Dr Ashley J Ruiter
@astronomash.bsky.social
🇦🇺🇨🇦 astronomer, woman in STEM, binary stars, supernovae 🌟, mom of 3 humans and one floofy cavoodle, LGBTQIA2S+ Ally 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧ she/her
Apparently it's #internationaldogday 🐶 Our little floofer is 9 months tomorrow 💗
August 26, 2025 at 5:32 AM
Apparently it's #internationaldogday 🐶 Our little floofer is 9 months tomorrow 💗
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Fantastic to see the 2026-2035 Astronomy Decadal Plan launched at the Annual Science Meeting. What better way to celebrate than cake! We look forward to continuing to support the Australian astronomy community to implement this inspiring plan. Read the plan here: t.co/HUGz9Vgn86
July 10, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Fantastic to see the 2026-2035 Astronomy Decadal Plan launched at the Annual Science Meeting. What better way to celebrate than cake! We look forward to continuing to support the Australian astronomy community to implement this inspiring plan. Read the plan here: t.co/HUGz9Vgn86
Thanks for helping to put this together ESO PR team! Very excited to see the paper finally out in @natastron.nature.com 🧪🔭
💥💥 Double detonation!
For the first time, astronomers have obtained visual evidence that a star met its end by detonating twice.
The fingerprint that points to this mechanism is represented by two separate shells of calcium.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2511/
🔭 🧪 ☄️ 1/
For the first time, astronomers have obtained visual evidence that a star met its end by detonating twice.
The fingerprint that points to this mechanism is represented by two separate shells of calcium.
Read more: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso2511/
🔭 🧪 ☄️ 1/
July 2, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Thanks for helping to put this together ESO PR team! Very excited to see the paper finally out in @natastron.nature.com 🧪🔭
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Introducing...your sneak peek at the cosmos captured by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory!
Can you guess these regions of sky?
This is just a small peek...join us at 11am US EDT for your full First Look at how Rubin will #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪
#RubinFirstLook
ls.st/rubin-first-look-livestream
Can you guess these regions of sky?
This is just a small peek...join us at 11am US EDT for your full First Look at how Rubin will #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪
#RubinFirstLook
ls.st/rubin-first-look-livestream
June 23, 2025 at 4:06 AM
Introducing...your sneak peek at the cosmos captured by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory!
Can you guess these regions of sky?
This is just a small peek...join us at 11am US EDT for your full First Look at how Rubin will #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪
#RubinFirstLook
ls.st/rubin-first-look-livestream
Can you guess these regions of sky?
This is just a small peek...join us at 11am US EDT for your full First Look at how Rubin will #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪
#RubinFirstLook
ls.st/rubin-first-look-livestream
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
🌞 See the Sun from a whole new angle.
For the first time, our Solar Orbiter mission has captured close-up images of the Sun’s mysterious poles, regions long hidden from our view.
For the first time, our Solar Orbiter mission has captured close-up images of the Sun’s mysterious poles, regions long hidden from our view.
June 11, 2025 at 2:03 PM
🌞 See the Sun from a whole new angle.
For the first time, our Solar Orbiter mission has captured close-up images of the Sun’s mysterious poles, regions long hidden from our view.
For the first time, our Solar Orbiter mission has captured close-up images of the Sun’s mysterious poles, regions long hidden from our view.
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
If you teach physics, Prince can help your students learn the Right Hand Rule. 🎢
June 7, 2025 at 5:14 PM
If you teach physics, Prince can help your students learn the Right Hand Rule. 🎢
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Yo, #Sydney and #Melbourne!
Some exciting news! Over last few months have been planning an excellent #SciComm event for our cities.
We're hosting @astrokatie.com here in Oz for two weeks to talk about 'The End of Everything!' and more fun science.
Got a fantastic program planned for you!
1/3 🔭
Some exciting news! Over last few months have been planning an excellent #SciComm event for our cities.
We're hosting @astrokatie.com here in Oz for two weeks to talk about 'The End of Everything!' and more fun science.
Got a fantastic program planned for you!
1/3 🔭
May 15, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Yo, #Sydney and #Melbourne!
Some exciting news! Over last few months have been planning an excellent #SciComm event for our cities.
We're hosting @astrokatie.com here in Oz for two weeks to talk about 'The End of Everything!' and more fun science.
Got a fantastic program planned for you!
