AWESOME ASTRONOMY

The Discussion: A cloudy but fun-filled AstroCamp dominates the discussions this month with glimpses of the planets and a hurried Messier Marathon in between gaps between the clouds. Nick Howes' talk inspires reflections on the threat of asteroids and comets and how amateur astrophotographers can contribute to science. The News: This month we take a look at NASA's new draft 2015 Technologies Roadmap and discuss the advances in robotics, space propulsion, power transfer and nanotechnology that NASA hope to seed. Next up is some research from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory that suggests the discolouration on Europa's surface might be irradiated salt from the moon's subsurface ocean. Finally, we take a look at the discovery, using ESO's VLT, that globular clusters in the Centaurus A galaxy are far heavier than they should be – perhaps harbouring vast amounts of dark matter. The 5 Minute Concept: Just a hundred years after Newton's notion of Universal Gravitation, John Mitchell proposed an idea so futuristic that it was barely even noticed until Einstein showed the universe has space-time geometry. Then, in 1972, the predictions of Newton, Einstein and Mitchell were revealed as the mind-bending reality of black holes. The Interview: This month we welcome back Dr Joe Liske from the European Southern Observatory to talk about the New Technologies Telescope that tested new ways to build ever larger telescopes and paved the way for the monster observatories we see today. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: If there is life elsewhere in the solar system, where do you think it is most likely to be?Louisa Martin, Brisbane Australia, via email.

What to look out, and up, for in June. This month we take a look at the constellation of Lyra the harp for the beginners guide – we have one of amateur astronomy's favourite nebulas, M57 the Ring Nebula, hanging between the stars Sheliak & Sulafat like a suspended smoke ring and the Double Double stars – Epsilon Lyrae. Next we round up the planets that are visible in June: Venus, Jupiter in the evening & Saturn later on. Comet Lovejoy continues to put on a show for those with small telescopes and Comet Kopff tempt those with larger aperture telescopes. and the Lyrids in the low eastern morning sky. For our deep sky challenge we look at the constellation of Scutum the shield. We tour the Wild Duck and M26 open clusters, globular cluster NGC6712 and finish off with planetary nebula IC 1295.

Download Episode! A podcast extra episode to get you in the mood for the biannual dark sky weekend run by the podcast crew. We have renowned comet and asteroid hunter Nick Howes joining us to talk about the nature and history of comets and we'll be giving away loads of astronomy prizes in our astronomy quizzes. And of course, 3 nights of enjoying the wonders of truly dark skies in the Welsh Breacon Beacons' International Dark Sky Reserve. If you're not coming to AstroCamp in May 2015, there's still a sky guide in this episode to give you stargazing inspiration wherever you are.

Download Episode! The Discussion: Paul savours a quiet month of teaching astronomy and enjoys sketching Markarian's Chain of galaxies, while Ralph gets into a few debates following an article publication and gets back to imaging the planet Venus. All in a month when the Project Helium Tears balloon took listeners' names to the edge of space! The News: This month we take a look at the discovery of complex organics in a new star system 455 light years away, a new study of the movement of dark matter during galactic collisions, a gas cloud passing the Milky Way's supermassive black hole turns out to be a star – lucky not to get destroyed, SpaceX suffer another setback, Russia announce bold moon ambitions, Dwarf Planet Ceres gives us a few more answers but also some questions and we take a look at the new Star Wars movie trailer. The 5 Minute Concept: Returning to our sceptical roots, Paul digs out the tin foil hat and takes leave of his senses as he delves into the barking world of the moon hoaxer and dispels the myths. The Interview: This month we relive the Project Helium Tears space launch as slave John tagged along with Matt Kingsnorth and Phil St Pier – mission controllers to the edge of space for £1,200. The we bring them into the studio to talk about the mission, lighting up social media, appearing on TV and going viral with 'Objective 2'. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: Constellations are based on arbitrary positions relative to Earth. So how far would you have to travel before they appear to move?Alex Speed, Bedfordshire UK, via Twitter. When I die, if I was to get fired from a cannon into outer space, would my body decompose? Darren Knight, Cambridgeshire UK via Twitter.

What to look out, and up, for in May. This month we take a look at the constellation Ursa Major for the beginners guide – we'll point you in the direction of an unaided eye binary star and a few of the brightest galaxies in the entire northern hemisphere sky. Next we round up the planets that are visible in May: Mercury (early in the month), Venus, Jupiter & Saturn later on. We take a look at Comet Lovejoy as it's still visible in small telescopes, and the Lyrids in the low eastern morning sky. For our deep sky challenge we take you on a tour of Hercules' magnificent globular clusters and a couple of overlooked galaxies.

