Mark A. Norris
@markanorris.bsky.social
Astronomer, Educator, Traveller, Human, Mild cynic.
The US needs to refinance something like $9 trillion this year alone.
The UK alone already holds almost a trillion of US debt.
Probably time to stop buying more for a while. And maybe dump $50 billion or so right before the next auction.
The UK alone already holds almost a trillion of US debt.
Probably time to stop buying more for a while. And maybe dump $50 billion or so right before the next auction.
New tariff just dropped.
Americans set to pay an additional 10% tax on all goods from Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
It starts in two weeks, rising to 25% by June.
(Aside: A trade war with one EU country is a trade war with the entire EU).
Americans set to pay an additional 10% tax on all goods from Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland.
It starts in two weeks, rising to 25% by June.
(Aside: A trade war with one EU country is a trade war with the entire EU).
January 17, 2026 at 6:07 PM
The US needs to refinance something like $9 trillion this year alone.
The UK alone already holds almost a trillion of US debt.
Probably time to stop buying more for a while. And maybe dump $50 billion or so right before the next auction.
The UK alone already holds almost a trillion of US debt.
Probably time to stop buying more for a while. And maybe dump $50 billion or so right before the next auction.
Calling it Robert Jenrick = Temu J.D. Vance.
January 15, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Calling it Robert Jenrick = Temu J.D. Vance.
Americans in 1775. “Give me liberty or give me death”
Americans in 2026. “Protest Trump and boycott his oligarch funders? Not if it inconveniences me.”
Americans in 2026. “Protest Trump and boycott his oligarch funders? Not if it inconveniences me.”
January 6, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Americans in 1775. “Give me liberty or give me death”
Americans in 2026. “Protest Trump and boycott his oligarch funders? Not if it inconveniences me.”
Americans in 2026. “Protest Trump and boycott his oligarch funders? Not if it inconveniences me.”
Open article to check, and yup, private equity firm at it again.
Why we allow these (usually American) vultures to gouge us then destroy our businesses is beyond me.
The whole business needs to be banned.
Why we allow these (usually American) vultures to gouge us then destroy our businesses is beyond me.
The whole business needs to be banned.
Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop near collapse, putting 2,550 jobs at risk
Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop near collapse, putting 2,550 jobs at risk
Owner Modella starts insolvency proceedings for both chains, saying trading is ‘extremely challenging’
The retailers Claire’s and The Original Factory Shop are on the brink of administration, putting 2,550 jobs at risk.
Both chains are owned by Modella Capital, a private equity firm, which recently bought the high street arm of WH Smith – renamed TG Jones. Modella said in a statement that the climate on UK high streets was “extremely challenging” and data suggested “an alarming drop-off in pre-Christmas footfall”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 7:26 PM
Open article to check, and yup, private equity firm at it again.
Why we allow these (usually American) vultures to gouge us then destroy our businesses is beyond me.
The whole business needs to be banned.
Why we allow these (usually American) vultures to gouge us then destroy our businesses is beyond me.
The whole business needs to be banned.
If he can do it to Venezuela he can do it to Greenland, or perhaps even Canada.
January 3, 2026 at 8:48 AM
If he can do it to Venezuela he can do it to Greenland, or perhaps even Canada.
I love the total lack of understanding of how functional healthcare works.
99.9% have no interest in choosing the consultant their GP refers them to, because they have no idea who they are.
In a functional system specialists aren’t paying to advertise themselves directly to the public.
99.9% have no interest in choosing the consultant their GP refers them to, because they have no idea who they are.
In a functional system specialists aren’t paying to advertise themselves directly to the public.
Instead, patients can go to any doctor of their choice, that will accept Medicare rates. The patient will be responsible for the cost , with payment based on a means tested income level.
The max being 10 pct
Employers whose employees participate will pay 10 pct of salary.
The max being 10 pct
Employers whose employees participate will pay 10 pct of salary.
December 29, 2025 at 7:54 AM
I love the total lack of understanding of how functional healthcare works.
99.9% have no interest in choosing the consultant their GP refers them to, because they have no idea who they are.
In a functional system specialists aren’t paying to advertise themselves directly to the public.
99.9% have no interest in choosing the consultant their GP refers them to, because they have no idea who they are.
In a functional system specialists aren’t paying to advertise themselves directly to the public.
Perhaps read the thing you are linking to, just to check it doesn’t say the opposite of what you claim?
December 28, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Perhaps read the thing you are linking to, just to check it doesn’t say the opposite of what you claim?
One more reason to wish for the AI bubble to burst sooner rather than later. Oracle going bust will presumably cause at least a temporary pause in the billionaires consolidating all media.
Warner Bros. Discovery requested a guarantee from the world’s third-richest person after Paramount’s hostile takeover offer.
Larry Ellison Guarantees $40 Billion In Paramount’s Warner Bros. Discovery Bid
Warner Bros. Discovery requested a guarantee from the world’s third-richest person after Paramount’s hostile takeover offer.
www.forbes.com
December 22, 2025 at 4:44 PM
One more reason to wish for the AI bubble to burst sooner rather than later. Oracle going bust will presumably cause at least a temporary pause in the billionaires consolidating all media.
