Dr. Adeene Denton
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spacewhalerider.com
Dr. Adeene Denton
@spacewhalerider.com
5.1K followers 200 following 3.2K posts
Planetary scientist, earth + space science historian, dancer/choreographer, part-time community radio DJ. (they/she) 🏳️‍🌈

adeenedenton.com
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spacewhalerider.com
Got to run a 50K today and spend my day contemplating the extreme excellence of Moab's rocks:
Photo facing east on a climb. The sun is just barely rising over the La Sals into a partly cloudy sky. The highway is far below, stretching towards the sun. The cliffs surrounding are a beautiful, deep red. A view from the top of a hill of a canyon in the distance. Runners stream out of the canyon along a wide, flat path. A view of cliffs of wind-sculpted sandstone stretching into the distance. Selfie of the post author with their finisher medal from the ultra.
November 15, 2025 at 11:15 PM
spacewhalerider.com
I know nothing at all about birds but I know this one found the perfect spot!
Some sort of bird that is blue, gray, and white is perched on the top of a tree that sits right on the edge of the Grand Canyon’s south rim. The perfect spot Zoom in on blue gray and white bird on a tree branch right in front of the Grand Canyon
November 14, 2025 at 2:52 PM
spacewhalerider.com
One more sunrise.
Grand Canyon at sunrise. Clouds above. Post author in front of the south rim, wearing a beanie with a cat on it The light filtered through the canyon walls begins to reach the lower cliffs
November 14, 2025 at 2:43 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Got one more Grand Canyon sunset for y’all 💗
The setting sun is so bright on the canyon tops that my camera can’t grasp the depths! The post author in front of the Grand Canyon at sunset The south rim of the Grand Canyon is in the foreground with the north rim behind, facing east. Blue is chasing the pink and orange up the sky, turning to dusk. The south rim of the Grand Canyon is in the foreground with the north rim behind, facing west. The horizon is still a vibrant orange and yellow
November 14, 2025 at 12:40 AM
spacewhalerider.com
I understand virtually nothing about knapping and had to look it up! But it's definitely interesting to think about... could be something like the many artists' renditions of Psyche as a fully metallic core. I wonder how reflective it would be!
Artist's rendition of asteroid (16) Psyche as a fully metallic body, with deep asteroid pits and a rusty surface.
November 13, 2025 at 5:46 PM
spacewhalerider.com
This pops up EVERY TIME I click on an Elsevier paper and the only thing stopping me from tossing my laptop into the Grand Canyon about this is the knowledge that the Grand Canyon doesn't want my laptop either
A pop-up ad that reads: ScienceDirect AI Ask ScienceDirect AI Research faster with ScienceDirect AI Ask complex questions your way and instantly find what you need from millions of peer-reviewed, full-text articles and book chapters. Try ScienceDirect AI now
November 13, 2025 at 5:33 PM
spacewhalerider.com
One more sunrise Grand Canyon run! Good morning from the Grand Canyon 🙂
Sunrise has just reached the top of the cliffs, making the Kaibab limestone of the north rim glow pink and orange. The sky is orange fading into blue. Sunrise has progressed, turning the canyon into watercolor blues, purples, and pinks. Plateau Point, which is part of the Bright Angel trail, is visible in the foreground. Selfie of the post author in running clothes smiling on the the south rim of the Grand Canyon at sunrise.
November 13, 2025 at 3:14 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Ran a fun space trivia night at Grand Canyon again tonight and had a blast! It's so nice to be able to bring joy to people by helping them learn about the universe in fun ways.
An upcoming events sign that reads: Astronomer Here Today. There is a blurb with a picture of the post author on it, and it's sponsored by the Grand Canyon Conservancy.
November 13, 2025 at 2:29 AM
spacewhalerider.com
Good morning from the Grand Canyon 😃
The Grand Canyon at sunrise. It's a cloudy morning so the clouds are orange and yellow, while the canyon tops are brown, orange, and pink. Post author in front of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon at sunrise.
November 12, 2025 at 2:58 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Great sunrise this morning! Good morning from the Grand Canyon 😊
A truly epic sunrise stains the tops of the grand canyon’s cliffs a vibrant pink and orange The post author in running gear in front of the Grand Canyon
November 11, 2025 at 4:07 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Rough day at work, but can’t beat the location!
Grand Canyon at sunset. The poster’s feet are visible in hiking boots. The tops of the cliffs are a brilliant orange Selfie of the poster in front of the Grand Canyon at sunset. The canyon is pink, purple, and orange in the setting sun
November 11, 2025 at 12:31 AM
spacewhalerider.com
The relationship between dance and space brings up a myriad of questions—creative, logistical, and ethical. I'm excited to be part of the discussion with Dance Magazine! Read here: dancemagazine.com/dance-in-spa...
