Trygve Prestgard
@trygveprestgard.bsky.social
Postdoctoral researcher in (micro)meteoritics. I'm also a comet and deep sky enthusiast! He/him.
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
This week’s #MicrometeoriteMonday: A pretty porphyritic olivine (Po) cosmic spherule from the Sør Rondane Mountains, Antarctica! Though Po spherules are not uncommon, this one stands out for its abundance of small, leaf-like magnetite dendrites. ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
October 5, 2026 at 6:08 PM
This week’s #MicrometeoriteMonday: A pretty porphyritic olivine (Po) cosmic spherule from the Sør Rondane Mountains, Antarctica! Though Po spherules are not uncommon, this one stands out for its abundance of small, leaf-like magnetite dendrites. ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
This week’s M. Monday: a rare transitional "I/G-type" cosmic spherule! Indeed, not all cosmic spherules fit neatly into the traditional S-, G-, and I-type categories. After analyzing thousands of samples, you’re bound to encounter a few oddballs that blur the boundaries! 😎☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
September 7, 2026 at 1:07 PM
This week’s M. Monday: a rare transitional "I/G-type" cosmic spherule! Indeed, not all cosmic spherules fit neatly into the traditional S-, G-, and I-type categories. After analyzing thousands of samples, you’re bound to encounter a few oddballs that blur the boundaries! 😎☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
We are back with M. Monday! ☄️
This week’s sample is a rare *fossil* S-type (BO-subtype) cosmic spherule from the Chanxhe collection. While most S-types do not survive the fossilization process, this specimen still preserves part of its original silicate content, a rare find!
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
This week’s sample is a rare *fossil* S-type (BO-subtype) cosmic spherule from the Chanxhe collection. While most S-types do not survive the fossilization process, this specimen still preserves part of its original silicate content, a rare find!
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
August 31, 2026 at 2:45 PM
We are back with M. Monday! ☄️
This week’s sample is a rare *fossil* S-type (BO-subtype) cosmic spherule from the Chanxhe collection. While most S-types do not survive the fossilization process, this specimen still preserves part of its original silicate content, a rare find!
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
This week’s sample is a rare *fossil* S-type (BO-subtype) cosmic spherule from the Chanxhe collection. While most S-types do not survive the fossilization process, this specimen still preserves part of its original silicate content, a rare find!
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
Had some time to write on my blog during the holidays! This post is dedicated to the PNe (and Post-AGB stars) discovered by the IRAS satellite in the 1980s (specifically by Preite-Martinez, 1988). Hope you enjoy! ☄️
Revisiting the Planetary Nebulae Discovered by the IRAS Satellite
Launched in 1983, the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) revolutionized infrared astronomy as the first satellite to survey the entire sky at infrared (IR) wavelengths. During its 10-month miss…
skyhuntblog.wordpress.com
August 29, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Had some time to write on my blog during the holidays! This post is dedicated to the PNe (and Post-AGB stars) discovered by the IRAS satellite in the 1980s (specifically by Preite-Martinez, 1988). Hope you enjoy! ☄️
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: A polished section of a Porphyritic olivine (Po-type) cosmic spherule from the Sør Rondane Mountains (Antarctica), showing typical well-defined olivine crystals in a glassy matrix with scattered magnetite grains. ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
July 27, 2026 at 12:34 PM
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: A polished section of a Porphyritic olivine (Po-type) cosmic spherule from the Sør Rondane Mountains (Antarctica), showing typical well-defined olivine crystals in a glassy matrix with scattered magnetite grains. ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: A polished section of a peculiar fossil I-type cosmic spherule from the Chanxhe collection (~380 Ma). Its unusual shape preserves an elongated cavity left by the ejection of a FeNi-metal bead during atmospheric entry! ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
July 20, 2026 at 8:08 PM
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: A polished section of a peculiar fossil I-type cosmic spherule from the Chanxhe collection (~380 Ma). Its unusual shape preserves an elongated cavity left by the ejection of a FeNi-metal bead during atmospheric entry! ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: a photogenic S-type cosmic spherule from the Atacama Desert. It's of the Porphyritic Olivine (Po) subtype, though quite rich in magnetite. Full view (left) and close-up (right), highlighting its pretty magnetite dendrites! ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
