WORLD UNIVERSITY DIRECTORY
Astronomy Education Astronomy Cast

  Back to "News Updates - Homepage"


| More


Astronomy Cast - Recent Educational Updates

-->
Ep. 713: Solar System Volcanoes
Astronomy Cast Ep. 713: Solar System Volcanoes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 18, 2024. Last week was one of the most exciting meetings we’ve seen from the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, with hundreds of announcements and discoveries from various missions. One theme kept coming up, the Solar System is more volcanically active than we thought. Today, we’ll explore volcanism on other worlds.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 712: How Peer Review Fails
Astronomy Cast Ep. 712: How Peer Review Fails by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 11, 2024.   You’ve probably heard that the best kind of science is peer-reviewed research published in a prestigious journal. But peer review has problems of its own. We’ll talk about that today.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 711: NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC)
Astronomy Cast Ep. 711: NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live March 4, 2024. NASA works on many missions using tried and true technology, but they also invest in creative ideas that could drive the future of space exploration. It’s called NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts or NIAC.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 710: NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program
Astronomy Cast Ep. 710: NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 26, 2024. In the olden days, NASA developed its missions using a variety of in-house engineers and external suppliers. As more commercial companies are targeting the Moon, NASA is working with partners to deliver its payloads to the lunar surface. Today let’s talk about NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Program.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 709: Space Weapons
Astronomy Cast Ep. 709: Space Weapons by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 19, 2024. [My apologies for Fraser’s audio dropouts. We’re not sure how it happened as it wasn’t happening at his studio. Audio is a black art, IMHO. Rich) Last week we learned that Russia might be planning nuclear weapons to take out satellites in space. What is the current and future possibility of weapons in space and what are the treaties designed to prevent them?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit (rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 708: What Goes Into Sample Return Missions From Asteroids & Comets?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 708: What Goes Into Sample Return Missions From Asteroids & Comets? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Feb 12, 2024. Last week we talked about sample return missions from the Moon and Mars, but scientists have retrieved samples from other objects in the Solar System, including comets and asteroids. What does it take to return a piece of rock from space, and what have we learned so far?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit ( rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 707: What Goes Into A Sample Return Mission? Moon & Mars
Astronomy Cast Ep. 707: What Goes Into A Sample Return Mission? Moon & Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 5, 2024. We’ve sent robots to other worlds, but the amount of science we can deploy to another planet can’t compare with the vast science labs we have on Earth. That’s why more and more missions are for a sample return, bringing pieces of alien worlds back to Earth, where we study them with proper equipment.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit ( rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 706: China’s Space Program
Astronomy Cast Ep. 706: China’s Space Program by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 30, 2024. We’re so familiar with NASA’s exploration efforts in space, but you might be surprised to learn that China launches almost as many rockets as the US. They’ve got their own space exploration program that could soon bring humans to the surface of the Moon. Let’s give a brief overview of China’s space exploration plans.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 705: Water Worlds - Looking For Life Beyond Earth
Astronomy Cast Ep. 705: Water Worlds - Looking For Life Beyond Earth by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live January 17, 2024. Wherever we find liquid water on Earth, we find life, so it makes sense to search for water across the Universe, and hopefully we can find evidence of life. But what about worlds which are completely covered in water, oceans hundreds of kilometers deep. Can there be too much water?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 704: NASA's Juno Releases New Images
Astronomy Cast Ep. 704: NASA's Juno Releases New Images by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live January 8, 2024. NASA’s Juno spacecraft has completed dozens of flybys of Jupiter, seeing the planet from many angles and delivering some of the most beautiful images we’ve ever seen of the Jovian world. Now it’s focusing in on Io, sending home images of the tiny volcanic world from just 1,500 km away. And the best is yet to come.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 703: Solar Maximum of Doom? Maybe