A quote from a Dance Magazine article: I would still love to dance in microgravity, but I think that is ultimately kind of a selfish dream that needs to be superseded by doing the kinds of good things on Earth that we can do. Quote is attributed to dancer, geologist, and planetary scientist Adeene Denton, who is also the post author. Underneath is a dancer, Laila Franklin, playing with a gravity device.
November 10, 2025 at 7:10 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Back at it!! Good morning from the Grand Canyon. The Canyon loves you, and so do I 😊
The Grand Canyon at sunrise from the south rim. The edge of the blue sky is turning a gentle peach orange. The tops of the highest cliffs are turning from red to pink. The post author in front of the south rim of the Grand Canyon. They are wearing a hat with a cat on it and a puffy jacket, because it’s cold this morning
November 10, 2025 at 2:20 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Good morning from the Grand Canyon 😊
Picture of the post author in front of the Grand Canyon on the South Rim at sunrise. It is very windy, so their hair is being blown back. The sun rising in the east is diffracted into rays that illuminate the Grand Canyon cliffs.
November 9, 2025 at 4:49 PM
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Happy sunset from Grand Canyon 😊
Post author in front of the south rim of the Grand Canyon at sunset. The light is just leaving the top of the rim as the sun fades A shot of the Grand Canyon at sunset. The sky is blue that graded into pink, with a little deep blue by the skyline that heralds the coming night. The rocks have turned orange and purple
November 9, 2025 at 1:01 AM
spacewhalerider.com
On a writing grind this morning and produced this delightful typo:
The word is supposed to be: spaceship What I have typed: spacesheep
November 8, 2025 at 4:21 PM
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Good morning from the Grand Canyon 😊
Post author in a big pink puffy jacket on the south rim of the Grand Canyon as the sun rises to the east The Grand Canyon as seen from the south rim just after sunrise. The sun rising paints the uppermost Kaibab limestone yellow, and casts shadows through the deep interior
November 8, 2025 at 2:36 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Good morning from the Grand Canyon, everybody 🙂
Selfie of the post author on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. They are wearing running clothes for colder weather and smiling widely. The sun is painting the tops of the cliffs a vibrant red and gold.
November 7, 2025 at 3:22 PM
spacewhalerider.com
I posted this on my story and Instagram asked me why I was doing sponsored content without disclosing it....
The author's instagram story with a picture of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon taken from the Tonto trail. The sunlight is filtered through a curvature in the cliffs of a massive red unit, known as the redwall limestone. The story has text, which reads: Wonderful lighting conditions brought to you by the redwall limestone
November 7, 2025 at 3:41 AM
spacewhalerider.com
The Science News piece dropped the same day I climbed back out of the Grand Canyon - I've been spending the last few days running astronomy programs at the Bright Angel and Havasupai campgrounds, and using this month's full Moon to talk about lunar geology, the ethics of mining the Moon, and more!
Moonrise next to a portion of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, as seen from a ledge on the edge of the Tonto Plateau on the South Rim. The moon has just risen above the edge of the cliffs. The Moon is full. It's extremely beautiful Post author standing on a ledge over the Grand Canyon. The Colorado River is just barely visible on the right. The basement rocks are on the right, while thick layers of sandstone are visible on the left. The view looking up at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon from halfway up on the Tonto Trail. The big red walls of the Redwall Limsteone are visible above thick layers of standstone. Selfie of the post author on the South Kaibab trail, wearing thick sunglasses and a hat for sun protection, and carrying a large pack for camping. The North Rim of the canyon is visible in the background.
November 5, 2025 at 9:09 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Had a real "art imitates life" moment when I sat down to work this morning:
A computer on a desk with its login screen open. The background is a picture of the Grand Canyon. The window behind the desk shows the actual Grand Canyon at sunrise.
November 2, 2025 at 2:00 PM
spacewhalerider.com
*John Wick voice* Yeah, I’m thinking I’m back
….back at Grand Canyon and up to some astronomer in residence stuff once again!
Selfie of the post author grinning in front of the Grand Canyon. They are wearing running clothes The post author’s badge that reads: Dr. Adeene Denton, Grand Canyon Astronomer in Residence The post author’s foot in a hiking shoe on a ledge in front of the Grand Canyon at sunset. The north rim is illuminated while the south rim is in shadow
November 2, 2025 at 12:18 AM
spacewhalerider.com
How this week's been going:
A screenshot from MASH. Hawkeye and Trapper are talking to each other, saying: IS it Tuesday or Wednesday? It's Friday.
October 31, 2025 at 2:27 AM
spacewhalerider.com
Though an accurate version of this meme would be more like
the same meme as before, but the right side now reads: Poseidon Polyphemus Penelope’s suitors Helios His own men
October 28, 2025 at 5:22 PM
spacewhalerider.com
Studying a moon of Saturn whose craters are all named after characters from the Odyssey, leading to this unique experience:
Two people wearing suits shaking hands. One is labeled "Me" the other is labeled "Poseidon." Their shaking hands is the topic on which they agree, labeled: mad at Odysseus.
October 28, 2025 at 5:20 PM