iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Around 20 #red #sprites occurred at ~00-01 UTC, 22 Sep. 2026 over the northern #Aegean Sea close to #Lemnos isl. Four of these events follow, as they were captured from the eastern coast of Attica.

Red sprites through clouds over seascape and the mountains of Evia isl.

Red sprites in a cloudy and starry sky. The horizontal lines in front of the sprites are thin clouds

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Valérie Masson-Delmotte @valmasdel.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Rapid Warming in the Himalaya Exacerbates Geohazard Cascades Beyond Adaptation Limits www.worldweatherattribution.org/rapid-warmin...

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

😶 This is a completely different level. These events exhibit an increasing frequency around the planet, from the Alps to India and Nepal.

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Jure Atanackov @jureatanackov.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Just how quickly an activity surge happens: this is the Sun from Oct 18th to Nov 4th, 2003. Note the *3* enormous & complex active regions popping up. This was later in the cycle than where we are currently at, so there is still hope that we will see more severe space weather before solar minimum.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Opposition effect (the white aura around Ingenuity's shadow) clearly seen as well.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

#Perseids 2026 were by far the best since 2016 outburst. There was an increased number of #fireballs, as well as periods with 3, 4, even 6 #meteors within a few seconds. Best period: from twilight till midnight. Shots from cape #Sounion #Attica #Greece night of 12 Aug. Circular fisheye is 4.5 mm...

Large meteor (fireball) near Milky way over seascape with some ships and a small island full of wind turbines

Bright meteor with very long trail as shot by a circular fisheye lens with f.length of 4.5 mm

Bright meteor which flashed like a lightning and its ionization train lasted at least for 1'. Shot with a circular fisheye lens of f.length 4.5 mm

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

dimkate.bsky.social @dimkate.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

What a celestial event! The fact it was near the horizon made it look even bigger! And got the reflection of the corona over Sil river. A pity it lasted barely over a minute. #solareclipse2026 #eclipse

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Dan Burns @the-physics-well.net · 06/08/2026

A Sunado? No, it's just a swirling tower of plasma interacting with the Sun's magnetic field and gravity. 3-hour time-lapse taken yesterday morning. Lunt 50mm double stack, ZWO ASI178MM, each frame made from 15s video taken at 15 s intervals. Thanks Autostakkert and ImPPG! #astrophotography

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Don Davis @ddavisspaceart.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

The Sunset of August 7, 2026 featured only a few fairly distant clouds low on the Western horizon, but with a 55-250 mm lens I could zoom in on an intriguing adornment, an 'Sun Pillar' forming a fuzzy vertical bar of light as the reddening sunlight was reflected by roughly aligned ice crystals.

This is a panorama made from two digital SLR frames obtained of a cloud as it was being lit from underneath by the last rays of the Sun, hidden from the ground but still shining on the fairly distant and high altitude cloud. A bright vertical glow at the right is a Sun Pillar', which is the Sun bring reflected by fairly uniformly aligned ice crystals. This Pillar assumes the color of the light source.

This series of photos of the Sun Pillar accompanying the Sunset of August 7, 2026 shows the lighting changing in direction and color on the clouds. The 'Sun Pillar' persisted until the last rays left the clouds, the color becoming deeper red as that light passed through greater distances of atmosphere as seen from there.

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Hourly Cosmos @hourlycosmos.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Mars - Frost in Utopia Planitia - NASA Viking Lander 2 - From Andrea Luck (andrealuck.bsky.social) - flic.kr/p/2oDimoo

VIKING LANDER 2- CAMERA 1
SOL 960 / 1979-05-18 local time 12:50:43Z
Raw data processed from: pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/
Product IDs:
21i093rd
21i093gn
21i093bu

Download this image: www.flickr.com/photos/192271236@N03/52930637274/sizes/o/

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/AndreaLuck

Feel free to share, giving the appropriate credit and providing a link to the original image or tweet: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

5 dead firemen in 1 week! And we didn't even have heatwaves like previous years. The far-right regime in GR refuses to hire more than 4000 people *needed* for firefightning. The result? The remaining few firefighters are literally giving their life. 1/2

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cira-csu.bsky.social @cira-csu.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Earlier this morning, moonlight illuminated the eye of Super Typhoon Dolphin.

This image of Super Typhoon Dolphin is in the Day-Night Band (NCC) product from the NOAA-20 weather satellite from 14:35 UTC on 2026-07-29.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Brief non-tornadic #supercell with lots of CGs, #hail and severe wind gusts over #Athens today (Jul 24).

