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astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
@astroroyalscot.bsky.social
19K followers 820 following 2.5K posts
Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Professor of Astrophysics, Edinburgh University. Director of the German Centre for Cosmological Lensing, RUB. #LongCovid (She/her)
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · Oct 17
Lovely to wake up to so many new arrivals 🤗 It takes a bit of effort to collate your timeline & find your feeds, but it's 💯worth it!

As a welcome, here is my favourite pic of the May24 #Aurora on Portobello beach #Edinburgh, where I live with my 2 sons, 2 cats & partner (eldest child is at Uni).🔭
It's night and we're looking out over the sea to sparkly lights on the far shore. Up in the sky are curtains of colour, pinks, greens and reds (the aurora) and some stary dots in the sky.
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Baby seal live solar-powered webcam anyone? Only ~one more week before they leave the rocks and head off into the sea.

📽️: www.seabird.org/webcams/crai...

From the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scottish Seabird centre team working on the small island of Craigleith, in the Firth of Forth.
A rocky scene with two large grey seals and two little fluffy white ones with big black eyes.
November 6, 2025 at 11:39 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
So what is a #Supermoon? Well, the Moon is typically ~¼ million miles away (30 Earths in a row), but thanks to its elliptical orbit, that distance changes. Tonight the Full Moon is 2-Earths closer than normal (221,823 miles away), making it appear ~15% brighter than usual hence #Supermoon! 🔭🧪
astroroyalscot.bsky.social Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · Nov 16
If you've got clear skies, go outside and wave at our neighbour who is looking particularly stunning tonight. And if you have them, root out the binoculars to get a closer look at the grey maria: ~3.5 billion years ago these were seas of molten lava 🤓 #supermoon 🔭🧪
A moonlit beach with ripples in the sand. The water is reflecting the moon light with tiny fluffy clouds in the sky. In the foreground is the wooden breaker and a red metal marker with the number 2 on the top of it.
November 5, 2025 at 4:04 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Your guide to the November night skies courtesy of @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social. Wishing you all clear skies and lots of lovely #Leonid 'shooting stars' (meteor shower peaks on the 17th)! 🤞🧪🔭🤩
An Infographic from the Astronomical Society of Edinburgh showing the November 2025 Highlights as a list. You can find the text-only format here: https://www.astronomyedinburgh.org/2025/10/24/sky-diary-november-2025/
November 2, 2025 at 12:24 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
🥳My 1st cosmic-comic-collab hits the shelves today in the "Geology Rocks" edition of Aquila Magazine (for 8-14yos). The amazing comic artist Edward Ross created "Galactro the Elder God", a chef who demos his (astrophysically accurate) neutron star recipe to make gold goujons! Dee-licious! #scicomm 🔭
A pink wide-eyed alien is looking at a small shining circle of light. The text reads "This tiny delicacy is only 20km across, craved by star-munching elder gods across the universe! A single teaspoon of this star would weigh more than all the mammals on Planet Earth!" A smaller large-eared green alien is standing in the dark rain with balls flying past him. The text reads "Oi you gotta see this, Chef! The neutrons are crashin' into the atoms in the cloud, turnin' them into different, heavier elements!" And the balls flying past are saying "Copper", "Silver", "Platinum".
November 1, 2025 at 8:25 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
This week I've been e-chatting with photographer Lynn Gilbert who took this stunning portrait of Grace Hopper (1906-1992) legend & pioneer of language-based computer programming. 🧪👩‍🔬
You can read Hopper's own words about her experience in Lynn's wonderful interview: www.lynn-gilbert.com/free-chapters
A stern looking older woman in a Navy uniform stares straight at the camera. Behind her is an old large computer with large circular data tapes along the top. Just about her right shoulder is a badge stuck to the casing with sellotape. It says "You're the Boss" which is exactly what the women's expression is mirroring. She is certainly The Boss!
October 31, 2025 at 5:35 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Happily drove through Auchtermuchty on the way home from Dundee yesterday….iykyk 🦊🎩

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kb0k...
Fox hat
YouTube video by JZVQ
www.youtube.com
October 30, 2025 at 2:04 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Mind has been officially blown by seeing Saturn and its moon Titan through the Mills Observatory Victorian 10" Cooke telescope. WOW! Every time I've visited before, the clouds have come too, but not today! This old technology still works perfectly with a clockwork tracking mechanism. Stunning 🥳👌 🔭
A long old and rather large (several meters long) telescope pointing out of an open telescope dome.
October 28, 2025 at 9:13 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Did I mention how much I love #Dundee! Having a super visit for the #Mills Observatory 90th b'day celebrations. Packed talk at the Steps Theatre last night, 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿STV this morning, Ancrum Rd Primary asking lots of space questions at lunch, & tonight a party at Mills🥳. Crossing fingers for clear skies! 🔭
A picture of the Mills observatory under construction. A man is standing precariously on top of the half-finished dome. Catherine is looking up at it holding a microphone. From Insta@DundeeCulture A film crew filming Catherine in a telescope dome. She is in full flow, arms waving, hair blowing, smiling/laughing, no doubt talking about how much she loves space.
October 28, 2025 at 5:16 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Anyone looking for some #halloween costume ideas?
weirdscotland.bsky.social Old Weird Scotland @weirdscotland.bsky.social · 16d
Whither Halloween?

