I'm absolutely devastated for colleagues at Jodrell Bank who found out this morning that funding for the UK's e-MERLIN radio telescope array will be terminated. This is a short-sighted move, to save a tiny fraction of the overall UK science budget. #SaveJodrellBank 🔭🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understands

Astronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.

bbc.co.uk

Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 3w ago

“What will the Lovell Telescope discover/enable 20 yrs from now? I can’t tell you, and that’s the point. It will either be something extraordinary that none of us can yet predict, or we will defund it and leave Cheshire with a rusting monument to unfulfilled potential and discoveries never made.” 🔭🧪

We have a PhD project opportunity starting in September 2026 led by @lukebarnard.bsky.social, supported by me and @mathewjowens.bsky.social It's on Solar Wind - Magnetosphere Coupling at the Giant Planets. Deadline is June 12th. You can apply here: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Happy B’day today to one of the greatest science communicators of our time! Sir David Attenborough! 100 today! He has inspired millions along the way with his excellent work — nearly every person you know has watched him and learned something new about our world at some point. 📸 People mag

🔭 The AAS Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) has named its prize winners for 2026. Congratulations to Mark Marley, Catherine Neish, Tad Komacek, Ali Bramson, Casey Dreier, Jack Kiraly, James O’Donoghue, and Robin George Andrews! aas.org/posts/news/2...

I'm happy to share that I've been awarded the 2026 Carl Sagan Medal! As someone who has enjoyed investing lots of time in communicating science, and as an enormous fan of the work of Dr. Sagan, this means a great deal to me. Big thank you to my colleagues! www.reading.ac.uk/news/2026/Un...

Looking for a PhD position in solar system science? Consider coming to work with me, @interplanetary.bsky.social and @mathewjowens.bsky.social! We have a project on Solar Wind - Magnetosphere Coupling at the Giant Planets. www.findaphd.com/phds/project... #heliophysics#aurora#spaceweather

Solar Wind – Magnetosphere Coupling At The Giant Planets at University of Reading on FindAPhD.com

PhD Project - Solar Wind – Magnetosphere Coupling At The Giant Planets at University of Reading, listed on FindAPhD.com

findaphd.com

To the Moon and back. What a phrase to be able to say in our lifetime.

My take on a Universe Size Comparison. On and off, this took several months to make! Check it out of you have 10 minutes and be sure to put your 🎧 on for the full experience youtu.be/2D9vHQOaauM (New and improved, reupload!)

Universe Size Comparison | 3D Animated By A Space Scientist

YouTube video by Interplanetary

youtu.be

Artemis II is scheduled to launch on Wednesday evening.

We have a PhD opportunity at the University of Reading focused on analysing Jupiter and Saturn auroral observations! Title: Investigating Earth-like responses to the Solar Wind in Gas Giant Upper Atmospheres Supervisor: me! Full description/application portal: www.findaphd.com/phds/project...

Thanks to everyone who has joined us in person and online for our Early Careers Event. 👏 It's been a hugely successful day! This afternoon saw several speakers, including @interplanetary.bsky.social and Dr Affelia Wibisono, talking about their experiences in science communication. 🪐🔭🗣️

Most forecast centres (including us!) got that first CME arrival bang on. The big differences are for the subsequent CMEs. SPWC predict >1400 km/s at Earth. HUXt around 850-950 km/s. It must be different assessments of the CME initial speeds; the models themselves aren't that different.

Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays #OTD in 1895 when he noticed that emanations from a Crookes tube caused a platino-barium screen to fluoresce. The rays exposed photographic plates but were blocked by bone and metal. This early plate shows his wife's hand. 🧪 ⚛️ Image: Wellcome Trust

Light speed is fast, but space is vast...

In somewhat terrifying but hopefully positive personal news, I've decided to purchase an extremely expensive 10x10 booth in the exhibit hall at the American Geophysical Union meeting in December. I'll be selling my gemstone and wire jewelry and art. I hope you'll come find me there.

Let's unravel the mystery of Saturn's polar hexagon. A jet stream speeds around the pole at 320 km/h (200 mph). That’s common among planets, but what's not is that it oscillates up and down *very* stably. Each low point of this sine wave becomes a corner of a hexagon, when projected onto a sphere:

This is what democracy looks like. #NoKings

Everyone writing about Perseverance today should be asking how many of the scientists and engineers who were involved in this discovery no longer work for NASA bc of Trump.

Lunar Eclipse - An hour after rising! #astronomy #astrophotography @stormhour.com @photohour.bsky.social

Worst video ever, but go check out the lunar eclipse going on right now 🙂

Good luck UK Lunar Eclipse hunters. The Moon rises in the east in one hour!

Join us for International Observe The Moon Night in-person (registration required) or online!🔭 Held and organized by the @uniofreading.bsky.social alongside Reading Astronomical Society, @royalastrosoc.bsky.social, Troodos Observatory (Cyprus) and supported by STFC www.reading.ac.uk/news/2025/Un...

August 5 was a whole millisecond shorter. Strap in for the full explanation.

Why on Earth is the planet’s day getting shorter?

August 5 was a whole millisecond shorter. Strap in for the full explanation.

tcnv.link

Time nerds! This is def. one for you! Today was/is one of the shortest days of the year. @interplanetary.bsky.social has got you covered as to many of the reasons why this is likely happening. Bonus - how quasars, and #RadioAstronomy lead to precision timing, orientation, etc. that gives us GPS!

Dr James O'Donoghue 🪐@interplanetary.bsky.social · last yr.

It's about time that I wrote this: theconversation.com/why-on-earth...

It's about time that I wrote this: theconversation.com/why-on-earth...

Why on Earth is the planet’s day getting shorter?

August 5 was a whole millisecond shorter. Strap in for the full explanation.

theconversation.com

💯.

Tiny black dot on Saturn. Early this morning, I photographed a rather rare astronomical event, a shadow transit of Saturn’s largest moon Titan across its parent planet. This is a composite of two frames. Questar telescope /Olympus camera. Observed from metro Chicago. #astrophotography

Our global petition to save NASA science closes this Thursday, and we’re just shy of 15,000 signatures! Every name counts, this petition will be hand-delivered to members of Congress. Add yours today, Save NASA Science. planet.ly/petition

The auroral oval seen from space during the early morning on June 1 - captured by the NOAA-21 satellite flying over North America

Update on the ongoing geomagnetic storm: the main magnetic core of the 31 May #solarstorm has arrived at Earth starting around 1 June 12 UTC, BUT it is one of those kinds that are VERY unfavorable for #aurora - the field is entirely northward and very likely to remain so for the next few hours.