The Discussion: Paul's been busy with Sirius Astronomy, promoting space and astronomy education at The Big Bang event and schools across the UK, meeting NASA astronaut Michael Fowle and ESA astronaut Jean Francois Clervoy. Ralph's been arranging astronomy events for London's Baker Street Irregular Astronomers. Both are excited about the upcoming CosmicCon event in July and they speak with Phil St Pier from the Project Helium Tears team to reveal the winners of their space competition. The News: This month we take a look at what's in store for NASA's Dawn spacecraft now that it's made it safely into orbit around dwarf planet Ceres, a quick few thoughts on NASA's New Horizon's craft as it approaches the Pluto system, Saturn's moon Enceladus and Jupiter's moon Ganymede throw us some tantalising clues about their watery interiors and further potential for life, and we round off with news about a huge ocean that covered 20% of Mars' entire surface. The 5 Minute Concept: As we enter the Hubble Space Telescope's 25th anniversary in space, Paul takes a look at this astronomy wonder that nearly didn't even make it to the launch pad. The Interview: Paul catches up with Richard Garner, the organiser of CosmicCon, to find out about the astronauts, TV presenters and astronomers we can expect to meet when we get there. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: Are there any colourful celestial objects that can be seen through a small scope?Matt Kingsnorth Essex UK, via Facebook.

What to look out, and up, for in April. This month we look in the direction of Leo the Lion for the beginners guide – taking a look at the bright binary stars and a very special grouping of entire galaxies to observe in our spring skies. Next we round up the planets that are visible in March 2015: Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and the return of Mercury. April brings us some nice lunar conjunctions and a well timed Lyrid meteor shower. And for our deep sky challenge we take you on a galaxy tour of Virgo and Coma Berenices.

In this podcast extra Paul & Ralph went off topic from astronomy to discuss the health (or otherwise) of science in the US and Europe. Via a circuitous route, they take a look at research outputs, educational outreach and perceptions of science, and finish off with a game of Top Trumps in which you don't want to playing against an opponent who holds the Newton card.

Download Episode! The Discussion: A final check-in with the Helium Tears team before they release their camera laden balloon to the edge of space and a free Awesome Astronomy competition to let you get involved in this adventure. The News: This month we take a look at a star that zipped through our solar system during human history, get excited about the Dawn spacecraft's close up views of dwarf planet Ceres, bid a sad farewell to Leonard Nimoy and look forward to this month's solar eclipse. The 5 Minute Concept: This month Paul takes a look at the most recognisable and unmissable object in the night sky: the moon. But how much do we actually know about our nearest celestial neighbour? Until the 1950s, actually, barely anything. The Interview: Dr Joe Liske from the European Southern Observatory returns to the show for this series of interviews telling us about ESO's groundbreaking telescopes. This time it's the turn of the revolutionary Very Large Telescope. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: What's the closest solar system to ours and could we ever explore it? Hedley Johnson in Des Moine, Iowa via email. What's the oldest surviving space probe still transmitting data to Earth?David Blanchflower in Newcastle Upon Tyne via Twitter (@DavidBFlower).

What to look out, and up, for in March. This month we look in the direction of Cancer the Crab for the beginners guide – taking a look at open clusters Messier 67, The Beehive Cluster and the planet Jupiter beaming down from up on high. Next we round up the planets that are visible in March 2015, say goodbye to Comet Lovejoy, take a look at this month's eclipse, explore the phases of the moon and finish off by rounding up the galaxies and globular clusters for telescope observers in Canes Venatici.

Download Episode! The full length discussion between Ralph & Paul about the merits of rockets against spaceplanes - the risks, costs and current availability of technology. With Elon Musk's SpaceX committed to landing expendable rocket parts and Reaction Engines' Sabre Rocket being backed by ESA and the UK Space Agency, is the future of spaceflight along NASA's disposable rocketry lines, SpaceX's resusable rockets or Skylon spaceplanes?

