The final plenary of the conference: Scanning the X-ray Sky for Dark Matter by Kerstin Perez, Columbia University.

What is dark matter? Is it a new kind of particle?

Looking for an anomalous signal, astroparticle physicists go out looking for dark matter, find something, and then astronomers tell them it's something else — it’s usually pulsars.

Using the annoying stray light in NuStar, you can search for signals of sterile neutrinos, a dark matter candidate. Only upper limits so far. #AAS244

First session: The Powerful Shocks in Novae V: Revisiting Novae with a Multi-messenger Approach

Kirill Sokolovsky: NuSTAR X-ray observations of classical novae show depleted iron (or maybe enhanced CNO elements). X-ray light curves don't have periodic changes in brightness like in visible light, suggesting X-rays are made further out.

Justin Vandenbroucke: Do novae produce neutrinos? Probably, but searches of IceCube Neutrino observatory data don't find anything, only upper limits. #AAS244

Next the RAS Gold Plenary Lecture: Challenges to the Cosmological Model, John Peacock, University of Edinburgh.

Do headlines about results that break the consensus Lambda CDM model of the Universe hold up?

"Maybe there is something wrong with cosmology. Ok, fine, but I’m not giving the medal back."

The Hubble tension — "Once upon a time this level of agreement would be considered miraculous."

Observational evidence prefers a Lambda CMD model with a slightly smaller matter density #AAS244

Next a panel with Historic Observatories: Current Activities and Potential for Education, Public Outreach, and Research, with representatives from the Washburn Observatory, Detroit Observatory, Lick Observatory, Lowell Observatory, Yerkes Observatory, and Alliance of Historic Observatories.

Where do historical observatories fit into a modern scientific context? Developing smaller instruments for larger telescopes. Testing new technology, making connections to industry and universities. #AAS244

Next: The STScI Town Hall

Hubble is transitioning to 1-gyro mode after issues with gyro 3. The probability that at least one gyro will be functional to 2030 is above 90%. Budget cuts from NASA will reduce the operations budget by about 10%, and the only way to cut costs is by reducing support for science instruments.

JWST is continuing to function well and is doing great science.
Roman data is so big that you will have to run analysis on the cloud science platform, not your laptop. #AAS244