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 →

Live Lockdown Q&A Show You can watch the video of this recording (and our live Episode 95 recording on 27th April) at https://www.youtube.com/user/AwesomeAstroPod/videos (midday PST, 3pm EST, 8pm UK, 9pm Central Europe)   This show is a response to the many requests we get to do an episode dedicated to answering listeners’ space & astronomy questions. Producer John thought lockdown would be the perfect time to do it, when we can try and help ease the stress, boredom and isolation.   The Guests: We invited some of our friends from the astronomy world to answer your questions too: University of Oxford Professor of Astronomy, CreatorRead More →

#94 – April 2020 Part 2 Don’t forget to join us for our live shows on 16th and 27th April at https://www.youtube.com/user/AwesomeAstroPod/videos (midday PST, 3pm EST, 8pm UK, 9pm Central Europe)   The Discussion: Jen fangirling on The British Interplanetary Society and acing the Soyuz ISS docking simulator at the Student Space Conference; a ramble about Wales; the TV show For All Mankind, our live Q&A show, our poor etiquette and listener shout-outs. The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have: The impact of coronavirus on current and future NASA missions Some research showing the impact of satellite constellations on astronomyRead More →

#94 – April 2020 Part 1 We’re hosting a live Q&A on Thurs 16th April. Go to awesomeastronomy.com to see how to watch & get involved! The Discussion: Jeni’s sent the final proofs off for her research paper which is now on archive at https://arxiv.org/abs/2003.01727 and will soon be in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Sadly, we have to say goodbye to Apollo 15 command module pilot Al Worden. The Cradle of Aviation Museum cancel their Apollo 13 anniversary event, but you can relive Apollo 13 (recreating the launch from 11th April) as if you were in mission control with https://apolloinrealtime.org/13/. ARead More →

#93 – March 2020 Part 2 (Warning: please skip this episode if you’re offended by occasional Tesla-based puerile humour) The Discussion: Balancing the argument between love and hate of SpaceX and drawing a line under the argument over when the current decade starts and what constitutes a decade. The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have: SpaceX is cleared for a crewed launch in April Further problems for Boeing Christina Koch takes the female spaceflight record. The dullest space news story ever (involving biscuits/cookies) A Japanese mission to return samples from Phobos! ESA’s launch & deployment of the Solar Orbiter. MainRead More →

#93 – March 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: Paul’s favourite bit of the coronavirus, the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s upcoming Apollo 13 anniversary event, a @CunningCosmos space art exhibition and a talk from Jen in Bromsgrove for British Space Week, from the sublime to the ridiculous with the passing of Katherine Johnson and Mad Mike Hughes, and listeners’ emails. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: Finding the remnants of the progenitor star after a Type 2b supernova Solving the puzzle of giant planets orbiting low mass stars More clues to Mercury’s oversized iron core A galaxy that has stopped producingRead More →

#92 – February 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: The reason we have leap years; a look at Ad Astra, Lucy in the Sky and Picard; and the history of the Stonewall Riots (don’t think it’s just astronomy here – you get a fully rounded education, dear listener); and a look at your reviews and emails.   The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have: Direct TV’s ticking timebomb in space DARPA’s XS-1 reusable spaceplane gets cancelled ESA’s Solar Obiter heads off to the sun NASA ask you to vote for the official name of their Mars 2020 rover (www.mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/participate/name-the-rover/) NASA’s costsRead More →

#92 – February 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: Ralph visits and records from The Cradle of Aviation Museum in Long Island, New York, we enjoyed some great skies with good weather in the UK, Betelgeuse still hasn’t gone pop – though we’re still watching, and NASA have an open day that you can attend. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: An evidence based look at Starlink Tracking molecules from birth to arrival in our solar system An enigmatic Type 1a supernova An interesting 14 millisecond gravitational wave detection Goodbye Spitzer Space telescope The Sky Guide: This month we’re taking aRead More →

From the Cradle to the Stars This is the history of flight told from the perspective of the amateurs and hobbyists who allowed humankind to slip the surly bonds of Earth and set out towards the stars. To tell this story Ralph journeyed to the Cradle of Aviation museum in Garden City, New York, to get a tour of the early flight and exhibits from the museum’s curator and speak with an engineer who worked on the lunar modules before they flew. Our thanks in making this episode goes to the wonderful people at https://www.cradleofaviation.org/. Awesome Astronomy Go to SourceRead More →

#91 – January 2020 Part 2 The Discussion: New Year resolutions, veganism, a little spoiler-free chat about the latest/last Skywalker movie and the new series of Dr Who, before some listeners’ emails. The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have: Christina Koch racks up a flight time record on the ISS China’s moon rover breaks a lunar endurance record Ethiopia becomes the 10th African nation to send a satellite into orbit ESA launches their CHEOPS Exoplanet characterising spacecraft Space Force is go – and the world joins in NASA’s new (22nd!) intake and what skills are needed to become an astronautRead More →

#91 – January 2020 Part 1 The Discussion: As we begin the new decade we struggle to find a consensus on whether it actually is a new decade. We discuss the busy Xmas period and thank any listeners who helped Dartmoor Skies reach their funding target for a new telescope. Then we take a look at a few listeners’ emails and tweets. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have: An old galaxy containing as much dust as one third the amount of its stars Mapping the magnetic fields around the Whale Galaxy An interstellar comet makes its way back out ofRead More →