Paul Byrne
@theplanetaryguy.com
Associate Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science at WashU • NASA Planetary Data System Geosciences Node Director • Explorers Club EC50 • eeps.washu.edu/people/paul-byrne • he/him
Pinned
Paul Byrne
@theplanetaryguy.com
· Nov 24
Open this photo up and look for the small, white dot just left of centre.
It looks like Venus, shining brightly in the twilight sky.
But it's us.
It's Earth.
From Mars.
It looks like Venus, shining brightly in the twilight sky.
But it's us.
It's Earth.
From Mars.
This is a new deep-field image from JWST, designed to look for the point of origin of a fast radio burst.
The bright, multi-point features are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything else is an entire galaxy.
The bright, multi-point features are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything else is an entire galaxy.
October 9, 2026 at 5:16 PM
This is a new deep-field image from JWST, designed to look for the point of origin of a fast radio burst.
The bright, multi-point features are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything else is an entire galaxy.
The bright, multi-point features are stars in the Milky Way.
Everything else is an entire galaxy.
At the VEXAG 2026 meeting in Boulder just now, we've learned that NASA's VERITAS mission has been scheduled for a November 2032 launch.
Folks, this is CRAZY good news. Earlier this year we were concerned that NASA would *cancel* VERITAS!
Folks, this is CRAZY good news. Earlier this year we were concerned that NASA would *cancel* VERITAS!
October 9, 2026 at 3:49 PM
At the VEXAG 2026 meeting in Boulder just now, we've learned that NASA's VERITAS mission has been scheduled for a November 2032 launch.
Folks, this is CRAZY good news. Earlier this year we were concerned that NASA would *cancel* VERITAS!
Folks, this is CRAZY good news. Earlier this year we were concerned that NASA would *cancel* VERITAS!
Reposted by Paul Byrne
Our home planet sure is pretty.
Earth, from Artemis II.
Earth, from Artemis II.
October 8, 2026 at 4:03 AM
Our home planet sure is pretty.
Earth, from Artemis II.
Earth, from Artemis II.
Our home planet sure is pretty.
Earth, from Artemis II.
Earth, from Artemis II.
October 8, 2026 at 4:03 AM
Our home planet sure is pretty.
Earth, from Artemis II.
Earth, from Artemis II.
Sure. All of this.
But I say it's time to pull over and leave those dickhead kids by the side of the road to figure the rest of their stupid journey out by themselves.
When they go low, we leave them the fuck behind.
But I say it's time to pull over and leave those dickhead kids by the side of the road to figure the rest of their stupid journey out by themselves.
When they go low, we leave them the fuck behind.
October 8, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Sure. All of this.
But I say it's time to pull over and leave those dickhead kids by the side of the road to figure the rest of their stupid journey out by themselves.
When they go low, we leave them the fuck behind.
But I say it's time to pull over and leave those dickhead kids by the side of the road to figure the rest of their stupid journey out by themselves.
When they go low, we leave them the fuck behind.
Reposted by Paul Byrne
None of this year's science Nobel Prizes have gone to women.
The number of these prizes to go to women remains at 27 out of more than 600.
See how many you can name in our quiz: www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
The number of these prizes to go to women remains at 27 out of more than 600.
See how many you can name in our quiz: www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
October 7, 2026 at 3:52 PM
None of this year's science Nobel Prizes have gone to women.
The number of these prizes to go to women remains at 27 out of more than 600.
See how many you can name in our quiz: www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
The number of these prizes to go to women remains at 27 out of more than 600.
See how many you can name in our quiz: www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
Reposted by Paul Byrne
At today's National Academies CAPS (Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences), NASA planetary leadership all but confirmed that the agency is no longer providing the VenSAR radar for the @esa.int ESA EnVision mission.
This isn't a surprise, but it's still hugely disappointing.
(1/2)
This isn't a surprise, but it's still hugely disappointing.
(1/2)
October 7, 2026 at 12:33 AM
At today's National Academies CAPS (Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences), NASA planetary leadership all but confirmed that the agency is no longer providing the VenSAR radar for the @esa.int ESA EnVision mission.
This isn't a surprise, but it's still hugely disappointing.
