John Debes
@johndebes.bsky.social
ESA/AURA astronomer at STScI. Opinions my own. I study exoplanets and disks around stars.
Pinned
John Debes
@johndebes.bsky.social
· Jan 16
I cracked 1000 followers on Blusky recently and excited to talk to folks about astronomy, exoplanets, being kind to your community, and of course furbabies
At a time when folks can’t seem to trust any information, it’s nice to find an easy DIY confirmation of reality. Also fun with math and geometry!
With just a friend, a phone, and a few Lego bricks, you can accurately measure the size of our planet. www.wired.com/story/how-to...
How to Measure the Earth’s Radius With Legos
With just a friend, a phone, and a few Lego bricks, you can accurately measure the size of our planet.
www.wired.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:29 PM
At a time when folks can’t seem to trust any information, it’s nice to find an easy DIY confirmation of reality. Also fun with math and geometry!
Reposted by John Debes
oh no now the telescope is entering the pie discourse
November 27, 2025 at 4:46 PM
oh no now the telescope is entering the pie discourse
Reposted by John Debes
“When the men did not believe Miles’ tribal ID, she pointed to a phone number for the Umatilla Tribal enrollment office on the back of the card.
“Call it,” she said.
When they didn’t, she took out her phone to call the office herself, but the agents tried unsuccessfully to take her phone...”
“Call it,” she said.
When they didn’t, she took out her phone to call the office herself, but the agents tried unsuccessfully to take her phone...”
‘Northern Exposure’ actor gave ICE agents in Redmond her tribal ID. They called it ‘fake,’ she says
Indigenous actor Elaine Miles of "Northern Exposure" was detained by ICE at a Redmond bus stop. When she showed them her Tribal ID, they told her it was fake.
www.seattletimes.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:12 PM
“When the men did not believe Miles’ tribal ID, she pointed to a phone number for the Umatilla Tribal enrollment office on the back of the card.
“Call it,” she said.
When they didn’t, she took out her phone to call the office herself, but the agents tried unsuccessfully to take her phone...”
“Call it,” she said.
When they didn’t, she took out her phone to call the office herself, but the agents tried unsuccessfully to take her phone...”
Good news on Europe increasing its commitment to space. #astrosci
Today marks a milestone for European space exploration. The largest contributions in the history of the European Space Agency, €22.1 billion, were just approved at our Ministerial Council meeting in Bremen, Germany. #CM25
More details 👇 www.esa.int/About_Us/Cor...
More details 👇 www.esa.int/About_Us/Cor...
ESA Member States commit to largest contributions at Ministerial
The largest contributions in the history of the European Space Agency, €22.1 bn, have been approved at its Council meeting at Ministerial level in Bremen, ...
www.esa.int
November 27, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Good news on Europe increasing its commitment to space. #astrosci
“Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.”
― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather
― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather
November 27, 2025 at 1:33 AM
“Real stupidity beats artificial intelligence every time.”
― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather
― Terry Pratchett, Hogfather
Reposted by John Debes
The nearly complete Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has made another set of critical strides toward launch. This fall, the outer portion passed two tests—a shake test and an intense sound blast—to ensure its successful launch: go.nasa.gov/4ooRM2L #NASARoman 🔭 🧪
November 26, 2025 at 4:13 PM
The nearly complete Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has made another set of critical strides toward launch. This fall, the outer portion passed two tests—a shake test and an intense sound blast—to ensure its successful launch: go.nasa.gov/4ooRM2L #NASARoman 🔭 🧪
Reposted by John Debes
INTERN ALERT! 🚨 Join the NASA team and gain valuable on-the-job experience, build your resume, and strengthen your career readiness.
2026 Internship Application Deadlines:
Summer 2026: February 27, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Fall 2026: May 22, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
2026 Internship Application Deadlines:
Summer 2026: February 27, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Fall 2026: May 22, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
NASA Internship Programs - NASA
NASA’s internship programs provide training, mentoring, and career development opportunities while working with the best science, engineering, financial, information technology and business minds in t...
www.nasa.gov
November 26, 2025 at 4:53 PM
INTERN ALERT! 🚨 Join the NASA team and gain valuable on-the-job experience, build your resume, and strengthen your career readiness.
2026 Internship Application Deadlines:
Summer 2026: February 27, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Fall 2026: May 22, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
2026 Internship Application Deadlines:
Summer 2026: February 27, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Fall 2026: May 22, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET
Reposted by John Debes
🔴 LIVE NOW: The first session of our Ministerial Council #CM25 live now until 16.30 GMT/17.30 CET on #ESAwebTV.
