Stay ConnectedAwesome Astronomy explores the frontiers of science, space and our evolving understanding of the universe.
Join Ralph, Paul & Jeni for informative and fun astronomy programmes dedicated to space and astronomy news and monthly podcast extras covering hot topics and special interviews in the world of science and astronomy.
Copyright: © Ralph, Paul, Jen
The Discussion: Space education at science fairs, sweating in space suits, the public attitude towards space exploration while there are so many relevant shows on TV. A correction from a listener and a lesson in Dutch.
The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have:
The main news story discussion: Protest in Hawaii over the Thirty Metre Telescope.
The Sky Guide: Covering the solar system and deep sky objects on offer to amateur astronomers in August:
Paul: A tour of the planets on offer, the Perseid meteor show, peculiar galaxy NGC7727 and globular cluster NGC6760, both in Aquila.
Jen: How to find Neptune and what to look for. The further afield, the Albireo, Epsilon Lyrae and Izar double stars.
Main Object: Caldwell 4, The Iris Nebula
Q&A: Could multiple space telescopes use optical interferometry to cheaply outperform the vast expensive ground-based telescopes?
In this podcast extra episode we talk to Karen Masters, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Haverford College, Pennsylvania about The Hubble Tuning Fork and Galaxy classification. But it's not only about that canonised galaxy classification system; it's also about how citizen science, astronomy done by absolutely anybody from their homes, can and do change the accepted wisdom and advance science.
The Discussion: An Apollo-fact filled episode to commemorate the 50th anniversary of humanity venturing onto the surface of another body. Paul works on an Oscar performance; we congratulate Jess Wade on receiving a BEM award and we take a look at the latest movie to lionise the efforts of Apollo 11.
The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have:
Main news stories: Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11 with Krispy Kreme, Apolloinrealtime.org, @Pilliarscreatio, the best of the Apollo history books, movies and a few fun facts.
The Debate: Court is in session for the second round of advocacy to get winner from your top ten historic space missions. On the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, what else would be doing battle, other than Apollo missions? So it's the heavyweights: Apollo 8 vs Apollo 11. Only one will survive!
Moon Hoaxes: This is a particularly active time for moon hoax conspiracy theorists so we thought we'd give you some ammunition for the next time someone tells you the flag was waving in the wind or the shadows should all be parallel…
The Discussion: Paul pulls a drowning child out of a river and we discuss the BBC's current astronomy-themed TV programme, The Planets. A drunken and sarcastic Jen is a good Jen and a rather pleasant surprise from listener Lee Stevens
The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have:
The Sky Guide: Covering the solar system and deep sky objects on offer to amateur astronomers in July:
Paul: The King of Planets, Jupiter, on offer all month and a partial lunar eclipse on the night of 16th July. For the deep sky, M10 & M12 globular clusters in Ophiuchus.
Ralph: Asteroid 18 Melpomene at opposition on 3rd July. On the 9th of July we have the Ring World, Saturn, at opposition and the Southern Delta Aquariids peak on 28/29th July. For the deep sky, beautiful binary targets Epsilon Lyrae and Albireo.
Main Object: The Earth's Moon.
The Discussion: The privations of a PhD student, listeners' comments sparking a couple of corrections from the last episode, another bout of potaytoes/potartoes and we hear that new revelations about space mirrors cult sci-fi.
The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have:
Main news story: The Lunar Gateway, an orbiting platform around the moon.
The Debate: Court is in session for the first round of advocacy for to find the winner in your top ten historic space missions. Which will make it through and which will consigned to the dustbin of history – Cassini Huygens or New Horizons?
Q&A: At 6 million kelvin, is the plasma around the M87 supermassive black hole still a plasma? Andy Burns from the UK
The Discussion: Pint of Science in Cardiff targets canines, Ralph makes a schoolboy error while in Florida and we all eagerly await the publication of a research paper by Jen.
The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have:
Main news story: Mr Musk's Splendiferous Starlink.
The Sky Guide: Covering the solar system and deep sky objects on offer to amateur astronomers in June:
Jen: Mars and Mercury as the stand-out objects in the lighter summer skies of June and a good opportunity to look out for noctilucent clouds at dawn and dusk.
Ralph: A round up of the other bright planets on offer in June and a certain satellite constellation now observable…
Main Object: the Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpens.
The Discussion: Your last chance to get tickets to join Jen's at Pint of Science on 20-22nd May in Cardiff, a couple of corrections for the last episode, listeners' comments about our Moon 2024 musings and a listener's email takes us into classic 50s sci-fi territory.
The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have:
Main news stories: Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has been developing a giant lunar landing in secret, while Elon Musk's SpaceX have a setback to their human spaceflight plans
The Debate: A reminder that you can influence the Best Space Mission Ever debate season, starting next month. What do you think is the best current or historical space mission and why? We'll shortlist the ten most popular and begin advocating to reach a winner.
Q&A: Could a device, with a magnetic field, be placed at the L1 Lagrange Point between the Sun and Mars to help to thicken the atmosphere? And could a device be placed at Earth's L1 Lagrange point counteract the effect of global warming?
U: Recording from the Mars/Earth-analogue biome cottage at the AstroCamp starparty in the Welsh Brecon Beacons, we start off by discussing stargazing during a hurricane(!) and get ready for Jeni's Pint of Science events this month.
The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have:
And a round up of some of the best astronomy April Fool's gags from last month, including how winter would come on a Game of Thrones type world.
Main news story: 1) The first ever image of a black hole
The Sky Guide: Covering the solar system and deep sky objects on offer to amateur astronomers in May:
An unwelcome dearth of solar system objects with Jupiter, Mars and Saturn low on the horizon, but dwarf planet Ceres is at opposition and we also have a few nice conjunctions to enjoy in May.
Messier 5 and Palomar 5 globular clusters in Serpens and Messier 57, and the Ring Nebula, and the Double Double in Lyra.
Main Object: the much-overlooked Northern Star, Polaris.
The Discussion: Hear Jen's talk at Pint of Science on 20-22nd May in Cardiff, less than salubrious travel arrangements for science talks, a listener's email from the Australian Tourist Board and keep sending us your suggestion for the best historic space mission.
The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have:
The Debate: Will commercial providers be the future of space flight endeavours or will the real leaps still continue to be made by huge government institutions like NASA, ESA, JAXA etc. Ralph & Paul do battle. Jen will be the judge!
The Discussion: A bumper episode beginning with the April stargazing extravaganza run by the Awesome Astronomy team on 27th - 30th April, a reminder to email us with your best space missions of the last 62 years, a stroll down Rocketry Lane, come along to hear Jeni talk at A Pint of Science on 20-22nd May at Beelzebub's in Cardiff, and listeners' emails (including how you amateurs can participate in occultation observation science).
The News: Rounding up the astronomy news this month we have:
Main news story: 1) The 1st direct observation of exoplanets using optical interferometry
The Sky Guide: Covering the solar system and deep sky objects on offer to amateur astronomers in April:
Main Deep Sky Object: Messier 13, The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules.
The Interview: Jeni talks to Dr Sarah Ragan, a lecturer at Cardiff University's School of Physics and Astronomy about how to become a professional astronomer, do stars care what conditions they form in and the upcoming Pint of Science talks.
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