Sam Morrell
@smorrell.bsky.social
Devonian astrophysicist / ecologist at University of Exeter, UK. Aspiring science educator. Crafter of fine code. Musician and music lover. Ex astris, scientia. (he/him).
Anyone looking for an #astrophysics #PhD? Particularly in the #SouthWest of the #UK? My colleagues in the Astrophysics Group at @universityofexeter.bsky.social are advertising funded PhD projects now. Please reach out if you're interested and would like more info.
www.exeter.ac.uk/research/gro...
www.exeter.ac.uk/research/gro...
Current opportunities | Astrophysics | University of Exeter
www.exeter.ac.uk
December 4, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Anyone looking for an #astrophysics #PhD? Particularly in the #SouthWest of the #UK? My colleagues in the Astrophysics Group at @universityofexeter.bsky.social are advertising funded PhD projects now. Please reach out if you're interested and would like more info.
www.exeter.ac.uk/research/gro...
www.exeter.ac.uk/research/gro...
Reposted by Sam Morrell
Myself and @asborlaff.bsky.social feature on the Nature Podcast chatting about this paper on planned satellite constellations and their impact on astronomical research.
We are also very concerned about satellites impacting star gazing for everyone and losing the shared wilderness of the night sky.
We are also very concerned about satellites impacting star gazing for everyone and losing the shared wilderness of the night sky.
By 2040, ~40% of the images from Hubble Space Telescope, and more than 96% from new and future space telescopes like SPHEREx, ARRAKIHS, and Xuntian will be contaminated by internet satellite constellations.
Read our new NASA article in Nature:
nature.com/articles/s4158…
Read our new NASA article in Nature:
nature.com/articles/s4158…
December 4, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Myself and @asborlaff.bsky.social feature on the Nature Podcast chatting about this paper on planned satellite constellations and their impact on astronomical research.
We are also very concerned about satellites impacting star gazing for everyone and losing the shared wilderness of the night sky.
We are also very concerned about satellites impacting star gazing for everyone and losing the shared wilderness of the night sky.
It's new paper day! This time #astrophysics.
🌟 doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf2063 🌟
This paper was originally a chapter of my thesis. But since then, thanks many years of sharpening thinking, and the incredible work of my co-authors, it has taken on a life all of its own.
🌟 doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf2063 🌟
This paper was originally a chapter of my thesis. But since then, thanks many years of sharpening thinking, and the incredible work of my co-authors, it has taken on a life all of its own.
Validate User
doi.org
November 26, 2025 at 10:59 AM
It's new paper day! This time #astrophysics.
🌟 doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf2063 🌟
This paper was originally a chapter of my thesis. But since then, thanks many years of sharpening thinking, and the incredible work of my co-authors, it has taken on a life all of its own.
🌟 doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staf2063 🌟
This paper was originally a chapter of my thesis. But since then, thanks many years of sharpening thinking, and the incredible work of my co-authors, it has taken on a life all of its own.
Reposted by Sam Morrell
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
The value of public R&D
www.gov.uk
October 30, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Government has published one of those quiet but important documents that might get overlooked as it is not 'newsy'. The headline finding is that £1 of public R&D investment generates £8 in net economic benefits for the UK over the long term
www.gov.uk/government/p...
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Reposted by Sam Morrell
On the night of Jan. 29, I remotely observed the
Gaia
spacecraft using the SPIRIT 3 telescope at
@icrar.bsky.social's Mardella Observatory (IAU code E29). Farewell to this incredible mission that revolutionized our understanding of the Milky Way!
#Gaia #GBOT #astro
Gaia
spacecraft using the SPIRIT 3 telescope at
@icrar.bsky.social's Mardella Observatory (IAU code E29). Farewell to this incredible mission that revolutionized our understanding of the Milky Way!
#Gaia #GBOT #astro
January 31, 2025 at 12:40 AM
On the night of Jan. 29, I remotely observed the
Gaia
spacecraft using the SPIRIT 3 telescope at
@icrar.bsky.social's Mardella Observatory (IAU code E29). Farewell to this incredible mission that revolutionized our understanding of the Milky Way!
