Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
@astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social
We love sharing our passion for astronomy. We've been holding meetings in Edinburgh since 1924. Come to one of our meetings, in person or online - visitors are always welcome. #astronomyedinburgh #edinburgh #scotland www.astronomyedinburgh.org
A couple more pictures from the @collective-edin.bsky.social open day at Calton Hill on Saturday 5 September. The Cooke 🔭 and the @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social team. A great, fun day, with 10 tours given to 8 to 10 people per tour.
Astronomical Society of Edinburgh@astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social · 3d agoThe Cooke telescope on Calton Hill, between tours given by @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social on the @collective-edin.bsky.social open day.
Excitedly counting down to official publication day (Thursday 10th Sept), although I see she is already out in the wild 🥳 for some of you who were ever so lovely and pre-ordered it 🙏. Here is a snippet from How to Design a Universe Chpt 6: The Quantumverse! www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-t4...
Chapter 6! ⭐⭐The Quantum verse ⭐⭐
YouTube video by Astronomer Royal Scotland Prof Catherine Heymans
youtube.com
Rich@richbamford.bsky.social · 3d agoIt's here 🥳 @astroroyalscot.bsky.social new book How to Design a Universe, been looking forward to reading this for months
The Cooke telescope on Calton Hill, between tours given by @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social on the @collective-edin.bsky.social open day.
In my mind David Attenborough is narrating: "After a 3yr gestation, the elusive freshly published book has been spotted in the wild for the very 1st time. And what a specimen she is. A truly magnificent creature!" 😂 Alistair, I'm hoping that you enjoy reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it!🤗
Alistair Wylie@alistairjw.bsky.social · 4d ago@astroroyalscot.bsky.social I got my copy a little before pub date from @chepstowbooks.bsky.social (which apparently is OK). Looking forward to this!
Calling all #Glasgow & #Edinburgh Planetarium, space and all-round Matrix-movie enthusiasts. We're going to be re-considering what it means to be real! 🏴 Sept 11 Dynamic Earth dynamicearth.org.uk/event/how-to... 🔭 Sept 23 Glasgow Science Centre www.glasgowsciencecentre.org/whats-on/dav...
Glasgow Science Centre@glasgowscience.bsky.social · last wk.🌌 Could our Universe be a simulation? Our new David Elder Lecture series begins with Scotland's Astronomer Royal, @astroroyalscot.bsky.social, exploring one of science's biggest questions: could we ever create a virtual universe as rich and complex as our own? 📅23 September https://bit.ly/3Uhxrmo
🔊 #Edinburgh! Join me to celebrate the launch of my new book at Dynamic Earth. With live music from the Sound Rays + a full-dome planetarium experience, we'll be reconsidering what it means to be real! 🔭 Fri 11th Sept 18:30 Bar opens 19:30 Show + Book signing 🎟️: dynamicearth.org.uk/event/how-to...
www.astronomyedinburgh.org/2026/08/15/n... a new partnership between @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social and DWARFLAB. Thanks @suedwarflab.bsky.social
New Partnership: ASE and DWARFLAB - Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
We'd like to announce our new relationship with DWARFLAB, makers of the DWARF range of smart telescopes.
astronomyedinburgh.org
www.astronomyedinburgh.org/2026/08/13/w.... While I’m away on the @fredolsencruise.bsky.social ship #Balmoral, @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social held a very successful event on Calton Hill. The 600 #eclipse glasses we obtained from @gostargazing.bsky.social went very quickly! 🔭
What an evening on Calton Hill! - Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
We thought we might get hundreds of people joining us to watch Edinburgh’s partial solar eclipse. Instead, thousands turned up!
astronomyedinburgh.org
@astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social will be live-streaming the event (if the technology gods permit). See www.astronomyedinburgh.org for details.
Astronomy in Edinburgh - Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
Come along to a meeting at The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh. Hear interesting talks about astronomy and find out about what’s in the sky this month.
astronomyedinburgh.org
With all the excitement about the partial solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 Aug, don't forget that the Perseid meteor shower also peaks overnight on that day. They are already producing a lot and our members' meteor cameras are capturing many each night. www.astronomyedinburgh.org/.../ase-mete...
