bobreflected
@bobreflected.bsky.social
Emeritus Professor of Materials Physics.
Public understanding of science. Astrophotography (more aspiration than success 😉); Creative Writing; occasional blogger: https://bobreflected.blogspot.com.
Husband, father, grandfather, believer.
Public understanding of science. Astrophotography (more aspiration than success 😉); Creative Writing; occasional blogger: https://bobreflected.blogspot.com.
Husband, father, grandfather, believer.
Time for me to take a Christmas break: but before I sign off let me wish you all much joy 🙂
December 24, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Time for me to take a Christmas break: but before I sign off let me wish you all much joy 🙂
Now that's an interpretation I can get behind 🙂
#astronomy #astrophotography #darkskies #lightpollution
#astronomy #astrophotography #darkskies #lightpollution
The thing about art is that it can be interpreted by the viewer as they wish, especially when the artist gives no comment. I choose to interpret the latest Banksy as a statement on the importance of astronomy… 🔭
December 23, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Now that's an interpretation I can get behind 🙂
#astronomy #astrophotography #darkskies #lightpollution
#astronomy #astrophotography #darkskies #lightpollution
"All the mess and frustration and the tangents and mistakes and learning and everything else that goes into actually making a thing from nothing adds up to something that you miss with a prompt. It adds up to The Work."
Yes, total empathy from me 🙂
Yes, total empathy from me 🙂
Heading into what's already looking like a, let's say, challenging 2026, this lovely little piece stands for science too. Do the work. It'll help.
This year we've been told over and over that there are shortcuts to Doing The Work. But there aren't, not really.
Here on the shortest day of the longest year I wrote a little defense of Doing The Work. dansinker.com/posts/2025-1...
Here on the shortest day of the longest year I wrote a little defense of Doing The Work. dansinker.com/posts/2025-1...
December 21, 2025 at 7:20 PM
"All the mess and frustration and the tangents and mistakes and learning and everything else that goes into actually making a thing from nothing adds up to something that you miss with a prompt. It adds up to The Work."
Yes, total empathy from me 🙂
Yes, total empathy from me 🙂
I've written & uploaded the fourth and final blog post in a series which covers the last few years of my deep sky #astrophotography - this one's on galaxies observed from my back garden.
It's been an encouragement to look back and be able to see progress 🙂
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/12/leav...
It's been an encouragement to look back and be able to see progress 🙂
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/12/leav...
Leaving the Milky Way behind: galaxies far, far away
This is the fourth image-rich post in a series on astrophotography; the type of astronomical target introduced here are galaxies.
bobreflected.blogspot.com
December 19, 2025 at 5:15 PM
I've written & uploaded the fourth and final blog post in a series which covers the last few years of my deep sky #astrophotography - this one's on galaxies observed from my back garden.
It's been an encouragement to look back and be able to see progress 🙂
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/12/leav...
It's been an encouragement to look back and be able to see progress 🙂
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/12/leav...
Reposted by bobreflected
@daveatcogs.bsky.social Did you see this?
Europe's nighttime glow from space 🌍
This first colour mosaic of the continent at night was created from 7000+ pictures taken by astronauts on the International Space Station.
www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
This first colour mosaic of the continent at night was created from 7000+ pictures taken by astronauts on the International Space Station.
www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
December 17, 2025 at 3:46 PM
@daveatcogs.bsky.social Did you see this?
A rare day of clear skies so a golden opportunity to play with a new toy: a hydrogen_alpha filter. It's designed to work with one of my telescopes to reveal prominences and the detail of the violent 'surface' as it's affected by the magnetic field and other forces. Not bad for a first trial run 🙂.
December 13, 2025 at 9:13 PM
A rare day of clear skies so a golden opportunity to play with a new toy: a hydrogen_alpha filter. It's designed to work with one of my telescopes to reveal prominences and the detail of the violent 'surface' as it's affected by the magnetic field and other forces. Not bad for a first trial run 🙂.
The third of four planned blog posts: this one on nebulæ of one sort or another. (Taken together, the four posts will constitute a log of my deep sky imaging to date.)
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/12/begi...
#astrophotography
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/12/begi...
#astrophotography
December 13, 2025 at 9:26 AM
The third of four planned blog posts: this one on nebulæ of one sort or another. (Taken together, the four posts will constitute a log of my deep sky imaging to date.)
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/12/begi...
#astrophotography
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/12/begi...
#astrophotography
Reposted by bobreflected
December 7, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Interesting piece: I learnt a lot, which I love.
Also, a great sentence within the opening paragraph which explains why experts like @rhiggitt.bsky.social are good to have around 🙂
Also, a great sentence within the opening paragraph which explains why experts like @rhiggitt.bsky.social are good to have around 🙂
December 3, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Interesting piece: I learnt a lot, which I love.
