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AWESOME ASTRONOMY

AWESOME ASTRONOMY

363 episodes — Page 1 of 8

Artemis Chat

Apr 17, 202639 min

Ep 171Gravitational musing and nuclear cruising

This episode Paul and Jeni look at a possible gravitational wave solution to the Hubble tension, NASAs new nuclear deep space engine, Hubble telescope boosting, and more news on the destruction of British science. There is also our monthly skyguide to to get you looking up. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Apr 1, 202655 min

Ep 170Artemis II Helium boogaloo

Our chatty astrowaffle episode this month is all about the Artemis re-jig and what the future now holds for the programme. Oh and update on Jeni's drains. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Mar 18, 202655 min

Ep 169Vanishing Stars and Invisible Galaxies

This month it is the curious case of a vanishing star and galaxies that shine no light...plus our monthly skyguide and Jeni has a blocked drain! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Mar 1, 20261h 0m

Ep 168Ozone Hole II Mega-Constellation Bogaloo

This episode we chat about the potential ozone hole issue caused by mega constellations, how Jupiter has shrunk and what Aurora would look like when Earth's poles flip. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Feb 15, 202656 min

Ep 167The End of British Astronomy?

We discuss the British Government's vandalism of UK physics and astronomy. In better news we celebrate the refunding of NASA and the up coming Artemis II mission... will Paul finally get excited? Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Feb 1, 20261h 14m

Ep 1663 days to lose LEO

So it looks like Low Earth Orbit is not just crowded but a disaster waiting to happen trapping humanity on this planet for a very long time... Produced by, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Jan 16, 202655 min

Ep 165Soundgarden win at Astrophysics

So it turns out Soundgarden nailed astrophysics in 1994. We explore latest thinking on Little Red Dots, Globular Custers, oldest supernovae, No-ceans on Titan as well as our monthly skyguide and moon guide. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Jan 5, 202647 min

Ep 1643Panto 2025: Cometh the Comet, Comet the Ralph

It's time for our annual review of the year, a look forward to next year and of course the Panto!...and the return of an old face! Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Dec 25, 202553 min

Ep 164Yeeting your office into a flamepit

In this chatty news episode we chat about more Artemis mission shenanigans and how the Russians have wrecked their only human rated launch pad. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Dec 14, 202552 min

Ep 163Icy Telescopes and Martian Lightning

This episode it is a new bananza with discussion of the Thirty Metre Telescope, shenanigans on Mars, asymmetrical supernovae and more trouble in the world of cosmology. There is a Xmas Telescope buying guide as well as our monthly skyguide! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Dec 1, 20251h 3m

Ep 162What an Artimess!

In our second episode of the month we chat about the weird mess that is now the Artemis Programme, whether there is even a new space race and what strange shenanigans rogue planets are up to! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Nov 15, 202540 min

Ep 161Comet I3 ATLAS and Cerne Abbas Star Party

Time for a Comet 3I ATLAS deep dive, a chat about Paul's recent visit to the Cerne Abbas Starparty and our new extended skyguide. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Oct 31, 20251h 7m

Ep 160Camping, Craters and Comets

This month we are at Astrocamp, our biannual dark sky retreat. We have a Q and A session with the campers and we talk a newly confirmed impact crater in the UK, Artemis II, ozone layer, and an upcoming comet bonanza! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Oct 1, 20251h 21m

Ep 159Paul in Festival Land

A bumper end of summer episode with Paul out in the world of science outreach and communication in a Summer music festival. There's also discussion of the new Astronomer Royal, China's moon programme, Starship and a deep dive on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Sep 2, 20251h 35m

Ep 158AI, Hypersonics and Betelbuddy

This month we talk about Jen at the BBC, AI in science communication, a supernova in NGC7331, whether Betelgeuse has a companion, Exoplanet shenanigans, European hypersonic space planes, and of course our monthly sky guide and general chat. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Aug 1, 20251h 26m

Ep 157Vera Rubin, Welsh Satellites and LIGO disaster

A bumper episode or is that a Jumper episode if Jeni has her way. Paul has new scope and Jeni has been seeing the Sun. We have terrible news from LIGO, the end of Milkomeda, Light pollution paradox, Vera Rubin first light, a new satellite from Wales, spaceX kablooie, leaks on the ISS and of course the usual skyguide and emails! Phew!

Jul 1, 20251h 32m

Ep 156Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails

This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!

Jun 4, 20251h 11m

Ep 156Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails

This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!

Jun 4, 20251h 11m

Ep 156Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails

This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!

Jun 1, 20251h 11m

Ep 155AstroCamp Spring 2025!

We come at you with all the fun of AstroCamp in Welsh Wales. Chat, debate and birdsong! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

May 7, 20251h 22m

Ep 154Has NASA been Trumped?

