Eric Tittley
@erictittley.bsky.social
Canadian Astronomer at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh.
Whisky, curling, hockey, pets, animals (ALL the animals), hiking, cycling, coins, weather, gardening, computing.
Whisky, curling, hockey, pets, animals (ALL the animals), hiking, cycling, coins, weather, gardening, computing.
This is a forecast for Tuesday evening. Hurricane Humberto on the right and Tropical Storm/Hurricane Imelda (speculative) on the left.
This will be an intriguing dance to watch.
This will be an intriguing dance to watch.
September 26, 2025 at 3:34 PM
This is a forecast for Tuesday evening. Hurricane Humberto on the right and Tropical Storm/Hurricane Imelda (speculative) on the left.
This will be an intriguing dance to watch.
This will be an intriguing dance to watch.
It's right to say it has been dry in the Edinburgh area.
The cumulative precip in the previous year is a good proxy for the dryness of the soil. At least, it's a part of the story.
This is the cumulative precip plot for my weather station.
We've had almost a third of the rainfall as last year.
The cumulative precip in the previous year is a good proxy for the dryness of the soil. At least, it's a part of the story.
This is the cumulative precip plot for my weather station.
We've had almost a third of the rainfall as last year.
August 25, 2025 at 2:05 PM
It's right to say it has been dry in the Edinburgh area.
The cumulative precip in the previous year is a good proxy for the dryness of the soil. At least, it's a part of the story.
This is the cumulative precip plot for my weather station.
We've had almost a third of the rainfall as last year.
The cumulative precip in the previous year is a good proxy for the dryness of the soil. At least, it's a part of the story.
This is the cumulative precip plot for my weather station.
We've had almost a third of the rainfall as last year.
Angry cloud.
Angry cloud trying very hard to be angry but pesty rainbow keeps tagging along.
Angry at pesty rainbow.
Angry cloud trying very hard to be angry but pesty rainbow keeps tagging along.
Angry at pesty rainbow.
May 31, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Angry cloud.
Angry cloud trying very hard to be angry but pesty rainbow keeps tagging along.
Angry at pesty rainbow.
Angry cloud trying very hard to be angry but pesty rainbow keeps tagging along.
Angry at pesty rainbow.
Water Scarcity map for Scotland issued May 22.
Orange is Moderate Scarcity. Yellow Alert. Green Early Warning.
Absence of colour means no concern. It is a bit weird that green isn't No Concern.
Source SEPA
Orange is Moderate Scarcity. Yellow Alert. Green Early Warning.
Absence of colour means no concern. It is a bit weird that green isn't No Concern.
Source SEPA
May 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Water Scarcity map for Scotland issued May 22.
Orange is Moderate Scarcity. Yellow Alert. Green Early Warning.
Absence of colour means no concern. It is a bit weird that green isn't No Concern.
Source SEPA
Orange is Moderate Scarcity. Yellow Alert. Green Early Warning.
Absence of colour means no concern. It is a bit weird that green isn't No Concern.
Source SEPA
Blackford Hill is on fire!
The Braid Burn side of it anyway.
From the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
#Brushfire #Edinburgh #ROE
The Braid Burn side of it anyway.
From the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
#Brushfire #Edinburgh #ROE
May 16, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Blackford Hill is on fire!
The Braid Burn side of it anyway.
From the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
#Brushfire #Edinburgh #ROE
The Braid Burn side of it anyway.
From the Royal Observatory Edinburgh
#Brushfire #Edinburgh #ROE
Secret Garden is not so much an #AffordableSpirit as it should be. A local Edinburgh (Damhead) distillery rooted in gardening. The gin is subtle, driven more by herbs and flowers than juniper.
Drink it as straight (or dry) as possible. Add tonic as milliliters and vermouth as drops.
Drink it as straight (or dry) as possible. Add tonic as milliliters and vermouth as drops.
May 6, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Secret Garden is not so much an #AffordableSpirit as it should be. A local Edinburgh (Damhead) distillery rooted in gardening. The gin is subtle, driven more by herbs and flowers than juniper.
Drink it as straight (or dry) as possible. Add tonic as milliliters and vermouth as drops.
Drink it as straight (or dry) as possible. Add tonic as milliliters and vermouth as drops.
Height of Arrows is an #AffordableSpirit from Edinburgh's own Holyrood (whisky)Distillery.
You know the smell on your fingers when you pick green juniper berries off the shrub? And their taste? Well that's Height of Arrows. And not much more, except an unexpected buttery sensation on the finish.
You know the smell on your fingers when you pick green juniper berries off the shrub? And their taste? Well that's Height of Arrows. And not much more, except an unexpected buttery sensation on the finish.
May 6, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Height of Arrows is an #AffordableSpirit from Edinburgh's own Holyrood (whisky)Distillery.