CG lightning, the city (bottom), clouds (top), thunderstorm coming in

Parthenon and Acropolis with southern Athens and CG lightning at the sea

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani @mayor.nyc.gov · 22/07/2026

Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

This is the same with the low temperature we had that night in Athens... BUT: a) They are in the middle of their winter b) at 1220 m This is a 23.2 deg. *deviation* or anomaly. Imagine in winter to have 26 deg instead of 3, as a *minimum* temperature.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

From #dusk till #dawn, #Sounion, 17-18 Jul. 2026. An astro-break much needed. Next stop: Perseids (on a new moon this year 😍)

Just after sunset, the sea (below left), some terrain, hills and rocks on the right and the sky above. Looking westwards from Sounion

Scorpius constellation over the sea. An island far away at the center of the photo. Looking southwards from Sounion

A green meteor could have left its reflection on the sea surface, as it was close to the horizon, if it wasn't for this moving Betelgeuse's supernova simulation. Actually, this is a fisherman's boat (yeah...) and the light curves all around it are several dozens of seagulls following it. I must admit that after several facepalms (with both hands), it wasn't that awful, thanks to the light painting of the seagulls mostly.

Colors of dawn, looking northeastwards from the hill near cape Sounion. Some clouds in the sky, the sea below, Makronisos isl. far away in the center, part of east Attica below, on the left side.

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Álfheiðr @sphecida.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

The tiny snake that lives on my back doorstep. DeKay's brownsnake (Storeria dekayi)

The tiny snake that lives under my garden sprayer. Pill bug for size comparison.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

A record like this for Greece, would mean to reach 51 deg. Celsius in Athens for June (current June all time record 46.2). What happens in W. Europe, once more, these days, is beyond words.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Two more #thunderstorms today (17 June). Some #lightning shots and a #circumzenithal arc for a peaceful ending

The southern part of Athens, Greece, with 2 lightning bolts and cloudy sky at noon

The western part of Athens, Greece, with lightning, rain shaft and cloudy sky at noon

The western part of Athens, Greece, with a triple lightning, rain shaft and cloudy sky at noon

A circumzenithal arc among clouds. Looks like a rainbow with the sunlight coming from below.

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Peter Tennant @pwgtennant.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

I sometimes log back into X to see who's still active. I am always disappointed. But it's the journals, employers, & other health organisations that shock me most. The message this sends about culture & values is so negative. From a quick scroll, I saw JAMA, Lancet, BMJ, APHA, Wellcome, NCRM, etc

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 24/05/2026

Short-lived #iridescent #contrail this #afternoon. This occurs as a result of #diffraction of the #sunlight from the microscopic #ice crystals in the contrail, when the latter has an angular separation of ~10-30 deg. (here ~20) from the light source (here the Sun).

iridescent contrail in the sky and a zoomed-in version of it on the top right

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Andrea Luck @andrealuck.bsky.social · 16/05/2026

Mars - Clouds over Terra Cimmeria - ESA Mars Express HRSC Full size 5k image: flic.kr/p/2sdpsHP 🔭🧪 Credit: ESA/DLR/FUBerlin/AndreaLuck CC BY 2025-07-24 South is up HR211_0000 ND3+GR3+BL3

A close view of Mars from orbit, showing a dusty reddish surface covered in impact craters, with thin whitish high altitude clouds stretching along the upper limb of the planet against black space.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Inside the 22 deg. #halo, there is a smaller 9 deg. halo which is rare. This indicates the existence of #pyramidoidal ice #crystals within the thin #cirrus #cloud layer. These crystals allow for 9 deg. deviation of the #light path with respect to the initial course thus creating this rare beauty.

Wide angle photo of the sky with a contrail, the sun, thin cirrus clouds, some dusty atmosphere and 2 halos forming concentric circles around the Sun

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

#Solar #corona, today over #Athens, GR. An #atmospheric #optical phenomenon, which is the result of #diffraction of #light through the tiny droplets or ice crystals of semi-transparent #cloud layer (usually #alto clouds like the ones in the photo).

The sky with colorful concentric circles around the Sun and a thin white milky cloud layer everywhere

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 20/04/2026

After several days with overcast+dust, I finally had the chance to capture #comet #PanSTARRS C/2025 R3 on Sunday morning (19 Apr). The temporal obs. "window" was small (10-15') before twilight becomes too bright. iOptron skytracker used. Exp. time 5x1'. Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 + Sigma Art 14 mm f/1.8

Comet PanSTARRS in black and white with the starry sky as background

Comet PanSTARRS in color with the starry sky as background

Comet PanSTARRS zoomed in with a Tamron lens at 135 mm (x1.6 crop factor), with the starry sky as background

Comet PanSTARRS on the twilight starry sky. A wide field photo in order to have a perception of its extent (together with its tail). On the top left, there are previous photos in color and black&white version

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

dimkate.bsky.social @dimkate.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

Comet MAPS may have not survived, but C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) is putting on a show in the early hours sky. As of 8 April 2026, it has grown a long ion tail, and there are hints of a dust tail and is visible with large binoculars. Perihelion is on 11 days. #cometWatch #astrophotography

A comet with a round, bright green coma and a long, structured tail with knots and streamers extending beyond the edge of the frame. There is also a short dust tail.