Also, a great sentence within the opening paragraph which explains why experts like @rhiggitt.bsky.social are good to have around 🙂
Also, a great sentence within the opening paragraph which explains why experts like @rhiggitt.bsky.social are good to have around 🙂
Reposted by bobreflected
Have you e-signed @sciencecentres.bsky.social's letter to the UKGov? Today is your last chance before it goes to Downing St! Join 1000s of us in calling for fairer funding for the UK's science centres currently excluded from UKGov infrastructure funding.🧪🔭
✍️ www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
✍️ www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
The fantastic UK network of science and discovery centres needs your help to survive and thrive! Sign this letter urging the UKGov to stop excluding science from the financial support that is available for other museums, art galleries & theatres 🙏🧪🔭👩🔬🎢
👉✉️: www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
👉✉️: www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
November 23, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Have you e-signed @sciencecentres.bsky.social's letter to the UKGov? Today is your last chance before it goes to Downing St! Join 1000s of us in calling for fairer funding for the UK's science centres currently excluded from UKGov infrastructure funding.🧪🔭
✍️ www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
✍️ www.sciencecentres.org.uk/openletter20...
Reposted by bobreflected
call me a luddite, but a tool that generates "reports" full of made-up content is not "efficient" no matter how much faster or cheaper it is than having humans write... a real report
A major healthcare policy paper commissioned by @govnl.bsky.social government from Deloitte at a cost of $1.6 million, cites research papers that don’t exist, making it the second major government policy paper called into question in as many months. #nlpoli #AI
theindependent.ca/news/lji/maj...
theindependent.ca/news/lji/maj...
Major N.L. healthcare report contains errors likely generated by A.I. – The Independent
$1.6 million Health Human Resources Plan from Deloitte cites research papers that don’t exist, making it the second major government policy paper called into question in as many months
theindependent.ca
November 23, 2025 at 3:56 AM
call me a luddite, but a tool that generates "reports" full of made-up content is not "efficient" no matter how much faster or cheaper it is than having humans write... a real report
I love this, just love it 🙂
November 23, 2025 at 10:07 AM
I love this, just love it 🙂
Reposted by bobreflected
Reposted by bobreflected
"Getting a robot to use the treadmill for you at the gym doesn't make you any fitter"
You don't say?
You don't say?
Relying on ChatGPT to teach you about a topic leaves you with shallower knowledge than Googling and reading about it, according to new research that compared what more than 10,000 people knew after using one method or the other.
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
Shared by @gizmodo.com: buff.ly/yAAHtHq
November 21, 2025 at 12:51 PM
"Getting a robot to use the treadmill for you at the gym doesn't make you any fitter"
You don't say?
You don't say?
Reposted by bobreflected
Researchers turned to a citizen science project to better understand how light pollution affects singing time in birds. https://www.snexplores.org/article/birds-singing-longer-light-pollution?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=bluesky&utm_campaign=snesnsocial
Birds are singing longer, thanks to light pollution
In light-polluted areas, birds spend an average of 50 minutes more per day singing. It’s unclear how that extra time might hurt or help the birds.
www.snexplores.org
November 19, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Researchers turned to a citizen science project to better understand how light pollution affects singing time in birds. https://www.snexplores.org/article/birds-singing-longer-light-pollution?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=bluesky&utm_campaign=snesnsocial
Reposted by bobreflected
Has anyone read my beautiful (credit to my lovely publisher), calming, life-affirming book? Do you think it would make a nice Christmas gift? Can you help me let people know about it? Here it is: geni.us/ThePlaceImin 🎁
November 18, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Has anyone read my beautiful (credit to my lovely publisher), calming, life-affirming book? Do you think it would make a nice Christmas gift? Can you help me let people know about it? Here it is: geni.us/ThePlaceImin 🎁
Reposted by bobreflected
"The BBC isn’t perfect – but it’s ours. If we don’t defend it now, we may lose a cornerstone of British democracy."
Defend the BBC before it’s gone – an open letter
The BBC isn’t perfect – but it’s ours. If we don’t defend it now, we may lose a cornerstone of British democracy
yorkshirebylines.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 3:20 PM
"The BBC isn’t perfect – but it’s ours. If we don’t defend it now, we may lose a cornerstone of British democracy."
Reposted by bobreflected
This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or falling for past 18 months, analysis finds
World’s biggest polluter on track to hit peak emissions target early but miss goal for cutting carbon intensity
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 AM
This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
Active regions on the Sun this afternoon, as seen from my garden.
We're only just beyond the peak of the solar activity cycle and it shows in the number and size of the active regions - lots of sunspots 🙂
(Taken through a neutral solar filter using my pet robot - a Dwarf3 smart telescope.)
