Peter Coles 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
@telescoper.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy
Theoretical astrophysicist in Ireland specializing in the Universe and all that surrounds it (e.g. jazz, opera, poetry, crosswords). Editor-in-chief Open Journal […]
🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://mastodon.social/@telescoper, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact
🌉 bridged from ⁂ https://mastodon.social/@telescoper, follow @ap.brid.gy to interact
Lick Observatory Damaged
I missed, until now, the news that on Christmas Day, high winds accompanying a violent storm seriously damaged the historic Lick Observatory. The gales were strong enough to rip one of the shutters from the dome of the 36" refracting telescope and send it crashing onto […]
I missed, until now, the news that on Christmas Day, high winds accompanying a violent storm seriously damaged the historic Lick Observatory. The gales were strong enough to rip one of the shutters from the dome of the 36" refracting telescope and send it crashing onto […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
December 30, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Lick Observatory Damaged
I missed, until now, the news that on Christmas Day, high winds accompanying a violent storm seriously damaged the historic Lick Observatory. The gales were strong enough to rip one of the shutters from the dome of the 36" refracting telescope and send it crashing onto […]
I missed, until now, the news that on Christmas Day, high winds accompanying a violent storm seriously damaged the historic Lick Observatory. The gales were strong enough to rip one of the shutters from the dome of the 36" refracting telescope and send it crashing onto […]
Joshua or Lazarus?
December 30, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Joshua or Lazarus?
Alegoría del Invierno – Remedios Varo
Alegoría del Invierno (Allegory of Winter) by Remedios Varo, 1948, gouache on paper, 44 ×44 cm, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain.
http://telescoper.blog/2025/12/29/alegoria-del-invierno-remedios-varo/
Alegoría del Invierno (Allegory of Winter) by Remedios Varo, 1948, gouache on paper, 44 ×44 cm, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain.
http://telescoper.blog/2025/12/29/alegoria-del-invierno-remedios-varo/
telescoper.blog
December 30, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Alegoría del Invierno – Remedios Varo
Alegoría del Invierno (Allegory of Winter) by Remedios Varo, 1948, gouache on paper, 44 ×44 cm, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain.
http://telescoper.blog/2025/12/29/alegoria-del-invierno-remedios-varo/
Alegoría del Invierno (Allegory of Winter) by Remedios Varo, 1948, gouache on paper, 44 ×44 cm, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid, Spain.
http://telescoper.blog/2025/12/29/alegoria-del-invierno-remedios-varo/
It can't be that hard for AI to reach human levels of intelligence, if all it needs to be able to do is recognise which pictures have traffic lights in them.
December 29, 2025 at 2:41 PM
It can't be that hard for AI to reach human levels of intelligence, if all it needs to be able to do is recognise which pictures have traffic lights in them.
The Voice of Niels Bohr
The other night I watched the 2023 film Oppenheimer on TV. I had seen it before, on a plane flight, and enjoyed it, though I thought it was overlong. Fortunately it was a long flight. Watching it again a couple of days ago reminded me of something that struck me first […]
The other night I watched the 2023 film Oppenheimer on TV. I had seen it before, on a plane flight, and enjoyed it, though I thought it was overlong. Fortunately it was a long flight. Watching it again a couple of days ago reminded me of something that struck me first […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
December 28, 2025 at 10:47 AM
The Voice of Niels Bohr
The other night I watched the 2023 film Oppenheimer on TV. I had seen it before, on a plane flight, and enjoyed it, though I thought it was overlong. Fortunately it was a long flight. Watching it again a couple of days ago reminded me of something that struck me first […]
The other night I watched the 2023 film Oppenheimer on TV. I had seen it before, on a plane flight, and enjoyed it, though I thought it was overlong. Fortunately it was a long flight. Watching it again a couple of days ago reminded me of something that struck me first […]
Weekly Update from the Open Journal of Astrophysics – 27/12/2025
Since the last update we have published four papers which brings the number in Volume 8 (2025) up to 201. Adding the 12 papers in the Supplement, this brings the final total for the year up to 213, and the total so far published […]
Since the last update we have published four papers which brings the number in Volume 8 (2025) up to 201. Adding the 12 papers in the Supplement, this brings the final total for the year up to 213, and the total so far published […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
December 27, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Weekly Update from the Open Journal of Astrophysics – 27/12/2025
Since the last update we have published four papers which brings the number in Volume 8 (2025) up to 201. Adding the 12 papers in the Supplement, this brings the final total for the year up to 213, and the total so far published […]
Since the last update we have published four papers which brings the number in Volume 8 (2025) up to 201. Adding the 12 papers in the Supplement, this brings the final total for the year up to 213, and the total so far published […]
I can't help feeling that the Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special could have been improved by the inclusion of a comedy element.