📺 watch.esa.int/Two/
📺 watch.esa.int/Two/
Our Ministerial Council starts today. Watch the first session live from 12.30 GMT/13.30 CET to know everything about ESA's future roadmap and budget. #CM25
📺 watch.esa.int
More details 👉 www.esa.int/About_Us/Min...
📺 watch.esa.int
More details 👉 www.esa.int/About_Us/Min...
November 26, 2025 at 1:22 PM
🔴 LIVE NOW: The first session of our Ministerial Council #CM25 live now until 16.30 GMT/17.30 CET on #ESAwebTV.
📺 watch.esa.int/Two/
📺 watch.esa.int/Two/
Reposted by John Debes
Cannot overstate how, from my perch as a national-security reporter, this would have been an earth-shattering scandal in a prior era.
Billionaire Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, pardoned by Donald Trump, has been accused of facilitating millions of dollars’ worth of payments to Hamas in the wake of its attack on Israel on October 7 2023. Zhao also financed the Trump family's entrance into the cryptocurrency market.
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao accused of facilitating payments to Hamas
Crypto tycoon pardoned by Donald Trump faces US court complaint from families of victims of October 7 attack
www.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Cannot overstate how, from my perch as a national-security reporter, this would have been an earth-shattering scandal in a prior era.
Reposted by John Debes
NEW: Senators have called for an investigation after a ProPublica story revealed that Kristi Noem-connected firm the Strategy Group was secretly hired as a subcontractor on a $220 million DHS ad campaign.
Lawmakers Call for Probe of How Firm Tied to Kristi Noem Got Piece of $220 Million DHS Ad Contracts
The demands for an investigation come after a ProPublica story revealed that the Noem-connected Strategy Group was secretly a subcontractor on the ad campaign.
www.propublica.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:38 PM
NEW: Senators have called for an investigation after a ProPublica story revealed that Kristi Noem-connected firm the Strategy Group was secretly hired as a subcontractor on a $220 million DHS ad campaign.
Reposted by John Debes
I'm fully aware that citation numbers and indices are not a good metric for much of anything. However, I'm proudly going to share this one:
One of my papers has now been cited over 1000 times! Unsurprisingly, it's the original REBOUND paper.
One of my papers has now been cited over 1000 times! Unsurprisingly, it's the original REBOUND paper.
November 23, 2025 at 3:01 PM
I'm fully aware that citation numbers and indices are not a good metric for much of anything. However, I'm proudly going to share this one:
One of my papers has now been cited over 1000 times! Unsurprisingly, it's the original REBOUND paper.
One of my papers has now been cited over 1000 times! Unsurprisingly, it's the original REBOUND paper.
Reposted by John Debes
Storms that battered Alaska’s western coast this fall have brought renewed attention to low-lying Indigenous villages left increasingly vulnerable by climate change.
Alaska Native villages have few options and little US help as climate change devours their land
Storms that battered Alaska’s western coast this fall have brought renewed attention to low-lying Indigenous villages left increasingly vulnerable by climate change.
bit.ly
November 23, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Storms that battered Alaska’s western coast this fall have brought renewed attention to low-lying Indigenous villages left increasingly vulnerable by climate change.
Munazza is pretty cool, congrats!! She’s working hard scheduling all the JWST observations for the Rocky Worlds DDT.
Dr. Munazza Alam, an assistant astronomer at STScI, was named in The City University of New York's 50 Under 50 alumni awards in 2025. Each year the school celebrates a class of distinguished graduates who have made headway in their respective fields over the past year. 👏
Munazza Alam – The City University of New York
26 Colleges. One University.
www.cuny.edu
November 21, 2025 at 6:44 PM
Munazza is pretty cool, congrats!! She’s working hard scheduling all the JWST observations for the Rocky Worlds DDT.
Friday HSLA spectrum! My friend Beta Pictoris, first star to have its debris disk imaged and including STIS data I worked on as an undergrad, eleven programs in all. It has two planetary companions more massive than #Jupiter #astrosci #exoplanets 🔭
November 21, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Friday HSLA spectrum! My friend Beta Pictoris, first star to have its debris disk imaged and including STIS data I worked on as an undergrad, eleven programs in all. It has two planetary companions more massive than #Jupiter #astrosci #exoplanets 🔭
Reposted by John Debes
Cheers to the person who leaked the initial changes www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
In reversal, Coast Guard again classifies swastikas, nooses as hate symbols
The new order came hours after The Post reported the service would instead classify such symbols as “potentially divisive” under guidelines set for release next month.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:46 PM
Cheers to the person who leaked the initial changes www.washingtonpost.com/national-sec...
