Astronomy Cast Ep. 794: Stargate Science By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 10, 2026. We continue our ad-hoc miniseries through sci-fi franchises. This week we'll talk about Stargate, worm holes, mind parasites and self-replicating bots. There's a lot to talk about! This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Eric Lee, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Joe McTee, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler
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Take a fact-based journey through the cosmos. Tune in to hear weekly discussions on astronomical topics ranging from planets to cosmology. Hosted by Fraser Cain (Universe Today) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (Planetary Science Institute), this show brings the questions of an avid astronomy lover direct to an astronomer. Together Fraser and Pamela explore what is known and being discovered about the universe around us. Astronomy Cast is supported thru patreon.com/AstronomyCast.
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Astronomy Cast Ep. 793: Star Trek Science By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live May 4, 2026. Today we continue our mini-series; evaluating the science of various sci-fi franchises. We did Star Wars last week, this week tackle Star Trek. From transporters to warp drives, from phasers to photon torpedos. Let's tackle what Star Trek gets right and wrong about science. Let's look at the science of our galaxy, some day far in the future. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Eric Lee, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Joe McTee, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler
Astronomy Cast Ep. 792: Star Wars Science By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live April 29, 2026. May the fourth be with you! Isn't that what people say on the international holiday known as Star Wars Day? Today we're gonna talk about the science in everyone's favorite sci-fi fantasy stories. Which of it is real, and which is essentially magic? Let's find out! Let's look at the science of a galaxy long ago and far away. (Did you just hear the theme music in your head? We heard it start in our head!) This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Eric Lee, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Joe McTee, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler
Astronomy Cast Ep. 791: Chang'e Sample Return By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 20, 2026. Last week we talked about samples from other worlds delivered to Earth by meteorites. But sometimes you've gotta do the job yourself. Visit the far off place and bring the samples home. And today we're gonna talk about China's Chang'e sample return program. How they've delivered rocks from different parts of the Moon, and how this sets the stage for their upcoming human lunar missions. The Chinese space program is step by step testing the technologies necessary for humanity to return to the surface of the Moon. From orbiting comms satellites, to landing sample return missions, the Chang`e missions are exploring new places in new ways. In today's episode, we discuss the Chang`e 6 sample return. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Eric Lee, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Joe McTee, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler
Astronomy Cast Ep. 790: Meteorites From Other Worlds By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live April 17, 2026. Even though humanity has returned samples from a fraction of the worlds in the solar system, the cosmos has delivered many more without us having to lift a finger. Meteorites. We have meteorites from the Moon, Vesta and even Mars! What have we learned about these rocks from other worlds? Space missions to other worlds cost millions to billions of dollars, and if we want to know exactly where space rock samples come from, we need to spend the big bucks for sample return. But, if it's good enough to know "this rock came from somewhere on that world," space offers an amazing delivery system in the form of meteorites. Come learn about the search for, identification, and science of meteorites from other worlds. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast !!! In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Eric Lee, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Joe McTee, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, and Siggi Kemmler
Astronomy Cast Ep. 789: What Happens When a Planet's Star Dies By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 30, 2026. A star like the Sun only lasts about 10 billion years and it becomes a red giant and finally a white dwarf. This is catastrophic for some of the planets, consumed by the expanding red giant star. But most survive. What happens next in the long, slow cooling to the background temperature of the Universe? This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 788: Life's Molecules Form in Space By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 23, 2026. The theory of evolution how life takes on its wildly different forms. But how did life get started in the first place? It appears the Universe has been making life's molecules in space for billions of years, setting up the conditions for life… everywhere? One of humanity's fundamental questions is "where does life come from." We can't answer that question, but we can tell you where some of the stuff of life came from. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 787: Evolved Stars (They're not dead yet!) By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 16, 2026. Main sequence stars spend most of their time being… normal. Fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores. Producing radiation. But as their stockpiles of hydrogen run out they switch to other fuels, starting to climb the ladder of the periodic table of elements. And this is when things get weird. As we get more and more observations of the cosmos, our understanding gets more detailed. In this episode we look at all the ways a star can die and the updates that we've learned in the past 20 years of Astronomy Cast. Image Credit: NASA Galex This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 786: Wolf-Rayet Stars By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 9, 2026. You think the Sun is a terrifying ball of fire and fury? Wait until you learn about today's topic: Wolf-Rayet stars! These are massive, dying stars hurling their outer layers out into space before detonating as supernovae. Big stars live brief lives, and Wolf-Rayet stars are the punctuation mark we see before things go supernova. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Science: Yinuo Han (Caltech), Ryan White (Macquarie University); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) Learn more here: https://science.nasa.gov/asset/webb/w... This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 785: Magnetars By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live March 6, 2026. Magnetars are a special type of neutron star with physics that defy comprehension. Magnetic fields so powerful they could strip you apart at an atomic level. But, where do they come from? So many mysteries to uncover about magnetars. Back in December 2004, a gamma rays washed out cameras and zotted satellites as a star on the other side of the Milky Way shifted around its magnetic fields. Magnetars are violent that way. In this episode of Astronomy Cast, Fraser and Pamela take on this tiny terrible monsters. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 784: Pulsar-Powered Science By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 16, 2026. Pulsars are dead stars and fascinating in their own right, but astronomers can use their predictable rotation for exploring the cosmos in a series of amazing ways. We can detect gravitational waves, navigate the solar system, test general relativity and find exoplanets. Pulsars are the time keepers of the sky, with their precise ticking allowing researchers to track gravitational waves, find exotic planets, and study weird relativistic effects. Come learn about how pulsars can be used to explore our universe. Image credit: NASA/CXC/ASU/J. Hester et al., HST/ASU/J. Hester et al. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 783: Cataclysmic Variable Stars By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 16, 2026. There are many types of variable stars. Today we're gonna talk about cataclysmic variable stars, which are the result of a white dwarf stealing material from a companion star. And this whole process makes supervillain Pamela happy. Gravity is the weakest force, but on the scales of stars, it is capable of great violence. In this episode, we look at the wild physics of cataclysmic variables: binary star systems where one star is a predatory compact stellar remnant, while the other is a victimized normal star. Image credit: NASA/CXC/M.Weiss This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 782: Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 13, 2026. Modern astronomy has found that the Universe can surprise us. Here's one which astronomers have called Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients. They're kinda like supernovas, they're kind of like gamma ray bursts, but they're not like them. So what are they? In the distant Universe, are blue light flashes, bright and hard to understand. These objects, uncreatively named "Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients," are just the kind of puzzle astronomers love. In this episode, we look at their discovery and our current understanding of what they might be. Image credit: NASA, ESA, NSF's NOIRLab, Mark Garlick, Mahdi Zamani This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 781: Awakening Black Holes By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 2, 2026. One long standing mystery in astronomy were the quasars. Incomprehensible energy blasting out of a point-like source, billions of light years away. We now know these are actively feeding supermassive black holes, which can turn off and on in a startlingly short period of time. Today: When black holes awaken! Our Universe is filled with sleeping monsters. And sometimes, whether we want it or not, they wake up hungry. In this episode, we take a look at the science behind how and why black holes of all sizes can go from nothing to the triggers of massive high-energy power release. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero Image credit: LOFAR/Pan-STARRS/S. Kumari et al.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 780: When Asteroids & Comets Attack! By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 26, 2026. We live in a cosmic shooting gallery. It's not a matter of "if" but "when"! Dinosaurs, blah, blah, blah. You know the drill. But seriously, folks, it's raining rocks & ice out there! How seriously should we take it? What happens when a variety of different objects hit the Earth? Different kinds of objects affect Earth very differently when they impact. Let's discuss what makes an impactor more or less dangerous. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 779: Milankovitch Cycles By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 12, 2026. Humans live short lives, and from our perspective the seasons are something that come and go with perfect regularity. But astronomers know the terrible truth! And that there are cycles that slowly shift over tens of thousands of years, shifting the cycles and the Earth's climate. Today we'll talk about the Milankovich Cycles! The Earth's orbit, tilt, and other physical attributes aren't quite as constant as you might think! Come learn how long-term changes do and don't affect our climate. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 778: Dyson Swarms By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 5, 2026. Freeman Dyson asked a fascinating question. What would it look like if a civilization was using all the energy coming from their star? And what form would this take? This introduced the concept of a Dyson Sphere, or more realistically, a Dyson Swarm surrounding a star. But if you're skeptical about the concept, you're in good company. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero With special guest star Stella!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 777: The Eddington Limit By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 29, 2025. How big can a star get? This is a calculation made by one of the original pioneers of modern astronomy, Sir Arthur Eddington. And it's named after him, the Eddington Limit. Now, astronomers are finding examples of giant black holes early in the Universe, calling into question some of Eddington's assumptions. Let's explore this fascinating concept! Why are stars sphere-ish? Why do blackholes not eat everything? Why do pulsating stars pulsate? It all comes down to work done by Eddington at the beginning of the last century, and today we're going to look back at Eddington's work and all its applications in modern Astronomy. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sérgio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 776: The Matter - Antimatter Dichotomy By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 22, 2025. Shortly after the big bang there were almost exactly the same amounts of matter and antimatter in the Universe, but there was just enough of a difference that we live in a matter-dominated Universe. But it didn't have to be that way! Explaining this mystery has been one of the great mysteries in astronomy, and today we'll see if there's been any progress! Why is the Universe the way it is? Specifically, why is it made mostly of matter? This is the question we'll look at today! This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sérgio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 775: The Hydrogen 21-cm Line By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 15, 2025. Atomic hydrogen is the raw material for stars, but there's a problem. It's cold & dark, but it can do a very rare trick, releasing a photon in a very specific wavelength, known as the 21 centimeter line. And thanks to this wavelength astronomers have mapped out star forming regions across the Milky Way, the Universe and into the Dark Ages! This forbidden transition of Hydrogen has led to the mapping of galaxy rotation, a cool classroom application of quantum mechanics, and weirdly no Nobel prize. In this episode, Fraser and Pamela take a look at this line's out-of-proportion awesomeness! This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sérgio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 774: How Does Bad Science Happen? By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 8, 2025. Scientific expertise is under attack on all fronts with concerns coming from politicians and the public. While most of this is unwarranted and politically motivated, there can be germ of truth. Bad science does happen, but how? How is it that papers that very few believe still make it through peer review and to publication? Why do professors at prominent universities get quoted saying things that seem to be fiction? In this episode, we consider the case for letting potentially impossible things make it to publication. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sérgio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 773: What Would You Do With $1 Billion For Astronomy? By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 9, 2025. We are powerless fans of space exploration. But what if some fool gave us the authority and funding to make our space dreams a reality? Someone asked us what we'd do with a billion dollars. What missions? Which telescopes? But what if we had more? 100 Billion! A trillion! All the monies! You keep asking, and this week we answer you! Come hear what Fraser and Pamela would do if they were given complete control over $1billion that had to be used for astronomy. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sérgio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 772: 2025 Gift Guide By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 9, 2025. It's time once again for our annual gift-giving guide. We've got recommendations for books, movies, TV shows, games, and of course astronomy gear to satisfy the space nerds in your family. The Christmas season is almost upon us, and with it comes excuses to inject science into the lives of those you love... or ask for them to give you that book, lens, or art print you already know you'll love. In this episode, Fraser and Pamela share the things they think would make good gifts for nerds like us. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sérgio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 771: Comet Tails By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 8, 2025. With the arrival of the comet 3I/Atlas (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System), the world is getting a crash course in comets, their behavior, and of course their tails. Today we're going to talk about comets and their tails, why they exist, how they grow, why they can be different colors and how they can be sometimes point AT the Sun. Comets are one of the most animated and ephemeral targets for astronomy. From night to night they can change in shape and color, and every nuance tells us something. In this episode, we decode blue tails, green cores, forward-facing plumes, and other weird and awesome details observed with these icy visitors. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sérgio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 770: The Ethics of Mars Exploration By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 3, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. It is arguable that humanity now has the technological ability to live on Mars. It would be done at enormous expense and sacrifice, and there are some tricky problems that we haven't solved yet. Although we could live on Mars, should we? There is a famous quote from Jurassic Park: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should." This concept is played out across the sciences, and in planetary exploration, it requires us to ask, all because we can launch humans toward Mars, should we? This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sérgio Sancevero
Astronomy Cast Ep. 769: Little Red Dots By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 20, 2025. New instruments bring new mysteries, and when James Webb came on line it uncovered a collection of strange, compact, bright objects shifted deeply into the red end of the spectrum. These were dubbed "Little red dots" or LRDs. And the astronomical community continues to puzzle over what they are. When JWST first peered into the distant past, it discovered the early universe had a rash of little red dots. Their existence just 450 million years after the big bang meant either galaxies were forming way faster than anyone predicted, or something unimagined had been found. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Olger, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 768: Comets' Unpredictability By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 13, 2025. So it's been decades since we've seen a bright comet in the sky. And actually there was a pair — Hale-Bopp and Hyakutake. And then, silence! And unmet promises by the Universe to give us a bright comet. Comets are unpredictable, and they arrive precisely when they intend to. Is it time again for a bright comet? If you asked us in January if 2025 was going to have any outstanding comets would fly through the Solar System, we would have (and we did) say "no." And we were wrong. Comets are fickle, unpredictable, and like to do exactly what we didn't predict. This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Olger, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 767: Black Holes in Extreme Circumstances By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay Streamed live on Oct 6, 2025. You can only describe a black hole by its mass and its spin. And maybe it's charge. But allow us to propose a new criteria: the personal experience. Some black holes have seen things… Experienced the laws of physics at their most extreme. And today we'll tell their stories. The more of the sky we observe, the more bizarre situations we find black holes in. Let's explore! This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast In this episode, we'd like to thank: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, Burry Gowen, David, David Rossetter, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Olger, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 766: How Spacecraft End By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay End-of-Life Planning for Your Spacecraft! Streamed live October 1, 2025. Your spacecraft has reached the end of its mission. You've done everything you can to keep it operational, but now it's time to say goodbye. How do space agencies deal with spacecraft to shut them down gracefully, protect future missions and life on other worlds. So, the time has come to see your mission across the Rainbow Bridge. How exactly do you say goodbye? Let's discuss.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 765: Rockets vs The Environment By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 22, 2025. We don't launch a lot of rockets every year, so their impact on the environment is minimal compared to other forms of transportation. But that number is steadily increasing with rates that we'll have to take seriously. What's the current and future impact of rockets on the environment Rocket facilities are often surrounded by wildlife preserves and they always fly through our atmosphere. Let's take a look at how launches do and don't impact the environment around them from the surface of Earth, to the farthest orbits (and landings).
