Prof Anna Watts
@profannawatts.bsky.social
Professor of Astrophysics @ Univ. of Amsterdam. Neutron stars, pulsars, dense matter, X-ray astronomy. Mom, Migrant. "Particles in stars blah blah". Does science with NICER on the International Space Station and schemes for EVEN BIGGER SPACE TELESCOPES.
Reposted by Prof Anna Watts
Awful news. The Lick Observatory is a gorgeous instrument.
Powerful Christmas Day winds gusting up to 114 mph severely damaged UC Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, forcing the nearly 140-year-old facility to close while officials headquartered at UC Santa Cruz assess structural damage and begin repairs expected to take months.
Christmas Day winds up to 114 mph damage UC Lick Observatory
Powerful Christmas Day winds gusting up to 114 mph severely damaged UC Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton, forcing the nearly 140-year-old facility to close while officials headquartered at UC Santa Cruz assess structural damage and begin repairs expected to take months.
buff.ly
December 26, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Awful news. The Lick Observatory is a gorgeous instrument.
We are hiring!! Faculty position in Gravitational Wave and Multi-messenger Astrophysics at @grappainstitute.bsky.social at the University of Amsterdam! 🔭✨🧪
werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies...
werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies...
a cartoon of homer simpson and bart simpson sitting on a couch with the words join us above them .
Alt: a cartoon of homer simpson and bart simpson sitting on a couch with the words join us above them .
media.tenor.com
December 23, 2025 at 12:26 PM
We are hiring!! Faculty position in Gravitational Wave and Multi-messenger Astrophysics at @grappainstitute.bsky.social at the University of Amsterdam! 🔭✨🧪
werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies...
werkenbij.uva.nl/en/vacancies...
Trying not to Dutch-tut about this too much.... our annual water management bills include stern lectures about the importance of embankment maintenance and the perilous consequences of not keeping them in good condition.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Major incident declared over giant hole at Shropshire canal
Two boats have been left at the bottom of the cavity, where water has drained away.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 23, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Trying not to Dutch-tut about this too much.... our annual water management bills include stern lectures about the importance of embankment maintenance and the perilous consequences of not keeping them in good condition.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Prof Anna Watts
Closing out my year with a journal editor shocker 🧵
Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
December 19, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Closing out my year with a journal editor shocker 🧵
Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
Breaking out Kpop Demon Hunters for the last pre Xmas FINISH ALL THE THINGS push....
December 19, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Breaking out Kpop Demon Hunters for the last pre Xmas FINISH ALL THE THINGS push....
We are pleased to announce the publication today (19th December 2025) of a special issue consisting of a series of papers about various aspects of Pulsar Science with the Square Kilometre Array Observatory.
Links to the individual papers follow in a thread....
astro.theoj.org/issue/13006
Links to the individual papers follow in a thread....
astro.theoj.org/issue/13006
Vol. 8 Supplement, Issue 1, 2025 | Published by The Open Journal of Astrophysics
Highlights of the expected outcomes from the upcoming
SKA Observatory with game-changing large instantaneous
sensitivity, wide frequency coverage and flexible observation modes
astro.theoj.org
December 19, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Loads of Square Kilometer Array pulsar goodness on the arXiv this morning!! #highenergyastro 🔭 For an overview of all of the papers see here:
arxiv.org/abs/2512.16152
arxiv.org/abs/2512.16152
Pulsar Science with the SKA Observatory
The large instantaneous sensitivity, a wide frequency coverage and flexible observation modes with large number of beams in the sky are the main features of the SKA observatory's two telescopes, the S...
arxiv.org
December 19, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Loads of Square Kilometer Array pulsar goodness on the arXiv this morning!! #highenergyastro 🔭 For an overview of all of the papers see here:
arxiv.org/abs/2512.16152
arxiv.org/abs/2512.16152
Pro tip: if you want to be able to find that VERY IMPORTANT POWERPOINT containing the PERFECT DIAGRAM that you worked on for HOURS more than a year ago, pick a name that is more informative than 'Presentation1.pptx'.
December 18, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Pro tip: if you want to be able to find that VERY IMPORTANT POWERPOINT containing the PERFECT DIAGRAM that you worked on for HOURS more than a year ago, pick a name that is more informative than 'Presentation1.pptx'.