December 25, 2025 at 10:14 PM
I can't help feeling that the Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special could have been improved by the inclusion of a comedy element.
Christmas dinner menu: roast beef Chateaubriand, with red wine gravy, honey-roast carrots and parsnips, Brussels sprouts, and roast potatoes; preceded by smoked salmon with asparagus, followed by Christmas pudding and, later on, cheese and port.
December 25, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Christmas dinner menu: roast beef Chateaubriand, with red wine gravy, honey-roast carrots and parsnips, Brussels sprouts, and roast potatoes; preceded by smoked salmon with asparagus, followed by Christmas pudding and, later on, cheese and port.
I find it interesting, from a linguistic point of view, how the French "Noel" (or "Noël") and Irish "Nollaig" evolved from the Latin "Natalis".
The Welsh "Nadolig" may be a sort of Celtic missing link...
The Welsh "Nadolig" may be a sort of Celtic missing link...
December 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
I find it interesting, from a linguistic point of view, how the French "Noel" (or "Noël") and Irish "Nollaig" evolved from the Latin "Natalis".
The Welsh "Nadolig" may be a sort of Celtic missing link...
The Welsh "Nadolig" may be a sort of Celtic missing link...
I will of course be having Coles de Bruselas with my dinner this evening...
December 25, 2025 at 11:28 AM
I will of course be having Coles de Bruselas with my dinner this evening...
Nollaig shona daoibh go léir!
Here we are then, Christmas Day. I thought I'd do a quick yule blog in between finishing a rather late breakfast and starting the preparations for dinner*. Let me just wish you all a Merry Christmas, Nollaig Shona, Nadolig Llawen, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël […]
Here we are then, Christmas Day. I thought I'd do a quick yule blog in between finishing a rather late breakfast and starting the preparations for dinner*. Let me just wish you all a Merry Christmas, Nollaig Shona, Nadolig Llawen, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
December 25, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Nollaig shona daoibh go léir!
Here we are then, Christmas Day. I thought I'd do a quick yule blog in between finishing a rather late breakfast and starting the preparations for dinner*. Let me just wish you all a Merry Christmas, Nollaig Shona, Nadolig Llawen, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël […]
Here we are then, Christmas Day. I thought I'd do a quick yule blog in between finishing a rather late breakfast and starting the preparations for dinner*. Let me just wish you all a Merry Christmas, Nollaig Shona, Nadolig Llawen, Fröhliche Weihnachten, Joyeux Noël […]
From Private Eye:
December 24, 2025 at 9:33 PM
From Private Eye:
A Christmas Eve Message
Since Christmas Eve - variously known elsewhere in Europe as Nochebuena, Heiligabend, veille de Noël, vigilia di Natale, Juleaften - is upon us, I wonder if I might crave the momentary indulgence of all readers of this weblog, in order to discharge a by no means […]
Since Christmas Eve - variously known elsewhere in Europe as Nochebuena, Heiligabend, veille de Noël, vigilia di Natale, Juleaften - is upon us, I wonder if I might crave the momentary indulgence of all readers of this weblog, in order to discharge a by no means […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
December 24, 2025 at 6:33 PM
A Christmas Eve Message
Since Christmas Eve - variously known elsewhere in Europe as Nochebuena, Heiligabend, veille de Noël, vigilia di Natale, Juleaften - is upon us, I wonder if I might crave the momentary indulgence of all readers of this weblog, in order to discharge a by no means […]
Since Christmas Eve - variously known elsewhere in Europe as Nochebuena, Heiligabend, veille de Noël, vigilia di Natale, Juleaften - is upon us, I wonder if I might crave the momentary indulgence of all readers of this weblog, in order to discharge a by no means […]
Reposted by Peter Coles 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
The two papers published this morning bring Vol. 8 (2025) to a close. We have published 213 papers this year (201 in the regular issue and 12 in a supplement).
This brings this year's publishing activity to a close. Thank you for your support and we'll see you in 2026 with Vol. 9!
This brings this year's publishing activity to a close. Thank you for your support and we'll see you in 2026 with Vol. 9!
December 24, 2025 at 9:33 AM
The two papers published this morning bring Vol. 8 (2025) to a close. We have published 213 papers this year (201 in the regular issue and 12 in a supplement).
