Matt Hilton
@matthilton.bsky.social
Astrophysics professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Reposted by Matt Hilton
South Africa is a global hub for astronomy 🌌
Experience Rising Star at the Wits Digital Dome - a planetarium film that journeys from our beginnings to the future of African astronomy, featuring SALT & MeerKAT. 🇿🇦✨
🎥 Made in Africa. For the world.
www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.asp...
Experience Rising Star at the Wits Digital Dome - a planetarium film that journeys from our beginnings to the future of African astronomy, featuring SALT & MeerKAT. 🇿🇦✨
🎥 Made in Africa. For the world.
www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.asp...
October 27, 2025 at 8:06 AM
South Africa is a global hub for astronomy 🌌
Experience Rising Star at the Wits Digital Dome - a planetarium film that journeys from our beginnings to the future of African astronomy, featuring SALT & MeerKAT. 🇿🇦✨
🎥 Made in Africa. For the world.
www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.asp...
Experience Rising Star at the Wits Digital Dome - a planetarium film that journeys from our beginnings to the future of African astronomy, featuring SALT & MeerKAT. 🇿🇦✨
🎥 Made in Africa. For the world.
www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.asp...
This includes astro folks, open to any area of physics/astrophysics. There is also a senior lecturer position open. Deadline for all is 17 Oct
Vacancies: Lecturer in Physics (2 positions) at the WITS School of Physics.
The successful candidates will be expected to pursue research, teach, supervise postgrad students and contribute to administrative responsibilities.
buff.ly/bIIgIKg
#PhysicsJobs #AcademicJobs #PhysicsCareer #PhysicsLecturer
The successful candidates will be expected to pursue research, teach, supervise postgrad students and contribute to administrative responsibilities.
buff.ly/bIIgIKg
#PhysicsJobs #AcademicJobs #PhysicsCareer #PhysicsLecturer
October 1, 2025 at 2:47 PM
This includes astro folks, open to any area of physics/astrophysics. There is also a senior lecturer position open. Deadline for all is 17 Oct
Reposted by Matt Hilton
UK people! If you tune in to BBC Four at 22:00 BST this Monday, you will see us on The Sky at Night! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... (plus other features on @vrubinobs.bsky.social and DESI) #scicomm
BBC Four - The Sky at Night, The Expanding Universe
The team explores the expansion of the universe and its role in how the cosmos works.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 5, 2025 at 4:18 PM
UK people! If you tune in to BBC Four at 22:00 BST this Monday, you will see us on The Sky at Night! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... (plus other features on @vrubinobs.bsky.social and DESI) #scicomm
I'm talking about the oldest light in the universe at the Digital Dome at Wits this coming Monday. We will attempt to combine a talk with getting some data from Atacama Cosmology Telescope + Planck onto the full dome! Plus some prettier optical/IR data. Will it work? Come along and find out!
As part of the National Science Week to promote, exhibit and communicate awareness in science, we will be having two fulldome shows and public talks between Monday 4 August - Wednesday 6 August at the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome. Please reserve your seats here www.quicket.co.za/events/32884...
August 2, 2025 at 6:59 AM
I'm talking about the oldest light in the universe at the Digital Dome at Wits this coming Monday. We will attempt to combine a talk with getting some data from Atacama Cosmology Telescope + Planck onto the full dome! Plus some prettier optical/IR data. Will it work? Come along and find out!
Reposted by Matt Hilton
COSMOSENO showcases immersive audiovisual work, reflecting the current socio-environmental crisis and calling for a human re-evaluation of our relationships with the Cosmos. Friday 1 August and Saturday 2 August from 10:00 - 12:00. Please book tickets free of charge
www.quicket.co.za/events/32567...
www.quicket.co.za/events/32567...
Book tickets for COSMOCENO @ the Wits Anglo American Digital Dome
www.quicket.co.za
July 31, 2025 at 7:53 AM
COSMOSENO showcases immersive audiovisual work, reflecting the current socio-environmental crisis and calling for a human re-evaluation of our relationships with the Cosmos. Friday 1 August and Saturday 2 August from 10:00 - 12:00. Please book tickets free of charge
www.quicket.co.za/events/32567...
www.quicket.co.za/events/32567...
Reposted by Matt Hilton
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's view of the Virgo Cluster is full of galaxy clusters: collections of gravitationally-bound galaxies ✨ They can be identified as similarly colored smudges concentrated together.
Here, we can see three different clusters at different distances. #RubinFirstLook 🔭🧪
Here, we can see three different clusters at different distances. #RubinFirstLook 🔭🧪
July 25, 2025 at 9:02 PM
NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's view of the Virgo Cluster is full of galaxy clusters: collections of gravitationally-bound galaxies ✨ They can be identified as similarly colored smudges concentrated together.
