03. It starts showing the photosphere on the "blue side" (shorter wavelength) of H-alpha, then shifts into H-alpha and finally goes back to the photosphere on the "red side" (longer wavelength).
#sun #sunspots #hydrogenalpha #astronomy
#sun #sunspots #hydrogenalpha #astronomy
October 12, 2025 at 8:52 AM
A sunspot group over about an hour on 2022-09-03. It starts showing the photosphere on the "blue side" (shorter wavelength) of H-alpha, then shifts into H-alpha and finally goes back to the photosphere on the "red side" (longer wavelength).
#sun #sunspots #hydrogenalpha #astronomy
#sun #sunspots #hydrogenalpha #astronomy
Reposted by Trestan Simon
A few adjustments in data capture parameters was all it took to make a big difference in image processing and results! We're very pleased with Barlow-boosted views though we're still having some issues with achieving even lighting across whole-disk views...
#sunspots
#sunspots
October 3, 2025 at 9:45 PM
A few adjustments in data capture parameters was all it took to make a big difference in image processing and results! We're very pleased with Barlow-boosted views though we're still having some issues with achieving even lighting across whole-disk views...
#sunspots
#sunspots
Reposted by Trestan Simon
This long read in The Verge does a remarkable job of describing how Wikipedia's editing community works, the project's strengths and weaknesses, and the threats it faces.
www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
Wikipedia is under attack — and how it can survive
The site’s volunteers face threats from Trump, billionaires, and AI.
www.theverge.com
September 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
This long read in The Verge does a remarkable job of describing how Wikipedia's editing community works, the project's strengths and weaknesses, and the threats it faces.
www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
www.theverge.com/cs/features/...
Testing this with SDO/AIA imagery of a series of eruptions from 2023 ☀️
July 29, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Testing this with SDO/AIA imagery of a series of eruptions from 2023 ☀️
Reposted by Trestan Simon
What might we expect to see during @esa.int Solar Orbiter's upcoming remote-sensing windows; now with an inclined orbit. Here's the PFSS connectivity of Orbiter during the remote-sensing window of spring 2026 (17th Feb to 6th March), using the current coronal magnetic field and in-situ wind speeds.
July 27, 2025 at 2:52 PM
What might we expect to see during @esa.int Solar Orbiter's upcoming remote-sensing windows; now with an inclined orbit. Here's the PFSS connectivity of Orbiter during the remote-sensing window of spring 2026 (17th Feb to 6th March), using the current coronal magnetic field and in-situ wind speeds.
Not the usual Sun I study
July 18, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Not the usual Sun I study
Reposted by Trestan Simon
We ran a randomized controlled trial to see how much AI coding tools speed up experienced open-source developers.
The results surprised us: Developers thought they were 20% faster with AI tools, but they were actually 19% slower when they had access to AI than when they didn't.
The results surprised us: Developers thought they were 20% faster with AI tools, but they were actually 19% slower when they had access to AI than when they didn't.
July 10, 2025 at 7:47 PM
We ran a randomized controlled trial to see how much AI coding tools speed up experienced open-source developers.
The results surprised us: Developers thought they were 20% faster with AI tools, but they were actually 19% slower when they had access to AI than when they didn't.
The results surprised us: Developers thought they were 20% faster with AI tools, but they were actually 19% slower when they had access to AI than when they didn't.
Reposted by Trestan Simon
It's an exciting time as we ramp up the data reduction pipeline. Here's the first of several items about the legwork we've done as the science team prepares to execute our science! 🧪☀️
The Sun's Alfvén Surface | PUNCH mission
The Alfvén surface – the outer boundary of the Sun's corona – is very complex.
This visualization of the Sun's Alfvén surface, with regions below the surface shown using a total eclipse image from ast...
whtwnd.com
July 3, 2025 at 9:01 PM
It's an exciting time as we ramp up the data reduction pipeline. Here's the first of several items about the legwork we've done as the science team prepares to execute our science! 🧪☀️
Reposted by Trestan Simon
Our recent solar flare research was published! We present the first spectral observations of ‘Supra-Arcade Downflows’ (SADs) since 2003. SADs are dark finger-like downflows seen above solar flare loops, but their origins remain elusive! What do we find? 1/6
June 26, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Our recent solar flare research was published! We present the first spectral observations of ‘Supra-Arcade Downflows’ (SADs) since 2003. SADs are dark finger-like downflows seen above solar flare loops, but their origins remain elusive! What do we find? 1/6
Reposted by Trestan Simon
Check out this recent article I was a co-author on: "Citizen Science in Space and Atmospheric Sciences: Opportunities and Challenges"
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Here's a thread of the main points outlined in our paper!
