David Clapham

The Observatory may be closed, but lockdown hasn't stopped us from upgrading the facilities. Here's the Three Peaks #radiotelescope dish being installed overlooking the 16" SCT room, where I usually spend Saturday evenings. (....and yes, that's a different TR7 by the main dome.)

Apologies to all for my sudden quiescence. The issues involved are almost resolved and I hope to rejoin you soon.

Reprocessed from earlier, here's the moment that the leading edge of the Moon left the darkest part of Earth's shadow, as seen from the #AstronomyCentre in Pennine Lancashire. cc: @carolkirkwood @BBCNWT @ROGAstronomers

If the term "U3" in one of my earlier tweets puzzled you, it's shorthand for 3rd umbral contact - the moment the leading edge of the Moon begins to emerge from the darkest shadow (umbra) into the lighter one (penumbra). The full sequence for a total eclipse is: P1 U1 U2 U3 U4 P4

Many of you know of Stephen's excellent photography. For those that haven't seen any of his images, I'll just leave this here....

.@carolkirkwood Thanks for the earlier retweet. As promised, I've just posted a better picture. Also, if you check my timeline, you'll see a debunking of the idea that we won't see another TLE for 10 years.

If you see or hear anyone telling you that we won't see another #TotalLunarEclipse in the UK for 10 years, what they actually mean is that we won't see **all** of a TLE from ingress to egress. The Moon will set totally eclipsed as seen from UK and western Europe on 16 May 2022.

Captured at the instant of U3 (the transition from totality to second partiality), here's another image of my 19th #TotalLunarEclipse as seen from the #AstronomyCentre cc: @carolkirkwood @sophieraworth @jonculshaw

Captured through some high level haze over the Pennines, not the best shot I've done but that's my #TotalLunarEclipse number 19. 😎 cc: @carolkirkwood @sophieraworth @jonculshaw

#NewHorizons passed 2014MU69 whilst certain parts of Earth were still celebrating the transition from Old Year to New Year. Perhaps @AlanStern should look very carefully in the shadows when the detailed images arrive.... for a skeleton in a black cloak. #OldFatherTime

That's midnight here in the UK. HNY 2019 to all of you wherever in the world you're celebrating.

To those of you in Asia and Australasia: I hope you've settled into a restful sleep after a joyful day with those you love. To the British and Europeans full of food and drink: have a safe, peaceful evening. To my north and south American Tweeps: enjoy your afternoon festivities.

Sorry I've been quiet for a while, Tweeps. Irregular work hours again. Here's 46P/Wirtanen at perihelion on Wednesday evening, taken through wispy high-level cloud. 16" Meade LX200 SCT, f/10, ISO 1600, 30s single shot:

Are the #GreatRailwayChallenge teams required to model at 4mm:foot for clarity on screen, @KnickerbockerTV, or is there a free choice?

Tweeps north of the Great Glen who are lucky enough to have a clear, dark sky may see a faint aurora this evening.

Glad to see that, crazy "themes" apart, @channel5_tv's "Great Model Railway Challenge" is treating the subject seriously - rather than as an opportunity to laugh at a minority interest group.

My @o2 tariff is unlimited data, so would you like to explain why I get messages warning access will be blocked if I use >7.5Gb in a month?

Thank you for the early Christmas present, @RoyalAstroSoc

I should advise you, @JontiHorner, that the first thing @MrKennethClarke ever said to me, 35 years ago, was a lie. He hasn't stopped since.

Three years ago today I saw my 16th total lunar eclipse. Here's a composite of that event and the total solar eclipse, which occurred six months earlier.