Astronomy Cast Ep. 764: Cleared For Launch! By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live September 17, 2025. This week, we look at the process behind rockets getting licensed to launch, and everyone around the pad getting notified to stay away as T-0 approaches. (Can you say "errant boat"?) We have a saying around here: "One does not simply book a return trip from a rocket launch." That's because they are an intensely complex chain of events that need to go right before it's wise to let that rocket leave the launchpad.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 763: Interstellar Comets By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Sep 8, 2025. Welcome to the first episode of our 19th season! This week we look at objects coming from other solar systems that come passing on by our Sun. During the summer hiatus the 3rd interstellar object was discovered: Comet 3I/ATLAS! So now we have 3 different interstellar interlopers to compare & contrast. What are we starting to learn about other star systems from this small sample size and how will our detection get even better? [Editor's note: HiRISE's telescope is 1/2 meter.]
Astronomy Cast Ep. 762: Science in Crisis - NASA's New Budget By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 30, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay Normally we try to end the season on a high note. But there's unfolding news that we just HAVE to cover before we leave you for the summer. NASA's new budget is here, and it's 25% smaller. We'll cover what the changes are and try to understand the implications. It's a bad decade to be a researcher. We're going to look at why, and what US cuts will mean for the world. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 761: It's Here! The Vera Rubin Observatory By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live June 25, 2025. The time has come. The mighty Vera Rubin Observatory has finally come on line and delivered its "first light" images. And by Pamela's rules that means we get to talk about it! So let's do that! After decades of waiting, we have images from Vera Rubin Observatory! SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 760: What to Look For This Summer By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 16, 2025. It's almost time for our annual summer hiatus, but before we go, we wanted to direct you towards all the fun and space stuff we'll be enjoying this summer. We've got meteor showers, planets, rocket launches, TV shows, movies! Here's what's good. In a couple of weeks, we'll go on hiatus, but we want to make sure you are ready for stuff we can anticipate happening. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. https://www.patreon.com/AstronomyCast Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 759: The Commercial Space Program By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 9, 2025. Humanity has turned its focus back to the Moon, sending a fleet of spacecraft to the lunar surface. Some are run by the government, but there's a whole new group of commercial landers bearing instruments to the lunar surface. Is this the future of lunar exploration? Space used to be a place occupied by government-funded and military missions, but today, we're seeing the rise... and fall (somersault, crash, and explosion) of missions with commercial design and funding. Let's talk about how this is good, bad, and maybe just too soon. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 758: Non-Roving Rovers By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 26, 2025. Some of our favorite robots are rovers currently roving around the surface of the Moon & Mars. But there's some pretty tricky terrain out there and engineers are scheming up clever ways to explore other worlds inspired by life that crawls, slithers, hops and flies. As we explore more surfaces and more complex surfaces throughout the solar system, mission teams are designing robot explorers that don't sit still and also don't rove. In this episode, we're going to take a look at the new technologies that are allowing technology to get around. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/AstronomyCast Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 757: CubeSats By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 19, 2025. Computers are getting smaller, faster and more capable, which has enabled an entirely mew class of satellites: CubeSats. A mission small enough that you can hold it in your hands, and yet powerful enough to even travel to other planets and send messages home. Every year, our electronics seem to get smaller and more powerful, with today's smart watches being more fully featured than the computers Pamela and Fraser had as little kids. These tiny processors, sensors, and transmitters are allowing tiny satellites with powerful functionality, and today we take a look at how this is changing space exploration. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. https://www.patreon.com/AstronomyCast Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 756: SphereX By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 12, 2025. NASA's newly launched SphereX mission is up & operational and has completed its initial checkout and "first light". Everything looks good! And now it's starting its science operations. And that's good enough for Pamela! And THAT means we can talk about it. So let's do that! There's a new space telescope in town (or at least in LEO). Let's check out what it's looking at and looking to do. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 755: Intermediate Mass Black Holes By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 5, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. There are stellar-mass and supermassive black holes. But very little evidence of anything in between. Where are all the intermediate-mass black holes that should be the building blocks of the biggest ones? Actually, the science has been accelerating rapidly and we now know of hundreds of them. The question marks in our understanding are slowly getting replaced with data. Let's review what we now know about intermediate mass black holes and their origins. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 754: K2-18b By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 28, 2025. You've heard the news! Astronomers are reporting the discovery of biosignatures at K2-18b. Is this proof of life or should we all be more skeptical? It's in the news and people are claiming aliens... but is it aliens? Let's see what the data actually says. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 753: Why is the Moon's South Pole So Interesting? By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 21, 2025. I'm sure you've heard that all eyes are on the Moon's southern pole. This is where various NASA and Chinese missions are targeting. What makes this region so special and what are the special challenges that explorers will face. From TV shows to real-world missions, it seems like everyone just wants to explore the Moon's South Pole. But why? Learn here! SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 752: Should We Go to the Moon or Mars Next? By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 16, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay There is an ongoing debate on where NASA should go next with humans: to the Moon or Mars. (Or maybe an asteroid or one of Mars' moons). We are on the verge of sending humans back to the Moon. At the same time others would prefer we focus our exploration on Mars. It's a tough choice because there are costs and benefits to both. Let's try to give this conversation some nuance. Let's discuss the reasons for each of these worlds. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 751: Vacuum Energy By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 7, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. Even empty space isn't empty. It's filled with the quantum fluctuations of spacetime itself. Which can be measured with famous experiments like the Casimir Effect. There is a surprising amount of energy in space itself, which has led to some interesting theories about how the future of the Universe might evolve. You can't get something from nothing but sometimes that nothing is something you can get something from. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 750: Supernova Early Warning System By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 31, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay When enormous stars detonate as supernovae they release a burst of neutrinos that can be the first sign of a coming explosion. Now, astronomers have built a network to watch for that flash of neutrinos, and help direct their telescopes for when the sky show begins. Supernovae explosions occur in stages, with neutrinos being emitted hours before photons. If we can accurately detect those neutrinos, we might just be able to get on target before the light show even starts.... Maybe. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 749: Dark Energy Changing Over Time By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 24, 2025. The Hubble Tension is a vexing problem, with astronomers measuring the expansion of the Universe at different points in its history and getting different results. Errors have mostly been ruled out, which leaves the potential for new physics. Has the strength of dark energy been changing over time? We thought Dark Energy was constant with time, but new results from DESI say maybe not, and honestly, if it wasn't constant the Hubble Tension would be a whole lot easier to solve. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 748: Fast Radio Bursts By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 17, 2025. For the briefest of moments, some dead stars can flash brighter than their entire galaxy (in Radio light) and then live to do it again and again. It's time for an update on fast radio bursts, a phenomenon we've only known about for a few decades. In this time astronomers have learned a tremendous amount them. They're not solved, but we're getting closer! SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Streamed live on Mar 10, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay Most planets orbit stars. That's the rule, right? Well, maybe not. In fact the vast majority of planets could be floating freely through the Milky Way. Today we're gonna talk about rogue planets. Sometimes planets just go rogue. Let's learn about planets living free from stars. Show Notes: Earth's Dust Storms Mars' Global Dust Storms Dust Storms on Titan Potential Dust Storms on Exoplanets SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 746: Dust Storms By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Feb 24, 2025. We have dust storms on Earth and of course the famous dust storms on Mars. There are even dust storms on Titan. What causes these storms and how do they work differently on the worlds in the solar system. But what about the exoplanets? The bane of solar panels, humans, and robots, dust storms have a way of picking up steam (or at least dust) all over the solar system. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 745: How We Know If Asteroids Will Attack By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Feb 20, 2025. I'm sure you've heard the news, asteroid 2024 YR4 has a tiny chance of hitting Earth in 2032. How do astronomers discover these dangerous asteroids, measure their future impact risk and track the changes over time? When should we panic? New asteroids are found every day, and every day we learn that those asteroids don't have any murderous intentions. But how do we learn that? In this episode we dig into asteroid orbital determination. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 744: Lunar Time By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 10, 2025. What time is it? OK, fine, what time is it on the Moon? The Moon orbits the Earth, so it doesn't fall into a specific time zone. Also, there's lower gravity on the surface of the Moon, which changes the rate that clocks tick. Well… It's time to introduce Lunar Time. When are you when you are on the Moon? Researchers are putting together definitions! Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 741: Technosignatures By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 20, 2025. As humanity developed more advanced technology, we're having a larger effect on our environment. The more we do, the more we could be detectable. And this gives us ideas on how we could detect other civilizations, even if they don't realize we're watching. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 740: Sneaky Stars! By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 13, 2025. Why stars can't be trusted! If you're an astronomer you depend on accurate observations of stars, but there's a problem. Stars are sneaky! Changing in size, brightness, color, they hide their chemistry, their age and even their companions from all but the cleverest observers. Stars explode precisely when they intend to. Betelgeuse took a brightness plunge, T CrB refused to go nova, and other failures to be predictable irk observers for good reasons. Let's talk about it. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 740: Drones! By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live January 9, 2025. From little Ingenuity to the future Firefly and all our Earth Science fliers, let's look at the buzzy scientists. NASA's Mars Ingenuity helicopter showed us how wonderful a flying science platform can be on another world. Soon there'll be a helicopter flying on Titan, but there are many other flying robots that'll be helping us with all our science needs. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 736: Gift Guide 2024 By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 2, 2024 It's time for our Holiday Gift Guide, where we suggest ideas for presents for the space fans in your life! What books are we reading? What games are we playing and what telescopes are we admiring? SUPPORTED BY YOU !!! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. https://www.patreon.com/AstronomyCast Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 735: Albert Einstein By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 25, 2024. Last week we talked about the Einstein probe. So this week it is only natural that we talk about the man himself, Albert Einstein. He revolutionized the field of physics, played a vital role in the early 20th century and struggled to unite the forces of the Universe at the end of his career. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 734: The Einstein Mission By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 11, 2024. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. Another day, another space telescope! Today we're looking at the newly launched Einstein Probe. A collaboration between the Chinese Space Agency and the European Space Agency. The mission has been operating since January searching the cosmos for short, bright flashes of X-rays. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast - Ep. 733: Euclid Of Alexandria By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 5, 2024. Last week we talked about the mission. This week we'll talk about Euclid of Alexandria, the ancient Greek mathematician who inspired the mission. Let's learn about his life and the ground breaking work that made so much of our modern mathematics possible. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/AstronomyCast Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 732: The Euclid Telescope By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 28, 2024. Let's look at the Euclid Space Telescope. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay The Euclid 208-Gigapixel image! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86ZCsUfgLRQ SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 731: Neil Gehrels By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 21, 2024. Last week we talked about the Neil Gerhels Swift Telescope, this week we'll be talking about the man behind the mission. Gerhels was the principle investigator behind many missions, including Swift. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 729: The James Webb Space Telescope By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 30, 2024. Let's talk about that giant telescope that's changing everything. We have been waiting our entire careers to make this episode on the James Webb Space Telescope, AKA the JWST. This historic Observatory was launched just a couple of years ago and it's already overturning our understanding of the early Universe star formation and exoplanets!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 728: Solar Scientist Eugene Parker By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 23, 2024. Last week, we talked about the Parker Solar Probe. As always, we like to talk about the person who inspired the mission. What makes this amazing and different is that Eugene Parker was there to watch the launch of the mission that shares his name. Why is he so influential on solar astronomy? SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Paul Fischer, Joe Holistein, Janelle aka Veronica_Cure, Lenore Horner, David Troug, Timelord Iroh.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 727: Parker Solar Probe By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 16, 2024. Let's look over the long life of the Parker Solar Probe as it explores the Sun and nearby worlds. The Sun! It's that ongoing thermonuclear explosion that's happening right over there! And although the Sun is necessary for life on Earth, we still have questions! So NASA has sent the Parker Solar Probe to visit the Sun up close, to get us some answers. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Paul Fischer, Joe Holistein, Janelle aka Veronica_Cure, Lenore Horner, David Troug, Timelord Iroh.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 726: Looking Back Over The Summer By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Sep 9, 2024. We made all sorts of predictions, and some of the stuff we didn't know about last July, somehow, we still don't know about as we set up this episode on September 3! Join us for the first episode of Season 18 as we review all the crazy space science that happened during our Summer Hiatus.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 173: Herschel Space Observatory - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From January 18, 2009. Last week we talked about Herschel the people – William Herschel, his sister Caroline, and his son John. This week we look at the Herschel Space Observatory, a mission launched in 2009 to reveal the coldest and dustiest regions in the Universe.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 172: William Herschel - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From January 11, 2010. Ancient astronomers knew of 5 planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn – 6 if you count Earth. And then in 1781, William Herschel discovered an entirely new planet, Uranus, boosting the number of planets to 7. Let's learn about Herschel, his equipment, his discoveries, and his sister Caroline – an accomplished astronomer all on her own!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 88 - The Hubble Space Telescope - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From May 12, 2008. Our understanding of the cosmos has been revolutionized by the Hubble Space Telescope. The breathtaking familiar photos, like the Pillars of Creation, pale in comparison to the astounding amount of science data returned to Earth. Hubble's getting old, though, serviced several times already, and due for another mission later this year. Let's relive the historic observatory's amazing life so far, and see what the future holds.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 162: Edwin Hubble - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From November 2, 2009. You might know the name "Hubble" because of the Hubble Space Telescope. But this phenomenal observatory was named after one of the most influential astronomers in modern history. Hubble discovered that galaxies are speeding away from us in all directions, leading to our current understanding of an expanding Universe. Let's learn about the man behind the telescope.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 219 - Planck Mission - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From February 7, 2011. Another mission named after a famous physicist. This time we're looking at the Planck mission, designed to study the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation over the entire sky. Like the previous WMAP mission, this will help astronomers understand the first moments after the Big Bang. This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. https://www.patreon.com/astronomycast This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast - Ep. 218 REMASTER - Max Plank By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From Jan 31, 2011. It's time for another action-packed double episode, where we meet a man and his mission. This time around its German physicist Max Planck, considered to be the father of quantum theory – he was later granted a Nobel Prize for just that discovery. Let's take a trip back just over 100 years to learn about the man who changed our understanding of the very small.
