Daniel Apai
Professor of Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, and Optics at The University of Arizona. I study exoplanets, build telescopes, and lead the NASA-funded Alien Earths astrobiology team. Fellow of AAAS and The Explorers Club. Own opinions.
- Pandora is up in orbit! But how did the launch feel, up close and personal? Read my blog about my experience: distantearths.com/how-did-the-...
- Our NASA’s Pandora space telescope is on orbit!! Congrats to the team and NASA, LSP, SpaceX, and everyone who helped to get to this exciting point! What will Pandora do and why is it important for exoplanet science? Read my short article on this: theconversation.com/nasas-pandor...
- Spotted a Sonora bobcat this morning just when it snatched a white-winged dove. Such a beautiful animal!
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- Countdown clock in @stewardobservatory.bsky.social for our NASA Pandora Space Telescope: T-60 days!! Our team is getting ready for the launch of this incredibly exciting mission to explore worlds beyond the Solar System! #exoplanets @uazresearch.bsky.social @uarizonalpl.bsky.social
- I had fun talking about exoplanets and search for habitable worlds at The Explorers Club live event in Sedona. Sam Schwann, underwater explorer and artist followed with very cool videos of ocean exploration and swimming with sharks! Will do this again soon - next time in Tucson!
- Enjoyed talking w Bruce Dorminey in Iceland about our universal framework to assess which exoplanets & moons may be habitable. Key for search for life beyond Earth! His story: @forbes.com www.forbes.com/sites/bruced... @stewardobservatory.bsky.social @uarizonalpl.bsky.social @uarizona.bsky.social
- 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
- Reposted by Daniel ApaiFor 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
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- Reposted by Daniel ApaiWhen is an alien world habitable? Steward Observatory's @danielapai.bsky.social explores this question in his latest article in The Conversation: bit.ly/43vZKQw
- Reposted by Daniel ApaiWith 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
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- 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
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- Reposted by Daniel ApaiGlen 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!
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- 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!
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- 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
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- Reposted by Daniel ApaiExploring 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...
- 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!
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- 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?...