The Discussion: Enjoying views of Comet Lovejoy, engaging in astronomy outreach at schools, looking forward to the Spring AstroCamp in the Welsh Brecon Beacons dark sky reserve and catching up with the Project Helium Tears high altitude balloon team. The Competition Thanks to the Project Helium Tears team, we're offering you the opportunity to see your name in space! Just tweet or email us and we'll pick a winner (or winners) to have their name on the side of the spacecraft and have it photographed with the curvature of the Earth and the blackness of space in the background! Use the hashtag #TakeMeToSpace The News: A full-to-bursting round up of the news over the last month, starting with the phoenix-like Kepler Space Telescope and the latest 'Earth-like' exoplanet and the possibility of life on Mars getting more likely following Curiosity's detection of methane on the Red Planet. Next up is NASA's options for an asteroid redirect mission, SpaceX's attempt to land spent rocket stages and we finish with the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter finding a Beagle on Mars. The 5 Minute Concept: This month Paul puts a few myths to rest as he explores the facts about the asteroid belt between Mars & Jupiter. The Interview: Ralph catches up with the European Space Agency's Project Scientist for the Rosetta mission, Dr Matt Taylor, to get the latest on Rosetta and Philae results and find out what we can expect next from these intrepid comet explorers Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: How many active satellites are there in orbit? Elizabeth Chamberlain in Worcester via email. What's the difference between a comet, asteroid and a meteor? Christine L in Derbyshire via Twitter (@ChrispyDoDa) .

We start with the big bold northern hemisphere constellation of Orion. The swollen supergiant Betelgeuse, 5 stars in one in Sigma Orionis, and the magnificent Orion Nebula stellar nursery in our beginner's guide. Next up, we have a four body conjunction of Venus, Mars, Uranus & the moon, while Jupiter continues to dominate overhead, reaching opposition on 6th February. There are a good few stars occulted by the moon this month, while Comet Lovejoy continues to delight binocular and telescope observers. Then we round up the best of the deep sky offerings for the month in the constellation Ursa Major.

Download Episode! In this podcast extra we go off piste and digress from a discussion about the successes of the Rosetta mission. We ask whether the fantastic comet mission of 2014/2015 marks a turning point in ESA's exploration and marks Europe's coming of age as a space agency? Two instances of bad language.

The Discussion: Christmas in Cydonia and teaching science to children through astronomy education. The News: Kicking off 2015 we round off the events that concluded 2014: the successful test flight of NASA's Orion capsule; NASA's Mars Science Laboratory pieces together the clues that tell us how Mount Sharp (the mountain Mars Curiosity is exploring) was formed; and science findings from ESA's Rosetta and Philae spacecraft that suggest water was not delivered to Earth by comets like 67P Churyumov Gerasimenko. The 5 Minute Concept: This month Paul delves into the fundamental nature of our universe. We take a look at the Cosmological Principle, which tells us that the universe and the forces within it are the same wherever we look, and explore huge structures that put strain on this accepted model of cosmology. The Interview: Ralph & Paul speak with the creators of the 'Essex Space Agency', Matt Kingsnorth and Phil St Pier who are building a high altitude balloon with cameras to photograph the Earth's curved horizon from the edge of space in their Helium Tears project. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: Are there Van Allen Belts & Aurora on other planets? Any photos from satellites orbiting other planets in our solar system? Mariecor Agravante in San Diego via twitter. Why was the moon so large the other night?Ian Cheale in Cambridgeshire via the Facebook Group.

What to look out, and up, for in January. We start with three Messier open clusters in Auriga and a tougher nebula in our beginner's guide. Next up Mercury rises high in our Northern Hemisphere skies, Jupiter dominates the night sky and Saturn, Venus, Uranus & Neptune can be found with the right timing. We bring you the phases and libration events of the moon, the Quadrantid meteor shower and a new comet to take a look for. Then we round up the best of the deep sky offerings for the month in the winter constellations of Cancer & Lynx.

This pantomime episode contains some mild bad language and puerile humour Join us for a round up of our favourite stories & events from 2014 and discuss the most exciting space missions and astronomy events in 2015. For this festive season we welcome you back to our secretive Cydonia bunker - the scene of each Earth invasion attempt - as we pull a few crackers over Christmas dinner and inflict some pain on the Earthling slaves. Naturally, no end of year Awesome Astronomy show would be complete without the habitual gaffes and outtakes from 2014. So, happy holiday season, thank you for downloading as listening to us in 2014 and we look forward to spending 2015 with you too. Ralph. Paul, Damien & John

