A helpful reminder for anyone who needs one:

Reform UK was called the Brexit Party before 2021.

In 2019, Farage said there was “no difference between the Brexit Party and UKIP in terms of policy.”

Same politics. New branding. Don’t be fooled.

Thanks, very useful!

Amazing!!! I’ve been considering getting an S50 to help me get back into hands-on observing, would you recommend?

FYI: the abstract deadline for NAM has been extended until the 16th! Includes a session on radio astronomy and the SKAO (with a particular focus on work by early career researchers).

A full disc image of Earth, as seen from the Orion Crew Module. The planet is a pale blue, swirling with white clouds and glowing slightly lighter blue in place from reflected light. At lower left, a large brown landmass is Africa, with Spain and Portugal with twinkling lights where the planet curves. At top right, auroras glow in a thin green glow, just barely separated from the planet's surface. Earth is set against the black of space (pic: NASA/R.Wiseman)

More context on this #Artemis II image:

* This is the night side, lit by moonlight. You can see city lights in Spain & Portugal, & a sliver of day at lower right

* The Sun is entirely behind Earth, which makes it a kind of solar eclipse, but w/ Earth doing the eclipsing instead of the Moon:
☀️🌍🚀🌕

Congratulations!!

Higgs Boson was UK triumph, but British physics faces 'catastrophic' cuts Britain is preparing to cancel its contribution to one of the Large Hadron Collider's next major upgrades.

For ⁦‪@SciTechgovuk‬⁩ Lord Vallance says: “"It is not right to portray this as a massive cut. It's not, it’s about managing a budget responsibly". He added that the UK was and would continue to be the second biggest funder experiments @CERN.🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

There's a chance to see a wafer-thin Moon with Venus this week. Are you up to the challenge? | BBC Sky at Night Magazine A chance to see a thin crescent Moon on 19 March 2026 – catch the sweet spot after sunset when the sky is dark before the Moon gets too low.

UK folks: tomorrow evening offers an amazing observational challenge. The Moon will be less than 9 degrees elongation at sunset, but other conditions are favourable. The youngest crescent I’ve ever seen was 18 hours old; this will be 17h! 🔭🌙

www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/moon-ve...

Wow, thanks for posting this!

I’m an early career researcher in astrophysics, and tuned into the session — it was very informative. Thank you for your attention on this. Am really hoping that this can all be resolved in the least damaging way!

Great summary of today's Science, Information & Technology Committee hearing (House of Commons) from @astroroyalscot.bsky.social.

It seems pretty clear that there have been serious structural and governance failures at STFC that have led to the current crisis.

Rows of people wearing orange lanyards in a House of Commons committee hearing. At the front is Catherine sporting her "I'm about to perform an appendectomy" mask and looking particularly snazzy.

Here is my run-down of today's Science, Information & Technology Committee hearing (House of Commons) where @jonbutterworth.bsky.social @si-wills.bsky.social & I argued for no funding cuts, & Prof. Michele Doughtery explained why they were needed. The public gallery again packed with physicists 🔭👩‍🔬⚛️

I appreciate this! I’m an astronomer using remote telescope facilities — the
city I live in shouldn’t matter, I can work from anywhere. It’s good to get experience in different institutions, but it shouldn’t be the make-or-break of a career.

This has definitely piqued my interest! 👀 Will have a more detailed look and might send you an email — I’m assuming you’ll get a lot of interest in the post and it’ll therefore be very competitive.

One point I wanted to pick up on was the notion that ECRs are “lost” to overseas — very valid, but not catastrophic, as they could return in future. There are the ECRs who can’t, or chose not to, move overseas, who then move into non-research roles. V. hard for them to return to academia after that!

Agreed — I was watching along and thought they made an excellent case. Thank you @astroroyalscot.bsky.social @jonbutterworth.bsky.social, and Simon in particular for highlighting the plight of ECRs.

4 March 2026 - Science, Innovation and Technology Committee - Oral evidence session - Committees - UK Parliament 09:00 - The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

Starting at 9:30am "Following reports that the Science & Technology Facilities Council (STFC) is facing significant cost pressures, the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee will hold a one-off evidence session exploring scientific research funding" 🔭 committees.parliament.uk/event/26683/...

4 March 2026 - Science, Innovation and Technology Committee - Oral evidence session - Committees - UK Parliament 09:00 - The Wilson Room, Portcullis House

Astronomers take note: The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee are having another session on Wednesday, taking evidence from (among others) the Prof Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social and STFC Executive Chait Prof Michele Dougherty.

committees.parliament.uk/event/26683/...

Article I co-wrote which covers the astronomy of new crescent Moon visibility in the Islamic calendar! #Ramadan Mubarak to those observing the month ☺️🌙

For anyone in London next weekend - get yourself down to this absolutely wonderful combination of art & astronomy. It’s a really special place.

Open letter from Early Career Researchers to the UKRI investment plan.

We can't let young people pay the price of "outcome-driven strategies". #stfc #ukri

ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io

If you are a postdoc or PhD, read and sign! 🧬🔭🔬⚗️🧪📡🛰️

Is UK science in jeopardy? Huge funding reforms spark chaos and anxiety Major reforms to the United Kingdom’s national research funding agency are aimed at boosting the nation's economy.

The peculiar construction of #STFC, funding national labs & international projects, alongside blueskies research (read: jobs for postdocs, fellows, students...), means it lacks the flexibility to respond to rising costs & shifting priorities within a flat budget. www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Astropotamus followed me 15 mins ago

Hello! FYI it just happened again (15 mins ago). Very strange!

Funding piece Modern astronomy is full of marvels. In recent years we have rejoiced in the success of the James Webb Space Telescope, and been puzzled by the surprisingly vibrant early Universe it is showing us. We...

I've updated my post on the funding crisis heading for British astronomy: docs.google.com/document/d/1.... UKRI made clear that astro and particle physics are being subject to unique cuts due to rising costs elsewhere. This looks like a deliberate decision not to fund fundamental physics. 🔭 🧪

Many thoughts about this, but the doublespeak of the phrase "building on last year’s 15% reduction" is mind-boggling. 🔭🧪

Grim news for particle physics, astronomy & nuclear physics research in UK. 30% cut overall with projects asked to consider options ranging to a 60% cut. These areas are a huge success for the UK internationally and a great inspiration to the next generation of scientists and engineers.

@lukecharters.bsky.social hello! Just bringing this to your attention as it’s a hugely significant threat to my livelihood, (and, you know, British science as a whole). Will also be writing to my own MP, but for now here’s a personal plea to look at this 🙏

I’ll give you a heads up if/when it next happens!

Notification of astropotamus following 10h ago

Sure, I can only see the most recent notification, but there’s a new one from you most days when I log in. Might be a bug based on an astro list? Yours is the only account that it happens with. My apologies, I had assumed it was intentional!