∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
@finassy.bsky.social
European Space Agent & part-time cat butler. 🇪🇸
(Perdónenme los asesinatos puntuales del idioma español.)
(Perdónenme los asesinatos puntuales del idioma español.)
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
A bit inconvenient for potential alien life forms if they’re constantly being incinerated by their own suns
For the first time, astronomers have detected a coronal mass ejection from a star other than our Sun, and it was a big one – powerful enough to strip the atmosphere from nearby planets. That's bad news for the search for extraterrestrial life. Here's why: physicsworld.com/a/astronomer... 🧪⚛️🔭
Astronomers observe a coronal mass ejection from a distant star – Physics World
Burst from M-dwarf star could be powerful enough to strip the atmosphere of any planets that orbit it, with implications for the search for extraterrestrial life
physicsworld.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:49 AM
A bit inconvenient for potential alien life forms if they’re constantly being incinerated by their own suns
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
🎓 PhD opportunities now open at Northumbria University! 🚀
☀️ Join our Solar and Space Physics research group!
📅 October 2026 start
⏰ Deadline: 23rd January 2026
Apply now: www.northumbria.ac.uk/STFCphd
#PhD #SolarPhysics #SpaceWeather
☀️ Join our Solar and Space Physics research group!
📅 October 2026 start
⏰ Deadline: 23rd January 2026
Apply now: www.northumbria.ac.uk/STFCphd
#PhD #SolarPhysics #SpaceWeather
Fully-funded PhD opportunities
Fully-funded PhD opportunities to join the Solar and Space Physics Research Group at Northumbria University
www.northumbria.ac.uk
December 10, 2025 at 5:37 AM
🎓 PhD opportunities now open at Northumbria University! 🚀
☀️ Join our Solar and Space Physics research group!
📅 October 2026 start
⏰ Deadline: 23rd January 2026
Apply now: www.northumbria.ac.uk/STFCphd
#PhD #SolarPhysics #SpaceWeather
☀️ Join our Solar and Space Physics research group!
📅 October 2026 start
⏰ Deadline: 23rd January 2026
Apply now: www.northumbria.ac.uk/STFCphd
#PhD #SolarPhysics #SpaceWeather
Through my whole scientific career I've been accompanied by the presence of SoHO. A whole discipline of Space Weather has grown up counting on its instruments. And a whole generation of solar & heliospheric scientists has been raised on its data and scientific findings (which keep going, btw!).
December 2, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Through my whole scientific career I've been accompanied by the presence of SoHO. A whole discipline of Space Weather has grown up counting on its instruments. And a whole generation of solar & heliospheric scientists has been raised on its data and scientific findings (which keep going, btw!).
Happy 30th Birthday to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, SOHO!
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
30 years on, it's incredible to think that this grandee of space is still providing us with important data about the solar system and the conditions coming our way from the Sun. ¡Viva Soho! 🙂
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
30 years on, it's incredible to think that this grandee of space is still providing us with important data about the solar system and the conditions coming our way from the Sun. ¡Viva Soho! 🙂
Sun-watcher SOHO celebrates thirty years
On 2 December 1995 the ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) blasted into space – on what was supposed to be a two-year mission. From its outpost 1.5 million...
www.esa.int
December 2, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Happy 30th Birthday to the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, SOHO!
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
30 years on, it's incredible to think that this grandee of space is still providing us with important data about the solar system and the conditions coming our way from the Sun. ¡Viva Soho! 🙂
www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
30 years on, it's incredible to think that this grandee of space is still providing us with important data about the solar system and the conditions coming our way from the Sun. ¡Viva Soho! 🙂
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
🌞🛰️Sun-watcher SOHO turns 30! 🎂
"SOHO has overcome nail-biting challenges to become one of the longest-operating space missions of all time" – Prof. @cmundell.esa.int , ESA Director of Science
👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🔭🧪
"SOHO has overcome nail-biting challenges to become one of the longest-operating space missions of all time" – Prof. @cmundell.esa.int , ESA Director of Science
👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🔭🧪
December 2, 2025 at 10:03 AM
🌞🛰️Sun-watcher SOHO turns 30! 🎂
"SOHO has overcome nail-biting challenges to become one of the longest-operating space missions of all time" – Prof. @cmundell.esa.int , ESA Director of Science
👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🔭🧪
"SOHO has overcome nail-biting challenges to become one of the longest-operating space missions of all time" – Prof. @cmundell.esa.int , ESA Director of Science
👉 www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
🔭🧪
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
The Proba-3/ASPIICS paper just dropped on ArXiV! If you like heliophysics, the corona, or cool mission concepts, give it a read. ASPIICS is a coronagraph comprising two spacecraft in formation: a camera and a separate occulter. They're producing amazing images. ☀️🛰️🔭🚀 arxiv.org/abs/2511.01679
November 7, 2025 at 5:42 AM
The Proba-3/ASPIICS paper just dropped on ArXiV! If you like heliophysics, the corona, or cool mission concepts, give it a read. ASPIICS is a coronagraph comprising two spacecraft in formation: a camera and a separate occulter. They're producing amazing images. ☀️🛰️🔭🚀 arxiv.org/abs/2511.01679
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
More recently, #SolarOrbiter delivered the world-first views of the Sun’s poles.