Very kindly @newscientist.com have listed the new book in their "best new popular science books of August 2026" list. The summary made me chuckle - I suppose I kind of always have been a "go big or go home" type of girl. 😂
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · last mo.A Sunday reading for you! Chpt 2 of "How to Design a Universe" opens with the philosophical: do you see colour in the same way I see colour? What even is colour? Queue physics of rainbows & electromagnetism to question if we could ever simulate human sense🤔 #BookSky 🔭 www.youtube.com/shorts/Upkww...
A busy morning filming with BBC Breakfast at Jodrell Bank! Photos/vids to follow, but in the meantime enjoy me locked inside @philbull.bsky.social's RHINO cage: a brand new radio telescope designed to detect the light emitted by neutral hydrogen gas, between galaxies, in the v v early Universe 🤗🔭👩🔬
I'm going to start off on the right foot and spend most of my time posting about the prototype 21cm global signal horn we're building at Jodrell Bank. Here's one of the 4 main panels.
This w/end's little snippet from my new book is from Chpt1 where we're asking "What is light?" Dear 🇺🇸US friends hoping you have a good chuckle at me attempting an American accent, rather than being affronted! #BookSky 🔭 📖: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/how-to-de... 📽️: www.youtube.com/shorts/-RIPE...
Chapter 1: Light Available to Preorder now!
YouTube video by Astronomer Royal Scotland Prof Catherine Heymans
youtube.com
🔊Calling #Edinburgh: 5th Aug, Dynamic Earth, @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social and I will be joining forces for a day of free activities to get you ready for the 90% partial solar eclipse 6pm-8pm 12th August! 👩🔬🔭🧪 Big thanks to @iop.org for funding the event 🥳 ℹ️: dynamicearth.org.uk/event/get-re...
Astronomical Society of Edinburgh@astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social · 2mo agowww.astronomyedinburgh.org/event/partia... We'll be holding an event on Calton Hill to view the partial solar eclipse on 12th August. We'll have some solar telescopes with us and lots of eclipse glasses so that people can view the eclipse safely. Remember THE SUN IS DANGEROUS TO OBSERVE.
I’m very excited to be part of this event! Come down and prep with us! 🔭
Astronomical Society of Edinburgh@astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social · 2mo agoGet read for the solar #eclipse: on 5th August, Dynamic Earth in #Edinburgh will be holding an event preparing for the eclipse. Book here: dynamicearth.org.uk/event/get-re... We will be helping with a selection of 🔭, and @astroroyalscot.bsky.social will be there answering questions.
www.astronomyedinburgh.org/event/partia... We'll be holding an event on Calton Hill to view the partial solar eclipse on 12th August. We'll have some solar telescopes with us and lots of eclipse glasses so that people can view the eclipse safely. Remember THE SUN IS DANGEROUS TO OBSERVE.
Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing on Calton Hill - Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
Join us in the evening on 12 August to watch the amazing partial eclipse of the Sun. We'll have our solar telescopes with us plus lots of free eclipse glasses to give away.
astronomyedinburgh.org
Get read for the solar #eclipse: on 5th August, Dynamic Earth in #Edinburgh will be holding an event preparing for the eclipse. Book here: dynamicearth.org.uk/event/get-re... We will be helping with a selection of 🔭, and @astroroyalscot.bsky.social will be there answering questions.
GET READY FOR THE ECLIPSE | Dynamic Earth
A spectacular solar event is coming to Scotland’s skies this August – and Dynamic Earth is here to help you get eclipse-ready with free activities and live talks!
dynamicearth.org.uk
The other half says this has real 1980's Jackanory vibes, which I'm not sure whether to take as a compliment or insult....🤔 Anyway, here is a clip from the Prologue of my new book "How to Design a Universe"! Out on Sept 10th. 🔗: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/how-to-de... 📺: www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8Ek...
