Meredith Rawls
@merrdiff.bsky.social
Astronomer at UW, data pipeline wrangler for Rubin Observatory, satellite mitigation leader via IAU CPS SatHub, mom, violist, Ballardite (Seattle), family cargo e-bike evangelist, Episcopalian, etc. Opinions all mine
Pinned
Meredith Rawls
@merrdiff.bsky.social
· Mar 8
We can do amazing things
After nearly a decade of working on Rubin software, it is a real operating telescope, and I got to tour during the day and stay over last night
This thing is a behemoth, and it goes "pssshhhhhhh" every few minutes 24/7 because of huge chillers that keep the camera cool 🔭
After nearly a decade of working on Rubin software, it is a real operating telescope, and I got to tour during the day and stay over last night
This thing is a behemoth, and it goes "pssshhhhhhh" every few minutes 24/7 because of huge chillers that keep the camera cool 🔭
A whole entire ST article about my favorite stopover spot on Vancouver Island and not one word about the world class oceanfront + extremely accessible Adventure World Playground?!
www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/...
www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/...
September 25, 2026 at 5:40 PM
A whole entire ST article about my favorite stopover spot on Vancouver Island and not one word about the world class oceanfront + extremely accessible Adventure World Playground?!
www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/...
www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/...
Informative 🧵
SEATTLE area - Katterman's has all the vaccines for all ages, and they are a wonderful local pharmacy kattermans.com
SEATTLE area - Katterman's has all the vaccines for all ages, and they are a wonderful local pharmacy kattermans.com
September 23, 2026 at 3:51 PM
Informative 🧵
SEATTLE area - Katterman's has all the vaccines for all ages, and they are a wonderful local pharmacy kattermans.com
SEATTLE area - Katterman's has all the vaccines for all ages, and they are a wonderful local pharmacy kattermans.com
but what if two teens on a e-scooter are riding on the sidewalk
I continue to believe that a bike lane is only "protected" if it has steel beams anchored into concrete to keep drivers out.
September 22, 2026 at 4:35 AM
but what if two teens on a e-scooter are riding on the sidewalk
4yo friend to my 3yo: I'm sorry, but we got you a happy birthday card that's space 🚀, but it's to a boy, so we're gonna cross it out 🤩
The best part is that her birthday is not until November, this kid is clearly planning ahead
The best part is that her birthday is not until November, this kid is clearly planning ahead
September 20, 2026 at 1:37 AM
4yo friend to my 3yo: I'm sorry, but we got you a happy birthday card that's space 🚀, but it's to a boy, so we're gonna cross it out 🤩
The best part is that her birthday is not until November, this kid is clearly planning ahead
The best part is that her birthday is not until November, this kid is clearly planning ahead
What a story ... yikes
I'm thankful my work to improve traffic safety near my kid's school about a decade later hasn't been quite as impossible, but man, we have so far to go
I'm thankful my work to improve traffic safety near my kid's school about a decade later hasn't been quite as impossible, but man, we have so far to go
Why did Seattle's former City Traffic Engineer sigh with exasperation in this tweet from 2019? 🧵
September 19, 2026 at 8:22 PM
What a story ... yikes
I'm thankful my work to improve traffic safety near my kid's school about a decade later hasn't been quite as impossible, but man, we have so far to go
I'm thankful my work to improve traffic safety near my kid's school about a decade later hasn't been quite as impossible, but man, we have so far to go
When you have optimized your life to bike yourself and your kids everywhere, but you suddenly find yourself with a broken heel, you get to spend an inordinate amount of time asking everyone you have ever met for rides for yourself and family members in their cars AMA
September 19, 2026 at 5:00 PM
When you have optimized your life to bike yourself and your kids everywhere, but you suddenly find yourself with a broken heel, you get to spend an inordinate amount of time asking everyone you have ever met for rides for yourself and family members in their cars AMA
If you're riding an e-scooter and almost injure someone, however, you will be shamed indefinitely, and scooters will be banned so we all have to drive instead
It really sucks that killing someone is basically legal in this country if you do it with your car
September 18, 2026 at 5:03 PM
If you're riding an e-scooter and almost injure someone, however, you will be shamed indefinitely, and scooters will be banned so we all have to drive instead
"Syltebo said they used two types of paint on the street — Sherwin-Williams Forte and Sherwin-Williams Pro-Park.
Both are acrylic. Neither advertises itself as temporary."
lololol
Whoopsies it's a pedestrian street now 💃
Both are acrylic. Neither advertises itself as temporary."
lololol
Whoopsies it's a pedestrian street now 💃
sooooo.... if someone paints colorful circles on a street using some secret method to make them impossible to remove, the street has to become a pedestrian street?
That's what I'm hearing here.
Does anyone knows the method used and wants to spill details...?
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
That's what I'm hearing here.
Does anyone knows the method used and wants to spill details...?