A tilted orbit gives Solar Orbiter a unique viewing angle, from where we can better understand the Sun’s magnetic field, the solar cycle, and space weather to ultimately enable us to protect our planet. 4/🔭 #CM25
A tilted orbit gives Solar Orbiter a unique viewing angle, from where we can better understand the Sun’s magnetic field, the solar cycle, and space weather to ultimately enable us to protect our planet. 4/🔭 #CM25
November 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
More recently, #SolarOrbiter delivered the world-first views of the Sun’s poles.
A tilted orbit gives Solar Orbiter a unique viewing angle, from where we can better understand the Sun’s magnetic field, the solar cycle, and space weather to ultimately enable us to protect our planet. 4/🔭 #CM25
A tilted orbit gives Solar Orbiter a unique viewing angle, from where we can better understand the Sun’s magnetic field, the solar cycle, and space weather to ultimately enable us to protect our planet. 4/🔭 #CM25
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
From there onward, #SolarOrbiter brought us the highest resolution images of the Sun ever, telling us more about its turbulent life:
☀️ imaging giant solar eruptions
☀️ charting the Sun’s effects on the heliosphere
☀️ discovering tiny jets that could power the solar wind
4/ 🔭 #CosmicVision #CM25
☀️ imaging giant solar eruptions
☀️ charting the Sun’s effects on the heliosphere
☀️ discovering tiny jets that could power the solar wind
4/ 🔭 #CosmicVision #CM25
November 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
From there onward, #SolarOrbiter brought us the highest resolution images of the Sun ever, telling us more about its turbulent life:
☀️ imaging giant solar eruptions
☀️ charting the Sun’s effects on the heliosphere
☀️ discovering tiny jets that could power the solar wind
4/ 🔭 #CosmicVision #CM25
☀️ imaging giant solar eruptions
☀️ charting the Sun’s effects on the heliosphere
☀️ discovering tiny jets that could power the solar wind
4/ 🔭 #CosmicVision #CM25
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
Soon after, we delivered the first #SolarOrbiter data to the scientific community and the wider public.
The data came from the suite of in-situ instruments that measure the conditions surrounding the spacecraft. 3/ 🔭 #CM25
The data came from the suite of in-situ instruments that measure the conditions surrounding the spacecraft. 3/ 🔭 #CM25
November 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Soon after, we delivered the first #SolarOrbiter data to the scientific community and the wider public.
The data came from the suite of in-situ instruments that measure the conditions surrounding the spacecraft. 3/ 🔭 #CM25
The data came from the suite of in-situ instruments that measure the conditions surrounding the spacecraft. 3/ 🔭 #CM25
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
Five months after launch, #SolarOrbiter was delivering its first images of the Sun.
No other images of the Sun had been taken from such a close distance at the time. They revealed omnipresent miniature solar flares, dubbed ‘campfires’, near the surface of the Sun. 2/ 🔭 #CM25
No other images of the Sun had been taken from such a close distance at the time. They revealed omnipresent miniature solar flares, dubbed ‘campfires’, near the surface of the Sun. 2/ 🔭 #CM25
November 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Five months after launch, #SolarOrbiter was delivering its first images of the Sun.
No other images of the Sun had been taken from such a close distance at the time. They revealed omnipresent miniature solar flares, dubbed ‘campfires’, near the surface of the Sun. 2/ 🔭 #CM25
No other images of the Sun had been taken from such a close distance at the time. They revealed omnipresent miniature solar flares, dubbed ‘campfires’, near the surface of the Sun. 2/ 🔭 #CM25
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
Part of our #CosmicVision plan, #ESASolarOrbiter launched in February 2020.
An ESA mission with strong NASA participation, it's the most complex scientific laboratory ever sent to study our star to understand better its 11-year cycle, the corona, the solar wind & more. 🔭 1/ #CM25
An ESA mission with strong NASA participation, it's the most complex scientific laboratory ever sent to study our star to understand better its 11-year cycle, the corona, the solar wind & more. 🔭 1/ #CM25
November 4, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Part of our #CosmicVision plan, #ESASolarOrbiter launched in February 2020.