In this bonus episode, we bring you behind the scenes audio from our June 10 pre-show discussion about the "far too much news" that occurred the week of June 3, 2024.
Streamed live on Jun 24, 2024. Normally Pamela refuses to think about the future. But today, on our final episode before hiatus, she's throwing out those rules. It's like the PURGE! Here's what we're excited about for the future. Especially for the next couple of months until we return in September. This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. From Pamela: I also have a favor to ask - I'm working on a research project with my collaborator Sanlyn Buxener on what factors help and hinder people learning and doing science. Can you please take our survey? bit.ly/AstEco THANK YOU! - Pamela Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AstronomyCast This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) ReadsFraser & Pamela list their favorite books! Take notes! It's almost time for our summer hiatus. A time to catch up on all that reading. We'll give you some book recommendations, and what we're hoping to read during the summer. Streamed live Jun 20, 2024. From Pamela: I also have a favor to ask - I'm working on a research project with my collaborator Sanlyn Buxener on what factors help and hinder people learning and doing science. Can you please take our survey? bit.ly/AstEco THANK YOU! Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AstronomyCast This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 723: Exoplanets by the Numbers By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 10, 2024. Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets, revealing entirely new types of worlds that we just don't have in the solar system. It's enough to start getting a rough sense of what kinds of planets are out there. What's the big picture? This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. https://www.patreon.com/astronomycast This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 722: Weather on Exoplanets By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 3, 2024. Here's a familiar question: How's the weather? We're familiar with the weather on Earth and telescopes and missions are watching the weather on other planets in the Solar System. But for the first time in history, astronomers can now answer that question for exoplanets, located light-years away from us. This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. https://www.patreon.com/astronomycast This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 721: Rogue Planets By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 20, 2024. Most of the exoplanets we've found are around stars, where they belong. But a few have been found free-floating in interstellar space. The evidence is growing that there are a lot of them out there, maybe even more than planets with stars. How do they form and how can we learn more about them?
Astronomy Cast - Ep. 720: Galaxy Series - Elliptical Galaxies by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 30, 2024. Our galaxy series continues with elliptical galaxies. Unlike other types, these are large, smooth with very few distinguishing features. They're filled with red and dead stars, a clue to their evolution. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 719: Galaxy Series - Spiral Galaxies by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 30, 2024. Our galaxy series continues, on to spiral galaxies. In fact, you're living in one right now, but telescopes show us the various shapes and sizes these galaxies come in. Thanks to JWST, we're learning how these spirals got big, early on in the Universe. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 718: Galaxy Series - Dwarf Galaxies by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 30, 2024. It's time to begin a new mini-series, where we'll look at different classes of galaxies. Today, we'll start with the dwarf galaxies, which flock around larger galaxies like the Milky Way. Are they the building blocks for modern structures? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 717: Understanding the Ages of Distant Cosmic Objects by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 22, 2024. How old is that star? That planet? That nebula? Figuring out the ages of astronomical objects is surprisingly challenging. Fortunately, astronomers have developed a series of techniques they can use to work out the ages of stuff. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 716 - The God**** Particle - Remembering Peter Higgs by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 15, 2024. Last week, we learned about the death of Peter Higgs, a physicist and discoverer of the particle that bears his name. The Large Hadron Collider was built to find and describe the particle. Today, we'll look back at the life of Peter Higgs and his particle. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 715: Total Eclipse of the Science: Experiments During the Eclipse by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live April 1, 2024. NO JOKES! How to watch a solar eclipse and do some science! The next great eclipse is upon us, with viewers across North America witnessing the moon passing in front of the Sun. It's an amazing experience, but also an opportunity to do science. Let's talk about what we can learn from this momentous event. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Polestra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 714: Orbital Resonances by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 25, 2024. Several of the planets and moons in the Solar System are in orbital resonance, orbiting in a geometric lockstep. And not just the Solar System, astronomers have found the same resonances in other star systems. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 713: Solar System Volcanoes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 18, 2024. Last week was one of the most exciting meetings we've seen from the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, with hundreds of announcements and discoveries from various missions. One theme kept coming up, the Solar System is more volcanically active than we thought. Today, we'll explore volcanism on other worlds. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 712: How Peer Review Fails by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 11, 2024. You've probably heard that the best kind of science is peer-reviewed research published in a prestigious journal. But peer review has problems of its own. We'll talk about that today. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 711: NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live March 4, 2024. NASA works on many missions using tried and true technology, but they also invest in creative ideas that could drive the future of space exploration. It's called NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts or NIAC. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 710: NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 26, 2024. In the olden days, NASA developed its missions using a variety of in-house engineers and external suppliers. As more commercial companies are targeting the Moon, NASA is working with partners to deliver its payloads to the lunar surface. Today let's talk about NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Program. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 709: Space Weapons by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 19, 2024. [My apologies for Fraser's audio dropouts. We're not sure how it happened as it wasn't happening at his studio. Audio is a black art, IMHO. Rich) Last week we learned that Russia might be planning nuclear weapons to take out satellites in space. What is the current and future possibility of weapons in space and what are the treaties designed to prevent them? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit (rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 708: What Goes Into Sample Return Missions From Asteroids & Comets? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Feb 12, 2024. Last week we talked about sample return missions from the Moon and Mars, but scientists have retrieved samples from other objects in the Solar System, including comets and asteroids. What does it take to return a piece of rock from space, and what have we learned so far? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit ( rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 707: What Goes Into A Sample Return Mission? Moon & Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 5, 2024. We've sent robots to other worlds, but the amount of science we can deploy to another planet can't compare with the vast science labs we have on Earth. That's why more and more missions are for a sample return, bringing pieces of alien worlds back to Earth, where we study them with proper equipment. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit ( rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 706: China's Space Program by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 30, 2024. We're so familiar with NASA's exploration efforts in space, but you might be surprised to learn that China launches almost as many rockets as the US. They've got their own space exploration program that could soon bring humans to the surface of the Moon. Let's give a brief overview of China's space exploration plans. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 705: Water Worlds - Looking For Life Beyond Earth by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live January 17, 2024. Wherever we find liquid water on Earth, we find life, so it makes sense to search for water across the Universe, and hopefully we can find evidence of life. But what about worlds which are completely covered in water, oceans hundreds of kilometers deep. Can there be too much water? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 704: NASA's Juno Releases New Images by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live January 8, 2024. NASA's Juno spacecraft has completed dozens of flybys of Jupiter, seeing the planet from many angles and delivering some of the most beautiful images we've ever seen of the Jovian world. Now it's focusing in on Io, sending home images of the tiny volcanic world from just 1,500 km away. And the best is yet to come. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 703: Solar Maximum of Doom? Maybe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 20, 2023. Solar cycle 25 is shaping up to be a doozy, with plenty of flares and coronal mass ejections blasting off the Sun. As the solar activity continues to rise, how are things shaping up? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 702: Moonshot 2024 - Go or No Go? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 11, 2023. With Artemis 1 completing its robotic flight around the Moon, we know that the SLS works. Next comes Artemis 2, with a crew of astronauts flying past the Moon. If that's successful, we could see humans set foot on the Moon in December 2025. But there is a long list of challenges to consider that could delay things considerably. Go or no go for launch‽ This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 701: Space Science We Look Forward to in the Next 700 Episodes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 4, 2023. Last week we looked back at some of the ideas that science has changed its mind about. This week we look forward, into the future, at some of the big ideas that astronomers are making progress in. What space science are we looking forward to? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 700: The Things We Got Wrong by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 27, 2023. Astronomers talk about all the amazing discoveries they're making but sometimes, it turns out, they were wrong. After decades and centuries of discoveries, how have they changed their minds? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 699: Holiday Gift Giving Ideas for Astronomy and Space Fans by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 20, 2023. Just a warning, the holidays are rapidly approaching. It's time, once again, to think about what to buy all the space nerds on your lists. Here's what we like. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 698: Insights Into the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From Nov 5, 2023. How the time flies. It's been over a year since JWST went operational, with other missions joining the fun. What new insights have we gained about the Universe thanks to these powerful new tools? Recorded live during the @CosmoQuestX 2023 Hangout-a-Thon on November 5. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 697: Mission Roll Call Part 6: The Outer Solar System and Beyond by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live November 4th, 2023.. Finally, we reach the end of our tour through the missions in the Solar System. Out beyond Mars, to Jupiter, the Kuiper Belt and Beyond. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 696: Mission Roll Call Part 5: The Science at Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 30, 2023. Another week, another review of space missions in the Solar System. Today we set our sights on the red planet. What are all the active missions at Mars today? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 695: Mission Roll Call Part 4: Lunar Exploration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 23, 2023. Our journey through missions continues, this time we focus on the Moon. There are many nations on the Moon, near the Moon, around the Moon, traveling to the Moon. It's a lot. We'll talk about it today. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 694: Mission Roll Call Part 3: Sun, Mercury, and Venus by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 16, 2023. Our journey through space missions continues. Now we move away from the Earth to the rest of the solar system. What's out there orbiting, roving and flying on other worlds and in interplanetary space. Today we look inward and we'll talk about the missions studying the Sun, Mercury and Venus. Thank you to all of our patrons who allow us to do this! This week I'd like to thank Jeremy Kerwin, Stuart Mills, Slug!, Harold Bardenhogan, Matthew Horstman, Kimberly Reich, Georgie Ianov, Scott Bieber, Jim Schooler. Marco Yarasi, David Gates, Alex Cohen, Justin Proctor, Claudia Mastriani, Scott Cohen, Disastrina, Kinsaya Pianflinko, Mathias Hayden, The Big Squish Squash!, Tim Garish, Gregory Singleton, Tim McMackin, Jeff Wilson Cooper, Paul D Disney, Benjamin Mueller, Ninja Nick, Kenneth Ryan, Eran Segev, Scott Briggs and Bruce Amazine. Thank you all so much!
