Dr. Ryan French
@ryanjfrench.bsky.social
British Solar Astrophysicist at the Laboratory of Atmospheric & Space Physics ☀️ Author of ‘Space Hazards’ and 'The Sun: Beginner’s Guide to Our Local Star' - (views my own)
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Dr. Ryan French
@ryanjfrench.bsky.social
· Dec 12
I feel it’s time I formally introduce myself on this app! I'm a Sun scientist researching solar flares - and value the importance of communicating the facts (and combating the fiction) of that science to the world.
My first book, ‘The Sun: beginners guide to our local star’, published last year ☀️
My first book, ‘The Sun: beginners guide to our local star’, published last year ☀️
Last night this gorgeous filament of plasma erupted from the backside of the Sun! What a beauty.
January 15, 2026 at 2:13 AM
Last night this gorgeous filament of plasma erupted from the backside of the Sun! What a beauty.
The Sun is joined by three planets in the sky this week. Can you guess what they are before opening the thread?
January 14, 2026 at 4:10 PM
The Sun is joined by three planets in the sky this week. Can you guess what they are before opening the thread?
Last night’s moderate #SolarFlare likely released more energy than the majority of larger X-class events. Why? Flare classifications are determined by the flare’s *peak* emission. Although last night’s flare capped at an M3 level, it continued releasing energy for over 12 hours!
January 12, 2026 at 2:58 PM
Last night’s moderate #SolarFlare likely released more energy than the majority of larger X-class events. Why? Flare classifications are determined by the flare’s *peak* emission. Although last night’s flare capped at an M3 level, it continued releasing energy for over 12 hours!
The Sun produced nineteen X-class solar flares in 2025, down from 50+ in 2024. Out of these 19, only five were above the X2.0 level (compared with twenty in 2024)! Here is a video showing the top ten strongest flares from last year.
January 12, 2026 at 2:34 AM
The Sun produced nineteen X-class solar flares in 2025, down from 50+ in 2024. Out of these 19, only five were above the X2.0 level (compared with twenty in 2024)! Here is a video showing the top ten strongest flares from last year.
11 days into the new year, and the Sun finally produced the first notable #SolarFlare of 2026. It was a moderate flare, reaching an M3.3-class! The active region responsible for this flare will be rotating to face Earth in coming days, so further solar activity is likely.
January 12, 2026 at 1:00 AM
11 days into the new year, and the Sun finally produced the first notable #SolarFlare of 2026. It was a moderate flare, reaching an M3.3-class! The active region responsible for this flare will be rotating to face Earth in coming days, so further solar activity is likely.
My new 2026 ‘Awesome Auroras’ calendar from @vincentledvina.bsky.social matches the vibe of my office immaculately! Who else has a space-themed calendar this year?
January 9, 2026 at 7:01 PM
My new 2026 ‘Awesome Auroras’ calendar from @vincentledvina.bsky.social matches the vibe of my office immaculately! Who else has a space-themed calendar this year?
Reposted by Dr. Ryan French
I’m pleased to share that my next book, ‘Little Book of Eclipses’, is releasing this June (with Octopus/ Philip’s)! Co-authored with my friend/colleague Tom Kerss, the book eclipses the science/history/photography of both solar and lunar eclipses, and includes a decade of eclipse maps.
January 7, 2026 at 9:59 PM
I’m pleased to share that my next book, ‘Little Book of Eclipses’, is releasing this June (with Octopus/ Philip’s)! Co-authored with my friend/colleague Tom Kerss, the book eclipses the science/history/photography of both solar and lunar eclipses, and includes a decade of eclipse maps.
I’m pleased to share that my next book, ‘Little Book of Eclipses’, is releasing this June (with Octopus/ Philip’s)! Co-authored with my friend/colleague Tom Kerss, the book eclipses the science/history/photography of both solar and lunar eclipses, and includes a decade of eclipse maps.
