iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

New JWST data day! NIRCam's been busy looking at star-forming regions in NGC 6822 for us. Time to get downloading - this might take a while. Honestly, that first look at new data is still one of my favourite things about this job. 🚀🔭🤩

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Given today's Nobel Prize announcement for physics, this is one of my fave pictures of the Sun. #NeutrinoAstronomy science.nasa.gov/image-articl...

science.nasa.gov

APOD: 1998 June 05 - Neutrinos in the Sun - NASA Science

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Nope nope nope not looking at thoes propposal numbers and very low odds of time. 😶‍🌫️🫣

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András Gáspár @andrasgaspar.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

This was posted on LinkedIn. Looks like a new record, possibly 3500 proposals. Good luck everyone on the JWST roulette. We really should have made two.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

It is rather terrifying. I couldn't conceive of producing even 12 articles, conference proceedings, or research notes combined in a year, never mind 20+. How many contain genuinely new science? Even allowing for minimum publishable units, that seems extraordinary. And who has time to read it all?

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Mike Boylan-Kolchin @mbkplus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

This growth is wild & completely unsustainable. [For those who aren't adjacent to this, arXiv is a public repository where many / most authors post their scientific papers, sometimes simultaneous with submission to a journal and sometimes after acceptance.]

Open access repositories across the board are seeing a sharp increase in the number of submissions

per author, per month. In September of 2016, arxiv received 9,869 submissions. In September of 2024, arXiv received 20,569 submissions. This September, arXiv received 40,363 submissions, which

in turn generated almost 9,000 support tickets for arXiv staff and moderators. In only the past two years, submissions have doubled.

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Science Magazine @science.org · 30/09/2026

NASA has selected a far-infrared space telescope to explore the faint, cool glow of gas and dust that fuel star formation and coalesce into planets. scim.ag/4z0OZ5m

scim.ag

New space telescope will reopen astronomers’ view of the far-infrared

NASA’s $1.2 billion PRIMA will explore how galaxies evolve and how planets emerge from disks of gas and dust

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I will do on our next call. I am so happy for her after all the hard work she has put in leading this.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Find out more about PRIMA here prima.ipac.caltech.edu

prima.ipac.caltech.edu

PRIMA

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Absolutely over the moon that PRIMA has been selected for NASAs next mission. So happy for the team and the science that is going to be done. 🎉🎉🎉 🔭🍾🧪 www.nasa.gov/news-release...

nasa.gov

NASA Selects Far-Infrared Telescope as First in New Mission Class - NASA

NASA announced Wednesday a mission to explore the history and evolution of the universe, PRIMA (PRobe far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics), is advancing to

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Reporting History @reporting-history.com · 17/09/2026

Just brilliant!

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Dr. Amber Straughn (she/her) @astraughnomer.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

This is one of my all-time favorite astronomy graphics. The coffee you drank this morning came from the Big Bang ☕💥 Yesterday's #apod Read more: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap26091...

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Digital Brain @yourdigitalbrain.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

What is a Rube Goldberg machine and why is it so fascinating?

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Joumana Medlej @majnouna.com · 09/09/2026

This Four Candles Christmas card is the NICHEST BRITISHEST greeting card I've ever seen. shopping.rspb.org.uk/christmas-sh...

shopping.rspb.org.uk

RSPB Shop

RSPB - Progressive Web App - PWA

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Why is this not the main story on the BBC website.

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

That was a v fast-paced debate on the STFC funding cuts! Good things: * The minister did not trot out the infuriating "there are no cuts" line * Lots of MPs there passionately standing up for their constituents who are directly impacted * Everyone there seemed to genuinely love the work we do!

