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astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
@astroroyalscot.bsky.social
19K followers 790 following 2.7K 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
#GoodNewsStory with a victory for equality! The girls team winners of the #Edinburgh Schools Football Cup have now been presented with a proper trophy to celebrate their success! So proud of the S Morningside team for calling out the Schools Sports Association! 🥳
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Girls football team win tiny plastic cup as boys take home full-size trophy
The cup paled into comparison to the grand old trophy presented to the winning boys football team.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 22, 2026 at 7:50 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Frogston Primary totally lucked out on their first night away at 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Lagganlia outdoor centre: clear skies and #aurora! Just as well we told them all about sun-spew in last week's planetarium show! Super proud of our P7 trained-astronomers who braved -2℃ to take these fantastic space photos. #SYTN 🤗🥳🔭🧪
The majestic Orion Nebula. Pink fluff and stars. peachy gas in the bubble nebula a satelite photobombs the seven sister stars which are blue surrounded in a haze of gas Red and green northern lights about the Lagganlia camp. This photo was taken by Gracemount Primary who are also visiting Lagganlia this week.
January 20, 2026 at 6:39 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Just off the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿radio after a lovely #Artemis-II return to the moon chat with @ollopa11.bsky.social! Leo taught me that the Orion capsule is the first moon-mission with a toilet-cubicle on board! The 1970s Apollo astronauts were afforded no such dignity😳 🛰️
ℹ️: www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/artemis...
From what they'll eat to how they'll poop. Inside the Artemis II crew's mission to the Moon | BBC Sky at Night Magazine
What life will be like for the Artemis II crew, from sleeping and eating to exercising, keeping clean and going to the toilet.
www.skyatnightmagazine.com
January 20, 2026 at 9:16 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
🥳 The clouds have cleared! Balgreen Primary expertly using their Dynamic Earth astronomy training to take these awesome images on their residential at Lagganlia outdoor education centre in the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Cairngorms. So proud of these P7's who braved the baltic snowy night for science! 💪 🔭 #SYTN
A massive swirly galaxy (Andromeda), star studded in space. Text: Seestar S50 M31 This is known as the pacman nebula because it looks like a pacman about to chomp on something. It's a pink-puff in space. The fishhead nebula - I think it looks more like dragon head.
January 15, 2026 at 6:33 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Brilliant reaction to the Dynamic Earth Planetarium-on-tour experience from a P7 pupil at Frogston Primary this morning 😍

"It felt like I was floating in space" #scicomm

@notverymedieval.bsky.social @spacedoot.bsky.social
Happy Learning- a cartoon blob jumping for joy, next to a similar drawing that says "It was fun and cool it felt like I was floating in space"
January 13, 2026 at 6:27 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
🥳 Major milestone for the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Scottish Dark Sky Observatory: architectural designs are now public and isn't she a beauty! Two 5m 🔭domes, observing deck, solar-panelled planetarium, exhibition area & cafe.
Fingers crossed that planning permission gets approved!
ℹ️: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
📷: arpl
An architectural model of the new Scottish Dark Sky Observatory, complete with mini trees, two large domes, mini people on the observing deck and a solar-panelled roof over the new planetarium. By arpl architects An architectural design for an observatory with two domes and buildings. The mountain outline can be seen in the background. By arpl architects An architectural design for an observatory, now from the other direction, with two domes and buildings. The mountain outline can be seen in the background. By arpl architects
January 11, 2026 at 9:51 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
OK #exoplanet friends, is it super-jupiter or super-Jupiter? I'm thinking much like we have the Galaxy (Milky Way), and galaxies (the rest), big exoplanets should be super-jupiters: there is Jupiter, unique in our solar system, and then other jupiters and super-jupiters around other stars? 🤔
January 10, 2026 at 12:25 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Did I mention how much I love planetaria? That immersive experience is unbeatable! Here's the Dynamic Earth team @notverymedieval.bsky.social and @spacedoot.bsky.social in action at Balgreen Primary.
The green lights of the aurora across the top of the planetarium dome, students looking attentively at the presenter. Cartoon constellations on show in the dome Catherine, arms out-stretched (as always) getting overly-excited about Andromeda (which is on the screen behind her) - the class look on.
January 8, 2026 at 5:13 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
A fab morning of space exploration at Balgreen Primary today, with the Dynamic Earth Planetarium team. We're using colour-in mood characters to collect feedback from the class and I love this response so much that I just had to share it. "Jumping out of Joy!"😍 #scicomm 🔭
Handwritten: I chose that one because I learnt sooo much information that I feel like my brains have been blown out. Jumping out of joy! Cartoon of a happy blob character flying up in the air with a delighted excited mind-blown look on their face.
January 8, 2026 at 4:27 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
A splendid cold walk to Fiddlers Gill to see the fab but rusting Victorian #Braidwood Telescope! Once part of the now long-gone Lanark Observatory, its optics are safe at the Lanark Museum. Sadly I see no hope in restoring this beauty tho, that's been long-abandoned in this field ☹️ #histsci 🔭🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿
Catherine (tall, long blonde hair) standing in a wintery field by a large old rusting telescope. The golden setting sun is illuminating the trees in the distance.
January 4, 2026 at 12:32 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Looking for diversion from the wtaf-ness of the news? I have a stargazing challenge for you👇
Just completed it myself on Portobello Beach: got overly excited by the beauty of it all & accidentally accosted a group of French photo-taking tourists to tell them all about it
"C'est vraiment Jupiter?"🤩 🔭
astroroyalscot.bsky.social Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 20d
I have a Wolf supermoon stargazing challenge for you tonight (Jan3rd, weather Gods willing). Raise your arm to the moon to find Jupiter which is ~2-fingers below it to the right. The Gemini twins, Castor and Pollux are ~3-fingers to the left.