Here, we can see three different clusters at different distances. #RubinFirstLook 🔭🧪
Here, we can see three different clusters at different distances. #RubinFirstLook 🔭🧪
Reposted by Matt Hilton
The Wits Anglo American Digital Dome has been honoured with a historic Blue Plaque by the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation, recognising its cultural, architectural, and academic significance as the former Johannesburg Planetarium
Read More: ow.ly/xzq450WkRLh
Read More: ow.ly/xzq450WkRLh
July 16, 2025 at 9:29 AM
The Wits Anglo American Digital Dome has been honoured with a historic Blue Plaque by the Johannesburg Heritage Foundation, recognising its cultural, architectural, and academic significance as the former Johannesburg Planetarium
Read More: ow.ly/xzq450WkRLh
Read More: ow.ly/xzq450WkRLh
Today there is the first public release of images from Rubin Observatory, an amazing new optical telescope located in Chile. I hope all the people attending the first light events in South Africa (at @witsdigitaldome.bsky.social in Joburg and Iziko in Cape Town) have a good time!
Introducing...your sneak peek at the cosmos captured by NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory!
Can you guess these regions of sky?
This is just a small peek...join us at 11am US EDT for your full First Look at how Rubin will #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪
#RubinFirstLook
ls.st/rubin-first-look-livestream
Can you guess these regions of sky?
This is just a small peek...join us at 11am US EDT for your full First Look at how Rubin will #CaptureTheCosmos! 🔭🧪
#RubinFirstLook
ls.st/rubin-first-look-livestream
June 23, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Today there is the first public release of images from Rubin Observatory, an amazing new optical telescope located in Chile. I hope all the people attending the first light events in South Africa (at @witsdigitaldome.bsky.social in Joburg and Iziko in Cape Town) have a good time!
Using data from the Southern African Large Telescope 🔭
Published in #MNRAS: "An independent estimate of H(z) at z = 0.5 from the stellar ages of brightest cluster galaxies", Loubser et al. This is Fig. 9: for the caption & to read the paper please visit academic.oup.com/mnras/articl... @oxfordacademic.bsky.social @royalastrosoc.bsky.social
June 20, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Using data from the Southern African Large Telescope 🔭
Reposted by Matt Hilton
We are T–10 days from NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's First Look! 🚨
This reveal of Rubin's first images is just a preview of what's to come as Rubin prepares to #CaptureTheCosmos for the next ten years! 🔭🧪
Here are 6 things you need to know before the big day🎬
🧵
This reveal of Rubin's first images is just a preview of what's to come as Rubin prepares to #CaptureTheCosmos for the next ten years! 🔭🧪
Here are 6 things you need to know before the big day🎬
🧵
June 13, 2025 at 5:36 PM
We are T–10 days from NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory's First Look! 🚨
This reveal of Rubin's first images is just a preview of what's to come as Rubin prepares to #CaptureTheCosmos for the next ten years! 🔭🧪
Here are 6 things you need to know before the big day🎬
🧵
This reveal of Rubin's first images is just a preview of what's to come as Rubin prepares to #CaptureTheCosmos for the next ten years! 🔭🧪
Here are 6 things you need to know before the big day🎬
🧵
Reposted by Matt Hilton
Welcoming all astronomy enthusiasts for our interactive live shows from 3 July. In an hour, we will explore the southern sky gems, some of the less well-known southern sky constellations and deep-sky objects.
digitaldome.wits.ac.za/shows/
Tickets are online only
www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?i...
digitaldome.wits.ac.za/shows/
Tickets are online only
www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?i...
June 12, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Welcoming all astronomy enthusiasts for our interactive live shows from 3 July. In an hour, we will explore the southern sky gems, some of the less well-known southern sky constellations and deep-sky objects.
digitaldome.wits.ac.za/shows/
Tickets are online only
www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?i...
digitaldome.wits.ac.za/shows/
Tickets are online only
www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?i...
Reposted by Matt Hilton
These are real images of exoplanets.
Four super-Jupiters, imaged 10 times over 12 years around a star 133 lightyears away.
These are real, giant worlds, out there in the dark.
And we can see them.
Four super-Jupiters, imaged 10 times over 12 years around a star 133 lightyears away.
These are real, giant worlds, out there in the dark.
And we can see them.
May 7, 2025 at 7:57 PM
These are real images of exoplanets.
Four super-Jupiters, imaged 10 times over 12 years around a star 133 lightyears away.
These are real, giant worlds, out there in the dark.
And we can see them.
Four super-Jupiters, imaged 10 times over 12 years around a star 133 lightyears away.
These are real, giant worlds, out there in the dark.
And we can see them.
Reposted by Matt Hilton
The first planetarium opened on May 7, 1925 in Munich. This May, we celebrate a century of wonder, discovery, and exploration with the show, '100 Years of Eternity', from early cultures and leading to the modern Digital Dome.