1/3 🔭
Some exciting news! Over last few months have been planning an excellent #SciComm event for our cities.
We're hosting @astrokatie.com here in Oz for two weeks to talk about 'The End of Everything!' and more fun science.
Got a fantastic program planned for you!
1/3 🔭
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
For those of us who made the poor choice to have our life’s work governed by orbital mechanics, 4 years can change a project from “some really interesting science to do towards the end of my career”into “won’t happen in my lifetime”
(Looking at you Uranus orbiter)
(Looking at you Uranus orbiter)
I've seen folks talk about how "in four years" they'll be able to get back to their planned projects and I really don't think that's going to work out. People & projects losing funding now will not be able to hit pause and come back once funding is restored. Hard-won progress & capacity will be lost
I worry that not enough of a big deal is being made about how long-term the devastation of these budget cuts to our scientific and health agencies will be, beyond the absolute ruin they will cause in the acute period.
June 4, 2025 at 1:20 AM
For those of us who made the poor choice to have our life’s work governed by orbital mechanics, 4 years can change a project from “some really interesting science to do towards the end of my career”into “won’t happen in my lifetime”
(Looking at you Uranus orbiter)
(Looking at you Uranus orbiter)
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Pretty big coronal mass ejection from the Sun hit us last night. The results are beautiful.
This morning we drove to Bozeman Pride for @zoandbehold.bsky.social to speak, then went down to Yellowstone and saw incredible sights.
Then, on the drive back to Missoula at 1AM, the heavens erupted.
Naked eye visible aurora. The northern lights told us Happy Pride :)
Then, on the drive back to Missoula at 1AM, the heavens erupted.
Naked eye visible aurora. The northern lights told us Happy Pride :)
June 1, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Pretty big coronal mass ejection from the Sun hit us last night. The results are beautiful.
Harvard launches short online FREE course on understanding US government and democracy (and more) pll.harvard.edu/course/we-pe...
We the People: Civic Engagement in a Constitutional Democracy | Harvard University
Gain a foundational knowledge of American constitutional democracy while crafting your own civic voice and identity.
pll.harvard.edu
May 24, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Harvard launches short online FREE course on understanding US government and democracy (and more) pll.harvard.edu/course/we-pe...
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
This week’s image is of type Ia supernovae! Optical and NIR spectra taken with Gemini's GMOS and Flamingos-2 helped assess the goodness of various models that constrain the explosion, progenitor star, and binary companion. Check out the 🧵 for more papers on supernovae! #astronomy
📷 credit in thread
📷 credit in thread
May 20, 2025 at 7:05 PM
This week’s image is of type Ia supernovae! Optical and NIR spectra taken with Gemini's GMOS and Flamingos-2 helped assess the goodness of various models that constrain the explosion, progenitor star, and binary companion. Check out the 🧵 for more papers on supernovae! #astronomy
📷 credit in thread
📷 credit in thread
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
So the Department of Physics at the University of Auckland is looking to hire a lecturer/senior lecturer in one of the following areas:
- Physics education research,
- Quantum optics and quantum information,
- Biophotonics and/or medical physics,
- Astrophysics and/or space technology.
1/2...
- Physics education research,
- Quantum optics and quantum information,
- Biophotonics and/or medical physics,
- Astrophysics and/or space technology.
1/2...
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Physics
Company Description: Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of AucklandKo te whare Pūtaiao | The Faculty of Science at the University of Auckland is the leading science faculty in New Zealand and one of...
jobs.smartrecruiters.com
May 12, 2025 at 9:39 PM
So the Department of Physics at the University of Auckland is looking to hire a lecturer/senior lecturer in one of the following areas:
- Physics education research,
- Quantum optics and quantum information,
- Biophotonics and/or medical physics,
- Astrophysics and/or space technology.
1/2...
- Physics education research,
- Quantum optics and quantum information,
- Biophotonics and/or medical physics,
- Astrophysics and/or space technology.
1/2...
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Rubin #CommissioningNotes ✍️: The data deluge from NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory is coming!
Rubin captured over 500 exposures per night across 3 nights this week, using its automated observation scheduler — that’s 20x more than during the 7 week period with the engineering camera last year!🔭 🧪
🧵
Rubin captured over 500 exposures per night across 3 nights this week, using its automated observation scheduler — that’s 20x more than during the 7 week period with the engineering camera last year!🔭 🧪
🧵
May 12, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Rubin #CommissioningNotes ✍️: The data deluge from NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory is coming!
