Professor of Chemistry & Planetary Sciences at Dordt University (IA) and Research Scientist with the Space Science Institute (CO) Github: https://cvisscher.github.io/https://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3mqngxb2hm226Modest Mouse [contains quote post or other embedded content]15 Jul 2026 00:16 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqngxb2hm226https://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3mpm4aqjdu22qThe Federal OMB has proposed a sweeping set of rule changes for research grants: *changes that would be harmful to scientific research* If you'd like to speak out, they are still accepting comments on the proposed changes until July 13: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/05/29/2026-10817/regulation-for-federal-financial-assistance01 Jul 2026 18:06 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpm4aqjdu22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3mkqb34rtck2cI don’t have strong feelings about it but personally prefer a geophysical definition of a planet, which would include Pluto But I do think that if a reporter asks about Pluto, you should immediately mention how NASA funding & our ability to study interesting objects like Pluto is under dire threat30 Apr 2026 18:37 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkqb34rtck2chttps://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3m5h3ho2a7s2twe had spent much of the (chilly) evening in the countryside away from any lights, but my favorite image of the night ended up being the aurora just casually, majestically, filling the sky above our homes12 Nov 2025 16:35 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5h3ho2a7s2thttps://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3m3pqdoige22wTeaching some comparative planetology, it turns out that lighting half-buried firecrackers in a bed of sand does a pretty nice job of simulating the formation of impact craters ; ) 🧪🔭21 Oct 2025 16:20 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m3pqdoige22whttps://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3m33ugh624s2knist.gov and its associated subdomains: incredibly useful and important data, at risk of being lost... [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Oct 2025 18:40 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3m33ugh624s2khttps://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3lzmo34wjnk25I think about this plot all the time, and especially with respect to things like autism. If you’d lived in 1940 and had access to this data, would it feel like an “epidemic” of left-handedness?25 Sep 2025 00:11 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lzmo34wjnk25https://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3lz5aeensvk2lThe Summer I Misplaced the Moon... #TSITP 🔭 Watching the finale last night I happened to notice a few oddities regarding the placement of the Moon, so I wrote a quick set of review slides to work through with my intro astro class ; ) (other than times/locations, this should be spoiler free)18 Sep 2025 20:56 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lz5aeensvk2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3lyxslpupmk2xThe two kinds of overleaf authors 🧪16 Sep 2025 17:06 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyxslpupmk2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/cvisscher.bsky.social/post/3lygzttb3gc23Our (Faherty et al) newly published JWST detection of silane (SiH4) in the brown dwarf W1534 (aka "The Accident")! This molecule isn't seen on Jupiter because it's removed by deep silicate clouds, but unusual chemical properties of W1534 allow SiH4 to be mixed up into the visible atmosphere 🔭 🧪 https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-study-celestial-accident-sheds-light-on-jupiter-saturn-riddle/10 Sep 2025 01:00 +0000at://did:plc:slk7vqisearar5by6ml426dr/app.bsky.feed.post/3lygzttb3gc23