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Like something out of an other-world futuristic sci-fi movie .... but it's 100% real, not AI, and totally and utterly 🤩 FYI the ELT (extremely large telescope) building is about the size of the Munich football stadium. Go big or go home is the usual mantra of all astronomers... 🔭

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

@astromeg.bsky.social watching the launch on bbc. Love that you are the expert voice for all these things. 🚀🙌

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Jonathan McDowell @planet4589.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

LAUNCH at 1125 UTC Aug 30 of a Falcon Heavy from Kennedy Space Center with NASA's Roman Space Telescope

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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 24/08/2026

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope has been enclosed inside the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket’s fairing in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida: go.nasa.gov/4xZRgNM #NASARoman 🔭 🧪

The image shows two individuals in blue protective suits observing the Roman Space Telescope inside a facility. The observatory is positioned between two sections of a payload fairing, which are held by large blue structures. The scene is set in a clean room environment, with a white floor and walls.

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ESO @eso.org · 24/08/2026

A bubbling Betelgeuse ⭐️ 🫧 This ALMA image is one of the most detailed views yet of the surface of the iconic star Betelgeuse. The surface is uneven & lumpy, with peaks and troughs originating from giant bubbles of hot gas rising from deep within the star to its surface. 🔭 🧪 1/2

A star’s almost circular shape in various shades of orange, centred against a black background. The edge of the shape has smoothed bumps and extensions, and is a darker orange compared to most of the shape’s interior which is orange to light orange.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

@felicityinkpen.bsky.social wow this is fabulous. Looking forward to seeing your art. It has been a long time since uni!

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Benne W. Holwerda @benneholwerda.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Yeah the process of writing the results often clarify how to interpret them. It’s an under-appreciated aspect in the hard sciences to begin with and this is not helping.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

This is Fabulous 🤩 @jengupta.bsky.social you have just sorted my Christmas shopping for some small people. :) Congratulations on your first book!

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

@astromeg.bsky.social hope you had a good viewing and more luck than me.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Oh now the bloody sun comes out from behind the clouds. 😶‍🌫️🤬😡 #eclipse

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Suspect I might be a woman yelling at clouds later. Oh to be an astronomer in Scotland. #Eclipse

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Excited to see our paper out today! 🎉 MIRI has revealed dust & water surviving astonishingly close to the Milky Way's supermassive black hole. Some of the most challenging Webb data I've worked on, but it was great fun figuring out the fate of this dying Sun-like star🔭🧪 esawebb.org/news/weic2617/

esawebb.org

Webb reveals dust and water surviving in the extreme environment around the Milky Way’s central black hole

Using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, an international team of astronomers have discovered that dust and water can form and survive surprisingly close to the supermassive black hole at th...

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Have eclipse glasses. Getting excited about Wednesday. Very much hoping I am not going to have to join in with yelling boo at clouds.

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Randall Munroe @xkcd.com · 07/08/2026

Antiques Roadshow xkcd.com/3281/

Comic. [Two people with tiny star floating above display on table.] PERSON 1 with ponytail: Now, your grandmother said this was a relic low-mass population III star, from the first generation of stars. Unfortunately, the high iron content shows that it formed much later, after several rounds of supernovas. I’m afraid it’s a population I star. PERSON 2: Aw, darn. Well, it still has sentimental value. [banner for Antiques Roadshow]

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Wow. Then it's even worse than I thought.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

I am gobsmacked about how much we as a community goes towards this. Especially now journals are online and there are many preprint hosts. But I thought at least editors were paid. Am I wrong here as well?

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Wow. Look at how much we are spending on article charges!

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ESO @eso.org · 28/07/2026

The conclusion of a century-long quest 😲 Our VLT obtained firm evidence that Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in the Orion constellation and one of the most famous stars in the night sky, is not alone! 🔭 🧪 1/4

A collage of various astronomical images. The background image shows a wide view of a starry night sky, with blue lines connecting the stars of the Orion constellation. An inset image zooms into the star Betelgeuse, showing its orange surface. A second inset shows a bright companion next to the star. Image by ESO/M. Montargès et al. Background: N. Rissinger (skysurvey.org).

