Senior lecturer in astrophysics @AstroQUB. Ex-NASA. Truck driver. Eclipse chaser. Aficionado of live music. #SpaceTruckers. Opinions my own.
Belfast
Joined January 2014
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Some pictures of the Total Solar Eclipse from Burgos, Spain. The corona was a sublime golden colour rather than the usual pearly white, a naked eye prominence was visible above the eastern limb, and it was bookended by two glorious diamond rings, all in under 2 minutes. Unreal.
Thank you to @BBCBreakfast for having me on this morning to talk about Wednesday’s solar eclipse.
'How can we see the eclipse safety?'
Louisa Mason from Jodrell Bank and solar physicist Dr Ryan Milligan spoke to #BBCBreakfast about Wednesday's solar eclipse
bbc.co.uk/news/topics/cddl3j…
Having a very stimulating and productive meeting on The Impact of Solar Flare Irradiance on the Earth's Ionosphere at the International Space Science Institute (@ISSIBern) in Bern, Switzerland with these fine people!
Ryan Milligan retweeted
UKSP News: Postdoctoral position in Solar Physics at Dublin City University
uksolphys.org/jobs/postdocto…
Ryan Milligan retweeted
UKSP News: COSPAR 2026 session: Solar Flares and their Impact on the Atmospheres of Earth and Mars
uksolphys.org/conference/cos…
Ryan Milligan retweeted
UKSP News: PhD project at QUB on Rapid Solar Variability and the Effect on Earth’s Ionosphere
uksolphys.org/studentships/p…
🥳
Congratulations to Dr Luke Majury, who successfully defended his PhD on Thursday, 11th December 2025.
Title: Ultraviolet Observations of Spectral Variability and Dynamic Processes During Solar Flares
Supervisor: Dr Ryan Milligan @QUBelfast @QubEps @QUBEngagement @AstroQUB #QUB
ALT Picture: Left: Dr Hanish Reid, External Examiner, University College London, Great Britain Middle: Dr Luke Majury Right: Prof Christopher Watson, Internal Examiner Not pictured: Dr Hannah Mitchell, Independent Convenor
PhD position available at @AstroQUB on investigating how solar flares with different spectral profiles impact the Earth’s ionosphere. More details here: qub.ac.uk/courses/postgradua… Information session at noon on 8th December. Fill out this form to attend forms.office.com/e/DSk4A9K3d…
Ryan Milligan retweeted
UKSP News: With your support, the UKSP website and mailing list are ready to grow
uksolphys.org/general-news/w…
👏
Congratulations to Dr Harry Greatorex, who successfully defended his PhD on Tuesday, 13th May 2025
Title: Observational Analysis of Lyman-Alpha Emission in Solar Flares
Supervisor: Dr Ryan Milligan @QUBelfast @QubEps @CDT_PIADS @AstroQUB @AstroQUB #LoveQUB
ALT Picture: Left: Prof Louise Harra, External Examiner, Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Switzerland Middle: Dr Harry Greatorex Right: Dr Megan Schwamb, Internal Examiner Not in the picture: Dr Karen Cairns, Independent Convenor.
My PhD student @aislingohare_ has published her first paper studying the impact of QPPs in solar flare emission on Earth's atmosphere. The ionosphere is much more sensitive to small changes in EUV irradiance than previously believed as measured by changes in electron density. 👏
Links to Aisling's paper (agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.…) and press release (qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews/featu…) now available.
Ryan Milligan retweeted
Here is the link to the pre-print of my recent paper:
arxiv.org/abs/2504.07714
Ryan Milligan retweeted
I-LOFAR collaborators @DIASDunsink and
@DCUPhysics are hunting for solar flares with I-LOFAR and @ESASolarOrbiter lofar.ie/solar-orbiter-opera…
This Saturday, between 10am and noon, a partial solar eclipse will be visible from much of the UK and Ireland (weather permitting). @AstroQUB are hosting an event at the @UlsterMuseum where we will have eclipse glasses and solar telescopes. Come along! ulstermuseum.org/whats-on/ch…
Ryan Milligan retweeted
Your safety and wellbeing are our top priority. That's why the University campus will be closed tomorrow, Friday 24 January, due to the red weather warning of wind in place across Northern Ireland.
Where appropriate and possible, teaching will move online for our students and your School or Centre will be in touch to let you know about the arrangements in your area.
Where necessary, some @QUBstaff will continue to work on campus to carry out crucial roles, delivering and supporting essential services.
Student support services will be available remotely and @QueensAccomm will remain open as normal.
See you back on campus soon!
#LoveQUB | #StormÉowyn | @QUBStudents | @qubgradschool | @QUBLibrary | @QUBWellbeing | @QUBPeopleFirst
ALT Image shows a photograph of the Lanyon Building with grey skies in the background. Text reads: CAMPUS UPDATE WEATHER WARNING
Having a great week at @ISSIBern with these amazing scientists discussing The Impact of Solar Flare Irradiance on the Earth's Ionosphere
Ryan Milligan retweeted
Today at 7pm: Touching the Sun
Watch free via: gres.hm/touching-sun
Prof @chrislintott discusses the Sun, a broiling mass of plasma with powerful magnetic fields, twisted by its rotation, capable of producing events of spectacular beauty and power.
@OxfordPhysics #astronomy
Ryan Milligan retweeted
I REALLY can't get over just how beautiful this comet is in our LASCO images! I mean, I've seen more than a handful of comets over the years (~5,200 to be exact - not that I'm counting...) But I've really gotta say... this might be the pick o' the bunch right here. WOW 😱😍☄️☀️🔭
I am very honoured to have been awarded the James Dungey Lectureship by the Royal Astronomical Society.
The James Dungey Lectureship has been awarded to Dr Ryan Milligan, of @QUBelfast, "for his talent to communicate his research on complex solar physics topics in an understandable way for a general audience".
Congratulations Dr Milligan! 🥳
ALT Dr Ryan Milligan on a starry background alongside text that reads: 'James Dungey Lectureship'.