John Maclean FRAS FRGS

I'm currently the ship's astronomer on Havila Polaris in Northern Norway and we have had some great shows of the Northern Lights! youtu.be/_OhKGw-04Qk?...

As a cruise ship astronomer, I get to travel the world and show guests the night sky. I have created an app to help people find objects in the night sky from their ship. It's totally free and safe! Check it out at www.exeterobservatory.com/astrocruise

More from the Dwarf 3 smartscope tonight. HD 237023 area. 120 subs at 60/60. Processed in Astro Wizard and Pixinsight.

NGC 6910 taken with the Dwarf 3. Lots of thin cloud around so the seeing was poor. 120 subs at 60/60. Duo Band filter and f processed in Astro Wizard and Pixinsight.

The Gulf of Mexico Nebula. Dwarf 3 - 120 subs, Gain 60, Shutter 60. Stacked in Stacking Wizard abd processed in Astro Wizard and Pixinsight. Taken from Exeter Observatory.

Timelapse of last night's Lunar eclipse. Taken with the Dwarf Mini. youtu.be/FQZkYji7H_k?...

Got up for the Lunar eclipse last night and it stayed mostly clear until just after maximum. Beautiful sight. I took a timelapse using the Dwarf Mini smartscope.

Ahem. It's Lake Ontario.

Total Eclipse sequence taken from Saga Spirit of Adventure off the coast of Santander, Spain on August 12th 2026.

Well, the eclipse event on Saga Spirit of Adventure was a roaring success with our guests experiencing a wonderful celestial event. I chose a position north of Santander and the Captain got us there in good time. Unfortunately, as I was commentating from the bridge, I actually missed totality!

Well, it's nearly here. After a great deal of work on behalf of myself, Captain Simon Moore and Chief Officer Craig McLeod, we finally have a plan as to where we will position the ship to maximise our chances of seeing the Total Solar Eclipse. The weather is looking great so, fingers crossed.

Welcome in to our home Jayfo! He's a trainee guide dog for the blind that our son Steven is fostering while he goes through his training. As you can see, he is a beautiful Golden Retriever who is 20 months old.

I've been a bit quiet on here recently, mainly because I've been travelling the world doing what I do on cruise ships. On Tuesday I set off to join Saga's Spirit of Adventure for the Total Solar Eclipse off the coast of Spain. I've just completed my talk on the subject and I'm ready! But, am I?

"Someone, somewhere, has taken the decision to defund astrophysics research in the UK, but no-one seems quite sure who that was, or why." The latest on the impact of the catastrophic funding cuts to UK astrophysics, by me, in @natastron.nature.com 👩‍🔬🧪🔭 ✒️ www.nature.com/articles/s41...

In four days I'll be flying to Hong Kong to join Viking Orion for nearly two months as Resident Astronomer. We'll be sailing from HK to Vancouver via Japan and the North West Passage. #VikingCruises #VilingOrion #MyVikingJourney

Nice starfield taken with the Dwarf 3. NGC 1931, NGC 1960 and IC 417 all present in the image.

An [almost] perfect mission from NASA/ESA and Artemis. If only Microsoft Outlook, Toilets and Sat Phones worked, eh? 🤪

The Flame Nebula taken from Exeter using the Dwarf 3 smart telescope. 120x60secs, Astro filter.

Nice day to image the Sun with my Dwarf 3 from Exeter.

We got the Northern Lights tonight as we sail towards Narvik. #myvikingjourney #VikingVela

I try to stay silent on politics on this a count but I have had enough of the madman Trump. He is a deranged lunatic and the most dangerous man in the World. The sooner he's gone, the better. If only American voters had some balls.

Trumps latest attack on the UK and Sadiq Khan is deplorable. We fought for the USA after 9/11. We lost souls to the USA's illegal war. Now he spouts lies about the UK and degrades his closest ally. His crazy statements about the UK "taking back the North Sea" are the words of a deranged lunatic.