You know the smell on your fingers when you pick green juniper berries off the shrub? And their taste? Well that's Height of Arrows. And not much more, except an unexpected buttery sensation on the finish.
You know the smell on your fingers when you pick green juniper berries off the shrub? And their taste? Well that's Height of Arrows. And not much more, except an unexpected buttery sensation on the finish.
Beautiful weather out there, but be cautious about starting up a BBQ at your favourite beauty spot. Could end up in tears and guilt.
Remember it is not the warmth, but the lack of precipitation. The warmth just brings out the folks with lighters.
(www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/very-hi...)
Remember it is not the warmth, but the lack of precipitation. The warmth just brings out the folks with lighters.
(www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/very-hi...)
April 29, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Beautiful weather out there, but be cautious about starting up a BBQ at your favourite beauty spot. Could end up in tears and guilt.
Remember it is not the warmth, but the lack of precipitation. The warmth just brings out the folks with lighters.
(www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/very-hi...)
Remember it is not the warmth, but the lack of precipitation. The warmth just brings out the folks with lighters.
(www.firescotland.gov.uk/news/very-hi...)
Get ready to be disappointed by a brilliant auroral display this evening while it chucks it down outside.
April 16, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Get ready to be disappointed by a brilliant auroral display this evening while it chucks it down outside.
This is real.
This is brilliant.
My own screenshot.
Bring back writing your own code! Stop importing black boxes!
This is brilliant.
My own screenshot.
Bring back writing your own code! Stop importing black boxes!
April 16, 2025 at 5:30 PM
This is real.
This is brilliant.
My own screenshot.
Bring back writing your own code! Stop importing black boxes!
This is brilliant.
My own screenshot.
Bring back writing your own code! Stop importing black boxes!
Drinking #Ardnamurchan "The Midge" around the fire, burning whisky staves. In the Highlands.
Only in Scotland.
Only in Scotland.
April 14, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Drinking #Ardnamurchan "The Midge" around the fire, burning whisky staves. In the Highlands.
Only in Scotland.
Only in Scotland.
It's been awhile since I picked up a #Singleton. Previous bottlings have been... disappointing. But the price has dropped down to the #AffordableSpirits range Give it another try.
Alas, the vodkaification of whisky is not a trend I support. Easy to drink, sure. But brings little to the experience.
Alas, the vodkaification of whisky is not a trend I support. Easy to drink, sure. But brings little to the experience.
April 8, 2025 at 5:09 PM
It's been awhile since I picked up a #Singleton. Previous bottlings have been... disappointing. But the price has dropped down to the #AffordableSpirits range Give it another try.
Alas, the vodkaification of whisky is not a trend I support. Easy to drink, sure. But brings little to the experience.
Alas, the vodkaification of whisky is not a trend I support. Easy to drink, sure. But brings little to the experience.
Is this the most cloud-free the British Isles has been since the Big Bang?
April 7
Image from NASA VIIRS
April 7
Image from NASA VIIRS
April 7, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Is this the most cloud-free the British Isles has been since the Big Bang?
April 7
Image from NASA VIIRS
April 7
Image from NASA VIIRS
So this is Trump's formula for calculating effective foreign tariffs.
epsilon and phi are elasticities for trade and prices or whatever, it doesn't matter as they are 0.25 and 4, so cancel out. That leaves (export-imports)/imports. Then tau_i is used as min(20,-tau_i)/2 to set the applied tariff.
epsilon and phi are elasticities for trade and prices or whatever, it doesn't matter as they are 0.25 and 4, so cancel out. That leaves (export-imports)/imports. Then tau_i is used as min(20,-tau_i)/2 to set the applied tariff.
April 5, 2025 at 9:11 AM
So this is Trump's formula for calculating effective foreign tariffs.
epsilon and phi are elasticities for trade and prices or whatever, it doesn't matter as they are 0.25 and 4, so cancel out. That leaves (export-imports)/imports. Then tau_i is used as min(20,-tau_i)/2 to set the applied tariff.
epsilon and phi are elasticities for trade and prices or whatever, it doesn't matter as they are 0.25 and 4, so cancel out. That leaves (export-imports)/imports. Then tau_i is used as min(20,-tau_i)/2 to set the applied tariff.
Glad to see the UK government is considering retaliatory tariffs against the US on Scottish single and blended malts. That'll hurt the influential American Scotch producers.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ee66...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ee66...
April 3, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Glad to see the UK government is considering retaliatory tariffs against the US on Scottish single and blended malts. That'll hurt the influential American Scotch producers.
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ee66...
assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67ee66...
First harvest of the season!
The start of a potato salad.
The start of a potato salad.
March 30, 2025 at 4:38 PM
First harvest of the season!
The start of a potato salad.
The start of a potato salad.
Robins are like rainbows. Ya, common. We've all seen many. But they still get a photo to admire.
