Peter Grindrod
@petergrindrod.bsky.social
Research Leader in Meteoritics & Planetary Science @NHM_London. Occasional cricket bat maker. he/him
Happy Halloween nerds 🎃
October 31, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Happy Halloween nerds 🎃
I’ve worked at @nhm-london.bsky.social for a while now, and yet still have my mind blown on a regular basis. Today, 2 rocks from the collection:
Fulgurite (created by a lightning strike) collected by Charles Darwin.
Fossil leaf collected by Robert Falcon Scott (on the Terra Nova expedition).
Fulgurite (created by a lightning strike) collected by Charles Darwin.
Fossil leaf collected by Robert Falcon Scott (on the Terra Nova expedition).
October 27, 2025 at 3:43 PM
I’ve worked at @nhm-london.bsky.social for a while now, and yet still have my mind blown on a regular basis. Today, 2 rocks from the collection:
Fulgurite (created by a lightning strike) collected by Charles Darwin.
Fossil leaf collected by Robert Falcon Scott (on the Terra Nova expedition).
Fulgurite (created by a lightning strike) collected by Charles Darwin.
Fossil leaf collected by Robert Falcon Scott (on the Terra Nova expedition).
Lovely light on the half-term-drag-the-kids-outside walk.
October 25, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Lovely light on the half-term-drag-the-kids-outside walk.
The atmosphere of Mars is too thin to effectively shield it from small meteors hitting the surface.
Here, a new, small (10 m) impact crater formed some time between 2010 and 2019.
Although the crater is small, the effects are widespread, with the seismic energy triggering lots of dust falls!
Here, a new, small (10 m) impact crater formed some time between 2010 and 2019.
Although the crater is small, the effects are widespread, with the seismic energy triggering lots of dust falls!
August 12, 2025 at 2:17 PM
The atmosphere of Mars is too thin to effectively shield it from small meteors hitting the surface.
Here, a new, small (10 m) impact crater formed some time between 2010 and 2019.
Although the crater is small, the effects are widespread, with the seismic energy triggering lots of dust falls!
Here, a new, small (10 m) impact crater formed some time between 2010 and 2019.
Although the crater is small, the effects are widespread, with the seismic energy triggering lots of dust falls!
New dust devil tracks at the Spirit landing site in Gusev crater, Mars.
CTX images, taken just 65 days apart at the end of 2006 / beginning of 2007.
CTX images, taken just 65 days apart at the end of 2006 / beginning of 2007.
May 21, 2025 at 3:20 PM
New dust devil tracks at the Spirit landing site in Gusev crater, Mars.
CTX images, taken just 65 days apart at the end of 2006 / beginning of 2007.
CTX images, taken just 65 days apart at the end of 2006 / beginning of 2007.
Do other people have a favourite landslide?
If not, consider adding this one on Mars. The colour from the CaSSIS instrument is just amazing.
CREDIT: ESA/TGO/CaSSIS/Peter Grindrod
If not, consider adding this one on Mars. The colour from the CaSSIS instrument is just amazing.
CREDIT: ESA/TGO/CaSSIS/Peter Grindrod
January 24, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Do other people have a favourite landslide?
If not, consider adding this one on Mars. The colour from the CaSSIS instrument is just amazing.
CREDIT: ESA/TGO/CaSSIS/Peter Grindrod
If not, consider adding this one on Mars. The colour from the CaSSIS instrument is just amazing.
CREDIT: ESA/TGO/CaSSIS/Peter Grindrod
This is what a dust storm on Mars looks like.
As seen by the Curiosity rover in 2018. Images taken over nearly a month, with roughly the same view.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Peter Grindrod
As seen by the Curiosity rover in 2018. Images taken over nearly a month, with roughly the same view.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Peter Grindrod
January 24, 2025 at 12:22 PM
This is what a dust storm on Mars looks like.
