Michelle Collins
@runningastronomer.bsky.social
✨Astronomer searching for and studying the faintest galaxies in the Universe ✨co-host of the @starxiv.bsky.social podcast ✨ Enthusiastic-but-mediocre runner 🏃🏻♀️ vegan 🌱 She/her
Oh my goodness! 😍🔭☄️ And naturally, it was seen in the Greatest Galaxy ❤️
Now on @sciam.bsky.social: “I got goosebumps when I saw it disappearing into darkness.”
Based on studies of a mysterious vanishing star in the galaxy of Andromeda, astronomers have found what may be the closest and best candidate for a newborn black hole.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/did-...
Based on studies of a mysterious vanishing star in the galaxy of Andromeda, astronomers have found what may be the closest and best candidate for a newborn black hole.
www.scientificamerican.com/article/did-...
How did an entire star vanish in the galaxy next door? A black hole may be to blame
A “disappearing” star in the Andromeda galaxy is the closest and best candidate for a newborn black hole that astronomers have ever seen
www.scientificamerican.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Oh my goodness! 😍🔭☄️ And naturally, it was seen in the Greatest Galaxy ❤️
Oh Dawson 💔
two men are standing next to each other and smiling .
ALT: two men are standing next to each other and smiling .
media.tenor.com
February 12, 2026 at 7:53 AM
Oh Dawson 💔
Happy international women and girls in science day! 🧪🔭☄️👩🏻🔬 In today's edition, I'll be meeting students, writing grants and doing associate dean-y stuff. All while consuming caffeine from my @starxiv.bsky.social podcast mug 😍
February 11, 2026 at 12:23 PM
Happy international women and girls in science day! 🧪🔭☄️👩🏻🔬 In today's edition, I'll be meeting students, writing grants and doing associate dean-y stuff. All while consuming caffeine from my @starxiv.bsky.social podcast mug 😍
Reposted by Michelle Collins
There’s a statue in Parliament that’s been deliberately left damaged for over a century.
The reason why takes us back to one of the most important protests in British history.
Let me show you one of Parliament’s hidden stories.
The reason why takes us back to one of the most important protests in British history.
Let me show you one of Parliament’s hidden stories.
February 7, 2026 at 10:08 AM
There’s a statue in Parliament that’s been deliberately left damaged for over a century.
The reason why takes us back to one of the most important protests in British history.
Let me show you one of Parliament’s hidden stories.
The reason why takes us back to one of the most important protests in British history.
Let me show you one of Parliament’s hidden stories.
Reposted by Michelle Collins
This is completely fascinating. Amused by the Bluesky users' main sequence and evolutionary track 😁.
The astronomer clump is a distinct feature.
The astronomer clump is a distinct feature.
I made a map of 3.4 million Bluesky users - see if you can find yourself!
bluesky-map.theo.io
I've seen some similar projects, but IMO this seems to better capture some of the fine-grained detail
bluesky-map.theo.io
I've seen some similar projects, but IMO this seems to better capture some of the fine-grained detail
Bluesky Map
Interactive map of 3.4 million Bluesky users, visualised by their follower pattern.
bluesky-map.theo.io
February 9, 2026 at 11:58 AM
This is completely fascinating. Amused by the Bluesky users' main sequence and evolutionary track 😁.
The astronomer clump is a distinct feature.
The astronomer clump is a distinct feature.
Reposted by Michelle Collins
From Hillary Diane Andales: Compact ultra-faint systems? More like confusing ultra-faint systems! ⚛️ 🔭 ☄️ 🧪
astrobites.org/2026/02/06/e...
astrobites.org/2026/02/06/e...
Is that a galaxy-like star cluster? Or a cluster-like dwarf galaxy?
Compact ultra-faint systems? More like confusing ultra-faint systems!
astrobites.org
February 9, 2026 at 6:59 AM
From Hillary Diane Andales: Compact ultra-faint systems? More like confusing ultra-faint systems! ⚛️ 🔭 ☄️ 🧪
astrobites.org/2026/02/06/e...
astrobites.org/2026/02/06/e...