Astronomy Cast Episode 693: Mission Roll Call, Part 2: Looking Outward from Earth by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 9, 2023. Last week, we brought you up to speed on the spacecraft which are helping to study Earth from above. Many of our missions are in Earth orbit but looking outward to study the Universe. Today, we'll talk about the missions close to home, helping us understand our place in the cosmos. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 692: Mission Roll Call Part 1: Earth Orbit by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's time for another series! This time we're gonna look at the missions that're currently in place across the solar system. Today we'll start with the key missions here on Earth, studying the planet from above and looking out into the Universe.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 691: Jupiter's Changing Red Spot by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 25, 2023. Jupiter's Great Red Spot is one of its most iconic features. First seen hundreds of years ago. Although it's certainly long lasting, it's been changing in size over the last few decades. Shrinking, changing in color. Is it fading away? And what can the changes tell us about storms on giant planets?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 690: Climate on Mars - From Ice Caps to Dust Storms by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 18, 2023. We've looked at Earth's changing climate, now let's see what it's like for another world: Mars. Much looks familiar, but some of it is totally alien, from ice caps of frozen carbon dioxide to planetary dust storms that can obscure the entire world from view. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 689 - Our Warming World: 20 Years of Climate Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 11, 2023. It's official! June and July were the warmest we've seen since records began over a century ago. Fires are rampant across Canada, and we're seeing record droughts around the world. Today we're going to look at 20 years of climate science, how well does reality match up with the predictions. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast - Hiatus Message by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Once again, we've reached the end of a season here on Astronomy Cast, and it's time for the summer hiatus. See you in September!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 688: What's Next? Looking Ahead to Season 17 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 26, 2023. Once again, we've reached the end of a season here on Astronomy Cast, and it's time for the summer hiatus. But the Universe never takes a break. What can we expect to happen over the summer while we're catching up on our reading, building our gardens and planning for Season 17? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 687: Prepping for the Moon by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We're going back to the Moon. In the next few years humans will set foot on the Moon again, ideally this time to stay. But this will be different than the Apollo era, going to the scientifically fascinating, and difficult southern pole of the Moon. What needs to be done to prepare the way back to the Moon? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 686: Ice In The Shadows by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Ga Streamed live on Jun 12, 2023. The permanently shadowed craters on the Moon are the focus of so much research. That's because they seem to contain vast reserves of water ice. Water we could use for oxygen, propellant and so much more, but also, to help us understand where the Earth's water came from. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 685: Manufacturing In Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 5, 2023. Launching satellites from Earth is counter-productive. You've got to make a satellite that can handle Earth gravity, then the brutal flight to space, then deployment in orbit. What if you could build your spacecraft in space? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 684: Too Big, Too Soon: Massive Early Galaxies Defy Expectations by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 29, 2023. One of JWST's top jobs is to peer deeper into the Universe than ever before, watching as the first galaxies came together. Surprisingly, astronomers found galaxies that seemed much more mature than expected, much earlier than it was believed possible. What's going on and what does it mean for cosmology? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Jeanette Wink Gerhard Schwarzer David BogieNet THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 683: Cosmic Dawn by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 22, 2023. After the cosmic microwave background radiation was released, the Universe returned to darkness, cloaked in this clouds of primordial hydrogen and helium. Gravity pulled these vast clouds into the first stars, and then the first galaxies. This is Cosmic Dawn, and JWST will help us probe this mysterious time in the Universe. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Jeanette Wink Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 682: Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies & Dark Matter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Ga Streamed live on May 15, 2023. Astronomers first noticed the strange behaviors of rotating galaxies almost 100 years ago, suggesting there's an invisible dark matter hold them together with gravity. Or maybe we just don't understand how gravity works at the largest scales. Observations are much better now, and astronomers have found examples of galaxies that are almost entirely made of dark matter. Does this tell us anything? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Jeanette Wink Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 681: Kilonovae by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 7, 2023. In 2017, astronomers detected the gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation from colliding neutron stars. This had been long theorized as one of the causes of a certain type of gamma-ray burst. By studying the event and its afterglow, astronomers have learned a tremendous amount about the formation of the heaviest elements in the Universe. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Jeanette Wink Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 680: Rogue Black Holes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 1, 2023. Last week we talked about rogue stars. This week we're going to take things up a notch and talk about an even more extreme event. Rogue black holes. Astronomers recently discovered a supermassive black hole on an escape trajectory, leaving newly forming stars in its wake. It's wonderful, terrible, nightmare fuel. Fraser's rogue SMBH article: https://www.universetoday.com/160072/astronomers-spot-a-rogue-supermassive-black-hole-hurtling-through-space-leaving-star-formation-in-its-wake/ The original paper: https://arxiv.org/pdf/2302.04888.pdf This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 679: High(per) Velocity Stars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 24, 2023. Most stars in the Milky Way are trapped in here with us, doomed to orbit around and around and around. But a few have found a way out, an escape into the freedom of intergalactic space. How do stars reach escape velocity, never to return? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeannette Wink Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 678: World Building: Planet Formation, Growth & Ejection by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 17, 2023. Okay sci-fi writers, today we're going to give you a guided tour of building planets. How they form, how they grow, and how things can go horribly horribly wrong. [Editor's Note: Google HL Tau, click on the Wikipedia link and see planets forming!] This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeannette Wink Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 677: The Answer is Always Dust by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 10, 2023. Whenever astronomers discover something surprising, the answer often turns out to be dust. Dust obscuring our view, dust changing the polarity, dust warming things up, dust cooling things down. It's always dust. Until it isn't. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeannette Wink Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 676: Other Things With Rings by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 3, 2023. We've spent a lot of time gushing about Saturn's rings, but there are other places with ring systems. And not just Jupiter and the ice giants, but asteroids, dwarf planets, centaurs and even exoplanets. Today let's gush about them! This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeannette Wink Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 675: Exotic Forms of Ice by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Ice is ice, right? You know, what you get when water freezes. Well, maybe here on Earth. But across the Universe, water can be squeezed together at different temperatures and pressures, leading to very different structures. Today we'll talk about the different forms that ice can take. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 674: Asteroid Early Warning Systems by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The asteroid apocalypse is one of those existential crises that keep astronomers up at night. But the DART mission showed us that we can push an asteroid off its trajectory if we have enough warning. Today we'll talk about how humanity is building early warning systems to give us time to respond to a dangerous asteroid. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 673: How to See Satellites (or Avoid Seeing Them) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 13, 2023. If you're in dark skies and look up, you're certain to see a satellite. Lots of them. But how can you know which one you're seeing, and how can you improve your chances of a sighting? Today we'll talk about how to see satellites, or avoid seeing them. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 672: Space Debris Removal by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 8, 2023. We've talked about the rising problem of space junk. Okay, we know it's an issue. So what can be done about it? Today we'll talk about ideas to remove space junk, making sure space is open to use for the centuries to come. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 671: The Consequences to Breaking Space Laws by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 1, 2023. Last week we talked about the laws that govern space exploration. This week the rubber hits the road. What are the consequences for actually breaking these rules? Are they really going to stop anyone? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 670 - Governing Space: The 1967 Outer Space Treaty & More! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Ga Streamed live on Feb 13, 2023. The Universe was inaccessible for most of human history, but the first tentative steps to space in the 20th Century made humanity realize that science fiction was becoming science reality. New rules would have to be written to govern how we used this limitless expanse. Today we'll talk about the Outer Space Treaty of 1967. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Jeanette Wink Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 669: Challenges to Dark Energy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 6, 2023. It's been over 20 years since astronomers first discovered that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating thanks to dark energy. And in these decades, astronomers still don't have much evidence for what could be causing the increased expansion rate. Maybe there's something else going on to explain it. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Jeanette Wink Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 668: The Crisis In Cosmology by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 30, 2023. Astronomers have made extremely accurate measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe and come up with different results. And the error bars for the observations don't overlap, so there's something strange going on. What's the answer and how can the Crisis in Cosmology be resolved? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 667: JWST First Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 23, 2023. Astronomers came together in January to present their newest research. And not surprisingly, the winter AAS meeting was heavy on news from the James Webb Space Telescope. What were some of the new results that were announced? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle J.F. Rajotte Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Aurora Lipper David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QwZoy58ZR8 Sign up through https://wren.co/astro to make a difference in the climate crisis, and Wren will plant 10 extra trees in your name! Streamed live on Jan 17, 2023. Well, we did it. We made it to episode 666, an auspicious number to be sure. What can we do to celebrate this accomplishment? An episode all about things in the Universe that have been named after mythological people and places in the underworld! This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 665: The Age of Reionization by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation tells us so much about the Universe. After that era, the Universe went dark. Then, as gas pulled together into the first stars and eventually galaxies, light returned, beginning the Age of Reionization. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 664: The First Stars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/ASTRONOMY today to get 10% off your first month. The Sun is a third-generation star, polluted with metals from long-dead suns. Astronomers have also discovered second-generation stars, with very low metallicity. But theories suggest there must be a first generation, with stars made from only pure hydrogen and helium. Can we ever find them? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 663: End of Year Observing Events by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We generally save our stargazing suggestions for the summer, when it's warmer in the northern hemisphere. But you're tough, you can handle a little cold. And it's worth it because there are some wonderful things you can see in the night sky this time of year. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle J.F. Rajotte Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Aurora Lipper David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 662 - Looking Ahead at New and Recycled Missions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about the missions we're saying goodbye to. This week, we're going to talk about some upcoming missions to say hello to. Some are brand new ideas, others are, uh, recycled. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle J.F. Rajotte Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Aurora Lipper David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 660: Runaway! Runaway! Escaping Stars, Planets & Small Bodies by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Moons orbit planets, planets orbit stars, stars orbit within galaxies. It's orbits all the way down. But occasionally objects can receive a powerful kick that sends them on a journey, never to return. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Jordan Young Kevin Lyle Jeanette Wink Stephen Veit J.F. Rajotte Andrew Poelstra Venkatesh Chary David Truog TheGiantNothing Aurora Lipper David Gerhard Schwarzer Will Hamilton Brian Cagle THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 659: Clear Skies, Bright Satellites by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 8, 2022. Light pollution is big problem and it's only getting worse. Not just near cities, but everywhere thanks to increased satellite constellations. How bad is the problem, and how can we fix it?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 658: Space Exploration Horror Stories by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 31, 2022. We're recording this episode on Halloween, so how could we resist but take advantage of this opportunity. Space is already terrifying enough, you know, with the vast endless emptiness, the incomprehensible mysteries, and the uncaring coldness. But here are some scary stories to spook it up a notch.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 657: Astronomical Naming Schemes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Space is a big place, with lots of galaxies, stars, planets, moons, and that means a lot of names. So how do astronomers name stuff, like comets, asteroids, exoplanets, craters? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Jordan Young Kevin Lyle Stephen Veit Gerhard Schwarzer J.F. Rajotte Andrew Poelstra Aurora Lipper Brian Cagle David David Truog Jeanette Wink TheGiantNothing Venkatesh Chary Will Hamilton THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela
Astronomy Cast Ep. 656: Smashing Asteroids for Science! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Oct 3rd. This week we saw the incredible image of DART smashing into asteroid Dimorphous. Beyond avenging the dinosaurs, what can we learn scientifically from this and other asteroid/comet impact missions.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 655: 65 Years of Space: Sputnik 1 Anniversary by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 26, 2022. It's been about 65 years since the Soviets launched the first orbital satellite into low Earth orbit: Sputnik 1. Now there are thousands of satellites in orbit, with tens of thousands on the way. Let's look at the impact that Sputnik had on the history of spaceflight.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 654: The Side Effects Of Clean Energy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay To battle climate change, we'll need to rapidly move to carbon-free sources of energy. But this technology isn't a free lunch. They require metals, generate waste and deplete the environment. What's the best way to balance this shift?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 653: Climate Change: Looking at the Variables by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Climate change is on our mind these days with increasing wildfires, droughts and floods. What are the variables that play into a planet's changing climate and what can this teach us about the search for habitable planets in the solar system and across the Milky Way?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 652: The Rocket Race Towards Reusability by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about how single-use rocketry has changed over time, and the role it still plays in launching payloads into orbit and beyond. Today we'll address the stainless steel elephant in the room and talk about the shift to reusability.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 651: Artemis & The Decline of Single Use Rockets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Season 16 opener. On the day that we're recording this, NASA's Space Launch System is about to blast off. But everyone is expecting it'll be delayed to October. When it does launch, it'll be the most powerful rocket on Earth. Well, until Starship blasts off. So are we about to see the end of single-use rockets and enter the era of reusable rocketry?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 650: Did JWST Work? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Sign up through wren.co/astro to make a difference in the climate crisis, and Wren will plant 10 extra trees in your name! Well, this is it. We're FINALLY going to talk about the James Webb Space Telescope. After decades of development, delays, budget creep, the powerful infrared observatory is at its final home at the L2 Lagrange point. Yesterday (at the time we're recording this) we saw the first scientific images from the telescope and according to Pamela's rules, we're finally allowed to talk about it.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 649: Highlights From NASA's Holiday Ruining History by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Have you ever noticed that significant space and astronomy events seem to happen during the holidays? It's not a coincidence. There's actually a reason why. Today we'll talk about some of the key events that happened during holidays and the underlying rationale.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 648: Summer Observing by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Summer is officially, astronomically here, and for the folks in the northern hemisphere that means it's a perfect time to head outside and see what's happening in the sky. Today we'll give you a good list of things to keep an eye out for with or without a telescope.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 647: Best Sci Fi Beach Reading by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Summer's here! And that means finally tackling that huge list of books piled up on your bedside table and filling up your Kindle. What books do we recommend for some fun reads this summer? - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scsalzi - Space Opera by Katherine Valente - The Culture series by Iain M. Banks (The Player of Games) - Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty - Marco and the Red Granny by Mur Lafferty - Reamde and The Fall by Neil Stephenson - Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clark - Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor - Packing for Mars by Mary Roach - The Mission: A True Story by David Brown - Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod
Astronomy Cast Ep. 646: Our Long Term Future in Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We always say that we're living in golden age of space and astronomy, but it feels like things are just accelerating. Space travel is happening! What does the long-term future hold for our place in the Universe?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 645: The Future of the ISS by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The International Space Station has been continuously inhabited for over 20 years now, serving as a peaceful collaboration between space-faring nations. But it's a machine, and it's getting old. In addition, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has made things, complicated. What's the future for the ISS?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 644: Is Earth… Normal? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've now discovered thousands of exoplanets, we're learning more and more about the kinds of planetary systems there are out there across the Universe. But are planets like Earth unique or totally rare?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 643: Sagittarius A* by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay All the waiting is over, we've finally seen the image of the event horizon from the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. Different shaped blobs! And a black circle in the middle. What are we looking at? Today we're going to explain the picture, and what's next for the Event Horizon Telescope.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 642: Is the Sun... Normal? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've always assumed that we lived in a perfectly normal star system with a normal star and normal planets. It's all... normal. But with our modern understanding of billions of stars, just how normal is our Sun, anyway?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 641: Can Planets Be Alive? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Earth is teeming with life, but the upper atmosphere to kilometers underground. There's no question that our planet has life. But is our planet itself alive? This is a question posed back in the 1970s as the Gaia hypothesis, and it got its share of criticism. Some new ideas have been proposed to bring this hypothesis to the modern era as we search for exoplanets.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 640: Survey Science: Newest Projects & Results by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay There are general-purpose telescopes and missions that astronomers can use to study specific objects. And there are the survey missions that look at the entire sky, which astronomers can use to answer questions about the Universe. We've talked about surveys in the past, but the landscape is changing quickly so it's time for an update.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 639: Big Qs Update: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Etc. by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Knowledge moves forward, and so, we must move with it. Today we'll give you an update on some of the most fascinating, fast-changing topics in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 638: Simulating Space Missions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Although humans have never actually been to Mars, explorers have simulated many aspects of Mars missions here on Earth. There are missions under the ocean, on the tops of volcanoes, in the harsh Canadian north, and even in bed that simulate the limitations of spaceflight, and teach us many of the lessons to prepare us for the real thing
Astronomy Cast Ep. 637: Machine Learning in Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Computers are a big part of astronomy, but mostly they've been relegated to doing calculations. But recent developments in machine learning have changed everything, giving computers the ability to do jobs that humans could only do in the past.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 636: Blowing Bubbles by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We think of space as a vacuum, but there are regions of different density. There are winds blowing from stars and other objects that clear out vast bubbles in space, and look absolutely fantastic in pictures. And they might have been critical for Earth to even exist in the first place.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 635: Jets: When Magnetic Fields Fling Things by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As astronomers look out across the Universe. They see various objects spewing jets of material light years into space. What causes these jets? And what impact do they have on the Universe?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 634: Milky Way's Mergers & Acquisitions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Milky Way is a vast grand spiral today, but how did it get this way? Astronomers are starting to unravel the history of our galaxy, revealing the ancient collisions with dwarf galaxies, and how they came together to build the modern Milky Way.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 633: Weirdly Habitable Places by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've always assumed that habitable planets would need to be like Earth; a terrestrial planet orbiting a sunlike star. But now astronomers have been discovering planets in the habitable zone around very much non-sunlike stars. What strange places could be habitable?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 632: Building Images: Optical vs Radio by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay A recent image from the South African MeerKAT Telescope blew our minds. It was a high resolution image of the center of the Milky Way showing delicate filaments and other structures. What was so mind blowing is that this was an image from a radio telescope. Today we're gonna talk about why this was such an accomplishment and what the future holds for radio astronomy. https://www.sarao.ac.za/media-releases/new-meerkat-radio-image-reveals-complex-heart-of-the-milky-way/
Astronomy Cast Ep. 631: All The Uses Of Pulsars (Including Murder) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Pulsars are the rapidly spinning degenerate husks of dead stars, turning hundreds of times a second. But they're also handy clocks, spinning with such certainty and accuracy that astronomers can use them for all kinds of stuff. We might even use them to navigate the cosmos.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 630: Things We Can Look Forward To by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay In a rare moment of weakness, Pamela has decided she's open to the possibility that a future exists. That missions, telescopes and spacecraft are going to be built and they're going to do science. Today we'll talk about what we're looking forward to before she changes her mind and my naive optimism for the future.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 629: The Cost of Delays by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay With all the success of James Webb so far, it's looking like science's huge gamble is going to pay off, but there were years of delays and budget overruns. What impacts did these delays have on science, careers, and the future of space exploration?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 628: The Sun Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Once again, it's time to take a look at the Sun. You know, the ongoing thermonuclear explosion of fusing hydrogen that's right over there. Fortunately, there's a fleet of spacecraft and ground observatories ready to give our best ever view of the Sun, so we can watch it. Always watching…
Astronomy Cast Ep. 627: Mercury Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's been about a thousand years since since we last looked at Mercury. So we figured it's time for an update. What new things have we learned about Mercury? Or even new questions! Fortunately there's a mission on the way to help us get some answers.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 626: Terrestrial Planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth & Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We continue our refreshed tour of the solar system, checking in on the inner terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. What have we learned about the formation, evolution and what they might tell us about planets across the Universe.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 625: End of the Year Review by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've reached the end of 2021 and this is the last episode of the year. Let's look back at the big space events of the last year and talk about what we're looking forward to in 2022.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 624: Small Rocky Bodies (Including Phobos & Deimos) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've talked about the icy objects of the Solar System, today let's talk about space rocks. There's a surprising variety of rocky material in the Solar System, and each object has a story to tell about the history and formation of the planets, moons and other rocky bodies.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 623: NEOs: Concern or Nah by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Are asteroids dangerous? Well, just ask the dinosaurs and they'll tell you a sad story of fiery death. It turns out we're in a shooting gallery of space rock and metal. And somewhere out there there's one with our name on it. Should we be worried? Or are the risks so minimal to be irrelevant.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 622: Rockier Moons & Giant Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So a rock is a rock is a rock. Right? Across the solar system there are giant rocky asteroids and even "gianter" rocky moons. What is the difference between these two families of objects and where do they come from?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 621: Gas Giants by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay For the longest time the only gas giant planets that we knew about were Jupiter and Saturn. But now, in the age of extrasolar planets, astronomers have discovered thousands of gas giants across almost as many star systems. What new discoveries have been made about gas giants, both here in the solar system and across the Milky Way?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 620: Why Getting to the Outer Worlds is So Difficult by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Good News! Over the next few years we're gonna see a flotilla of new missions headed to Jupiter and Saturn. Why aren't we seeing more missions to the outer planets like Uranus and Neptune, even Pluto? It turns out those places are far away. Today let's talk about the challenges of exploring the outer, outer solar system.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 619: Icy Moons & Dwarf Planets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The outer Solar System is far enough from the Sun that water doesn't get blasted away into deep space. In this icy realm, there are many worlds with vast quantities of water ice. Today let's look at the icy outer moons and dwarf planets.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 618: Ice Giants by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So we're learning more & more about the outer planets of the solar system. Uranus & Neptune are Ice Giants, filled with water and other volatiles that we'd consider ice if it was here on Earth. What's inside these worlds and what can we expect to find across the Milky Way as we find more?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 617: Hangout-A-Thon Episode 2 - Crowdfunding Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Funding for basic science has always been tricky business, coming mainly from universities, government, companies or wealthy individuals. But who knows how many fascinating discoveries were never made because of a lack of funding. And we now live in an era where regular people can come together to fund scientific discoveries.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 616: Hangout-A-Thon Episode 1 - The Great Observatories by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Well, you're familiar with the Hubble Space Telescope of course, but it's just one of NASA's Great Observatories. After Hubble came 3 more incredible telescopes. Each greater than the last! (That's not true… The first one was the greatest.) But together they would fill in almost the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 615: Planet 9 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay After Pluto lost its planethood we were down to 8 planets. But there's growing evidence of another world or worlds out beyond the orbit of Pluto. Is Planet 9 out there and how will we find it? Could there even be a Planet 10?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 614: Centaurs, Comets & Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So there are asteroids, and there are comets. But there's an entirely separate class of objects called centaurs. But instead of half human, half horse, imagine an object that's half comet, half asteroid, but 100% interesting!