#Gaia #GBOT #astro
Gaia
spacecraft using the SPIRIT 3 telescope at
@icrar.bsky.social's Mardella Observatory (IAU code E29). Farewell to this incredible mission that revolutionized our understanding of the Milky Way!
#Gaia #GBOT #astro
Reposted by Sam Morrell
everyone this week
January 13, 2025 at 11:46 PM
everyone this week
A huge congratulations to @stellarplanet.bsky.social. An incredibly well deserved honour indeed! 😀
Next up is the Fowler Award, named after pioneering physicist Dr Rosemary Fowler…
Dr Hannah Wakeford, of the University of Bristol, receives the Fowler Award (A), awarded to individuals who have made a particularly noteworthy contribution to astronomy within 10 years of completing their PhD. 👏🎉
Dr Hannah Wakeford, of the University of Bristol, receives the Fowler Award (A), awarded to individuals who have made a particularly noteworthy contribution to astronomy within 10 years of completing their PhD. 👏🎉
January 11, 2025 at 11:16 AM
A huge congratulations to @stellarplanet.bsky.social. An incredibly well deserved honour indeed! 😀
Reposted by Sam Morrell
Congrats to astronomers Wendy Freedman and Keivan Stassun for being awarded a National Medal of Science! 🔭
Amazing list of scientists, engineers and vaccine makers recognized with the NMS and NMTI, thank you for your contributions to the nation and the world 🙏
www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-roo...
www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-roo...
President Biden Honors Nation’s Leading Scientists, Technologists, and Innovators | The White House
Today, President Biden announced the latest recipients of the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation—our nation’s
www.whitehouse.gov
January 5, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Congrats to astronomers Wendy Freedman and Keivan Stassun for being awarded a National Medal of Science! 🔭
Reposted by Sam Morrell
In honor of all the new arrivals, I'm sharing one of my favorite videos.
It shows 24 hours of Earth's rotation, with the camera locked to the sky instead of the ground. We're all hanging out on this spinning rock.
Brilliant work by Bartosz Wojczyński. 🧪
artuniverse.eu/gallery/1907...
It shows 24 hours of Earth's rotation, with the camera locked to the sky instead of the ground. We're all hanging out on this spinning rock.
Brilliant work by Bartosz Wojczyński. 🧪
artuniverse.eu/gallery/1907...
November 15, 2024 at 4:21 AM
In honor of all the new arrivals, I'm sharing one of my favorite videos.
It shows 24 hours of Earth's rotation, with the camera locked to the sky instead of the ground. We're all hanging out on this spinning rock.
Brilliant work by Bartosz Wojczyński. 🧪
artuniverse.eu/gallery/1907...
It shows 24 hours of Earth's rotation, with the camera locked to the sky instead of the ground. We're all hanging out on this spinning rock.
Brilliant work by Bartosz Wojczyński. 🧪
artuniverse.eu/gallery/1907...
Reposted by Sam Morrell
Data released today by Copernicus Climate shows:
🌡️ It is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the warmest year on record. It is also virtually certain that the annual temperature for 2024 will be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level, and likely that it will be more than 1.55°C above.
🌡️ It is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the warmest year on record. It is also virtually certain that the annual temperature for 2024 will be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level, and likely that it will be more than 1.55°C above.
November 7, 2024 at 6:59 AM
Data released today by Copernicus Climate shows:
🌡️ It is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the warmest year on record. It is also virtually certain that the annual temperature for 2024 will be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level, and likely that it will be more than 1.55°C above.
🌡️ It is now virtually certain that 2024 will be the warmest year on record. It is also virtually certain that the annual temperature for 2024 will be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial level, and likely that it will be more than 1.55°C above.