Reposted by Michelle Collins
Elon has apparently finally abandoned his 20 year long assertion that he was just about to build a city on Mars any day now :-)
February 9, 2026 at 6:59 AM
Elon has apparently finally abandoned his 20 year long assertion that he was just about to build a city on Mars any day now :-)
Reposted by Michelle Collins
🔊 Calling UK early career researches in astro, particle & nuclear physics. Please sign this open response to the proposed cuts at STFC ⚛️🧪🔭
"Protecting the UK's reputation as a science superpower requires not only investment, but continuity, confidence, and people"
✍️ ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
"Protecting the UK's reputation as a science superpower requires not only investment, but continuity, confidence, and people"
✍️ ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
An excellent open-letter enumerating the dangers to early career researchers and then wider society of proposed changes to UK science funding
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
Early-career researchers may like to add their signatures
🧪⚛️🔭 #AcademicSky #UKpol
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
Early-career researchers may like to add their signatures
🧪⚛️🔭 #AcademicSky #UKpol
Early Career Researchers Response to UKRI Investment Approach
ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
February 6, 2026 at 10:25 AM
🔊 Calling UK early career researches in astro, particle & nuclear physics. Please sign this open response to the proposed cuts at STFC ⚛️🧪🔭
"Protecting the UK's reputation as a science superpower requires not only investment, but continuity, confidence, and people"
✍️ ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
"Protecting the UK's reputation as a science superpower requires not only investment, but continuity, confidence, and people"
✍️ ecr-openletter-stfc.github.io
Reposted by Michelle Collins
Thanks to @iansample.bsky.social at the Guardian for covering the devastating funding cuts that are being proposed for UK (astro)physics, and the dire impact these would have on young researchers. Will UKRI/STFC reconsider? Will the UKGov step in?🤞👩🔬🧪⚛️🔭
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
February 7, 2026 at 8:08 AM
Thanks to @iansample.bsky.social at the Guardian for covering the devastating funding cuts that are being proposed for UK (astro)physics, and the dire impact these would have on young researchers. Will UKRI/STFC reconsider? Will the UKGov step in?🤞👩🔬🧪⚛️🔭
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
www.theguardian.com/science/2026...
Reposted by Michelle Collins
Reposting to the astronomy and science feeds 🔭🧪
GPE's conclusion on STFC's savage cuts to astro/particle/nuclear physics research:
GPE's conclusion on STFC's savage cuts to astro/particle/nuclear physics research:
February 6, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Reposting to the astronomy and science feeds 🔭🧪
GPE's conclusion on STFC's savage cuts to astro/particle/nuclear physics research:
GPE's conclusion on STFC's savage cuts to astro/particle/nuclear physics research:
Reposted by Michelle Collins
Michelle's final paper focused on the observations of a pseudo-little red dot! A red, compact source at the heart of a lensed star bursting dwarf galaxy. It shares some properties with Little red dots, but not all. Could it be an LRD in waiting? arxiv.org/abs/2601.11466 🔭☄️
January 26, 2026 at 5:20 PM
Michelle's final paper focused on the observations of a pseudo-little red dot! A red, compact source at the heart of a lensed star bursting dwarf galaxy. It shares some properties with Little red dots, but not all. Could it be an LRD in waiting? arxiv.org/abs/2601.11466 🔭☄️
Reposted by Michelle Collins
This letter more or less confirms that once again the need to fund the ‘fixed’ costs of STFC - essentially the labs - those of us who work in areas funded by the council can go swivel. So stupid and shortsighted.
I am sorry. We all knew the three buckets were coming. We are all prepared for a shift in priority. But this message does nothing for all the UK scientists dependent on project grant funding. It doesn’t actually give any information
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
www.ukri.org/news/open-le...
Open letter from Ian Chapman to research and innovation community
UKRI Chief Executive outlines changes to UKRI investment approach, addressing concerns about research funding and the financial position of STFC.
www.ukri.org
February 1, 2026 at 7:29 PM
This letter more or less confirms that once again the need to fund the ‘fixed’ costs of STFC - essentially the labs - those of us who work in areas funded by the council can go swivel. So stupid and shortsighted.
