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More Stressed Chameleon

@mark-nicol.bsky.social
195 followers 559 following 87 posts

Working on being a calmer chameleon - but it comes and goes. East Lothian dad and software engineer - working at the UK ATC (Likes dad jokes, old computers and space. Would like to write better docs but never seem to have the time)

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Andrew Ducker @andrewducker.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Flipbook of the Rings - recreating The Fellowship Of The Ring through individual artists hand drawing frames from the movie
youtube.com
Flipbook of the Rings "Chill Edition" (the first 11 minutes)
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
🔊 #Edinburgh! Join me to celebrate the launch of my new book at Dynamic Earth. With live music from the Sound Rays + a full-dome planetarium experience, we'll be reconsidering what it means to be real! 🔭 Fri 11th Sept 18:30 Bar opens 19:30 Show + Book signing 🎟️: dynamicearth.org.uk/event/how-to...
A massive purple explosion appears to have occurred above Catherine's head (it's a dark matter map) as she gazes off in to the distance while holding her book.  A nice old telescope in propped on the table (not that she'd be able to see the invisible dark matter with it).
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Slightly fuzzy blue  sky and corn field behind a thistle covered in thistledown
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Thony Christie @rmathematicus.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
The first Astronomer Royal, John Flamsteed, was born 19 August 1546 #histsci thonyc.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/r...
thonyc.wordpress.com
Return of the stamp collector
Yesterday’s birthday boy in neither a mathematician nor should he be obscure, although he is by no means as well known as he should be, it is the observational astronomer John Flamsteed (19 August …
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
An underappreciated part of trying to watch any astronomical phenomenon is the chance to take pictures of clouds #solareclipse
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Today I stumbled across a portal of doom in a book published in 1609 by alchemist Henrico Khunrath 😵‍💫 Amphitheatrum Sapientiae Aeternae (Amphitheater of Eternal Wisdom) This post courtesy of a v special 2hrs volunteering in our Crawford Library of ancient 🔭astro books. #skystorians #histsci
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Tim O'Brien @proftimob.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Thanks to all for huge support 🙏. Many petitions, change dot org, parliamentary, MEN etc. A few misconceptions about: - Lovell Telescope/e-MERLIN is old tech: NOT TRUE! Continually upgraded. - Cut is not to Lovell Telescope/Jodrell: NOT TRUE! e-MERLIN funding essential to operate all our telescopes.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Long and lovely thread about the history and context of Jodrell Bank by @jonagar.bsky.social Well worth a read all the way through.
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Helen Day @lbflyawayhome.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
‘Great Inventions, 1961’ Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope Artist: Robert Ayton
Illustration from the endpapers of the revised edition of the book showing a detailed illustration of the dish set against a striking dark pink ground
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Sadly it's not just #JodrellBank losing funding, with deep cuts across the board for UK astronomy. One example is the HiPERCAM project whose funding has been entirely cut to save £50K/yr - peanut-levels of £s. Spectacular fast transient science lost, for what? 🔭😡 www.zmescience.com/science/astr...
zmescience.com
One of Astronomy’s Fastest Cameras May Stop Operating Over a $67,000 Funding Gap
The camera that checked JWST’s clock is losing its funding.
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Dr Pamela L Gay @starstryder.space · 27/07/2026
My Monday inbox includes email from the Royal Astronomical Society highlighting that Jodrell Banks is at risk of closure. This is both a historic site and a super important research facility. This is one of the few facilities capable of both radio astronomy and radar measurements of space objects.
Mike Peel; Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics, University of Manchester.