Nobody takes the time to carve lanterns out of neeps nowadays, and nobody takes the time to scrape out a sheepskin and skull for their costume. Sigh.
#OldWeirdScotland

South Uist guisers, 1932
(📷Margaret Fay Shaw)
a black and white photo of two children wearing sheepskins over their faces and bodies, heavy boots, and holding shepherds' crooks. a black and white photo of two children wearing loose heavy clothes and masks made from sheepskin.
October 25, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Reposted by Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
🔊Calling #Dundee! Mills, the UK's 1st public observatory, is about to turn 90! This time last year looming budget cuts threatened its closure forever, but overwhelming public support saved it🥳. Do join us for the 90th🎂birthday celebrations on the 27th Oct! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🔭

🎟️: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/professor-...
astroroyalscot.bsky.social Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · Dec 2
Hot-off-the-press news: this evening Dundee City Council voted to formally approve the recommendation that the Mills Observatory remains open for the public to use! Huge thanks go to Dr Gilchrist, chair of the Dundee Astronomical Society, who has worked tirelessly to secure this win 🥳🔭🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
October 5, 2025 at 7:34 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Started learning about the 1935 opening of Mills Observatory. Left knowing all about Lady Georgiana (the Earls' daughter), who was forced into a loveless marriage with Lieut Home Kidston instead of her true love Roger Bushell who masterminded the "Great Escape" from a WW2 POW camp. #ThanksBlueSky 🤗
astroroyalscot.bsky.social Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 17d
Searching 1935 Newspaper archives in prep for the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Mills Observatory 90th bday party & 😲 it was opened with a kitty of £4000 (£¼ million today)! Philanthropist John Mills sure gave #Dundee a fine gift. Also 🥰 the Earl's glamourous daughter!🔭
Mon 27th Oct 🎟️: www.dundeecity.gov.uk/events/event...
An old newspaper clipping from 1935. On the right a story "Opening of the Mills Observatory. Formally handed Over with £4000 to Council. Highly Efficient and Going Concern." On the left "People in the News; Earl Howe's Daughter Engaged" with an image of a glamorous woman, in a hat, with a large mink fur ruff adorning her shoulders. It says "Motor Racing Families' Romance" - which sounds very racy!
October 24, 2025 at 5:20 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Searching 1935 Newspaper archives in prep for the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Mills Observatory 90th bday party & 😲 it was opened with a kitty of £4000 (£¼ million today)! Philanthropist John Mills sure gave #Dundee a fine gift. Also 🥰 the Earl's glamourous daughter!🔭
Mon 27th Oct 🎟️: www.dundeecity.gov.uk/events/event...
An old newspaper clipping from 1935. On the right a story "Opening of the Mills Observatory. Formally handed Over with £4000 to Council. Highly Efficient and Going Concern." On the left "People in the News; Earl Howe's Daughter Engaged" with an image of a glamorous woman, in a hat, with a large mink fur ruff adorning her shoulders. It says "Motor Racing Families' Romance" - which sounds very racy!
October 24, 2025 at 3:25 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
"What would happen if you were to gather a mole (unit of measurement) of moles (the furry critter) in one place?" On Mole Day, enjoy @xkcd.com's classic what-if: A Mole of moles 🔗: what-if.xkcd.com/4/

"If these moles were released onto the Earth’s surface, they’d fill it up to 80 km deep" 🤔🤓
A sketch showing the Earth's Mantel, thin crust, a small blip (Mount Everest), a think layer of Moles, displaced air, Space and in the top right corned the International Space Station. From https://what-if.xkcd.com/4/
October 23, 2025 at 3:30 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Congrats to @carersinstemm.bsky.social for a successful and insightful launch event in Edinburgh's grand Playfair library. They're calling for systemic changes to funding, policy & culture to support carers in STEM.
Read more 👉 carersinstemm.co.uk & join future events in London/Manchester/Online 👩‍🔬🧪
carersinstemm.bsky.social Carers In STEMM @carersinstemm.bsky.social · 18d
Today marked the 1st of our “Roadshow” events to formally launch our survey report in the stunning venue of the Playfair library - Edinburgh

A huge thank you to panellists @pallettlab.bsky.social @astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Wei-Yu Lu (father, MRC fellow)
Janette Wark (EPSRC)
Adrian Lu (GCU)

👏👏👏
October 23, 2025 at 6:56 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Never one to be thwarted by a bit of patchy cloud cover 🤔 I am hereby joining the #Comet #Lemmon fanclub 😂
It's a cute one (and check out👇 @stuartatkinson.bsky.social's images to see how cute it really is when the Edinburgh streetlight-hazy clouds aren't photobombing it). 🔭 #seestar
Text reads: C2025 A6 (Lemmon) 2min Seestar S30 The image shows a hazy sky with some faint stars and a whoosh of a comet. It's got a bright wight core and then a swoosh upwards.
October 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
A nice wee piece about my visit to the fab #Kirkcudbright Dark Space Planetarium in the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Daily Record.

