If the govt shuts down, make SURE the constant and consistent message is, "Repubs would rather shut down the government than allow Americans to keep their health care!" Everywhere, repeat, repeat, repeat. Don't be distracted by other orange garbage. Make sure ALL MAGAts understand who and why.

Bond holders will soon demand significant austerity measures, deep cuts to public spending, so that we can continue making debt payments. This has already started with steep federal spending cuts to Medicare & impacted Social Security in the "Big Beautiful Bill" passed by Congress earlier this year.

Standing at the Cosmic Crossroads Will we choose enlightenment — curiosity, discovery, and progress? Or will we choose regression — prejudice, superstition, and a new Dark Age? History is watching. Our children are watching. The future depends on what we do now. 🧪🔭 🔗 medium.com/@shanil.vira...

Couldn’t agree more! Vivian’s gift for sparking wonder & awe is extraordinary. She lead our #NASA-funded Eclipse Ambassadors program (reached ~200k people in 47 states) & showed the power of eclipses to #unite. #Australia will be #eclipse central — 2 totals in the next 5 yrs + an annular in 2035!🧪🔭☀️

“Shut up and calculate”? Not a chance.🔭🧪 President of the @apsphysics.bsky.social in @physicstoday.bsky.social reminds us that physicists are not just scientists; we are citizens, educators, & truth-tellers. So, no, Laura Ingraham, we also won't just "shut up and dribble." 🔗 bit.ly/ShutUpandCal...

They say if history doesn’t repeat, it rhymes. It sure feels that way this past week. There is a rising & dangerous blurring of white Christian nationalism with alt‑right white supremacy. Jesus taught love, humility, empathy, & forgiveness. That’s not what we’re seeing. What Bible are they reading?

As the week closes, remember: the stars are more than science. They are teachers, ancestors, and guides shaping our path. Each culture adds a verse to the cosmic song. When you look up tonight, do you see equations, stories, or a little of both? #sunday #star #astronomy #charliekirk #daboswinney

Indeed, those are the exciting question now opened by the inevitability that #life took hold on #Mars. The idea that it may have originated on Mars first & then spread to Earth (other places in the solar system?) via #meteroites is called #panspermia. We do know that life arose on Earth very early.🧪

Could life have started on #Mars & spread to Earth by meteorites? This idea, called #panspermia, is gaining new relevance as evidence mounts that #life once took hold on Mars. We know life arose early on Earth but did it begin elsewhere first? The #ASP’s @shanilv.ca says more about what this means.🧪

From #Viking’s life experiments to #Perseverance’s biosignatures, Mars has whispered the same question for decades: are we alone? Why is this time different? Humanity may be on the brink of a cosmic revolution. Read more in my #Substack post. 🔭🧪 👉 bit.ly/Mars-OIU #Mars #LifeonMars #Astroniology

#Mars May Have Left Us a Message. Are we listening? 🧪🔭 From #Viking to #ALH84001 to #Perseverance’s new potential #biosignatures in Jezero Crater — we’re on the edge of a #cosmic revolution. It's clear we've reached a tipping point. The Not So Quiet Revolution in Astronomy: 👉 bit.ly/MarsRevolution

🌌 BREAKING: Mars may have left us a message. #NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered potential #biosignatures — clues that life may not be unique to Earth. 🔭🧪 “This is the closest we’ve come to recognizing that life on Earth is not unique.” 🔗 MORE: tinyurl.com/OurIslandUni... #Mars #Astrobiology

🌌 BREAKING: Mars may have left us a message. #NASA’s Perseverance rover has discovered potential #biosignatures — clues that life may not be unique to Earth. 🔭🧪 “This is the closest we’ve come to recognizing that life on Earth is not unique.” 🔗 MORE: tinyurl.com/OurIslandUni... #Mars #Astrobiology

This isn’t spell check. It isn’t Clippy. It isn’t Grammarly. It’s a revolution. Dario Amodei (CEO, @anthropic.com) warns #AI could erase half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in 5 yrs. Our students will face that world — prepared or not. Read my essay on #medium: medium.com/@shanil.vira...

Do you own a @unistellar.bsky.social #eVscope, #eQuinox or #ODYSSEY? New to #astronomy & want to learn the #science of what’s captured in your #smart #telescope? Spots are filling up fast for our very special 5-part #workshop series dedicated to @unistellar.com.web.brid.gy owners! tiny.cc/Astro101

Dr. Ian Weaver, Unistellar Education Lead at the SETI Institute, will be one of the workshop leaders alongside @shanilv.ca, Cosmic Engagement Specialist at ASP. Registration ends Friday, September 5, at 12:00pm Pacific Time. Learn more and register here: www.seti.org/events/astro...

