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Bath Astronomers

@bathastronomers.org.uk
310 followers 79 following 307 posts

Lovely bunch of amateur astronomers in and around the historic city of Bath, Somerset, UK. Rescuing telescopes from dusty cupboards, sharing how-tos, and inspiring minds with outreach are our things. Registered Charity Number 1215572.

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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 29/09/2026
As the clouds roll past outside, I'll be looking at 100hours.online/map to see those first interpid stargazers reporting in.
100hours.online
100 Hours Under One Sky - Interactive map
See real-time updates of participants in 100 Hours Under One Sky 2026
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 29/09/2026
I doubt this year's Physics Awardee will match the genius of the Physics Ig Nobel Prize winners this year: "Splash-free urinals for global sustainability and accessibility: Design through physics and differential equations". Congrats Randy Hurd, Zhao Pan, Tadd Truscott, and Kaveeshan Thurairajah
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 29/09/2026
Bath Astronomers members are supporting 100hours.online to encourage everyone to look up and enjoy the night sky. Hoping for loads of pins in the online UK map in the south west. The action starts on Thursday 1st October at 00:00 so keen to see those first pins on web app. 100hours.online
Woman with hot drink looking up to the stars above a village green or local playing field.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 28/09/2026
Whoosh!!! Just 5 more years to Jupiter.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 27/09/2026
Saturn reaches opposition on 4th October. This is when the Earth moves directly (almost) between the Sun and the Saturn. There is an odd visual effect on the brightness of the rings as observed from Earth. It is called Opposition Surge or the Seeliger Effect after its discoverer.
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Jenny Shipway @jennyshipway.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
FIVE days to go! People across the world will be looking up at the starry skies 1-4 October for '100 Hours of Astronomy'. Take a short break, step outside, and join us at 100hours.online to complete four simple stargazing challenges and put a marker on your town or city of our UK/Ireland map.
100 Hours poster, with an image of a young woman holding coffee and gazing up at the stars. She's stood by a public lawn area with houses behind. There's also a picture of a mobile phone showing the app with the four challenge badges, and a UK/Ireland map with pins in it - "Join beginner stargazers across the UK and Ireland. Find the Stars and put a pin in our map"
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 26/09/2026
Launch your day with porridge and planets.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 26/09/2026
How can it not launch an amazing day to step out the front door at 6am and see Jupiter and Mars immediately?
Jupiter and Mars
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 14/09/2026
Ready to deliver Georgian astronomy outreach at the Jane Austen Festival.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 14/09/2026
Great. Clap. Clap. You can help me wash 22 kids astronaut costumes.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 13/09/2026
After a day of solid cloud cover and drizzle, I find myself surprised that the Sun kept busy without us. I love using jHelioviewer to make videos from Solar Dynamics Observatory images.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 13/09/2026
For over 7 years, the favourite activity when out and about on outreach is pneumatic paper rocket launching. Even better when dressed as an astronaut.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 12/09/2026
A great day sharing the fun and fascination of space with hundreds at Bathampton Village Show. We missed the 100's of Jane Austens in the City Centre but my hat had a Georgian theme.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 12/09/2026
All set up ready for our final local show of the year. It's never been about a membership drive. Just a little area in a field to spark wonder in minds of every generation who popped along for the Tombola, burnt burgers and Face Painting
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 12/09/2026
Bath Astronomers have visited 10 community fetes this year. The final one this year is today - Bathampton Village Show. Larkhall Fest, WestFest, Combe Down Fest, Saltford Fest, Bath Rotary Fest, Hinton Charterhouse Fete, Odd Down Fest, Batheaston Fete, Wellow Village Show & Marshfield Village Day.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 11/09/2026
Got my copy of How to Design a Universe by @astroroyalscot.bsky.social . Looking forward to reading it on cloudy evenings when stargazing is not possible. Clear this evening so it will have to wait. Supernovas to have a look at.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Mutuals from twitter times will remember my very dark yrs of Long Covid 😵‍💫 I lost so much, but found a wonderful silver lining to the dark cloud: I decided to use all the time in bed to v slowly write a book. It took 3yrs. I can't quite believe that tomorrow is publication day & Fri is book launch! 🥹
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 02/09/2026
What a lovely surprise to meet @astroroyalscot.bsky.social's mum at an event in Somerset today. It was a celebration of the award of the British Empire Medal to Jean Routley and Ann was with Jean. It's a small world.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 30/08/2026
Hopefully Nancy Grace Roman space telescope will be able to launch today at 12:26pm during lunch. Coverage starts at 11:18am on SpaceX. Weather is still 50% chance. science.nasa.gov/blogs/roman/... Watch: www.spacex.com/launches/roman
science.nasa.gov
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope: Launch Updates
NASA's live online coverage of the launch of the agency's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is underway. NASA and SpaceX are targeting 7:26 a.m. EDT Sunday for liftoff aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy roc...
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 29/08/2026
50% chance of a Go due to cumulus cloud over the pad. Chances improve to 70% for Monday launch.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 29/08/2026
Starting to get nervously excited by the Nancy Grace Roman space telescope launch tomorrow at 12:56pm May that Falcon Heavy be as accurate as the Ariane 5 rocket (Flight VA256) that sped JWST to Lagrange Point 2. Watch: www.spacex.com/launches/roman Pre-launch briefing: youtu.be/l5OJk1FuEKg?...
spacex.com
SpaceX
SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 28/08/2026
