i have to believe that, at the end of the day, craft will save us. That our attention-spans can and will make time for it, both to slow down and make the thing you're proud of and for the person who encounters it and stops to soak it in. It's the only thing they can't take from us.
I often think of “Go Progress Chrome” by Grandaddy. A great summary of my feelings towards technology’s progress for its own sake. youtu.be/n4hhlcL_dfY?...
Someone might argue that access to sky is not a basic need. I think that access is often tightly interwoven with basic needs. Coal smoke harmed our skies, but also our lungs. Satellites obscure our skies, but they also enable unprecedented surveillance.
Good to see this coming from the AAS. Variety and novelty are two very important drivers of scientific progress. Unregulated technological progress should also not eclipse our basic needs as humans.
AAS President Dara Norman and Past President Kelsey Johnson published an opinion article in SpaceNews today titled "The future of astronomy is both on Earth and in space." The article is signed by 15 past, current, and incoming AAS presidents.
BREAKING: The Department of Education has ended its directive that attempted to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools nationwide.
This is a victory for academic freedom and education equity.
Victorian astronomers used a dictionary to send each other secret messages about comets.
This the story of how - and why - they did it.
🧵 (1/7)
#astronomy #history
They are just so blatantly racist.
Another day, another cold-blooded murder by Federal goons. This is the end result of voting for policies of hatred and othering.
Abolish ICE. Prosecute the whole chain of command. Ripping them out by the root and salting the Earth is the only way forward.
"abolish ICE and prosecute everyone involved" is the moderate position
Happy birthday!
Gentle reminder that EVERYONE shot by ICE or the police is innocent. Every single one. Cops aren't Judge Dredd. A person is innocent until proven guilty IN A COURT, so until a person is found guilty by a judge or jury, they're innocent. They're ALL innocent.
Catherine (tall, long blonde hair) standing in a wintery field by a large old rusting telescope. The golden setting sun is illuminating the trees in the distance.
A splendid cold walk to Fiddlers Gill to see the fab but rusting Victorian #Braidwood Telescope! Once part of the now long-gone Lanark Observatory, its optics are safe at the Lanark Museum. Sadly I see no hope in restoring this beauty tho, that's been long-abandoned in this field ☹️ #histsci 🔭🏴
conservatives basically want to implement the caricature of affirmative action for conservative students. acceptance without meeting qualifications, good grades and degrees without having to do the work.
TMT Explores a Promising Path Forward in Spain TMT International Observatory LLC (TIO LLC) announced today that in response to the generous offer from the Spanish Ministry of Science, it is exploring a promising avenue for a new observatory based in Spain. While the Members of TO LLC continue discussions regarding the TMT site, this represents a prospective opportunity to allow TO LLC to proceed with the TMT project. For this reason, TO LLC will jointly develop with the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities a detailed roadmap toward the potential realization of the TMT at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos (La Palma, Spain). TMT
This is pretty significant and that it’s been 11 years since they tried to build on Maunakea and Kanaka Maoli protectors have successfully impeded them is a major victory for traditional knowledge keepers and people fighting for Kanaka sovereignty. 🔭🧪
www.tmt.org/news/708
If any of you fine folks are planetarians in (or want to be in) mid-Michigan, the Abrams Planetarium is hiring a full-time-staff position for the first time in 11 years!! Come work with the astro, scicomm, and informal ed folks at MSU!! 🔭 🧪 (reskeets welcome) careers.msu.edu/jobs/educati...
Illinois Gov. Pritzker ahead of Trump National Guard deployment:
"To Chicagoans... Look out for your communities and your neighbours. Know your rights. Film things that you see happening... Authoritarians thrive on your silence. Be loud for America."
I know, I know, but: The president of the US saying, literally, "we're going in" in reference to sending the military to an American city for no reason beyond terrorizing the local population should be the most immediately impeachable shit imaginable
Had a wonderful visit to McDonald Observatory for the Docent Meeting organized for the Alliance of Historic Observatories. So many great things to take away from the meeting, among those being memories of these beautiful west Texas mountains.
I made a promise to the women of Illinois — as governor, I will ensure your medical decisions will be your own.
Now, we continue fulfilling that promise.
Public colleges will now provide contraception and medication abortion at on-campus pharmacies and student health centers.
scan on that painting
Apple Blossom
Acryla gouache
Kim Davis going from "my religious beliefs demand that I don't facilitate a same-sex marriages" to "my religious beliefs demand that there are NO same-sex marriages anywhere" *should* make Democrats realize there is no "sincere" compromise with bigots on trans issues.
What an extraordinarily beautiful photo.
A partial view of the Detroit Observatory in Ann Arbor Michigan at dusk. The observatory is in the early shade of the earth, while the sky remains a brighter blue. Wispy, illuminated clouds stretch across the lower frame of sky and reflect pink violet and orange with the last sunlight. A few lights seen through the observatory windows. Observing is afoot.
Dusk over the observatory
Beto O'Rourke went on PBS and said the US has to stop being complicit in the bombing of Palestine
It's really that simple, folks
"[I]magining a future on #Mars is as much about understanding ourselves & our societal aspirations as it is about developing the technologies to take us there."
Today's #histSTM read-@mattshindell.bsky.social's @us.theconversation.com essay on Camille Flammarion's views of the Red Planet #astronomy
Sometimes I start at the end of the album so I get that right off the bat. Love that album so deeply.
What would this look like for UMich?
Overall, UM gets very little of its budget from the State, but the College of LSA, gets ~30% of our budget from the state & our students are ~40% in-state.
Maintaining standards with these cuts would mean huge in-state tuition hikes or far lower in-state admits
Absolutely fantastic news