January 7, 2026 at 9:59 PM
I’m pleased to share that my next book, ‘Little Book of Eclipses’, is releasing this June (with Octopus/ Philip’s)! Co-authored with my friend/colleague Tom Kerss, the book eclipses the science/history/photography of both solar and lunar eclipses, and includes a decade of eclipse maps.
Yesterday I returned from a fantastic holiday in Costa Rica, so I apologise that the regular Sun posts have been absent! I will be posting more again this week, including some ‘2025 in review’ solar flare content. But first: here are some Costa Rica shots!
January 5, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Yesterday I returned from a fantastic holiday in Costa Rica, so I apologise that the regular Sun posts have been absent! I will be posting more again this week, including some ‘2025 in review’ solar flare content. But first: here are some Costa Rica shots!
The entirety of 2025 on the Sun! In addition to the mesmerising growth and decay of bright active regions, scrubbing through the video clearly shows the apparent change in the Sun's size – as Earth gets 3 millions miles closer and further from the Sun across the year! www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKBh...
January 5, 2026 at 3:24 PM
The entirety of 2025 on the Sun! In addition to the mesmerising growth and decay of bright active regions, scrubbing through the video clearly shows the apparent change in the Sun's size – as Earth gets 3 millions miles closer and further from the Sun across the year! www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKBh...
The full month of December 2025 in the Sun’s atmosphere. The month brought decent sunspot and moderate solar flare activity, whilst matching the trend of what is now quite clearly the declining phase of the solar cycle!
January 5, 2026 at 3:56 AM
The full month of December 2025 in the Sun’s atmosphere. The month brought decent sunspot and moderate solar flare activity, whilst matching the trend of what is now quite clearly the declining phase of the solar cycle!
BREAKING NEWS: NASA telescope photographs unidentified object transiting the Sun this morning.
December 24, 2025 at 2:43 PM
BREAKING NEWS: NASA telescope photographs unidentified object transiting the Sun this morning.
The Sun deserves more hype videos. Here’s a preview into the more cinematic Sun content I’ve been posting to Insta/TikTok/YouTube recently!
December 24, 2025 at 4:23 AM
The Sun deserves more hype videos. Here’s a preview into the more cinematic Sun content I’ve been posting to Insta/TikTok/YouTube recently!
This is hands down my favourite #SolarFlare in recent years, an event from September 2024. The flare persisted for several hours, giving us a jaw-dropping view of ‘coronal rain’ (seen in the yellow structure) and ‘supra-arcade downflows’ (seen in the cyan structure). A beauty!
December 23, 2025 at 10:49 PM
This is hands down my favourite #SolarFlare in recent years, an event from September 2024. The flare persisted for several hours, giving us a jaw-dropping view of ‘coronal rain’ (seen in the yellow structure) and ‘supra-arcade downflows’ (seen in the cyan structure). A beauty!
As a solar astrophysicist, I spent a lot of time looking at solar flares this year. Out of them all, this X1.9-class #SolarFlare from December 1st was my favourite! The plasma motions are simply mesmerising.
December 23, 2025 at 6:46 PM
As a solar astrophysicist, I spent a lot of time looking at solar flares this year. Out of them all, this X1.9-class #SolarFlare from December 1st was my favourite! The plasma motions are simply mesmerising.
New #SolarFlare research!!! The Solar Orbiter spacecraft is an ESA/NASA mission on an elliptical orbit around the Sun. At its closest approach to our local star, it captures high resolution images of the Sun's atmosphere – including of solar flares! ☀️ (a thread, 1/9)
December 19, 2025 at 5:43 PM
New #SolarFlare research!!! The Solar Orbiter spacecraft is an ESA/NASA mission on an elliptical orbit around the Sun. At its closest approach to our local star, it captures high resolution images of the Sun's atmosphere – including of solar flares! ☀️ (a thread, 1/9)
Want to get in shape? Just attend the #AGU25 conference in New Orleans. (I live 5 minutes from the convention centre, and walked 8 miles up and down the venue yesterday)
December 16, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Want to get in shape? Just attend the #AGU25 conference in New Orleans. (I live 5 minutes from the convention centre, and walked 8 miles up and down the venue yesterday)
New #SolarFlare research!!! In October last year, the Sun produced the strongest Earth-facing flare since 2017. NASA's Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) measured rich observations of the flare (shown below), published for the first time in our work. ☀️ (a thread: 1/11)
December 15, 2025 at 9:07 PM
New #SolarFlare research!!! In October last year, the Sun produced the strongest Earth-facing flare since 2017. NASA's Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) measured rich observations of the flare (shown below), published for the first time in our work. ☀️ (a thread: 1/11)
Reposted by Dr. Ryan French
Today is publication day for my new book in the USA, meaning "Space Hazards" is now available worldwide!
