Helen Usher

Love it!

10.01.2025 10:12 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

A graph showing 2 small dips (when reindeers pass in front of light source) and 1 bigger dip (when Santa's sleigh passes)

A Lego Santa sleigh in front of a light globe

4 Lego reindeer passing in front of globe light

5 Christmas-themed rubber ducks

I'm prepping for a few outreach events this weekend and have expanded my Christmas themed demos..... I present (drumroll) ..... the light curve of...

a transit of Santa's sleigh 🤣
(To add to the Christmas ducks for the Rotato)

28.11.2024 18:28 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Once it is set up and imaging an object it will carry on doing it even if your phone goes out of range, so definitely no problem heading in to the warm 😁 If the range is ok then you can mirror your phone on to the TV and watch it big too 😊So much fun!

21.11.2024 10:22 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

I've just started year 8 p/t and am writing up, and still have lots of times I feel clueless 🫣 but also times of loving the learning 🤗 We've got to keep going!

19.11.2024 18:29 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Can you add me please?
I'm a PhD student in SPS 😊
#OUFamily #OUSTEM

19.11.2024 16:04 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Yes, and the locations can be super for stargazing too! Thanks for the report 👍 I'll share with colleagues on the DeepSpace2DeepImpact STFC- funded project. It could be a good way to get schools interested and to encourage them to engage more widely with our activities.

15.11.2024 22:33 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

We're thinking that in Wales too. Kids use phones and tablets so much that this is just natural to them - they love taking their own pictures. We've got 1 on loan to a school and now getting a few more. We want to develop resources to go with them. Maybe we should link with outdoor centres too!

15.11.2024 22:16 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

The Seestars are brilliant for this aren't they! Here's a picture taken by the Year 6 children in St Mary's Primary Bridgend. The look on their faces when the sun appeared on screen was priceless! Hoping to get them sunspot monitoring now

15.11.2024 22:04 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0

The moon through a gap in the clouds causing coloured clouds in the ring around

The Orion Nebula

I'm currently drafting my PhD thesis, so lots of late nights (when I work best). Last night I just checked the skies before heading to bed - some clear patches 😀. So quick astro fix - moon with phone, then noticed Orion had cleared the hedge, so whipped out the Seestar (I love its grab and go!)

13.11.2024 14:34 — 👍 9    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

I'm looking at the amateur data data set (with Colin Snodgrass and Simon Green). I'm also looking at how we can better engage the amateur community and schools in comet observing campaigns

13.11.2024 09:33 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

I remember being glued to the various twitter feeds when Philae's battery was running down - willing the little spacecraft to keep going. I couldn't then have imagined I'd end up doing a PhD working on Rosetta data! I smile every time I pass the model of Philae at the Open University!

13.11.2024 00:37 — 👍 3    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Am I the only one thinking 'cool school project'?? 🤔

12.11.2024 23:01 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Shaw-IAU Workshops from the IAU Office of Astronomy for Education

Interested in the use of astronomy for education? We just went live with our Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education - you can still join us, and it’s free! Special science topic is the JWST https://astro4edu.org/shaw-iau/ #ShawIAU24 🧪🔭🎢⚛️

12.11.2024 08:21 — 👍 17    🔁 10    💬 0    📌 0

A sub urban roundabout but with a thin crescent moon just showing behind it

A thin crescent moon showing earthshine

The great Orion Nebula

I had some unexpected clear sky tonight (between showers) so I grabbed the little Seestar 🔭 and headed to the end of the street to capture the lovely thin crescent moon with Earthshine. It was still clear after moonset so managed a quick Orion nebula too. The Seestar is perfect for grab and go!

11.02.2024 22:15 — 👍 16    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0

cometchasers.org is an international project and today's fantastic images of Comet 12P (which outburst on 14/11) are from observations by students from Institut d'Alcarras (and their teacher Jose Manuel Perez Redondo), processed by Richard Miles from the BAA.
The shape is rather intriguing! #astro

19.11.2023 23:46 — 👍 6    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Our Comet Chasers obtained some great images of Comet 12p again this morning.
Richard Miles was able to stack 2 sets from observations by students at St Mary's School, Bridgend ( assisted a little by their teacher, Ben). I expect some excitement in the classroom tomorrow when they see this 🤩☄️

08.10.2023 21:50 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

Fab! What's the digital microscope please? We are about to expand our meteorite/micrometeorite kits for schools to borrow and some reliable small digital microscopes would be great to include.

08.10.2023 19:13 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 0

Our www.cometchasers.org project supports students and educators to make comet observations with the LCO network, through Faulkes Telescope Project, to monitor comets.
We see Comet 12P has outburst again!
www.astronomerstelegram.org?read=16254
We're making more observations to see how it develops!

26.09.2023 22:39 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0

A Guide to Live-Streaming Astronomy Events  – Europlanet Society

Want to go live with your astronomy event? Check out our article in the 5th issue of Europlanet Magazine for tips for a new era of astronomy live-streaming: www.europlanet-society.org/europlanet-m...

18.09.2023 10:17 — 👍 4    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0