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Matt Williamson

@mattdoesscience.bsky.social
1.7K followers 1.4K following 81 posts

🌌 Owner of www.TaysidePlanetarium.co.uk 🎓 Presentation Skills trainer with @dyellowlees.bsky.social He/Him - Trans Rights Are Human Rights - 🏳️‍⚧️Ally

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Reposted by Matt Williamson
Jenny Shipway @jennyshipway.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
✨ ONE DAY to go! ✨ Join us for a 100-Hour global stargazing marathon. Pop outside during the event and complete our beginners' stargazing challenges to put your markers on the map 🤩 📌 See how many people have already registered their locations in advance at 100hours.online - is your town there? 👀
"Starting TOMORROW, 1-4 Oct beginners' stargazing. Add your town at https://100hours.online". There's a 100 Hours logo, and a picture of the map from the app. The map is already smothered with markers showing where people have pre-registered their locations. There's also a picture of a phone showing the app, with four challenges.
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Jenny Shipway @jennyshipway.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
THREE days to 100 Hours! ✨ Can you find time to nip outside after dark sometime 1-4 October? 🤩 Join us at 100hours.online for a treasure hunt in the sky - all you need is your eyes. Add your marker to your town on our UK & Ireland map and see who else is stargazing in your region ✨
100 hours poster: "look up, 1-4 October, wherever you are". The background is a photo of a man, arms raised, silhouetted man stood on a raised bit of grassy ground. The sky behind him is crazy-full of stars - don't worry you don't need a sky like this to take part in our challenges!
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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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Robin Hayward 🌳 🏳️‍⚧️ @canopyrobin.com · 25/09/2026
We're publishing new guidance to support trans people who do fieldwork (any work outside the office)! Now we need your help to get them seen so please share! inclusivefieldwork.leeds.ac.uk/trans/
a cartoon of three fieldworkers. One has a small trans flag. The logos of the university of leeds, research england, and canopy robin are shown, as well as the URL: InclusiveFieldwork (dot) Leeds (dot) AC (dot) UK (slash) trans
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Royal Astronomical Society @royalastrosoc.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Stargazing news! ✨🌃 From 1-4 October stargazing beginners in the UK and Ireland can take part in an initiative called '100 Hours Under One Sky'. It features four simple challenges, with the chance to win badges and put your mark on a shared map. Find out more at: 100hours.online
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Raquel 🌈✨ @aistear.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Blumineck lo ha vuelto a hacer 🥹 le aplaudo hasta que se me caigan las manos, bravo. "Be masculine, be feminine, be neither, or be both. But be kind."
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Had a lovely day yesterday back at Biggar Science Festival with the dome. Enthusiastism from lots of young people and the young at heart! #planetarium #space #scotland #stem
The portable planetarium set up inside a church hall. The planetarium is a large black fabric inflatable dome that reaches almost to the wooden rafters in the ceiling of the hall.
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Had a lovely day yesterday back at Biggar Science Festival with the dome. Enthusiastism from lots of young people and the young at heart! #planetarium #space #scotland #stem
The portable planetarium set up inside a church hall. The planetarium is a large black fabric inflatable dome that reaches almost to the wooden rafters in the ceiling of the hall.
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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Woop woop!
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David Blanchflower BSc @davidbflower.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Youngster science outreach scheme wins top award. 🧪 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
Northumbria University young science outreach scheme wins Royal Society award
The project encourages youngsters to take up science, technology, engineering and maths.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
The fine folk at the awesome #Aberdeen Science Centre invited me to become their Patron, with a focus on promoting science and public engagement. I said "when do I start!" 🤗 It's a fantastic day out - do come visit some time! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #scicomm 🎢🔭 aberdeenbusinessnews.co.uk/astronomer-r...
aberdeenbusinessnews.co.uk
Astronomer Royal for Scotland appointed as first patron of Aberdeen Science Centre - Aberdeen Business News
Aberdeen Science Centre has appointed The Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Professor Catherine Heymans, as its first Patron of Science and Engagement.