The Discussion: The historical landing of the Philae probe on Comet 67P, lunar imaging and astronomy outreach in the UK. The News: In the news we relive the events around the comet landing and the latest science findings from Churyumov Gerasimenko, the upcoming first test flight of America's new manned space capsule Orion and the tragic accident aboard Virgin Galactic's Spaceship Two, resulting in the death of one of the crewmembers The 5 Minute Concept: Fresh on the heels of the European Space Agency's latest successful mission, Paul turns his attentions this months to the beacon of knowledge, space exploration and engineering that rose from the ashes of Europe's darkest days: ESA. The Interview: Ralph speaks with NASA's Orion Project Manager, Paul Marshall, about the upcoming test flight and the future of manned American space exploration. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: How far away is Voyager from the Oort Cloud and how many years will it be before it gets there? Lee Garner via Twitter. I'm bored of reading sniffy comments about the cost of Rosetta. Can u do a piece next podcast about the benefits vs low budget?Alex Speed via Twitter.

What to look out, and up, for in December. We start with the broad constellation of Gemini and an easy binary star, a planetary nebula and a group of star clusters for astronomy beginners to find, before emabarking on a spot of exogazing! Next up is the return of resplendent Jupiter and Venus to our skies. We bring you the phases and conjunctions of the moon and the Geminid meteor shower in December. Then we round up the best of the deep sky offerings for the month in the winter constellations of Orion, Eridanus & Lepus.

From the Autumn AstroCamp 2014, Cardiff University astrophysics student, Jeni Millard, presents our latest understanding of the structure, formation, and future of our neighbouring galaxies and the evidence for and against dark matter.

Download Episode! The Discussion: Enjoying light pollution-free skies in the Ionian Sea and soaking up the atmosphere at the North West Astronomy Festival. The News: In the news we have more findings about the interior and evolution of our moon from the GRAIL and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter missions; Russian and Chinese lunar ambitions ratchet up a notch; the ExoMars mission narrows down its possible 2018 landing sites; sampling the atmospheres of Neptune-sized exoplanets; Comet Siding Spring brushes past Mars; Lockheed Martin claim to have made a breakthrough in fusion reactors; more doubt on the gravitational waves detection by the BICEP2 team and dark matter particles streaming from the sun. The 5 Minute Concept: In a solar maximum year when we have tons of solar activity that we can enjoy in the form of visible details on the sun and auroral activity that's even reached as far south as central latitudes recently, this month Paul explains sunspots. The Interview: Live interviews recorded from the North West Astronomy Festival from Jodrell Bank's Professor Philippa Browning, Astrophotographer of the Year 2011's Damian Peach, BBC Sky at Night presenter Professor Chris Lintott, writer and comedian Helen Keen and the host of the NWAF Andrew Davies. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: I know the moon doesn't spin and that we cannot see the rear of it from Earth, but I wondered if we can ever see a little more of the right or left side (like at different times of the day or year or location on earth)? Ollie Broad from Thailand via Twitter. In your opinions should we send manned mission back to the moon or should we head straight to Mars? Lee Garner from the UK via Twitter .

What to look out, and up, for in November. We start with the welcome return of the winter constellation of Taurus in our beginners' and young observers' challenge. Next up is the planets, the phases and conjunctions of the moon and the Leonid meteor shower to enjoy this month. We then round up the best of the deep sky offerings for the month with the open clusters and binary stars in the constellation Auriga.

The Discussion: Enjoying dark skies at the National Trust, Paul's astronomy outreach endeavours with Sirius Astronomy and predictions for the upcoming AstroCamp. The Tour: In this special episode, Ralph and Paul bring record from the Surrey Space Centre at the University of Surrey in Guildford. We tour this world leading centre of excellence for low cost satellite design and innovation and explain the sights and work being conducted in the Ground Station and laboratories from where 30 satellites have already been launched and many more are currently in design. The News: In the news we have the latest on the European Space Agency's ambitious Rosetta spacecraft as it circularises its orbit around Comet Churyumov Gerasimenko; Japan's Hayabusa2 mission to return pristine asteroid samples; watching asteroids colliding 1,000 light years away and yet another reminder of the asteroid lottery we're playing. The 5 Minute Concept: Recording from the UK centre of satellite design and construction, what else should Paul be talking about this month, but the physics and history of satellites. The Interview: This month the seat is filled by the Surrey Space Centre's Head of the Planetary Environments Group, Professor Craig Underwood as we discuss satellite innovation, the UK space industry and the future of space exploration. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: I understand Jupiter has no solid mass inside, so how come it's classed as a planet and stays planet shaped? Mike Joy from Wales via Facebook Can you guys successfully explain the proton-proton chain in under 20 seconds?? Vicky Dews, @Woozydewsy via Twitter

What to look out, and up, for in October. We start with the constellation of Perseus in our beginners' and young observers' challenge. Next up is planets, the phases and conjunctions of the moon and the meteor showers to enjoy this month. We then round up the best of the deep sky offerings for the month with the globular clusters and galaxies in the constellations Andromeda & Pegasus.