(1/2)
This isn't a surprise, but it's still hugely disappointing.
(1/2)
Reposted by Paul Byrne
There's a brand new image from JWST and it's beautiful.
Stars are being born here.
Stars are being born here.
October 6, 2026 at 6:51 PM
There's a brand new image from JWST and it's beautiful.
Stars are being born here.
Stars are being born here.
At today's National Academies CAPS (Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences), NASA planetary leadership all but confirmed that the agency is no longer providing the VenSAR radar for the @esa.int ESA EnVision mission.
This isn't a surprise, but it's still hugely disappointing.
(1/2)
This isn't a surprise, but it's still hugely disappointing.
(1/2)
October 7, 2026 at 12:33 AM
At today's National Academies CAPS (Committee on Astrobiology and Planetary Sciences), NASA planetary leadership all but confirmed that the agency is no longer providing the VenSAR radar for the @esa.int ESA EnVision mission.
This isn't a surprise, but it's still hugely disappointing.
(1/2)
This isn't a surprise, but it's still hugely disappointing.
(1/2)
There's a brand new image from JWST and it's beautiful.
Stars are being born here.
Stars are being born here.
October 6, 2026 at 6:51 PM
There's a brand new image from JWST and it's beautiful.
Stars are being born here.
Stars are being born here.
Reposted by Paul Byrne
An aperiodic reminder that since 2022 I've been leading a mission concept with JPL to fly a balloon through the skies of Venus.
I'll write more about it later.
For now, here's a photo of a prototype balloon flying over Nevada (left), and my workup of what it might look like at Venus (right).
I'll write more about it later.
For now, here's a photo of a prototype balloon flying over Nevada (left), and my workup of what it might look like at Venus (right).
October 6, 2026 at 2:19 AM
An aperiodic reminder that since 2022 I've been leading a mission concept with JPL to fly a balloon through the skies of Venus.
I'll write more about it later.
For now, here's a photo of a prototype balloon flying over Nevada (left), and my workup of what it might look like at Venus (right).
I'll write more about it later.
For now, here's a photo of a prototype balloon flying over Nevada (left), and my workup of what it might look like at Venus (right).
An aperiodic reminder that since 2022 I've been leading a mission concept with JPL to fly a balloon through the skies of Venus.
I'll write more about it later.
For now, here's a photo of a prototype balloon flying over Nevada (left), and my workup of what it might look like at Venus (right).
I'll write more about it later.
For now, here's a photo of a prototype balloon flying over Nevada (left), and my workup of what it might look like at Venus (right).
October 6, 2026 at 2:19 AM
An aperiodic reminder that since 2022 I've been leading a mission concept with JPL to fly a balloon through the skies of Venus.
I'll write more about it later.
For now, here's a photo of a prototype balloon flying over Nevada (left), and my workup of what it might look like at Venus (right).
I'll write more about it later.
For now, here's a photo of a prototype balloon flying over Nevada (left), and my workup of what it might look like at Venus (right).
Reposted by Paul Byrne
A photograph taken from the surface of an asteroid by a small robot in 2018.
October 4, 2026 at 6:32 PM
A photograph taken from the surface of an asteroid by a small robot in 2018.
A photograph taken from the surface of an asteroid by a small robot in 2018.
October 4, 2026 at 6:32 PM
A photograph taken from the surface of an asteroid by a small robot in 2018.
Reposted by Paul Byrne
There's something almost haunting about seeing our planet through the window of a spacecraft.
Such as this view, from the Artemis II Crew in April.
Such as this view, from the Artemis II Crew in April.
October 4, 2026 at 3:08 AM
There's something almost haunting about seeing our planet through the window of a spacecraft.
Such as this view, from the Artemis II Crew in April.
Such as this view, from the Artemis II Crew in April.
There's something almost haunting about seeing our planet through the window of a spacecraft.
Such as this view, from the Artemis II Crew in April.
Such as this view, from the Artemis II Crew in April.
October 4, 2026 at 3:08 AM
There's something almost haunting about seeing our planet through the window of a spacecraft.
Such as this view, from the Artemis II Crew in April.
Such as this view, from the Artemis II Crew in April.