The book explores the history, science and risk mitigation of a number of risks from space – including the Sun/space weather, asteroids and space junk.
The book explores the history, science and risk mitigation of a number of risks from space – including the Sun/space weather, asteroids and space junk.
December 9, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Today is publication day for my new book in the USA, meaning "Space Hazards" is now available worldwide!
The book explores the history, science and risk mitigation of a number of risks from space – including the Sun/space weather, asteroids and space junk.
The book explores the history, science and risk mitigation of a number of risks from space – including the Sun/space weather, asteroids and space junk.
In a big coincidence, I had two first-author research publications published today! With different journals, author lists and topics (albeit both are on solar flare research), the works were submitted in July and October respectively – so the double pub day really is a surprise!
December 15, 2025 at 3:28 PM
In a big coincidence, I had two first-author research publications published today! With different journals, author lists and topics (albeit both are on solar flare research), the works were submitted in July and October respectively – so the double pub day really is a surprise!
Reposted by Dr. Ryan French
Last week on the Sun, versus today. Sunspots have nearly all but disappeared, leaving a naked Sun behind. The large cluster of sunspot groups came and went without producing any significant solar flares!
December 13, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Last week on the Sun, versus today. Sunspots have nearly all but disappeared, leaving a naked Sun behind. The large cluster of sunspot groups came and went without producing any significant solar flares!
Last week on the Sun, versus today. Sunspots have nearly all but disappeared, leaving a naked Sun behind. The large cluster of sunspot groups came and went without producing any significant solar flares!
December 13, 2025 at 5:28 AM
Last week on the Sun, versus today. Sunspots have nearly all but disappeared, leaving a naked Sun behind. The large cluster of sunspot groups came and went without producing any significant solar flares!
Reposted by Dr. Ryan French
looking for the perfect christmas gift for the space nerd in your life (or yourself)? curious about the dangers in space that might affect our planet?
well, my friend @ryanjfrench.bsky.social
wrote an amazing book called “space hazards” and it comes out tomorrow!! ☄️🌎
well, my friend @ryanjfrench.bsky.social
wrote an amazing book called “space hazards” and it comes out tomorrow!! ☄️🌎
December 9, 2025 at 12:01 AM
looking for the perfect christmas gift for the space nerd in your life (or yourself)? curious about the dangers in space that might affect our planet?
well, my friend @ryanjfrench.bsky.social
wrote an amazing book called “space hazards” and it comes out tomorrow!! ☄️🌎
well, my friend @ryanjfrench.bsky.social
wrote an amazing book called “space hazards” and it comes out tomorrow!! ☄️🌎
Today is publication day for my new book in the USA, meaning "Space Hazards" is now available worldwide!
The book explores the history, science and risk mitigation of a number of risks from space – including the Sun/space weather, asteroids and space junk.
The book explores the history, science and risk mitigation of a number of risks from space – including the Sun/space weather, asteroids and space junk.
December 9, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Today is publication day for my new book in the USA, meaning "Space Hazards" is now available worldwide!
The book explores the history, science and risk mitigation of a number of risks from space – including the Sun/space weather, asteroids and space junk.
The book explores the history, science and risk mitigation of a number of risks from space – including the Sun/space weather, asteroids and space junk.
An X-class #SolarFlare is currently underway on the Sun! How high will it go?
December 8, 2025 at 5:05 AM
An X-class #SolarFlare is currently underway on the Sun! How high will it go?