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Dave Eagle @dave-stargazer.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
I finally finished my Guide to Deep-Sky Imaging, which covers how to set up and take stunning images of deep-sky objects. For more details and to pre-order, visit my secure online store. www.star-gazing.co.uk/shop
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 16/08/2026
Just off BBC Breakfast: it's so wonderful that we're still talking about the #eclipse half a week later! It's like the celestial equivalent of the Strictly Come Dancing Final - a unique, special, sparkly, time-sensitive extravaganza that joyfully brings together the whole community! 🤗 🔭
A woman and a bearded man looking up at the Sun with eclipse glasses on.  They are both laughing and having a fab time.
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Paul Cornish @paulgcornish.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
I was just on Sky News!
Me on Sky News with my own name caption and everything!
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Vicky Paints Space @vickypaintsspace.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
UK Eclipse Times for England, Scotland and Wales!🌞 If you want a precise time for your exact location you can search on here. www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/in/uk Who's ready?! Fingers crossed for clear skies!! 🤞🤞
Eclipse times for England.Eclipse times for Scotland.Eclipse times for Wales.
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Met Office - weather and climate @metoffice.gov.uk · 08/08/2026
The UK will experience a partial solar eclipse on Wednesday 12 August. The extent of the Sun's coverage and the timing of maximum obscuration will differ across the country. Never look directly at the sun; use a pinhole projector or certified eclipse glasses to view it.
Map on UK showing how much of the sun will be obscured by the moon, at maximum, during the solar eclipse on Wednesday 12th of August. this ranges from 88% in the east to 98% in the southwest.
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Scottish Greens @scottishgreens.org · 05/08/2026
Damaging new guidance from the EHRC will shut out Trans people from daily life simply for existing, and anyone who doesn't conform to narrow ideas of how people should look could face suspicion and confrontation. We are taking a stand against this attack on human rights.
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The Nerdy Queer @thenerdyqueer.com · 05/08/2026
If you're in the UK, especially if you're Cisgender, today is a good day to start wearing a Trans Pin. That bastard EHRC guidance comes into effect today, and we need to know who our friends are.
A collection of trans and nonbinary pins
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
Did I travel all the way to #JodrellBank this morning for a 5min TV interview? Yes reader, I did. Did I then persuade the fab e-MERLIN Director Simon Garrington to let me climb inside the Lovell Telescope? Well, if you can't flex a Royal title occasionally, then what is the point of having it? 😇🔭🧪
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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 · 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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Philip Cowley @philipjcowley.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Latest Beano has the Bash Street Kids go to parliament...
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Newcastle! You get real bang for your buck with bridges here. The Tyne Bridge is particularly pretty - and the prototype for the larger Sydney harbour bridge. One of the pubs on the quayside has a length of the original cables used to construct the Tyne Bridge, now stroked by armies of punters.
The Tyne Bridge in Newcastle. Its granite towers and green steel arch make it particularly striking. Its design is repeated at a larger scale in the Sydney harbour bridge.Some of the many bridges over the River Tyne. In the foreground is the railing of the rail bridge over which the photographers train is travelling. The other bridges have a variety of colours and materials and designs, representing different eras of construction.
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
And now Berwick upon Tweed. It's lovely when the train stops at Berwick, as you cross the bridge slowly with leisurely views of the Tweed beneath. On a through train it's all a bit more hectic to take pics!
View out the train window crossing the river Tweed. The river level is low due to dry weather, and lots of muddy riverbed is visible.Views across the houses in Tweedbank and the roadbridge that joins it to Berwick in the distance. A large church spire stabs at the sky in the distance.View out the train window across the houses of Tweedbank looking back to the tall railway bridge the train has just crossed. The bridge crosses the river Tweed immediately south of Berwick upon Tweed station.
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BIG - STEM Communicators Network, UK @big-stem-network.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
TODAY'S THE DAY! We can't wait to welcome you all to the National STEM Learning Centre later today for the start of this year's BIG Event! #BIGEvent26
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Also how do cantilevers work? I've started before at the photo of the men doing the demo pictured - and it still breaks my brain!
The Forth Bridge, an intricate lattice of red painted steel in three enormous lozenge shapes, spanning the waters of the Firth of Forth.Three men sitting on a contraption of sticks and seats, using their arms to hold the structure up. They are demonstrating the cantilever principle and showing the design of the Forth Bridge in miniature. Above them hangs a diagram of two of the bridges great lozenge shaped structures.
