AWESOMEASTRO (Page 5)

#103 – January 2021 Part 2 The Discussion: If you like your introductions rambling, you’re in for a real treat! We discuss the Jeni’s PhD thesis submission, The Real Right Stuff documentary on Disney+, Jeni’s foray into book writing and read some listeners questions, which devolves into discussions of whether Queen Elizabeth is Elizabeth I in Canada, the colonisation of the New World, the entertainer Nosmo King and insurance fraud. The News: Rounding up the space exploration news we have: Puerto Rico stumps up funds to decommission and scope out a replacement for Arecibo China opens up FAST Telescope access to other nations Hyabusa 2Read More →

#103 – January 2021 Part 1 The Discussion: As we welcome in the New Year, we discuss the holiday season and your suggestions to replace the Guide to the Electromagnetic Spectrum section of the show. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news at the beginning of 2021, we have: Finding exoplanets that have a good chance of being able to see us The ‘Missing Lithium Problem’ Chasing down the Hubble Constant A new method for detecting exoplanets Was there another dwarf planet in the inner solar system? Main News story: That intriguing radio signal found coming from the vicinity of Proxima Centauri. The Sky Guide:Read More →

#102 – December 2020 Part 1 A jolly romp around viruses and tasers! We look back at the astronomy and space exploration highlights of 2020: Phosphine in Venus atmosphere The saga of SpaceX Chang’e 5 at the Moon Comets Atlas & Neowise 3 missions to Mars The lows of 2020 in astronomy and space exploration: Cancellation of SPICA The loss of the Arecibo radio telescope We look forward to the anticipated events of 2021: Luna 25, Chandrayaan-3 & Artemis 1 to the Moon 3 Mars arrivals Vera C Rubin telescope & Maybe JWST And we run through our own predictions for next year before signingRead More →

#102 – December 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: We discuss National Geographic’s The Right Stuff series on Disney+, get a little bit ranty about the use of jokey titles in research papers and read out a few of your emails. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: An update to the Geysers on Jupiter’s moon Europa Another asteroid flies scarily close to Earth The latest developments in Muskworld China’s ambitious chang’e-5 mission en-route to the moon Main News story: The Hayabusa 2 mission and the imminent return of samples from asteroid Ryugu The Sky Guide: This month we’re taking a lookRead More →

#101 – November 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: The ongoing saga of Jeni’s PhD thesis and a couple of listener emails. The News: Rounding up the space exploration news we have: More destruction to the giant Arecibo radio telescope Keeping in touch with our intergalactic emissaries More information from the Rosettta mission. A new exoplanet characterising spacecraft gets the go ahead form ESA NASA’s Mars sample return mission plans China picks its Mars landing zone for February’s arrival Lockheed propose a new space launch facility in Scotland Main news story: Congratulations to OSIRIS-REx at asteroid Bennu. The Electromagnetic Spectrum: The gamma ray end of theRead More →

#101 – November 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: Beginning the show droning on about us for bit, we cover Jen presenting her latest paper at the dust conference (yes, there is such a thing) in Marseilles, and filming in the wilds of Wales at night for the BBC’s Weatherman Walking TV programme. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: A return to the phosphine on Venus story for an update Earth gets a litterbug mini-moon Water abundance on The Moon The nearest black hole to Earth might not be a black hole after all Citizen science project finds the coolest starsRead More →

Venus Biosignatures Update Podcast Extra As the exciting news of phosphine in the atmosphere of Venus turns into a point of contention in the astronomy world, we caught up with the study’s lead scientist Professor Jane Greaves for the inside track. In this interview we discuss: Getting time on a range of professional telescopes time for a risky hypothesis How life could survive in the extreme environment of Venus’ highly acidic atmosphere Floating graphite balloons in Venus’ atmosphere Scientific challenges to this discovery being helpful rather than unwanted Blinding NASA pilots in the name of science Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

#100 – October 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: The publication of Jeni’s new research paper, a review of Netflix shows Challenger and Away (sublime and ridiculous). The News: Rounding up the space exploration news we have: ESA and JAXA’s future infrared space telescope cancelled Mercury-bound Bepi-Colombo is passing Venus – with sensors… Get ready for next month’s launch of China’s epic Chang’e 5 moon mission. A change in crew for Boeing’s creed Starliner test flight to the ISS NASA’s shiny new plan for Artemis and human exploration of the moon A gallop through SpaceX’s achievements Main news story: Astrophysicists scoop up Nobel Prizes again thisRead More →

#100 – October 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: Helping us celebrate our 100th(ish) episode, we have a live(ish) audience to join in with us. Anna Lanteri from Gröningen University discusses a new Zooniverse citizen science project, called Space Fluff where you can soon classify dwarf galaxies. And Tom Bridgman from the Goddard Space Flight Centre tells us about NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: Astronomers find an exoplanet in another galaxy using x-rays A group of underground liquid water reservoirs found on Mars The first exoplanet observed around a white dwarf star Asteroid Vesta litters otherRead More →