The Prologue: Booting up
YouTube video by Astronomer Royal Scotland Prof Catherine Heymans
youtube.com
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 2mo agoUm..... so I did a thing 🫣 📽️: youtube.com/shorts/krnxj... Indie 📕: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/how-... Amazon 🔗: www.amazon.co.uk/How-Design-U... 🔭👩🔬🎢
Um..... so I did a thing 🫣 📽️: youtube.com/shorts/krnxj... Indie 📕: uk.bookshop.org/p/books/how-... Amazon 🔗: www.amazon.co.uk/How-Design-U... 🔭👩🔬🎢
Exciting new Announcement!!
youtube.com
@astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social member John Briggs captured this video of noctilucent clouds on 1st July: flic.kr/p/2smNKEE 🔭 #astrophotography
Noctilucent Clouds Time-lapse 2026-07-01
Noctilucent Clouds looking NE from Loanhead, south of Edinburgh. Time-lapse video created from 56 still images from 00:14 to 01:16 UT on the early morning of 1st July 2026. Approximately 400x normal s...
flic.kr
Lesser-known-fact: the summer #solstice is a moment in time that delivers the longest day/shortest night in the North. At 9:24am (BST) the North Pole will be at its most-tilted towards the Sun. Me & the druids will be on #BBCR4 Broadcasting House later on to celebrate 🤗🔭🧪 📷: National Maritime Museum
Astronomical Society of Edinburgh@astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social · 3mo agoHappy Summer Solstice (for the Northern Hemisphere). #nights_drawing_in 🙂
A more detailed view from Posidonius up to the lunar limb. #CFF160 🔭, #TeleVue 2.5x Powermate, #Touptek ATR585MM mono camera. Best 250 frames from 2500 frame video, IR pass filter, stacked and sharpened in AstroSurface, minor curve edits in PixInsight. #astrophotography
Absolutely! We ordered loads from @gostargazing.bsky.social for the outreach event @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social will be holding on Calton hill. They were all delivered promptly!
Important advice on safely observing the August #eclipse, and choosing safe eclipse glasses. We sourced our eclipse sunglasses through @gostargazing.bsky.social www.astronomyedinburgh.org/2026/06/15/o... 🔭
Observe the eclipse safely this August - Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
On 12 August 2026 you will be able to see a partial solar eclipse from the UK. If the weather cooperates it's going to be an amazing spectacle with about 90% of the Sun covered as seen from Edinburgh....
astronomyedinburgh.org
@astroroyalscot.bsky.social's Nature article on proposed funding cuts to astronomy research has prompted a number of us to write to our MPs encouraging them to attend the June 15 meeting: www.astronomyedinburgh.org/2026/06/05/p...
Proposed Funding Cuts to Astronomy and Astrophysics - Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
If you have any interest in astronomy at all then you may be seriously worried by these proposals! We certainly are. Here's how you can help.
astronomyedinburgh.org
Reposting for the Sunday morning reading crowd with a free-to-read link that isn't behind the Nature paywall! 🔭⚛️🧪👩🔬 📖: rdcu.be/floXQ
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 3mo ago"Someone, somewhere, has taken the decision to defund astrophysics research in the UK, but no-one seems quite sure who that was, or why." The latest on the impact of the catastrophic funding cuts to UK astrophysics, by me, in @natastron.nature.com 👩🔬🧪🔭 ✒️ www.nature.com/articles/s41...
And here is a video of the ISS transit taken with the #TeleVue NP101 🔭. 35 frames extracted from the 2 minute video, and converted to .mp4 at a slower rate. This is roughly 1s elapsed time, and the ISS moves from right to left. #astrophotography
Mike Christie@mikechristie.bsky.social · 4mo agoCaptured the ISS transit of the Moon this evening from #Edinburgh. Very fast! This is a still from a 2 minute video: #TeleVue NP101 🔭, #Touptek 585mono camera. Still extracted and sharpened in AstroSurface, histogram transformation in PixInsight. #astrophotography
Just ordered some #eclipse glasses from @gostargazing.bsky.social for @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social outreach on August 12th. They only ship to the UK, but if you're looking to order some here's the link: gostargazing.co.uk/solar-glasse...
Solar glasses for the August partial eclipse
Astronomy enthusiasts in the United Kingdom are in for a celestial treat this August as a partial solar eclipse graces the skies. This rare and
gostargazing.co.uk
A fascinating talk on how modern astronomy has evolved. Well worth a watch at the link below. 🔭
Astronomical Society of Edinburgh@astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social · 5mo agoWe have a talk this Friday May 1st at 7.30pm open to all on YouTube. Prof Ian Robson will discuss the discoveries that have led to our current knowledge of the Universe and examine the onset of ‘Big Data’ in modern astronomy. #astronomy www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6wh...