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
As a kid growing up in the S of England, my grandad (who'd live in Queensferry and Kirkcaldy) told me a story that there was a bridge in Scotland so big that as soon as they finished painting it, they had to go back to the other end & start the next coat! Privileged to cross it every month or so now
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
See you soon @matthewtosh.com !
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Next up! In my opinion, the best bridge in the world - the Forth Bridge! It's only downside is that you can't photograph its full glory if you're crossing it.
Matt looking very excited to be crossing the Forth Bridge. The view out the train window is a close up of one of the steel cantilever arms and the lattice of steel trusses, all painted red.
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Immediately alongside the new Tay Bridge you can still see the base of the piers from the old bridge. The original collapsed in 1879, not 18 months since opening, killing 75 people. This inspired the worst poetry in Scottish history, by William McGonagall, now carved in stone along the river path.
The Tay Bridge is a series of columns called piers, and alongside each pier is the stump of the pier from the previous bridge, which collapsed.
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Crossing the first of many bridges on way down to York for The BIG Event by @big-stem-network.bsky.social. first up, The Tay Bridge!
Matt looking excited at the view out the train window about to cross the Tay Bridge. The bridge is long series of columns with the track on top, crossing the width of the River Tay.
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BIG - STEM Communicators Network, UK @big-stem-network.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
CHECK OUT THE NEW BEST DEMO TROPHY! Many thanks to last year's hosts, The Royal Institution of Great Britain for making this fantastic trophy for the winner of this year's Best Demo Competition. If you're coming to the BIG Event and would like to enter, email event@big.uk.com. #BIGEvent26
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ESA Space Science @science.esa.int · 24/06/2026
No less than 60 million stars in one image. It's possible thanks to ESA's Euclid mission. For just one day, Euclid turned its gaze to the crowded heart of the Milky Way and captured the largest, most detailed photo ever taken of our galaxy's centre in visible light. Let's dive deeper 👇 🔭 🧪 ☄️ 1/8
A dense field of tiny stars fills this square image taken by the European Space Agency’s Euclid space telescope. The lower and central areas are dominated by bright yellow and gold colours, forming a textured background similar to fine glitter or sand. Dark brown and black patches cut irregularly through the yellow regions, like ink stains or clouds of smoke. Toward the upper left, the colours shift to purple and reddish tones, blending gently into the surrounding star field. Small blue points of light are scattered across the image.
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BIG - STEM Communicators Network, UK @big-stem-network.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
There's just 3 weeks to go, and we have a question. Are you coming to the BIG Event? Join us in person or online for an incredible lineup of sessions, workshops and hands on interactives. 📆 15th - 17th July 📍 National STEM Learning Centre, York 🎟️ Tickets at www.big.uk.com/BIGEvent2026
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Astronomical Society of Edinburgh @astronomyedinburgh.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Important advice on safely observing the August #eclipse, and choosing safe eclipse glasses. We sourced our eclipse sunglasses through @gostargazing.bsky.social www.astronomyedinburgh.org/2026/06/15/o... 🔭
astronomyedinburgh.org
Observe the eclipse safely this August - Astronomical Society of Edinburgh
On 12 August 2026 you will be able to see a partial solar eclipse from the UK. If the weather cooperates it's going to be an amazing spectacle with about 90% of the Sun covered as seen from Edinburgh....
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RSPB @rspb.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
The image in the magazine is a still from our animated legacy campaign, created by Aardman Animations, the team behind Wallace & Gromit, a few years ago. It was designed at the time to bring a sense of warmth and storytelling to the message, though we understand it is not to everyone’s taste. (3/4)
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Mathew Gibbons (Gaiash) @gaiash.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
If you're looking for stuff to buy for #PrideMonth my friend Robin has a great selection of #Pride pins.