Astronomy Cast - Ep. 613: Pluto's Demotion: 15 Years Later by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's been 15 years since Pluto was kicked out of the planet club. It also happens to be the topic of our very first episode of Astronomy Cast more than 600 episodes ago. Are there any updates? Does Pluto have a chance of regaining planethood again?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 612: Hiatus Message by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Fraser & Pamela will return in early September with more episodes of Astronomy Cast. We hope you all have a safe, relaxing and prosperous summer!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 612: The SETI Renaissance by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about the various ways that astronomers could detect the presence of intelligent civilizations by observing technosignatures. This week we'll give you an update on the state of the search for extraterrestrials. This field has gone from a collection of pariahs to a completely legitimate field of research. What's changed?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 611: What is Required to Confirm Alien Life: Intelligence Edition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about what it's going to take to confirm basic biological life across the Solar System and the Milky Way. This week, we'll discuss what it's going to take to detect intelligent life out there in space.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 610: What is Required to Confirm Alien Life: Non-Sentient Edition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Are we alone in the Universe? It's one of the biggest scientific questions we can possibly ask. And yet, with rovers on Mars, missions planned to visit Europa and Ganymede. Powerful telescopes able to detect the atmospheres of exoplanets, we're closer than ever to finding out the answer.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 609: Volcanos With Benefits: Lava Tubes, Hydro Thermal Vents & More by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Volcanos can be some of the worst natural disasters that we can experience here on Earth. But life wouldn't even exist without them. So, what are volcanos good for anyway?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 608: NASA Perseverance, The First 100 Days by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As you all know, Pamela refuses to talk about any missions which aren't actually doing science. Well, Perseverance has crossed the line, from fantasy to an actual working rover, scooping regolith and yeeting helicopters. What has the rover accomplished in its first 100 days?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 607: InSight and Earthquakes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Mars is cold and dead today, but the massive volcanoes tell us what the planet used to be like, millions and even billions of years ago. But how volcanically active is the planet today? That's what NASA's Mars InSight lander is there to figure out.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 606 - Time Dilation: Skipping Thru Time by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Have you ever wanted to be a time traveler? Well, good news! You're time traveling right now. Into the future at one second per second. Taking too long? Don't want to wait? Good news, Einstein's got you covered. Today, let's talk about the weird world of time dilation. Also: There are monitor forts to consider… #MonitorFort
Astronomy Cast Ep. 605: Sounding Rockets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about balloon-based astronomy. This week we're gonna talk about putting telescopes on rockets and making observations mid flight. Welcome to the wild world of sounding rockets.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 604: Balloon Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So when you think about the world's observatories, I'm sure you're imagining huge telescopes perched atop mountain peaks or space telescopes like Hubble. But you might be surprised to learn that some telescopes are carried high into the atmosphere on board balloons. What can they accomplish?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 603: New Colors of the Radio Spectrum by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about how new telescopes and techniques are allowing astronomers to explore the shortest wavelengths of light. This week we go to the other end of the electromagnetic spectrum and explore the longer radio waves which are now accessible to astronome
Astronomy Cast Ep. 602: The New Colors of Gamma Rays - Getting Shorter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Earth's atmosphere protects us from a Universe that is definitely trying to kill us. But it also blocks our view of the entire cosmos, like seeing X-rays and gamma radiation. Space telescopes are changing our view of the most extreme events in the Universe.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 601: Unexpected Light Pollution by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Day-by-day we're loosing our connection with the night sky. Already one third of humanity lives in so much light pollution that they can't see the Milky Way without a drive. And now satellite constellations are adding additional light pollution, even in the darkest skies on Earth.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 600: Looking Ahead by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Today we are gonna gaze into the future of space and astronomy. What upcoming missions & events are we excited about?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 599: Zodiacal Light by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Pamela has told us in the most flowery terms about the diffuse dust across the inner solar system left over from the formation of the inner planets. well, it turns out she was wrong. Super wrong. Time to update!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 598: How You Could Overturn Cosmology by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay You've probably heard of dark matter and dark energy, but maybe you don't fully understand what they are. Or maybe the idea itself just rubs you the wrong way and you'd like to know why scientists think they can just make stuff up like this. So you'd like to overturn cosmology? Here's all you need to do.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 597: The Expansion of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's been a while since we checked to make sure the Universe was still expanding. Yeah, apparently, that's still a thing. But in the last few years powerful new telescopes and expansive surveys have given us much more knowledge about what's happening. Especially at the earliest times.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 596: The Universe's Background Noise by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay You might be familiar with the cosmic microwave background, but that's just one of the background radiations that astronomers look at. Some are well known and cataloged. While others are just starting to be possible to see at all. All of them tell us more about our Universe.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 595: Planet Hunting - Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay This is gonna be another one of those evergreen topics where we come back again and again. Finding planets. Every time we talk about this now it seems like we've gained thousands of new planets. Well, buckle up! New techniques will grow that by tens of thousands and even millions!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 594: Juno - Primary Mission Highlights by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Pamela is always loath to talk about spacecraft until the mission's in space and the science is rolling. NASA's Juno Mission just received a mission extension, adding Jupiter's moons to the menu. Now, finally, we can talk about Juno! [Ed. Juno what I mean?]
Astronomy Cast Ep. 593: Stellar Parasites by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Stars often come in groups of 2 or more. And if they're orbiting close enough to each other one star can feast on the other and when that happens, well, mayhem ensues!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 592: Gamma-Ray Bursts - Updated by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Some of the most powerful explosions in the Universe are gamma-ray bursts, capable of blasting a beam of death half way across the galaxy. In just the last few years astronomers have discovered a tremendous amount about these blasts and what's actually causing them. The answer, of course, is that it's more complicated than we originally thought. The old Gamma-Ray bursts show: http://www.astronomycast.com/2007/05/episode-36-gamma-ray-bursts/
Astronomy Cast Ep. 591: What Are We Gonna Do With All That Space Junk? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Remember the good old days when there were only a few thousand living and dead satellites? Well, those days are long over. We're now entering an era where there will be tens of thousands of satellites. Not to mention the spent rocket boosters and other space junk. What kind of risk do we face and what can be done about it?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 590: Lunar Hazards: Dust, Radiation and More by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay 2024 can't come soon enough. You know, that's the year when humans will set foot on the Moon again. Now don't you roll your eyes! That's the plan. Unless the plan changes. But my point is, explorers going to the Moon will need to be concerned about all kinds of hazards, like dust, radiation and gigantic Moon worms. I believe.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 589 - Lunar Resources: Water (Update) & Other Volatiles by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've talked about the Moon and its water many times here on Astronomy Cast, but there've been a bunch of big updates thanks to new research from NASA and others. Today we're gonna give you an update on the state of water on the Moon and the plans to take advantage of it.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 588 - Lunar Resources: Lava Tubes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay All eyes are on the Moon. We're going back, this time to stay, right? One of the best resources on the Moon will be the lava tubes that criss-cross the subsurface of the Moon. These can provide protection from space, and a look at the geologic history of the Moon, and they can be enormous!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 587: The Artemis Accords by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So the Moon is about to become a very busy place with multiple countries and private companies planning missions in the next few years. It's been decades since the Outer Space Treaty was negotiated. It's time for the Artemis Accords!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 586: Life As We Know It: Habitable Exoplanets & Extremophiles by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As scientists continue to explore the Earth, they're discovering life, surviving and even thriving in extreme environments. What hints can this give us about what we might find as we search for live on other worlds.
Astronomy Cast 585: Super Earths, Mini-Neptunes & Gas Dwarfs by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Astronomers are finding even more new extrasolar planets and they're starting to discover entirely new categories. There are classes of planets out there that we just don't have any analog here in the solar system. Let's talk about them!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 584: Sample Return Missions From Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So with a sample of asteroid Bennu firmly inside OSIRIS-REx's return capsule, it's time to bring this treasure home. So scientists can study the composition and history of the space rock. But it's not the only sample return mission out there, with Japan's Hyabusa II mission also bringing asteroid debris home. So today, let's talk about the missions and what we've learned so far.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 583: The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay This year's Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three brilliant researchers who worked out some of the secrets of black holes. Today we're going to talk about the chain of discoveries that led to this award.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 582: Building Bigger Black Holes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Did you hear the news? Nobel prizes for Black Holes! Now, we know there are stellar mass black holes and supermassive black holes, but how do you get from one to the other? How do black holes get more massive?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 581: Other Kinds Of Novae by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Don't ever accuse us of not comprehensively covering every kind of exploding star. This week we gather up all the left over ways that stars partially or fully explode or don't. Probably. Enjoy!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 580: Exploding Dwarfs By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So you think that a white dwarf star is the end of a stellar life, and it's all downhill from there, a long, slow cool down towards the end of everything. But in some situations even dead stars can get exciting again, briefly becoming some of the brightest objects in the Universe. And maybe, just maybe, the last exciting thing that'll ever happen in the Universe.
Astronomy Cast 579: White and Black Dwarf Stars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay I've got some bad news for you. Stars die. At some point in the next few billion years or so our Sun is going to start heating up, using up all the fuel in its core, and then eventually die, becoming a white dwarf. It'll then slowly cool down to the background temperature of the Universe, becoming a black dwarf. Let's learn about this fascinating process.
by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So have you heard the news? Of course you have. Evidence of phosphene on Venus. Which could be a biosignature of life on our evil twin planet. There have been a lot of surprising stories about Venus, so let's get you all caught up!
Astronomy Cast 577: Mars in Opposition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Every 2 years or so Mars lines up nicely with the Earth. It takes only 2 minutes to communicate with the rovers. You can see the polar ice caps in a small telescope. And it's the best time to send your spacecraft to the Red Planet. Oct 3rd: Moon & Mars conjunction, 1.1° separation. Oct 6th: Mars opposition. Dec 21st: Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, 0.1° separation! Feb 18th "Percy" lands on Mars' Jezero crater.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 576: Summer Stargazing Special by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's time once again for Astronomy Cast to go on hiatus. You've got a couple months on your own to explore the night sky. But before we say goodbye, we'd like to make a few suggestions.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 575: Observing The Moon by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As amateur astronomers, we curse the Moon every month. Seriously! Why doesn't someone get rid of that thing! This week, something occurred to us. What if we actually pointed our telescopes at the Moon? What would we see? The Lunar "X" that Fraser talked about will be visible this Friday, June 26th! So go out with binoculars or a telescope and enjoy!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 574: Trojan Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We imagine the asteroid belt as a place where all the rocks hang out in the solar system. But there are 2 huge bands of asteroids that orbit the Sun with Jupiter called the Trojans. And soon we may actually get a chance to see them up close!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 573: Exoplanet Atmospheres Not only have astronomers discovered thousands of exoplanets, but they're even starting to study the atmospheres of worlds thousands of light years away. What can we learn about these other worlds and maybe even signs of life.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 572: Twists in Planet Formation by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We're all looking to the next generation of exoplanetary research where we get planets directly. But astronomers are already making great strides in directly observing newly forming planets help us understand how our solar system might have formed.