#heliophysics
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Here's a thread of the main points outlined in our paper!
#heliophysics
Citizen Science in Space and Atmospheric Sciences: Opportunities and Challenges - Surveys in Geophysics
Citizen science (also referred to as participatory science or community science), in which members of the general public contribute to scientific research, is not a new concept, as early examples of s...
link.springer.com
June 19, 2025 at 2:43 AM
Check out this recent article I was a co-author on: "Citizen Science in Space and Atmospheric Sciences: Opportunities and Challenges"
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Here's a thread of the main points outlined in our paper!
#heliophysics
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Here's a thread of the main points outlined in our paper!
#heliophysics
Reposted by Trestan Simon
Happy pride month to my fellow weather and space nerds. Go be happy and be you 💕🥹
June 2, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Happy pride month to my fellow weather and space nerds. Go be happy and be you 💕🥹
Seven million articles on English Wikipedia! Lots of work still to do.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...
Wikipedia:Seven million articles - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
May 29, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Seven million articles on English Wikipedia! Lots of work still to do.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...
Small steam devils forming from the fog above a pool (water temp was 76°F and outside air temp was 56°F)
May 21, 2025 at 4:55 AM
Small steam devils forming from the fog above a pool (water temp was 76°F and outside air temp was 56°F)
Reposted by Trestan Simon
Scientific publications do not exist in a vacuum. This means misinformation can sometimes make your climate science go viral for all the wrong reasons.
Here are some tips for navigating the nightmare.
eos.org/opinions/whe...
Here are some tips for navigating the nightmare.
eos.org/opinions/whe...
When Climate Research Fuels Climate Myths: Author Insights from a Misused Publication - Eos
By equipping ourselves with preventive strategies, mitigation tools, and trusted networks, we can guide misinformed conversations back to accuracy and preserve the value of rigorous research.
eos.org
May 16, 2025 at 12:26 PM
Scientific publications do not exist in a vacuum. This means misinformation can sometimes make your climate science go viral for all the wrong reasons.
Here are some tips for navigating the nightmare.
eos.org/opinions/whe...
Here are some tips for navigating the nightmare.
eos.org/opinions/whe...
Maybe this is old news, but you can completely block Writefull AI in Overleaf by using uBlock Origin with the rule:
www.overleaf.com writefull.ai * block
and the filter:
www.overleaf.com##.ol-overlay.writefull-error-notification.notification-type-error.notification
www.overleaf.com writefull.ai * block
and the filter:
www.overleaf.com##.ol-overlay.writefull-error-notification.notification-type-error.notification
May 14, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Maybe this is old news, but you can completely block Writefull AI in Overleaf by using uBlock Origin with the rule:
www.overleaf.com writefull.ai * block
and the filter:
www.overleaf.com##.ol-overlay.writefull-error-notification.notification-type-error.notification
www.overleaf.com writefull.ai * block
and the filter:
www.overleaf.com##.ol-overlay.writefull-error-notification.notification-type-error.notification
Reposted by Trestan Simon
This is the extent to which the aurora was seen one year ago today during the May 2024 extreme geomagnetic storm. It was one of the largest aurora events in all of recorded history, actually.
The different colors of dots represent the dataset used to log the reports.
The different colors of dots represent the dataset used to log the reports.
May 11, 2025 at 12:03 PM
This is the extent to which the aurora was seen one year ago today during the May 2024 extreme geomagnetic storm. It was one of the largest aurora events in all of recorded history, actually.
The different colors of dots represent the dataset used to log the reports.
The different colors of dots represent the dataset used to log the reports.
Reposted by Trestan Simon
The day the #sun stood still... Very good seeing this morning. Image of huge spot group 4079 with #takahashi Mewlon 210 at f/24, Player One Neptune M camera.