As seen by the Curiosity rover in 2018. Images taken over nearly a month, with roughly the same view.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Peter Grindrod
As seen by the Curiosity rover in 2018. Images taken over nearly a month, with roughly the same view.
Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/Peter Grindrod
Here's what plate tectonic movement looks like on Europa.
Part of the Northern Falga region, centred ~50N.
Animation, incredible work and data are all by Geoffrey Collins and co-authors (open access)
doi.org/10.1029/2022...
Part of the Northern Falga region, centred ~50N.
Animation, incredible work and data are all by Geoffrey Collins and co-authors (open access)
doi.org/10.1029/2022...
January 13, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Here's what plate tectonic movement looks like on Europa.
Part of the Northern Falga region, centred ~50N.
Animation, incredible work and data are all by Geoffrey Collins and co-authors (open access)
doi.org/10.1029/2022...
Part of the Northern Falga region, centred ~50N.
Animation, incredible work and data are all by Geoffrey Collins and co-authors (open access)
doi.org/10.1029/2022...
Some parts of Mars are deliciously colourful.
Here's part of the western Ladon basin, as seen in false colour by the CaSSIS instrumnet on the TGO spacecraft.
Image no. MY35_012192_201_0, taken in January 2021.
(Credit: ESA/TGO/CASSIS/Peter Grindrod)
Here's part of the western Ladon basin, as seen in false colour by the CaSSIS instrumnet on the TGO spacecraft.
Image no. MY35_012192_201_0, taken in January 2021.
(Credit: ESA/TGO/CASSIS/Peter Grindrod)
January 8, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Some parts of Mars are deliciously colourful.
Here's part of the western Ladon basin, as seen in false colour by the CaSSIS instrumnet on the TGO spacecraft.
Image no. MY35_012192_201_0, taken in January 2021.
(Credit: ESA/TGO/CASSIS/Peter Grindrod)
Here's part of the western Ladon basin, as seen in false colour by the CaSSIS instrumnet on the TGO spacecraft.
Image no. MY35_012192_201_0, taken in January 2021.
(Credit: ESA/TGO/CASSIS/Peter Grindrod)
The disappearance of Lake Poopó, Bolivia.
It was the second largest lake in the country, but is now unlikely to return. Caused by climate change and diversion.
Animation made with Landsat images from USGS Earth Explorer
earthexplorer.usgs.gov
It was the second largest lake in the country, but is now unlikely to return. Caused by climate change and diversion.
Animation made with Landsat images from USGS Earth Explorer
earthexplorer.usgs.gov
January 7, 2025 at 4:17 PM
The disappearance of Lake Poopó, Bolivia.
It was the second largest lake in the country, but is now unlikely to return. Caused by climate change and diversion.
Animation made with Landsat images from USGS Earth Explorer
earthexplorer.usgs.gov
It was the second largest lake in the country, but is now unlikely to return. Caused by climate change and diversion.
Animation made with Landsat images from USGS Earth Explorer
earthexplorer.usgs.gov
Same! But I like to add cheesy 80s theme tune music...
January 7, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Same! But I like to add cheesy 80s theme tune music...
Happy back to work day for me today.
So ignoring the inbox fire by staring at a random rock on Mars, like everybody should.
Sol 1380 Mastcam-Z image from Perseverance. Approximately true and false colour comparison.
So ignoring the inbox fire by staring at a random rock on Mars, like everybody should.
Sol 1380 Mastcam-Z image from Perseverance. Approximately true and false colour comparison.
January 7, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Happy back to work day for me today.
So ignoring the inbox fire by staring at a random rock on Mars, like everybody should.
Sol 1380 Mastcam-Z image from Perseverance. Approximately true and false colour comparison.
So ignoring the inbox fire by staring at a random rock on Mars, like everybody should.
Sol 1380 Mastcam-Z image from Perseverance. Approximately true and false colour comparison.
And here's the crater close up. Looking good and fresh.
HiRISE image: www.uahirise.org/ESP_075901_1...