I pointed out 3I/ATLAS was a comet on national TV. Heading to the bunker to avoid the crank emails.
Picture on the right is one I got at Alston. Looks like a comet to me.
Picture on the right is one I got at Alston. Looks like a comet to me.
December 19, 2025 at 10:41 AM
I pointed out 3I/ATLAS was a comet on national TV. Heading to the bunker to avoid the crank emails.
Picture on the right is one I got at Alston. Looks like a comet to me.
Picture on the right is one I got at Alston. Looks like a comet to me.
My morning. Though hopefully with less swearing. Though I did say "urine" on national breakfast TV...
December 19, 2025 at 10:25 AM
My morning. Though hopefully with less swearing. Though I did say "urine" on national breakfast TV...
A differential formulation of the Loeb scale is when Avi produces *TWO* random numbers and subtracts them to decide what the "Loeb" rating of a rock or ice-cube should be.
Or it could be inversely proportional to the amount of attention he has been getting recently...
arxiv.org/pdf/2512.13743
Or it could be inversely proportional to the amount of attention he has been getting recently...
arxiv.org/pdf/2512.13743
arxiv.org
December 17, 2025 at 2:15 PM
A differential formulation of the Loeb scale is when Avi produces *TWO* random numbers and subtracts them to decide what the "Loeb" rating of a rock or ice-cube should be.
Or it could be inversely proportional to the amount of attention he has been getting recently...
arxiv.org/pdf/2512.13743
Or it could be inversely proportional to the amount of attention he has been getting recently...
arxiv.org/pdf/2512.13743
Short timelapse of 3I/ATLAS observed from the Alston Observatory on Saturday morning.
The number of satellites visible is already seriously annoying. One passes almost directly over the comet.
youtu.be/cfkVNk8mYBc
The number of satellites visible is already seriously annoying. One passes almost directly over the comet.
youtu.be/cfkVNk8mYBc
3I/ATLAS Observed from the Alston Observatory
YouTube video by Mark Norris
youtu.be
December 15, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Short timelapse of 3I/ATLAS observed from the Alston Observatory on Saturday morning.
The number of satellites visible is already seriously annoying. One passes almost directly over the comet.
youtu.be/cfkVNk8mYBc
The number of satellites visible is already seriously annoying. One passes almost directly over the comet.
youtu.be/cfkVNk8mYBc
Only billionaires unused to ever being told no could come up with such a spectacularly dumb idea.
The highly complex and physically enormous cooling system on the International Space System can remove 70kW of heat. That is enough for 100 H200 chips. Datacenters have 10's of thousands.
The highly complex and physically enormous cooling system on the International Space System can remove 70kW of heat. That is enough for 100 H200 chips. Datacenters have 10's of thousands.
“.. Skeptics believe the technical risks are being underestimated and say space-based data centers won’t be competitive on cost, especially if power and other constraints ease on the ground.”
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/tech/bezos-a...
@wsj.com
www.wsj.com/tech/bezos-a...
December 11, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Only billionaires unused to ever being told no could come up with such a spectacularly dumb idea.
The highly complex and physically enormous cooling system on the International Space System can remove 70kW of heat. That is enough for 100 H200 chips. Datacenters have 10's of thousands.
The highly complex and physically enormous cooling system on the International Space System can remove 70kW of heat. That is enough for 100 H200 chips. Datacenters have 10's of thousands.
Caught a nice meteor in the latest timelapse from the observatory tonight.
December 10, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Caught a nice meteor in the latest timelapse from the observatory tonight.
That Admiral better not plan on ever leaving US territory again. Other countries are legally bound to prosecute war crimes even if the US won’t.
December 5, 2025 at 8:33 AM
That Admiral better not plan on ever leaving US territory again. Other countries are legally bound to prosecute war crimes even if the US won’t.
Henry isn’t half a smug little @&£*& every time he gets stuck behind a door (which is every time).
December 4, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Henry isn’t half a smug little @&£*& every time he gets stuck behind a door (which is every time).
So they don’t actually want a deal.
How could Ukraine possibly agree to a peace deal without knowing what security guarantees there were first?
How could Ukraine possibly agree to a peace deal without knowing what security guarantees there were first?
⚡️ US to discuss Ukraine security guarantees after peace deal signed, Rubio tells allies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured allies during a Nov. 25 call that the U.S. plans to address security guarantees once an agreement is reached, Politico reported.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured allies during a Nov. 25 call that the U.S. plans to address security guarantees once an agreement is reached, Politico reported.
US to discuss Ukraine security guarantees after peace deal signed, Rubio tells allies
Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured allies during a Nov. 25 call that the U.S. plans to address security guarantees once an agreement is reached, Politico reported.
kyivindependent.com
November 27, 2025 at 8:57 AM
So they don’t actually want a deal.
How could Ukraine possibly agree to a peace deal without knowing what security guarantees there were first?
How could Ukraine possibly agree to a peace deal without knowing what security guarantees there were first?
We grabbed a timelapse of the comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) tonight at the Alston Observatory. This is the comet that has broken apart.