Equipment: 8-inch f/4 newtonian telescope, 294MC-Pro, guided Prometheus-astro tyr, controlled by StellaVita.
30x30s, with moonlight interfering. Sitia, Crete.
Edited with DSS, SIRIL and Ps.

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

Simeon Schmauß @stim3on.bsky.social · 08/04/2026

A bit of a different take on the amazing Artemis II launch footage. Here I stitched clips from the four Solar Array Wing Cameras to make this panoramic video. This is during the later part of the Core Stage burn until MECO and stage separation, sped up to 10x. 🔭🧪 #Artemis

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

This is indicative of how much #dust was hovering above our heads a couple of days ago. Watch how fast the sea becomes brown, at Tinos isl. www.facebook.com/reel/9605217...

facebook.com

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Reposted by Christos Doudoulakis, PhD

DutchSpace @dutchspace.eurosky.social · 02/04/2026

You want some nice Artemis II launch video ? It just dropped :) #ArtemisII

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

A "supercell" of #dust. Yesterday's #sky over #Athens as another African dust transfer was at its peak. Crete and Cyclades were heavily impacted.

The southern parts of Athens with Acropolis and Parthenon almost at the center. The sky above the city is full of clouds as a thunderstorm is ongoing but the dark red-brown hue is due to an African dust transfer.

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Senator Bernie Sanders @sanders.senate.gov · 27/03/2026

WHY ARE WE IN IRAN?

How many times can we “obliterate “ Iran’s nuclear capabilities?

How many years will Iran be “weeks away” from attacking the U.S.?

How many wars can Netanyahu get us into?

How many centuries will countries continue fighting religious wars?

How many trillions must be spent to feed the military industrial complex?

How many innocent men, women and children must be killed and displaced from their homes?

END THIS WAR NOW

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 25/03/2026

The fact that these breathtaking changes take place all around us (glaciers, weather patterns, seas, forests, etc), at least 2 orders of magnitude faster than any other period in Earth's past and thus can be observed within less than 1 human lifetime, should have been enough. But no...

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 26/02/2026

A new era in night sky observation, astronomical discoveries and cosmic exploration begins!

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 22/02/2026

2 #waterspouts at 1530 and 1700 local time and a #funnel cloud over land at 1320 (with possible brief touch down, not confirmed), near #Athens intl. airport and E. Attica, yesterday. #Thunderstorm also in the city with lots of #hail at the southern suburbs.

Waterspout near E. Attica, 17:00 local time (UTC+2), 21/2/2026, photo by Ilias Papaioannou

Funnel cloud with possible touch down at 13:15 local time, 21/2/2026, near Athens intl. airport. Photo by Dimitris Michail

Waterspout near E. Attica, 15:30 local time, 21/2/2026, photo by Panagiotis Christou

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

#SaharanDust #AfricanDust #Dust in #Athens GR today, from 06-11 UTC/08-13 EET. This used to happen during late Spring. Now, we can have it on any month and the intensity as well as the frequency rises.

6 photos showing the gradual increase (from 08 till 13 local time) in dust concentration over Athens, as seen from mt. Penteli on the 15th of Feb., 2026 - Source: https://www.meteo.gr/camerasmain.cfm

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Simeon Schmauß @stim3on.bsky.social · 11/02/2026

This is a real timelapse video of the Moon transiting in front of the Earth. It was captured by the Artemis 1 Orion spacecraft in November 2022 while flying at it's furthest point from the Earth. The video covers about 3.75 hours of real time. 🔭🧪

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

#Thunderstorms some hours ago, from E. Attica, Greece, looking east towards Evia isl.

GC lightning from a mountain on Evia isl. at night. Sea on the foreground.

Thunderstorm at night over the sea with some tree branches on the foreground

GC lightning stemming from wind turbines on top of the mountains of Evia isl. at night. Sea on the foreground.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

What a beauty! Gigantic jets stem from the thundercloud's top and reach the lower ionosphere. They are ~80 km tall 🤩

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

My first #red #sprites capture for 2026, over the #thunderstorms at #Lesvos isl., E Aegean Sea, some hours ago ⚡ PS. You can always check our paper on observations of #TLEs from Greek-based observers: www.mdpi.com/2673-4931/26...

red sprites at night, on a starry sky with clouds and the flash of the parent lightning below. At the bottom one can observe the mountains of Evia isl. The observer is on E. Attica, Greece, looking eastwards.

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Ken Jennings @kenjennings.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

The “prosecute the former regime at every level” candidate has my vote in 2028.

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Christos Doudoulakis, PhD @csath.bsky.social · 07/01/2026

Flying over the Martian North Pole aboard @esa.int's Mars Express orbiter by @stim3on.bsky.social

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