Austin
@settingcircle.bsky.social
Michigan
Astronomy, History, Photography
Astronomy, History, Photography
Reposted by Austin
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. Prosecute the whole chain of command. Ripping them out by the root and salting the Earth is the only way forward.
“Federal agents briefly detained our reporter at the scene, who says he was tackled to the ground and had a gun put in his face.”
BREAKING: Federal agent shoots man in south Minneapolis
A Bring Me The News reporter was near the scene, and recorded multiple gunshots.
bringmethenews.com
January 24, 2026 at 4:16 PM
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. Prosecute the whole chain of command. Ripping them out by the root and salting the Earth is the only way forward.
Reposted by Austin
"abolish ICE and prosecute everyone involved" is the moderate position
January 24, 2026 at 4:15 PM
"abolish ICE and prosecute everyone involved" is the moderate position
Reposted by Austin
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.
January 8, 2026 at 3:14 PM
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.
Reposted by Austin
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 🔭🏴
January 4, 2026 at 12:32 PM
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 🔭🏴
Reposted by Austin
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.
OU has put the professor here on administrative leave:
December 1, 2025 at 1:29 AM
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.
Reposted by Austin
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
www.tmt.org/news/708
November 12, 2025 at 12:08 PM
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
www.tmt.org/news/708
Reposted by Austin
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...
Educational Program Coordinator II - East Lansing, Michigan, United States
Position Summary
The program coordinator will maintain the planetarium, present live shows, and create new planetarium visualizations. In addition, this position will assist customers, assist in educa...
careers.msu.edu
September 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
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...
Reposted by Austin
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."
"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."
September 2, 2025 at 8:22 PM
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."
"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."
Reposted by Austin
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
September 2, 2025 at 8:57 PM
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.
August 31, 2025 at 1:48 AM
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.
Reposted by Austin
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.
Now, we continue fulfilling that promise.
Public colleges will now provide contraception and medication abortion at on-campus pharmacies and student health centers.
August 23, 2025 at 5:08 PM
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.
Now, we continue fulfilling that promise.
Public colleges will now provide contraception and medication abortion at on-campus pharmacies and student health centers.
Reposted by Austin
Apple Blossom
Acryla gouache
Acryla gouache
August 18, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Apple Blossom
Acryla gouache
Acryla gouache
Reposted by Austin
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.
August 12, 2025 at 10:03 PM
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.
Icy moons Enceladus and Dione, respectively, out in front of Saturn. Imaged by Cassini in 2007 and 2005.
flic.kr/p/2qAvjKN
flic.kr/p/2qzJeML
flic.kr/p/2qAvjKN
flic.kr/p/2qzJeML
July 25, 2025 at 6:19 PM
What an extraordinarily beautiful photo.
Dusk over the observatory
July 23, 2025 at 12:12 AM
Dusk over the observatory
Reposted by Austin
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
It's really that simple, folks
July 22, 2025 at 9:46 PM
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
It's really that simple, folks
Reposted by Austin
"[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 [email protected]'s @us.theconversation.com essay on Camille Flammarion's views of the Red Planet #astronomy
Today's #histSTM [email protected]'s @us.theconversation.com essay on Camille Flammarion's views of the Red Planet #astronomy
Early visions of Mars: Meet the 19th-century astronomer who used science fiction to imagine the red planet
In the 19th century, astronomers could see Mars through telescopes, but not clearly. Some used their imaginations to fill in what the blurry images couldn’t convey.
theconversation.com
June 20, 2025 at 4:56 PM
"[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 [email protected]'s @us.theconversation.com essay on Camille Flammarion's views of the Red Planet #astronomy
Today's #histSTM [email protected]'s @us.theconversation.com essay on Camille Flammarion's views of the Red Planet #astronomy
Reposted by Austin
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
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
UMich and MSU would face 91% and 72% cuts, respectively, in state funding. GVSU's state funding would be cut 58%. Just gutting our state's engines of opportunity and economic development.
University of Michigan, MSU face huge funding cuts under House Republican budget
University of Michigan, MSU face huge funding cuts under House Republican budget
University of Michigan, MSU face huge funding cuts under House Republican budget
The budget from Michigan House Republicans would cut about $828 million in direct funding across all 15 public universities in the state.
www.mlive.com
June 12, 2025 at 1:22 AM
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
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
Reposted by Austin
Honestly the whole “white men need coddling” thing is deeply insulting and demeaning to white men. Like they’re saying you guys can’t hack it on your own. You guys should be pissed at the insinuation
I have never seen any example of the left "hating" young men that doesn't distill to "refusal to coddle them/insistence on treating them like adults with agency."
May 27, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Honestly the whole “white men need coddling” thing is deeply insulting and demeaning to white men. Like they’re saying you guys can’t hack it on your own. You guys should be pissed at the insinuation
Reposted by Austin
The Renaissance artist, Albrecht Dürer authored a maths book & illustrated the first printed star maps in the west, was born 21 May 1571 #histsci
thonyc.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/a...
thonyc.wordpress.com/2015/09/23/r...
thonyc.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/a...
thonyc.wordpress.com/2015/09/23/r...
May 21, 2025 at 5:48 AM
The Renaissance artist, Albrecht Dürer authored a maths book & illustrated the first printed star maps in the west, was born 21 May 1571 #histsci
thonyc.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/a...
thonyc.wordpress.com/2015/09/23/r...
thonyc.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/a...
thonyc.wordpress.com/2015/09/23/r...
Very proud of our graduating student staff at the observatory (this term and all before). A couple students very kindly asked me to photograph them. I got quite a few good ones that I’m very proud of! Some will show up on the Bentley IG, but here’s one of my favorites that’s somewhat anonymous.
May 8, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Very proud of our graduating student staff at the observatory (this term and all before). A couple students very kindly asked me to photograph them. I got quite a few good ones that I’m very proud of! Some will show up on the Bentley IG, but here’s one of my favorites that’s somewhat anonymous.
Reposted by Austin
But it's not genocide, right?
Israel plans to occupy and flatten all of Gaza if no hostage and ceasefire deal is reached by the end of President Trump's trip to the Middle East two weeks from now. My story on @axios.com
www.axios.com/2025/05/05/i...
www.axios.com/2025/05/05/i...
Israel plans to occupy and flatten all of Gaza if no deal by Trump's trip
Trump has effectively given Netanyahu a green light to do as he sees fit, Israeli officials say.
www.axios.com
May 5, 2025 at 6:09 PM
But it's not genocide, right?
Reposted by Austin
In addition to the funding freeze, NSF just announced that, as of May 5, all grants to Universities will have a uniform indirect cost rate of 15%, following similar moves by NIH and DOE that are now being litigated in court and subject to TROs (I believe).
www.nsf.gov/policies/doc...
www.nsf.gov/policies/doc...
Policy Notice: Implementation of Standard 15% Indirect Cost Rate
www.nsf.gov
May 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
In addition to the funding freeze, NSF just announced that, as of May 5, all grants to Universities will have a uniform indirect cost rate of 15%, following similar moves by NIH and DOE that are now being litigated in court and subject to TROs (I believe).
www.nsf.gov/policies/doc...
www.nsf.gov/policies/doc...
Visited this site during a conference trip for the Alliance of Historic Observatories at the Vatican Observatory. Weather was nice and we got to see the Sun’s image cross the meridian. It was somewhat obscured by restoration work, but was wonderful to see.
April 29, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Visited this site during a conference trip for the Alliance of Historic Observatories at the Vatican Observatory. Weather was nice and we got to see the Sun’s image cross the meridian. It was somewhat obscured by restoration work, but was wonderful to see.