HiRISE image: www.uahirise.org/ESP_075901_1...
December 20, 2024 at 9:57 AM
And here's the crater close up. Looking good and fresh.
HiRISE image: www.uahirise.org/ESP_075901_1...
HiRISE image: www.uahirise.org/ESP_075901_1...
A nice Christmas present - my first InSight paper is out! Open access too.
doi.org/10.1029/2024...
Say hello to the Sol 1034a impact crater, the nearest one to InSight.
It was a tough one to find in images. Only 9 m in diameter, but has made over 900 secondary craters!
doi.org/10.1029/2024...
Say hello to the Sol 1034a impact crater, the nearest one to InSight.
It was a tough one to find in images. Only 9 m in diameter, but has made over 900 secondary craters!
December 20, 2024 at 9:56 AM
A nice Christmas present - my first InSight paper is out! Open access too.
doi.org/10.1029/2024...
Say hello to the Sol 1034a impact crater, the nearest one to InSight.
It was a tough one to find in images. Only 9 m in diameter, but has made over 900 secondary craters!
doi.org/10.1029/2024...
Say hello to the Sol 1034a impact crater, the nearest one to InSight.
It was a tough one to find in images. Only 9 m in diameter, but has made over 900 secondary craters!
Trying to clear up the view a little bit.
Upscaled, stretched colour, sharpened, removed vignette...
Upscaled, stretched colour, sharpened, removed vignette...
December 11, 2024 at 11:15 AM
Trying to clear up the view a little bit.
Upscaled, stretched colour, sharpened, removed vignette...
Upscaled, stretched colour, sharpened, removed vignette...
Grab your red/blue glasses, and have a look at part of the view in 3D!
Only NavCam images available so far, but this is lovely.
Only NavCam images available so far, but this is lovely.
December 11, 2024 at 10:27 AM
Grab your red/blue glasses, and have a look at part of the view in 3D!
Only NavCam images available so far, but this is lovely.
Only NavCam images available so far, but this is lovely.
A few of the things that still stop me in my tracks on the way into my office at the NHM.
150 million year old Stegosaurus
3584 million year old Moon rock
200 million year old ichthyosaur
Much younger* giant sloth
*relative to the others. More info in the alt text.
150 million year old Stegosaurus
3584 million year old Moon rock
200 million year old ichthyosaur
Much younger* giant sloth
*relative to the others. More info in the alt text.
December 2, 2024 at 5:29 PM
A few of the things that still stop me in my tracks on the way into my office at the NHM.
150 million year old Stegosaurus
3584 million year old Moon rock
200 million year old ichthyosaur
Much younger* giant sloth
*relative to the others. More info in the alt text.
150 million year old Stegosaurus
3584 million year old Moon rock
200 million year old ichthyosaur
Much younger* giant sloth
*relative to the others. More info in the alt text.
Yet another random thing I don't remember making, or why.
The Apollo 11 landing site and traverses with different sports* pitches to scale.
*Other sports are available, but are inferior to cricket 😉
The Apollo 11 landing site and traverses with different sports* pitches to scale.
*Other sports are available, but are inferior to cricket 😉
November 28, 2024 at 12:10 PM
Yet another random thing I don't remember making, or why.
The Apollo 11 landing site and traverses with different sports* pitches to scale.
*Other sports are available, but are inferior to cricket 😉
The Apollo 11 landing site and traverses with different sports* pitches to scale.
*Other sports are available, but are inferior to cricket 😉
Some parts of Mars really do change a lot between images.
Here are 2 CTX images of exactly the same region taken about 7 years apart (Dec 2007 - Jan 2015).
Lots of dust devil tracks, and wind streaks. But also, a new impact crater.
Here are 2 CTX images of exactly the same region taken about 7 years apart (Dec 2007 - Jan 2015).
Lots of dust devil tracks, and wind streaks. But also, a new impact crater.
