A cat-approved book!

Tom Gauld@tomgauld.bsky.social · last wk.

My collection of cartoons, PHYSICS FOR CATS, won the Eisner award for Best Humor Publication at the weekend! Get it from good local booksellers or online now. Click here for links to the English editions: www.tomgauld.com/comic-books-v2 or here for links to translations: www.tomgauld.com/languages

January 1921: NGC 584 is inconceivably distant. VP-elect has faith in America's moral fiber. July 2026: NGC 584 is at a distance of ~20 megaparsecs. Current VP is not regarded as an authority on moral fiber.

Orange tabby cat (Finn) lies lengthwise on the sofa. Gray and white cat (Trim) lies crosswise.

Since the cats have anti-parallel spins, they can both occupy the ground state. (Since they are cats, they are seldom in an excited state.)

Seen from certain angles, at occasional moments, the OSU campus is lovely.

Trim and Finn are recovering after their Caturday night party.

@benneholwerda.bsky.social is an authority. Pay attention to their words of wisdom!

Cambridge University Press - Science & Engineering@cambup-scieng.cambridge.org · 2mo ago

‘The book is [an] outstanding text on dynamics of stars and planetary systems.' Benne Holwerda (of University of Louisville) reviews new Cambridge textbook ‘Celestial and Stellar Dynamics’ by Barbara Ryden. Read more at ⭐ https://cup.org/4nnLbqk

Apparently, I am an author. It says so, right on my label.

Although my Friday lecture was on quasars, I decided to spread some Moon joy in the cover slide for the lecture. (The students seemed to tolerate the digression.)

"I'd like to get away from Earth awhile And then come back to it and begin over." For some reason, Robert Frost keeps running through my head today....

Now 285.

Barbara Ryden@bsryden.bsky.social · last yr.

Given 274 confirmed moons of Saturn, Lucy definitely has a point.

Happy #Caturday! Trim and Finn have each others' back, in a fine example of feline solidarity.

Finally... some "introverted astronomer" representation in the media!

Tom Gauld@tomgauld.bsky.social · 6mo ago

My cartoon for this week’s @newscientist.com

Happy #Caturday. If you are in the path of a winter storm, Trim and Finn recommend that you keep warm.

Stellar Structure and Evolution: a very fine textbook.

American Astronomical Society (AAS)@aas.org · 7mo ago

The 2026 Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award for astronomy writing for an academic audience, specifically textbooks at either the upper-division undergraduate or graduate level, is awarded to Marc Pinsonneault and Barbara Ryden (The Ohio State University).

It is not strictly required, when attending a meeting of the American Astronomical Society, to pose in front of the big AAS sign. However, I couldn't resist the opportunity. #aas247

I haven't quite decided if this is the ideal epigraph for chapter 8. Too Byronic, do you think, or just Byronic enough?

Happy Boxing Day from Finn the cat!

Happy #Solstice! I hope everyone in the northern hemisphere is keeping warm (preferably with the help of a cat).

I hope you are having a well-groomed #Caturday (perhaps with a little help from a friend).

Happy #Caturday! At this point, my cats' knowledge of physics is starting to catch up with mine.

#Caturday night.

Advice from Finn and Trim: get plenty of rest this #Caturday, to prepare you for the week ahead.

Happy Fat Bear Week to those who celebrate!

I'm not certain this is the best possible epigraph for a chapter on accretion, but I was feeling Rabelaisian when I chose it.

Although a quotation about the incomprehensibility of turbulence (even with divine intervention) is often attributed to Werner Heisenberg, this statement by Horace Lamb seems to have priority.

Happy #Caturday! May you have all the cat hugs you desire.

Happy #Caturday: may you dream of stars.

Roundhay Scene (1888)

Sophia_Nyx 🏳️‍⚧️@sophianyx.bsky.social · last yr.

Name an 80s Film that actually aged well.

For balance, a chapter that contains Maxwell's Equations must start with Maxwell's Poetry.