Walkabout the Galaxy

Latest Episodes:

Things that Blow. And Clocks. Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

In another wide-ranging episode, we discuss how atmospheric and oceanic chemistry changes wiped out most life on Earth 250 million years ago, the best evidence yet for a third type of supernova, and the importance of timekeeping for astronomy and space missions. We also have historical clock trivia and a lot of space news to share.

Stars That Blink Jun 23, 2021

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Just when the mysterious dimming of nearby giant star Betelgeuse is explained, a more distant giant star was almost completely blocked out. We discuss the very different explanations for these two stellar events, and we check in with updates on metallic asteroid Psyche and other Astroquarkian asteroid news.

The Cosmological Principle Jun 16, 2021

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These days it goes without saying that the universe is the same in every direction, at least on large scales. Or is it? We take a look at a new result from the Sloane Digital Sky Survey that seems to show a big smiley face in space, or more precisely, a decidedly non-random distribution of matter on a very large scale. We'll discuss what it means, or doesn't, take a look at citizen science, and discuss the latest in space news, nerd news, and a sci-fi trivia.

Back to Venus with Several Rants Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

We're feeling happy, chatty, and ranty in the first show back in our studio since February, 2020, with a look at two new missions to Venus, a cool experiment about Aurora, magnetic field trivia, and so much more.

How the Universe has Aged Jun 02, 2021

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On our 239th episode the Astroquarks reflect on the Friends Reunion where they reflected on their time making only 236 episodes. The Friends and the Astroquarks have aged, but nothing compared to the Universe. We take a look at the first results from an ambitious all-sky survey to compare the distribution of matter in the universe today to what is predicted from our baby pictures of the universe. The results are a bit surprising. Also surprising: our helicopter trivia.

Of Cosmic Rays and Neptune's Wandering Ways May 26, 2021

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Neptune, as the outermost big planet, has an outsized effect on the countless objects in the Kuiper belt in the distant reaches of the solar system. We take a look at how the orbits of Kuiper belt comets today can teach us about Neptune's orbit 4 billion years ago, which is pretty cool if you think about it, and even if you don't. We also get a clue that cosmic rays may come from supernovae, including one in our own galactic back yard. Get all this and top quark trivia on this episode of WtG.

Ten Things I Hate About Neutrinos May 19, 2021

Show notes

We are kidding, neutrinos. We love you. You're just a little bit scary! In this episode we discuss a way we'll learn about the mysterious tiny particles and their interactions with matter, as well as new spacecraft observations of the Sun, and a black hole caught in the act of spaghettification of a nearby star. Plus: special neutrino trivia from Top astroquark!

Surprises at the Centers of Things May 12, 2021

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How many licks does it take to get to the center of Saturn? We don't know, but when you get there you will find a gooey surprise. Saturn's core is more massive than previously thought, and has a mixing transition to the gases above, revealed by studying Saturn's rings of all things. Meanwhile the center of the galaxy has an odd source of antimatter. Learn about all that, giant telescopes, and upcoming missions on Walkabout the Galaxy.

A Whirl of Neutron Stars Apr 28, 2021

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A quackery of astroquarks takes a close look at neutron stars thanks to observations from the NICER observatory on the International Space Station and some clever scientific modeling that reveals these rapidly spinning stellar remnants are not too soft, not too stiff, but just the right amount of squeezable. Join us to find out the hidden mysteries of neutron stars, and just what do you call a group of black holes, anyway? How about moons, craters, planets, and comets? Get the answers to all this and more on Walkabout the Galaxy.

There Are Five Lights! Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

Not all dark matter is "dark matter" dark matter. Some is simply dark, well, matter. An Australian radio telescope has found a long filament of cold plasma from the scintillations it produces in the radio waves of background sources. We'll explain all that, and take a deep dive into dust from space and dust from your face in another wide-ranging episode of Walkabout the Galaxy.

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