Eric Tittley
@erictittley.bsky.social
Canadian Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh.
Whisky, curling, hockey, pets, animals (ALL the animals), hiking, cycling, coins, weather, gardening, computing.
Whisky, curling, hockey, pets, animals (ALL the animals), hiking, cycling, coins, weather, gardening, computing.
This is a forecast for Tuesday evening. Hurricane Humberto on the right and Tropical Storm/Hurricane Imelda (speculative) on the left.
This will be an intriguing dance to watch.
This will be an intriguing dance to watch.
September 26, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This is a forecast for Tuesday evening. Hurricane Humberto on the right and Tropical Storm/Hurricane Imelda (speculative) on the left.
This will be an intriguing dance to watch.
This will be an intriguing dance to watch.
It's right to say it has been dry in the Edinburgh area.
The cumulative precip in the previous year is a good proxy for the dryness of the soil. At least, it's a part of the story.
This is the cumulative precip plot for my weather station.
We've had almost a third of the rainfall as last year.
The cumulative precip in the previous year is a good proxy for the dryness of the soil. At least, it's a part of the story.
This is the cumulative precip plot for my weather station.
We've had almost a third of the rainfall as last year.
August 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
It's right to say it has been dry in the Edinburgh area.
The cumulative precip in the previous year is a good proxy for the dryness of the soil. At least, it's a part of the story.
This is the cumulative precip plot for my weather station.
We've had almost a third of the rainfall as last year.
The cumulative precip in the previous year is a good proxy for the dryness of the soil. At least, it's a part of the story.
This is the cumulative precip plot for my weather station.
We've had almost a third of the rainfall as last year.
Is this Ball Lightning? It's the most convincing video or photo I've seen. It would nice to know the precise location to see if it is along a power or telephone wire. Could just be arcing.
So jealous.....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmOf...
So jealous.....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmOf...
‘Incredible video’ captured during Alberta storm could be rare ball lightning event: scientist
YouTube video by Global News
www.youtube.com
July 14, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Is this Ball Lightning? It's the most convincing video or photo I've seen. It would nice to know the precise location to see if it is along a power or telephone wire. Could just be arcing.
So jealous.....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmOf...
So jealous.....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmOf...
First light images from the sky-busting Vera Rubin Observatory are going live NOW!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv22...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv22...
First Images from NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory | #RubinFirstLook
YouTube video by Rubin Observatory
www.youtube.com
June 23, 2025 at 2:46 PM
First light images from the sky-busting Vera Rubin Observatory are going live NOW!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv22...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv22...
Reposted by Eric Tittley
The first images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will be revealed today. This image of the Virgo cluster, which incudes 2 spiral galaxies and 3 merging galaxies, gives a sneak preview of what we can expect. Read how EPCC is supporting Rubin's Legacy Survey of Space and Time: edin.ac/40f1n2F
June 23, 2025 at 8:53 AM
The first images from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory will be revealed today. This image of the Virgo cluster, which incudes 2 spiral galaxies and 3 merging galaxies, gives a sneak preview of what we can expect. Read how EPCC is supporting Rubin's Legacy Survey of Space and Time: edin.ac/40f1n2F
Angry cloud.
Angry cloud trying very hard to be angry but pesty rainbow keeps tagging along.
Angry at pesty rainbow.
Angry cloud trying very hard to be angry but pesty rainbow keeps tagging along.
Angry at pesty rainbow.
May 31, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Angry cloud.
Angry cloud trying very hard to be angry but pesty rainbow keeps tagging along.
Angry at pesty rainbow.
Angry cloud trying very hard to be angry but pesty rainbow keeps tagging along.
Angry at pesty rainbow.
Water Scarcity map for Scotland issued May 22.
Orange is Moderate Scarcity. Yellow Alert. Green Early Warning.
Absence of colour means no concern. It is a bit weird that green isn't No Concern.
Source SEPA
Orange is Moderate Scarcity. Yellow Alert. Green Early Warning.
Absence of colour means no concern. It is a bit weird that green isn't No Concern.
Source SEPA
May 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Water Scarcity map for Scotland issued May 22.
Orange is Moderate Scarcity. Yellow Alert. Green Early Warning.
