Anthony Horton @[email protected]

(Let's try that again, but with a usable link) I'm giving Mastodon a go. I've got myself a nifty new handle, on an Australian server: @spacelizard" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">aus.social/@spacelizard

@Qantas Have you got some secret extra password rules, or have you just decided to block everyone from accessing flight credits? I've tried to reset my password multiple times with passwords complying with all the overly restrictive rules displayed & it still doesn't work.

@carlchatter It's the H10 EQ (the one that comes with integrated lights, rear pannier rack & one pannier bag), 2021 version. I don't know what mine weighs, but I gather that it ought to be around 15 kg. Pretty heavy for a bike, but very light for an e-bike.

Confirmed: E-bikes are wonderful. Today I finally rode my Orbea Vibe EQ to work, my first time commuting on it. It was amazing.

Er... I think we interrupted something 😆 When we came home he was like this, and froze in this position staring back at us for at least 10 minutes. #LizardPosting #BlueTongueSkink

I've been at UNSW this week to use their thermal vacuum (TVAC) testing chamber. Behind that yellow tinted viewport are components of the Malya payload for the MMS-1 satellite. PSA: Do not lick the Zinc Selenide.

Fun little side project, I mounted a 360 camera on top of a 2 stage rocket. Got to Mach 1.2 without killing the camera, not too bad!

...that our connecting SIN-SYD flight will wait, but Qantas staff are sticking resolutely to the line "our short notice unexplained schedule change may or may not cause you to get stuck in Singapore for 24 hours, you'll just have to find out when you get there". (2/2)

I love* playing flight connection roulette. At 14 hours notice Qantas rescheduled our LHR-SIN flight to 2 hours later, shortening our transit duration from a comfortable 3 hours to an alarmingly tight 45 minutes. I've tried to get some reassurance... (1/2)

@qantas, I'm curious about your maths here. How can we transit in Singapore for 2 hours 35 minutes while catching a connecting flight that leaves 45 minutes after our first one arrives? Also, how do we even make that connection? It'll take us most of that time to deplane.

@IbnulHussaini @AstroHuntsman M31 is a difficult target for @AstroHuntsman because it's so far North. They have managed to get some (very) pretty pictures of it, but deep narrowband science observations of a target so low on the horizon would be more challenging.

I wonder if @AstroHuntsman could've picked this up @vacant3rdman

Just feels unreal that this was right next to one of the most observed galaxies all along. They just had to stare for really long with some specific gear

The JWST telescope Magnus Opus is on Arxiv. Thank you to Mike McElwain for taking this on. This is really an excellent summary and yes building this telescope was this friggin hard and yes it is working that friggin well! arxiv.org/abs/2301.01779

Another good view from the flight over. G&Ts are my go-to beverage for making long haul flights more bearable.

Got some good views during the flight from Sydney to Singapore four days ago.

@SixtUK Yes, merry bloody Xmas. twitter.com/vacant3rdman/s…

🎵Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. 🎵 Merry Christmas!

I hate car hire companies. They always regard (prepaid!) bookings as a binding commitment on their customers, but a mere suggestion for themselves.

.@SixtUK claim they tried to call us (when we would have been on the plane over) to say that we could pick it up yesterday or the 27th instead. Apparently they think it's OK to unilaterally change the pick up date at the last minute for customers travelling from overseas, at Xmas

Fell at the last hurdle. This is our hire car. We can't drive it anywhere because the car hire place decided they weren't going to open today after all, despite taking a booking months ago, confirming it several times, and even sending us multiple reminders. Thanks @SixtUK.

Our Sydney born & bred kid is finding the thermal shocks of winter in the UK challenging. He's getting cold outside then too hot as soon we go inside anywhere. He's going to have to get used to instantly donning/doffing several layers of clothing as he walks through a doorway.

About to get onto this big metal bird to fly to London.