We try to keep it upbeat this month with tales of blackholes, definitions of moons, and solar system science but unfortunately the fate of NASA and American science currently hangs in the balance... Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Apr 1, 20251h 10m

Ep 153Paranal Problems: Light Pollution at the VLT

It looks as though the European Southern Observatory is caught in an American light pollution pincer...starlink above and now the threat of an American industrial complex as a neighbour. Is this the end? We have eclipse news, launch round up and the usual inane chatter from Jeni & Paul.

Mar 2, 20251h 6m

Ep 152Asteroid Doom and Gaia Gloom

The world veers towards madness, asteroids threaten destruction and Gaia is no more. But the planets are putting on a show and Pluto is 95, so that's alright... Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Feb 11, 202558 min

Ep 151Venus. Twined with Milton Keynes

Happy New Year! This month we talk about an new climate history for Venus, a new origin story for Mars' moons and we chat about the new potential head of NASA... Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Jan 4, 202539 min

Ep 150Panto 2024!

It's that time of year again where the team get silly...this year Butch and Suni hijack the ISS...

Dec 31, 202443 min

Ep 150Re-examining Uranus

This month we look at new old data about Uranus, a possible second dinosaur asteroid the first image of a star in another galaxy and the image of a new planet forming. Plus sky and launch guides and a chat about Christmas present ideas! Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Dec 5, 20241h 1m

Ep 149Comets, Cruises and Outreach

This month the episode is all about astronomy! Yep just astronomy. We catch up with the wonderful comet observations of the autumn, Jen's aurora cruise in Norway and we talk outreach astronomy in response to a listener's question.

Nov 30, 20241h 10m

Ep 149Apollo 12

The Team are taking a little break so here is a classic interview with Apollo astronaut Alan Bean.

Nov 4, 202440 min

Ep 148Gaining InSight

Meet Dr Anna Horleston from Bristol University. NASA's InSight lander was active on Mars from November 2018 to December 2022 – a total of 1446 sols (Martian days). InSight carried a suite of geophysical instruments designed to help us understand the interior structure of the red planet. The primary instrument was a seismometer – the first seismometer to be deployed to the surface of Mars – and my job was to analyse the seismic data, to find Marsquakes (like earthquakes but on Mars), and to figure out what was causing them. I'll take you through the highs and lows of working on an active NASA mission, the real meaning of "remote working", and show you some of the amazing results from the mission.

Oct 18, 20241h 18m

Ep 148AstroCamp Special!

This month the episode comes from the user dark skies of Wales as it is AstroCamp time! Discussion of Hera and Europa Clipper probes, comet news and the live recording of the Astrocamp panel! Enjoy

Oct 3, 20241h 19m

Ep 148100 Hours of Astronomy with Go Stargazing

Between 2nd and 5th October, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are celebrating 100 hours of astronomy. We've caught up with good friend of the show Neill Sanders, founder of Go Stargazing, who's helped create an app to get you and all your friends involved with the celestial party! Enjoy!

Sep 22, 202421 min

Ep 147Chatting Space within tent

A bit different this month as Paul is joined by Dustin as they chat about aurora on Ganymede, starliner, Polaris Dawn, Blue Origin and Dustin shares an interview at a local astronomy Festival. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Sep 1, 20241h 37m

Ep 146British Planetary Science Conference

In this podcast extra for Awesome Astronomy in August 2024, we bring you two of the Plenary Sessions from the British Planetary Science Conference 2024, hosted by Space Park Leicester and the National Space Center. The first, from Dr Aprajita Verma, discusses the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), and the second, from Dr Steve Banham, gives you a new view of Mars Evolution, based on Curiosity's work at Gale Crater. Keep an ear out for activities to get involved with!

Aug 21, 202452 min

Ep 146Comet Olbers in Silly Season

This month the team talk Comet Olbers, black holes in globular Clusters, the cancellation of Vixen, the ultra calm lakes of Titan, more phosphine news from Venus and look forward to this months Perseids. Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Aug 1, 20241h 8m

Ep 145Sanctuary on the Moon

Celebrating 55 years since humans first set foot on the Moon with Project Apollo, in this podcast extra, Dr Jen meets with Benoit Faiveley and Mario Freese, founder and chief engineer of Sanctuary on the Moon, a daring project to leave a legacy of humanity on our nearest celestial neighbour. In the late 2020s, 24 coaster-sized sapphire disks will sail to the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis CLPS program. Engraved upon them will be the essence of humanity. One hundred billion pixels depicting the human genome, the work of masters, and the every day - one pixel for every human that ever lived. It is an exploration of ourselves, our world, and our epoch. Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Jul 14, 202444 min

Ep 145Starliner Marooned and Playing Gyros!

