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: It's almost Halloween and Jeni's getting the knives out. Paul's been recording astronomy voiceovers for the Discovery Channel, Jeni's got the Cardiff BookTalk coming up and Ralph's excited by the return of Doctor Who.
The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have:
Black History Month: To honour Black History Month, the crew take a look at the non white, middle-aged males that have pioneered and excelled in making our world what it is today in the fields of astronomy and space science.
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 we take a look at the fate of our sun:
When the sun explodes into a supernovae how far will the ejected material go as a planetary nebulae? Also will any of the planets make it or will they all be shattered into oblivion? Tyler W in the US via email.
The Discussion: Paul has snubbed the show to do astronomy on TV so we're keeping our spirits up with tales of AstroCamp and the inspirational Libby Jackson from the UK Space Agency. Jeni updates us with the progress of her PhD and invites you all along to her Q&A session at Cardiff Book Talk on 22nd October, before Ralph runs through listeners' emails
The News: With 3 minutes to round up the astronomy news stories you might have missed, we overshoot the time constraints by about 70%:
Jeni:
Ralph:
The Sky Guide: Jeni and Ralph take you through their picks of the night sky in October:
Ralph covers our solar system:
Jeni takes a look into the deep sky:
The main event:
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 we look at distance metrics:
Which point in other galaxies do astronomers measure galactic distances to, the galactic core or the edge? From Steve Brown in Yorkshire
The Discussion: Lt Col Dave from Florida gives us his more informed take on Space Force.
The News: In the new revamped show format we have 3 minutes to round up the astronomy news stories you might have missed:
Jeni:
Ralph:
The big news story:
The Debate: In this section the team debate a pressing question or issue in astronomy or space flight and in this inaugural debate, Ralph takes on Jeni to make arguments for what should be the next big human spaceflight destination: Moon or Mars?
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 we take a look at powering rovers on Mars:
Will ExoMars be able to survive dust storms? From Mike in Florida
In this podcast extra episode, we go a step further than just talking about astronomy and look forward to a long weekend of practical astronomy.
This episode discusses the value of star parties and whets your apetite for Awesome Astronomy's AstroCamp event in the Welsh Brecon Beacons International Dark Sky Reserve.
Come share the eyepiece with us, enjoy a talk from the UK Space Agency's Libby Jackson and win some astronomy prizes!
The Discussion: Jeni returns after getting the flu, Paul's science shows were a wash out at Camp Bestival and Ralph gets a great email about a telescope library service.
The News: In the new revamped show format we have 3 minutes to round up the astronomy news stories you might have missed:
Jeni:
Ralph:
The big news story:
The Skyguide:
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 we take a look at astronomical time travel:
I'm still trying to get my head around if bigger telescopes looking at the same thing as my 6 inch reflector are seeing it at a different time or in just more detail. Take the Whirlpool Galaxy for example, can it be seen at different stages in its existence? From Peter Coates in the UK.
Episode 75 Part 2 on space exploration comes out in the middle of the month.
In this podcast extra episode, Jeni teams up with our good friend Dr Chris North from the Pythagoras Trousers podcast to speak to Caltech's Linde Professor of Physics and Nobel Laureate Barry Barish. In this interview we discuss:
The Discussion: Jeni cares so little for our listeners that she didn't even bother to show up this month (except for the interview section) and with no discipline Paul's defacing valuable space artefacts and the emails to the show take a plunge south.
The News: The news section gets a revamp with a quick round up of the space exploration and astronomy news, covering:
The Interview: Jeni talks to Josh Borrow from Durham University's Institute of Computational Cosmology about their simulations of the universe using supercomputers - and how you can make and control your own universe (yes, for reals!) at galaxymakers.org
The 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 we take a look at the eventual fate of the dying star Betelgeuse:
When Betelgeuse goes kabloom, what's the best estimate of what will be left, neutron star, pulsar, magnetar or black hole? From Martin Bradshaw in Accrington UK,
What to look out, and up, for in August.
With no Jeni this month, Ralph & Paul pick their highlights for this month's skies; starting with the solar system objects on offer to observers and imagers:
Next up, we take a deep sky pick from our list of favourites for this time of year:
And we finish this sky guide with August's moon phases.
In this podcast extra episode, there was only one thing playing on all our minds - Space Force. What is it? Why is it? What will it look like? Just like us, I'm sure you'll be none the wiser after this in-depth look into:
The Discussion: Jeni tells us about her more recent astronomy conferences in Eastbourne and Copenhagen. Paul gives us a round up of his astronomy outreach with interesting facts from and a rooftop star party. And Awesome Astronomy gets in deeper than intended with the Alan Bennet/Thora Hird gag that far outstayed its welcome.
The News: Rounding up the space and astronomy news this month we have:
The Interview: This month Jeni speaks to Dr Tana Joseph about the MeerKAT telescope and how outreach is impacting science in South Africa.
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 we take a look at solar physics:
Will the Parker Solar Probe really touch the surface of the sun and what science will it do? Mark De Vriij in Poland
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