The Planetarium is near the Galloway Dark Sky Park (soon-to-be-built Scottish #DarkSky Observatory) & James Clerk Maxwell's grave. All well worth a visit! 🔭

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-n...
October 22, 2025 at 5:14 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
🔊Announcing a new Physics/Astro PhD scholarship scheme in Edinburgh, for students from a Black heritage, inc mixed Black background. Please help me spread the word. The scholarship covers all tuition fees, living costs & research travel. #blackinSTEM 🔭👩‍🔬⚛️

ℹ️: www.ph.ed.ac.uk/studying/pos...
October 20, 2025 at 3:52 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Well it's not every day that you get to stand on the site of a brand new Observatory! This is Clatteringshaws loch, in the Galloway Forest #DarkSky Park, home of the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scottish Dark Sky Observatory. Construction starts soon and like a phoenix SDSO will rise from the ashes! Re-opening mid-2027. 🥳🔭🧪
It's a dreich cloudy Autumnal day, but Catherine is nevertheless smiling in front of a very scenic loch with mountains in the distance. This patch of grass is about to have two observatory domes built on it. An old white stone brick single story building that will become the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory visitors centre. The trees in the distance have red autumn leaves on them. In the scrub a sign reads Welcome to The Scottish Dark Sky Observatory, and then below that a rather unwelcome "Private Land" :)
October 18, 2025 at 7:05 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Had a very happy morning at the #Kirkcudbright Dark Space Planetarium this week. A fab interactive exhibit plus a gorgeous immersive experience in the planetarium. It's so unique to have such a state-of-the-art science centre in this 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 rural setting, and the team there are just awesome. #scicomm 🔭
The staff at the Dark Space Planetarium with Catherine standing at the stone-bricked entrance. Amusingly Vicky, wearing a very cool space dress, had to stand up two steps to be the same height as Catherine (who is ridiculously tall at 6ft and a bit). Everyone looking happy. A snapshot of the inside of the science centre showing a spectacular wall display of space and constellations and the Earth, along side a diagram of a space suit with the title "Dressed for Space"
October 17, 2025 at 5:44 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Amused by the 13yo's lexicon - just got a message from their train heading South

"Dad has been a total donut"

Turns out he forgot the railcard, but crisis averted thanks to a kind ticket inspector and a speedily sent photograph of it. Thanks @lner.co.uk
October 17, 2025 at 7:54 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Went on a little pilgrimage today to Parton, the resting place of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scotland’s very own Einstein, James Clerk Maxwell. Quite the pause when I realised he was only one year older than me (48) when he died. ⚛️🔭
A Rusty iron gate with metal flowers in the ironwork. In the background is a gravestone with the names of the James Clerk Maxwell family
October 14, 2025 at 5:21 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Tomorrow is my youngest's 13th birthday: when the clock strikes midnight, will he lose the power of rational thought and the use of his arms? #HesBecomeATeenager

📺: www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLuE...
Kevin becomes a teenager - BBC comedy
YouTube video by BBC Studios
www.youtube.com
October 11, 2025 at 2:30 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Me and my good pal Andrew from @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social gatecrashed a local #supermoon gathering last night with his Dobsonian🔭. Minds were blown as we looked at the lunar mare and craters through patchy holes in the cloud cover. Pop-up sidewalk astronomy at its best - loved it!
People pointing up at the stars. In the centre a reasonably large telescope looks up towards the moon. A gathering of people lit up by the supermoon moonlight in patchy cloud People huddled around a telescope, the moon in the sky. The astronomers red light gives the scene an eerie glow.
October 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
I love it that everyone loves a #supermoon. Tonight is the night so #DoLookUp!

Fine print: this astronomical event comes with a expectation-management disclaimer:
*The Supermoon is only 15% brighter than a normal full moon and I personally can not tell the difference 🤔
*Every moon is SUPER🔭🥳
astroroyalscot.bsky.social Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · Nov 16
If you've got clear skies, go outside and wave at our neighbour who is looking particularly stunning tonight. And if you have them, root out the binoculars to get a closer look at the grey maria: ~3.5 billion years ago these were seas of molten lava 🤓 #supermoon 🔭🧪
A moonlit beach with ripples in the sand. The water is reflecting the moon light with tiny fluffy clouds in the sky. In the foreground is the wooden breaker and a red metal marker with the number 2 on the top of it.
October 7, 2025 at 6:59 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
🔊Calling #Dundee! Mills, the UK's 1st public observatory, is about to turn 90! This time last year looming budget cuts threatened its closure forever, but overwhelming public support saved it🥳. Do join us for the 90th🎂birthday celebrations on the 27th Oct! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🔭

🎟️: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/professor-...
astroroyalscot.bsky.social Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · Dec 2
Hot-off-the-press news: this evening Dundee City Council voted to formally approve the recommendation that the Mills Observatory remains open for the public to use! Huge thanks go to Dr Gilchrist, chair of the Dundee Astronomical Society, who has worked tirelessly to secure this win 🥳🔭🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
October 5, 2025 at 7:34 AM