Just found out that AXIS has been disqualified as 10% over budget.
Nothing to do with 20 staff lost to White House cuts, 6-week gov shutdown, moves to kill the Probe programme.
The science was never reviewed.
This is the result of political chaos.
www.science.org/content/arti...
#astro
Just seen a fascinating talk by @kazuakiyama.bsky.social on the proposed Black Hole Explorer mission.
A space based addition to the Event Horizon Telescope, it would allow measurement of the photon ring allowing the first direct measurement of black hole spin!
www.blackholeexplorer.org
#astro
On an AdvanceHE Leadership course today, something more academics should do, particularly if they review proposals.
It's easy to view leadership as chairing working groups, heading collaborations...
But it's much more.
Assessing leadership well requires understanding what leadership actually is.
A silhouette of the Scott monument in Edinburgh
Played with the colour balance and ended up with this silhouette of The Scott Monument at dusk. Quite pleased with how it turned out.
Otis is worried for his beagle pal 😅
Where’s Snoopy?
Train station board showing the next train to Edinburgh
A can of limonate and a switch console on a tray table on a train
On my way to Edinburgh for the Massive Black Hole Spin workshop that I’m co-organising at the Higgs Centre for Theoretical Physics!
Think I’m settled in for the next four hours 😅
higgs.ph.ed.ac.uk/workshops/ma...
A beagle and his capybara toy laying on a yellow duvet
I arrived to this scene, I don’t know what happened, but Otis and Capybara don’t seem to be talking to each other anymore 🤭
#dogsofbluesky
So cute 🥰
A cute beagle stretching on me, sniffing my hand
A cute beagle stretching on me, looking up at me
A cute beagle stretching on me, poking his tongue out
The anatomy of an Otis welcome home 🐶 😛
#dogsofbluesky
Oh wow, I love this 😍
I love the Lapras 💙
They’re all gorgeous ☺️
Finally some clarity on the #STFC budget: it's falling in real terms as UKRI spending rises. A conscious decision has been made to decrease UK funding for fundamental physics, despite all the evidence that our blue skies research is key for economic growth.
Thank you @resprofnews.bsky.social!
Excellent summary of the cuts to grant funding that the PPAN community is now facing at the @ioppublishing.bsky.social APP and HEPP meeting, and how we should respond to it as a community. 🧪🔭
#UKRI #PPAN #ScienceFunding
#APPHEPP26
A cute beagle peering around a door
A cute beagle sitting politely
Do I smell cheese, father?
You know a tax must be paid…
🧀🧀🧀
#dogsofbluesky
How did it turn out?
Poster for the AGN on the beach conference
AGN on the Beach II: A multi-scale view of jetted AGN
Registration open
📅 21–25 Sep 2026 | Diani, Kenya
⏰ Abstract deadline: 17 April 2026
One of the first international astronomy conferences in East Africa, I’m proud to be on the SOC. Submit your abstracts!
www.jb.man.ac.uk/AGNbeachII/
#astro
![[alt text by NASA] The Moon, seen here backlit by the Sun during a solar eclipse on April 6, 2026, is photographed by one of the cameras on the Orion spacecraft’s solar array wings. Orion is visible in the foreground on the left. Earth is reflecting sunlight at the left edge of the Moon, which is slightly brighter than the rest of the disk. The bright spot visible just below the Moon’s bottom right edge is Saturn. Beyond that, the bright spot at the right edge of the image is Mars. Credit: NASA](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:62gdkmpwa7xme36getyqnem3/bafkreiakufyngycqogzws43gzq5ei2zayvoozx42wmbmyawywxyjqhw2ua)
[alt text by NASA] The Moon, seen here backlit by the Sun during a solar eclipse on April 6, 2026, is photographed by one of the cameras on the Orion spacecraft’s solar array wings. Orion is visible in the foreground on the left. Earth is reflecting sunlight at the left edge of the Moon, which is slightly brighter than the rest of the disk. The bright spot visible just below the Moon’s bottom right edge is Saturn. Beyond that, the bright spot at the right edge of the image is Mars. Credit: NASA
Whoa 🤯
The Moon, in full eclipse, with the #Artemis II Orion spacecraft. Part of the Moon and spacecraft are lit by Earthshine, and both Saturn and Mars are visible to the lower right. Incredible. Details: images.nasa.gov/details/art0...
The Earth setting behind the Moon!
Earth Set! What a photo!!!
A guy in glasses and grey hoodie next to a lake
Finally got out for a run 🏃♂️
Also noticed mid song that I’d been loudly singing along to Mika, Grace Kelly, during my post run walk 😂
A sunny morning scene of a field and blue sky and a beagle sniffing the ground at the bottom of the garden
A pretty nice start to day, and Otis is enjoying tracking the scents of the creatures that visited the garden overnight 🐶
#dogsofbluesky
A cute beagle sleeping with his donut toy on a yellow and grey blanket
He may look like he’s sleeping but he’s ready to pounce if anyone tries to nab his donut 🍩 🐶
#dogsofbluesky