June 22, 2026 at 7:21 AM
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: a photogenic S-type cosmic spherule from the Atacama Desert. It's of the Porphyritic Olivine (Po) subtype, though quite rich in magnetite. Full view (left) and close-up (right), highlighting its pretty magnetite dendrites! ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: a nice S-type cosmic spherule from the Atacama Desert, of the cryptocrystalline (CC) subtype. This CC is more specifically of the “turtleback” variety, based on the characteristic “spiky” shape of its olivine crystals ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
June 15, 2026 at 2:55 PM
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: a nice S-type cosmic spherule from the Atacama Desert, of the cryptocrystalline (CC) subtype. This CC is more specifically of the “turtleback” variety, based on the characteristic “spiky” shape of its olivine crystals ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: a nice S-type cosmic spherule from the Atacama Desert, more specifically of the Porphyritic olivine (PO)-type. It shows characteristic equant olivine crystals set in glass, along with some pretty magnetite crystals! ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
June 8, 2026 at 1:21 PM
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: a nice S-type cosmic spherule from the Atacama Desert, more specifically of the Porphyritic olivine (PO)-type. It shows characteristic equant olivine crystals set in glass, along with some pretty magnetite crystals! ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: an S-type cosmic spherule (porphyritic olivine, PO) featuring a large chromite grain (light-grey inclusion). Extraterrestrial chromites are highly resistant to weathering, making them useful at reconstructing the past extraterrestrial flux! ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
April 27, 2026 at 9:40 AM
This week’s Micrometeorite Monday: an S-type cosmic spherule (porphyritic olivine, PO) featuring a large chromite grain (light-grey inclusion). Extraterrestrial chromites are highly resistant to weathering, making them useful at reconstructing the past extraterrestrial flux! ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
How cool! Our team is posting weekly pictures of samples that we find! If you are interested or curious about micrometeorites, consider following them (us)! 😄☄️
#spacedust #micrometeorites
#spacedust #micrometeorites
This week's sample is a beautiful G-type cosmic spherule. The intricate patterns you see are magnetite dendrites embedded in a glassy matrix. What makes this specimen remarkable is its age: it fell to Earth ~380 mya, yet it’s preserved as if it fell yesterday! ☄️ #Spacedust
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
April 13, 2026 at 8:07 AM
How cool! Our team is posting weekly pictures of samples that we find! If you are interested or curious about micrometeorites, consider following them (us)! 😄☄️
#spacedust #micrometeorites
#spacedust #micrometeorites
If we consider the “Eclipse Comet” X/1882 K1 to have had a luminosity comparable to C/2026 A1 (MAPS), then STEREO-A basically shared the same experience as observers on Earth had during the May 17, 1882 solar eclipse! ☄️
April 8, 2026 at 5:12 PM
If we consider the “Eclipse Comet” X/1882 K1 to have had a luminosity comparable to C/2026 A1 (MAPS), then STEREO-A basically shared the same experience as observers on Earth had during the May 17, 1882 solar eclipse! ☄️
A nice new Kreutz-group comet (left) is plunging toward its demise! Although a bit smaller than C/2026 A1 (MAPS)(right), it's still brighter than the average Kreutz-group fragments that are routinely discovered. ☄️
April 8, 2026 at 5:11 PM
A nice new Kreutz-group comet (left) is plunging toward its demise! Although a bit smaller than C/2026 A1 (MAPS)(right), it's still brighter than the average Kreutz-group fragments that are routinely discovered. ☄️
Today is finally the day! Will C/2026 A1 (MAPS) "survive" perihelion? The opinions are divided, as current estimations place the comet at the very limit of survivability*. If it makes it past the Sun, it may briefly become a cool headless comet (debris trail) as seen from the Sth. Hemisphere! ☄️
April 4, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Today is finally the day! Will C/2026 A1 (MAPS) "survive" perihelion? The opinions are divided, as current estimations place the comet at the very limit of survivability*. If it makes it past the Sun, it may briefly become a cool headless comet (debris trail) as seen from the Sth. Hemisphere! ☄️
What's currently going on in the daytime sky? Well, quite a bit, as far as comets! Here’s a new blog post on the potential outlook for C/2026 A1 (MAPS), along with several other comets recently uncovered in space-based solar observations! 😀☄️
Comets in the Sun’s Glare: Activity in the Daytime Sky!
