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The Supermassive Podcast — Astronomy
The Supermassive Podcast

The UK’s #1 space podcast.

Science journalist Izzie Clarke and astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst whizz through the universe to explore the latest research with leading experts, dive to history from the society’s archives and take on your weird and wonderful questions about all things space. Can we gravitationally hitch-hike out of the solar system? Do we live in a multiverse? What is time? Plus Dr Robert Massey is on hand with his top star-gazing tips.

Want to support the show? Join The Supermassive Club for exclusive content, star-gazing forums and ad-free listening… supermassive.supportingcast.fm

And keep adding to The Supermassive Mailbox with your pictures and questions for the team. Send them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow them on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.

The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Copyright: © The Royal Astronomical Society

Latest Episodes:

34: How to Deflect an Asteroid Oct 27, 2022

Show notes

Terrified that an asteroid could wipe out the planet? Don’t panic…the Supermassive team are here to help. Izzie and Dr Becky talk to Professor Alan Fitzsimmons about the results of the DART asteroid deflection mission and Samuel L Jackson (who knew he’s studying for a Phd at the Open University?) tells us how scientists plan to track and tackle threatening space rocks. Plus why the Deep Impact movie terrifies both Izzie and Dr Becky, but for very different reasons, and Dr Robert Massey takes us through the November night sky.
The Year in Space from the Supermassive Podcast is out now: https://geni.us/jNcrw
Send in your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk
The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham for the Royal Astronomical Society.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

33: Q&A - The Year in Space Sep 30, 2022

Show notes

It's been an exciting time for space exploration, so Izzie and Dr Becky celebrate the year in space.... co-incidentally the title of The Supermassive Podcast's book which is out in October. How do plants grow in the ISS? Has JWST changed ideas about cosmology? And when will we get a home gravitational wave detector? The honourable Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst, Dr Robert Massey, and (his excellency) space and science journalist Richard Hollingham take on your questions.
Pre-order our upcoming book The Year In Space for a run down of the most exciting space news and a look to the year ahead: https://geni.us/jNcrw
Listen to Space Boffins: https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/astronomy-podcasts/space-boffins/apollo-remastered
Listen to Gardeners of the Galaxy: https://gardenersofthegalaxy.podbean.com/
Bookclub:
The Year in Space - The Supermassive Podcast (that's us!)
Apollo Remastered - Andy Saunders
Star Names: Their Lore and Meaning - Richard Hinckley Allen
A Responsibility to Awe - Rebecca Elson
A Brief History of Black Holes - Dr Becky Smethurst

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

32: JWST First Images... FINALLY! Aug 27, 2022

Show notes

Izzie and Dr Becky freak out over the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope. From seeing the deep (not so deep) field with Steve Wilkins from the University of Sussex, to exploring exoplanet atmospheres with Dr Hannah Wakeford from the University of Bristol. Plus, Dr Robert Massey takes the team through the September night sky.
Pre-order The Year in Space, out October 27th 2022
https://geni.us/jNcrw
Send in your questions for next month's Year in Space Q&A to podcast@ras.ac.uk
The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham for the Royal Astronomical Society.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

31: Life on Mars - LIVE from Standon Calling Jul 29, 2022

Show notes

The Supermassive team dust off their wellies and peg down their tents for Standon Calling. And to celebrate 10 years of NASA's Curiosity rover landing on Mars, Izzie and Dr Becky are asking the question everyone at the festival wants answered... Is there life on Mars?
With special thanks to Dr Robert Massey, David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences at the Open University, and Alice Armstrong from Agile Rabbit.
Pre-order our book, The Year In Space, out October 2022:
https://geni.us/jNcrw

The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production, by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

30: Rocky Planets Rock Jul 01, 2022

Show notes

Izzie and Dr Becky are flying closer to home to look at the Rocky Planets; Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. How are they different? How are they similar? And can understanding their past tell us anything about Earth’s future? Plus, Dr Robert Massey has his stargazing tips for summer.
With special thanks to Dr Suzie Imber from the University of Leicester, and Sian Prosser from the Royal Astronomical Society.
Thank you to Brilliant for sponsoring this episode. Head to brilliant.org/supermassive to start free courses in maths, science, and computer science. The first 200 subscribers will get 20% off.
Our book, The Year In Space 2023, will be out in Oct 2022. Pre-order here: https://geni.us/jNcrw
We'll be LIVE at Standon Calling, Friday 22nd July 2022 at 2pm. Find out more: https://standon-calling.com/
The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