Streamed live on May 22, 2020. So we're familiar with regular binary stars. Two stars orbiting each other. Simple. Of course the Universe has come up with every combination of things orbiting other things, and this week we look at some extreme examples.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 570: Discovering Comets Discovering comets is one of the fields that amateurs can still make a regular contribution to astronomy. But more and more comets are getting found by spacecraft, automated systems and machine learning. This week we'll talk about how comets are discovered and how you can get your name on one!
Published 2020-05-11
Ep. 569: Ethics of Commercial and Military Space, Part 1: Private Space Flight
27 min
Every year, more and more people are making their way to space. Some private citizens have already gotten their astronaut wings, paying for a trip to space out of their own pocket. What are the ethical implications of this as the costs of spaceflight come down?
The key to surviving in space will be learning how to live off the land. Instead of carrying all your fuel, water and other resources from Earth, extract them locally from your destination. It's called In Situ Resource Utilization, and if we can figure it out, it'll change everything.
567: When Satellites Need a House Call Astronomy Cast 567: When Satellites Need a House Call by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Space is really far away, so when you send a satellite out into the void, that's pretty much the last you're going to be able to work on it. And if anything goes wrong, too bad, you're out a satellite. But a new test has shown that it's possible to actually visit and fix a satellite in space. Maybe we don't have to throw them all away after all.
566: When Comets Fall Apart Astronomy Cast 566: When Comets Fall Apart by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As everyone knows, the Universe owes us a bright comet. There have been a lot of promising candidates, but in the end, they always fail to live up to our expectations. Comets keep on breaking up with us.
565: When Worlds Collide Astronomy Cast 565: When Worlds Collide by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So much of our Solar System has been shaped by enormous collisions early on in our history. Seriously, the nature of every planet in the Solar System has some evidence of massive impacts during some point in its history.
564: Mini Moons Astronomy Cast 564: Mini Moons by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last month astronomers announced that they had detected a tiny asteroid that had been captured by the Earth's gravity well and had been sharing our orbit for a few years. Today, let's talk about the smallest moons in the Solar System.
563: White Dwarf Mergers Astronomy Cast 563: White Dwarf Mergers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay White dwarfs are usually about 60% the mass of the Sun, so it was a bit of a surprise when astronomers found one that was almost exactly twice that. What happens when white dwarfs merge?
562: Dealing with COVID-19 and the Changes it will Bring Astronomy Cast 562: Dealing with COVID-19 and the Changes it will Bring by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Pamela and Fraser discuss the implications of COVID-19 and it's changes on the world, and what we all can do during this time.
561: Remembering Katherine Johnson Astronomy Cast 561: Remembering Katherine Johnson by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We lost a bright star here on planet Earth last week. NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson passed away at the age of 101, after an incredible career of helping humans land on the Moon. If you saw the movie Hidden Figures, you'll know what I'm talking about.
560: Betelgeuse Astronomy Cast 560: Betelgeuse by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay You might be surprised to hear that we've never done an episode of Astronomy Cast featuring Betelgeuse. Well, good news, this is that episode. Let's talk about the star, why it might be dimming, and what could happen if it explodes as a supernova.
559: The Surface of the Sun Astronomy Cast 559: The Surface of the Sun by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay A brand new telescope has completed on Maui's Haleakala, and it has just one job: to watch the Sun in unprecedented detail. It's called the Daniel K. Inouye telescope, and the engineering involved to get this telescope operational are matched by the incredible resolution of its first images.
558: Supernova SN 2006gy Astronomy Cast 558: Supernova SN 2006gy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've been following this story for more than a decade, so it's great to finally have an answer to the question, why was supernova 2006gy so insanely bright? Astronomers originally thought it was an example of a supermassive star exploding, but new evidence provides an even more fascinating answer.
557: Red Dwarfs: Friend or Foe Astronomy Cast 557: Red Dwarfs: Friend or Foe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay On the one hand, red dwarfs are the longest lived stars in the Universe, the perfect place for life to hang out for trillions of years. On the other hand, they're tempestuous little balls of plasma, hurling out catastrophic flares that could wipe away life. Are they good or bad places to live?
556: Multi Messenger Astronomy Astronomy Cast 556: Multi Messenger Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay For the longest time astronomers could only study the skies with telescopes. But then new techniques and technologies were developed to help us see in different wavelengths. Now astronomers can study objects in both visible light, neutrinos, gravitational waves and more. The era of multi-messenger astronomy is here.
555: Satellite Constellations and the Future of Astronomy Astronomy Cast 555: Satellite Constellations and the Future of Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The other big issue at the AAS was the challenge that astronomy is going to face from all the new satellite constellations coming shortly. There are already 180 Starlinks in orbit, and thousands more are coming, not to mention the other constellations in the works. What will be the impact on astronomy, and what can we do about it?
554: Big Telescope Controversy in Hawai'i Astronomy Cast 554: Big Telescope Controversy in Hawai'i by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay This week we're live at the American Astronomical Society's 235th meeting in Honolulu, Hawai'i. We learned about new planets, black holes and star formation, but the big issue hanging over the whole conference is the protests and politics over the new Thirty Meter Telescope due for construction on Mauna Kea.
553: What To Look Forward To In 2020 Astronomy Cast 553: What To Look Forward To In 2020 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's hard to believe it, but we survived another trip around the Sun. Now it's time to take the whole journey all over again, but with new news. Let's take a look at some of the space and astronomy stories we're looking forward to in 2020.
552: Boyajian's star (and other strange stars) Astronomy Cast 552: Boyajian's star (and other strange stars) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Huge surveys of the sky are finding more and more planets, stars and galaxies. But they're also turning up strange objects astronomers have never seen before, like Boyajian's star. Today we're going to talk about some unusual objects astronomers have discovered, and why this number is only going to go way way up.
Hi everyone, Producer Susie here. This weekend, December 21-23, 2019, we will be having our CosmoQuest Hangoutathon. For 40 straight hours, our team will be bringing you guests, science and fun live on our channel. We are raising money to pay for our team to continue to bring you science, and for us to continue our citizen science programs, like the extremely successful Bennu Mappers from this past year, where over 3500 of you wonderful volunteers mapped over 14 million rocks on the asteroid Bennu, looking for a safe place for the OSIRIS-REx mission to grab samples to return to earth. We want to keep doing projects like this - and we need your help to continue doing the science. Please join us at twitch.tv/cosmoquestx starting 9am EST / 6am PST / 1400UTC. If you can't tune in live, you can catch the replays on Twitch, and we'll be trying our best to archive all of the content on YouTube after this weekend. We're accepting donations at https://streamlabs.com/cosmoquestx As part of the Planetary Science Institute, we are a 501c3 non-profit, so all of your donations are tax deductible where the law allows. Please watch, share and donate if you can, so we can keep bringing the science to you! Thank you for listening!
551: Missing Epochs - Observing before the CMBR Astronomy Cast 551: Missing Epochs - Observing before the CMBR by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation is the earliest moment in the Universe that we can see with our telescopes, just a few hundred thousand years after the Big Bang itself. What will it take for us to be able to fill in the missing gap? To see closer to the beginning of time itself?
550: Missing Epochs - Observing the Cosmic Dark Ages Astronomy Cast 550: Missing Epochs - Observing the Cosmic Dark Ages by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Powerful observatories like Hubble and the Very Large Telescope have pushed our vision billions of light-years into the Universe, allowing us to see further and further back in time. But there are regions which we still haven't seen: the Cosmic Dark Ages. What's it going to take to observe some of these earliest moments in the Universe?
Published 2019-12-02
Ep. 549: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In and on and around dead stars
28 min
549: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In and on and around dead stars Astronomy Cast 549: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In and on and around dead stars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we gave you an update on the formation of elements from the Big Bang and in main sequence stars like the Sun. This week, we wrap up with a bang, talking about the death of the most massive stars and how they seed the Universe with heavier elements.
Published 2019-11-25
Ep. 548: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In stellar cores & atmospheres
31 min
548: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In stellar cores & atmospheres Astronomy Cast 548: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In stellar cores & atmospheres by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Universe started out with hydrogen and helium and a few other elements, but all around us, there are other, more proton-rich elements. We believe these heavier elements formed in stars, but which stars? And at what points in their lives? Today we'll update our knowledge with the latest science.
547: Why Astronomy Still Needs Humans Astronomy Cast 547: Why Astronomy Still Needs Humans by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Few sciences have been able to take advantage of the power of computers like astronomy. But with all this computing power, you might be surprised to learn how important a role humans still play in this science.
546: Weird Issues: Planetary Migration Astronomy Cast 546: Weird Issues: Planetary Migration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Before we discovered other planets, our Solar System seemed like a perfectly reasonable template for everywhere. But now we see massive planets close to their stars, which leads you to the question, how does it all get there. Do the planets form in place or do they migrate around?
545: Weird Issues: Are comets asteroids or are asteroids comets? Astronomy Cast 545: Weird Issues: Are comets asteroids or are asteroids comets? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Things used to be so simple. Comets were snowballs from the outer Solar System, and asteroids were rocks from the inner Solar System. But now everything's all shades of grey. Astronomers have found asteroids that behave like comets and comets that behave like asteroids.
544: Weird Issues: Biosignatures Astronomy Cast 544: Weird Issues: Biosignatures by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Once again, another place where the Universe is going to make this difficult for us. Proving, once and for all that there's alien life on another world. It should be straightforward, look for biosignatures, but it looks like there are natural sources that could explain almost any chemical we could hope to search for.
Got clear skies? Go out tonight and catch the Orionids Meteor shower, a storm of falling stars generated by Halley's comet. Later this week, we'll see aurora like those that will one day be predicted by the ESA Solar Probe. We also have an update on the Mars 2020 rover.
543: Weird Issues: The Habitable Zone Astronomy Cast 543: Weird Issues: The Habitable Zone by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Our series on Universe weirdness marches on. This week we take a look at the habitable zone, and how things aren't as simple as we thought.
542: Weird Issues: The Age of the Universe Astronomy Cast 542: Weird Issues: The Age of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Our series on Universe weirdness continues, this time we learn how astronomers are struggling to make sense of the age of the Universe.
541: Weird Issues: Expansion Rate of the Universe Astronomy Cast 541: Weird Issues: Expansion Rate of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Just when the Universe was starting to make sense, the cosmos throws a curveball at us. Astronomers have been trying to accurately measure the expansion rate of the Universe as far back as Hubble. It's been tough to nail down, and now astronomers are starting to figure out why.
540: Weird Issues: How Do (or Don't) Planets Form? Astronomy Cast 540: Weird Issues: How Do (or Don't) Planets Form? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As astronomers started to discover planets orbiting other stars, they immediately realized that their expectations would need to be tossed out. Hot jupiters? Pulsars with planets? We're now decades into this task, and the Universe is continuing to surprise us.
539: Weird Issues: Why We Don't Know the Age of Saturn's Rings Astronomy Cast 539: Weird Issues: Why We Don't Know the Age of Saturn's Rings by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay How old are Saturn's rings? They could be brand new, or they could be as ancient as the Solar System itself. Planetary scientists thought they knew the answer thanks to new data from Cassini, but new ideas are calling even that into question.
538: Asteroids: Rubble piles of the Solar System Astronomy Cast 538: Asteroids: Rubble piles of the Solar System by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Thanks to all the work from Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS-REx, astronomers are getting a much better look at the smaller asteroids in the Solar System. It turns out, they're piles of rubble... but fascinating piles of rubble. Let's talk about what we've learned so far.
537: Reusable Rocket Revolution Astronomy Cast 537: Reusable Rocket Revolution by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We took a hiatus this summer, but SpaceX sure didn't, with the tests of the Starhopper prototype. Today we're going to talk about the revolution in reusable rocketry and quest to build a fully reusable two-stage rocket.
Please help us keep bringing you content by going to http://survey.libsyn.com/astronomycast and filling out the survey, so Libsyn can find us sponsors for Astronomy Cast!
Astronomy Cast will be on hiatus for July and August. Don't worry, we'll be back in September, and we might just have surprises for you all along this summer! Don't forget you can still catch Pamela with Daily Space, rocket launches and specials on CosmoQuest's Twitch channel, and you can find all the space news and videos from Fraser at Universe Today! We usually record Astronomy Cast every Friday at 3:00 pm EDT / 12:00 pm PDT / 19:00 UTC. You can watch us live on here on AstronomyCast.com, or the AstronomyCast YouTube page.
536: Everyday Relativity Astronomy Cast 536: Everyday Relativity by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Relativity is used in more day to day situations than you may realize. In this episode, we will count (some of) the ways. This episode is brought to you live from the All-Stars Star Party in Indian Wells, California.
535: Astronomy-Related Things To Do This Summer Astronomy Cast 535: Astronomy-Related Things To Do This Summer by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's summertime, and time for our annual Astronomy Cast hiatus. But that doesn't mean that the astronomy adventure has to end. Today we'll give you some tips and tricks for astronomy summer adventures.
534: Modern South African Astronomy Astronomy Cast 534: Modern South African Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay You know the drill now. Last week we talked about ancient south African astronomy, and so this week we'll talk about the modern state of astronomy in the southern part of Africa, which happens to be a great place with nice dark skies and a perfect view into the heart of the galaxy.
533: Indigenous South African Astronomy Astronomy Cast 533: Indigenous South African Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Let's move to another continent this week, and look at the astronomy that was going on in southern Africa in ancient times.
532: Modern Astronomy of Australia Astronomy Cast 532: Modern Astronomy of Australia by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about how well the indigenous Australians followed the night sky. Well, it turns out, Australia is still an amazing place for astronomy. There are so many powerful observatories in Australia, and even more in the works.
