Jonathan Fortney
@jjfplanet.bsky.social
UC Santa Cruz Astronomy Professor & Department Chair, Other Worlds Laboratory (OWL) Director. Planetary Astrophysics: Exoplanets & Solar System. Father, Husband, Minnesotan, Runner. Proud product & employee of the public school system, age 5 to today.
Reposted by Jonathan Fortney
An 18yo US citizen, surrounded by eight masked, armed agents of the state, taken into custody, not read his rights, not offered a chance to contact a lawyer, proof of citizenship ignored, handcuffed so tightly he later required medical attention.
Profoundly, profoundly anti-American shit.
Profoundly, profoundly anti-American shit.
ICE Detained an 18-Year-Old U.S. Citizen. This Is His Story.
YouTube video by The Hometown Holler
youtu.be
November 26, 2025 at 10:00 PM
An 18yo US citizen, surrounded by eight masked, armed agents of the state, taken into custody, not read his rights, not offered a chance to contact a lawyer, proof of citizenship ignored, handcuffed so tightly he later required medical attention.
Profoundly, profoundly anti-American shit.
Profoundly, profoundly anti-American shit.
As seen in Santa Cruz, vol. 241
November 27, 2025 at 3:05 AM
As seen in Santa Cruz, vol. 241
In ApJ today, our paper on the early evolution of brown dwarfs, which combines the Sonora brown dwarf and SPHINX M dwarf atmosphere models. Check out this cool plot of giant planet, brown dwarf, and low-mass star radii over time. Work led by UCSC grad Evan Davis.
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...
November 26, 2025 at 5:48 PM
In ApJ today, our paper on the early evolution of brown dwarfs, which combines the Sonora brown dwarf and SPHINX M dwarf atmosphere models. Check out this cool plot of giant planet, brown dwarf, and low-mass star radii over time. Work led by UCSC grad Evan Davis.
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...
iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...
New grad student. Gotta start with the basics!
November 26, 2025 at 3:51 AM
New grad student. Gotta start with the basics!
Post-pandemic update achieved, just in time for 2026!!
November 25, 2025 at 1:17 AM
Post-pandemic update achieved, just in time for 2026!!
Reposted by Jonathan Fortney
A Trump supporter started murdering his way through an assassination list of Democratic law makers FIVE MONTHS AGO. He murdered my colleague Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark — and attempted to assassinate my dear friend John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. I was also on the hit list. WTF
November 20, 2025 at 5:56 PM
A Trump supporter started murdering his way through an assassination list of Democratic law makers FIVE MONTHS AGO. He murdered my colleague Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark — and attempted to assassinate my dear friend John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. I was also on the hit list. WTF
Reposted by Jonathan Fortney
It’s Friday night.
I’ve done enough this week.
You’ve done enough this week.
I’ve done enough this week.
You’ve done enough this week.
November 22, 2025 at 12:29 AM
It’s Friday night.
I’ve done enough this week.
You’ve done enough this week.
I’ve done enough this week.
You’ve done enough this week.
I've always been fascinated that nearly every paper on the origin of the Moon gets published in Science or Nature. I have no criticism or critique here, I just find it interesting....
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/s...
The Moon Was an Inside Job
www.nytimes.com
November 22, 2025 at 12:37 AM
I've always been fascinated that nearly every paper on the origin of the Moon gets published in Science or Nature. I have no criticism or critique here, I just find it interesting....
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/s...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/20/s...
My most important service to solar system planetary science was being a part of the Science Definition Team (SDT), nearly a decade ago, that made the science case for an NASA Ice Giants Orbiter and Entry Probe. Check out our 2017 document: arxiv.org/abs/2511.13946
Ice Giants Pre-Decadal Survey Mission Study Report
The Ice Giants Study was commissioned by NASA to take a fresh look (as of 2017) at science priorities and concepts for missions to the Uranus and Neptune systems in preparation for the third Planetary...
arxiv.org
November 19, 2025 at 4:33 AM
My most important service to solar system planetary science was being a part of the Science Definition Team (SDT), nearly a decade ago, that made the science case for an NASA Ice Giants Orbiter and Entry Probe. Check out our 2017 document: arxiv.org/abs/2511.13946
Better for you, right? Right?!
November 17, 2025 at 12:51 AM
Better for you, right? Right?!
Reposted by Jonathan Fortney
sometimes an Oxford comma can make all the difference
November 8, 2025 at 12:36 PM
sometimes an Oxford comma can make all the difference
Kids today don't realize how often light bulbs used to burn out.
November 7, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Kids today don't realize how often light bulbs used to burn out.
This is some crushing news for the crown jewel postdoctoral program for the University of California.
The President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, PPFP, has been a jewel in the crown for faculty development and recruitment at the University of California for years and the results have been an expanded faculty with almost 100% tenure rates — unprecedented success.
November 5, 2025 at 3:28 PM
This is some crushing news for the crown jewel postdoctoral program for the University of California.
Reposted by Jonathan Fortney
Are you applying to the University of California for fall admission as a first-year student? Don’t stress! We’ve got pointers and info straight from UC’s admissions experts. Don’t forget UC Applications are due Dec 1 🗓️💙💛 https://bit.ly/4opIggD
November 3, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Are you applying to the University of California for fall admission as a first-year student? Don’t stress! We’ve got pointers and info straight from UC’s admissions experts. Don’t forget UC Applications are due Dec 1 🗓️💙💛 https://bit.ly/4opIggD
Farmers Market!
November 3, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Farmers Market!
Reposted by Jonathan Fortney
Glad to see this story covered by the press. I've heard from colleagues that Goddard labs are being moved/closed during the government shutdown while employees are unable to receive notification/e-mail/warnings. There's fear that they'll return after the shutdown & labs will be gone. 🔭
#nasa is shuttering the Goddard #space #flight center in a move that may not be entirely legal, according to critics. For months, our #staff #writer @joshdinner.bsky.social interviewed NASA #employees, read #senate reports and more to give you the deepest dive yet.
www.space.com/space-explor...
www.space.com/space-explor...
November 2, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Glad to see this story covered by the press. I've heard from colleagues that Goddard labs are being moved/closed during the government shutdown while employees are unable to receive notification/e-mail/warnings. There's fear that they'll return after the shutdown & labs will be gone. 🔭
Hey kids, just reach inside and grab a handful, one at a time!
October 30, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Hey kids, just reach inside and grab a handful, one at a time!
For when you need Manhattans for dozens of people?
October 30, 2025 at 1:43 AM
For when you need Manhattans for dozens of people?
Is this the year we make dreams come true? ....no.
October 30, 2025 at 1:27 AM
Is this the year we make dreams come true? ....no.
Really important work led by @needhibhalla.bsky.social:
Commentary by @needhibhalla.bsky.social et al. on the recent attacks on DEI in biomedical research. Data show that diversity in the science increases creativity & success in tackling challenging problems.
🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🧪 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
October 25, 2025 at 10:45 PM
Really important work led by @needhibhalla.bsky.social:
Oh man, watching college football is tough. These kids make a lot of mistakes!
October 25, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Oh man, watching college football is tough. These kids make a lot of mistakes!
Campus friend from earlier this week at UC Santa Cruz.
October 25, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Campus friend from earlier this week at UC Santa Cruz.
You know, France:
October 15, 2025 at 7:00 AM
You know, France:
I just cut into a sausage at lunch and sprayed meat juice all over Ravit Helled's shirt. Ugh, going great...
October 9, 2025 at 11:51 AM
I just cut into a sausage at lunch and sprayed meat juice all over Ravit Helled's shirt. Ugh, going great...