Reposted by Michelle Collins
I’m trying not to be impulsive in my commentary so I’m just posting this story without offering any of the comments that I could readily make about it
But 2014 is after 2007
But 2014 is after 2007
Harvard Professor Lisa Randall Maintained Years of Contact with Epstein, Flew on Jet | News | The Harvard Crimson
Harvard professor Lisa J. Randall ’84 maintained years of contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey E. Epstein — exchanging emails and phone calls and flying on his private jet in 2014 — according t...
www.thecrimson.com
February 1, 2026 at 6:30 PM
I’m trying not to be impulsive in my commentary so I’m just posting this story without offering any of the comments that I could readily make about it
But 2014 is after 2007
But 2014 is after 2007
5 carbon rich stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud! This is the first time these have been discovered in the LMC. What can we learn about this? Tune in to hear more ☄️🔭🧪
Nicole’s second paper reports the first CEMP stars ever found in the LMC, 5 extremely metal-poor giants with strong carbon enhancement, revealing that early carbon production operated even in this massive dwarf. arxiv.org/abs/2601.10514 ☄️ 🔭
![Carbon abundances ([C/Fe]) as a function of [Fe/H] for the five CEMP stars compared to literature samples. Specifically, we compare to results from Chiti et al. (2024) which reports abundances for some of the most metal poor stars known in the LMC, along with results from APOGEE spectra in SDSS-IV DR17. The commonly-used definition for CEMP ([C/Fe]>0.7) is shown as a black dashed line, with the five stars from this work being the only stars above said line.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cugc4wn2mruqtvx7lm2kztiy/bafkreidigmce7qjcupzknkp77nbipscmhuzqcwtlz4axivqe5kqluuonym@jpeg)
January 30, 2026 at 1:35 PM
5 carbon rich stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud! This is the first time these have been discovered in the LMC. What can we learn about this? Tune in to hear more ☄️🔭🧪
What's going on in the Ring Nebula? This paper uses the WEAVE instrument (hurrah!) to look at it and finds something unexpected! Tune in for more 🧪🔭☄️
Michelle's second paper showed the discovery from the fabulous new WEAVE instrument in the Canary island. This IFU found a surprising bar of iron in the centre of the ring nebula. It doesn't seem to be a jet feature, so what is it?!? 🔭 ☄️ arxiv.org/abs/2601.10635
January 28, 2026 at 10:40 AM
What's going on in the Ring Nebula? This paper uses the WEAVE instrument (hurrah!) to look at it and finds something unexpected! Tune in for more 🧪🔭☄️
Reposted by Michelle Collins
We’re getting so many journal submissions from people who think ‘it kinda works’ is the standard to aim for.
1. The thing about science that these jokers don't understand is that science cannot be vibe-coded.
Whatever its flaws, the point with vibe coding is that you're trying to quickly make something that sorta works, where you can immediately sorta see if it sorta works and then sorta use it.
Whatever its flaws, the point with vibe coding is that you're trying to quickly make something that sorta works, where you can immediately sorta see if it sorta works and then sorta use it.
“The idea is to put ChatGPT front and center inside software that scientists use to write up their work in much the same way that chatbots are now embedded into popular programming editors.
It’s vibe coding, but for science.”
It’s vibe coding, but for science.”
January 28, 2026 at 5:58 AM
We’re getting so many journal submissions from people who think ‘it kinda works’ is the standard to aim for.
Reposted by Michelle Collins
The power of persistence and community unity! What a great win for #Astronomy
American company (AES Andes) was planning on building an industrial facility in the Atacama desert. This would've produced light pollution affecting the pristine skies where some big telescopes are.
Well .... no more!
🔭
American company (AES Andes) was planning on building an industrial facility in the Atacama desert. This would've produced light pollution affecting the pristine skies where some big telescopes are.
Well .... no more!
🔭
Paranal: Night Sky Secured – A Triumph for the Astronomers’ Protest
The planned industrial facility near ESO Paranal has been halted, ensuring the protection of the unique night sky for astronomical research.
www.mpe.mpg.de
January 27, 2026 at 9:02 PM
The power of persistence and community unity! What a great win for #Astronomy
American company (AES Andes) was planning on building an industrial facility in the Atacama desert. This would've produced light pollution affecting the pristine skies where some big telescopes are.
Well .... no more!
🔭
American company (AES Andes) was planning on building an industrial facility in the Atacama desert. This would've produced light pollution affecting the pristine skies where some big telescopes are.
Well .... no more!
