Planetary scientist, Dad-in-training, space enthusiast, Professor based at the University of Leicester https://linktr.ee/leigh.fletcher https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5834-9588https://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mlehm46nfc2mGreat visit to Goddard Spaceflight Center to see the #Roman Space Telescope, before it launches to L2 later this year. I never got to see JWST, so it was special to see Roman and hear directly from the project scientist - what a privilege.08 May 2026 19:27 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlehm46nfc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mldmk2y53c2oNew factoid shared at a meeting here at Space Telescope: #JWST's guiding is so stable that it's like flying a laser pointer on a drone in Washington DC, and pointing it perfectly at a dime (like a UK 5p coin) in San Francisco ~4000 km away.08 May 2026 11:23 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mldmk2y53c2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3ml5iek3d3k26Back in Baltimore once again, another short hop across the Atlantic for #JWST meetings. Glorious evening, with Venus shining brightly over Johns Hopkins.06 May 2026 00:52 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml5iek3d3k26https://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mkzge2fgns27Apparently we have a grass painting robot... called Marcus Grassford. This is a fun birthday message, near Attenborough's childhood home (College House on campus). Think I've I've watched all his documentaries over the years, the new "Making of Life on Earth" was brilliant. https://le.ac.uk/news/2026/april/university-leicester-video-drone-birthday-message-david-attenborough04 May 2026 10:06 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkzge2fgns27https://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mk6gvwn66k2cThree (3!) #postdoc jobs supporting #BepiColombo available right now: Leicester (deadline 31/05), Imperial (10/05), and OU (24/04). Led by @drbuncen.bsky.social on behalf of UK Mercury STFC team. https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRA913/research-associate-planet-mercury https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRE596/research-associate-in-space-and-planetary-physics https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRA038/research-and-innovation-associate-planet-mercury-origins-evolution-and-interactions23 Apr 2026 16:34 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6gvwn66k2chttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mk6gvwn66k2cThree (3!) #postdoc jobs supporting #BepiColombo available right now: Leicester (deadline 31/05), Imperial (10/05), and OU (24/04). Led by @drbuncen.bsky.social on behalf of UK Mercury STFC team. https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRA913/research-associate-planet-mercury https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRE596/research-associate-in-space-and-planetary-physics https://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DRA038/research-and-innovation-associate-planet-mercury-origins-evolution-and-interactions23 Apr 2026 16:34 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk6gvwn66k2chttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mjzhcw7ivk2kVery best of luck to Beatriz and the whole M-MATISSE team, one of three competitors (alongside Plasma Observatory and THESEUS) for ESA's M7 launch opportunity. The team @physicsuol.bsky.social are incredibly proud of the work you've put into this ambitious mission! [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Apr 2026 16:58 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjzhcw7ivk2khttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mjwxuzslns2kListening in to Louise Prockter updating #OPAG: plans for #Uranus are still in flux (understatement): no firm plans for plutonium power yet, but behind the scenes they're looking at how best to spend a small amount of $$ to advance the concept in FY26 (GSFC, APL, JPL have already been working on it)20 Apr 2026 17:16 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjwxuzslns2khttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mji5jozg3c2z"...catching a ride on a lunar construction delivery will not discover biosignatures in exoplanetary atmospheres, reveal the inner workings of the Sun or map the moons of Uranus..." "...ride-along science is a supplement, not a replacement, for dedicated science missions"- @caseydreier.bsky.social [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Apr 2026 19:47 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mji5jozg3c2zhttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mjhepitbbc2rThis feels like yesterday! Three years into this incredible mission, and we've already been able to play with new data for Earth, Moon, and 3I/ATLAS. Onwards to Jupiter (via a few more loops of the inner solar system....!). [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Apr 2026 12:23 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjhepitbbc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mj5ov6b3tc2oHeading to Winchester to give the Alfred Curtis lecture for @britastro.bsky.social: this is the 60th anniversary of the residential course started by Alfred, focussing on practical advice for amateur astronomy (and me, talking #pro-am collaboration and #JWST!) https://britastro.org/event/winchester-weekend-202610 Apr 2026 15:59 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj5ov6b3tc2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mj33w6mizk2jAs we saw in the 2026 budget request, this would be a disaster for international partnerships e.g., ESA missions in Cosmic Vision and Voyage-2050. So (just like last year) our US friends have our full-throated support in pushing back against the PBR, for the sake of all of these amazing projects. [contains quote post or other embedded content]09 Apr 2026 15:14 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mj33w6mizk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mgwqvig5o223Nonsense, but shows the plan is working. [contains quote post or other embedded content]13 Mar 2026 10:56 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgwqvig5o223https://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mgwgesv3z22w"My flabber has never been so gasted." Peter Purves on watching two lost William Hartnell #DoctorWho and the Daleks episodes from 1965, discovered in 'ramshackle' collection - shown Wednesday at the Phoenix in #Leicester https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g7kwq1k11o?app-referrer=deep-link13 Mar 2026 07:47 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgwgesv3z22whttps://bsky.app/profile/leighfletcher.bsky.social/post/3mgvbaywnlc2jAny Sydney-based astronomers here? A team at Andalucia is coordinating an occultation campaign for one of Jupiter's small (2-5km) irregular moons, #Kallichore (a candidate for an #ESAJuice flyby) that'll be passing in front of a star at ~12:20UT on March 18th. https://opop.obspm.fr/media/data/chords/a3416ac0-dcda-11f0-45cb-c349ffdf6399/Kallichore_ObserverGuide_2026_03_18.pdf12 Mar 2026 20:43 +0000at://did:plc:3utt2uc3mnlsbqbhnnuj32cp/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgvbaywnlc2j