29: Gas Giants are Weird May 31, 2022

Show notes

From hexagonal shaped storms to spinning sideways, Izzie and Dr Becky are exploring our weird and wonderful Gas Giants. Joining them are Dr Tom Stallard from the University of Leicester and Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Director of the Royal Astronomical Society. Plus editor, Richard Hollingham, takes a trip to the Royal Astronomical Society’s library to see Galileo’s first observations of Saturn’s rings and William Herschel’s notebook from when he discovered Uranus.
See Jupiter's fast rotation (thanks to Dr James O'Donoghue) https://twitter.com/physicsJ/status/1519023430053818368
Thank you to Brilliant for sponsoring this episode. Head to brilliant.org/supermassive to start free courses in maths, science, and computer science. The first 200 subscribers will get 20% off.
The Year In Space 2023 by The Supermassive Team will be out on Oct 2022. Pre-order here: https://geni.us/jNcrw
The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Edited by Sarah Moore.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28: How to Kill a Galaxy Apr 30, 2022

Show notes

How does a galaxy evolve and die? Izzie and Dr Becky find out with help from Tim Davis at Cardiff University. Plus, Dr Robert Massey from the Royal Astronomical Society answers your questions and explains how to spot galaxies in the night sky.
Thank you to Brilliant for sponsoring this episode. Head to brilliant.org/supermassive to start free courses in maths, science, and computer science. The first 200 subscribers will get 20% off.
The link below has more information on the RAS Public Talk with Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, Space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life - with humans and with robots.
https://ras.ac.uk/events-and-meetings/ras-public-lectures-and-events/space-exploration-and-search-extraterrestrial

A Year In Space by The Supermassive Team will be out on Oct 13th 2022. Pre-order here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Year-Space-Supermassive-Podcast-Astronomical/dp/1472299507/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1O3PS3QUCPP2A&keywords=the+year+in+space&qid=1650904438&s=books&sprefix=the+year+in+space%2Cstripbooks%2C94&sr=1-3
The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

27: How to Build a Galaxy Mar 25, 2022

Show notes

Izzie and Dr Becky are attempting to tackle the massive subject of building a galaxy.
Professor Mike Merrifield from The University of Nottingham explains how galaxies form and our very own galaxy expert, Dr Becky, tells us why they come in different shapes and sizes. Plus, Dr Robert Massey has his top tips for stargazing in spring.
Thank you to Brilliant for sponsoring this episode. Head to brilliant.org/supermassive to start free courses in maths, science, and computer science. The first 200 subscribers will get 20% off.
Explore the Galaxy Zoo here:
https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zookeeper/galaxy-zoo/
Space Book Club recommendations...
Back to Earth - Nicole Stott
The End of Astronauts - Donald Goldsmith & Martin ReesThe Disordered Cosmos - Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
"A Year In Space" by The Supermassive Team will be out on Oct 13th 2022. Pre-order here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Year-Space-Supermassive-Podcast-Astronomical/dp/1472299507/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1O3PS3QUCPP2A&keywords=the+year+in+space&qid=1650904438&s=books&sprefix=the+year+in+space%2Cstripbooks%2C94&sr=1-3
The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Editing this month is by Sarah Moore.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

26: The Marvellous Moon Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

Who doesn’t love looking up at the moon?! Joining Izzie and Dr Becky, Professor Katherine Joy from the University of Manchester explains what past and future lunar missions can tell us, and Dr Megan Barford from Royal Museums Greenwich gives us a tour of two stunning moon maps from the 17th century. Plus, Dr Robert Massey takes on your questions and shares his top tips for moon-gazing.
See the moon maps here...
By Riccioli & Grimaldi, 1651: https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/1179815/viewBy Cassini, 1679: https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/1093522/view
The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

25: A Supermassive Q&A! Jan 28, 2022

Show notes

The Supermassive team is finally doing something about all the questions that have been sent in. It’s Q&A time! From "fluffy" planets, to cake on the moon, join Izzie Clarke as she puts your questions to Dr Becky Smethurst, Dr Robert Massey and science and space journalist Richard Hollingham.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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