November 22, 2024 at 10:54 AM
Some parts of Mars really do change a lot between images.
Here are 2 CTX images of exactly the same region taken about 7 years apart (Dec 2007 - Jan 2015).
Lots of dust devil tracks, and wind streaks. But also, a new impact crater.
Here are 2 CTX images of exactly the same region taken about 7 years apart (Dec 2007 - Jan 2015).
Lots of dust devil tracks, and wind streaks. But also, a new impact crater.
Mars is a colourful planet part 73...
Here is part of Oxia Planum (landing site for ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover) seen by CTX (1 band) and CaSSIS (4 bands) cameras.
The image is 'false colour', as it is not how our eyes would see it. But the colour is really useful as a proxy for composition.
Here is part of Oxia Planum (landing site for ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover) seen by CTX (1 band) and CaSSIS (4 bands) cameras.
The image is 'false colour', as it is not how our eyes would see it. But the colour is really useful as a proxy for composition.
November 20, 2024 at 5:48 PM
Mars is a colourful planet part 73...
Here is part of Oxia Planum (landing site for ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover) seen by CTX (1 band) and CaSSIS (4 bands) cameras.
The image is 'false colour', as it is not how our eyes would see it. But the colour is really useful as a proxy for composition.
Here is part of Oxia Planum (landing site for ExoMars Rosalind Franklin rover) seen by CTX (1 band) and CaSSIS (4 bands) cameras.
The image is 'false colour', as it is not how our eyes would see it. But the colour is really useful as a proxy for composition.
Still one of my favourite spacecraft images: Mars from the Rosetta spacecraft.
There's something about seeing hardware in the shot that makes me feel like I'm looking out of a window, sipping my space coffee.
Taken by the CIVA instrument on the Philae lander. Credit: CIVA / Philae / ESA Rosetta
There's something about seeing hardware in the shot that makes me feel like I'm looking out of a window, sipping my space coffee.
Taken by the CIVA instrument on the Philae lander. Credit: CIVA / Philae / ESA Rosetta
November 18, 2024 at 8:47 AM
Still one of my favourite spacecraft images: Mars from the Rosetta spacecraft.
There's something about seeing hardware in the shot that makes me feel like I'm looking out of a window, sipping my space coffee.
Taken by the CIVA instrument on the Philae lander. Credit: CIVA / Philae / ESA Rosetta
There's something about seeing hardware in the shot that makes me feel like I'm looking out of a window, sipping my space coffee.
Taken by the CIVA instrument on the Philae lander. Credit: CIVA / Philae / ESA Rosetta
Good morning from England, where it has now been this grey for 300 years.
(Photo from yesterday as just greyer fog today)
(Photo from yesterday as just greyer fog today)
November 11, 2024 at 9:14 AM
Good morning from England, where it has now been this grey for 300 years.
(Photo from yesterday as just greyer fog today)
(Photo from yesterday as just greyer fog today)
Got the day off, so makin’ parkin.
Traditional Guy Fawke’s Night cake from the wrong side of the Pennines, but tastes alright. I suppose.
Traditional Guy Fawke’s Night cake from the wrong side of the Pennines, but tastes alright. I suppose.
October 31, 2024 at 11:14 AM
Got the day off, so makin’ parkin.
Traditional Guy Fawke’s Night cake from the wrong side of the Pennines, but tastes alright. I suppose.
Traditional Guy Fawke’s Night cake from the wrong side of the Pennines, but tastes alright. I suppose.
A ratio of the before/after images can help highlight the impact effect.
In this case, there are a lot of secondary effects, that extend as much as 15 km away.
In this case, there are a lot of secondary effects, that extend as much as 15 km away.
October 1, 2024 at 2:59 PM
A ratio of the before/after images can help highlight the impact effect.
In this case, there are a lot of secondary effects, that extend as much as 15 km away.
In this case, there are a lot of secondary effects, that extend as much as 15 km away.