Scott Sutherland
@scotttwnsciwriter.bsky.social
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)
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)
Here is a different shot of the #Moon from last night, with different framing. I added the yellow circle, myself, to illustrate how big the Moon _looked_, due to the Moon Illusion.
October 7, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Here is a different shot of the #Moon from last night, with different framing. I added the yellow circle, myself, to illustrate how big the Moon _looked_, due to the Moon Illusion.
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. 😅
October 7, 2025 at 3:05 PM
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. 😅
It's #TaliTuesday, when I share pics of our Shepherd/Huskey/Heeler(?), Tali'Zorah!
Here she is contemplated life's mysteries, her setting ambitious goals for herself, and her not being afraid to put herself out there.
Here she is contemplated life's mysteries, her setting ambitious goals for herself, and her not being afraid to put herself out there.
July 22, 2025 at 5:04 PM
It's #TaliTuesday, when I share pics of our Shepherd/Huskey/Heeler(?), Tali'Zorah!
Here she is contemplated life's mysteries, her setting ambitious goals for herself, and her not being afraid to put herself out there.
Here she is contemplated life's mysteries, her setting ambitious goals for herself, and her not being afraid to put herself out there.
I should be adding a few more sets to the site soon - Perseverance and Ingenuity should be up next, followed by Sojourner, and maybe InSight after that.
June 5, 2025 at 11:15 PM
I should be adding a few more sets to the site soon - Perseverance and Ingenuity should be up next, followed by Sojourner, and maybe InSight after that.
For the #LEGO fans out there, I now have instructions for 4 of my custom models on Rebrickable - City of Toronto, Sabine's speeder bike, my update to the Curiosity rover, and the MER Opportunity rover (scaled to Curiosity).
All are free to download!
rebrickable.com/users/Atonin...
All are free to download!
rebrickable.com/users/Atonin...
June 5, 2025 at 12:41 PM
For the #LEGO fans out there, I now have instructions for 4 of my custom models on Rebrickable - City of Toronto, Sabine's speeder bike, my update to the Curiosity rover, and the MER Opportunity rover (scaled to Curiosity).
All are free to download!
rebrickable.com/users/Atonin...
All are free to download!
rebrickable.com/users/Atonin...
Ad astra, Marc Garneau. 🇨🇦🚀
June 5, 2025 at 12:08 AM
Ad astra, Marc Garneau. 🇨🇦🚀
I found an interesting Pending Report on the American Meteor Society page, of a 20s long "red object" with a "tail behind it", spotted from Florida at 6:30 UTC on May 10. fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo_...
However, would Kosmos482e be travelling E->W or W->E near Florida? (See the azimuths)
However, would Kosmos482e be travelling E->W or W->E near Florida? (See the azimuths)
May 10, 2025 at 6:47 PM
I found an interesting Pending Report on the American Meteor Society page, of a 20s long "red object" with a "tail behind it", spotted from Florida at 6:30 UTC on May 10. fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo_...
However, would Kosmos482e be travelling E->W or W->E near Florida? (See the azimuths)
However, would Kosmos482e be travelling E->W or W->E near Florida? (See the azimuths)
Final ground-track maps from SatTrackCam Leiden (b)log (left) and ESA (right) for the reentry of #Kosmos482.
May 10, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Final ground-track maps from SatTrackCam Leiden (b)log (left) and ESA (right) for the reentry of #Kosmos482.
Here is the ESA's latest ground track map, showing four possible tracks for reentry, based on their calculations.
The red dot is the midpoint, with a 3 hour, 16 minute, & 48 second uncertainty on either side.
More water than land along those tracks, but still, a lot of large urban areas along some.
The red dot is the midpoint, with a 3 hour, 16 minute, & 48 second uncertainty on either side.
More water than land along those tracks, but still, a lot of large urban areas along some.
May 9, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Here is the ESA's latest ground track map, showing four possible tracks for reentry, based on their calculations.
The red dot is the midpoint, with a 3 hour, 16 minute, & 48 second uncertainty on either side.
More water than land along those tracks, but still, a lot of large urban areas along some.
The red dot is the midpoint, with a 3 hour, 16 minute, & 48 second uncertainty on either side.
More water than land along those tracks, but still, a lot of large urban areas along some.
For those not in the know, Lick's was a burger chain mostly in and around the Toronto area. It was even mentioned in the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels.
April 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM
For those not in the know, Lick's was a burger chain mostly in and around the Toronto area. It was even mentioned in the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels.
We do the open-mouthed Muppet thing all the time.
March 16, 2025 at 2:17 AM
We do the open-mouthed Muppet thing all the time.
Have you seen the Planet Parade yet? It's still on display in the evening sky throughout February.
#space
www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
#space
www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
February 5, 2025 at 11:55 PM
Have you seen the Planet Parade yet? It's still on display in the evening sky throughout February.