Astronomy Cast Ep. 703: Solar Maximum of Doom? Maybe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 20, 2023. Solar cycle 25 is shaping up to be a doozy, with plenty of flares and coronal mass ejections blasting off the Sun. As the solar activity continues to rise, how are things shaping up?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 702: Moonshot 2024 - Go or No Go?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 702: Moonshot 2024 - Go or No Go? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 11, 2023. With Artemis 1 completing its robotic flight around the Moon, we know that the SLS works. Next comes Artemis 2, with a crew of astronauts flying past the Moon. If that’s successful, we could see humans set foot on the Moon in December 2025. But there is a long list of challenges to consider that could delay things considerably. Go or no go for launch‽   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 701: Space Science We Look Forward to in the Next 700 Episodes
Astronomy Cast Ep. 701: Space Science We Look Forward to in the Next 700 Episodes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 4, 2023. Last week we looked back at some of the ideas that science has changed its mind about. This week we look forward, into the future, at some of the big ideas that astronomers are making progress in. What space science are we looking forward to?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 700: The Things We Got Wrong
Astronomy Cast Ep. 700: The Things We Got Wrong by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 27, 2023. Astronomers talk about all the amazing discoveries they’re making but sometimes, it turns out, they were wrong. After decades and centuries of discoveries, how have they changed their minds?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 699: Holiday Gift Giving Ideas for Astronomy and Space Fans
Astronomy Cast Ep. 699: Holiday Gift Giving Ideas for Astronomy and Space Fans by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 20, 2023. Just a warning, the holidays are rapidly approaching. It’s time, once again, to think about what to buy all the space nerds on your lists. Here’s what we like.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 698: Insights Into the Universe
Astronomy Cast Ep. 698: Insights Into the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From Nov 5, 2023. How the time flies. It’s been over a year since JWST went operational, with other missions joining the fun. What new insights have we gained about the Universe thanks to these powerful new tools?   Recorded live during the 2023 Hangout-a-Thon on November 5.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 697: Mission Roll Call Part 6: The Outer Solar System and Beyond
Astronomy Cast Ep. 697: Mission Roll Call Part 6: The Outer Solar System and Beyond by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live November 4th, 2023.. Finally, we reach the end of our tour through the missions in the Solar System. Out beyond Mars, to Jupiter, the Kuiper Belt and Beyond.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 696: Mission Roll Call Part 5: The Science at Mars
Astronomy Cast Ep. 696: Mission Roll Call Part 5: The Science at Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 30, 2023. Another week, another review of space missions in the Solar System. Today we set our sights on the red planet. What are all the active missions at Mars today?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 695: Mission Roll Call Part 4: Lunar Exploration
Astronomy Cast Ep. 695: Mission Roll Call Part 4: Lunar Exploration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 23, 2023. Our journey through missions continues, this time we focus on the Moon. There are many nations on the Moon, near the Moon, around the Moon, traveling to the Moon. It’s a lot. We’ll talk about it today.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 694: Mission Roll Call Part 3: Sun, Mercury, and Venus
Astronomy Cast Ep. 694: Mission Roll Call Part 3: Sun, Mercury, and Venus by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 16, 2023. Our journey through space missions continues. Now we move away from the Earth to the rest of the solar system. What’s out there orbiting, roving and flying on other worlds and in interplanetary space. Today we look inward and we’ll talk about the missions studying the Sun, Mercury and Venus.   Thank you to all of our patrons who allow us to do this! This week I'd like to thank Jeremy Kerwin, Stuart Mills, Slug!, Harold Bardenhogan, Matthew Horstman, Kimberly Reich, Georgie Ianov, Scott Bieber, Jim Schooler. Marco Yarasi, David Gates, Alex Cohen, Justin Proctor, Claudia Mastriani, Scott Cohen, Disastrina, Kinsaya Pianflinko, Mathias Hayden, The Big Squish Squash!, Tim Garish, Gregory Singleton, Tim McMackin, Jeff Wilson Cooper, Paul D Disney, Benjamin Mueller, Ninja Nick, Kenneth Ryan, Eran Segev, Scott Briggs and Bruce Amazine. Thank you all so much! 