Reposted by Sam Morrell
From the Astrobites collaboration: There is a tradition in Astronomy to post silly science papers to the arXiv on Aprils Fools day. We’ve collected them all for 2024 and provided some “peer review". 🔭🧐
astrobites.org/2024/04/01/a...
astrobites.org/2024/04/01/a...
The April Fools Paper Review Process – 2024
There is a tradition in Astronomy to post silly science papers to the arXiv on Aprils Fools day. We’ve collected them all for 2024 and provided some “peer review”
astrobites.org
April 1, 2024 at 5:52 PM
From the Astrobites collaboration: There is a tradition in Astronomy to post silly science papers to the arXiv on Aprils Fools day. We’ve collected them all for 2024 and provided some “peer review". 🔭🧐
astrobites.org/2024/04/01/a...
astrobites.org/2024/04/01/a...
Reposted by Sam Morrell
It's baaaaaack
February 19, 2024 at 11:59 AM
It's baaaaaack
Reposted by Sam Morrell
Super nervous to post this video but extremely grateful to the amazing @smorrell.bsky.social for interviewing me about my research
youtu.be/_Aus842EZWk
youtu.be/_Aus842EZWk
Meet an Exoplanet Climatologist -- with Dr Denis Sergeev
Dr Denis Sergeev is an exoclimatologist - an expert at taking climate models designed for Earth and applying them to exoplanets. Denis has recently been lead...
youtu.be
November 4, 2023 at 8:43 AM
Super nervous to post this video but extremely grateful to the amazing @smorrell.bsky.social for interviewing me about my research
youtu.be/_Aus842EZWk
youtu.be/_Aus842EZWk
Reposted by Sam Morrell
Self-plug - If you'd like to have press release images for your papers, keep me in mind for commissioning!
I'm happy to work with you to create a bespoke visualisation of your work.
Here are some of the artworks I've created that have been featured on Washington Post, BBC, NYT and more.
🐡🧪🔭
I'm happy to work with you to create a bespoke visualisation of your work.
Here are some of the artworks I've created that have been featured on Washington Post, BBC, NYT and more.
🐡🧪🔭
August 27, 2023 at 1:15 PM
Self-plug - If you'd like to have press release images for your papers, keep me in mind for commissioning!
I'm happy to work with you to create a bespoke visualisation of your work.
Here are some of the artworks I've created that have been featured on Washington Post, BBC, NYT and more.
🐡🧪🔭
I'm happy to work with you to create a bespoke visualisation of your work.
Here are some of the artworks I've created that have been featured on Washington Post, BBC, NYT and more.
🐡🧪🔭
Well, that’s the training finished for this year’s #LettersToAPreScientist. Looking forward to seeing if I get matched up again.
Huge kudos to the team for providing training and resources for pen-pal safeguarding this year. Really valuable work!
Huge kudos to the team for providing training and resources for pen-pal safeguarding this year. Really valuable work!
August 27, 2023 at 1:14 AM
Well, that’s the training finished for this year’s #LettersToAPreScientist. Looking forward to seeing if I get matched up again.
Huge kudos to the team for providing training and resources for pen-pal safeguarding this year. Really valuable work!
Huge kudos to the team for providing training and resources for pen-pal safeguarding this year. Really valuable work!
Hello Bluesky! I am am astrophysicist at University of Exeter, currently working on light pollution and stellar characterisation.
The Bad Place is getting super hostile, so thanks to Mike Daniels for the invite code, and @emily.space for acting as broker. The air is so much fresher up here! 😀
The Bad Place is getting super hostile, so thanks to Mike Daniels for the invite code, and @emily.space for acting as broker. The air is so much fresher up here! 😀
August 25, 2023 at 9:46 AM
Hello Bluesky! I am am astrophysicist at University of Exeter, currently working on light pollution and stellar characterisation.
The Bad Place is getting super hostile, so thanks to Mike Daniels for the invite code, and @emily.space for acting as broker. The air is so much fresher up here! 😀
The Bad Place is getting super hostile, so thanks to Mike Daniels for the invite code, and @emily.space for acting as broker. The air is so much fresher up here! 😀