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

They did a good job making a case for Jodrell.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

I wouldn’t be a professional astronomer today if not for a school trip to Jodrell Bank as a kid. It’s hard to overstate how much inspiration this place gives future scientists. Devastating news. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understands

Astronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.

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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

I'm absolutely devastated for colleagues at Jodrell Bank who found out this morning that funding for the UK's e-MERLIN radio telescope array will be terminated. This is a short-sighted move, to save a tiny fraction of the overall UK science budget. #SaveJodrellBank 🔭🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understands

Astronomers warn it would tear the heart out of UK science, and leave a generation untrained.

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RAS Journals @rasjournals.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Seb Oliver is speaking at NAM26 on "The Probe Far-Infrared Mission for Astrophysics: PRIMA". Seb is second author on academic.oup.com/mnras/articl... "An almost NIRCam-dark dusty star-forming galaxy at z = 6.63" #MNRAS @royalastrosoc.bsky.social

Near-IR to millimetre images of 6 x 6 arcsec size centred on AC-2168. Please see the paper for the full caption.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Im absolutely fuming. Sitting back for 30 min is bloody stupid. What a joke

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

That last result was particularly unexpected for a metal-poor Local Group galaxy. 🤯 And the story isn't over yet! Hubble finished observing NGC 6822 for us yesterday. Can't wait to combine the new HST data with these JWST observations. 🔭✨ Here is a sneak peek - hot off #HST 🤩

$HST image of NGC 6822 showing a dense star field and a star cluster. Bright stars have four-point diffraction spikes, unlike the six-point spikes seen in JWST images. The image is black and white. IT is just stars everywhere.$

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

NGC 6822 in the #JWST wavelengths. ✨ Beyond the pretty picture, the catalogue revealed some surprises: ✨ ~870,000 stars detected ✨ A JWST colour–dust production relation for carbon stars. ✨ Evidence that oxygen-rich stars, not carbon stars, dominate dust production in NGC 6822.

A dense field of stars with clouds of gas and dust billowing across it. The clouds are patchy and wispy, dense and glowing parts obscuring the centre of the image. Bright galaxies with various shapes and sizes shine through the gas and stars.

Top: The MIRI view, revealing gas and dust that are largely invisible at shorter wavelengths.
Middle: The NIRCam view, showing a dense stellar field, including very red dusty stars and hints of diffuse dust emission.
Bottom: The combined NIRCam+MIRI image, bringing together the stars, gas and dust in a single spectacular view.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

One of my absolute favourite parts of my job is seeing students succeed. Huge congratulations to @conornally.bsky.social who celebrated his PhD graduation on Saturday & whose final thesis paper is on arXiv today: arxiv.org/abs/2607.11682 🎓 The science behind our #JWST press image 👇🧵 🔭🧪

arxiv.org

JWST NIRCam and MIRI Reveal the Dust-Producing AGB Population of NGC 6822

We present a photometric catalogue of the Local Group dwarf galaxy NGC 6822 based on deep JWST observations obtained with the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI). Point-sp...

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Harry Maguire would be dealing with this better. England defence looks so porous.

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Peter Grindrod @petergrindrod.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

I wish I hadn't made this - it's grim. STFC Ernest Rutherford Fellowship success rates over time. I found conflicting data on the STFC website, so there could be a mistake, but last year the success rate was <4%

A plot showing 3 lines, over the time period of 2014 to 2025. Applications have risen from 166 to 186. Funded applications has decreased from 12 to 7. And so success rates have decreased from 7.2 to 3.8%.

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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Nice visualisation. It really conveys what's happening. As one of the 186 proposals, I know firsthand how much time and effort goes into putting together a competitive submission. It also serves as a reminder of the enormous amount of excellent science that inevitably goes unfunded.

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AstroArxiv @astroarxiv.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

MICONIC: The spatial relationship between star formation and the AGN in Centaurus A revealed by JWST/MIRI. O. C. Jones et. al. arxiv.org/abs/2607.04942

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