Much like the last community survey: NASA Infrared Telescope Facility Strategic Planning: Seeking Community Input The IRTF is, by some metrics, the top telescope for doing asteroid follow-up. It is a major asset within our community. Less often, it is… Read More »IRTF 2026 User Survey
Good MNRAS (Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society) for January 2026: Volume 545, #1Trigo-Rodríguez, J. M. Grèbol-Tomàs, P. Ibáñez-Insa, J. et al. Assessing the metal and rare earth element mining potential of undifferentiated asteroids through the study of carbonaceous… Read More »Note, Paper: Flying-Mass MNRAS
The purpose of the Roman Space Telescope- if you could boil it down to one- would be cosmology, not small-body science. Yet a wide field of view- at high sensitivity and small pixels- will inherently catch asteroids/comets, without even trying.… Read More »Roman Space Telescope Call(s)
The December 2025 Astronomy & Astrophysics (vol. 704) still says “in progress”, but January is already being trickled out. So I’m going to call it for December, and what a month: Peña-Asensio, E. Seligman, D. Z. The interstellar flux gap:… Read More »Note, Paper: Year-End Bender (Pending?)
Delving into development and policy now: Astrophysics > Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics arxiv.org/abs/2512.14785[Submitted on 16 Dec 2025]de León, J. Pinilla-Alonso, N. Tanga, P. et al. Why the Northern Hemisphere Needs a 30-40m Telescope and the Science at Stake: from… Read More »Boreal Big-Bore Resource Implored
Interesting presser from the University of Canterbury, a partner institution with the Vera Rubin Observatory: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/news-and-events/news/2025/kiwi-team-lead–out-of-this-world–study-of-new-comet17 Dec 2025 Kiwi team lead ‘out of this world’ study of new comet A little human interest and behind-the-scenes for our field. Read about… Read More »ATLAS Staff And Handling
Yes, I know YouTube is a full-color sewer of mediocrity. Every so often, a reputable source puts up a reputable short. Here’s one that’s reputable, and not-so-short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgrD1bd_In4Dec 17, 2025 Deep Space Dialogues (Stefanie Milam) Planets, Asteroids, and Interstellar Interlopers, OH… Read More »JW Pub (Dubbed): 3I, YR4, etc.
Now posted by the European Southern Observatory (ESO): https://www.eso.org/public/announcements/ann25011/16 Dec 2025, New SOXS instrument ready to observe fleeting cosmic events The SOXS instrument– Son of X-Shooter- has been installed on the La Silla telescope in Chile, and has taken test… Read More »ESO SOXS Now On
Quick blurb in Astronomers’ Telegram: www.astronomerstelegram.org/?read=17538Jehin, E. Hmiddouch, S. Aravind, K. et al. TRAPPIST bright comets production rates: 3I/ATLAS, 24P/Schaumasse, C/2025 T1 (ATLAS), C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN)on 10 Dec 2025: 22:50 UT Besides covering multiple comets, coverage of interstellar… Read More »ATLAS Slight-Aperture Brightnesses
Time for the Autumn meeting of the AGU (American Geophysical Union). The big meet is in New Orleans, Dec. 15-19: https://www.agu.org/annual-meeting As you might expect from the name “Geophysical”, it mostly deals with the Earth. It deals with the Earth… Read More »2025-Fall AGU Meeting