Smart Scopes are great but sometimes they can be a pain and you can miss the very thing you set out to watch.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 28/08/2026
Almost maximum
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 28/08/2026
Love that Moon and Earth working together
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 28/08/2026
Enjoying the eclipse from a Somerset hillside with a badger
Moon going through partial eclipse
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 16/08/2026
Team Astronaut
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 16/08/2026
Great to be part of a local village's annual celebration of their community. Marshfield Village, South Gloucestershire. Rockets, Astronauts and Solar Astronomy at Marshfield Horticultural Show and Village Day.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 14/08/2026
A cheeky grin is great to see. Only risk is Dr Becky nicking your stargazing tips if you watch too many boxsets. Wishing you a smooth continued recovery and a chance to see the Moon go red in a few weeks
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 12/08/2026
Welcome to National Colander Day. Last celebrated 27 years ago. #LoveMyColander
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 11/08/2026
Taken my colander on holiday to Bristol. Seeing the eclipse safely for those without eclipse glasses
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 11/08/2026
Well that's fun. First time I've been asked to do an interview with the opening line "you must bring your own Colander!"
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 10/08/2026
Nervously walking through busy crowds in Bath. If anyone discovers I'm carrying 200 pairs of eclipse glasses, perhaps the last in the city, it could trigger a riot. Perhaps my astronomer's gait will give me away. The result of years carrying OTAs to outreach events.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 08/08/2026
Glad to see @gostargazing.bsky.social and @firstlightoptics.bsky.social have smashed their last eclipse glasses record of 48,000 with a cool 100,000. Super happy @bathastronomers.org.uk helped in distributing 7,500 of these to local schools and young peoples' organisations.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 08/08/2026
I was really hoping for some great sunspot groups around the time of the solar eclipse to really accentuate the Moon's transit but I fear the cupboard may well be bare 😭
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 07/08/2026
It's fun watching the waning Moon sneaking up on the Sun. Just 5 days until the Ninja Moon takes out the Sun.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 06/08/2026
417 years ago they foresore the gateway to the STFC
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 06/08/2026
Had a fun morning up in the Paddocks by Beckford's Tower checking all is ready for the partial solar eclipse next Wednesday evening. Thanks to Netty for being an amazing guide.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 06/08/2026
Sounds like a chat with your builder rather than a surgeon. Hope the seagull is still visiting and your spirits are high
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 05/08/2026
Waiting for lunar impact, under clouds, and getting wet fro. The rain. Oddly very happy.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 01/08/2026
Glad our feathered friends are entertaining you and you're on the mend.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 23/06/2026
Seaweed protein shakes to make UK astronomers leaner ahead of cuts?
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 14/06/2026
Obligatory #selfie from the East Coast Main Line, rocking the I'm-about-to-sand-your-floors look 😷! Heading back to Westminster to ask MPs for their help in halting the impending catastrophic funding cuts to UK astro and particle physics. #SaveUKAstronomy 🔭
Catherine looking a little tired (it was the Scotland match last night) in a 3M Aura mask with the blurred landscape out the train window.A view down to Berwick upon Tweed.  The sea is in the background, houses in the foreground and a river with an arching bridge crossing it.Pensive cloudy skies, green meadow, and Holy island in the sea in the middle.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 13/05/2026
Bath Astronomers are kicking off their Partial Solar Eclipse campaign 3 months ahead of the big event on Wednesday 12th August 2026. The society are looking to supply up to 40 local schools with free solar glasses and guidance for schools on how to train pupils on their safe usage. Going to be busy
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 26/04/2026
Great the buddy up with Bath Space Society at the University of Bath to run an evenings stargazing for all at Brickfields Park, Bath last night. Lots of people seeing different types of celestial objects for the very first time.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 02/04/2026
Now everyone remember to let the toilet get up to full speed before you wee ("make a donation") and leave it few minutes after...😂
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 29/03/2026
Thanks to Skye of Transition Bath for organising last night's #EarthHour in Royal Victoria Park, Bath. It was great to chat about protecting the night sky and then look up into it with 6 different telescopes all lined up and loads of keen visitors. The telescope crew were Martin, Roger and Simon.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 24/03/2026
Great evening catching up with friends at @bathastronomers.org.uk 50th Anniversary bash. Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell gave a fine talk and I got to catch up with Dr Jen Millard of Amesome Astronomy and Weatherman Walking fame.
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 24/03/2026
Bath Astronomers aka Bath Astronomical Society made it to 50 years. Time to celebrate. Forecast is cloudy over Somerset so good chance the astrophotographers will join us 😜
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 23/03/2026
Back in school today. This time Downside School, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Radstock, to help support their topic To Infinity and Beyond. We spent our time looking for exoplanets, planets beyond those in our precious solar system. Over 7,000 found and no inbound phone calls for ET detected... yet.
The dome inflated in the Sports HallMap of Downside School campus. The dome was in the Sports Hall today
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Bath Astronomers @bathastronomers.org.uk · 22/03/2026
We've got a party arranged with local dignitaries, members past and present, and the young lady that served the refreshments on night, 5 decades ago - this time we're serving her refreshments. Oh, and Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell is coming to talk. We've even made a planetarium show for the night!
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