@willgater

Astronomer, author, astrophotographer. Former science journalist now working in the UK space sector to promote research, exploration & innovation.

 UK
willgater.com
Joined May 2008
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  • Followers11.5K
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I’m over here in case you’re also there. 🔭🪐
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Asteroid #C0WEPC5 in Olyokminsk, Russia
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☄️ Asteroid #C0WEPC5 (temporary designation) entered Earth's atmosphere at 16:15 UTC/17:15 CET, creating a fireball over Yakutia witnessed by people in the region. The object was discovered roughly 12 hours ago and is thought to have been around 70 cm across. Thanks to observations from astronomers around the world, our alert system was able to predict this impact to within +/- 10 seconds.
European Space Agency
@esa3 Dec 2024
Incoming!☄️ A small asteroid has just been spotted on a collision course with Earth. At around ~70 cm in diameter, the impact will be harmless, likely producing a nice fireball in the sky over northern Siberia around seven hours from now at ~16:15 +/- 05 min UTC (17:15 +/-5 min CET).
Digital image of Earth, showing the flight path of an asteroid in yellow and green.

ALT Digital image of Earth, showing the flight path of an asteroid in yellow and green.

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Reports of a bright, blue-green fireball over the UK tonight around 7:30pm. Sightings from Aberdeenshire down to Surrey. If you saw or recorded something please submit a report/footage to: ukmon.imo.net/members/imo/re…. @UK_Fireball
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The team at the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) are tracking debris from the breakup of Intelsat 33E NSpOC analysts, from @spacegovuk & UK Space Command, will continue to monitor this incident and risks to UK-licenced satellites, including @UKStratCom SKYNET satellites
Intelsat 33E, a communications satellite manufactured by Boeing and operated by Intelsat, broke up on Sunday 19 October 2024 at around 0530 (British Summer Time). The team at the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) analysed the debris to understand risk to UK-licensed satellites including SKYNET 5D, a UK military communications satellite. The risk of collision was determined as low, despite UK satellites operating in the vicinity of the breakup. The NSpOC determined that debris from Intelsat 33E could reach SKYNET 5D from Wednesday 23 October 2024. They warned Team Aurora, who operate and manage the SKYNET satellites on behalf of Strategic Command. Multiple fragments have safely passed SKYNET 5D. The NSpOC will continue to monitor the incident, and any potential risks posed to SKYNET 5D and other UK-licensed satellites.

ALT Intelsat 33E, a communications satellite manufactured by Boeing and operated by Intelsat, broke up on Sunday 19 October 2024 at around 0530 (British Summer Time). The team at the National Space Operations Centre (NSpOC) analysed the debris to understand risk to UK-licensed satellites including SKYNET 5D, a UK military communications satellite. The risk of collision was determined as low, despite UK satellites operating in the vicinity of the breakup. The NSpOC determined that debris from Intelsat 33E could reach SKYNET 5D from Wednesday 23 October 2024. They warned Team Aurora, who operate and manage the SKYNET satellites on behalf of Strategic Command. Multiple fragments have safely passed SKYNET 5D. The NSpOC will continue to monitor the incident, and any potential risks posed to SKYNET 5D and other UK-licensed satellites.

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📡 New mission alert! 📡 Our Lunar & Deep Space Mission Ops team have been busy conducting Mission Readiness Tests to support @ESASolarOrbiter! You can discover how our communication services are helping make more space science a reality in @esaoperations' recent blog ⬇️
ESA Operations
@esaoperations28 Oct 2024
ESA's Solar Orbiter has made first contact with an ancient and mysterious world… Cornwall! Commercial deep space antennas like @goonhillyorg can help us optimise data downlink and allow ESA antennas to focus on supporting our most distant missions. blogs.esa.int/rocketscience/…
Satellite antenna pointing forwards during sunset, reflected by a lake

ALT Satellite antenna pointing forwards during sunset, reflected by a lake

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Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) from south Devon tonight. This is a stack of 30x30s exposures taken with a long lens & DSLR on a tracking mount.
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🪨 ☄️ Hardly was it discovered that it entered the Earth atmosphere... 2024 UQ was the 10th asteroid discovered before its impact. But there was hardly 2 hours delay between the two events! imo.net/2024-uq-freshly-disc…
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The Visitor C/2023 A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS over Skull Valley, Utah, with the Milky Way and a little airglow
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B+W process of Comet C/2023 A3 over the edge of Fernworthy Forest, Dartmoor, this evening.
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Comet C/2023 A3 peeking through a brief gap in the rain clouds over Dartmoor tonight.
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We're conducting a survey to understand the future of Mars exploration science in the UK. 🔴 Your input will help shape the direction of our National Exploration Science programme. 🚀 Please share your thoughts with us here before 15 November 👉 forms.office.com/pages/respo…
Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

ALT Mars. Credit: NASA/JPL/Malin Space Science Systems

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Single, tracked, 20s exposure of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) tonight before the clouds closed in.
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Replying to @willgater
Still 10°+ with the naked eye under Bortle class 3 skies tonight. Indeed a great sight in binoculars.
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Comet C/2023 A3 still hanging around naked-eye visibility. Could make out its tail, using averted vision, this evening as a short elongated smudge of light pointing towards nearby 4th mag star Lambda Ophiuchi. Bortle 5 sky & average transparency. Great sight in 10x50 binoculars.
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An eerie view of Saddle Tor seen in silhouette last night as cloud enveloped the Full Moon. #Dartmoor #astrophotography
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A longer focal length shot of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) over Bonehill Rocks, Dartmoor, last night. This is a composite image where 11x 5s subs have been stacked to bring out detail in the tail (a hint of the anti-tail is also visible if you look closely).
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The Full Moon rising through the Earth's shadow from Dartmoor last night. #astrophotography
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Version 2 of this shot as I wasn't feeling the colour balance with fresh eyes on it this morning.
Will Gater@willgater17 Oct 2024
Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) over a Full Moon-lit Bonehill Rocks, Dartmoor, this evening. With the bright moonlight and haze, the comet wasn't visible to the eye, but the camera reveals the tail extending about 8 degrees across the sky.
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Another shot of Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) over Dartmoor this evening. I framed this with very little foreground as I loved the way the moonlight and drifting clouds gave the hills a sort of tilt-shift effect where they look tiny.
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