531: Australian Indigenous Astronomy Astronomy Cast 531: Australian Indigenous Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay South America, especially the Atacama Desert in Chile has become one of the best places in the world to put a telescope. It's dry, high, and the nights are clear. Today we'll talk about the monster telescopes already in operation in this region, and the big ones coming soon.
530: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 2 Astronomy Cast 530: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 2 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay South America, especially the Atacama Desert in Chile has become one of the best places in the world to put a telescope. It's dry, high, and the nights are clear. Today we'll talk about the monster telescopes already in operation in this region, and the big ones coming soon.
529: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 1 Astronomy Cast 529: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 1 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Andes mountains in South America are a hotspot of astronomy today, but ancient peoples knew it was a great place for astronomy and lived their lives in tune with the night sky. Today we'll learn all about what they knew, and how they mapped the movements of the stars and planets.
528: Modern Astronomy of the American Southwest Astronomy Cast 528: Modern Astronomy of the American Southwest by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about the ancient astronomy of the American Southwest. But this is actually Pamela's stomping grounds, and she's spent many a night perched atop mountains in this region staring in the night sky with gigantic telescopes. How does astronomy get done in this region today?
527: Ancient Astronomy of the American Southwest Astronomy Cast 527: Ancient Astronomy of the American Southwest by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Ancient peoples had no light pollution, and they knew the night skies very well. In fact, they depends on them to know when to plant and when to harvest. Today Pamela talks about the archeoastronomical sites of the American Southwest.
526: Event Horizon Telescope and the Black Hole at M87 Astronomy Cast 526: Event Horizon Telescope and the Black Hole at M87 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Today, of course, we're going to talk about the announcement from the Event Horizon Telescope and the first photograph of a black hole's event horizon.
525: 100 Years of the International Astronomical Union Astronomy Cast 525: 100 Years of the International Astronomical Union by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Even though they might be scattered around our planet, astronomers have way to come together to work out issues that face their entire field of study. It's called the International Astronomical Union, and they're the ones who work out the new names for stars, and sometimes de-planet beloved Kuiper Belt Objects.
524: Judging Age & Origins, part 3 - Beyond Our System Astronomy Cast 524: Judging Age & Origins, part 3 - Beyond Our System by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We learned how to figure out the ages of objects in the Solar System, now we push out into the deeper Universe. What about stars, galaxies, and even the Universe itself? How old is it? This episode is part 3 of a series.
523: Judging Age & Origins, Pt. 2 Across the Solar System Astronomy Cast 523: Judging Age & Origins, Pt. 2 Across the Solar System by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Today we push our aging curiosity out into the Solar System to ask that simple question: how old is it and how do we know? What techniques do astronomers use to age various objects and regions in the Solar System? This is part two of a series.
522: Judging Age & Origins, part 1 - Earth Rocks Astronomy Cast 522: Judging Age & Origins, part 1 - Earth Rocks by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay People always want to know how old everything is. And more specifically, they want to know how we know how old everything is. Well, here at Astronomy Cast, it's our job to tell you now only what we know, but how we know what we know. And today we'll begin a series on how we know how old everything is.
Bonus: Dust with Dr. Paul Sutter Astronomy Cast Bonus: Dust with Dr. Paul Sutter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Recorded during the Astrotour to Costa Rica, Fraser talks to Dr. Paul Matt Sutter about the nature of dust and BICEP 2's claim of discovering primordial gravitational waves.
521: The Deep Space Network Astronomy Cast 521: The Deep Space Network by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We always focus on the missions, but there's an important glue that holds the whole system together. The Deep Space Network. Today we're going to talk about how this system works and how it communicates with all the spacecraft out there in the Solar System.
520: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter, Part 2 Astronomy Cast 520: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter, Part 2 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
519: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter Astronomy Cast 519: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
518: When the Universe tried to Declare War Astronomy Cast 518: When the Universe tried to Declare War by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
517: Fritz Zwicky and the Zwicky Transient Facility Astronomy Cast 517: Fritz Zwicky and the Zwicky Transient Facility by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
516: Polar Vortices Astronomy Cast 516: Polar Vortices by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
515: Space Radiation Astronomy Cast 515: Space Radiation by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
514: Planetary Protection Protocols Astronomy Cast 514: Planetary Protection Protocols by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
513: Stellar Fusion Astronomy Cast 513: Stellar Fusion by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
512: Direct Imaging of Exoplanets Astronomy Cast 512: Direct Imaging of Exoplanets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
511: Predictions for 2019 Astronomy Cast 511: Predictions for 2019 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
510: 2018 - Year in Review Astronomy Cast 510: 2018 - Year in Review by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
509: Fiction to Fact: 3D Printers Astronomy Cast 509: Fiction to Fact: 3D Printers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
508: 2018 Holiday Gift Guide Astronomy Cast 508: 2018 Holiday Gift Guide by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
507: From Fiction to Fact: Ion Drive Astronomy Cast 507: > From Fiction to Fact: Ion Drive by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
506: It's not Aliens, Unless it's Aliens Astronomy Cast 506: It's not Aliens, Unless it's Aliens by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
505: Seismology Astronomy Cast 505: Seismology by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
504: Radar, Lidar & Sonar Astronomy Cast 504: Radar, Lidar & Sonar by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
503: Gravity Mapping Astronomy Cast 503: Gravity Mapping by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
502: No Touching: Determining Composition of Worlds Remotely Astronomy Cast 502: No Touching: Determining Composition of Worlds Remotely by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
501: Water Worlds Revisited Astronomy Cast 501: Water Worlds Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
500: Live Celebration! Astronomy Cast 500: Live Celebration! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
499: What is the proposed Hubble-Lemaitre Law? Astronomy Cast 499: What is the proposed Hubble-Lemaitre Law? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Astronomy Cast will be on hiatus until September, 2018. When we return, we'll be gearing up for the 500th Episode!
498: Dwarf Galaxy Update Astronomy Cast 498: Dwarf Galaxy Update by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
497: Update on Globular Clusters Astronomy Cast 497: Update on Globular Clusters by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
496: Update on Stellar Populations (I, II, & III) Astronomy Cast 496: Update on Stellar Populations (I, II, & III) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
495: Update on Asteroids & Prospects of Asteroid Mining Astronomy Cast 495: Update on Asteroids & Prospects of Asteroid Mining by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
494: Icy Moons Update 2018 Astronomy Cast 494: Icy Moons Update 2018 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
493: Mars Update 2018 Astronomy Cast 493: Mars Update 2018 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
492: Comets, Asteroids and KBO's Astronomy Cast 492: Comets, Asteroids and KBO's by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
491: Exoplanet Update 2018 Astronomy Cast 491: Exoplanet Update 2018 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
490: What's New with Supernovae Astronomy Cast 490: What's New with Supernovae by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
489: Black Hole Update Astronomy Cast 489: Black Hole Update by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
488: Dark Energy: 2018 Edition Astronomy Cast 488: Dark Energy: 2018 Edition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
487: Dark Matter: 2018 Edition Astronomy Cast 487: Dark Matter: 2018 Edition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
486: Particle Physics Update Astronomy Cast 486: Particle Physics Update by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
485: Docking, Refueling, and Transferring Astronomy Cast 485: Docking, Refueling, and Transferring by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
484: Transfer Orbits and Gravitational Assists Astronomy Cast 484: Transfer Orbits and Gravitational Assists by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
483: Stopping in Space Astronomy Cast 483: Stopping in Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
482: Alternative Ways to Space Astronomy Cast 482: Alternative Ways to Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Published 2018-03-05
481: Rockets pt. 3 – Going Faster, Higher, Farther after Fairing Separation
29 min
481: Rockets pt. 3 – Going Faster, Higher, Farther after Fairing Separation Astronomy Cast 481: Rockets pt. 3 – Going Faster, Higher, Farther after Fairing Separation by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
This was a special Q&A episode Pamela recorded while Fraser was in Iceland.
480: Rockets pt. 2- Multi-stage Boosters Astronomy Cast 480: Rockets pt. 2- Multi-stage Boosters by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
479: Rockets pt. 1- What Does "Single Stage To Orbit" Really Mean? Astronomy Cast 479: Rockets pt. 1- What Does "Single Stage To Orbit" Really Mean? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
478: Apollo 8 with Paul Hildebrandt Astronomy Cast 478: Apollo 8 with Paul Hildebrandt by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
477: State of Exploration: Once and Future Moon Astronomy Cast 477: State of Exploration: Once and Future Moon by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
476: The Overview Effect Astronomy Cast 476: The Overview Effect by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
475: Fast Radio Bursts Astronomy Cast 475: Fast Radio Bursts by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
474: Predictions for 2018 Astronomy Cast 474: Predictions for 2018 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
473: Remembering the Best Space Science of 2017 Astronomy Cast 473: Remembering the Best Space Science of 2017 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
472: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 4: Bioscience Astronomy Cast 472: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 4: Bioscience by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Published 2017-12-27
471: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 3: Human Computer Relations
26 min
471: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 3: Human Computer Relations Astronomy Cast 471: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 3: Human Computer Relations by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
470: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 2: 3D Printing Astronomy Cast 470: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 2: 3D Printing by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Published 2017-12-11
469: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 1 Space Exploration
31 min
469: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 1 Space Exploration Astronomy Cast 469: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 1 Space Exploration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
468: Simulations for Science and Fun Astronomy Cast 468: Simulations for Science and Fun by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
467: Resonance Astronomy Cast 467: Resonance by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
466: Origins of Zero (0) Astronomy Cast 466: Origins of Zero (0) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
465: Exploiting Interfering Light Astronomy Cast 465: Exploiting Interfering Light by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
464: Why the Hype over an Exorock? Astronomy Cast 464: Why the Hype over an Exorock? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
463: Pareidolia and the Moon Astronomy Cast 463: Pareidolia and the Moon by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
462: Modeling the Weather Astronomy Cast 462: Modeling the Weather by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
461: Measuring the Weather with Satellites Astronomy Cast 461: Measuring the Weather with Satellites by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
460: Earth from Afar: Remote Sensing Astronomy Cast 460: Earth from Afar: Remote Sensing by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
459: Arecibo Observatory Astronomy Cast 459: Arecibo Observatory by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
458: The Science of Cassini Astronomy Cast 458: The Science of Cassini by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
457: Why Did Cassini Have To Die? In Memoriam Astronomy Cast 457: Why Did Cassini Have To Die? In Memoriam by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
456: Pluto Revisited Astronomy Cast 456: Pluto Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
455: Your Practical Guide to Colonizing the Milky Way! Astronomy Cast 455: Your Practical Guide to Colonizing the Milky Way! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Pamela and Fraser talk about solar eclipse basics at their Solar Eclipse Escape event in Saint Louis on August 19th. What to do, and (perhaps more importantly) what NOT to do is covered!
