AWESOMEASTRO (Page 2)

#127 – January 2023 The Discussion: Our dark sky practical astronomy event, AstroCamp Farewell Apollo 7’s Walt Cunningham Comet C2022 E3 ZTF reaches naked eye brightness     The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in February, we have: Incredible finding: stars have not always been made the same way throughout the history of the Universe The debacle of the first space launch from UK soil 3 rocky water worlds found by the Kepler Space Telescope The big news story: a decade-long study finds light pollution is worse than we thought   The Sky Guide: This month we’re taking a look at the large winterRead More →

2023 January Podcast Extra Bringing back the much-missed Awesome Astronomy interviews with a bang, we’re joined by friend of the show Chris Lee.   Chris began his career in the 80s in the UK space industry at British Aerospace, Matra Marconi and SCISYS where he worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, the Giotto mission to Halley’s Comet, Beagle 2, Exomars and LISA Pathfinder.   He then became the UK Space Agency’s first Head of International Space Policy and then Head of Space Science Programmes before becoming Chief Scientist at the UK Space Agency.   Now retired, he’s a keen amateur astronomer with Bristol Astronomical Society,Read More →

#127 – January 2023 The Discussion: A refreshed format coming to Awesome Astronomy in 2023 A look back at the festive season     The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in November, we have: Something in the solar system is producing light that’s not unaccounted for A leak on the International Space Station’s lifeboat NASA’s Mars lander comes to an end A new way to look for aliens   The big news story: As the UK gets ready to launch space vehicles for the first time, we take a look at the long history of UK space activity and the concept of launching toRead More →

End of Year Show *** Beware, stiff profanity (phnar phnar) in the outtakes at the end ***   Our Christmas Pantomime sees the Awesome Astronomy crew exploring strange new worlds on the Astronomy Star Ship (ASS) Penetrator.   Between the puerile skits you’ve come to expect from our end of year shows, we bring you a roundup of the best astronomy and space exploration news from 2022. And, of course, a look forward to the highlights to come in 2023.   To all our listeners, a very merry Christmas, happy holidays and a prosperous 2023 (download or die!). Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

#126 – December 2022 The Discussion: Meteor shower disappointment Lecturing course started Dr Jen’s 30th birthday party karaoke – with audio! more resources for astronomy and astrophotography over at nightskypix.com   The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in November, we have: JWST picks up chemical reactions in an exoplanet atmosphere ESA’s latest astronaut recruitment Virgin Galactic gets go ahead to launch from Cornwall UK spaceports pop up all over the place Rocket Lab continue chasing the reusable rocket dream The big news story: What else? Artemis 1 launches to make NASA’s return to the moon a reality.   The Sky Guide: This month we’reRead More →

#124 – October 2022 Part 1 The Discussion: Enjoying the recent eclipse (weather permitting) Jeni is officially recognised as being great Visiting the Herschel Museum And listeners’ emails on: Having astronomy on the brain Cartoon characters in space A reflection of Venus off swamp gas!   The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in November, we have: Why spiral galaxies seem to line up from our perspective The origin story for Saturn’s rings Still waiting for NASA’s first Artemis moon mission Farewell Apollo 9’s Jim McDivitt Boeing’s zombie Starliner spacecraft gets a crew The big news story: Hipparchus’ star charts found buried in early ChristianRead More →

Rendlesham Forest Incident Christmas 1980. Suffolk, England. Two US airmen witness what they believe is an aircraft coming down in the forest next to their base. So begins the story of the UKs most notorious UFO sighting, the Rendlesham Forest incident. Paul dives head first into a ‘Hat of Woo’ special as he explores the mysterious forest of Rendlesham on the Suffolk coast and considers what this famous conspiracy story says about time and place and of course what really happened. Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

#124 – October 2022 Part 1 Jeni and Paul talk to Professor Mike Edmunds, President of the Royal Astronomical Society  and Emeritus Professor of astrophysics at Cardiff University, who is also Dr Jeni’s academic grandfather….   Paul gives a quick look at the sky highlights for October and then Jeni, John and Paul host an open panel discussion at AstroCamp where the audience talk about where space begins, JWST, the worth of Artemis and how the infamous Elephant Trunk nebulae incident happened… Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

#123 – September 2022 Part 2 The Discussion: Farewell Frank Drake It’s uncrewed, not unmanned! Filming with the BBC again Listeners’ emails on city astronomy and the missing AweAst show this month     The News: JWST unearths a huge cosmic riddle Artemis 1 moon launch delays Solar astronomers solve one of the great mysteries about the Sun A round up of all the incredible things that have happened in space this month (thanks to @jessicaxlis for the inspiration… and much of the content!)     Skyguide: As we’re a little late in the month for a September skyguide, this is a quick guide toRead More →

#123 – September 2022 Part 1 Hear ye! Hear ye! Al Worden (went to the moon on Apollo 15): https://tinyurl.com/56w9rkr4 Al Bean (walked on the moon on Apollo 12): https://tinyurl.com/2ewb5vj3 Charlie Duke (walked on the moon on Apollo 16): https://tinyurl.com/5fhacvmk Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

#122 – August 2022 Part 2 The Discussion: The Perseids meteor shower Another heatwave in the UK The Orville on Disney+     The News: NASA is going back to the moon – this month! SpaceX join the companies dropping space debris on Australia Northrop Grumman & Firefly’s new rocket The news discussion: Loads of news around the International Space Station     Q&A: What would we like to see happen to the ISS instead of being deorbited? From our good friend Mindy Scott in South Africa. Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

