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ˢᶦᵐᵒⁿ ᵐᶦⁿⁿᶦᶜᵃⁿ ᶠʳᵃˢ ☀️🌙🌍✨

@minnican.com

Devoted hubby of @TMinnican. Home educator. Amateur astronomer. Studying MSc Physics (Astrophysics with Space Science). FRAS, BAA, SPA and Green Party member. #Pagan BillingboroughObservatory.space

389 Posts396 Follower229 Folgt
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 4d ago

Very excited to see Roman edging ever closer to launch. The "go/no go" decision will be this Friday, for a planned Sun 30th launch at 11:26 UTC, 07:26 EDT 🤞 Once in space this telescope will discover >100,000 planets orbiting distant stars and so so much more 🤩🧪🔭🛰️ science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/...

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Arrives at Hangar

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope arrived Tuesday to the SpaceX hangar at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy’s Space Center in Florida, just days before its scheduled launch.

science.nasa.gov

Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 2w ago

This is a pleasing factoid: the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope is the same size and weight as a T-Rex! Countdown: 15 days to launch! 🚀 AUG 30, 2026 11:26 UTC ℹ️: science.nasa.gov/mission/roma...

Royal Astronomical Society@royalastrosoc.bsky.social · 3w ago

Happy solar eclipse day! ☀️🌒 This evening people across the UK will be treated to the country's fullest solar eclipse since 1999. Around 90-96% of the Sun will be obscured by the Moon at the peak, which will take place at around 19:00 BST, depending on where you are. Are you going to watch it? 😎

A partial solar eclipse.
Count Binface@countbinface.bsky.social · 3w ago

People of Clacton! Show your support for me by putting a bin outside your house, one day this week, of a colour of Tendring Council's choice. This will be unequivocal proof of the success of my campaign.

Count Binface@countbinface.bsky.social · 3w ago

I believe Clacton deserves an MP who will spend their time shining a light on everything the area has to offer. And why wait till I'm elected? I've been to visit one of the constituency's most stunning landmarks.

Mehdi Hasan@mehdirhasan.bsky.social · 4w ago

"Here Are 19 - Yes, 19! - Ways Trump and Republicans Are Plotting to Rig and Steal the Midterm Elections" Attacking immigrants and Black voting power. Gutting election security. Voter purges. Threats of arrests and raids. And so much more. From Zeteo:

Here Are 19 - Yes, 19! - Ways Trump and Republicans Are Plotting to Rig and Steal the Midterm Elections

Attacking immigrants and Black voting power. Gutting election security. Voter purges. Threats of arrests and raids. And so much more. Trump’s assault on elections is truly unprecedented.

zeteo.com

James O'Malley@jamesomalley.co.uk · last mo.

Terrible news. Aside from learning more about the universe, we're not going to get much economic growth by cutting science funding. (If only we had a Prime Minister who was interested in supporting the north, and Manchester in particular, who could stop this.) 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

Prof Jim Wild@jim-wild.bsky.social · last mo.

Like many colleagues across our community, I’m dismayed by these cuts. The UK should be building on its scientific strengths, not retreating from them, especially as a new government and new science minister seek to define the country’s future ambitions.

Royal Astronomical Society@royalastrosoc.bsky.social · last mo.

The Royal Astronomical Society is shocked and dismayed to hear that the UK's iconic Jodrell Bank Observatory is at risk of closure amid a slew of catastrophic budget cuts. Read our full statement here: ras.ac.uk/news-and-pre...

Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · last mo.

Just off #BBCR4 World at One, arguing the importance of discovery science (like Jodrell) for long-term economic growth. I said I was heartbroken at the news: evidence just look at how exceptionally excited me & @mamaphysikerin.bsky.social were when we got to stand inside Lovell back in 2017 🥰 🔭🧪

Two blonde women with absolutely massive grins on their faces, in hard hats, inside a massive white radio telescope!
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · last mo.

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...

ˢᶦᵐᵒⁿ ᵐᶦⁿⁿᶦᶜᵃⁿ ᶠʳᵃˢ ☀️🌙🌍✨@minnican.com · last mo.

@andyburnham.bsky.social Can these devastating cuts to UK science be reversed? Reports that Jodrell Bank faces closure (www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...) mark a tragic day for British research. Dismantling our world-class scientific capacity to achieve short-term savings is a profound mistake. Please!🔭

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

Mehdi Hasan@mehdirhasan.bsky.social · 2mo ago

“Debunked! 9 False Claims Made by Rupert Lowe to Joe Rogan About Muslims, Migrants and More” The Restore Britain MP's description of the Dunblane massacre as 'one murder' has been widely and rightly condemned. But at Zeteo UK, we call out his many other offensive and ridiculous claims.