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
35 circles and 5 thick white lines are painted on this downtown street. It won’t come off
A block of Ninth Avenue can’t reopen until the colorful design is gone. The center has tried graffiti remover and pressure washers, but the work is ongoing.
www.seattletimes.com
September 18, 2026 at 5:28 AM
"Syltebo said they used two types of paint on the street — Sherwin-Williams Forte and Sherwin-Williams Pro-Park.
Both are acrylic. Neither advertises itself as temporary."
lololol
Whoopsies it's a pedestrian street now 💃
Both are acrylic. Neither advertises itself as temporary."
lololol
Whoopsies it's a pedestrian street now 💃
I don't think I've ever subscribed to something so fast thedarkestskyfilm.com
The Darkest Sky Film
thedarkestskyfilm.com
September 17, 2026 at 9:22 PM
I don't think I've ever subscribed to something so fast thedarkestskyfilm.com
School busing in Seattle also seems to be a big mess this year, and many families are turning to carpools to save their kids from an hour on a bus meandering in circles
The school bus should be a top road priority, a community center on wheels, not a second-class afterthought to the car line
The school bus should be a top road priority, a community center on wheels, not a second-class afterthought to the car line
Good article from @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social on longstanding issues with our school bus system. FYI, we don't have neighborhood schools here, it's a 100% school-choice system, so many kids depend on buses.
Doesn't touch on infrastructure though, so I will...
www.thecrimson.com/article/2026...
Doesn't touch on infrastructure though, so I will...
www.thecrimson.com/article/2026...
As Students Face Another Year of Bus Delays, Parents Detail a ‘Broken System’ | The Harvard Crimson
For years, Cambridge Public School parents have described the same issues as students return to school: late buses, unreliable tracking systems, and a lapse in communication from the district.
www.thecrimson.com
September 17, 2026 at 2:57 PM
School busing in Seattle also seems to be a big mess this year, and many families are turning to carpools to save their kids from an hour on a bus meandering in circles
The school bus should be a top road priority, a community center on wheels, not a second-class afterthought to the car line
The school bus should be a top road priority, a community center on wheels, not a second-class afterthought to the car line
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
Wait. I'm sorry. How is $2500/mo *cheaper* than hiring personnel? That's $30K a year per student or faculty member. You could just hire people.
Oh. That's a heck of a subsidy.
September 17, 2026 at 3:19 AM
Wait. I'm sorry. How is $2500/mo *cheaper* than hiring personnel? That's $30K a year per student or faculty member. You could just hire people.
New telescope first light day is a lot like new bike day but if the bike was military surplus from decades ago and a group of your nerdiest friends got to spend their careers sorting out which components to upgrade so it would work on its own in space for years
Also, Fourier transforms are magic 🔭
Also, Fourier transforms are magic 🔭
#NASARoman activated the Wide Field Instrument—a 300-megapixel infrared camera that will allow it to explore wide swaths of the cosmos quickly. This test image captures the very first photons of starlight to reach the instrument—taken as an initial performance assessment: https://go.nasa.gov/4rg4qEc
September 16, 2026 at 2:29 AM
New telescope first light day is a lot like new bike day but if the bike was military surplus from decades ago and a group of your nerdiest friends got to spend their careers sorting out which components to upgrade so it would work on its own in space for years
Also, Fourier transforms are magic 🔭
Also, Fourier transforms are magic 🔭
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
🥳 First-light doughnuts from the very recently launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope! 🔭
Fear not - it will all look a lot prettier when focused!
Fear not - it will all look a lot prettier when focused!
#NASARoman activated the Wide Field Instrument—a 300-megapixel infrared camera that will allow it to explore wide swaths of the cosmos quickly. This test image captures the very first photons of starlight to reach the instrument—taken as an initial performance assessment: https://go.nasa.gov/4rg4qEc
September 15, 2026 at 7:36 PM
🥳 First-light doughnuts from the very recently launched Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope! 🔭
Fear not - it will all look a lot prettier when focused!
Fear not - it will all look a lot prettier when focused!
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
Shit... I've been following this intermittently since the NRO gifted the telescope body back in 2012... this gives my jaded heart comfort...
arstechnica.com/space/2026/0...
arstechnica.com/space/2026/0...
The Roman telescope has enough gas for 22 years, double NASA's expectations
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is the first NASA observatory designed for in-space refueling.
arstechnica.com
September 16, 2026 at 2:08 AM
Shit... I've been following this intermittently since the NRO gifted the telescope body back in 2012... this gives my jaded heart comfort...
arstechnica.com/space/2026/0...
arstechnica.com/space/2026/0...
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
$15K+ on average each year for each car in the United States. And Gas specifically is 55% higher than six years ago.
That’s a shocking cost, especially when u consider how much of the U.S. has been planned and designed to be functionally car dependent, and that often means multiple cars are needed.
That’s a shocking cost, especially when u consider how much of the U.S. has been planned and designed to be functionally car dependent, and that often means multiple cars are needed.