This brings this year's publishing activity to a close. Thank you for your support and we'll see you in 2026 with Vol. 9!
This brings this year's publishing activity to a close. Thank you for your support and we'll see you in 2026 with Vol. 9!
Reposted by Peter Coles 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
New Publication at the Open Journal of Astrophysics: "The explosion jets of the core-collapse supernova remnant Circinus X-1" by Noam Soker and Muhammad Akashi (Technion, Haifa, Israel)
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154770
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154770
The explosion jets of the core-collapse supernova remnant Circinus X-1 | Published in The Open Journal of Astrophysics
By Noam Soker, Muhammad Akashi. The study suggests that the rings in the Circinus X-1 supernova remnant resulted from jet-driven explosions, supporting the jittering-jets explosion mechanism theory for core collapse supernovae.
astro.theoj.org
December 24, 2025 at 9:18 AM
New Publication at the Open Journal of Astrophysics: "The explosion jets of the core-collapse supernova remnant Circinus X-1" by Noam Soker and Muhammad Akashi (Technion, Haifa, Israel)
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154770
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154770
Reposted by Peter Coles 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
New Publication at the Open Journal of Astrophysics: "Quantifying the Fermi paradox via passive SETI: a general framework" by Matthew Civiletti (City University of New York, USA)
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154771
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154771
Quantifying the Fermi paradox via passive SETI: a general framework | Published in The Open Journal of Astrophysics
By Matthew Civiletti. This study uses SETI observations and the Drake equation to calculate the probability of detecting at least one extraterrestrial signal, highlighting the model's limitations and potential improvements.
astro.theoj.org
December 24, 2025 at 9:27 AM
New Publication at the Open Journal of Astrophysics: "Quantifying the Fermi paradox via passive SETI: a general framework" by Matthew Civiletti (City University of New York, USA)
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154771
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154771
I see that Oppenheimer is on telly soon. Is it a Christmas movie now?
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds. Merry Christmas."
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds. Merry Christmas."
December 23, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I see that Oppenheimer is on telly soon. Is it a Christmas movie now?
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds. Merry Christmas."
"Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds. Merry Christmas."
The Counties of the United Kingdom (according to ChatGPT)
Regular readers will know that I sometimes educate the Great Unwashed about the facts of British geography (including where the North begins). I have decided to enlist the help of Generative AI to help me with this task so, with a little […]
Regular readers will know that I sometimes educate the Great Unwashed about the facts of British geography (including where the North begins). I have decided to enlist the help of Generative AI to help me with this task so, with a little […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
December 23, 2025 at 4:51 PM
The Counties of the United Kingdom (according to ChatGPT)
Regular readers will know that I sometimes educate the Great Unwashed about the facts of British geography (including where the North begins). I have decided to enlist the help of Generative AI to help me with this task so, with a little […]
Regular readers will know that I sometimes educate the Great Unwashed about the facts of British geography (including where the North begins). I have decided to enlist the help of Generative AI to help me with this task so, with a little […]
Vol. 8 of @OJ_Astro now has 199 papers, not counting the supplement, with just one more day of publishing before we close for the year. Will it make 200?
Tune in tomorrow and find out!
Tune in tomorrow and find out!
December 23, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Vol. 8 of @OJ_Astro now has 199 papers, not counting the supplement, with just one more day of publishing before we close for the year. Will it make 200?
Tune in tomorrow and find out!
Tune in tomorrow and find out!
Reposted by Peter Coles 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
New Publication at the Open Journal of Astrophysics: "Transverse Velocities in Real-Time Cosmology: Position Drift in Relativistic N-Body Simulations" by Alexander Oestreicher (University of Southern Denmark), Chris Clarkson (QMUL, UK), Julian Adamek (Universität Zürich, CH) and Sofie Marie […]
Original post on fediscience.org
fediscience.org
December 23, 2025 at 9:33 AM
New Publication at the Open Journal of Astrophysics: "Transverse Velocities in Real-Time Cosmology: Position Drift in Relativistic N-Body Simulations" by Alexander Oestreicher (University of Southern Denmark), Chris Clarkson (QMUL, UK), Julian Adamek (Universität Zürich, CH) and Sofie Marie […]
Reposted by Peter Coles 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
New Publication at the Open Journal of Astrophysics: "On the statistical convergence of N-body simulations of the Solar System" by Hanno Rein, Garett Brown and Mei Kanda (U. Toronto, Canada)
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154745
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154745
On the statistical convergence of N-body simulations of the Solar System | Published in The Open Journal of Astrophysics
By Hanno Rein, Garett Brown & 1 more. This study presents numerical experiments to determine the minimum timestep for long-term simulations of the Solar System, finding that timesteps up to 32 days yield physical results.