This is your last #supermoon until Nov - enjoy! 🔭🧪
January 3, 2026 at 5:26 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
I have a Wolf supermoon stargazing challenge for you tonight (Jan3rd, weather Gods willing). Raise your arm to the moon to find Jupiter which is ~2-fingers below it to the right. The Gemini twins, Castor and Pollux are ~3-fingers to the left.

This is your last #supermoon until Nov - enjoy! 🔭🧪
A star map for 19:30 on the 3rd Jan 2026. Marked on are the constellations of Gemini (two twins holding hands), and Orion (supposed to be a fearsome hunter but I always think it looks more like a old lady dancing in a large billowing dress) At the centre in the East, the moon is very close to Jupiter. Image from https://stellarium-web.org
January 3, 2026 at 10:56 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Feeling very pleased with myself: made bread and butter pudding out of stale stolen #WasteNotWantNot. It's a whole new level of xmas gluttony 😋
December 28, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Reposted by Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
trentdupuy.bsky.social
Plenty of time left to apply to the Astro PhD program in Edinburgh! (Deadline in 2 weeks)
Plot of the number of applications received for the Astro PhD program in Edinburgh versus the number of days before the deadline. Red curve shows the numbers for 2026 rising faster than they did last year for 2025. Last year we reached >400 by the end and about 100 by now, 2 weeks before the deadline.
December 22, 2025 at 3:20 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
On this darkest solstice day of the year, my heart has dimmed, waking up to learn of the loss of dear colleague and mentor, Yannick Mellier. Yannick will be known to most as the lead of the amazing Euclid Space Telescope which will revolutionise our understanding of the Dark Universe 🧵🔭
Yannick Mellier looking very dapper in tan suit and maroon shirt, arms raised, enthusiastically explaining something in a lecture theatre. This square astronomical image shows thousands of galaxies across the black expanse of space. The closest thousand or so galaxies belong to the Perseus Cluster. The most prominent members of the cluster are visible in the centre of the image and appear as large galaxies with haloes around them in yellow/white, comparable to streetlamps in a foggy night. The background of this image is scattered with a hundred thousand more distant galaxies of different shapes, ranging in colour from white to yellow to red. Most galaxies are so far away they appear as single points of light. The more distant a galaxy is, the redder it appears.] CREDIT ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi
December 21, 2025 at 8:45 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Wishing you all a very happy holiday (as and when it starts for you) with this, the best-christmas-card-of-the-year, a gorgeous lino print of the Euclid Space Telescope! @eucliduk.bsky.social 🔭🎄

