iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 9h

Serious Space for planet Earth 👏👏👏

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Baubles for the natives..

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

In fairness we Europeans mucked it up in the first place by proposing a mission with a payload that nations (who usually have to fund instrument costs while ESA funds the spacecraft, launch and ops), could not afford to build, and so JPL helped us out of that hole. Then Trump did his thing…

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

We need a “sad” or “care” button rather than a “like” here…

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

#Beagle2 plaque unveiling @openuniversity.bsky.social #OUSpace demonstrating how they have built on the mission’s legacy. Impressive. Missions are as much about the journey as well as the destination. @ukspaceagency.bsky.social Julie Black and Colin’s son Nick took centre stage. #space #mars

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Just as long as its not big and orange!

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Yeah but as @stargazerrob.bsky.social remarked, i need to get my norths and south’s sorted first 🤣🤦🏻‍♂️

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Think we must have been observing this at the same time!

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Lovely day celebrating another #Beagle2 @ukspaceagency.bsky.social red plaque unveiling - today at the #Bristol #MShed with Colin Pillinger's daughter Shu and his sister Doreen. The plaque is now in the Bristol People Gallery - very fitting. Later we described the day on #BBCPointsWest

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Probably- i just process what i see!!

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Good to be back looking at planets after a break - #Saturn is nicely placed around midnight and its rings are beginning to open out once more. #EAA #astronomy #planets #astrophotography

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

We let her down in the end ☹️

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Processed my remaining #astro images from 2026-2024. Up to date - Yay! Have logged over 300 <60min #EAA images I am happy with and about 100 yet to seriously visit before I run out of my main targets and need to go wider field of views. Hope no double accounting #Astronomy #astrophotography 1/5

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

In fairness we have already built Mars Rovers that can make informed science decisions (based on neural net training) so not really “clockwork”, but i agree we must not characterise these as “minds” and we have no need to. Robotics are our space explorers but at our direction.

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The price US science pays for boots on the Moon and Mars before the Chinese 🤔🤦🏻‍♂️

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The price US science pays for NASA Moon and Mars projects…

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Are they? Or just what is always expected? If we want to inspire STEM into our space sector we might try different routes than “Plan A”. We might attract a different audience.

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

We need to celebrate more engineers at these events-astronauts as 4 out of 8 “highlights” rather slants what “space at ESA” is really all about. But good to see you in the list!

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Sometimes I am caught by surprise with #astrophotography. I took an image last year of #vdB1 - a reflection nebula. When processing it yesterday I noticed an area to the rhs. On closer inspection I find this to be 2 young #protostars that have not yet started their nuclear journey. Remarkable! 🔭

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

More random goodies from my unprocessed #astro #astrophotography #astronomy pile across 2025... now coming to processing light! That's the trouble with #EAA - you can capture several targets a night and it's easy to get behind🤦🏻‍♂️ and only a few more to do... yay!

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Collimation - the gift that keeps on giving (…heartache!)

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Reposted by Chris Lee

Royal Astronomical Society @royalastrosoc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Come and explore the Royal Astronomical Society! 💫🚀🪐 Today we've thrown open our doors as part of Open House festival, offering self-guided tours for members of the public to find out more about what we do and how we began. Join us any time between now and 1pm, or from 2-5pm (last entry 4.30pm) 👋

Members of the public explore the RAS library as part of the Open House festival.

People outside the RAS waiting to explore the Society's HQ.

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Reposted by Chris Lee

Royal Astronomical Society @royalastrosoc.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

What does the Open House tour of the RAS include? 🪐🚀 Learn more about what we do with a film in the lecture theatre exploring our history 🎥 📺️ Browse fascinating artefacts on display in our library 📚️🔭 And on the top floor, meet astronomers from a bygone era Caroline Herschel and her nephew John ☄️🎭️

An actress playing Caroline Herschel greets visitors to the RAS.

People enjoy a self-guided tour of the RAS.

A film about the RAS and its history playing in the lecture theatre.

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Great to celebrate engineers and scientists across our communities vs influencers …

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Bold advice coming from an avatar!

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Why on earth should “i read the room”? I disagreed with the statement that she will be remembered long after Charles is forgotten. I have no interest in which of them is more virtuous (or not) but Kings usually trump Princesses across History unless they effect significant change or become a saint.

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

He will still be remembered longer. Just stating the facts.. Kings usually are…

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Can we have some real news? Not a Celebrity “He says, they say”?

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

If we pay extra do we get guaranteed clear nights?😉🤣

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

🤷🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Once a defence-led economy, always a defence-led economy. Just a more obvious one today. Now we need to think of a reason why embracing Climate Change will be good for US defence industries 🤷🏻‍♂️

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I’m shocked! Normally my best clear nights are when it has that searchlight in the sky! 😉

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Statistically equivalent, visually greedy!

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

A comparison of my image of #NGC7331 #Caldwell30 showing this year's #supernova alongside the one I caught last year. Meanwhile, we've been waiting over 400 years for a supernova in our own galaxy! #eaa #astrophotography #astronomy

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Well, since I had already imaged NGC 7331 to check out the recent supernova (posted yesterday), I decided to nudge the scope just a little further to capture Stephan's Quintet #HCG92 which was just out of shot. A fabulous (tiny!) area of our night sky #astrophotography #space #eaa #astronomy

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Chris Lee @cpl43uk.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Finally had a chance to seek out #supernova #SN2026aaiv in #Caldwell30 #NGC7331 (a galaxy that had another one of these last year!) and the #Nova in Sagitta, #V488 - now fading back to its original 20th mag - around 10th at the moment from a high of 7. #astrophotography 🔭 #eaa #space

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