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Dr Jamie Gallagher @jamiebgall.co.uk · 02/06/2026
It’s Pride 🏳️‍🌈 Spare one repost for a small creator? 🥺 My science and sci fi pins raise money for homeless LGBTQ+ people. Just sent another £800 to @aktcharity.bsky.social bringing total to £47,521 New for Pride 2026: 🌈Scientist🌈 🏳️‍🌈🐥🦜🦅🏳️‍🌈 🌈pronouns🌈 www.jamiebgall.co.uk/shop
Pin badge “scientist” in rainbow motif Two bird pins. A series if birds sitting on a branch. Each bird is the colour of a stripe on the rainbow flag. Pronoun pins with rainbow motif:
She her 
He him 
She they 
He they 
They them An array of pride themed science and sci fi pins.
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Sam Langford @samsighs.bsky.social · 02/06/2026
What could it possibly be? Where could we be taking An Evening of Unnecessary Detail later this year? And will I be there?* *Spoilers for the last bit, I definitely will be.
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 30/05/2026
Hot news from the summit at @eso.org Paranal: MOONS has a new home! 🥳 Built in Edinburgh, this beast has 1000 robotic eyes, ready to capture & analyse the light collected from millions of stars in the Milky Way and millions of galaxies in the early Universe. Huge congrats to the MOONS team! 🧪🔭
The MOONS instrument (a huge blue box) is being lifted by gigantic crane onto the UT1 (“Antu”) Nasmyth platform at the Very Large Telescope in Paranal.  The dry arid Atacama desert can be seen in the background.A before and after shot of the Moons instrument with a person standing in front of it.  The top shot is the real world - today.  The bottom shot is a computer rendition made many years ago at the start of the design and development.  They look almost exactly the same (although the real-world person is slightly taller than their virtual counterpart).
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👻madeline bOoOoOoOodent👻 @oldenoughtosay.com · 16/05/2026
personal lifelong side quest to fix these every time I see it. the red cord needs to hang all the way to the ground so people can reach it if they fall.
A red cord in an accessible loo that’s been tied upNow untied and hanging to the floor
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BIG - STEM Communicators Network, UK @big-stem-network.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
JOSH AWARD 2026 WINNER We are thrilled to announce that the 2026 winner of the Josh Award is Alyssa Siriyan, and her project entitled 'What Remains'. To learn about Alyssa's project, and about what the Josh Award is, head to big.uk.com/Josh.
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Royal Astronomical Society @royalastrosoc.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
📺️ WATCH 📺️ Why not check out this short film - officially released today - following the journey of how the Isle of Rum became just the UK's second International Dark Sky Sanctuary. 'Rum's Dazzling Dark Skies' was made with the help of an RAS grant. 🎥🍿✨👉️ www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5uX...
youtube.com
Rum's Dazzling Dark Skies
Rum’s Dazzling Dark Skies, funded by a grant from the Royal Astronomical Society, reveals the journey of how the Isle of Rum became the first place in Scotland to achieve Dark Sky Sanctuary status.…
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Emily Hunt @emily.space · 14/05/2026
I think that a lot of talks in academia refuse to shy away from the classic "intro, methods, results, ..." format, and I think it's very limiting Talks aren't papers, and don't have to be structured like one! I've been trying out different presentation formats recently and it has been going well🧵
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Philip Ball @philipcball.bsky.social · 08/05/2026
Yes. Somewhat remarkable that such folks seem now to be regarded as a fringe group.
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Dr Beth @drbeth.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
When I go to powerpoint now the first option is to create a presentation using Copilot. Mate, I don't know what I'm saying yet - how can you?
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
Dogs are sulking cos I didn't take them to the polling station.
A large fawn-coloured lurcher curled up on a sofa.A smaller fawn-coloured lurcher curled up on a different sofa
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Matt Williamson @mattdoesscience.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
Sweet
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Sarah Cosgriff 🏳️‍🌈🇵🇭 @acescicomm.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Last night, I was one of the recipients of a Decadal Award from @prideinstem.bsky.social. I've been spending some time thinking of the last 5 years of my LGBTQ+ and asexual advocacy work. It's something I fell into, and I'm so grateful for the opportunities and support I've received.
Sarah holding a glass trophy in a box. The trophy is glass with a bulb shape, with a metallic part at the bottom which looks like the screw part of the bulb. On the glass is the Pride in STEM logo and "decadal award winner, Sarah Cosgriff". Sarah is wearing brown trousers, a short sleeve barong, and a blue and dusty pink bolero with butterfly sleeves.
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