Car ownership costs an average of $5,851 a year on top of auto loan payments, analysis finds
The cost of insurance, gas, and maintenance or repairs can add thousands of dollars a year to the price of owning a car.
www.cnbc.com
September 15, 2026 at 3:17 AM
$15K+ on average each year for each car in the United States. And Gas specifically is 55% higher than six years ago.
That’s a shocking cost, especially when u consider how much of the U.S. has been planned and designed to be functionally car dependent, and that often means multiple cars are needed.
That’s a shocking cost, especially when u consider how much of the U.S. has been planned and designed to be functionally car dependent, and that often means multiple cars are needed.
Seattle: Katterman's pharmacy has COVID shot walk-ins for 6mo+
Also Seattle: driving sucks, especially during sports, why do all you weirdos drive — and why do map apps never know about closures?
(Confessions of someone with a broken heel who hates that my main mode of transport is presently car)
Also Seattle: driving sucks, especially during sports, why do all you weirdos drive — and why do map apps never know about closures?
(Confessions of someone with a broken heel who hates that my main mode of transport is presently car)
September 13, 2026 at 3:45 AM
Seattle: Katterman's pharmacy has COVID shot walk-ins for 6mo+
Also Seattle: driving sucks, especially during sports, why do all you weirdos drive — and why do map apps never know about closures?
(Confessions of someone with a broken heel who hates that my main mode of transport is presently car)
Also Seattle: driving sucks, especially during sports, why do all you weirdos drive — and why do map apps never know about closures?
(Confessions of someone with a broken heel who hates that my main mode of transport is presently car)
Opa!
Time to switch to induction
Time to switch to induction
September 13, 2026 at 3:19 AM
Opa!
Time to switch to induction
Time to switch to induction
The liminal space in MyChart where you can see the images and read the words but only partially know what it means…
One thing it means is, I canceled the kids' weekly fall swim lessons. Broke my heart but we are well over capacity with one adult who can walk/bike/drive this fall
(I broke my heel)
One thing it means is, I canceled the kids' weekly fall swim lessons. Broke my heart but we are well over capacity with one adult who can walk/bike/drive this fall
(I broke my heel)
September 11, 2026 at 4:24 AM
The liminal space in MyChart where you can see the images and read the words but only partially know what it means…
One thing it means is, I canceled the kids' weekly fall swim lessons. Broke my heart but we are well over capacity with one adult who can walk/bike/drive this fall
(I broke my heel)
One thing it means is, I canceled the kids' weekly fall swim lessons. Broke my heart but we are well over capacity with one adult who can walk/bike/drive this fall
(I broke my heel)
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
Going car-free is great, but don't forget about families who could use a cargo bike (or minicar) as their second or third vehicle.
The potential market is much, much bigger!
The potential market is much, much bigger!
This family of four put 1,000 km on a cargo e-bike instead of buying a second car
I’ve been working in the electric bike industry for nearly two decades, and publicly reviewing e-bikes for around half of...
electrek.co
September 9, 2026 at 1:39 PM
Going car-free is great, but don't forget about families who could use a cargo bike (or minicar) as their second or third vehicle.
The potential market is much, much bigger!
The potential market is much, much bigger!
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
To be clear I am glad that we are taking the risk from this seriously, but here's the 2020 reporting from the times on 6PPD. See if you notice a difference in tenor?
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
Tire dust killing coho salmon returning to Puget Sound, new research shows
For decades now, scientists have known something was killing adult coho salmon as soon as they hit Seattle’s urban waters, ready to spawn. They had traveled thousands of miles, only to be killed as so...
www.seattletimes.com
September 9, 2026 at 2:59 PM
To be clear I am glad that we are taking the risk from this seriously, but here's the 2020 reporting from the times on 6PPD. See if you notice a difference in tenor?
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
This story about sound transit quickly fixing a problem killing fish reminds me that we still haven't banned the use of 6PPD in car tires despite knowing it's killing salmon since 2022.
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
Federally protected Chinook salmon among dead fish under I-90 light rail
Investigations focus on how underwater anode cables, which carry a low-level electrical current, might have killed fish — and how many of which species died.
www.seattletimes.com
September 9, 2026 at 1:55 PM
This story about sound transit quickly fixing a problem killing fish reminds me that we still haven't banned the use of 6PPD in car tires despite knowing it's killing salmon since 2022.
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news...
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
Save for a couple sprinters, everybody lost the race to the bus. Transit advocates were excited about that
September 9, 2026 at 1:19 AM
Save for a couple sprinters, everybody lost the race to the bus. Transit advocates were excited about that
Reposted by Meredith Rawls
3 people beat the bus by about 5 seconds. A second bus finished before almost everyone else.
September 9, 2026 at 12:53 AM
3 people beat the bus by about 5 seconds. A second bus finished before almost everyone else.