astro.theoj.org
December 23, 2025 at 9:56 AM
New Publication at the Open Journal of Astrophysics: "On the statistical convergence of N-body simulations of the Solar System" by Hanno Rein, Garett Brown and Mei Kanda (U. Toronto, Canada)
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154745
https://doi.org/10.33232/001c.154745
O Tannenbaum – Vince Guaraldi Trio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fh133ZO1AE http://telescoper.blog/2025/12/22/o-tannenbaum-vince-guaraldi-trio/
telescoper.blog
December 22, 2025 at 7:56 PM
O Tannenbaum – Vince Guaraldi Trio http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fh133ZO1AE http://telescoper.blog/2025/12/22/o-tannenbaum-vince-guaraldi-trio/
It's a shame the word "chevelure" (originally meaning something like "a head of hair") didn't catch more on in Astronomy:
1791. Herschel, in Phil. Trans., LXXXI. 78. "A star of about the 9th magnitude, surrounded by a milky nebulosity, or chevelure, of about 3 minutes in diameter."
1791. Herschel, in Phil. Trans., LXXXI. 78. "A star of about the 9th magnitude, surrounded by a milky nebulosity, or chevelure, of about 3 minutes in diameter."
December 21, 2025 at 6:32 PM
It's a shame the word "chevelure" (originally meaning something like "a head of hair") didn't catch more on in Astronomy:
1791. Herschel, in Phil. Trans., LXXXI. 78. "A star of about the 9th magnitude, surrounded by a milky nebulosity, or chevelure, of about 3 minutes in diameter."
1791. Herschel, in Phil. Trans., LXXXI. 78. "A star of about the 9th magnitude, surrounded by a milky nebulosity, or chevelure, of about 3 minutes in diameter."
The Winter Solstice 2025
Sunlight at dawn on the Winter Solstice at Newgrange Just a quick note to point out that the Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere happens today, Sunday 21st December 2025, at 15.03 UT (GMT). In Dublin, sunrise yesterday (20th December) was at 8.37 am and sunset at […]
Sunlight at dawn on the Winter Solstice at Newgrange Just a quick note to point out that the Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere happens today, Sunday 21st December 2025, at 15.03 UT (GMT). In Dublin, sunrise yesterday (20th December) was at 8.37 am and sunset at […]
Original post on mastodon.social
mastodon.social
December 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
The Winter Solstice 2025
Sunlight at dawn on the Winter Solstice at Newgrange Just a quick note to point out that the Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere happens today, Sunday 21st December 2025, at 15.03 UT (GMT). In Dublin, sunrise yesterday (20th December) was at 8.37 am and sunset at […]
Sunlight at dawn on the Winter Solstice at Newgrange Just a quick note to point out that the Winter Solstice in the Northern hemisphere happens today, Sunday 21st December 2025, at 15.03 UT (GMT). In Dublin, sunrise yesterday (20th December) was at 8.37 am and sunset at […]
Reposted by Peter Coles 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️
On this darkest solstice day of the year, my heart has dimmed, waking up to learn of the loss of dear colleague and mentor, Yannick Mellier. Yannick will be known to most as the lead of the amazing Euclid Space Telescope which will revolutionise our understanding of the Dark Universe 🧵🔭
![This square astronomical image shows thousands of galaxies across the black expanse of space. The closest thousand or so galaxies belong to the Perseus Cluster. The most prominent members of the cluster are visible in the centre of the image and appear as large galaxies with haloes around them in yellow/white, comparable to streetlamps in a foggy night. The background of this image is scattered with a hundred thousand more distant galaxies of different shapes, ranging in colour from white to yellow to red. Most galaxies are so far away they appear as single points of light. The more distant a galaxy is, the redder it appears.]
CREDIT
ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, image processing by J.-C. Cuillandre (CEA Paris-Saclay), G. Anselmi](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ok3ms3dzop7gcwejp7lswhpi/bafkreiaukh5rfzzy4i242zdeoibuspehm6tmksbv3mfgk7yxcbk6fbtnv4@jpeg)
December 21, 2025 at 8:45 AM
On this darkest solstice day of the year, my heart has dimmed, waking up to learn of the loss of dear colleague and mentor, Yannick Mellier. Yannick will be known to most as the lead of the amazing Euclid Space Telescope which will revolutionise our understanding of the Dark Universe 🧵🔭