Work! Our lovely institute (@api.uva.nl) is looking for a new Institute Manager - so if you fancy trying to make sense of the mysteries of university project budgets, and herding a bunch of mostly well-behaved astronomer-cats, JOIN US!!!
werkenbij.uva.nl/vacatures/in...
werkenbij.uva.nl/vacatures/in...
Vacature — Instituutsmanager Anton Pannekoek Instituut voor Sterrenkunde
<p>Voel jij je thuis in de universitaire wereld en houd je van uitdagingen op het gebied van bedrijfsvoering? Wie weet ben jij dan onze nieuwe instituutsmanager!</p>
werkenbij.uva.nl
December 18, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Work! Our lovely institute (@api.uva.nl) is looking for a new Institute Manager - so if you fancy trying to make sense of the mysteries of university project budgets, and herding a bunch of mostly well-behaved astronomer-cats, JOIN US!!!
werkenbij.uva.nl/vacatures/in...
werkenbij.uva.nl/vacatures/in...
University email lists have been down for 2 days.
twilight sparkle and applejack are standing next to each other with the words guys where did everypony go
Alt: Twilight Sparkle and Applejack are standing next to each other in an empty village, with the words "Guys, where did everypony go?"
media.tenor.com
December 17, 2025 at 2:33 PM
University email lists have been down for 2 days.
Love it when a student asks if they can work on something, you point out that it will be messy, complicated, and possibly not lead to any definitive answer in the time available, and they say "Yup that's fine". #ResearchSpirit
rapunzel from tangled is pointing up and saying that 's the spirit !
Alt: Rapunzel from Tangled (purple frock, lotta blond hair) is pointing up and saying "That's the spirit"!
media.tenor.com
December 12, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Love it when a student asks if they can work on something, you point out that it will be messy, complicated, and possibly not lead to any definitive answer in the time available, and they say "Yup that's fine". #ResearchSpirit
💯
Informateur Buma zal wel geen hond hebben. Een puppycursus had de formatie kunnen helpen
Informateur Buma zal wel geen hond hebben. Een puppycursus had de formatie kunnen helpen
www.volkskrant.nl
December 9, 2025 at 7:39 PM
💯
Reposted by Prof Anna Watts
Alle kiezers die hebben gestemd voor verandering, worden belazerd. D66 kiest voor oude politiek door de blokkades van de VVD te belonen, en af te koersen op een minderheidskabinet.
Wij blijven knokken voor alle mensen die wél verandering willen.
Wij blijven knokken voor alle mensen die wél verandering willen.
December 8, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Alle kiezers die hebben gestemd voor verandering, worden belazerd. D66 kiest voor oude politiek door de blokkades van de VVD te belonen, en af te koersen op een minderheidskabinet.
Wij blijven knokken voor alle mensen die wél verandering willen.
Wij blijven knokken voor alle mensen die wél verandering willen.
And on the day that we lose (partially, eventually fully) yet another stellar female Full Professor, the latest @lnvh.nl Monitor reminds us that our faculty continues to prop up the bottom of the table of all of the science and technical faculties in the Netherlands.
December 8, 2025 at 10:30 PM
And on the day that we lose (partially, eventually fully) yet another stellar female Full Professor, the latest @lnvh.nl Monitor reminds us that our faculty continues to prop up the bottom of the table of all of the science and technical faculties in the Netherlands.
This is an amazing and incredibly well-deserved achievement. Bravo @profsera.bsky.social ! I only hope Cambridge is ready for the Unstoppable Force that they are getting!
www.ast.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
www.ast.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
Professor Sera Markoff appointed Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at University of Cambridge | Institute of Astronomy
Professor Sera Markoff has been appointed Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at the University of Cambridge.
www.ast.cam.ac.uk
December 8, 2025 at 4:20 PM
This is an amazing and incredibly well-deserved achievement. Bravo @profsera.bsky.social ! I only hope Cambridge is ready for the Unstoppable Force that they are getting!
www.ast.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
www.ast.cam.ac.uk/news/profess...
I guess I am no longer working on that corner of the puzzle 🙄
December 7, 2025 at 4:59 PM
I guess I am no longer working on that corner of the puzzle 🙄
TIL the word "haarklover" and declare this my new favourite Dutch word. Thanks @rutgerbregman.com
Literally "hair-splitter" or as I prefer to translate it "pernickety* bastard".