Absence of colour means no concern. It is a bit weird that green isn't No Concern.
Source SEPA
Orange is Moderate Scarcity. Yellow Alert. Green Early Warning.
Absence of colour means no concern. It is a bit weird that green isn't No Concern.
Source SEPA
Blackford Hill is on fire!
The Braid Burn side of it anyway.
From the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
#Brushfire #Edinburgh #ROE
The Braid Burn side of it anyway.
From the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
#Brushfire #Edinburgh #ROE
May 16, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Blackford Hill is on fire!
The Braid Burn side of it anyway.
From the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
#Brushfire #Edinburgh #ROE
The Braid Burn side of it anyway.
From the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
#Brushfire #Edinburgh #ROE
Secret Garden is not so much an #AffordableSpirit as it should be. A local Edinburgh (Damhead) distillery rooted in gardening. The gin is subtle, driven more by herbs and flowers than juniper.
Drink it as straight (or dry) as possible. Add tonic as milliliters and vermouth as drops.
Drink it as straight (or dry) as possible. Add tonic as milliliters and vermouth as drops.
May 6, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Secret Garden is not so much an #AffordableSpirit as it should be. A local Edinburgh (Damhead) distillery rooted in gardening. The gin is subtle, driven more by herbs and flowers than juniper.
Drink it as straight (or dry) as possible. Add tonic as milliliters and vermouth as drops.
Drink it as straight (or dry) as possible. Add tonic as milliliters and vermouth as drops.
Height of Arrows is an #AffordableSpirit from Edinburgh's own Holyrood (whisky)Distillery.
You know the smell on your fingers when you pick green juniper berries off the shrub? And their taste? Well that's Height of Arrows. And not much more, except an unexpected buttery sensation on the finish.
You know the smell on your fingers when you pick green juniper berries off the shrub? And their taste? Well that's Height of Arrows. And not much more, except an unexpected buttery sensation on the finish.
May 6, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Height of Arrows is an #AffordableSpirit from Edinburgh's own Holyrood (whisky)Distillery.
You know the smell on your fingers when you pick green juniper berries off the shrub? And their taste? Well that's Height of Arrows. And not much more, except an unexpected buttery sensation on the finish.
You know the smell on your fingers when you pick green juniper berries off the shrub? And their taste? Well that's Height of Arrows. And not much more, except an unexpected buttery sensation on the finish.
Beautiful weather out there, but be cautious about starting up a BBQ at your favourite beauty spot. Could end up in tears and guilt.
Remember it is not the warmth, but the lack of precipitation. The warmth just brings out the folks with lighters.
(www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/very-hi...)
Remember it is not the warmth, but the lack of precipitation. The warmth just brings out the folks with lighters.
(www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/very-hi...)
April 29, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Beautiful weather out there, but be cautious about starting up a BBQ at your favourite beauty spot. Could end up in tears and guilt.
Remember it is not the warmth, but the lack of precipitation. The warmth just brings out the folks with lighters.
(www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/very-hi...)
Remember it is not the warmth, but the lack of precipitation. The warmth just brings out the folks with lighters.
(www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/very-hi...)
Get ready to be disappointed by a brilliant auroral display this evening while it chucks it down outside.
April 16, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Get ready to be disappointed by a brilliant auroral display this evening while it chucks it down outside.
This is real.
This is brilliant.
My own screenshot.
Bring back writing your own code! Stop importing black boxes!
This is brilliant.
My own screenshot.
Bring back writing your own code! Stop importing black boxes!
April 16, 2025 at 5:30 PM
This is real.
This is brilliant.
My own screenshot.
Bring back writing your own code! Stop importing black boxes!
This is brilliant.
My own screenshot.
Bring back writing your own code! Stop importing black boxes!
Drinking #Ardnamurchan "The Midge" around the fire, burning whisky staves. In the Highlands.
Only in Scotland.
Only in Scotland.
April 14, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Drinking #Ardnamurchan "The Midge" around the fire, burning whisky staves. In the Highlands.
Only in Scotland.
Only in Scotland.
It's been awhile since I picked up a #Singleton. Previous bottlings have been... disappointing. But the price has dropped down to the #AffordableSpirits range Give it another try.