Chris Murphy: "It won't be the billionaire children of Donald Trump and his buddies that die. It's going to be the children of middle class and poor families all across this country that are gonna die for a war of choice, a war of vanity, an illegal war."

I am concerned to see the escalation of conflict in the Middle East, and that the UK has allowed the US to use its bases for strikes on Iran. No matter how the Prime Minister tries to redefine offensive as defensive, this is a mistake.

The Sun imaged from a moving ship in Norway today. The Dwarf 3 is awesome!

We had a good show of the Northern Lights in Tromso, Norway tonight. Quite a few guests joined me on Deck 9 of the wonderful #VikingVela #VikingOcean #myvikingjourney

I have no problem with anyone making a nuclear holocaust film for the modern age. I do have a problem with them calling it Threads. Threads is a film made in 1984 that still speaks to this day. There can only ever be one. Make your film… but find your own story and call it something else.

Thanks to @iansample.bsky.social at the Guardian for covering the devastating funding cuts that are being proposed for UK (astro)physics, and the dire impact these would have on young researchers. Will UKRI/STFC reconsider? Will the UKGov step in?🤞👩‍🔬🧪⚛️🔭 www.theguardian.com/science/2026...

If we are going to be honest and transparent about the Epstein Files, we need to discuss Dawkins, Hawking and others in the scientific community who went to Epstein Island.

🎈🥳💙💛🎉🎈💙💛🎊🎈🍀 Happy Birthday, Mr. President 💝 BEST LEADER of the world🫡 We wish you all the best! May your wishes come true soon.🍀

To all my American friends and colleagues. As a UK veteran, I am disgusted by the comments made by your President, that NATO troops, including UK troops, avoided the front-line in Afghanistan. We lost 457 personnel with hundreds more maimed. Trump is a monster and you need to get rid of him, NOW!

Well, on Monday I will be back at sea bringing astronomy and astrophysics to the guests sailing on the wonderful Spirit of Discovery. #Saga #Canaries #Astronomy #Astrophysics

🚨 NEW VIDEO 👇🏽This puts an end to all the lies. Horrific. They were having a calm exchange seconds before he murdered Renee Good, and she was barely moving and clearly avoiding him. Stop the lies.

Virtue, not victory, is the mark of true greatness. Trump does not understand this.

At the risk of being banned from entering the USA to visit my son who is an immigrant and US Citizen, I have to say that Trump is deranged. How did the USA come to this? He is deluded if he thinks the rest of the World has any respect for him, it doesn't.

This is brilliant. www.facebook.com/share/r/1B8U...

The fact is no presenter has ever had to leave the BBC for expressing conservative views, or even explicitly endorsing a right-wing party. Was never a problem for Jeremy Clarkson. Was never a problem for Andrew Neil. Was never a problem for Alan Sugar

My version of "Hurt" by Johnny Cash. #SoundCloud on.soundcloud.com/qgDwrFTmWXE7...

As well as astronomy, I do a bit of singing at sea! #SoundCloud on.soundcloud.com/aqTHtqM0Kk2v...

Well, it looks like I won't be visiting my son in the USA anytime soon. He is a US citizen but there is no way I am giving up 5 years of social media to Trump. It's not his business.

After a successful lecture trip to South America, I will be heading for the warmth of the Canary Islands as Astronomy Speaker on the excellent ship, Saga Spirit of Discovery, for Christmas and New Year. Will the guests find out the true nature of the Star of Bethlehem? Watch this space!

I managed a quick shot of the "Three Amigos," the huge solar sunpots, using the Dwarf 3.

You know you're home when your wife has her case packed for the next trip while yours is still at the door, unpacked from the trip your arrived back from last night.

This is how you do it

I'm currently in the South Atlantic on my way to Brazil and enjoying bringing the wonders of the night sky to our guests aboard Viking Jupiter! #myvikingjourney