Reposted by John Debes
(1/n) Image thread about the LHA 120-N 159 (or just N159) region with #JWST NIRCam. Here the filters F300M (blue), F335M (red) and F460M (green) 🔭
I made F335M red because this is PAH, otherwise the entire image would be green.
Full resolution: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LH...
I made F335M red because this is PAH, otherwise the entire image would be green.
Full resolution: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LH...
November 21, 2025 at 6:38 AM
(1/n) Image thread about the LHA 120-N 159 (or just N159) region with #JWST NIRCam. Here the filters F300M (blue), F335M (red) and F460M (green) 🔭
I made F335M red because this is PAH, otherwise the entire image would be green.
Full resolution: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LH...
I made F335M red because this is PAH, otherwise the entire image would be green.
Full resolution: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LH...
Can I just say that spellchecking is officially dead? CNN, NYT, and Forbes now just littered with dumb mistakes
Target said it doesn’t think holiday sales will be enough to turn around a tough year.
Target Predicting Week Holiday Sales As Consumer Angst Weighs On Season
Target said it doesn’t think holiday sales will be enough to turn around a tough year.
www.forbes.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Can I just say that spellchecking is officially dead? CNN, NYT, and Forbes now just littered with dumb mistakes
Reposted by John Debes
Now it can (finally) be told. We've been tracking Comet 3I more or less continuously with PUNCH. Everything is fine. 3I is definitely very interesting – but it is most definitely *not* an alien spaceship undergoing maneuvers, no matter what that Boston guy says. ☀️🛰️🔭🧪 #3I #comet #not_aliens
NASA’s PUNCH Spies Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS - NASA Science
NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) mission observed interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS during its passage through the
science.nasa.gov
November 19, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Now it can (finally) be told. We've been tracking Comet 3I more or less continuously with PUNCH. Everything is fine. 3I is definitely very interesting – but it is most definitely *not* an alien spaceship undergoing maneuvers, no matter what that Boston guy says. ☀️🛰️🔭🧪 #3I #comet #not_aliens
The details are even more fishy than the top line summary. This is not due process at all
The facts are complicated, but here’s a summary of what appears to have happened based on the filings and today’s hearing:
NEWS: During a hearing in federal court in VA, prosecutors confirmed that the operative indictment in the case against James Comey was never shown to or voted on by the entire grand jury before it was presented in open court.
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
Defense counsel argued that’s a complete bar to further prosecution
November 20, 2025 at 1:19 PM
The details are even more fishy than the top line summary. This is not due process at all
Reposted by John Debes
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott fought for months to keep secret emails between his office and Elon Musk. Now, hundreds of pages have been released.
Gov. Abbott released 1,400 pages of emails about Elon Musk. Most are blacked out.
Abbott fought for months to keep secret emails between his office and Elon Musk. Now, hundreds of pages have been released.
n.pr
November 20, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott fought for months to keep secret emails between his office and Elon Musk. Now, hundreds of pages have been released.
Reposted by John Debes
Very excited to share the NASA/ESA/STScI press release of our team's work on Apep! It's a terrific writeup, complete with a brand new beautiful visualisation of the nebula geometry.
1/? ⚛️🔭🧪
science.nasa.gov/missions/web...
1/? ⚛️🔭🧪
science.nasa.gov/missions/web...
Webb First to Show 4 Dust Shells 'Spiraling' Apep, Limits Long Orbit - NASA Science
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has delivered a first of its kind: a crisp mid-infrared image of a system of four serpentine spirals of dust, one expanding
science.nasa.gov
November 19, 2025 at 10:08 PM
Very excited to share the NASA/ESA/STScI press release of our team's work on Apep! It's a terrific writeup, complete with a brand new beautiful visualisation of the nebula geometry.
1/? ⚛️🔭🧪
science.nasa.gov/missions/web...
1/? ⚛️🔭🧪
science.nasa.gov/missions/web...
Reposted by John Debes
Canada has announced an additional $528.5 million investment in ESA programmes at #CM25.
www.canada.ca/en/space-age...
www.canada.ca/en/space-age...
Canada Deepens Space Ties with Europe Through Historic Investment - Canada.ca
Today, at the SpaceBound 2025 Conference, the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, made the historic announcement ...
www.canada.ca
November 19, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Canada has announced an additional $528.5 million investment in ESA programmes at #CM25.
www.canada.ca/en/space-age...
www.canada.ca/en/space-age...