Download Episode! A podcast extra episode to get you in the mood for the biannual dark sky weekend run by the podcast crew. We have BBC's The Sky at Night's Chris North joining us again to give a talk on the Herschel Space Observatory and Cardiff Uni's Jeni Millard explaining galaxies and dark matter. And of course, 3 nights of enjoying the wonders of truly dark skies. If you're not coming to AstroCamp in April 2014, there's still a sky guide in this episode to give you stargazing inspiration wherever you are.

The Discussion: Sirius Astronomy and The Knowledge Observatory's educational outreach and preparation for our dark sky observing weekend in Wales: AstroCamp. The News: In the news we have the latest on the European Space Agency's ambitious Rosetta spacecraft as it settles into it's science program at Comet Churyumov Gerasimenko; details of the science payload for NASA's 'Curiosity 2' Mars rover; revealing images of the Pluto system from the New Horizons spacecraft; China's lunar orbit & spacecraft return mission and turbulent happenings on Uranus (sorry). The 5 Minute Concept: Distant radio sources that reveal unknown monsters from the past, unleashing hell from afar. In this month's 5MC, Paul takes us billions of light years away from home to explain one of the brightest and most energetic objects in the universe. Quasars. The Interview: This month we return to the most exciting current space mission. In an attempt to understand the life of comets and unlock the secrets of the birth of the solar system, Ralph speaks to the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission Project Scientist, Matt Taylor. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: Why does Venus rotate retrograde? Dave Bood from Scarborough, UK & Beatriz Caicedo, Guatemala . With the idea that all that is the universe originated in a speck with the big bang, and that the universe is expanding, how is it that things such as galaxies collide? Kurt Green, Chicago Illinois via email. How much would my 20 stone (280lbs) wife weigh on each of the planets in the solar system? Darren Knight .

What to look out, and up, for in September. We start with the constellation of Cassiopeia in our beginners' and young observers' challenge. Next up is planets, the phases and conjunctions of the moon to enjoy this month. We then round up the best of the deep sky offerings for the month with the large clusters and a nice easy nebula in the constellation Sagitta & Vulpecula.

The Discussion: Enjoying the delights of July's skies, writing articles for Astronomy magazine, STEM education and Paul becomes a European Space Agency ambassador. The News: In the news we have the Rosetta spacecraft's approach to the almost unpronounceable comet Churyumov Gerasimenko – revealed to be a binary comet, and the Very Large Telscope in Chile takes a 2.5 year study of a supernova to crack the riddle of how dust is created and survives the extreme temperatures of its birth. The 5 Minute Concept: In this month's 5MC, Paul looks at the summer phenomenon of noctilucent clouds and asks 'why is there no record of them before 1885'? The Interview: We welcome back the General Secretary of the International Astronomical Union, Professor Thierry Montmerle to tells us about the International Year of Light, the IAU's new look communications strategy and their new project to allow the public to name exoplanets and their host stars. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: Oolaaa Martian overlords. Where in your opinions does the solar system truly end. Thanks, your faithful servant Lee? Lee Garner from Norwich, UK. What's a Vampire Star? @TweetsByLou via Twitter And we finish with the winners of last month's competition to win three DVD copies of the new film Gagarin – First in Space, and a copy of the book Yuri Gagarin – The First Spaceman.

What to look out, and up, for in August. We start with the constellation of Cepheus in our beginners' and young observers' challenge. Next up is planets and the standout phases of the moon to enjoy this August. We then round up the best of the deep sky offerings for the month with a galaxy, two globular clusters and a couple of planetary nebulas in the constellation Aquarius.

