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Hello lovely people! Does anybody have a photograph of a partial solar eclipse viewed through a colander that they would be prepared to let me use please? Ping me here or drop me an email if you can help. Thanks! 🌞

Good to see the STFC funding cuts getting more coverage today - BBC Breakfast was at Jodrell Bank this morning, and I’m quoted in an article in the Telegraph!

BBC News headline: “UK's iconic Jodrell Bank telescope faces axe in science cuts”. Devastating news for UK radio astronomy and really shortsighted. These facilities train large numbers of very capable people who make a difference in a wide variety of careers www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understandsAstronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.www.bbc.co.uk

Another awesome example of easy eclipse viewing techniques! Thanks @seanmcp.bsky.social 😀

If you fancy watching the August 12th 2026 partial eclipse and are in the west midlands, Shropshire Astronomical Society are hosing a family-friendly viewing party from 12pm! Rodington Village Hall (nr Shrewsbury) with safe eclipse viewing, planetariums show, arts and crafts, raffle, and lots more.

Here’s a great example of what you see during a partial solar eclipse using a tree canopy as a makeshift pinhole camera 🤩

The August 12th solar eclipse is less than three weeks away! The easiest and safest way to watch is to find some trees and watch the shadows - here’s an example, each little patch of light is an image of the sun! During the eclipse the moon will obscure part of the sun and the shape will change.

Fabulous workshop by @marymcintyreastro.bsky.social at Shropshire Astronomical Society’s Summer Social last night! I’ve seen plenty of sketches from Mary’s workshops at other events but this is the first time I’ve been able to have a go myself. Pretty pleased with my first crater sketch 🌗

Four weeks on Wednesday, there will be a #SolarEclipse visible as a partial eclipse across large parts of North America and Western Europe, and some of Africa. If you are very lucky, you will be in just the right place to see a total eclipse: eastern Greenland, western Iceland, northern Spain.

"What are those bright stars in the sky right now?" Good question! It's a couple of planets, Venus and Jupiter. Here's a spotter's guide, courtesy of Stellarium. The lines are separated by five degrees.

“What is that bright star in the west?” That’s the planet Venus! It will be visible in the evening sky for a while so do look west after sunset.

Just… wow 🤩 Earth as seen from Artemis II, on its way to the Moon. Aurora over both hemispheres, lightning, zodiacal light… and just think how many sleeping humans are contained in this image. More info and links to other mission imagery: www.nasa.gov/image-articl...

Stopped by the ground floor to say hello to Neil and Buzz before I left work today 😁

Started my day at 5am by talking to BBC News, had a chat with BBC local radio earlier, and will be on 5 Live later this evening. A very long day, keeping going with coffee and Mars bars, but looking forward to seeing Artemis II launch. Fingers crossed for a safe launch & a smooth ride for the crew!

I’m so tired, but determined to stay up to watch (hopefully) the launch of Artemis II! Between getting up before 5am to talk to BBC News, staying up to talk to 5 Live at 10.45pm (and others in between) it’s a veeeeeeery long day 😂 #excited

Mooooooon! iPhone through binoculars. I know, I know, SLS is nuts, we can explore more cheaply with robots, etc, etc, but I’m excited to see humans going back to the Moon. There is just something that much more visceral about having humans go there. #artemis #moon

It was a real pleasure to record an interview this week with Dr Chris Smith from The Naked Scientists for their latest podcast episode all about the exploration of the Moon! You can hear the whole episode, and find out how well chick peas grow in lunar regolith 😋, here:

Return to the MoonReigniting humanity's journey beyond Earth..www.thenakedscientists.com

Looking forward to talking all things Moon-related with high school teachers tomorrow at a CPD event run by The PTI! I’ve been doing subject talks for them for around 10 years now, so much fun talking with teachers who are passionate about their subject - and sharing that with their students

And another! This time requesting my highly valued expertise at the 3rd International Summit on Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering where, apparently, my participation would add tremendous value 😆 #ComedyConferenceInvites

TWO comedy conference invitations in the inbox today. Apparently they would highly value my distinguished keynote contribution at the Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering Summit in Prague, and the Expo on Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in Hamburg! #ComedyConferenceInvites