🔭
I do love a Milky Way halo substructure. And in this paper, we got to learn more about the ancient Thamnos merger 🔭☄️
Nicole’s first paper confirms that the retrograde groups Rg8 and Rg9 are a single, very metal-poor halo substructure - Thamnos. High-resolution abundances show coherent chemistry and no α-knee, pointing to a progenitor quenched early after falling into the Milky Way. arxiv.org/abs/2601.09796 ☄️🔭
![The MDF of the Thamnos sample. The individual histograms show the Rg8 (orange) and Rg9 (green) subgroups, which sum to the total distribution (black solid line). The distribution is f it by a double Gaussian model (red solid line). This fit reveals two components: Component 1 (green dashed line, with a peak at [Fe/H] = −2.17), representing the dominant progenitor, and Component 2 (blue dashed line, with a peak at [Fe/H] = −1.49).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cugc4wn2mruqtvx7lm2kztiy/bafkreigg6pr4rf4oexso4atvgtqjfjlcr67uikdw6dqqgkh25wscqexohu@jpeg)
January 26, 2026 at 9:04 PM
I do love a Milky Way halo substructure. And in this paper, we got to learn more about the ancient Thamnos merger 🔭☄️
This was the first paper I discussed on the latest episode of the @starxiv.bsky.social and shows that supernova stars are reliable standard candles, despite some claims to the contrary last year 🔭🧪☄️
Great little overview of our recent paper posted to arXiv on this latest StarXiv podcast!
Sound the klaxon! The latest StarXiv has dropped. Tune in to hear about Supernovae, carbon stars, Thamnos, the Ring nebula and more as we delve into the last 2 weeks on astro-ph. 🔭 ☄️
January 26, 2026 at 1:43 PM
This was the first paper I discussed on the latest episode of the @starxiv.bsky.social and shows that supernova stars are reliable standard candles, despite some claims to the contrary last year 🔭🧪☄️
Episode 29 had dropped! Listen in to hear me and @nbuckley0810.bsky.social discuss some cool new papers from astro-ph 🔭🧪☄️
Sound the klaxon! The latest StarXiv has dropped. Tune in to hear about Supernovae, carbon stars, Thamnos, the Ring nebula and more as we delve into the last 2 weeks on astro-ph. 🔭 ☄️
starxiv.com
January 26, 2026 at 10:42 AM
Episode 29 had dropped! Listen in to hear me and @nbuckley0810.bsky.social discuss some cool new papers from astro-ph 🔭🧪☄️
Reposted by Michelle Collins
If you're living somewhere outside the USA, one thing you can do is pressure your leaders to boycott World Cup and Olympic events here.
January 24, 2026 at 8:29 PM
If you're living somewhere outside the USA, one thing you can do is pressure your leaders to boycott World Cup and Olympic events here.
Oh Google Gemini. No.
January 24, 2026 at 8:26 AM
Oh Google Gemini. No.
Missed the last episode of the @starxiv.bsky.social ? Go check it out! We recorded the next episode today and it will be out on Monday 🔭🧪☄️
Episode 28 – Fading stars, digesting planets and dark matter conundrums
In this episode, Michelle and Payel explore intriguing astronomical findings, including the search for Betelgeuse's companion star and the effects of consumed and transiting stars on host spectra. They also discuss a curious…
In this episode, Michelle and Payel explore intriguing astronomical findings, including the search for Betelgeuse's companion star and the effects of consumed and transiting stars on host spectra. They also discuss a curious…
Episode 28 – Fading stars, digesting planets and dark matter conundrums
In this episode, Michelle and Payel explore intriguing astronomical findings, including the search for Betelgeuse's companion star and the effects of consumed and transiting stars on host spectra. They also discuss a curious lensing signal that raises questions about dark matter.
starxiv.com
January 22, 2026 at 7:21 PM
Missed the last episode of the @starxiv.bsky.social ? Go check it out! We recorded the next episode today and it will be out on Monday 🔭🧪☄️
Alright Don Quixote
Trump: "There are windmills all over Europe. There are windmills all over the place. And they are losers. One thing I've noticed is that the more windmills a country has, the more money that country loses, and the worse that country is doing. I haven't been able to find any wind farms in China."
January 21, 2026 at 2:09 PM
Alright Don Quixote
The world is bleak, the weather is grim, the marking is mounting up but my day list is getting the hump day desk disco started which is all I need
January 21, 2026 at 9:31 AM
The world is bleak, the weather is grim, the marking is mounting up but my day list is getting the hump day desk disco started which is all I need