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scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
Scott Sutherland
@scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
4.4K followers 1.2K following 200 posts
Neutral Good Science Writer covering space and astronomy for The Weather Network. 🇨🇦
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/news/category/space
100% Nerd since 1977: Star Wars, Star Trek, The Expanse, Dark Matter, LEGO, D&D, NASA
(he/him)
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scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
Scott Sutherland @scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social · Nov 10
Hi BlueSky!
I'm Scott, a #science writer covering #space exploration & #astronomy news, as well as eclipses, #meteor showers, #auroras, etc.
Plus, I geek out about #DnD, #StarWars, #StarTrek, #TheExpanse, and esp #LEGO.
If any of that interests you, please follow me (plus it's my birthday).
A screenshot from The Weather Network app of an article written by Scott Sutherland about the Taurid meteor shower. Scott, wearing a Planetary Society "Science is Universal" shirt, stands with actor Wes Chatham, who plays Amos Burton on The Expanse. The Millennium Falcon at Galaxy's Edge in the Hollywood Studios park. A shelf contains custom LEGO models of several NASA landers, rovers and spacecraft. From left to right: Sojourner, Viking, Opportunity, Voyager, Curiosity, Cassini, InSight, Juno, Perseverance, and Ingenuity. Of these, only Curiosity is an official LEGO model, the rest are Scott's creations, and even Curiosity is heavily modified from the original build.
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
astrowright.bsky.social
Some have argued to me strongly that even if Loeb is wrong, he’s getting people interested in 3I/ATLAS and that’s a good thing for science.

But Loeb isn't just wrong, he's recklessly following an old playbook that got 39 people killed in 1997.

sites.psu.edu/astrowright/...
Loeb’s Behavior is Reckless
I’ve largely ignored Loeb for the past few weeks. When he started in on his 3I/ATLAS thing, there were plenty of mainstream media outlets willing to give his claims a wide and credulous platform, and ...
sites.psu.edu
December 7, 2025 at 5:52 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
This weekend, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, the universe is expected to deliver an amazing show, in the form of the annual #Geminid meteor shower.
#space #NightSky #astronomy

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Look up! The fabulous Geminid meteor shower peaks this week - The Weather Network
If you have any clear night skies this week, bundle up and get outside to see the best meteor shower of the year!
www.theweathernetwork.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:37 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
A microphone on NASA's Perseverance rover has recorded the sounds of Martian dust devils whirling by, but also picked up a surprise — distinct snaps and pops indicating that tiny sparks of lightning were discharging from the dusty vortices as they passed.

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Wow! NASA's Perserverance rover detected lightning on Mars! - The Weather Network
Listen as a dust devil sweeps past the Perseverance rover, producing tiny pops of thunder as it generates sparks of static electricity in the dry Martian air.
www.theweathernetwork.com
December 6, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
allthegalaxies.galaxyzoo.org
A spiral galaxy, observed with the Hubble Space Telescope in the GEMS survey.

It is at redshift 0.65 (lookback time 6.21 billion years) with coordinates (52.86526, -27.96688).

136 volunteers classified this galaxy in Galaxy Zoo: Hubble.
A spiral galaxy from the Galaxy Zoo: Hubble project, classified by 136 volunteers.
November 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
philplait.bsky.social
Life can be extremely difficult to navigate. I'm lucky enough to have found my way. Maybe I can help you figure out how to find yours.

badastronomy.beehiiv.com/p/what-works...
What works for you?
A big key to getting my life together was trying different stuff until it fit me
badastronomy.beehiiv.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
weathernetwork.bsky.social
Spectacular aurora displays were seen across the Prairies and northern U.S. this week, including right over Winnipeg, where the night sky lit up in waves of green, purple and pink. https://ow.ly/84TU50Xo5vS
Northern Lights shine over Winnipeg after powerful solar flare - The Weather Network
Night skies across Manitoba and the northern U.S. lit up green and purple as a solar storm rolled in.
ow.ly
November 7, 2025 at 1:00 AM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
A volatile region of the Sun, crackling with flares and blasting solar storms into space, is setting us up for some intense space weather tonight, and in the nights ahead!

#auroraborealis #northernlights

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Northern Lights forecast to shine over Canada Thursday night - The Weather Network
Look up! You may see the Aurora Borealis dancing across the sky above!
www.theweathernetwork.com
November 7, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
allthegalaxies.galaxyzoo.org
An edge-on disk galaxy, observed with the Hubble Space Telescope in the GOODS-S-FULLDEPTH survey.

It is at redshift 0.61 (lookback time 5.96 billion years) with coordinates (53.04490, -27.69601).

40 volunteers classified this galaxy in Galaxy Zoo: Hubble.
A edge-on disk galaxy from the Galaxy Zoo: Hubble project, classified by 40 volunteers.
November 3, 2025 at 5:19 AM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
allthegalaxies.galaxyzoo.org
A spiral galaxy, observed with the Apache Point 2.5m Telescope in the SDSS survey.

It is at redshift 0.018 (lookback time 257.3 million years) with coordinates (193.01476, 51.68005).

49 volunteers classified this galaxy in Galaxy Zoo 2.
A spiral galaxy from the Galaxy Zoo 2 project, classified by 49 volunteers.
November 1, 2025 at 4:20 AM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
My best shot of the Super Hunter's Harvest Moon from last night. I think this might be the best pic of the Moon my phone camera has ever taken, and yet, it's still not great. 😅
The October 6, 2025 Full Moon is visible between power lines and tree branches. The Moon looks slightly yellow, and some of the dark maria are visible, although blurry.
October 7, 2025 at 3:05 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
Despite the name, equal night and day does not happen on the #equinox. So, when does #equilux occur and why?