Ep. 693: Mission Roll Call Part 2: Looking Outward from Earth
Astronomy Cast Episode 693: Mission Roll Call, Part 2: Looking Outward from Earth by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 9, 2023. Last week, we brought you up to speed on the spacecraft which are helping to study Earth from above. Many of our missions are in Earth orbit but looking outward to study the Universe. Today, we’ll talk about the missions close to home, helping us understand our place in the cosmos.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 692: Mission Roll Call Part 1: Earth Orbit
Astronomy Cast Ep. 692: Mission Roll Call Part 1: Earth Orbit by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It’s time for another series! This time we’re gonna look at the missions that’re currently in place across the solar system. Today we’ll start with the key missions here on Earth, studying the planet from above and looking out into the Universe. 


Ep. 691: Jupiter’s Changing Red Spot
Astronomy Cast Ep. 691: Jupiter’s Changing Red Spot by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 25, 2023. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is one of its most iconic features. First seen hundreds of years ago. Although it’s certainly long lasting, it’s been changing in size over the last few decades. Shrinking, changing in color. Is it fading away? And what can the changes tell us about storms on giant planets?


Ep. 690: Climate on Mars - From Ice Caps to Dust Storms
Astronomy Cast Ep. 690: Climate on Mars - From Ice Caps to Dust Storms by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 18, 2023. We’ve looked at Earth’s changing climate, now let’s see what it’s like for another world: Mars. Much looks familiar, but some of it is totally alien, from ice caps of frozen carbon dioxide to planetary dust storms that can obscure the entire world from view.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 689 - Our Warming World: 20 Years of Climate Science
Astronomy Cast Ep. 689 - Our Warming World: 20 Years of Climate Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 11, 2023. It’s official! June and July were the warmest we’ve seen since records began over a century ago. Fires are rampant across Canada, and we’re seeing record droughts around the world. Today we’re going to look at 20 years of climate science, how well does reality match up with the predictions.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Hiatus Message
Astronomy Cast - Hiatus Message by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Once again, we’ve reached the end of a season here on Astronomy Cast, and it’s time for the summer hiatus. See you in September!


Ep. 688: What’s Next? Looking Ahead to Season 17
Astronomy Cast Ep. 688: What’s Next? Looking Ahead to Season 17 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 26, 2023. Once again, we’ve reached the end of a season here on Astronomy Cast, and it’s time for the summer hiatus. But the Universe never takes a break. What can we expect to happen over the summer while we’re catching up on our reading, building our gardens and planning for Season 17?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 687: Prepping for the Moon
Astronomy Cast Ep. 687: Prepping for the Moon by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We’re going back to the Moon. In the next few years humans will set foot on the Moon again, ideally this time to stay. But this will be different than the Apollo era, going to the scientifically fascinating, and difficult southern pole of the Moon. What needs to be done to prepare the way back to the Moon?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 686: Ice In The Shadows
Astronomy Cast Ep. 686: Ice In The Shadows by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Ga Streamed live on Jun 12, 2023. The permanently shadowed craters on the Moon are the focus of so much research. That’s because they seem to contain vast reserves of water ice. Water we could use for oxygen, propellant and so much more, but also, to help us understand where the Earth’s water came from.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela  


Ep. 685: Manufacturing In Space
Astronomy Cast Ep. 685: Manufacturing In Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 5, 2023. Launching satellites from Earth is counter-productive. You’ve got to make a satellite that can handle Earth gravity, then the brutal flight to space, then deployment in orbit. What if you could build your spacecraft in space?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 684: Too Big, Too Soon: Massive Early Galaxies Defy Expectations
Astronomy Cast Ep. 684: Too Big, Too Soon: Massive Early Galaxies Defy Expectations by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 29, 2023. One of JWST’s top jobs is to peer deeper into the Universe than ever before, watching as the first galaxies came together. Surprisingly, astronomers found galaxies that seemed much more mature than expected, much earlier than it was believed possible. What’s going on and what does it mean for cosmology?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Jeanette Wink Gerhard Schwarzer David BogieNet THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 683: Cosmic Dawn
Astronomy Cast Ep. 683: Cosmic Dawn by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 22, 2023. After the cosmic microwave background radiation was released, the Universe returned to darkness, cloaked in this clouds of primordial hydrogen and helium. Gravity pulled these vast clouds into the first stars, and then the first galaxies. This is Cosmic Dawn, and JWST will help us probe this mysterious time in the Universe.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Jeanette Wink Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 682: Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies & Dark Matter
Astronomy Cast Ep. 682: Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies & Dark Matter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Ga Streamed live on May 15, 2023. Astronomers first noticed the strange behaviors of rotating galaxies almost 100 years ago, suggesting there’s an invisible dark matter hold them together with gravity. Or maybe we just don’t understand how gravity works at the largest scales. Observations are much better now, and astronomers have found examples of galaxies that are almost entirely made of dark matter. Does this tell us anything?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Jeanette Wink Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela  