Alas, the vodkaification of whisky is not a trend I support. Easy to drink, sure. But brings little to the experience.
Alas, the vodkaification of whisky is not a trend I support. Easy to drink, sure. But brings little to the experience.
April 8, 2025 at 5:09 PM
It's been awhile since I picked up a #Singleton. Previous bottlings have been... disappointing. But the price has dropped down to the #AffordableSpirits range Give it another try.
Alas, the vodkaification of whisky is not a trend I support. Easy to drink, sure. But brings little to the experience.
Alas, the vodkaification of whisky is not a trend I support. Easy to drink, sure. But brings little to the experience.
Is this the most cloud-free the British Isles has been since the Big Bang?
April 7
Image from NASA VIIRS
April 7
Image from NASA VIIRS
April 7, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Is this the most cloud-free the British Isles has been since the Big Bang?
April 7
Image from NASA VIIRS
April 7
Image from NASA VIIRS
Is it just me that I find founding member of the Putin fan club Alexander Ovechkin passing the mascot for the Canadian chapter of the Trump fan club Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goal scorer in the NHL is the most annoying record breaking moment since Hitler broke the record for eating burritos?
April 6, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Is it just me that I find founding member of the Putin fan club Alexander Ovechkin passing the mascot for the Canadian chapter of the Trump fan club Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goal scorer in the NHL is the most annoying record breaking moment since Hitler broke the record for eating burritos?
So this is Trump's formula for calculating effective foreign tariffs.
epsilon and phi are elasticities for trade and prices or whatever, it doesn't matter as they are 0.25 and 4, so cancel out. That leaves (export-imports)/imports. Then tau_i is used as min(20,-tau_i)/2 to set the applied tariff.
epsilon and phi are elasticities for trade and prices or whatever, it doesn't matter as they are 0.25 and 4, so cancel out. That leaves (export-imports)/imports. Then tau_i is used as min(20,-tau_i)/2 to set the applied tariff.
April 5, 2025 at 9:11 AM
So this is Trump's formula for calculating effective foreign tariffs.
epsilon and phi are elasticities for trade and prices or whatever, it doesn't matter as they are 0.25 and 4, so cancel out. That leaves (export-imports)/imports. Then tau_i is used as min(20,-tau_i)/2 to set the applied tariff.
epsilon and phi are elasticities for trade and prices or whatever, it doesn't matter as they are 0.25 and 4, so cancel out. That leaves (export-imports)/imports. Then tau_i is used as min(20,-tau_i)/2 to set the applied tariff.
Glad to see the UK government is considering retaliatory tariffs against the US on Scottish single and blended malts. That'll hurt the influential American Scotch producers.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ee66...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ee66...
April 3, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Glad to see the UK government is considering retaliatory tariffs against the US on Scottish single and blended malts. That'll hurt the influential American Scotch producers.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ee66...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ee66...
First harvest of the season!
The start of a potato salad.
The start of a potato salad.
March 30, 2025 at 4:38 PM
First harvest of the season!
The start of a potato salad.
The start of a potato salad.
Gaia has been turned off.
Its mission was to do what astronomers have been doing since ancient times: measuring the precision of objects in the night sky.
Positions, as measured while the earth orbits the sun, gives parallax. Parallax gives distance. So a 3D map.
The best 3D map ever.
Its mission was to do what astronomers have been doing since ancient times: measuring the precision of objects in the night sky.
Positions, as measured while the earth orbits the sun, gives parallax. Parallax gives distance. So a 3D map.
The best 3D map ever.
Farewell, Gaia! Spacecraft Operations Manager Peter Collins confirms that Gaia has fallen silent, having been successfully passivated and switched off after more than a decade spent mapping the cosmos.
www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...
www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...
Farewell, Gaia! Spacecraft operations come to an end
The European Space Agency (ESA) has powered down its Gaia spacecraft after more than a decade spent gathering data that are now being used to unravel the secrets of our home galaxy.On 27 March 2025, G...
www.esa.int
March 27, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Gaia has been turned off.
Its mission was to do what astronomers have been doing since ancient times: measuring the precision of objects in the night sky.