#space
www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
#space
www.theweathernetwork.com/en/news/scie...
We have a new member of our family.
January 18, 2025 at 3:44 AM
We have a new member of our family.
Sorry, Regina George, but fetch happens whether you like it or not.
#weather #meteorology #snow #lakeeffectsnow #MeanGirls
#weather #meteorology #snow #lakeeffectsnow #MeanGirls
December 12, 2024 at 3:00 PM
Sorry, Regina George, but fetch happens whether you like it or not.
#weather #meteorology #snow #lakeeffectsnow #MeanGirls
#weather #meteorology #snow #lakeeffectsnow #MeanGirls
So, I had a fairly interesting morning. Little ambulance trip to the ER, a couple of hours and a CAT scan later, diagnosis: I have a 4mm kidney stone working its way through my system.
Certainly explains the intense pain that prompted the 911 call in the first place.
Bonus: didn't cost me a thing.
Certainly explains the intense pain that prompted the 911 call in the first place.
Bonus: didn't cost me a thing.
December 5, 2024 at 6:37 PM
So, I had a fairly interesting morning. Little ambulance trip to the ER, a couple of hours and a CAT scan later, diagnosis: I have a 4mm kidney stone working its way through my system.
Certainly explains the intense pain that prompted the 911 call in the first place.
Bonus: didn't cost me a thing.
Certainly explains the intense pain that prompted the 911 call in the first place.
Bonus: didn't cost me a thing.
Walking through the park after sunset, catching Pokemon with my wife, we spotted not only the International Space Station (blue arrow), but Tiangong (green arrow), too!
#space
#space
November 18, 2024 at 11:07 PM
Walking through the park after sunset, catching Pokemon with my wife, we spotted not only the International Space Station (blue arrow), but Tiangong (green arrow), too!
#space
#space
Here is the rest of the display, with more details. I'd heard about this awhile ago, but totally forgot about it until my wife pointed it out when we were there.
November 13, 2024 at 4:43 AM
Here is the rest of the display, with more details. I'd heard about this awhile ago, but totally forgot about it until my wife pointed it out when we were there.
Oh! I totally forgot to post this super cool #Space fact from my trip to #Disney World last month!
The #LEGO store at Disney Springs has this display with a LEGO brick (2x4) that was printed from #meteorite!
The #LEGO store at Disney Springs has this display with a LEGO brick (2x4) that was printed from #meteorite!
November 13, 2024 at 4:37 AM
Oh! I totally forgot to post this super cool #Space fact from my trip to #Disney World last month!
The #LEGO store at Disney Springs has this display with a LEGO brick (2x4) that was printed from #meteorite!
The #LEGO store at Disney Springs has this display with a LEGO brick (2x4) that was printed from #meteorite!
These plots show the solar wind today - top plot density, bottom velocity. Earth (green dot) is right in the middle of a low-density, high-speed stream from a coronal hole on the Sun.
November 10, 2024 at 10:24 PM
These plots show the solar wind today - top plot density, bottom velocity. Earth (green dot) is right in the middle of a low-density, high-speed stream from a coronal hole on the Sun.
No telling how long the solar wind magnetic field will remain negative (it's already fluctuating back and forth between - & + now), but this could mean some active auroras tonight, at least for a bit... _probably_ more focused on western Canada, but could include brief bursts of aurora activity.
November 10, 2024 at 10:13 PM
No telling how long the solar wind magnetic field will remain negative (it's already fluctuating back and forth between - & + now), but this could mean some active auroras tonight, at least for a bit... _probably_ more focused on western Canada, but could include brief bursts of aurora activity.
Speaking of #auroras Earth appears to be in the middle of a high speed flow of the solar wind. This flow has a fairly strong negative magnetic polarity (graph, top plot, in red). Thus, Earth's magnetic field is snagging a lot of solar particles, which may push auroras down into southern Ontario.
November 10, 2024 at 10:00 PM
Speaking of #auroras Earth appears to be in the middle of a high speed flow of the solar wind. This flow has a fairly strong negative magnetic polarity (graph, top plot, in red). Thus, Earth's magnetic field is snagging a lot of solar particles, which may push auroras down into southern Ontario.
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).
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).
November 10, 2024 at 9:25 PM
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).
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).
I picked up this 3D glow-in-the-dark Moon puzzle a month or so ago, and it may be the most unique puzzle I've ever encountered. There are numbers and arrows on the back of the pieces to guide the order of putting it together, but I've flipped them all face-up to make it more of a challenge.
November 8, 2024 at 4:21 PM
I picked up this 3D glow-in-the-dark Moon puzzle a month or so ago, and it may be the most unique puzzle I've ever encountered. There are numbers and arrows on the back of the pieces to guide the order of putting it together, but I've flipped them all face-up to make it more of a challenge.