The Discussion: Looking back over Sirius Astronomy outreach events in June, a bit of a rant over peer-review and science by press conference and our own pathetic attempts to get awarded a Nobel Prize or two. The News: Modelling of Pluto's moon Charon ahead of the flyby of NASA's New Horizons spacecraft next year, aerobraking an orbiter through Venus' upper atmosphere and radio imaging a Near Earth Asteroid. The 5 Minute Concept: How comets are far from the traditional portents of doom and may well be the harbingers of life. The Interview: Beginning a regular series of interviews with Dr Joe Liske about each of the key facilities in the European Southern Observatory's arsenal, starting with the 3.6 meter telescope. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: Hey you mad martians, I have a question for the podcast. When we look at other galaxies we can clearly see the glowing bulge at their centres. Why is it when we look up at the milky way we don't see one. Thanks for all your efforts? Lee Garner from Norwich, UK via Facebook . Should the BICEP2 team have made their announcement pre-peer review? Mark Cullen (@Mokwepa) from the Buckinghamshire, UK via Twitter . And we finish with a competition to win a DVD copy of the new film Gagarin – First in Space

What to look out, and up, for in July. We start with the beautiful summer constellation of Cygnus in our beginners' and young observers' guide. Next up is Mercury, Venus, Mars & Saturn and some lovely lunar conjunctions to enjoy this Month. The Delta Aquariid meteor shower makes an announcement before we round up the best of July's deep sky offerings in the constellation Ophiuchus.

This month we're outside recording under red light as we bag the latest meteor shower to grace planet Earth - the Camelopardalids. We start with reminisces about our April AstroCamp star party, radio detection of meteors and the engineering & imaging prowess of our captured Earthing slaves John & Damien. In the news we discusses the new discovery of Earth 2.0(ish), the sad shrinkage of Jupiter's Great Red Spot and Ralph gets a little bit ranty about NASA research into the melting of ice sheets. Paul shows us that size IS everything in his 5 Minute Concept as he takes us on a tour of the sun and then whisks us away to some nuclear monsters - our sun's bigger stellar brothers. Instead of an interview this month, we have higlights of Dr Chris Lintott's talk at AstroCamp where he covers Life, The Universe & Everthing in a shade over 13 minutes - and still manages to include a question from the audience (all hail Chris Lintott!) Ralph answers a listener's question on fleas, the Earth, the sun and UY Scuti (trust us… it'll all make sense). And we finish with a return to the Camelopardalid meteor shower and more discussion on how best to observe, understand and measure meteors.

What to look out, and up, for in June. We start with the constellation of Lyra in our beginners' and young observers' guide, and end it with a few deep sky challenges for you to hunt down. Next up is the moon and a couple of planetary conjunctions to enjoy, with Mars, Saturn & Jupiter feature in the planetary round up for Northern Hemisphere observers. We then take our pick of the best of the deep sky offerings for June with a tour of Hercules' globular clusters, galaxies and a planetary nebula.

The Discussion: Astronomy in the late 18th Century and the increased sense of hope we, as amateur astronomers, get from the work of early astronomical observations. The Field Report: This month we record from the Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath, England and take a tour of the Georgian townhouse to investigate the many objects, telescopes and handwritten observations of William and Carline Herschel. The News: In the news, we have more exciting inferences about the watery composition of Saturn's moon Enceladus; a new moon forming in the outer rings of Saturn and a round up of the current tally in exoplanetology. The 5 Minute Concept: In the 5 Minute Concept, Paul sits in the very spot where William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus and explains the Herschels' contribution to astronomy. The Interview: This month, Paul speaks with the curator of the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, Debbie James, about the life and works of the Herschels, the museum and Georgian life. Q&A: Listeners' questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer: Why does the planet Uranus spin on its side? Thea Hutchinson from London, UK via email How did Caroline Herschel record her observations? Eric Emms @EmmsStarGaze in London, UK via Twitter & email

What to look out, and up, for in May. We start with the constellation of Hercules in our beginner's and young observer's guide. Next up is the moon and our round up of the craters and interesting lunar features you can explore with a small telescope. Halley's Comet brings us the peak of the Eta Aquarids on the night of 5th/6th May while Comet LINEAR has the potential to deliver a meteor storm on the night of 23rd/24th May. Mars, Saturn & Jupiter feature in the planetary round up for Northern Hemisphere observers this month and we finish off by galaxy hunting around the Virgo Cluster.

Download Episode! A podcast extra episode to get you in the mood for the biannual dark sky weekend run by the podcast crew. We have the BBC's Sky at Night team joining us again to show off the wonders of truly dark skies. If you're not coming to AstroCamp in April 2014, there's still a sky guide in this episode to give you stargazing inspiration wherever you are.

