∂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)
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…?
In my birthday message to the people this year, I'd just like to say 2 things: (1) Do something nice for yourself and go and see RAYE live if you can. I've been a fan of hers for years, and a *huge* fan since 21st Century Blues and seeing her live from 3 metres away at her gig in Mad Cool;
March 3, 2025 at 11:00 AM
In my birthday message to the people this year, I'd just like to say 2 things: (1) Do something nice for yourself and go and see RAYE live if you can. I've been a fan of hers for years, and a *huge* fan since 21st Century Blues and seeing her live from 3 metres away at her gig in Mad Cool;
In 15 minutes, Solar Orbiter will make its closest approach to Venus so far, passing in front of the dayside planet at less than 380 km above the surface!
I'll be glad to get news of its safe passage in the morning.
But for now.... we wait... 🤞
I'll be glad to get news of its safe passage in the morning.
But for now.... we wait... 🤞
February 18, 2025 at 8:34 PM
In 15 minutes, Solar Orbiter will make its closest approach to Venus so far, passing in front of the dayside planet at less than 380 km above the surface!
I'll be glad to get news of its safe passage in the morning.
But for now.... we wait... 🤞
I'll be glad to get news of its safe passage in the morning.
But for now.... we wait... 🤞
ESA - Celebrating Solar Orbiter and the women behind the mission www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Celebrating Solar Orbiter and the women behind the mission
Celebrating Solar Orbiter and the women behind the mission
www.esa.int
February 11, 2025 at 10:55 AM
ESA - Celebrating Solar Orbiter and the women behind the mission www.esa.int/ESA_Multimed...
Traditional Christmas breakfast 🎄
December 25, 2024 at 10:34 AM
Traditional Christmas breakfast 🎄
Reposted by ∂ave ⍵illiams (∂octor)
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe 🛰️ has made its record-breaking closest approach to the 🌞 today at a distance of 3.8 million miles travelling at 430,000 mph to understand why the corona is so hot, how the solar wind is accelerated & also how solar eruptions are formed. Here’s part of my interview on CNN👇
December 24, 2024 at 2:31 PM
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe 🛰️ has made its record-breaking closest approach to the 🌞 today at a distance of 3.8 million miles travelling at 430,000 mph to understand why the corona is so hot, how the solar wind is accelerated & also how solar eruptions are formed. Here’s part of my interview on CNN👇