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Welcome to Fall! It's the Equinox, but why aren't we seeing equal day and night? - The Weather Network
Equinox vs Equilux: When do we see equal day and night this fall?
www.theweathernetwork.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:03 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
The ringed planet, #Saturn, reaches "Opposition" this weekend, when it will be positioned on the exact opposite side of Earth from the Sun, and we will see the planet at its brightest in the sky since 2010! #NightSky #Astronomy

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Look up to see Saturn at its brightest in 15 years this weekend - The Weather Network
On the night of "Saturn's Day" the planet will shine brightly in the sky!
www.theweathernetwork.com
September 20, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
npr.org
Pythagorean Triple Square Day, as one man affectionately calls 9/16/25, is a day like no other this century.
On 9/16/25, celebrate a date of mathematical beauty
Pythagorean Triple Square Day, as one man affectionately calls 9/16/25, is a day like no other this century.
n.pr
September 16, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
davidbflower.bsky.social
Final reminder for early risers or late nighters, tomorrow morning the Waning Crescent Moon appears close to Jupiter. Will be a beautiful sight with Castor and Pollux too. Great photographic opportunity. 🔭 🧪 #astrophotography
September 15, 2025 at 9:17 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
As we approach the Fall Equinox, magnetic connections between the Sun and Earth ramp up the #NorthernLights, and we just witnessed a perfect example of this as brilliant #auroras lit up the skies. Plus, another round of auroras may shine tonight.

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Northern Lights round 2 could shine Monday night thanks to a hole on the Sun - The Weather Network
Aurora season is upon us, and it's off to a great start!
www.theweathernetwork.com
September 15, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
allthegalaxies.galaxyzoo.org
An edge-on disk galaxy, observed with the Apache Point 2.5m Telescope in the SDSS survey.

It is at redshift 0.008 (lookback time 114.4 million years) with coordinates (170.64746, 20.70392).

39 volunteers classified this galaxy in Galaxy Zoo 2.
A edge-on disk galaxy from the Galaxy Zoo 2 project, classified by 39 volunteers.
September 10, 2025 at 4:21 AM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
allthegalaxies.galaxyzoo.org
A barred spiral galaxy in a merger, observed with the Apache Point 2.5m Telescope in the SDSS survey.

It is at redshift 0.070 (lookback time 964.3 million years) with coordinates (230.03091, 11.86759).

43 volunteers classified this galaxy in Galaxy Zoo 2.
A barred spiral galaxy in a merger from the Galaxy Zoo 2 project, classified by 43 volunteers.
September 7, 2025 at 2:15 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
Why Canada is missing out on Sunday's Total Lunar Eclipse (and how to see it anyway)

- hint, it happens Sunday _afternoon_ for us. Read the article for more info and a livestream of the event!

#TotalLunarEclipse #Canada #astronomy

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Why Canada misses out on Sunday's Total Lunar Eclipse (and how to see it anyway) - The Weather Network
Earth, itself, blocks Canada's view of this 'blood moon', but there's still a way to watch!
www.theweathernetwork.com
September 6, 2025 at 7:06 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
The Full Corn Moon shines in the sky this weekend.

#NightSky #FullMoon

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Look up! The Full Corn Moon rises Sunday night - The Weather Network
Check out the Moon after sunset or just before sunrise to see it looking huge in the night sky!
www.theweathernetwork.com
September 6, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Reposted by Scott Sutherland
xkcd.com
Sea Level

xkcd.com/3135/
Comic. [Two people on shore looking at body of water] PERSON 1: Hey, where’s that big island we were looking at this morning? PERSON 2 with short hair: Oh, it’s underwater. The ocean’s depth here goes up and down by like ten feet every day. PERSON 1: What? PERSON 2: It’s because the planet has a big moon orbiting near the surface. It causes weird gravity effects. PERSON 1: *What???* [caption] People here are used to them, but tides are one of the weirdest and most sci-fi elements of life on Earth.
September 2, 2025 at 8:00 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
New research appears to confirm lightning's extraterrestrial origin, due to cosmic rays hitting the top of the atmosphere.
#weather #thunderstorms #lightning #science

www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
Lightning's cosmic origin confirmed by new research - The Weather Network
Thunderstorms get an extraterrestrial kick to produce lightning!
www.theweathernetwork.com
August 9, 2025 at 4:03 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
I've just added instructions for my #LEGO NASA InSight Lander to the Rebrickable site:
#space #Mars #science
rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-229...
NASA'S Mars InSight Lander
For over 4 years, from November 26, 2018 to December 15, 2022, NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport mission, or InSight, performed...
rebrickable.com
July 29, 2025 at 12:56 AM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
There's an article in EOS about my friend Tanya Harrison (@tanyaofmars.bsky.social) about her time 'roving on Mars'. 😁

eos.org/features/tan...
Tanya Harrison: Roving on Mars - Eos
This planetary geologist has worked on nearly every Mars rover while connecting government, universities, the private sector, and the public.
eos.org
July 28, 2025 at 5:49 PM
scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
NASA's eye on the Sun, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, took a little break on Friday, to watch two different solar eclipses throughout the day.
#space #solareclipse
www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
NASA satellite captured two solar eclipses in one day - The Weather Network
The Moon and Earth periodically 'photobomb' this crucial space weather mission.
www.theweathernetwork.com
July 26, 2025 at 11:59 PM