An ESA mission with strong NASA participation, it's the most complex scientific laboratory ever sent to study our star to understand better its 11-year cycle, the corona, the solar wind & more. 🔭 1/ #CM25
An ESA mission with strong NASA participation, it's the most complex scientific laboratory ever sent to study our star to understand better its 11-year cycle, the corona, the solar wind & more. 🔭 1/ #CM25
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
"We're going to create superintelligence" How about making outlook search work first. How about that
October 3, 2025 at 5:18 PM
"We're going to create superintelligence" How about making outlook search work first. How about that
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
She basically invented astrophysics.
She proved the laws of chemistry, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, not just gravity, applied universally.
She determined the composition of the sun and primacy of hydrogen in the universe.
She advised the PhDs of Frank Drake and Frank Kameny.
She proved the laws of chemistry, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, not just gravity, applied universally.
She determined the composition of the sun and primacy of hydrogen in the universe.
She advised the PhDs of Frank Drake and Frank Kameny.
Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin ✨ figured out what stars are made of ✨ when she was just 25. 🔭🧪
Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.
I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:
Her PhD thesis basically established the Harvard astro department — at a time when Harvard didn't officially allow woman students.
I wrote this little profile to mark the 100th anniversary of her thesis:
September 24, 2025 at 11:36 PM
She basically invented astrophysics.
She proved the laws of chemistry, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, not just gravity, applied universally.
She determined the composition of the sun and primacy of hydrogen in the universe.
She advised the PhDs of Frank Drake and Frank Kameny.
She proved the laws of chemistry, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics, not just gravity, applied universally.
She determined the composition of the sun and primacy of hydrogen in the universe.
She advised the PhDs of Frank Drake and Frank Kameny.
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
✨Vigil: A new eye in space!🛰️ Positioned beyond Earth, it will spot powerful solar storms *days* before they reach us! Protecting our planet! ☀️ #spaceweather
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-07-vigil-space-weather-deep.html
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-07-vigil-space-weather-deep.html
Vigil: Space weather reporter launches in deep space
Space weather probe Vigil will be the world's first space weather mission to be permanently positioned at Lagrange point 5, a unique vantage point that allows us to see solar activity days before it reaches Earth. ESA's Vigil mission will be a dedicated operational space weather mission, sending data 24/7 from deep space.
phys.org
July 17, 2025 at 4:18 PM
✨Vigil: A new eye in space!🛰️ Positioned beyond Earth, it will spot powerful solar storms *days* before they reach us! Protecting our planet! ☀️ #spaceweather
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-07-vigil-space-weather-deep.html
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-07-vigil-space-weather-deep.html
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
when Editor 2 is being very helpful in resolving a disagreement between you and Editor 1
July 17, 2025 at 7:47 PM
when Editor 2 is being very helpful in resolving a disagreement between you and Editor 1
The Borg cube is just a 27,983,710,656,000U cubesat.
July 16, 2025 at 9:15 AM
The Borg cube is just a 27,983,710,656,000U cubesat.
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
Lots of exciting stuff coming out about magnetography. Notoriously, solar magnetographs are hard to calibrate. My longtime colleague Han Uitenbroek did the legwork to actually forward-model the entire light-emission process from a high fidelity solar model, and found something very surprising. ☀️🧪
A New Study Reveals We Could Be Underestimating the Sun’s Magnetic Field — By Half - NSO - National Solar Observatory
We could have been seeing only half of the Sun's magnetism. A new study led by scientists at the U.S. NSF National Solar Observatory shows that NASA’s go-to solar telescope could be underestimating th...
nso.edu
June 28, 2025 at 12:25 AM
Lots of exciting stuff coming out about magnetography. Notoriously, solar magnetographs are hard to calibrate. My longtime colleague Han Uitenbroek did the legwork to actually forward-model the entire light-emission process from a high fidelity solar model, and found something very surprising. ☀️🧪
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
And here a video of the Sun's North Pole (also in this link: stce.be/movies/EUIso...)
Credits: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/EUI Team, D. Berghmans/Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Credits: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/EUI Team, D. Berghmans/Royal Observatory of Belgium.
June 12, 2025 at 2:50 PM
And here a video of the Sun's North Pole (also in this link: stce.be/movies/EUIso...)
Credits: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/EUI Team, D. Berghmans/Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Credits: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/EUI Team, D. Berghmans/Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
🤩 We also have a preview of the Sun's North Pole ☀️! Check the new pictures and videos of #SolarOrbiter, some of them taken by our #EUI telescope onboard the satellite. www.astro.oma.be/en/first-vie...