This month the team discuss keeping the elderly Hubble alive with a single gyro, how Starliner is currently marooned in orbit and are usually round up of other news from the cosmos, a skyguide for what to look out for and a this month in astronomy history that explores the life of Henrietta Swan-Leavitt.

Jul 2, 20241h 11m

Ep 144Aurora at Home

This month is indulgent and ranty! Well it is summer...Jen waxes lyrical about a night out, Paul has written a book and in amongst it is some astronomy! There is a big dive into the huge aurora display in May, talk of new exoplanets and old ones vanishing. The usual skyguide and this months history moment is all about X rays. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Jun 1, 20241h 3m

Ep 143Totally Eclipse

Dustin and Jeni talk about their Eclipse adventures from last month.

May 17, 20241h 5m

Ep 143Nova predictions and China to the Moon

This month excitement builds for the predicted Nova outburst in Corona Borealis as well as looking forward to China launching a sample return mission to the far side of the Moon. We have our usual skyguide and chat about upcoming missions and some fun insights into the methane on Mars.

May 1, 20241h 8m

Ep 142Episode 142 Awesome Astronomy April 2024

This month Dr Jen is off to the US for the Solar Eclipse while Paul is just back from Goonhilly Earth Station. We chat about the imminent demise of the Chandra Space Telescope, more news on the Hubble tension, and of course the Great North American Eclipse. Chinese Lunar ambitions, Starship making it to space and the first Boeing Starliner crew make the news while in this months history moment we talk about the brightest Stellar event witnessed by humans.

Apr 1, 20241h 8m

Ep 141Britain's First Astronaut

This podcast extra is our full length interview with Dr Helen Sharman, Britain's First astronaut and the first woman to visit the Russian Mir Space Station in 1991.

Mar 22, 202438 min

Ep 141Wet Moons and Tippy landers

This month our intrepid crew of the good ship Awesome investigate sub surface oceans on the moons of the solar system, smoking stars, distant blackholes, oversized structures and of course tippy over lunar landers. There is also the monthly skyguide and a look at the astro history of March!

Mar 1, 20241h 2m

Ep 140Blasting Soil - Interview with Dr Phil Metzger

This month Dr Jen talks to Dr Phil! Dr Phil Metzger, 30 years at NASA where he has worked on various missions and programmes including the ISS snd Space Shuttle, while more recently he has been investigating how rocket efflux interacts with soil and what this will mean for future landings on the Moon and Mars…

Feb 17, 202453 min

Ep 140Awesome Astronomy Episode #140

This month we explore the exciting announcements from the European Space Agency as they outline their new missions for the 2030s. LISA, a space based gravitational wave detector and EnVision, a Venus mission that will map the surface and under-surface of that planet in unprecedented detail. We have the usual skyguide, chat about recent lunar missions and emails from the listeners.

Feb 2, 20241h 9m

Ep 139#139 Awesome Astronomy January 2024

This episode, it's Jen and a special guest exploring the inexplicable Big Ring, the first proof connecting supernovae to black holes and neutron stars, cyclones on a far-away world, dazzling images of Io, and the true colour of Neptune. We also take a deep dive into humanity's efforts to explore the Moon – the failing Peregrine lander and Artemis pushbacks. There's also a sky guide for the second half of January, and our discussion topic this time involves a most impossible restaurant. Produced by Paul, Jen, Dustin, John & Damien.

Jan 15, 20241h 13m

Ep 138Awesome Astronomy Panto and Review of the Year 2023!

Festive silliness (bit naughty!), a review of the Space and astronomy year and a look ahead to what 2024 has in store for us. Not forgetting the outakes!

Dec 26, 20231h 9m

Ep 138#138 Awesome Astronomy December 2023 Pt1

This month we explore what might have happened to the Planet Theia after it hit the Earth, what Lucy saw on its first asteroid encounter, the mystery of a new double crater on the Moon and what the first images from the Elucid telescope show. We have our monthly skyguide, launch round up and emails and questions from listeners. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Dec 1, 20231h 15m

Ep 138Astronomy Mythology of Wales

This month Jeni talks to Paul. No not our Paul Paul Cornish, planetarium and science outreach extraordinaire at Bristols We the Curious. They chat about one of our favourite topics on Awesome, constellation Mythology and this time it has a very Welsh flavour...enjoy!

Nov 19, 202345 min

Ep 137#137 November 2023 Awesome Astronomy

This month we talk about what might have been in the Arthur C Clarke Awards, the latest weird discovery from JWST, the most detailed simulation of the Universe yet, British space plans, giggle at a Space Force painting, and have a look at what you can see in the sky this month. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Nov 1, 20231h 11m