Rubin captured over 500 exposures per night across 3 nights this week, using its automated observation scheduler — that’s 20x more than during the 7 week period with the engineering camera last year!🔭 🧪
🧵
Rubin captured over 500 exposures per night across 3 nights this week, using its automated observation scheduler — that’s 20x more than during the 7 week period with the engineering camera last year!🔭 🧪
🧵
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
NASA Science: Roman Space Telescope article (Aug 8, 2024)
NASA's future missions will rely on citizen scientists to help discover new exoplanets beyond our solar system.
science.nasa.gov/open-science/exoplanet-future-citizen-science/
NASA's future missions will rely on citizen scientists to help discover new exoplanets beyond our solar system.
science.nasa.gov/open-science/exoplanet-future-citizen-science/
May 5, 2025 at 12:31 AM
NASA Science: Roman Space Telescope article (Aug 8, 2024)
NASA's future missions will rely on citizen scientists to help discover new exoplanets beyond our solar system.
science.nasa.gov/open-science/exoplanet-future-citizen-science/
NASA's future missions will rely on citizen scientists to help discover new exoplanets beyond our solar system.
science.nasa.gov/open-science/exoplanet-future-citizen-science/
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
This is great, but it's also a little depressing that it's unfunded and fishing for philanthropic support.
Australia's Academy of Science ( @science.org.au ) is establishing a potential lifeline for scientists considering relocating to Australia. This is a call for donations, but if anyone out there is floundering and wants to know more, get in touch !
⚒️🧪
www.science.org.au/news-and-eve...
⚒️🧪
www.science.org.au/news-and-eve...
Join us in shaping Australia’s future: Australian Academy of Science
The Australian Academy of Science is excited to announce the establishment of a Global Talent Attraction Program. Australia has an urgent and unparalleled opportunity to attract the smartest minds
www.science.org.au
April 17, 2025 at 2:43 AM
This is great, but it's also a little depressing that it's unfunded and fishing for philanthropic support.
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
An obit for Alicia Soderberg, a lovely person who will be much missed. I met Alicia when she was an undergrad student in my summer REU research progam; she later became a valued teacher in the same program, mentoring many students who themselves went on to success.
Laura Chomiuk, Raffaella Margutti, Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, and Nathan Sanders are strong mentors to me, and as I read their description of Alicia, I see how much of her shines through them. It's an honor to get to know her through their eyes. I encourage all to read.
baas.aas.org/pub/2025i006...
baas.aas.org/pub/2025i006...
Alicia M. Soderberg (1977-2025)
Soderberg made important contributions to studies of supernovae and gamma ray bursts and was known for extraordinary scientific mentorship.
baas.aas.org
April 6, 2025 at 10:42 PM
An obit for Alicia Soderberg, a lovely person who will be much missed. I met Alicia when she was an undergrad student in my summer REU research progam; she later became a valued teacher in the same program, mentoring many students who themselves went on to success.
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
What's the magical green glow that dominates the sky in this pic of ESO’s La Silla Observatory? 🧐
Known as airglow, it's a faint light emitted by the Earth’s atmosphere and it is only visible in the darkest of places.
What causes it? Find out here: www.eso.org/public/image...
🔭 🧪
📷 J. Pérez/ESO
Known as airglow, it's a faint light emitted by the Earth’s atmosphere and it is only visible in the darkest of places.
What causes it? Find out here: www.eso.org/public/image...
🔭 🧪
📷 J. Pérez/ESO
April 7, 2025 at 7:00 AM
What's the magical green glow that dominates the sky in this pic of ESO’s La Silla Observatory? 🧐
Known as airglow, it's a faint light emitted by the Earth’s atmosphere and it is only visible in the darkest of places.
What causes it? Find out here: www.eso.org/public/image...
🔭 🧪
📷 J. Pérez/ESO
Known as airglow, it's a faint light emitted by the Earth’s atmosphere and it is only visible in the darkest of places.
What causes it? Find out here: www.eso.org/public/image...
🔭 🧪
📷 J. Pérez/ESO
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Finally!
We can start to talk about the absolute carnage that is magnetic field orientation of Neptune.
What even is this absolute chaos?! How?!?!
Why is Neptune like this???!!!