🧪🔭📷 @esa.int @science.esa.int
🧪🔭📷 @esa.int @science.esa.int
June 12, 2025 at 2:48 PM
🤩 We also have a preview of the Sun's North Pole ☀️! Check the new pictures and videos of #SolarOrbiter, some of them taken by our #EUI telescope onboard the satellite. www.astro.oma.be/en/first-vie...
🧪🔭📷 @esa.int @science.esa.int
🧪🔭📷 @esa.int @science.esa.int
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
Well, this one has certainly 'done the numbers'. -16k Likes etc.
I thought the allusion to the 'Troubles' and indeed Bloody Sunday was too subtle, but it seems not.
Troops are not civil police and have little training in public order.
Deploying troops against civilians is never a good thing.
I thought the allusion to the 'Troubles' and indeed Bloody Sunday was too subtle, but it seems not.
Troops are not civil police and have little training in public order.
Deploying troops against civilians is never a good thing.
Dear USA
Deploying troops against civilians will not go well.
Yours
Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Deploying troops against civilians will not go well.
Yours
Great Britain and Northern Ireland
June 10, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Well, this one has certainly 'done the numbers'. -16k Likes etc.
I thought the allusion to the 'Troubles' and indeed Bloody Sunday was too subtle, but it seems not.
Troops are not civil police and have little training in public order.
Deploying troops against civilians is never a good thing.
I thought the allusion to the 'Troubles' and indeed Bloody Sunday was too subtle, but it seems not.
Troops are not civil police and have little training in public order.
Deploying troops against civilians is never a good thing.
Every time I'm in a meeting where no one has their camera on, I think of this...
June 6, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Every time I'm in a meeting where no one has their camera on, I think of this...
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
☀️🛰️New mosaic image of Solar Orbiter! 🤩
In March 2025, @orb-ksb.bsky.social combined 200 high-res images of the Sun into a stunning mosaic. Each of those images is taken by our EUI telescope onboard Solar Orbiter when it was 77 million km from the Sun. 🔭🧪 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... @science.esa.int
In March 2025, @orb-ksb.bsky.social combined 200 high-res images of the Sun into a stunning mosaic. Each of those images is taken by our EUI telescope onboard Solar Orbiter when it was 77 million km from the Sun. 🔭🧪 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... @science.esa.int
Solar Orbiter’s widest high-res view of the Sun
Solar Orbiter’s widest high-resolution view of the Sun
www.esa.int
April 24, 2025 at 10:39 AM
☀️🛰️New mosaic image of Solar Orbiter! 🤩
In March 2025, @orb-ksb.bsky.social combined 200 high-res images of the Sun into a stunning mosaic. Each of those images is taken by our EUI telescope onboard Solar Orbiter when it was 77 million km from the Sun. 🔭🧪 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... @science.esa.int
In March 2025, @orb-ksb.bsky.social combined 200 high-res images of the Sun into a stunning mosaic. Each of those images is taken by our EUI telescope onboard Solar Orbiter when it was 77 million km from the Sun. 🔭🧪 www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed... @science.esa.int
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
This #rainbow is writ large in the night sky. It is the zodiacal light, seen against Taurus in this #photograph by the PUNCH mission. The color "sheen" indicates polarization of the light: hue tells direction, saturation tells degree of polarization. 🧪🔭⚛️ (whtwnd.com/punch-missio...)
April 22, 2025 at 7:02 PM
This #rainbow is writ large in the night sky. It is the zodiacal light, seen against Taurus in this #photograph by the PUNCH mission. The color "sheen" indicates polarization of the light: hue tells direction, saturation tells degree of polarization. 🧪🔭⚛️ (whtwnd.com/punch-missio...)
I had a fun day today, giving an introduction to the Sun as a fountain of space weather (or at least attempting to). Thanks to the kind folks at ESEC Galaxia in Belgium for the chance to talk to some of the next generation of people studying our busy, beautiful, explosive star! ☀️
March 24, 2025 at 9:00 PM
I had a fun day today, giving an introduction to the Sun as a fountain of space weather (or at least attempting to). Thanks to the kind folks at ESEC Galaxia in Belgium for the chance to talk to some of the next generation of people studying our busy, beautiful, explosive star! ☀️
To paraphrase Robin Williams, it’s 05:10 in the morning and what does the “0” stand for…?
March 24, 2025 at 5:11 AM
To paraphrase Robin Williams, it’s 05:10 in the morning and what does the “0” stand for…?