Michael Merrifield
@astromikemerri.bsky.social
5.1K followers 570 following 2.4K posts
Emeritus professor of astronomy at the University of Nottingham. Too frequent appearances on YouTube. All my own views.
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astromikemerri.bsky.social
I am sad that my attempts to nominate Rubin and Bosma never got anywhere, though at least Vera has a brilliant telescope named after her.
astromikemerri.bsky.social
Christmas present from my son!
astromikemerri.bsky.social
First-world problem: I just made my latte macchiato on the cappuccino froth setting.
astromikemerri.bsky.social
My wife needed to know what a “vexillation” is. I think my definition of a final tile that won’t quite fit was much better than the real one.
astromikemerri.bsky.social
Why is there more gold on a greenfinch than there is on a goldfinch? 🪶
astromikemerri.bsky.social
If the EU never achieved anything else, it would have justified its existence by ensuring that I only have to carry one charging cable around with me.
Reposted by Michael Merrifield
astromikemerri.bsky.social
My first introduction to Northern Ireland was in the late 1990s when a taxi driver drove me down the Garvaghy Road, because he wanted to try to explain the place to me a bit.

Since then, I have understood that flags on lampposts have nothing to do with caring about society.
Reposted by Michael Merrifield
benjaminpope.bsky.social
it's actually not two Nobels for Josephson junctions, just one that tunnelled over a gap of 52 years
astromikemerri.bsky.social
Who are you betting on for this year’s physics Nobel Prize? 🧪

I am plumping for Katori and Ye for ⚛️ 🕰️.

(I would’ve put my money on Shor and Deutsch for ⚛️💻, but likely too close to last year.)
astromikemerri.bsky.social
When I was an admissions tutor, I struggled to understand why it was even a question that a student with a B grade obtained at a sink comprehensive had demonstrated at least as much aptitude for university study as one who’d been tutored to an A grade at a small-class well-resourced private school.
astromikemerri.bsky.social
I always thought they were further apart.
astromikemerri.bsky.social
🪶Feeder a little less of a rollercoaster than yesterday as winds start to ease.
astromikemerri.bsky.social
I thought he was taking a leak for a moment!
astromikemerri.bsky.social
Goldfinch clinging to our storm-tossed bird feeder. 🪶
astromikemerri.bsky.social
You were; I was mostly pointing out that it’s a comet.
astromikemerri.bsky.social
Finally, a use case for AR and AI.
astromikemerri.bsky.social
600 AU. That is very close in interstellar travel terms, requiring a huge amount of fuel to change course.

Oh, and it’s a comet.