Jodrell Bank in Cheshire, the world’s largest steerable dish radio telescope at the time (now the third largest). was switched on in 1957 on this day. Built by Bernard Lovell, it was the only radar device that could track the carrier rocket of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik I.

Good morning. 230 pages into this massive thing.

Northern lights.

Well up for this new series of Blake’s 7.

If this was really happening, what would you think?

Hope it all goes brilliantly. Sorry not to be there.

I'm about twenty minutes away from Glasgow so it seems safe to say I will be at the con in time for my reading at 3pm. Do come. We're basically the first act on.

Yes and yes. Any chance you can make the beguiling intrigues of Target Book Club?

Goodnight Hookland. I told the moths about you this evening and they seem to be fine with all of it.

When my son was at primary school and a teacher asked what I did for a job, he thought for a bit and answered, “He gets cross at his laptop.” And I still think, yes, that is my Method.

Looking grumpy at a laptop

“Conquer the Earth? You poor pathetic creatures, you’ve given me a reason to distract myself from writing my memoirs…”

Changed to clear frames earlier this year for exactly this reason.

Happy birthday, Lynne! I hope there are shenanigans.