Positions, as measured while the earth orbits the sun, gives parallax. Parallax gives distance. So a 3D map.
The best 3D map ever.
Its mission was to do what astronomers have been doing since ancient times: measuring the precision of objects in the night sky.
Positions, as measured while the earth orbits the sun, gives parallax. Parallax gives distance. So a 3D map.
The best 3D map ever.
Science wins.
There has been much talk of a tension in cosmology, with claims that new physics would be required to resolve it. But in the end hard work, skills, and talent applied using the scientific method gets there.
A tremendous achievement.
bsky.app/profile/astr...
There has been much talk of a tension in cosmology, with claims that new physics would be required to resolve it. But in the end hard work, skills, and talent applied using the scientific method gets there.
A tremendous achievement.
bsky.app/profile/astr...
🥳 It's paper day for the completed #ESO Kilo-Degree Survey. We end our journey with a consistent picture of #cosmology 😲
I've been co-leading KiDS for 12yrs & I'm so proud of what the team's achieved. If you're at the #Euclid meet, go to Angus Wright's talk @10am today!🔭
ℹ️: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.19441
I've been co-leading KiDS for 12yrs & I'm so proud of what the team's achieved. If you're at the #Euclid meet, go to Angus Wright's talk @10am today!🔭
ℹ️: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.19441
March 26, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Science wins.
There has been much talk of a tension in cosmology, with claims that new physics would be required to resolve it. But in the end hard work, skills, and talent applied using the scientific method gets there.
A tremendous achievement.
bsky.app/profile/astr...
There has been much talk of a tension in cosmology, with claims that new physics would be required to resolve it. But in the end hard work, skills, and talent applied using the scientific method gets there.
A tremendous achievement.
bsky.app/profile/astr...
Reposted by Eric Tittley
🥳 It's paper day for the completed #ESO Kilo-Degree Survey. We end our journey with a consistent picture of #cosmology 😲
I've been co-leading KiDS for 12yrs & I'm so proud of what the team's achieved. If you're at the #Euclid meet, go to Angus Wright's talk @10am today!🔭
ℹ️: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.19441
I've been co-leading KiDS for 12yrs & I'm so proud of what the team's achieved. If you're at the #Euclid meet, go to Angus Wright's talk @10am today!🔭
ℹ️: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.19441
March 26, 2025 at 8:01 AM
🥳 It's paper day for the completed #ESO Kilo-Degree Survey. We end our journey with a consistent picture of #cosmology 😲
I've been co-leading KiDS for 12yrs & I'm so proud of what the team's achieved. If you're at the #Euclid meet, go to Angus Wright's talk @10am today!🔭
ℹ️: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.19441
I've been co-leading KiDS for 12yrs & I'm so proud of what the team's achieved. If you're at the #Euclid meet, go to Angus Wright's talk @10am today!🔭
ℹ️: arxiv.org/pdf/2503.19441
That was a busy Sunday morning of sports! Good results all around. Congrats #TeamPapaya and #TeamHoman. Outrageous how good some of those shots were.
March 23, 2025 at 10:03 AM
That was a busy Sunday morning of sports! Good results all around. Congrats #TeamPapaya and #TeamHoman. Outrageous how good some of those shots were.
Normally I don't like just reposting links without adding original content. But since Nasa won't be allowed to post on anything not Meta or X, and soon won't even be allowed to post anything that even hints at climate change...
www.nasa.gov/missions/jas...
#NASA #SeaLevel #ClimateChange
www.nasa.gov/missions/jas...
#NASA #SeaLevel #ClimateChange
NASA Analysis Shows Unexpected Amount of Sea Level Rise in 2024 - NASA
Last year’s increase was due to an unusual amount of ocean warming, combined with meltwater from land-based ice such as glaciers.
www.nasa.gov
March 14, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Normally I don't like just reposting links without adding original content. But since Nasa won't be allowed to post on anything not Meta or X, and soon won't even be allowed to post anything that even hints at climate change...
www.nasa.gov/missions/jas...
#NASA #SeaLevel #ClimateChange
www.nasa.gov/missions/jas...
#NASA #SeaLevel #ClimateChange