Image shows a massive steerable radio dish on a sunny day with puffy clouds. This facility is so big there arew 5 stories of stuff attached to the pivot point!
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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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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
This w/end's little snippet from my new book is from Chpt1 where we're asking "What is light?" Dear 🇺🇸US friends hoping you have a good chuckle at me attempting an American accent, rather than being affronted! #BookSky 🔭 📖: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/how-to-de... 📽️: www.youtube.com/shorts/-RIPE...
youtube.com
Chapter 1: Light Available to Preorder now!
YouTube video by Astronomer Royal Scotland Prof Catherine Heymans
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
🔊Calling #Edinburgh: 5th Aug, Dynamic Earth, @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social and I will be joining forces for a day of free activities to get you ready for the 90% partial solar eclipse 6pm-8pm 12th August! 👩‍🔬🔭🧪 Big thanks to @iop.org for funding the event 🥳 ℹ️: dynamicearth.org.uk/event/get-re...
Get ready for the eclipse:  funded by the Institute of Physics at Dynamic Earth.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 19/07/2026
🔊Calling families in #Edinburgh: it's Space week at National Museums Scotland 🚀. I'll be in the Earth in Space gallery on Mon/Fri morn for "Ask the Astronomer Royal Anything"! Excited to meet the curious young people in your lives. 🔭🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿👩‍🔬 🗓️ Free drop-in 20/24 Jul www.nms.ac.uk/events/summe...
nms.ac.uk
Summer Family Fun | National Museums Scotland
Join us on Mondays and Fridays for a range of exciting, drop-in activities for the whole family. Each week, we’ll explore a new theme – from Scottish stori
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
I thought Ian Dunt had a nicely balanced take on this one Kenny that complements this beautifully iandunt.substack.com/p/the-traged...
iandunt.substack.com
The tragedy of Keir Starmer
A graceful and dignified end to a bitterly disappointing premiership.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
'A senior member of one of STFC’s advisory bodies told RPN that the..exercise represents “a major crisis for the UK"...all of the outcomes modelled are “shocking”....the government would be “committing an act of national self-harm by imposing these cuts”.' 🙏 @francesjones.bsky.social
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Royal Astronomical Society @royalastrosoc.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Stars of physics are in Westminster right now to call on the Government to halt funding cuts to astronomy and particle physics research. Professor Brian Cox called them "inexplicable", urging the Government to instead "trust, inspire and continue to invest in the next generation of scientists".
Stars of physics outside the Houses of Parliament.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
The last time the two Astronomer Royals were at loggerheads was back in the 1990s. The Royal Greenwich & Royal Edinburgh Observatories were pitted against each other in a battle where only one would survive. 🔭 Read all about it in Ian Robson's Observatory Wars: 📖: www.obsmag.org/issues/publi...
The Royal Observatory Edinburgh, at night
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Hugh Pumphrey @hughpumphrey.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
Hahahahahahahahaha. Just for once, a thing for which it is worth giving the Faily Heil a few clicks.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Top #Equinox fact: Today is the day that the Sun rises due East and sets due West. At the December solstice the sun rises in the South East. At the June solstice it rises in the North East. As the days pass between the two, the sunrise position slowly changes passing due East each equinox.🤩 🔭🧪
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
I would so watch that. "Edward's encounter with a banshee cost him valuable time, but it was Albert who had to say goodbye at the last train station in the Phoenician empire. Now only 5 truckers remain."
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Space Telescope Science Institute @stsci.edu · 22/01/2026
Astronomers: Get more robust data! A new version of the Hubble Spectroscopic Legacy Archive is now live: bit.ly/4pKxQs3
Illustration shows large text, HSLA, above smaller text, Hubble Spectroscopic Legacy Archive. Jagged rainbow-colored lines appear behind HSLA. The background is gray with various astronomical targets in black.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 20/01/2026
From “AI can’t do your job. It can help you do your job, but that does not mean it is going to save anyone money.” to “AI is the asbestos in the walls of our technological society, stuffed there with wild abandon by a finance sector and tech monopolists run amok.” a refreshing take by Cory Doctorow
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 20/09/2025
One of those fascinating wee corners of history via Substack Weekender . Why the FSA great depression photo archives contain these photos with a missing black circle. substack.com/redirect/196...
substack.com
Hole-Punched History
In the FSA archives, photos of The Great Depression are marred by an empty black void, forever obscured by the perfunctory click of a hole-punch.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
🔊Calling #Edinburgh! One of the world's largest telescopes twinned with the world's biggest camera is about to embark on a 10yr mission to survey the Universe! Join us in Dynamic Earth's Planetarium as we unveil the 1st Rubin images🥳🔭🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🗓️: 23rd Jun@15:30-17:00 £5🎟️ dynamicearth.org.uk/event/rubin-...
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 11/06/2025
The amazingly talented photographer @tomduffinphotos.bsky.social and I turned my #StrawberryMoon skeet-thread into a piece for the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #Edinburgh Reporter. Check out Tom's many superb photos and don't forget, #DoLookUp tonight! 🔭 🗞️: theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2025/06/look...
theedinburghreporter.co.uk
Look up tonight! Lunar Standstill
The full moon in every month of the year has an American nickname. In November it’s called the Beaver Moon, in March the Worm Moon, and in June we have the Strawberry Moon.  Most of the time these nic...
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 09/06/2025
You have my empathy on that one. Last one of those I listed to had curious pauses and ways of pronouncing the text - including what sounded like 'In Tranent' based services
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 04/06/2025
Seems a bit pointless restricting it to EEC. The subset of people who will bother to change browser for searches can't be that significant - or else Microsoft are doing a lousy job of convincing people to choose Bing/Edge given what a low bar Google search is nowadays.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
That is one of my favourite all time Bloom County jokes. Have you heard about the Corduroy Pillows? .... They are making headlines
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
What if we containerised the teams rather than the software? New portacabin arrives on site.
Yellow portacabin on the back of a lorry being carefully moved into place behind the lodge at the ROE.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
Work goals for today
Sign on the side of a skip that says "Level Load and then on a separate line "No Fires"
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
🥳 This is proper EXCITING people!! Mark June 23rd in your diary for the world wide release of the first images from the wonderful and amazing Vera Rubin Observatory. 🔭🧪 Join the celebration at a Rubin Watch party near you! 👉: rubinobservatory.org/news/rubin-f...
Drone view of Rubin Observatory on top of its summit site on Cerro Pachón against a sunset scene. The observatory building is an angular silver dome on top of a long building extending to the left. The observatory sits against a yellow and orange sky and gray clouds, with rolling mountain ridges in varying shades of purple and pink fading into the background.  From https://Rubin.canto.com/b/JHADL
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
Thanks coffee, I couldn't have summed up my work mood any better.
Cappuccino with two dark patches that look a bit like cursed or haunted eye sockets.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 22/05/2025
A long read and a rewarding one. How the Business Idiot culture has messed up everything about work and life in pursuit of sound bites and vibes.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
She is that! And then some
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
Fresh breakfast muffins made by my lovely wife - loves x What a lovely way to start the weekend.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 16/05/2025
This run of nice weather really is lovely. Hope it lasts through the weekend. Whatever you are doing today as George says "it is going to take patience and time to do it right" 😀
Blue sky seen through an archway the inscription on the arch reads:

"THIS ARCH IS ERECTED 12th SEPTEMBER 1888 TO COMMEMORATE THE WORK & CHARACTER.OF GEORGE HARRISON Kt. MP. LLD WHOSE LIFE WAS DEVOTED TO THE PUBLIC GOOD BORN 1812 : DIED I885"

Never realised the beatles were that long ago.
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Lev Parikian @levparikian.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
It’s the time of year when you might find a baby bird and want to help. Most often (and slightly counterintuitively) it’s best to do nothing. Here’s a useful guide.
An infographic with information on what to do if you find a baby bird.
Is it visibly injured? If yes, contact an animal welfare organisation. If no: does it have feathers? If yes, it’s a fledgling. If it’s in immediate danger, move it to a sheltered spot nearby. If no, do nothing.
If it doesn’t have feathers, it’s a nestling. If you can see a nest, put it back in the nest. If not, contact an animal welfare organisation.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 15/05/2025
Sure is a mighty fine place to be ...
Screenshot from merlin app showing western house-martin as the spotted bird
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 14/05/2025
Achievement of the day. I've been limited to one dad joke per team meeting. If I'd known I wouldn't have wasted it on a crack about quantum computing working and not working at the same time.
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Oliver Morton, Eater of Sun @eaterofsun.bsky.social · 13/05/2025
Ask not for whom the bell tolls
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
Doing our best on weak cheesy puffs and pistachios in the shadow of Hailes castle
Some disappointingly mild cheese crisps in an orange packet and a plastic tupperware of pistachios
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Thats lovely - Seems like a good system to me. 😊 Far easier to remember than the current one.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 09/05/2025
Morning. Good skies on the way to the office. Almost makes up for the climb.
Picture of the dome of the Royal Observatory Edinburgh. Most of the photo is a blue sky with mackerel clouds.
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
It feels like a Taskmaster prize task ... Alex Horne voice "Tonight the contestants were asked to bring the best thing that fits inside a shopping trolley and the lucky winer will go away with 5 things that they can take home in a shopping trolley"
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 08/05/2025
Has anyone done the "not so much super Hornet as sub Hornet" dad joke yet? www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-airc...
businessinsider.com
A US Navy aircraft carrier in the Red Sea fight just lost a third Super Hornet. The $60 million jet went overboard on landing.
The F/A-18 tried landing on the USS Harry S. Truman but went overboard after the arrestment failed, a defense official said.
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Dr Libby Jones @anywaythewind.bsky.social · 07/05/2025
#Astro-bluesky I am talking to 11-13 year olds next week about astronomy-related careers. If you have a cool picture of you doing your job (especially from women) be it in science, engineering, IT, business support, project management etc. I would love to have a picture to show what we do. 🔭🧪
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More Stressed Chameleon @mark-nicol.bsky.social · 05/05/2025
That is a good view. Hope you keep beating the curve for a while yet John.
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