Debunked! 9 False Claims Made by Rupert Lowe to Joe Rogan About Muslims, Migrants and More

The Restore Britain MP's description of the Dunblane massacre as 'one murder' has been widely and rightly condemned. But at Zeteo UK, we call out his many other offensive and ridiculous claims.

zeteo.uk

Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans@astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Jim's started his 1st week as the new @royalastrosoc.bsky.social President with a💥, fighting #STFC funding cuts to astro, particle & nuclear physics 💪 "We urge you to commission a wider study of their impacts, not just on research, but on higher education and the economy as a whole"🔭🧪⚛️

Dear Lord Vallance, Scope of impact assessment for STFC cuts We are writing to you as the Presidents of the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) and the Institute of Physics (IOP) to ask you to seek a full assessment of the impact of the cuts proposed to the particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN) budgets of the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). As you know, the RAS represents more than 4,000 members (Fellows), three quarters of whom are based in the UK, and around half are involved in professional astronomy, space science and geophysics in some capacity. The Institute of Physics represents over 22,000 members working in occupations related to physics, including in academic and industrial research in the PPAN area. The chair of STFC’s PPAN Science Board, Professor Keith Grainge, confirms that he will lead a prioritisation exercise based on the potential cuts to PPAN science. While we in no way support the cuts, we welcome this engagement with the scientific community, but believe that its scope is far too limited. There are significant wider consequences from the proposals that fall beyond the current STFC assessment remit. In particular, the proposed reductions risk serious adverse impacts on university physics and astronomy departments. At a time when many higher education institutions are already facing acute financial pressures, further funding shocks could accelerate course closures, reduce research capacity, and weaken the sustainability of departments that are critical to the UK’s skills pipeline. While we welcome the commitment to 2025/26 postdoc numbers we are concerned as the proposed reductions will still threaten the recruitment of young people into science and risks reducing the supply of doctoral graduates into the wider economy, particularly if project cancellations lead to fewer postgraduate opportunities. In parallel, these decisions carry important implications for the UK’s international standing. Withdrawal from major programmes or a perceived instability in funding risks undermining our position as a trusted and reliable global partner in science, with long-term consequences for collaboration, influence, and the UK’s ability to attract and retain world-class talent. The IOP recently published evidence indicating that over a quarter of physics departments in universities are already at risk of closure . Many of these depend heavily on STFC research grants, which enable them to carry out programmes that make their departments appealing to undergraduates. As so called ‘STEM attractors’, there is related evidence that PPAN science is cited by 50% of physics undergraduates as a key reason for their choice of degree programme. In addition, the follow up evidence supplied to the Commons Select Committee on Science, Innovation and Technology by Professor Catherine Heymans (Astronomer Royal for Scotland), Professor Jon Butterworth and Dr Simon Williams included a survey of the destinations of PhD graduates. It demonstrated that after a decade around three quarters take their skills into the wider economy in areas including data science, AI, defence, teaching and finance, all critical areas for the UK . In these and other ways, PPAN plays a vital role in the supply of skills such as data acquisition, electronics, engineering and computing that are greatly valued in sectors such as defence, automotive, aerospace and other growth driving sectors of the economy. We support the ambition for science to drive growth and welcome additional investments in areas such as quantum, fusion and AI. However, particle physics, astronomy and nuclear are fundamental disciplinary pillars and we are concerned that further reductions to funding for these areas will jeopardise the flow of people, skills and knowledge into growth driving industries. Given the scale of the proposed cuts to PPAN science grants, still likely to be of the order of 30%, it is of vital importance that the leaderships of STFC and UKRI, and Government ministers in DSIT and also in DfE, are fully apprised of their consequences. It is our understanding from your public statements that these cuts are yet to be finalised. We therefore urge you to commission a wider study of their impacts, not just on research, but on higher education and the economy as a whole. Both our organisations would be very happy to assist with this work, and we would of course be delighted to meet you to discuss our concerns in more detail. Professor Jim Wild President, Royal Astronomical Society Professor Paul Howarth CBE President, Institute of Physics
Prof Jim Wild@jim-wild.bsky.social · 4mo ago

IOP President Paul Howarth and I have today written to Science Minister Lord Vallance calling for a full impact assessment of proposed STFC cuts to particle physics, astronomy and nuclear (PPAN) research.