*persnickety for the americans, who spell it incorrectly
Literally "hair-splitter" or as I prefer to translate it "pernickety* bastard".
*persnickety for the americans, who spell it incorrectly
December 7, 2025 at 12:23 PM
TIL the word "haarklover" and declare this my new favourite Dutch word. Thanks @rutgerbregman.com
Literally "hair-splitter" or as I prefer to translate it "pernickety* bastard".
*persnickety for the americans, who spell it incorrectly
Literally "hair-splitter" or as I prefer to translate it "pernickety* bastard".
*persnickety for the americans, who spell it incorrectly
Streaming cold. Thinking powers reduced. Ergo a day for submitting all of the travel claims.
December 5, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Streaming cold. Thinking powers reduced. Ergo a day for submitting all of the travel claims.
Reposted by Prof Anna Watts
Ik moet toegeven dat ik de afgelopen twee jaar gefascineerd ben geweest door de figuur van Eppo Bruins: minister van onderwijs, cultuur en wetenschappen in een kabinet dat onderwijs, cultuur en wetenschappen zo snel mogelijk wilde afschaffen.
neerlandistiek.nl/2025/12/onde...
neerlandistiek.nl/2025/12/onde...
Onderzoekers die hun mening niet durven geven
Ik moet toegeven dat ik de afgelopen twee jaar gefascineerd ben geweest door de figuur van Eppo Bruins: minister van onderwijs, cultuur en wetenschappen in een kabinet dat onderwijs, cultuur en wet…
neerlandistiek.nl
December 5, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Ik moet toegeven dat ik de afgelopen twee jaar gefascineerd ben geweest door de figuur van Eppo Bruins: minister van onderwijs, cultuur en wetenschappen in een kabinet dat onderwijs, cultuur en wetenschappen zo snel mogelijk wilde afschaffen.
neerlandistiek.nl/2025/12/onde...
neerlandistiek.nl/2025/12/onde...
On the train home after an intense couple of days as part of the ASTRON Science Advisory Committee. Huge thanks to the whole institute for making us welcome and sharing your awesome science and technology with us.
December 4, 2025 at 3:49 PM
On the train home after an intense couple of days as part of the ASTRON Science Advisory Committee. Huge thanks to the whole institute for making us welcome and sharing your awesome science and technology with us.
Officially published! Congrats to Lucien, Seb and the team!
A NICER View of the 1.4 M⊙ Edge-on Pulsar PSR J0614-3329
doi.org/10.3847/1538...
via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
A NICER View of the 1.4 M⊙ Edge-on Pulsar PSR J0614-3329
doi.org/10.3847/1538...
via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
A NICER View of the 1.4 M⊙ Edge-on Pulsar PSR J0614-3329
A NICER View of the 1.4 M⊙ Edge-on Pulsar PSR J0614-3329, Mauviard, Lucien, Guillot, Sebastien, Salmi, Tuomo, Choudhury, Devarshi, Dorsman, Bas, González-Caniulef, Denis, Hoogkamer, Mariska, Huppenkot...
doi.org
December 4, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Officially published! Congrats to Lucien, Seb and the team!
A NICER View of the 1.4 M⊙ Edge-on Pulsar PSR J0614-3329
doi.org/10.3847/1538...
via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
A NICER View of the 1.4 M⊙ Edge-on Pulsar PSR J0614-3329
doi.org/10.3847/1538...
via @ioppublishing.bsky.social
Admiring the LOFAR 2.0 Upgrade aliens at ASTRON today!
December 3, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Admiring the LOFAR 2.0 Upgrade aliens at ASTRON today!
Reposted by Prof Anna Watts
You’ll never guess how the IDF decided to talk about killing these two kids, 8 and 11 years old, in its official statement
Two brothers killed in Israeli drone strike on Gaza
Fadi Abu Assi, 11, and Goma Abu Assi, eight, were gathering firewood at the time, their uncle said.
news.sky.com
December 2, 2025 at 6:49 AM
You’ll never guess how the IDF decided to talk about killing these two kids, 8 and 11 years old, in its official statement
Exam review session today - always a good opportunity to learn, for students and the professor 😅
November 28, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Exam review session today - always a good opportunity to learn, for students and the professor 😅