#122 – August 2022 Part 1 The Discussion: The release of JWST’s first images, the press conferences and media coverage. Emails on astrophotography, Dr Jen’s TV appearances and a more politically correct alternative name for JWST.   The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in August, we have: We now know why Jupiter doesn’t have rings like Saturn A huge triple star system with a violent past A fossil galaxy – one of the first galaxies from the early universe Some good news for the prospects for life on Mars The big news story: What else? It’s JWST innit?   The Sky Guide: This monthRead More →

#121 – July 2022 Part 2 The Discussion: Another heatwave in the UK Dr Jen on TV covering the latest JWST news The Orville on Disney+ Night Sky on Amazon Prime     The News: Preparations for the launch of Starship and an unexpected explosion! Artemis 1 readied for launch to the moon The topsy turvy world of international cooperation in space Virgin Galactic’s next plans The news discussion: NASA’s CAPSTONE mission to lunar orbit     Q&A: If you let your breath out couldn’t you dash across 100m of lunar surface in a damaged spacesuit? From our good friend Ben Harding in the UK.Read More →

#121 – July 2022 Part 1 The Discussion: More filming for the BBC Longer days and shorter nights L Showcasing amateur photography on noctilucent clouds Listeners’ emails on Less well known cultural names for Ursa Major The current planetary alignment in the sky     The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in April, we have: The Milky Way once went through a massive rate of star formation Solving the riddle of how Mars’ storms can be so big and violent A new data release from the incredible Gaia space telescope Solving the riddle of Barnard’s Loop The big news story: A big boost inRead More →

#120 – June 2022 Part 2 The Discussion: Discrimination in science and academia Returning to the Welsh valleys to attempt astronomy Free NASA merch from Official NASA Gear Listener’s comments on Boeing and the state of spaceflight innovation.     The News: Assembly of China’s Tiangong space station Artemis 1 wet rehearsal attempt #2 France join the Artemis Accord NASA outsources moon suit developments SpaceX’s critical approval for starship flight tests The news discussion: NASA to formally investigate UFOs – is this wise?     Q&A: How many people can you get on the International Space Station? From our good friend O G Duddy (@Derry_Man1)Read More →

#120 – June 2022 Part 1 The Discussion: You can now watch Jen presenting on BBC TV’s Weatherman Walking (from 06:40) Walking, astronomy and animal abuse in the New Forest NASA find the Awesome Astronomy bunker on Mars! Listeners’ emails on Obscure names for constellations Podcast editorial suggestions Sending us your astrophotography     The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in April, we have: A companion star that survived a supernova! Galaxies that had their dark matter stripped away Everything we thought we knew about galaxy evolution is wrong L We were just buzzed by an asteroid a mile wide. The big news story:Read More →

#119 – May 2022 Part 2 The Discussion: Getting back in the studio Watch us recording in our behind the scenes 10th Anniversary show Inspiring children to think about careers in science Listener’s emails about swearing in the podcast and .     The News: Our favourite Welsh satellite space company, Space Forge Rocket Lab’s attempt to catch a falling rocket booster with a helicopter More JWST updates Jeff Bezos buys every western rocket (that’s not owned by Musk) for the next 5 years UK Space Energy initiative’s concept for a Bond villain style space-based solar power plant   The news discussion: The ongoing sagaRead More →

#119 – May 2022 Part 1 The Discussion: Jeni’s magazine article on ‘everything JWST’ UK government’s social mobility commissioner gets us wound up Listeners’ emails on: Professional vs amateur astronomy Artificial Intelligence in consumer telescopes JWST’s Early Release Observations     The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in April, we have: New type of nebula discovered by an amateur astronomer Detecting life-giving hydrothermal vents on Saturn’s moon Europa An exoplanet around a dead star in a potential habitable zone ’Impossible’ galaxies with no dark matter The big news story: the Planetary Science Decadal Survey is out!     The Sky Guide: This month we’reRead More →

#118 – April 2022 Part 2 Also check out our YouTube channel here for much more astronomy and spacey goodness: https://www.youtube.com/awesomeastronomy?sub_confirmation=1 The Discussion: Watching a SpaceX Starlink launch Tales from this month’s AstroCamp star party Jeni on the radio and TV again A listener’s email on JWST’s first image.   The News: NASA’s moon rocket finally undergoes testing for the Artemis 1 moon mission next month! Rocket Lab attempt to catch a falling rocket booster with a helicopter Further affects of the war in Ukraine to the spaceflight industry Jeff Bezos buys every western rocket (that’s not owned by Musk) for the next 5 yearsRead More →

#118 – April 2022 Part 1 The Discussion: Observing trip with Cardiff Uni students Really bright ISS passes Jen’s first TV presenting gig about to be released Watching a SpaceX launch Listeners’ email about previous episodes   The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in April, we have: NASA think JWST will perform better than expected! (see also https://youtu.be/YJMBvcG7nRM) A milestone 5,000 confirmed exoplanets (see also https://youtu.be/ByfigQW-6Mk) The carbon impact of running large observatories ’Impossible’ supermassive-blackhole orbits discovered   The Sky Guide: This month we’re taking a look at the constellation of Leo with a guide to its history, how to find it, a coupleRead More →