Tickets only on Web Tickets.
www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.asp...
Tickets only on Web Tickets.
www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.asp...
April 25, 2025 at 1:16 PM
The first planetarium opened on May 7, 1925 in Munich. This May, we celebrate a century of wonder, discovery, and exploration with the show, '100 Years of Eternity', from early cultures and leading to the modern Digital Dome.
Tickets only on Web Tickets.
www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.asp...
Tickets only on Web Tickets.
www.webtickets.co.za/v2/event.asp...
Reposted by Matt Hilton
Eye to the sky…on-sky engineering tests have begun at NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory using the world’s largest digital camera! 🔭🧪
After installing and testing the LSST Camera, we turned the telescope to the sky—a moment 20 years in the making!
With that, Rubin #CommissioningNotes are back ✍️
🧵
After installing and testing the LSST Camera, we turned the telescope to the sky—a moment 20 years in the making!
With that, Rubin #CommissioningNotes are back ✍️
🧵
April 17, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Eye to the sky…on-sky engineering tests have begun at NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory using the world’s largest digital camera! 🔭🧪
After installing and testing the LSST Camera, we turned the telescope to the sky—a moment 20 years in the making!
With that, Rubin #CommissioningNotes are back ✍️
🧵
After installing and testing the LSST Camera, we turned the telescope to the sky—a moment 20 years in the making!
With that, Rubin #CommissioningNotes are back ✍️
🧵
Reposted by Matt Hilton
This week, we are trying to assess performance of our Large Aperture Telescope by looking at the planet Mars. For our telescope, it appears as a point, so we can understand our optical response and pointing by observing it.
Image credit: Mark Devlin. ☄️🔭
Image credit: Mark Devlin. ☄️🔭
April 10, 2025 at 6:37 PM
This week, we are trying to assess performance of our Large Aperture Telescope by looking at the planet Mars. For our telescope, it appears as a point, so we can understand our optical response and pointing by observing it.
Image credit: Mark Devlin. ☄️🔭
Image credit: Mark Devlin. ☄️🔭
Reposted by Matt Hilton
The @simonsobservatory.org recently completed the installation of its Large Aperture Telescope, joining its three Small Aperture Telescopes. These telescopes will collect the most precise measurements yet of the universe’s oldest light. www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/03/17/s... #science #astronomy
Simons Observatory Large Aperture Telescope Achieves First Light Milestone
Simons Observatory Large Aperture Telescope Achieves First Light Milestone on Simons Foundation
www.simonsfoundation.org
March 18, 2025 at 2:22 PM
The @simonsobservatory.org recently completed the installation of its Large Aperture Telescope, joining its three Small Aperture Telescopes. These telescopes will collect the most precise measurements yet of the universe’s oldest light. www.simonsfoundation.org/2025/03/17/s... #science #astronomy
Reposted by Matt Hilton
Lights, camera, action!
The world's largest digital camera has been installed at NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory! 🤩
The LSST Camera was the final major component of the observatory. With it in place, Rubin officially enters its final phase of testing!🔭
🔗: rubinobservatory.org/news/lsst-camera-installed
The world's largest digital camera has been installed at NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory! 🤩
The LSST Camera was the final major component of the observatory. With it in place, Rubin officially enters its final phase of testing!🔭
🔗: rubinobservatory.org/news/lsst-camera-installed
March 12, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Lights, camera, action!
The world's largest digital camera has been installed at NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory! 🤩
The LSST Camera was the final major component of the observatory. With it in place, Rubin officially enters its final phase of testing!🔭
🔗: rubinobservatory.org/news/lsst-camera-installed
The world's largest digital camera has been installed at NSF–DOE Rubin Observatory! 🤩
The LSST Camera was the final major component of the observatory. With it in place, Rubin officially enters its final phase of testing!🔭
🔗: rubinobservatory.org/news/lsst-camera-installed
Reposted by Matt Hilton
We have two preprints out on the arXiv today 🔭☄️!
The first one is about an #NSFFunded upgrade to our Large Aperture Telescope, roughly doubling the number of detectors in it: arxiv.org/abs/2503.00636 enabling us to probe the sky deeper than ever. The paper was led by Susan Clark and Colin Hill.
The first one is about an #NSFFunded upgrade to our Large Aperture Telescope, roughly doubling the number of detectors in it: arxiv.org/abs/2503.00636 enabling us to probe the sky deeper than ever. The paper was led by Susan Clark and Colin Hill.
March 4, 2025 at 11:00 PM
We have two preprints out on the arXiv today 🔭☄️!
The first one is about an #NSFFunded upgrade to our Large Aperture Telescope, roughly doubling the number of detectors in it: arxiv.org/abs/2503.00636 enabling us to probe the sky deeper than ever. The paper was led by Susan Clark and Colin Hill.
