Daniel Apai

Much enjoyed last week's Sagan Summer School. Great to see friends, colleagues, & meet early-career scientists! My lecture and blog post on the future of exoplanet/sub-neptune research are now online:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSzY...
distantearths.com/sub-neptunes... @stewardobservatory.bsky.social

For 40 years, Michelle Cournoyer has supported students and faculty, solved problems, and shown up with heart. As she prepares to retire this August, we celebrate the impact of a true Steward Observatory legend: bit.ly/3GWkAQv

Exoplanet demographics are key: Integrative. A key point from today's talk by Daniel Apai at #sagan2025 on future prospects of key planetary processes and trends in the sub-Neptune population. #exoplanets

New model helps to figure out which distant planets may host life As NASA rolls out more powerful telescopes in the future, scientists will need a way to determine where to point them. A new approach could help.

A new model helps scientists assess whether environments on alien worlds could support specific forms of life, real or hypothetical, based on known biological limits and uncertain data.

By @danielapai.bsky.social @uarizona.bsky.social:
buff.ly/M4VdDsu

When is an alien world habitable? Steward Observatory's @danielapai.bsky.social explores this question in his latest article in The Conversation: bit.ly/43vZKQw

With all the buzz about the latest potential sign of life on a distant planet, Steward Observatory's astronomy professor @danielapai.bsky.social puts the discovery in context. Read his take: bit.ly/3S1fYKB

While we're on the topic of biosignatures, I'd like to re-up my last two papers about the challenges of observing O₂ (a key biosignature) on 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩-𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 exoplanets with the biggest upcoming optical/IR telescopes ever built:

ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2025AJ.....

ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2023AJ.....

Exciting nights! We are integrating the first prototype telescope based on Nautilus multi-order diffractive optics! At Mt Lemmon Sky Center. Our telescope is unique, custom-built to demonstrate broadband imaging with a light, flat lens! @stewardobservatory.bsky.social @uarizona.bsky.social

Here is a great postdoc opportunity at LPL with Sukrit Ranjan to study photochemistry and atmospheric escape for terrestrial planets. arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/caree...

PUBLISHED!!! Go check out IF we will be able to look for a key biosignature (oxygen!) with the Giant Magellan Telescope and the Extremely Large Telescope!

🔭🪐🧪

iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3...

The Art of Planetary Science is in full swing at @uarizonalpl.bsky.social Come visit this weekend!

Happy to announce we have joined BlueSky and look forward to sharing information about the amazing discoveries we make at CSS. Stick around for some neat stuff! #astronomy #asteroids #planetarydefense

Glen Schneider (1955–2025) was a self-confessed "umbraphile" -- a "shadow-lover" who pursued solar eclipses around the globe and earned a world record for the greatest number of total solar eclipses ever experienced. Read about his work and lasting legacy: bit.ly/4hVUaet

Glenn was an exceptional scholar and kind colleague whose office door was always open. His debris disk images will continue to inspire. As a dedicated solar eclipse chaser, he captured the rare ethereal beauty of science around the globe. Ad Astra, Glenn! nicmosis.as.arizona.edu:8000/UMBRAPHILLIA...

I am thrilled to speak in the College of Science Lecture Series "Can We Talk?". On March 27, Chris Impey and I will explore a really cool topic: communicating with alien civilizations!
science.arizona.edu/community-en...
@stewardobservatory.bsky.social @uarizona.bsky.social @uarizonalpl.bsky.social

Excellent study of a very exciting substellar companion in the Pleiades!

Space Astronomy Summer Program Fostering hands-on astronomy, engineering, and public outreach project opportunities to serve upper-division undergraduate students.

Unlike in 2024 I won't be offering a topic this year but this is really a unique program for students in astrophysics, software engineering, instrument calibration/support, and public outreach/scientific writing.

Check out the SASP @spacetelescope.bsky.social & apply!
www.stsci.edu/opportunitie...

A great visit to White Sands National Park. We enjoyed a hike deep into the dune fields. Amazing wind-sculpted landscape! Pretty cool that the gypsum ultimately originates from layers deposited by the Permian Sea on the Pangea supercontinent about 250 million years ago!

Have questions to NASA Astrophysics Division Director and about Program Analysis Groups? Attend the Joint PAG Session at the AAS on January 12. More info here: cor.gsfc.nasa.gov/copag/meetin...

Our exoplanets and astrobiology research group – what a thrill to work with this amazing team on exploring new worlds! @gabeweible.bsky.social @stewardobservatory.bsky.social @bemiles.bsky.social @sailorsupernova.bsky.social @matthewmurphy.bsky.social @kevinkhu.bsky.social

An Impact in Elysium Planitia

This image shows an impact crater in Elysium Planitia that was first discovered by the Mars Context Camera that formed between February 2012 and June 2014.

More: uahirise.org/hipod/ESP_03...

NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona
#Mars #science #NASA

Congratulations, Kevin! We have been fortunate to have you in our group - thank you for all you have done to support the projects, our team and students! I enjoyed working with you on Project EDEN and the Bioverse studies of the ELT exoplanet science cases. Ad Astra!

The NYT Spends 36 Hours in Tucson - Including the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter

Exploring Tucson? The New York Times recommends heading to the Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter, where scientists lead "staggering viewings through giant telescopes." Be sure to book your viewing! skycenter.arizona.edu/news/nyt-spe...

The Explorers Club The Explorers Club is an international organization dedicated to the advancement of field exploration and scientific inquiry. Meet us!

I am honored to be elected Fellow of The Explorers Club! Very excited to join this renowned group of explorers who have been leading and supporting scientific expeditions for over a century. www.explorers.org
Here's to exploring Earth and new worlds like it!

The Lunar and Planetary Lab is thrilled to be going back to the moon with astronauts on Artemis III.

It was fun to answer Chris Young’s questions on our Nautilus Space Observatory for his Interesting Engineering article — which includes photos of our latest lens prototype! It is time to rethink how we build space telescopes! interestingengineering.com/innovation/j... youtu.be/0aPhoYISwOI?...

🔭🪐I am presenting my work with Kevin Wagner et al. on LBTI imaging of a circumbinary Pleiades brown dwarf at AAS tomorrow the 8th, 9–10 am CT! Come check out my poster at the Extrasolar Planets: Direct Imaging I session in Hall B-1/B-2, or view it here: aas243-aas.ipostersessions.com/Default.aspx...