This month we talk National Astronomy Week and have an audio report from the outreach we conducted. In the news, we have a discussion with Jeni Millard and Sebastian Khan from Cardiff University about the discovery of gravitational waves; we discuss the auroral display that lit up Europe and the ensuing scandals caused by the Daily Mail; we have a possible way of detecting dark matter and a theory that dark matter may have killed the dinosaurs; a new minor planet emerges beyond the orbit of Pluto and a yet another minor planet is found to have its own ring system. In the 5 Minute Concept, Paul poetically explains the history and science behind that false dawn that plagued observers for centuries, the zodiacal light. We interview Dr Chris North, Astrophysicist at Cardiff University and presenter of the BBC's Sky at Night programme, about the detection of gravitational waves and what it means for wider cosmology. And in Q&A, we answer listeners' questions on Transient Lunar Phenomena and what happens on the boundary of a black hole.

What to look out, and up, for in April. We start with the constellation of Ursa Major in our beginner's and young observer's guide. Next up is the moon and our round up of the craters and interesting lunar features you can explore with a small telescope. Mars, Venus, Saturn & Jupiter feature in the planetary round up for Northern Hemisphere observers this month and we finish off with some suggestions around the constellation Boötes.

This month we talk science outreach in Wiltshire and have an audio report on the aurora from Iceland In the news, we have a supernova for amateur observers in a 'nearby' galaxy and Europe's Herschel Observatory finding water plumes on dwarf planet Ceres. China's Chang'e-3 moon mission finds itself in trouble (in more ways than one!) and the European Space Agency gives the green light to the exoplanet and star characterising PLATO mission. In the 5 Minute Concept, Paul poetically explains the history and science behind one of astronomy's greatest ever discoveries, as he unwraps the concept of redshift. We interview Carole Mundell, Professor of Extragalactic Astronomy at Liverpool John Moore's University, about the most violent explosions in the universe and promoting equality in science & astronomy. And in Q&A, we answer listeners' questions on the likelihood of fatalities from the M82 supernova and why the sun doesn't just float away.

What to look out, and up, for in March. We start with the constellation of Leo in our beginner's and young observer's guide, and end it with a few deep sky challenges for the more advanced amateurs to hunt down. Next up is the moon and our round up of the craters and interesting lunar features you can explore with a small telescope. While Jupiter, Mars and Saturn feature in the planetary round up for Northern Hemisphere observers this month.

Download Episode! This month, our captured Earthling Damien brings us a stargazing report from Pakistan. News includes a new planet hunting instrument in Chile, a best-yet candidate for a naked-eye visible supernova, the progress of commercial space-flight and public access to space, China's Chang'e-3 rover's discoveries and ESA's Rosetta and Gaia missions. In his 5 Minute Concept, Paul explains our solar systems ring of icy debris - the Kuiper Belt - and the need for a good publicist! We have lots of goodies to give away to one listener in our European Southern Observatory competition and Ralph interviews Dr Joe Liske, from ESO, about the world's biggest telescopes and finding ET in our lifetime. And in listeners' Q&A we answer questions about ice on Mercury and the expansion of the universe.

Download Episode! What to look out, and up, for in February 2014. We start with a new feature the beginner's - or young observer's - guide, and a tour of the constellation Orion. Next up is our round up of the planets available this month to northern hemisphere observers, interesting lunar features and meteor showers. And we finish off with the best stars and deep sky objects on offer in the constellations Monoceros and Cancer.

Happy New Year! The sky guide has Jupiter at its very best, Venus, Saturn & Mars on offer along with the deep sky objects in Orion and Canis Major. The news has a Comet ISON saga round-up, China's Chang'e-3 moon lander, Jupiter's moon Europa spewing water into space & new exoplanet updates. In the 5MC, Paul explains the mystery and awe of Pulsating Stars - Pulsars. Ralph interviews astrophysicist & The Sky at Night host, Dr Chris Lintott. And the Q&A has questions on Martian meteor showers and the difference between open and globular clusters.

This pantomime of an episode contains some mild bad language and puerile humour. Join us for a round up of the best astronomy news from 2013, a look forward to the highlights in 2014 and a glimpse inside the normally secretive Cydonia Base at Christmas time. Naturally, no end of year Awesome Astronomy show would be complete without the habitual gaffes and outtakes. Happy Holidays, thank you for downloading and listening to us in 2013 and best wishes for 2014.

