David Blanchflower BSc

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31). 8 August 2023. #StormHour #ThePhotoHour

@JenessaHawks One of the last things we talks of when he was coherent was I'd set myself a challenge in aid of raising money for Oesophageal Cancer awareness. So this year I will be taking on 63 peaks in honor of 63 years of his life. If you would like to donate - justgiving.com/page/63peaksfo…

@kimmie1879 I'm still on Facebook.

@DavidBflower Will you be on Facebook?

From today I will no longer be posting on Twitter. I've had an exciting packed time here for over 12 years, but it's not the same place as when I first opened my account. Thank you for your support. I can be found on BlueSky @davidbflower.bsky.social

@DLNY911 Can't do that here. I've tried before.

@DavidBflower Can you get a copy of the radiologist report before then? I wouldn’t be waiting a month. Where I live, you can sign a release to yourself and you get sent a copy of the radiology report. Also in your computer file of the patient portal, you can download a copy of any test result.

Got a follow up appointment to my MRI scans. Will find out the results well into next month. This suggests to me they didn't find anything iffy on them.

@elonmusk @BigImpactHumans The usual old cobblers.

@BigImpactHumans We hope to make the Moon accessible to anyone who wants to go there

You, your children and grandchildren have a real chance at actually going to the Moon one day

Tomorrow morning the Waning Moon can be seen on the edge of Scorpius. Wednesday morning will have some very close encounters in the stellar arachnid.

'Rare sighting' of walrus on rocks off Fife coast. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@mark_k @SpaceX Every 10 days? They haven't done it once yet.

Elon Musk just announced a major strategic pivot for @SpaceX: the company is officially shifting its primary focus to building a "self-growing city" on the Moon. The logic is centered on speed. While Mars missions are restricted by orbital alignments every 26 months, SpaceX can launch to the Moon every 10 days. This allows for much faster iteration and development. @elonmusk estimates that a lunar city could be achieved in less than 10 years. In contrast, a similar presence on Mars is now projected to take 20 or more years to establish. Mars remains on the long-term roadmap with work potentially starting in 5 to 7 years, but the immediate priority is now "securing the future of civilization" via the faster lunar route.

@kamin_amy Hope you feel better soon, Amy.

Not well. Wound up in the ER last night. Nasty virus. Hoping to get some use out of the rented camera equipment. Maybe feel better in a few days.

Shipwreck timbers from 17th Century appear on beach. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

It's dreary, dull, dark again here. I need a clear sky. Also I've run out of chocolate.

This planetary nebula (Abell 12) is called 'The Hidden Jewel' because it's difficult to observe. It's a 14th-magnitude object next to a 4th-magnitude star Mu Orionis. It was discovered in 1966. I used my Celestron RASA telescope and ZWO ASI533MC color camera to capture this.

@taku2473allen A giant umbrella!

@DavidBflower Who'll Stop The Rain?

Dozens of flood warnings in England after days of non-stop rain. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

@chicfryrice If everybody else is.

If you could live forever, would you?

On Wednesday morning as well as occulting Tau Scorpii the Waning Crescent Moon will appear close to Antares (Alpha Scorpii). Antares colour is reminiscent of Mars and will make a fine visual and photographic opportunity. Look very low to the south after 5am.

It's a bit of a morning. A bit of Sun and a bit of heat.

Rare 'alien-like' sea slugs found in rock pools. They're whoppers. bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Tomorrow morning the Waning Moon appears to the left of Spica (Alpha Virginis).