We're only just beyond the peak of the solar activity cycle and it shows in the number and size of the active regions - lots of sunspots 🙂
(Taken through a neutral solar filter using my pet robot - a Dwarf3 smart telescope.)
November 9, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Active regions on the Sun this afternoon, as seen from my garden.
We're only just beyond the peak of the solar activity cycle and it shows in the number and size of the active regions - lots of sunspots 🙂
(Taken through a neutral solar filter using my pet robot - a Dwarf3 smart telescope.)
We're only just beyond the peak of the solar activity cycle and it shows in the number and size of the active regions - lots of sunspots 🙂
(Taken through a neutral solar filter using my pet robot - a Dwarf3 smart telescope.)
Reposted by bobreflected
Giveaway! 🥳🤩🎉🎉 I’ve got a very special gift to give away to 2 people!! Each set contains: a copy of my book, 2 cards with space to add your own noticings on the back and a bookmark! To enter: share this post, reply with what you like about November and tag one person you’d also like to get a set. 😀📚
November 6, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Giveaway! 🥳🤩🎉🎉 I’ve got a very special gift to give away to 2 people!! Each set contains: a copy of my book, 2 cards with space to add your own noticings on the back and a bookmark! To enter: share this post, reply with what you like about November and tag one person you’d also like to get a set. 😀📚
Back in July, before another grey Autumn settled in, it was my privilege and pleasure to give a talk at the South East Kent Astronomical Society: sekas.co.uk.
I promised a follow-on blog post - notable by its absence! In lieu I added a voice-over to the slides: youtu.be/HiaBa32FpxA
#astrophography
I promised a follow-on blog post - notable by its absence! In lieu I added a voice-over to the slides: youtu.be/HiaBa32FpxA
#astrophography
Astrophotography: capturing data & processing images
YouTube video by Bob Newport
youtu.be
November 6, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Back in July, before another grey Autumn settled in, it was my privilege and pleasure to give a talk at the South East Kent Astronomical Society: sekas.co.uk.
I promised a follow-on blog post - notable by its absence! In lieu I added a voice-over to the slides: youtu.be/HiaBa32FpxA
#astrophography
I promised a follow-on blog post - notable by its absence! In lieu I added a voice-over to the slides: youtu.be/HiaBa32FpxA
#astrophography
After nothing since January, two image-centred blog posts within a week (with more waiting in the wings). The first was on binary star systems I've imaged from my garden whereas this second one goes up in scale to star clusters.
#astronomy #astrophography
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/11/clus...
#astronomy #astrophography
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/11/clus...
November 5, 2025 at 4:01 PM
After nothing since January, two image-centred blog posts within a week (with more waiting in the wings). The first was on binary star systems I've imaged from my garden whereas this second one goes up in scale to star clusters.
#astronomy #astrophography
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/11/clus...
#astronomy #astrophography
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/11/clus...
Reposted by bobreflected
I don’t like to ask but - how DO you get followers in this place? If it helps, here’s a pic I took of Mercury crossing the Sun!
I post space things and am the creator of skycalpro - a personalised calendar of stargazing events.
#FollowersWanted
#Astronomy
I post space things and am the creator of skycalpro - a personalised calendar of stargazing events.
#FollowersWanted
#Astronomy
November 1, 2025 at 4:54 PM
I don’t like to ask but - how DO you get followers in this place? If it helps, here’s a pic I took of Mercury crossing the Sun!
I post space things and am the creator of skycalpro - a personalised calendar of stargazing events.
#FollowersWanted
#Astronomy
I post space things and am the creator of skycalpro - a personalised calendar of stargazing events.
#FollowersWanted
#Astronomy
There is a writer's aphorism: 'I write in order to know what I think'; I buy into the sense of that.
After and absence of several months, here is the first in a planned short series of blog posts in which I try to catch up with my hobby of astrophotography😉
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/11/bina...
After and absence of several months, here is the first in a planned short series of blog posts in which I try to catch up with my hobby of astrophotography😉
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/11/bina...
November 1, 2025 at 12:19 PM
There is a writer's aphorism: 'I write in order to know what I think'; I buy into the sense of that.
After and absence of several months, here is the first in a planned short series of blog posts in which I try to catch up with my hobby of astrophotography😉
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/11/bina...
After and absence of several months, here is the first in a planned short series of blog posts in which I try to catch up with my hobby of astrophotography😉
bobreflected.blogspot.com/2025/11/bina...
Reposted by bobreflected
I created skycalpro.com to help you find out what is happening in the night sky over your home tonight. It’s free - check it out :)
SkyCalPro - Calculate your own Sky Calendar
Rocket Launches-Planets-Satellites-Meteor Showers-Sun and Moon...and more!
skycalpro.com
November 1, 2025 at 12:09 PM
I created skycalpro.com to help you find out what is happening in the night sky over your home tonight. It’s free - check it out :)