We have the planets, meteors showers and moon phases to look out for in December and a look at the deep sky objects in the constellations, Taurus & Gemini. In the news we have Comet ISON at perihelion, a guide to comets, the Indian Mars Orbiter Mission and NASA's MAVEN both setting sail for Mars and a bizarre asteroid that thinks it's a comet. In the 5MC, Paul explains the mysterious and awe-inspiring majesty of a familiar object in the night sky – The Orion Nebula. Perfect to listen to as you observe it! We open up our Christmas competition to win a year's subscription to Astronomy Now magazine and the European Southern Observatory's 2014 calendar. We have two interviews this month – Dr Gareth Williams, who officially calculated Comet ISON's trajectory, tells us all about the comet; and Dr Gerhard Schwehm, ESA Project Scientist on the Giotto and Rosetta comet-chasing spacecraft missions. Finally, we answer listeners' questions about the evidence for ancient alien visitors and the visibility of merging inactive black holes.

This month we have the planets, meteor showers and moon phases to look out for in November and a look at the deep sky objects in the Cetus, Pisces & Sculptor constellations. In the news we have the sad death of Scott Carpenter, the US government shutdown, water in Martian rocks, the completion of ESO's ALMA array & ESA's upcoming GAIA mission. In the 5MC, Paul reveals all we know about dark energy: a cosmological constant, a qualtum vacuum energy or quintessence (you decide). We interview Pauline Gagnon from CERN about the Higgs and how we find dark matter, supersymmetry and extra dimensions; and we round off with listeners' questions on rogue planets, the Earth's gravity & observing.

Highlights of September's skies at the AstroCamp star party with the BBC TV cameras. The Sky at Night team joinined us for some observing in Wales. A penumbral lunar eclipse, a round up of the planets visible in the northern hemisphere this month, a couple of meteor showers to get you outside, and the deep sky treats in Perseus, Camelopardalis and Auriga in our October sky guide.News that Voyager 1 is in interstellar space, NASA's latest mission to explore the thin lunar atmosphere and moon's dust and some research to get us hopeful for a fine display from Comet ISON later this year. The violent but universe enriching 'Death of Stars' is explained in Paul's 5 Minute Concept. An interview on the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation, astronomy research funding cuts and the Planck and Herschel space telescopes in this month's interview with researcher, writer and broadcaster Dr Chris North. And in Q&A we answer listeners' questions on brown dwarfs and Saturn's rings.

A daytime lunar occultation and a favourable libration of the moon, the ice giants and a round-up of all the planets on view and the deep sky treats in Cassiopeia and Andromeda in our September sky guide. A bright nova in Delphini, declassification of Area 51 plans, an update on Kepler, Juno and the Mars Science Laboratory, Voyager 1 leaving the solar system (maybe!), and new science from ESO's ALMA array. Nucleosynthesis and the life of stars explained in Paul's 5 Minute Concept.An interview on solar dynamics and the upcoming solar maximum with Dr Todd Hoeksema of Stanford University's Wilcox Solar Observatory, and in Q&A we answer listeners' questions on the moon's atmosphere and Han Solo's Kessel Run.

The wonderful upcoming Perseid meteor shower, planetary & lunar spectacles and the deep sky objects on offer in the Summer Triangle & Ophiuchus in our August sky guide. The new names for Pluto's 4th & 5th moons, a new moon disocered around Neptune, the discovery of mysterious extragalactic radio emissions and a photo of home from the Cassini spacecraft. Cepheid Variable stars explained in Paul's 5 Minute Concept and we draw a winner for a pair of magnificent astronomy binoculars. An interview with Professor Thierry Montmerle of the International Astronomical Union on astronomy education & outreach, naming conventions and buying celestial objects. And in Q&A we answer questions from listeners on the effect of the moon on bringing Kate Middleton to labour, the likelihood of Betelgeuse going supernova in our lifetimes & supermassive black holes.

Your July sky guide & a competition to *win a pair of binoculars!* News on the Goldilocks Zone, 3 new interesting exoplanets, a busy time on Low Earth Orbit, Curiosity & radiation risks for Mars-bound astronauts and black holes in the Andromeda Galaxy. Paul's 5 Minute Concept to explain an astronomy theory or idea in simple terms. An interview with the ESA ExoMars Project Scientist and Ralph & Paul get overrun with a listener's cookie-craze in Q&A.