Ep. 681: Kilonovae
Astronomy Cast Ep. 681: Kilonovae by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 7, 2023. In 2017, astronomers detected the gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation from colliding neutron stars. This had been long theorized as one of the causes of a certain type of gamma-ray burst. By studying the event and its afterglow, astronomers have learned a tremendous amount about the formation of the heaviest elements in the Universe.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Jeanette Wink Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 680: Rogue Black Holes
Astronomy Cast Ep. 680: Rogue Black Holes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 1, 2023. Last week we talked about rogue stars. This week we’re going to take things up a notch and talk about an even more extreme event. Rogue black holes. Astronomers recently discovered a supermassive black hole on an escape trajectory, leaving newly forming stars in its wake. It’s wonderful, terrible, nightmare fuel. Fraser’s rogue SMBH article: The original paper:   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 679: High(per) Velocity Stars
Astronomy Cast Ep. 679: High(per) Velocity Stars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 24, 2023. Most stars in the Milky Way are trapped in here with us, doomed to orbit around and around and around. But a few have found a way out, an escape into the freedom of intergalactic space. How do stars reach escape velocity, never to return?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeannette Wink Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 678: World Building: Planet Formation, Growth & Ejection
Astronomy Cast Ep. 678: World Building: Planet Formation, Growth & Ejection by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 17, 2023. Okay sci-fi writers, today we’re going to give you a guided tour of building planets. How they form, how they grow, and how things can go horribly horribly wrong. [Editor’s Note: Google HL Tau, click on the Wikipedia link and see planets forming!]   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeannette Wink Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 677: The Answer is Always Dust
Astronomy Cast Ep. 677: The Answer is Always Dust by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 10, 2023. Whenever astronomers discover something surprising, the answer often turns out to be dust. Dust obscuring our view, dust changing the polarity, dust warming things up, dust cooling things down. It’s always dust. Until it isn’t.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeannette Wink Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 676: Other Things With Rings
Astronomy Cast Ep. 676: Other Things With Rings by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 3, 2023. We’ve spent a lot of time gushing about Saturn’s rings, but there are other places with ring systems. And not just Jupiter and the ice giants, but asteroids, dwarf planets, centaurs and even exoplanets. Today let’s gush about them!   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeannette Wink Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 675: Exotic Forms of Ice
Astronomy Cast Ep. 675: Exotic Forms of Ice by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Ice is ice, right? You know, what you get when water freezes. Well, maybe here on Earth. But across the Universe, water can be squeezed together at different temperatures and pressures, leading to very different structures. Today we’ll talk about the different forms that ice can take.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 674: Asteroid Early Warning Systems
Astronomy Cast Ep. 674: Asteroid Early Warning Systems by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The asteroid apocalypse is one of those existential crises that keep astronomers up at night. But the DART mission showed us that we can push an asteroid off its trajectory if we have enough warning. Today we’ll talk about how humanity is building early warning systems to give us time to respond to a dangerous asteroid.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 673: How to See Satellites (or Avoid Seeing Them)
Astronomy Cast Ep. 673: How to See Satellites (or Avoid Seeing Them) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 13, 2023. If you’re in dark skies and look up, you’re certain to see a satellite. Lots of them. But how can you know which one you’re seeing, and how can you improve your chances of a sighting? Today we’ll talk about how to see satellites, or avoid seeing them.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 672: Space Debris Removal
Astronomy Cast Ep. 672: Space Debris Removal by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 8, 2023. We’ve talked about the rising problem of space junk. Okay, we know it’s an issue. So what can be done about it? Today we’ll talk about ideas to remove space junk, making sure space is open to use for the centuries to come.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 671: The Consequences to Breaking Space Laws
Astronomy Cast Ep. 671: The Consequences to Breaking Space Laws by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 1, 2023. Last week we talked about the laws that govern space exploration. This week the rubber hits the road. What are the consequences for actually breaking these rules? Are they really going to stop anyone?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 670 - Governing Space: The 1967 Outer Space Treaty & More!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 670 - Governing Space: The 1967 Outer Space Treaty & More! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Ga Streamed live on Feb 13, 2023. The Universe was inaccessible for most of human history, but the first tentative steps to space in the 20th Century made humanity realize that science fiction was becoming science reality. New rules would have to be written to govern how we used this limitless expanse. Today we’ll talk about the Outer Space Treaty of 1967.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Jeanette Wink Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela  