Coronagraphs allow astronomers to observe regions of the sky extremely close to the Sun, revealing comets that would otherwise be lost in its glare. Most of these objects are intrinsically small, t…
skyhuntblog.wordpress.com
March 22, 2026 at 5:49 PM
What's currently going on in the daytime sky? Well, quite a bit, as far as comets! Here’s a new blog post on the potential outlook for C/2026 A1 (MAPS), along with several other comets recently uncovered in space-based solar observations! 😀☄️
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
I wrote a thing! Rubin and LSST are not only going to find a kajillion asteroids, they'll get lightcurves and colors at the same time, and the science is going to be phenomenal
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
Rubin Observatory Detects Record-Breaking Asteroids
The Rubin Observatory has detected thousands of new asteroids, including several that spin a lot faster than expected for typical rubble piles.
skyandtelescope.org
March 20, 2026 at 3:31 PM
I wrote a thing! Rubin and LSST are not only going to find a kajillion asteroids, they'll get lightcurves and colors at the same time, and the science is going to be phenomenal
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-ne...
Reposted by Trygve Prestgard
Ever wondered what our #micrometeorites look like up close, in color? This composite shows optical close-ups of FLUX samples captured by Dr. Thilo Hasse from @mfnberlin.bsky.social! Thanks, Thilo & the MfN, for these amazing results! More of their work: www.micrometeorites.org
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
March 8, 2026 at 9:56 AM
Ever wondered what our #micrometeorites look like up close, in color? This composite shows optical close-ups of FLUX samples captured by Dr. Thilo Hasse from @mfnberlin.bsky.social! Thanks, Thilo & the MfN, for these amazing results! More of their work: www.micrometeorites.org
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
I can confirm: we were productive and had lots of fun! 😄
The team recently headed to Germany to collect ancient sediments in the hope of uncovering (more) fossil micrometeorites! ☄️ It was a fantastic trip: plenty of exploring, sampling, sharing ideas, plus enjoying a few laughs along the way! 😄 @amgc-vub.bsky.social
#Micrometeorites #Fieldwork #Research
#Micrometeorites #Fieldwork #Research
March 2, 2026 at 4:16 PM
I can confirm: we were productive and had lots of fun! 😄
Yaayy, more Raman spectroscopy on micrometeorites! ☄️
January continues to be a highly productive month for the team, whether we’re carrying out analyses in the lab or diving into data from our desks! Below are some snapshots of Clara, Deepak, and Jolantha hard at work, along with a view of the “Raman room” captured by Trygve ☄️
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
@amgc-vub.bsky.social
January 19, 2026 at 3:10 PM
Yaayy, more Raman spectroscopy on micrometeorites! ☄️
A great start to 2026 as seen from the spacecraft coronagraphs: a nice new #sungrazing comet discovery! It reached a peak magnitude of ~+5 mag on January 1st, before fading. #Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchoś) is also visible in the animation below. ☄️☄️ Credit: ESA/NASA SOHO/LASCO C3
#CometWatch
#CometWatch
January 2, 2026 at 4:06 PM
A great start to 2026 as seen from the spacecraft coronagraphs: a nice new #sungrazing comet discovery! It reached a peak magnitude of ~+5 mag on January 1st, before fading. #Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchoś) is also visible in the animation below. ☄️☄️ Credit: ESA/NASA SOHO/LASCO C3
#CometWatch
#CometWatch
As I was scrolling through the DECaPS DR2 images for interesting objects, I came across this surprisingly bright star that didn't appear anywhere else. Turned out to be V* FM Cir (Nova Circini 2018)! 😀
December 21, 2025 at 11:10 PM
As I was scrolling through the DECaPS DR2 images for interesting objects, I came across this surprisingly bright star that didn't appear anywhere else. Turned out to be V* FM Cir (Nova Circini 2018)! 😀
Was scrolling through the Digitalized Sky Survey plates and came across periodic comet 47P/Ashbrook–Jackson. The comet looks really nice in the blue plate! ☄️
#CometWatch
#CometWatch
December 20, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Was scrolling through the Digitalized Sky Survey plates and came across periodic comet 47P/Ashbrook–Jackson. The comet looks really nice in the blue plate! ☄️
#CometWatch
#CometWatch