🙏👩‍🎨: @notverymedieval.bsky.social
A handmade card featuring the print of a squat telescope out in space. The backdrop is a Christmas treat covered in a random selection of baubles.
December 20, 2025 at 7:19 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Anyone want to send their name around the moon with Artemis-II? Sign-up before Jan 21st (it's all free). 🧪🔭
ℹ️: www3.nasa.gov/send-your-na...
Artemis II Send your name around the Moon! Sign up. Words on a background with the moon on one side and a space capsule on the other.
December 19, 2025 at 8:28 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
How have I only just discovered google maps for space? If you, like me, did not know about this little piece of internet treasure, you must check it out! You can fly over moons and planets - and it's all real data 🤗 🔭🧪
👉: www.google.co.uk/maps/space/
👇: Dwarf planet Pluto!
A list of planets next to a labelled image of a dwarf planet (Pluto).
December 18, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Reposted by Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans
lsstuk.bsky.social
“We wouldn’t have the Rubin Observatory today if [Tony Tyson] hadn’t had that vision, and also that dogged determination,” says @astroroyalscot.bsky.social. Find out why Tyson is on @nature.com's list of people who shaped science in 2025. 🔭

www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The visionary physicist who gave us a new way to view the cosmos
Tony Tyson is part of Nature’s 10, a list of people who shaped science in 2025.
www.nature.com
December 18, 2025 at 5:42 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Working on an exciting & secret project with my good friend comic artist Edward Ross. What do we think of the first draft rough image of Cartoon Catherine 😂
A photo of Catherine (long blonde hair) wearing headphones. A cartoon version on the right.
December 14, 2025 at 9:13 AM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
I'm now an officially Big fan of #Biggar! Loved the xmas lecture vibe in the packed theatre - and so many cool questions in the Q&A 🥳. Huge thanks to the Biggar Science festival
@biggarsciencefest.bsky.social team for organising!
Catherine sat on stage looking up at the bright stage light and behind her is a big display wall that reads "Cosmic Discovery" on some pictures of galaxies.
December 12, 2025 at 10:09 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
🔊Big in #Biggar!

If you're in the #Lanarkshire area, the Biggar Science Festival's Christmas lecture in the Corn Exchange, will be featuring yours truly. We'll be discussing the 4 questions that I'm most often asked! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🔭

⏰: 11th Dec @ 19:30
🎟️: biggarce.yapsody.com/event/index/...
Catherine (tall and blonde) in the setting Sun with large telescopes behind her (this is the rooftop of the Paranal observatory in Chile). There are 4 questions listed: Will humans ever live on the moon? What are the chances of Earth being hit by a killer asteroid Are we alone in the Universe? What will happen at the end of time?
December 6, 2025 at 12:20 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
A big shout out to the P7 class of Stockbridge Primary who took these utterly awesome photos last night on their residential visit to the Lagganlia outdoor learning centre in the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Highlands. Lagganlia is part of the Scottish Youth Telescope Network and I'm so proud of these kids! 🥳 🔭 #SYTN
An almost full silvery moon in awesome detail, pockmarked with craters. The swirling galaxy that is Andromeda with two little dwarf satellite galaxies, one above and one below it. The pacman nebula - looks like a pink piranha on a star studded sky
December 4, 2025 at 4:07 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Stonking sunspots photobombed by a departing flight this lunch break #Seestar 😎🔭. #AR4294
A golden orb (the Sun) which a bunch of small swirly spots across its middle. A striking jet stream covers the sun from left to right. Just at it;s edge you can see the silhouette of an aeroplane tail wing.
December 2, 2025 at 2:10 PM
astroroyalscot.bsky.social
Pinch Punch first day of the month! And a🎄🎅 xmas month too! Here is your December Sky Diary courtesy of @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social. Time to start planning your night jaunt away from the streetlights to appreciate the upcoming #Geminid Meteor Shower. Peaks Dec 14th! 🔭
Sky Diary December 2025 Highlights. A list of events and dates on a background of Christmas baubles. The text-only version is on this webpage: https://www.astronomyedinburgh.org/2025/11/23/sky-diary-december-2025/
December 1, 2025 at 7:21 AM