Ep. 669: Challenges to Dark Energy
Astronomy Cast Ep. 669: Challenges to Dark Energy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 6, 2023. It’s been over 20 years since astronomers first discovered that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating thanks to dark energy. And in these decades, astronomers still don’t have much evidence for what could be causing the increased expansion rate. Maybe there’s something else going on to explain it.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Jeanette Wink Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 668: The Crisis In Cosmology
Astronomy Cast Ep. 668: The Crisis In Cosmology by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 30, 2023. Astronomers have made extremely accurate measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe and come up with different results. And the error bars for the observations don’t overlap, so there’s something strange going on. What’s the answer and how can the Crisis in Cosmology be resolved?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: David Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 667: JWST First Science
Astronomy Cast Ep. 667: JWST First Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 23, 2023. Astronomers came together in January to present their newest research. And not surprisingly, the winter AAS meeting was heavy on news from the James Webb Space Telescope. What were some of the new results that were announced?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle J.F. Rajotte Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Aurora Lipper David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 666: Solar System References to the Underworld
  Sign up through to make a difference in the climate crisis, and Wren will plant 10 extra trees in your name!   Streamed live on Jan 17, 2023. Well, we did it. We made it to episode 666, an auspicious number to be sure. What can we do to celebrate this accomplishment? An episode all about things in the Universe that have been named after mythological people and places in the underworld!   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at .


Ep. 665: The Age of Reionization
Astronomy Cast Ep. 665: The Age of Reionization by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation tells us so much about the Universe. After that era, the Universe went dark. Then, as gas pulled together into the first stars and eventually galaxies, light returned, beginning the Age of Reionization.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 664: The First Stars
Astronomy Cast Ep. 664: The First Stars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay This show is sponsored by BetterHelp.  Visit today to get 10% off your first month.   The Sun is a third-generation star, polluted with metals from long-dead suns. Astronomers have also discovered second-generation stars, with very low metallicity. But theories suggest there must be a first generation, with stars made from only pure hydrogen and helium. Can we ever find them?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 663: End of Year Observing Events
Astronomy Cast Ep. 663: End of Year Observing Events by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We generally save our stargazing suggestions for the summer, when it’s warmer in the northern hemisphere. But you’re tough, you can handle a little cold. And it’s worth it because there are some wonderful things you can see in the night sky this time of year.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle J.F. Rajotte Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Aurora Lipper David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 662 - Looking Ahead at New and Recycled Missions
Astronomy Cast Ep. 662 - Looking Ahead at New and Recycled Missions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about the missions we’re saying goodbye to. This week, we’re going to talk about some upcoming missions to say hello to. Some are brand new ideas, others are, uh, recycled.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Kevin Lyle J.F. Rajotte Venkatesh Chary Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Aurora Lipper David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 660: Runaway! Runaway! Escaping Stars, Planets & Small Bodies
Astronomy Cast Ep. 660: Runaway! Runaway! Escaping Stars, Planets & Small Bodies by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Moons orbit planets, planets orbit stars, stars orbit within galaxies. It’s orbits all the way down. But occasionally objects can receive a powerful kick that sends them on a journey, never to return.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Jordan Young Kevin Lyle Jeanette Wink Stephen Veit J.F. Rajotte Andrew Poelstra Venkatesh Chary David Truog TheGiantNothing Aurora Lipper David Gerhard Schwarzer Will Hamilton Brian Cagle   THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 659: Clear Skies, Bright Satellites
Astronomy Cast Ep. 659: Clear Skies, Bright Satellites by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 8, 2022. Light pollution is big problem and it’s only getting worse. Not just near cities, but everywhere thanks to increased satellite constellations. How bad is the problem, and how can we fix it?  


Ep. 658: Space Exploration Horror Stories
Astronomy Cast Ep. 658: Space Exploration Horror Stories by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 31, 2022. We’re recording this episode on Halloween, so how could we resist but take advantage of this opportunity. Space is already terrifying enough, you know, with the vast endless emptiness, the incomprehensible mysteries, and the uncaring coldness. But here are some scary stories to spook it up a notch.