(I love Neptune, probably equal first with Jove)
📸 Aplin et al. 2020 Space Science Reviews
We can start to talk about the absolute carnage that is magnetic field orientation of Neptune.
What even is this absolute chaos?! How?!?!
Why is Neptune like this???!!!
(I love Neptune, probably equal first with Jove)
📸 Aplin et al. 2020 Space Science Reviews
March 26, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Finally!
We can start to talk about the absolute carnage that is magnetic field orientation of Neptune.
What even is this absolute chaos?! How?!?!
Why is Neptune like this???!!!
(I love Neptune, probably equal first with Jove)
📸 Aplin et al. 2020 Space Science Reviews
We can start to talk about the absolute carnage that is magnetic field orientation of Neptune.
What even is this absolute chaos?! How?!?!
Why is Neptune like this???!!!
(I love Neptune, probably equal first with Jove)
📸 Aplin et al. 2020 Space Science Reviews
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Duckworth: "Hegseth is the most unqualified sec def in history & this is further demonstrating his incompetence. He's literally leaking classified war plans via group chat...if you're our allies, I'd be thinking twice about sharing classified information...All these people need to lose their jobs"
March 25, 2025 at 7:48 PM
Duckworth: "Hegseth is the most unqualified sec def in history & this is further demonstrating his incompetence. He's literally leaking classified war plans via group chat...if you're our allies, I'd be thinking twice about sharing classified information...All these people need to lose their jobs"
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Meanwhile, in Europe👇
March 25, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Meanwhile, in Europe👇
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
The atomic spectral lines in this app come from the NIST atomic spectroscopy group, which has provided the world with spectroscopic measurements for 120 years.
Today we got word that the federal government is laying off the entire group. 🔭🧪
Today we got word that the federal government is laying off the entire group. 🔭🧪
Tired of wondering which atomic lines are in your spectra? You need:
*whose line is it anyway?* An interactive tool for identifying atomic spectral lines. 🧪🔭 #stars
install:
pip install whoseline
source:
github.com/bmorris3/who...
*whose line is it anyway?* An interactive tool for identifying atomic spectral lines. 🧪🔭 #stars
install:
pip install whoseline
source:
github.com/bmorris3/who...
March 19, 2025 at 5:26 PM
The atomic spectral lines in this app come from the NIST atomic spectroscopy group, which has provided the world with spectroscopic measurements for 120 years.
Today we got word that the federal government is laying off the entire group. 🔭🧪
Today we got word that the federal government is laying off the entire group. 🔭🧪
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Vera Rubin has been selected to be featured on the back of a quarter. She is the first astronomer to be honored this way. Read about her research on the Andromeda galaxy and how it led to the discovery of dark matter in this article written by Rubin herself. doi.org/10.1063/1.24...
🔭 #WomenInStem
🔭 #WomenInStem
March 10, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Vera Rubin has been selected to be featured on the back of a quarter. She is the first astronomer to be honored this way. Read about her research on the Andromeda galaxy and how it led to the discovery of dark matter in this article written by Rubin herself. doi.org/10.1063/1.24...
🔭 #WomenInStem
🔭 #WomenInStem
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Today in 1982, Venera 13 landed on Venus, taking the first color photos of the surface of Venus. These are my reprocessed versions of the full panoramas.
March 1, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Today in 1982, Venera 13 landed on Venus, taking the first color photos of the surface of Venus. These are my reprocessed versions of the full panoramas.
Reposted by Dr Ashley J Ruiter
Loved this historical paper on comparing Henrietta Swan Leavitt's Cepheid period-luminosity data & law to the most modern measurements of the same stars & same law - and remarkably, for century old data, it stacks up pretty well!
The Legacy of Henrietta Leavitt: A Re-analysis of the First Cepheid Period-Luminosity Relation
Henrietta Swan Leavitt's discovery of the relationship between the period and luminosity (hereafter the Leavitt Law) of 25 variable stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud, published in 1912, revolutioniz...
arxiv.org
February 26, 2025 at 3:10 AM
Loved this historical paper on comparing Henrietta Swan Leavitt's Cepheid period-luminosity data & law to the most modern measurements of the same stars & same law - and remarkably, for century old data, it stacks up pretty well!
Our baby No.4 💕 He has 4 white socks 🧦🧦 and sharp baby teeth!
February 17, 2025 at 5:54 AM
Our baby No.4 💕 He has 4 white socks 🧦🧦 and sharp baby teeth!