Reposted by Paul Byrne
This is a photo of some rocks and sand.
It was taken earlier today, with a camera 247,000,000 km away.
It was taken on Mars.
And now you're looking at it on your screen.
It was taken earlier today, with a camera 247,000,000 km away.
It was taken on Mars.
And now you're looking at it on your screen.
October 3, 2026 at 12:40 AM
This is a photo of some rocks and sand.
It was taken earlier today, with a camera 247,000,000 km away.
It was taken on Mars.
And now you're looking at it on your screen.
It was taken earlier today, with a camera 247,000,000 km away.
It was taken on Mars.
And now you're looking at it on your screen.
This is a photo of some rocks and sand.
It was taken earlier today, with a camera 247,000,000 km away.
It was taken on Mars.
And now you're looking at it on your screen.
It was taken earlier today, with a camera 247,000,000 km away.
It was taken on Mars.
And now you're looking at it on your screen.
October 3, 2026 at 12:40 AM
This is a photo of some rocks and sand.
It was taken earlier today, with a camera 247,000,000 km away.
It was taken on Mars.
And now you're looking at it on your screen.
It was taken earlier today, with a camera 247,000,000 km away.
It was taken on Mars.
And now you're looking at it on your screen.
Reposted by Paul Byrne
For the second fiscal year in a row, NASA awarded ~20% fewer grants than the recent historical average. That's about 500 fewer grants going out to scientists around the country.
October 2, 2026 at 6:51 PM
For the second fiscal year in a row, NASA awarded ~20% fewer grants than the recent historical average. That's about 500 fewer grants going out to scientists around the country.
Reposted by Paul Byrne
This will never stop blowing my mind.
A 12-year sequence of real telescope images of a star 133 lightyears away.
And around it, four planets slowly orbiting.
Four real exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, imaged as they move around their host star.
A 12-year sequence of real telescope images of a star 133 lightyears away.
And around it, four planets slowly orbiting.
Four real exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, imaged as they move around their host star.
October 2, 2026 at 2:14 AM
This will never stop blowing my mind.
A 12-year sequence of real telescope images of a star 133 lightyears away.
And around it, four planets slowly orbiting.
Four real exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, imaged as they move around their host star.
A 12-year sequence of real telescope images of a star 133 lightyears away.
And around it, four planets slowly orbiting.
Four real exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, imaged as they move around their host star.
This will never stop blowing my mind.
A 12-year sequence of real telescope images of a star 133 lightyears away.
And around it, four planets slowly orbiting.
Four real exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, imaged as they move around their host star.
A 12-year sequence of real telescope images of a star 133 lightyears away.
And around it, four planets slowly orbiting.
Four real exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, imaged as they move around their host star.
October 2, 2026 at 2:14 AM
This will never stop blowing my mind.
A 12-year sequence of real telescope images of a star 133 lightyears away.
And around it, four planets slowly orbiting.
Four real exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, imaged as they move around their host star.
A 12-year sequence of real telescope images of a star 133 lightyears away.
And around it, four planets slowly orbiting.
Four real exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, imaged as they move around their host star.
Reposted by Paul Byrne
This is a cool photo of Venus!
Photographed through the rings of Saturn.
Photographed through the rings of Saturn.
October 1, 2026 at 2:54 AM
This is a cool photo of Venus!
Photographed through the rings of Saturn.
Photographed through the rings of Saturn.
This is a cool photo of Venus!
Photographed through the rings of Saturn.
Photographed through the rings of Saturn.
October 1, 2026 at 2:54 AM
This is a cool photo of Venus!
Photographed through the rings of Saturn.
Photographed through the rings of Saturn.
Reposted by Paul Byrne
Oh my.
The aurora borealis, seen in ultraviolet light from space.
Our planet, putting on a show ✨
The aurora borealis, seen in ultraviolet light from space.
Our planet, putting on a show ✨
September 30, 2026 at 5:14 PM
Oh my.
The aurora borealis, seen in ultraviolet light from space.
Our planet, putting on a show ✨
The aurora borealis, seen in ultraviolet light from space.
Our planet, putting on a show ✨