#99 – September 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: No time for discussions, we’ve important news to discuss! The News: Rounding up the space exploration news we have: Rocket Lab lowering the cost of small launches SpaceX accelerating development of super heavy lift Vera Rubin Telescope takes a step closer Main news story: A new detection raises the distinct possibility of life in Venus’ upper atmosphere. The Interview: Jeni talks to Dr Emily Drabek Maunder, a co-author on the paper that demonstrates phosphine in concentrations that we can only currently attribute to microbial life in the atmosphere of Venus. Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

Fraser Cain Podcast Extra At your suggestion we did something we should have done years ago and reached out to @universetoday and @AstronomyCast’s Fraser Cain (@fcain) to wax and yarn about all things space and astronomy. We think you’ll enjoy! Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

#99 – September 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: This month Jeni’s latest paper has a journal reviewer prior to publishing, we take a look at the critical science of cow-cats and a listener brightens our day   The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: Damage to the Arecibo observatory and the prognosis Hubble Helps Uncover the Mystery of the Dimming of Betelgeuse Mars’ water deluge during its habitable phase The search for the missing matter in the Milky Way Main News story: The US National Science Foundation report on the impact of satellite constellations on astronomical science.   The Sky Guide:Read More →

#98 – August 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: Jen on the radio discussing the Perseids Starlink satellites flaring over our heads TV shows From the Earth to the Moon and For All Mankind Jeni talking Pluto on the BBC Sputnik V Jeni’s latest paper is submitted for journal review The News: Rounding up the space exploration news we have: Protecting other worlds from our germs and bugs Space Force’s Star Trek-esque logo The Curiosity rover celebrates its 8th year on Mars New Zealand’s Rocketlab pursue reusability Skyrora begin rocket testing in Iceland SpaceX’s Starship prototyping and testing continues Main news story: America gets back toRead More →

#98 – August 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: This month astrologers are getting upset about their tattoos; why the Babylonians are at fault for ruining the majesty of astrology; Jeni spreads the astronomy word on the BBC; her latest research paper nears peer review; Paul continues promoting space education in schools and we have a chat about sparking science interest in kids. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: – ESO image two gas giants orbiting their star – Have we solved the mystery of why the sun’s atmosphere is hotter than the surface? – Using old methods as new measuresRead More →

#97 – July 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: What Einstein would have made of an iPhone The goods and ills of social media Free teaching for teachers to teach space and astronomy Jeni talking Pluto on the BBC A trip down technology Memory Lane And get out and look at Comet Neowise!   The News: Rounding up the space exploration news we have a Mars launch window and NASA storming ahead with Artemis plans so this month is all about the moon and Mars: The Kennedy Space Centre takes delivery of rocket engines for their SLS rocket Funding for more SLS moon rockets A newRead More →

#97 – July 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: This month Jeni’s getting frustrated with the politics of peer review, Paul’s seen an uptick in noctilucent cloud hunting and public interest in astronomy in general during lockdown. We ask ‘Is Starlink actually a good thing for astronomy outreach and public engagement?’, while Paul wonders if Elon Musk is aware of the fate of the Duke of Buckingham. And we delve into listeners’ emails about the future of AstroCamp in a pandemic and collaborations with other podcasts. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: Have gravitational waves revealed the first ‘Black Neutron Star’?Read More →

#96 – June 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: Struggling to get the media excited about astronomy How history will record the clusterf**k that is 2020 Skyrora looking to join the smallsat launch market SpaceX’ Teletubby costumes The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have: Starship prototype goes Kablooey Britain returns to rocketry Goodbye to Japan’s ISS resupply spacecraft The European Space Agency look to ‘natural resources’ for moonbases Virgin Orbit attempt to slash the cost of launching to Low Earth Orbit NASA chooses 3 commercial consortia to develop lunar landers Main news story: American commercial crewed launches have finally arrived Q&A:Read More →

#96 – June 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: The wonderful generosity of amateur astronomers trying to get the name Pair Instability Supernova changed to your suggestions Jen’s talk for Café Scientific, which you can watch here Jeni talking about SpaceX’ historic crewed flight with the BBC History 101 and looking forward to Space Force on Netflix What beginners should and shouldn’t do to get started in stargazing The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: The first galaxies seemed to form in about half the time we originally thought Finding the nearest stellar mass black hole to Earth How normal or unusualRead More →

#95 – May 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: Ralph channels his inner Churchill, while Jen goes on about Tiger King and her upcoming Cafe Scientifique talk. And we hear from listener Mark Grundy about the Welsh Room in the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburg. The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have: China’s mission to Mars and the patch that suggests further ambitions Musings on Starlink visibility and what is being done to help astronomers. Commercial Crew Launch 27th May News about disaster and success at SpaceX with Starship Main news story: NASAs proposals for how Artemis Moon missions will workRead More →

#95 – May 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: The live recording of our monthly astronomy show to provide a bit of extra entertainment and interactivity while people are cooped up at home sitting out the coronavirus. We discuss a burgeoning love-hate relationship with Starlink, Jeni being the BBC’s go to person for Starlink and meteor showers, and Apollo 13 filling up Twitter timelines and giving us a bit of a respite from coronavirus   The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: A round up of astronomy-based April fools gags found in research papers Hubble marks its 30th birthday Fomalhaut b mightRead More →