454: Things We're Looking Forward To Astronomy Cast 454: Things We're Looking Forward To by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
453: Favorite Things We've Done These 10 Years Astronomy Cast 453: Favorite Things We've Done These 10 Years by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
452: Summer Observing Challenges Astronomy Cast 452: Summer Observing Challenges by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
451: When Can I Buy My Ticket To Space? Astronomy Cast 451: When Can I Buy My Ticket To Space? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
450: Inflatable Habitats Astronomy Cast 450: Inflatable Habitats by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
449: Robots in Space! Astronomy Cast 449: Robots in Space! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
448: Prepping for the Eclipse Astronomy Cast 448: Prepping for the Eclipse by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
447: Animals in Space Pt. 3: Dogs, Monkeys and More Astronomy Cast 447: Animals in Space Pt. 3: Dogs, Monkeys and More by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
446: Animals in Space Pt. 2: Mice and Other Small Animals Astronomy Cast 446: Animals in Space Pt. 2: Mice and Other Small Animals by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
445: Animals in Space Pt. 1: Insects and Arachnids Astronomy Cast 445: Animals in Space Pt. 1: Insects and Arachnids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
444: Fractals Astronomy Cast 444: Fractals by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
443: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 7: Tsunamis Astronomy Cast 443: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 7: Tsunamis by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
442: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 6: Magnetic Pole Reversal Astronomy Cast 442: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 6: Magnetic Pole Reversal by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
441: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 5: Continental Drift Astronomy Cast 441: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 5: Continental Drift by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
440: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 4: Supervolcanoes! Astronomy Cast 440: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 4: Supervolcanoes! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
439: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 3: How Do We Terraform Earth? Astronomy Cast 439: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 3: How Do We Terraform Earth? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
438: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 2: Geoengineering Astronomy Cast 438: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 2: Geoengineering by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
437: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 1: The Torino Scale Astronomy Cast 437: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 1: The Torino Scale by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
436 Bonus: Moon Cheeziness Astronomy Cast 436 Bonus: Moon Cheeziness by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
436: Common Misconceptions in Probability Astronomy Cast 436: Common Misconceptions in Probability by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
435: The Butterfly Effect Astronomy Cast 435: The Butterfly Effect by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
434: Am I On An Alien World? Astronomy Cast 434: Am I On An Alien World? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
433: Volcanoes on Mars Astronomy Cast 433: Volcanoes on Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
432: Geologic Ages of Mars – From Wet and Wild to Desolate Desert Astronomy Cast 432: Geologic Ages of Mars – From Wet and Wild to Desolate Desert by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
431: The Search for Life on Mars Astronomy Cast 431: The Search for Life on Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
430: Coming Home from Mars Astronomy Cast 430: Coming Home from Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
429: Living on Mars Astronomy Cast 429: Living on Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
428: The Moons of Mars Astronomy Cast 428: The Moons of Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
427: Click Bait vs Clear Science Astronomy Cast 427: Click Bait vs Clear Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
426: Confirmation Bias Astronomy Cast 426: Confirmation Bias by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
425: Naming Spacecraft Astronomy Cast 425: Naming Spacecraft by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
424: Lightning Astronomy Cast 424: Lightning by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
423: Cyclones Astronomy Cast 423: Cyclones by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Astronomy Cast 422: Geysers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Astronomy Cast 421: Space Games! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Astronomy Cast 420: FIRE! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 419: DragonCon 2016 Live: Rocket Girls by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 418: I'm a Teapot by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 417: Expectation: Failed by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 416: Fireballs from Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 415: The Temperature of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 414: Navigating Far by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 413: Navigating Near by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 412: The Color of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 411: The Science of Sunset Colors by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 410: Planet Nine - Facts & Fiction by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 409: Spin in the Solar System by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 408: Universal Cannibalism by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 407: Galactic Cannibalism by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 406: Stellar Cannibalism by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 405: Method Not Found by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 405: Method Not Found by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 404: What We Know, What We Don't Know, & What We Can't Know by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 403: Funding Big Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 402: Gravity Eyes - See the Invisible with the Force by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 401: Future Predictions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 400: The State of the Universe, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 399: Women in Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 398: Seeing Things by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 397: Why is There Something and Not Nothing? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 396: Family Astronomy for the Holidays by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 395: Baryons & Beyond the Standard Model by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 394: Bosons by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 393: The Standard Model - Leptons & Quarks by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 392: The Standard Model by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 391: Entropy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 390: Occam's Razor & the Problem with Probabilities by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 388: Megastructures by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 389: Roundtable with Paul M. Sutter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 387: Water on Mars (Again) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 386: Orbiting Observers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 385: Rovers on the Run by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 384: Escaping Probes, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 383: Approaches to Absolute Zero by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 382: Degenerate Matter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 381: Hollowing Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 380: The Limits of Optics by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 379: Fermi's Atom Splitting by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 378: Rutherford Atoms, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 377: Thomson Finds the Electron by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 376: The Miller-Urey Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 375: The Search for Life in the Solar System, with Morgan Rehnberg by Fraser Cain & Morgan Rehnberg
AstronomyCast 374: The Stern-Gerlach Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 373: The Becquerel Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 372: The Millikan Oil Drop Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 371: The Eddington Eclipse Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 370: Kaufmann Bucherer Neumann Experiments by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 369: The Fizeau Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 368: Searching for the Ether Wind (The Michelson–Morley Experiment) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 367: Spitzer Does Exoplanets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 366: HARPS by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 365: Gaia by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 364: COROT by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 363: Where Did Earth's Water Come From? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 362: Carolyn Porco by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 361: Maria Zuber by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 360: Jocelyn Bell Burnell by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 359: Margaret Geller by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 358: Sandra Faber by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 357: Vera Rubin by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 356: Inertia by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 355: 3D Printing Exploration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast: 354: Comet Siding Spring vs. Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 353: Seasons and Saturn by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 352: Water, Water Everywhere by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast Live from DragonCon 2014 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 351: Asteroid Adventures by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 350: SpaceShip One by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 349: Mercury 7 Astronauts by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 348: 2 Independence Square, the NASA Headquarters by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast: Live from Balticon, with P.G. Holyfield by Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 346: Area 51 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 345: Launch Complex 39 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 344: Saturn's Rings by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 343: The Universe is Trying to Kill You by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 342: Sunsetting Spacecraft by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Published 2014-04-09
341: The 45th Lunar and Planetary Society Conference, with Alessondra Springmann
30 min
AstronomyCast 341: The 45th Lunar and Planetary Society Conference, with Alessondra Springmann by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 340: Warner von Braum by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 339: Space Conspiracy Theories by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 338: Copernicus by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 337: Photometry by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 336: Units of Measure by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 335: The Photoelectric Effect by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 334: Chelyabinsk, One Year Later by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 333: When Worlds Collide by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 332: Stellar Collisions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 331: Arthur C. Clarke's Ideas and Technology by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 330: Arthur C. Clarke by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
329: Telescope Making, Pt. 3 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 328: Telescope Making, Pt. 2 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 327: Telescope Making, Pt. 1 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 326: Atmospheric Dust by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 325: Cold Fusion by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 324: Sun Grazers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 323: Isotopes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 322: SOHO by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 321: Solar Flares by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 320: Layers of the Sun by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 319: The Zodiac by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 318: Escape Velocity by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 317: Observatories by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 316: Observational Vs. Experimental Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Who knew that destruction could be so informative? Only by smashing particles together with more and more energy, can we truly tease out the fundamental forces of nature. Join us to discover the different kinds of accelerators (both natural and artificial) and why questions they can help us answer.
AstronomyCast 314: Acceleration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 313: Precession by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 312: The Inverse Square Law & Other Strangeness by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 311: Sound by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 309: Creating a Science-y Society by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 308: Climate Change by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 307: The Pacific Ring of Fire by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 306: Accretion Discs by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 305: The Spacecraft That Wouldn't Die by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 304: Death of a Spacecraft by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 303: Equilibrium by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 302: Planetary Motion in the Sky by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 301: Planetary Migration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 295: The Observable Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 300: What We've Learned in Almost 7 Years by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 299: Space Stations, Pt. 4: Future Space Stations by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 298: Space Stations, Pt. 3: The International Space Station by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast297: Space Stations, Pt. 2: Mir, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 296: Spacestations, pt. 1, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 294: Arecibo Observatory, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 293: Earthquakes, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 292: The Oort Cloud, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 291: Shockwaves, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 290: Failed Stars, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 289: Cherenkov Radiation, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 288: Phases of Matter, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 287: E = mc2, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 283: Stellar Motion, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 286: How to Debunk and End-of-the-World Myth, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 285: How the World Will Really End, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 284: Optics, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 282: Seasons, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstroCast 281: Explosions in Space, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 280: The Cosmological Constant, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 279: The Hubble Constant, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 278: Animals in Space, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 277: Orbit, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 276: XMM Newton, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Universe Today needs your help. Support the site and enrich your life at the same time by buying our mobile app: Phases of the Moon, for both Android and iPhone. The app is only $.99 in the Google Play store or iTunes.
AstronomyCast 275: Isaac Newton, Pt. 1, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 274: The Asteroid Vesta, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 273: Solutions to the Fermi Paradox, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 272: Abiogenesis, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 271: Who Does What in Space & Astronomy? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast: Live from DragonCon 2012, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 270: Inertia, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
We'll be back for with a live show at Dragon*Con 2012 at the Labor Day Weekend.
AstronomyCast 269: Mass, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
This week we talk about the new moon discovered orbiting Pluto (P5), New Horizons doing science in it's sleep, a southern polar vortex on Titan, and Pluto moon orbits, et cetera. We are joined by Robert Nemiroff, Jason Major, Alan Boyle, Michael Wall, Amy Shira Teitel and special guest Mark Showalter of SETI. Hosted by Fraser Cain.
AstronomyCast 268: Energy, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 267: Infinities, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
It's time to look deep into history to the birthplace of modern mathematics - Ancient Greece. And the most famous mathematician of the time was Archimedes. We use many of his mathematical theories and inventions to this day; others are steeped in legend and mystery.
We can thank Arthur Eddington for much of our current understanding of stars. He provided some of the breakthrough concepts that explain what's going on, deep inside the hottest places in the Universe. Sadly, the spacecraft associated with his name wasn't so successful.
This week we talk about: Black Holes as particle detectors, New advances in Chinese space exploration, Asteroid research, History of women in space. We're joined by Amy Shira Teitel, Alan Boyle, Ian O'Neill, and Michael Wall. Hosted by Fraser Cain
This week we talk about: Lakes on Titan, Mars Curiosity landing, Earth-type worlds more common, NuSTAR Mission launch. We are joined by Amy Shira Teitel, Emily Lakdawalla, and Nicole Gugliucci
AstronomyCast 264: The Hazards of Space Flight, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 263: Radioactive Decay, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 262: Solar Sails, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
In this week's Weekly Space Hangout, we talk about the Transit of Venus, the transfer of the space shuttle Enterprise, the future of commercial space exploration, and the new movie Prometheus. We're joined by Alan Boyle from http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/ and Amy Shira Teitel from http://www.amyshirateitel.com/
AstronomyCast 261: Lasers & Masers in Astronomy, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
In this episode of the Weekly Space Hangout, we're joined by special guest Robert Nemiroff from Astronomy Picture of the Day. We also talked about the return of the SpaceX Dragon capsule, a manned mission to Venus, nomadic planets and the announcement of the Square Kilometer Array. Our team included: Amy Shira Tietel, Jason Major, Alan Boyle, Nicole Gugliucci and Robert Nemiroff
AstronomyCast 260: Lasers & Masers, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Sorry for the lack of a Hangout last week, we had massive internet fail in Fraser's home city. This week, we talk about: Building a real starship Enterprise, preparations for the annular solar eclipse, investigation into the Gaia theory, fuel for black holes, Hubble and the transit of Venus. We're joined by Amy Shira Teitel, Jason Major, Nancy Atkinson, Nicole Gugliucci, Phil Plait.
AstronomyCast 259: The Exploration of Venus, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 258: Viking Landers, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
In this episode we talked about asteroid mining, SpaceX delays, Shuttle retirement, killer black holes, supermassive planets (aka brown dwarfs), Enceladus/Dione flybys, and missions to Jupiter.
AstronomyCast 257: Viking Orbiter, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 256: Resolution, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 254: Reflection & Refraction, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
In this episode of the Weekly Space Hangout, we talk about two different asteroid close passes, the solar storms buffeting the Earth, a recent space exploration conference, and a team of amateur astronomers flashing the space station. We're also joined by Ryan Kobrick - Executive Director of Yuri's Night - to talk about the upcoming festivities.
AstronomyCast 255: Observing Hydrogen, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Another week, another space roundup. This week we talk about the redefinition of the term "Earthlike", salty soil on Mars, how you can participate in SETI, asteroid dust from Hayabusa, and the dangers of a warp drive.
AstronomyCast 253: Rayleigh Scattering, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 251: Messier Objects, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 252: Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 250: Precision, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 249: Schrödinger's cat, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 248: The Carina Constellation, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
Another edition of our weekly space hangout. This week we talked about a week of space remembrance, solar storms, Newt's plans for a 2020 lunar base, arsenic and old news, black holes and their galaxies and the death of Phobos-Grunt.
AstronomyCast 247: The Ages of Things, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 246: What If Something Was Different, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 245: Calendars, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
This is a Google+ Hangout we did to discuss the announcement of Earth-sized planets discovered by NASA's Kepler mission. Moderated by Fraser Cain from Universe Today/Astronomy Cast, with Nancy Atkinson from Universe Today, Dr. Phil Plait from Bad Astronomy, Emily Lakdawalla from the Planetary Society and Alan Boyle from MSNBC's Cosmic Log.
AstronomyCast 244: Io, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 243: The Tunguska Event, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 242: The Turino Scale, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 241: Astrophotography | Pt. 3: Image Processing by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 240: Astrophotography | Pt. 2: Techniques, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 239: Astrophotography | Pt. 1: The Gear, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 238: Solar Activity, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 237: Spooky Space Sounds, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 236: Einstein Was Right, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 235: Einstein, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 234: Lunar Phases, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 233: Radar, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 232: Galileo Spacecraft, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast: Live at Dragon*Con, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 231: Galileo Galilei, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 230: Christiaan Huygens, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 229: The Cassini Mission, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 228: Giovanni Cassini, Pt. 1, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 227: The Big Dipper, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 226: Weather, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 225: Ice in Space, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 224: Orion, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 223: The Transit of Venus, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 222: The Decadal Survey, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 221: Geomorphology, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 220: Mass Extinction Events
AstronomyCast 219: The Planck Mission, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 217: Stellar Classification, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 218: Max Planck Pt. 1, by Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay
AstrnomyCast 216: Archeo-Astronomy, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 215: Light Echoes, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 214: Space Tourism, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 213: Supermassive Black Holes
AstronomyCast 212: GPS Navigation, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 211: Celestial Navigation
AstronomyCast 210: The Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit & Opportunity
AstronomyCast 209: Exotic Life
AstronomyCast 208: The Spitzer Space Telescope
AstroCast 207: Lyman Spitzer
AstronomyCast 206: Fission
AstronomyCast 205: Fusion
AstronomyCast 204: Temperature
AstronomyCast 203: Europa
AstronomyCast 202: The Planets at Gliese 581
AstronomyCast 201: Titan
AstronomyCast 200: The Mariner Program
AstronomyCast 199: The Voyager Program
AstronomyCast 198: How is a Space Mission Chosen?
AstronomyCast 196: Luminosity & Magnitude
AstronomyCast 195: Planetary Rings by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay
AstronomyCast 194: Dwarf Planets
AstronomyCast 193: Astronomy with the Unaided Eye
AstronomyCast 192: The Chandra X-Ray Observatory
AstronomyCast 191: Chandrasekhar
AstronomyCast 190: The Kepler Mission
AstronomyCast 189: Johannes Kepler and His Laws
AstronomyCast 187: The History of Astronomy | Pt. 5, The 20th Century
AstronomyCast 188: The Future of Astronomy
Published 2010-05-27
AstronomyCast 186: History of Astronomy | Pt. 4, Beginning of Modern Astronomy
31 min
AstronomyCast 186: History of Astronomy | Pt. 4, Beginning of Modern Astronomy
AstronomyCast 185: History of Astronomy | Pt. 3, The Renaissance
AstronomyCast 184: History of Astronomy | Pt. 2, The Greeks
Published 2010-05-06
AstronomyCast 183: History of Astronomy | Pt. 1, The Ancient Astronomers
34 min
AstronomyCast 183: History of Astronomy | Pt. 1, The Ancient Astronomers
AstronomyCast 182: Astrometry
AstronomyCast 181: Rotation
AstronomyCast 180: Albedo
AstronomyCast 179: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 2
AstronomyCast 178: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 1
AstronomyCast 84: Getting Around the Solar System
AstronomyCast 177: Mysteries of the Milky Way, pt. 2
AstronomyCast 176: Mysteries of the Milky Way, pt. 1
AstronomyCast 175: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 2
AstronomyCast 174: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 1
AstronomyCast 173: The Herschel Space Observatory
This week we continue the story of galaxy formation, learning how groups of galaxies come together to form the biggest structures around – galaxy superclusters. And when you look at the Universe at this scale, environment is everything.
AstronomyCast 172: William Herschel
AstronomyCast 171: Solar System Movements & Positions
AstronomyCast 170: Coordinate Systems
AstronomyCast 169: The Fermi Mission
We finally get organized enough deal with several listener questions: isn�t dark matter just regular stuff we can�t see? how can parts of the Universe be expanding faster than the speed of light? what will Betelgeuse look like when it explodes as a supernova? what�s the speed of gravity? All these and more questions are answered.