#astronomy #astrophotography #solarsystem #spaceweather
#astronomy #astrophotography #solarsystem #spaceweather
May 1, 2025 at 10:09 AM
The day the #sun stood still... Very good seeing this morning. Image of huge spot group 4079 with #takahashi Mewlon 210 at f/24, Player One Neptune M camera.
#astronomy #astrophotography #solarsystem #spaceweather
#astronomy #astrophotography #solarsystem #spaceweather
Reposted by Trestan Simon
In homage to Earth Day, here is an acrylic on illustration board painting I did in the 80s. I used then newly released dim light satellite images for references of nighttime features such as the aurora and the brighter gas flares and agricultural burning competing in brightness with the city lights.
April 22, 2025 at 11:22 PM
In homage to Earth Day, here is an acrylic on illustration board painting I did in the 80s. I used then newly released dim light satellite images for references of nighttime features such as the aurora and the brighter gas flares and agricultural burning competing in brightness with the city lights.
Reposted by Trestan Simon
😎The Solar Patrol Service (SPS/ASUCAS) from Astronomical Institute of the 🇨🇿 Academy of Sciences captured a prominence eruption on Mar 28, 2025 in high cadence and large field of view Hα 🔭images (NE quadrant).
Daily 1-h Hα images Latest&Archive👇
🌐https://swe.ssa.esa.int/web/guest/sps-S019a-federated
Daily 1-h Hα images Latest&Archive👇
🌐https://swe.ssa.esa.int/web/guest/sps-S019a-federated
April 22, 2025 at 1:34 PM
😎The Solar Patrol Service (SPS/ASUCAS) from Astronomical Institute of the 🇨🇿 Academy of Sciences captured a prominence eruption on Mar 28, 2025 in high cadence and large field of view Hα 🔭images (NE quadrant).
Daily 1-h Hα images Latest&Archive👇
🌐https://swe.ssa.esa.int/web/guest/sps-S019a-federated
Daily 1-h Hα images Latest&Archive👇
🌐https://swe.ssa.esa.int/web/guest/sps-S019a-federated
Reposted by Trestan Simon
We released our first light images! Here's a nugget entry about it, with links to the official mission blog and two press releases. ☀️🧪🔭🛰️🚀
PUNCH Collects Spectacular First Light | PUNCH mission
first-light montage from PUNCH
This first-light mosaic from PUNCH shows how the NFI and WFI fields of view fit together. Celestial objects are visible down to 9th magnitude (asteroid Iris) in the raw...
whtwnd.com
April 17, 2025 at 6:09 PM
We released our first light images! Here's a nugget entry about it, with links to the official mission blog and two press releases. ☀️🧪🔭🛰️🚀
Reposted by Trestan Simon
Wikipedia editors have decided: www.404media.co/wikipedia-ed...
Wikipedia Editors Call It: It’s the “2025 Stock Market Crash”
While the title of the article can still change, for the moment Wikipedia editors have decided that Trump crashed the stock market.
www.404media.co
April 7, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Wikipedia editors have decided: www.404media.co/wikipedia-ed...
I just realized that the CU Boulder guest Wi-Fi default gateway is blocking all of my NTP packets... so I am right next to NIST physically but am not allowed to synchronize with their public time servers? 128.138.140.44 is utcnist.colorado.edu
April 5, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I just realized that the CU Boulder guest Wi-Fi default gateway is blocking all of my NTP packets... so I am right next to NIST physically but am not allowed to synchronize with their public time servers? 128.138.140.44 is utcnist.colorado.edu
Reposted by Trestan Simon
Petabytes of critical government research that is marked for possible deletion cannot be archived because of technical and legal restrictions, meaning it is very likely to be lost forever:
www.404media.co/nih-archives...
www.404media.co/nih-archives...
Massive, Unarchivable Datasets of Cancer, Covid, and Alzheimer's Research Could Be Lost Forever
Days before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that 10,000 HHS staffers would lose their jobs, a message appeared on NIH research repository sites saying they were "under review."
www.404media.co
April 4, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Petabytes of critical government research that is marked for possible deletion cannot be archived because of technical and legal restrictions, meaning it is very likely to be lost forever:
www.404media.co/nih-archives...
www.404media.co/nih-archives...