The first one is about an #NSFFunded upgrade to our Large Aperture Telescope, roughly doubling the number of detectors in it: arxiv.org/abs/2503.00636 enabling us to probe the sky deeper than ever. The paper was led by Susan Clark and Colin Hill.
Just a couple of days to go until abstract submission closes for Cosmology on Safari 2025 #cosmology 🔭
Cosmology on Safari is happening again (1-7 June 2025, Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - cosmosafari.co.za). This will be our 5th such conference, and our 10th anniversary! Abstract submission closes Feb 25th #cosmology 🔭
Cosmology on Safari – Cosmology on Safari
cosmosafari.co.za
February 24, 2025 at 7:21 AM
Just a couple of days to go until abstract submission closes for Cosmology on Safari 2025 #cosmology 🔭
One week to go until abstract submission closes
Cosmology on Safari is happening again (1-7 June 2025, Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - cosmosafari.co.za). This will be our 5th such conference, and our 10th anniversary! Abstract submission closes Feb 25th #cosmology 🔭
Cosmology on Safari – Cosmology on Safari
cosmosafari.co.za
February 18, 2025 at 10:48 AM
One week to go until abstract submission closes
Reposted by Matt Hilton
Something else to thank EM for.
"The sustained rate of daily reentries is unprecedented," says Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics who tracks satellites. "They are retiring and incinerating about 4 or 5 Starlinks every day."
@planet4589.bsky.social
#astronomy
"The sustained rate of daily reentries is unprecedented," says Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics who tracks satellites. "They are retiring and incinerating about 4 or 5 Starlinks every day."
@planet4589.bsky.social
#astronomy
February 5, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Something else to thank EM for.
"The sustained rate of daily reentries is unprecedented," says Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics who tracks satellites. "They are retiring and incinerating about 4 or 5 Starlinks every day."
@planet4589.bsky.social
#astronomy
"The sustained rate of daily reentries is unprecedented," says Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer at the Harvard Center for Astrophysics who tracks satellites. "They are retiring and incinerating about 4 or 5 Starlinks every day."
@planet4589.bsky.social
#astronomy
Cosmology on Safari is happening again (1-7 June 2025, Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - cosmosafari.co.za). This will be our 5th such conference, and our 10th anniversary! Abstract submission closes Feb 25th #cosmology 🔭
Cosmology on Safari – Cosmology on Safari
cosmosafari.co.za
February 4, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Cosmology on Safari is happening again (1-7 June 2025, Hluhluwe, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa - cosmosafari.co.za). This will be our 5th such conference, and our 10th anniversary! Abstract submission closes Feb 25th #cosmology 🔭
Reposted by Matt Hilton
I am so glad @rossandersen.bsky.social took the time to write this. It is a thorough and accurate summary of the @vrubinobs.bsky.social situation. I have MANY FEELINGS about each and every facet of said situation, let me tell you. This won't be the last you hear of "telescope vs crap in orbit" 🔭
When a Telescope Is a National-Security Risk
How do you know what you’re not allowed to see?
www.theatlantic.com
December 2, 2024 at 8:49 PM
I am so glad @rossandersen.bsky.social took the time to write this. It is a thorough and accurate summary of the @vrubinobs.bsky.social situation. I have MANY FEELINGS about each and every facet of said situation, let me tell you. This won't be the last you hear of "telescope vs crap in orbit" 🔭
The 64 year old Joburg planetarium has been refurbished with shiny new digital projectors (and other stuff) and will reopen to the public in Feb 2025. Based on the launch event this week, it's going to be good.
www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-...
www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-...
2024-11 - New Digital Dome launches in Joburg - Wits University
www.wits.ac.za
November 14, 2024 at 5:04 PM
The 64 year old Joburg planetarium has been refurbished with shiny new digital projectors (and other stuff) and will reopen to the public in Feb 2025. Based on the launch event this week, it's going to be good.
www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-...
www.wits.ac.za/news/latest-...
There is only one X-ray telescope that can take pictures at high resolution (1") and that's Chandra. It still has a role to play in observing supermassive black holes in the early universe revealed by JWST. www.savechandra.org/faq #SaveChandra
Your Questions Answered | Save the Chandra X-ray Observatory
Ask that Congress #SaveChandra! | The Chandra X-ray Observatory, one of
NASA's last Great Observatories, has revolutionized our understanding of
the Universe, mapped black holes across cosmic time, ...
www.savechandra.org
March 20, 2024 at 5:18 AM
There is only one X-ray telescope that can take pictures at high resolution (1") and that's Chandra. It still has a role to play in observing supermassive black holes in the early universe revealed by JWST. www.savechandra.org/faq #SaveChandra