Alan Murta 🇪🇺 🇺🇦

Jupiter at 19:53 UT this evening. This is my first image of 2026, and also the first I've taken since replacing the telescope mount. #Astrophotography

54 years ago tonight I was drawing a map of the Philippines, copied from a world atlas. It was a Monday. I showed it to my mum. It was the last time I ever saw her. Some memories remain for ever.

I've been replacing my home office radiator today. I secured the brackets and applied some reflective insulation then checked that it mounts as expected. I still need to plumb it in.

‘Everybody wants a bestie like this guy!’ Rush on rock’s most anticipated reunion – and its greatest bromance After drummer Neil Peart died in 2020, many thought the Canadian prog legends would never reform. As they book a mammoth global tour, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson explain how their lifelong bond drew th...

I thought they'd never tour again, but I've just booked for 2027.

I think they're doing it wrong.

Image taken by a parachute-up-look camera aboard the protective back shell of NASA's Perseverance rover during its descent toward Mars' Jezero Crater on February 18, 2021.

Sky crane at work

Image acquired during Perseverance's descent to Mars, using the Descent Stage Down-Look Camera. This camera is mounted on the bottom of the descent stage and looks at the rover.

bye bye sky crane, and thank you!

Five years ago

#Mars #Perseverance 🧪🔭

Weird ‘Little Red Dots’ in space are something we’ve never seen Astronomers are racing to understand mysterious ancient objects that pepper James Webb Space Telescope images

An interesting read.

Tatiana from #Jinjer suffers a wardrobe malfunction. Lovely singing from the Manchester crowd though. 🇺🇦

A great Jinjer gig at the Ritz Manchester last night.

Starling murmuration: whale, seal and fish.

I've often wondered what a good way would be to manage the spikes. The thought of local erasures in FFT space occurred to me, as this works well for other predictable patterning on textured photo scans for example, but I can't say I've ever tried it, expecting poor results.

No shortage of birds outside my house this evening.

I got a nice shot of Venus doing the same thing a while back.

I do hope your outfit isn't held on with folded tabs.

Yesterday I had the huge honour of giving a eulogy for my wonderful aunt Joy, who passed away at Christmas. A stand-in mother to me for over half a century.

I was just about to inform you. In the meantime I reported the hacker - presumably @justt_mich

I spotted some impressive displacement mapping on my trip to Orlando, FL.

I observed a deer charge a rhino a few years ago. Afterwards the deer looked regretful, the rhino puzzled.

I observed a deer charge a rhino a few years ago. Afterwards the deer looked regretful, the rhino puzzled.

I'm wondering if there was just a fireball in the UK sky (at 00:09 UT)? Lying in bed with the curtains closed, but there was an intense environmental brightening with the right sort of profile and duration. I'll check the news tomorrow...

I totally agree. The BBC news website has a 'Moon orbits Earth' headline every month now. It's ridiculous.

Wishing you a wonderful 2026 my friend!

Some birds seen while out walking in Sarasota.

The dinosaurs lived in the far side of the galaxy.

Visiting the Ringling Museum of Art.

Christmas afternoon on the beach. Quite a change for Brits like me expecting snow.

Anhinga (Florida seabird) photographed on Christmas Eve.

Osprey. Breakfast time walk, Sarasota FL.

Tonight we will drink a toast in memory of my dad Jack, who we lost 25 years ago today.

They certainly need placing with care. The undersea environmental impact is low however.