It is really moving. This motion is only over about 40 minutes.
youtu.be/xDL_k6tpGOA
It is really moving. This motion is only over about 40 minutes.
youtu.be/xDL_k6tpGOA
Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS)
YouTube video by Mark Norris
youtu.be
November 26, 2025 at 12:38 AM
We grabbed a timelapse of the comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) tonight at the Alston Observatory. This is the comet that has broken apart.
It is really moving. This motion is only over about 40 minutes.
youtu.be/xDL_k6tpGOA
It is really moving. This motion is only over about 40 minutes.
youtu.be/xDL_k6tpGOA
Reposted by Mark A. Norris
More space junk in the news! The crew rotation on the Chinese space station was disrupted last week due to space debris cracking the glass in a window of the Shenzhou 20 capsule. In between meetings I've been doing media interviews about the problem - and why debris is becoming a regular issue.
November 25, 2025 at 7:22 PM
More space junk in the news! The crew rotation on the Chinese space station was disrupted last week due to space debris cracking the glass in a window of the Shenzhou 20 capsule. In between meetings I've been doing media interviews about the problem - and why debris is becoming a regular issue.
Sadly we are going to see more and more of this.
Not on our Physics/Astrophysics courses though.
The least you can expect for your tuition fees are lectures thoughtfully designed by experts in the material.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Not on our Physics/Astrophysics courses though.
The least you can expect for your tuition fees are lectures thoughtfully designed by experts in the material.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
‘We could have asked ChatGPT’: students fight back over course taught by AI
Staffordshire students say signs material was AI-generated included suspicious file names and rogue voiceover accent
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Sadly we are going to see more and more of this.
Not on our Physics/Astrophysics courses though.
The least you can expect for your tuition fees are lectures thoughtfully designed by experts in the material.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Not on our Physics/Astrophysics courses though.
The least you can expect for your tuition fees are lectures thoughtfully designed by experts in the material.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
When I started University the first exoplanet transit had recently been detected (using the HST).
Now a relatively small telescope in a muddy, partially cloudy field in Lancashire can detect a planet orbiting a star hundreds of light years away.
TOI1259A b seen with the IHT on the 19th of Nov.
Now a relatively small telescope in a muddy, partially cloudy field in Lancashire can detect a planet orbiting a star hundreds of light years away.
TOI1259A b seen with the IHT on the 19th of Nov.
November 23, 2025 at 1:06 AM
When I started University the first exoplanet transit had recently been detected (using the HST).
Now a relatively small telescope in a muddy, partially cloudy field in Lancashire can detect a planet orbiting a star hundreds of light years away.
TOI1259A b seen with the IHT on the 19th of Nov.
Now a relatively small telescope in a muddy, partially cloudy field in Lancashire can detect a planet orbiting a star hundreds of light years away.
TOI1259A b seen with the IHT on the 19th of Nov.
Last night we made a short but very high resolution timelapse of the sky over the Alston Observatory of the University of Lancashire as we were observing.
We are still optimising for best performance, and clearly need a dew heater, but it looks promising so far.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKP0...
We are still optimising for best performance, and clearly need a dew heater, but it looks promising so far.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKP0...
Timelapse of the North Celestial Pole from the Alston Observatory of the University of Lancashire
YouTube video by Mark Norris
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Last night we made a short but very high resolution timelapse of the sky over the Alston Observatory of the University of Lancashire as we were observing.
We are still optimising for best performance, and clearly need a dew heater, but it looks promising so far.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKP0...
We are still optimising for best performance, and clearly need a dew heater, but it looks promising so far.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKP0...
Managed to get some imaging of another comet (not that one) last night. You can clearly see that C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) has broken apart into several fragments.
There are no stars because I tracked the comet, and the streaks left by the stars were rejected when the images were combined.
There are no stars because I tracked the comet, and the streaks left by the stars were rejected when the images were combined.
November 20, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Managed to get some imaging of another comet (not that one) last night. You can clearly see that C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) has broken apart into several fragments.
There are no stars because I tracked the comet, and the streaks left by the stars were rejected when the images were combined.
There are no stars because I tracked the comet, and the streaks left by the stars were rejected when the images were combined.
Finally got enough of a clear patch this morning to grab some images of 3I/ATLAS from the Alston Observatory, through light pollution, a bit of cloud and a tree. I even got to try out the non-sidereal tracking on the telescope (hence the star trails).
It is still there, it is still a comet.
It is still there, it is still a comet.
November 17, 2025 at 12:32 PM
Finally got enough of a clear patch this morning to grab some images of 3I/ATLAS from the Alston Observatory, through light pollution, a bit of cloud and a tree. I even got to try out the non-sidereal tracking on the telescope (hence the star trails).
It is still there, it is still a comet.
It is still there, it is still a comet.
At the launch of Derek’s book with Brian May and J.P Metsavaino. Islands in infinity. I may have been involved in fact checking.
November 13, 2025 at 7:37 PM
At the launch of Derek’s book with Brian May and J.P Metsavaino. Islands in infinity. I may have been involved in fact checking.