We are delighted to welcome four new solar researchers to the Astronomy & Astrophysics Group:
Although it was difficult to see the partial solar eclipse in Glasgow, some group members were at the Solar MHD 2026 meeting in A Coruña, Spain where they were able to witness the total solar eclipse of August 12, 2026. The following image was taken by Dr Chris Osborne from Playa Magdalena.
Dr Hugh Hudson was with Prof Gordon Emslie, both having organized a major eclipse/outreach campaign in 2024, which attracted some 40,000 participants who used their smartphone app SunSketcher to record the eclipse in North America. This time around, a very small group used essentially the same app to record edge-of-track views of Baily’s Beads and were somewhat successful. Visually, the appearance from their sites near the airport at Madrid was brief but stunning - brilliant red prominences dominated the Beads this time. They are currently working on the data.
The group welcomed the BBC’s The One Show and presenter Jennifer Reoch to the University’s Acre Road Observatory to observe a partial solar eclipse. The maximum eclipse occurred at 19:06 on August 12 2026, with 91% of the Sun hidden by the Moon. Some group members were in Spain where a total solar eclipse was visible.
Congratulations to Yong Zhang for passing his PhD Viva, with his work on solar prominences.
Congratulations to Nawal Alanazi for passing her PhD Viva, with her thesis on " Spatial and temporal changes of the photospheric magnetic field in solar flares".
The University, with the Royal Astronomical Society, hosted the third John Brown Memorial Lecture on the evening of Jan 16th 2026.
This year’s sell out lecture was Songs from the Cosmos: Sound and Vision Using Muons a musical performance from BAFTA-winning artist Lomond Campbell and University of Glasgow nuclear physicist David Mahon. It was a captivating journey that celebrates the science and sounds of the muon.
The group welcomes back Dr Graham Kerr who starts a prestigious Royal Society University Research Fellowship at the University.