"Astro 101: Imaging the Universe with Your Unistellar Telescope" is a brand-new five-part online workshop series designed exclusively for @unistellar.bsky.social smart telescope owners who are ready to unlock the full scientific power of their instrument. 🧪 🔭

🔍 What’s next in our investigation of the cosmos? 🔭 🧪 Join Drs. Bose, Higgs, LaMassa & Zellem as they explore gravitational waves, Rubin Observatory, galaxies, and exoplanets. Oh my! 💻 Still time to join & access full recordings! 🔗 bit.ly/ASP2025SYMP #ASP2025 #Exoplanets #JWST #SciComm

🚨 ASP2025 kicks off TOMORROW at 11a ET! Panel 1: Questioning — What’s next in #space #science? 🌌 Cabrol (SETI) 🌍 Grinspoon (NASA) 🧠 Siegel (Starts with a Bang) 🪐 Storey-Fisher (Stanford) 💻 One day. Online. $69.🔭🧪 🎟️ Register now: bit.ly/ASP2025SYMP #ASP2025 #Astronomy #SciComm #JWST #DarkEnergy

Viking 1 may have glimpsed life on Mars. Voyager 2 still sails through interstellar space. Launched two years apart today these missions carry a legacy & a warning about what we risk losing if we turn away from #science. A reflection from @shanilv.ca posted on #medium: medium.com/@shanil.vira...

🪐 What lies beyond the edge of the universe? 👥 16 thought leaders. 4 big questions. 1 powerful virtual gathering. Join us August 21 for #ASP2025 — a 1-day online symposium exploring the future of #astronomy, #education, & #storytelling.🧪 🎟️ Register: bit.ly/ASP2025SYMP #SciComm #Astronomy #EdTech

🧑‍🏫 Just getting started teaching astronomy? 🔭 Our 4-part Nuts & Bolts for Teaching Astronomy series is now on demand! 🪐 Full of classroom-ready labs, demos & tools. 🎓 Watch now: learn.astrosociety.org/products/rec... 📬 Don't Miss Our Fall Online Classes: tiny.cc/ASPLearn #AstronomyEducation #STEMed

Born #OTD in 1919 Margaret Burbidge helped reveal one of the great truths of the cosmos — that the atoms of life were forged in the hearts of stars. She then broke barriers to ensure women could study them. We are made of starstuff & all deserve the chance to discover it. #Astronomy #WomenInScience

🌌 26 yrs ago today, Chandra brought the high-energy universe into razor-sharp focus — a leap in imaging clarity optical astronomy took 400 yrs to achieve, made in just 40 of X-ray exploration. Its unmatched vision is now at risk. #Astronomy #SaveChandra 🔗 Read why: medium.com/@shanil.vira...

🔭 This one-of-a-kind 5-part online workshop designed exclusively for Unistellar smart #telescope owners. You’ll learn the #science behind your images & how to contribute to real research! 📅 Starts Sept 6, runs every other week 🧠 Led by #astronomers from #ASP & #SETI / #Unistellar 🔗 tiny.cc/14zq001

We join the #ASP’s @shanilv.ca in honoring the life & legacy of Apollo 13 commander Jim Lovell — a leader whose courage in the face of disaster stands among humanity’s finest moments. His story reminds us of a time when we dared to go to the Moon & met that challenge with ingenuity, unity, & vision.

Tomorrow is the last day for (extended) early registration discount!

Paging all astronomers/scientists! Want to engage & inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, innovators, & entrepreneurs? What a great way to connect with young learners & spark interest in #STEM, especially at a time when our government is doing everything it can to put out the light.🧪

We are excited to support @astrosociety.org in promoting their annual symposium! Registrants will receive an exclusive discount code to our online shop valid through the end of August ⭐️

“Farewell, Captain Lovell. The Moon you never walked upon will forever carry your shadow.” 🌙 We echo @shanilv.ca’s tribute to Jim #Lovell, #Apollo 13 commander, whose leadership turned a near-tragedy into one of #NASA’s finest hours. May his courage inspire us to keep reaching for the #stars. 🧪🔭

🌟 The countdown to #ASP2025 has begun! 🌟 We’re thrilled to unveil our lineup of leading astronomers who will be tackling some of the most pressing & profound questions in science! 🚀 Explore 4 themes. 🧠 Meet the minds behind the ideas. 💬 Be part of the conversation. 👉 See the list:

We don’t know when we left the savannah but we did. We don’t know when we first crossed the oceans blue but we did. To our successors, July 20 will represent a major milestone: we set foot on another world for the first time. 56 years later, is #science about to go dark? READ MORE: 🔗 tiny.cc/MoonDay

Happy #MoonDay? We didn’t lose the Moon. We lost the will to go. A Moon anniversary isn’t just about looking back — it’s about deciding who we still want to be. If you’ve ever looked up and felt something stir, this essay is for you. Read this essay on #Medium: 🔗 medium.com/@shanil.vira...