Ep. 657: Astronomical Naming Schemes
Astronomy Cast Ep. 657: Astronomical Naming Schemes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Space is a big place, with lots of galaxies, stars, planets, moons, and that means a lot of names. So how do astronomers name stuff, like comets, asteroids, exoplanets, craters?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Burry Gowen Jordan Young Kevin Lyle Stephen Veit Gerhard Schwarzer J.F. Rajotte Andrew Poelstra Aurora Lipper Brian Cagle David David Truog Jeanette Wink TheGiantNothing Venkatesh Chary Will Hamilton THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela


Ep. 656: Smashing Asteroids for Science!
Astronomy Cast Ep. 656: Smashing Asteroids for Science! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Oct 3rd. This week we saw the incredible image of DART smashing into asteroid Dimorphous. Beyond avenging the dinosaurs, what can we learn scientifically from this and other asteroid/comet impact missions.


Ep. 655: 65 Years of Space: Sputnik 1 Anniversary
Astronomy Cast Ep. 655: 65 Years of Space: Sputnik 1 Anniversary by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 26, 2022. It’s been about 65 years since the Soviets launched the first orbital satellite into low Earth orbit: Sputnik 1. Now there are thousands of satellites in orbit, with tens of thousands on the way. Let’s look at the impact that Sputnik had on the history of spaceflight.


Ep. 654: The Side Effects Of Clean Energy
Astronomy Cast Ep. 654: The Side Effects Of Clean Energy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay To battle climate change, we’ll need to rapidly move to carbon-free sources of energy. But this technology isn’t a free lunch. They require metals, generate waste and deplete the environment. What’s the best way to balance this shift?


Ep. 653: Climate Change: Looking at the Variables
Astronomy Cast Ep. 653: Climate Change: Looking at the Variables by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Climate change is on our mind these days with increasing wildfires, droughts and floods. What are the variables that play into a planet’s changing climate and what can this teach us about the search for habitable planets in the solar system and across the Milky Way?


Ep. 652: The Rocket Race Towards Reusability
Astronomy Cast Ep. 652: The Rocket Race Towards Reusability by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about how single-use rocketry has changed over time, and the role it still plays in launching payloads into orbit and beyond. Today we’ll address the stainless steel elephant in the room and talk about the shift to reusability.


Ep. 651: Artemis & The Decline of Single Use Rockets
Astronomy Cast Ep. 651: Artemis & The Decline of Single Use Rockets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Season 16 opener. On the day that we’re recording this, NASA’s Space Launch System is about to blast off. But everyone is expecting it’ll be delayed to October. When it does launch, it’ll be the most powerful rocket on Earth. Well, until Starship blasts off. So are we about to see the end of single-use rockets and enter the era of reusable rocketry?


Ep. 650: Did JWST Work?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 650: Did JWST Work? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Sign up through to make a difference in the climate crisis, and Wren will plant 10 extra trees in your name! Well, this is it. We’re FINALLY going to talk about the James Webb Space Telescope. After decades of development, delays, budget creep, the powerful infrared observatory is at its final home at the L2 Lagrange point. Yesterday (at the time we’re recording this) we saw the first scientific images from the telescope and according to Pamela’s rules, we’re finally allowed to talk about it.


Ep. 649: Highlights From NASA’s Holiday Ruining History
Astronomy Cast Ep. 649: Highlights From NASA’s Holiday Ruining History by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Have you ever noticed that significant space and astronomy events seem to happen during the holidays? It’s not a coincidence. There’s actually a reason why. Today we’ll talk about some of the key events that happened during holidays and the underlying rationale.


Ep. 648: Summer Observing
Astronomy Cast Ep. 648: Summer Observing by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Summer is officially, astronomically here, and for the folks in the northern hemisphere that means it’s a perfect time to head outside and see what’s happening in the sky. Today we’ll give you a good list of things to keep an eye out for with or without a telescope.