Li'l winged balls of joy.
Li'l winged balls of joy.
March 13, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Robins are like rainbows. Ya, common. We've all seen many. But they still get a photo to admire.
Li'l winged balls of joy.
Li'l winged balls of joy.
A red - brown potato cross? I didn't think genetics worked that way ...
March 9, 2025 at 5:11 PM
A red - brown potato cross? I didn't think genetics worked that way ...
March 9, 2025 at 1:02 PM
A grand day #RockPooling in lovely and sunny #EastLothian
March 9, 2025 at 12:52 PM
A grand day #RockPooling in lovely and sunny #EastLothian
A century-old Heinz Ketchup bottle dug up by my son from the burn (creek for non-Scots) running in our back yard.
No. 252, which is listed as a "Missing bottle number" in the HeinzBottleCodes document.
Date estimated 1919-1929 from bracketing known bottle no's.
130ml (4 Oz?)
#DullMensClub
No. 252, which is listed as a "Missing bottle number" in the HeinzBottleCodes document.
Date estimated 1919-1929 from bracketing known bottle no's.
130ml (4 Oz?)
#DullMensClub
February 14, 2025 at 12:11 PM
A century-old Heinz Ketchup bottle dug up by my son from the burn (creek for non-Scots) running in our back yard.
No. 252, which is listed as a "Missing bottle number" in the HeinzBottleCodes document.
Date estimated 1919-1929 from bracketing known bottle no's.
130ml (4 Oz?)
#DullMensClub
No. 252, which is listed as a "Missing bottle number" in the HeinzBottleCodes document.
Date estimated 1919-1929 from bracketing known bottle no's.
130ml (4 Oz?)
#DullMensClub
Showing my son Jupiter, Mars, the Orion Nebula, and the stupidly bright moon with the telescope (Celestron C6) I bought to view Halley's Comet.
#NationalAstronomyWeek
#NationalAstronomyWeek
February 6, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Showing my son Jupiter, Mars, the Orion Nebula, and the stupidly bright moon with the telescope (Celestron C6) I bought to view Halley's Comet.
#NationalAstronomyWeek
#NationalAstronomyWeek
Bunnahabhain has been making #AffordableSpirits for yonks. Stiùireadair is not just an autocorrect challenge, it's another as-expected winner. Absolutely sipable. Absolutely mixable. Lots going on to bring something to any situation.
Wait to get it on offer at Sainsbury, which is regular.
Wait to get it on offer at Sainsbury, which is regular.
February 2, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Bunnahabhain has been making #AffordableSpirits for yonks. Stiùireadair is not just an autocorrect challenge, it's another as-expected winner. Absolutely sipable. Absolutely mixable. Lots going on to bring something to any situation.
Wait to get it on offer at Sainsbury, which is regular.
Wait to get it on offer at Sainsbury, which is regular.
#AffordableSpirits gives us Hills & Harbours Gin.
Get a bottle. Now.
This is a wonderful gin full of flavour. Not pretending to be a juniper-infused vodka. I'm not great with identifying the components of gin flavour profiles, but I get young juniper berries with a vibrant backing band.
Get a bottle. Now.
This is a wonderful gin full of flavour. Not pretending to be a juniper-infused vodka. I'm not great with identifying the components of gin flavour profiles, but I get young juniper berries with a vibrant backing band.
February 2, 2025 at 6:01 PM
#AffordableSpirits gives us Hills & Harbours Gin.
Get a bottle. Now.
This is a wonderful gin full of flavour. Not pretending to be a juniper-infused vodka. I'm not great with identifying the components of gin flavour profiles, but I get young juniper berries with a vibrant backing band.
Get a bottle. Now.
This is a wonderful gin full of flavour. Not pretending to be a juniper-infused vodka. I'm not great with identifying the components of gin flavour profiles, but I get young juniper berries with a vibrant backing band.
Time to migrate my #AffordableSpirits review over to BlueSky.
For Christmas I got myself these two North Berwick Distillery to stock up for visitors. This is a local East Lothian business. I could bike to the distillery.
I won't have enough characters to say what I want. Rum is meh. Gin is fab.
For Christmas I got myself these two North Berwick Distillery to stock up for visitors. This is a local East Lothian business. I could bike to the distillery.
I won't have enough characters to say what I want. Rum is meh. Gin is fab.
February 2, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Time to migrate my #AffordableSpirits review over to BlueSky.
For Christmas I got myself these two North Berwick Distillery to stock up for visitors. This is a local East Lothian business. I could bike to the distillery.
I won't have enough characters to say what I want. Rum is meh. Gin is fab.
For Christmas I got myself these two North Berwick Distillery to stock up for visitors. This is a local East Lothian business. I could bike to the distillery.
I won't have enough characters to say what I want. Rum is meh. Gin is fab.