When the #WaPo has to debunk cloud-seeding conspiracies, and to point out that it didn’t cause catastrophic flooding in Texas, you know the rot runs deep. The sheer scale of America’s ‘dumbing down’ is breathtaking. It may have been a slow erosion in ‘95 but it’s now a landslide. 🧪 1/2

#Measles are back, too. Proof that #science drowns in public discourse so broken we debate medieval weather magic. By any sane measure, it’s not 2025 — it’s 1725. Somewhere, Carl Sagan is weeping.

51 years ago, my parents arrived in Canada as Muslim refugees fleeing Idi Amin’s Uganda. Today, I celebrate a country that welcomed them & allowed us to thrive. Let’s keep striving for justice, inclusion, and compassion. 🇨🇦 🔗 medium.com/@shanil.vira... #CanadaDay #RefugeeStories #Inclusion #Justice

🌎✨ Today is #AphelionDay! Did you know that today Earth is at its farthest point from the Sun in its yearly orbit? Even though it’s summer in the northern hemisphere?! 6 months later, we’ll be moving the fastest… when it’s winter! 🤯 #Seasons aren’t about distance, but #Earth’s #tilt. Learn more! 🔭🧪

Our movie screening of #Sally begins in an hour! Have you registered to get your link to join us for the film & the post-movie discussion? Don’t wait a second longer!🏳️‍🌈 Register NOW: tiny.cc/SallyRide If you’re all set check out this Q&A from @physicstoday.bsky.social! pubs.aip.org/physicstoday...

The #dinosaurs’ successors who survived that cataclysmic day ~65M years ago didn’t have a day to remember it. We do. Today is #AsteroidDay — a reminder that somewhere out there is a continental-killer with our name on it. Read more @shanil.bsky.social's #Medium essay.👇🌎☄️ 🔗 medium.com/@shanil.vira...

The United States reneged on its foreign aid commitments. Nepal’s malnourished children and their families are paying the price. Learn more in this week's issue of Science: scim.ag/46cnJFO

Celebrate the end of #Pride month with @astrosociety.org as they host a free online screening of #SALLY, the new #NatGeo doc about Sally Ride — America’s first woman in space — & the love she kept hidden.🌈🚀🧪🔭 🗓️ Mon, June 30, 8:15pm ET 🎟️ Register now: tiny.cc/SallyRide #LGBTQ #Astronaut #Documentary

#ASP’s Vivian White & Kat Troche are in Utah this week!🔭 Catch them at #ASTROCON 2025 — the Astronomical League’s national convention — & at Bryce Canyon’s #Astro #Fest on Friday, June 27 from 2–5 PM MT at the Visitor Center! Stop by, say hi & chat about stargazing! 💫 #ASTROCON2025 #BryceAstroFest

🚨 Today’s the day! The Vera C. Rubin Observatory unveils its first light image at 11am ET — our first glimpse through the largest digital eye ever built, producing ~20 TB of data per night. A new era of cosmic discovery begins! 🔭🧪 🔗 Watch live: RubinObservatory.org #RubinFirstLight #Astronomy

Witness history! #Today at 11am ET, the #Rubin #Observatory reveals its first #science images. This #telescope will scan the sky every 3 nights, capturing the dynamic #universe in motion. Don’t miss it! 🚨 TODAY at 11 am EDT 🚨 RubinObservatory.org #TimeDomainAstronomy #RubinObservatory #ScienceNews

High in the Andes, the Inca built Machu Picchu to align with the #sky. 🌞🏔️ The Intihuatana stone & Temple of the #Sun mark #solstices — a sacred fusion of landscape, #astronomy, & spirit. 📍 Peru (~1450 CE) Time, carved in stone. #AncientSkies #IncaAstronomy #CulturalAstronomy

Older than Stonehenge. Aligned to the winter solstice. The Goseck Circle in Germany (~4800 BCE) is one of the world’s oldest solar observatories — built by Neolithic skywatchers who tracked the Sun with precision & purpose.🔭 #AncientSkies #CulturalAstronomy #SolsticeScience

I had a blast representing @astrosociety.org at #AAS246! Huge thanks to the @aas.org Education Committee and #AnchorageMuseum for putting on an incredible outreach event, in addition to the various special sessions I was invited to be a part of.

👏🏽 Profiles like these don’t just celebrate achievement — they serve as beacons for the next generation. Spotlighting the contributions of #Black #astronomers affirms the talent & vision that exist across #astronomy. 🧪🔭 Congratulations to all featured! #RepresentationMatters #YouCantBeWhatYouCantSee

I have seen a couple of the #RubinFirstLook images and they are AH-MAZE-ING! Tune in.