Ep. 647: Best Sci Fi Beach Reading
Astronomy Cast Ep. 647: Best Sci Fi Beach Reading by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Summer’s here! And that means finally tackling that huge list of books piled up on your bedside table and filling up your Kindle. What books do we recommend for some fun reads this summer?   - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scsalzi - Space Opera by Katherine Valente - The Culture series by Iain M. Banks (The Player of Games) - Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty - Marco and the Red Granny by Mur Lafferty - Reamde and The Fall by Neil Stephenson - Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clark - Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor - Packing for Mars by Mary Roach - The Mission: A True Story by David Brown - Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod


Ep. 646: Our Long Term Future in Space
Astronomy Cast Ep. 646: Our Long Term Future in Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We always say that we're living in golden age of space and astronomy, but it feels like things are just accelerating. Space travel is happening! What does the long-term future hold for our place in the Universe?


Ep. 645: The Future of the ISS
Astronomy Cast Ep. 645: The Future of the ISS by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The International Space Station has been continuously inhabited for over 20 years now, serving as a peaceful collaboration between space-faring nations. But it's a machine, and it's getting old. In addition, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has made things, complicated. What's the future for the ISS?


Ep. 644: Is Earth… Normal?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 644: Is Earth… Normal? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've now discovered thousands of exoplanets, we're learning more and more about the kinds of planetary systems there are out there across the Universe. But are planets like Earth unique or totally rare?


Ep. 643: Sagittarius A*
Astronomy Cast Ep. 643: Sagittarius A* by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay All the waiting is over, we've finally seen the image of the event horizon from the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way. Different shaped blobs! And a black circle in the middle. What are we looking at? Today we're going to explain the picture, and what's next for the Event Horizon Telescope.


Ep. 642: Is the Sun... Normal?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 642: Is the Sun... Normal? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've always assumed that we lived in a perfectly normal star system with a normal star and normal planets. It's all... normal. But with our modern understanding of billions of stars, just how normal is our Sun, anyway?


Ep. 641: Can Planets Be Alive?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 641: Can Planets Be Alive? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Earth is teeming with life, but the upper atmosphere to kilometers underground. There's no question that our planet has life. But is our planet itself alive? This is a question posed back in the 1970s as the Gaia hypothesis, and it got its share of criticism. Some new ideas have been proposed to bring this hypothesis to the modern era as we search for exoplanets.


Ep. 640: Survey Science: Newest Projects & Results
Astronomy Cast Ep. 640: Survey Science: Newest Projects & Results by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay There are general-purpose telescopes and missions that astronomers can use to study specific objects. And there are the survey missions that look at the entire sky, which astronomers can use to answer questions about the Universe. We've talked about surveys in the past, but the landscape is changing quickly so it's time for an update.


Ep. 639: Big Qs Update: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Etc.
Astronomy Cast Ep. 639: Big Qs Update: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, Etc. by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Knowledge moves forward, and so, we must move with it. Today we'll give you an update on some of the most fascinating, fast-changing topics in astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology.


Ep. 638: Simulating Space Missions
Astronomy Cast Ep. 638: Simulating Space Missions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Although humans have never actually been to Mars, explorers have simulated many aspects of Mars missions here on Earth. There are missions under the ocean, on the tops of volcanoes, in the harsh Canadian north, and even in bed that simulate the limitations of spaceflight, and teach us many of the lessons to prepare us for the real thing


Ep. 637: Machine Learning in Astronomy
Astronomy Cast Ep. 637: Machine Learning in Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Computers are a big part of astronomy, but mostly they've been relegated to doing calculations. But recent developments in machine learning have changed everything, giving computers the ability to do jobs that humans could only do in the past.


Ep. 636: Blowing Bubbles
Astronomy Cast Ep. 636: Blowing Bubbles by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We think of space as a vacuum, but there are regions of different density. There are winds blowing from stars and other objects that clear out vast bubbles in space, and look absolutely fantastic in pictures. And they might have been critical for Earth to even exist in the first place.


Ep. 635: Jets: When Magnetic Fields Fling Things
Astronomy Cast Ep. 635: Jets: When Magnetic Fields Fling Things by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As astronomers look out across the Universe. They see various objects spewing jets of material light years into space. What causes these jets? And what impact do they have on the Universe?


Ep. 634: Milky Way’s Mergers & Acquisitions
Astronomy Cast Ep. 634: Milky Way’s Mergers & Acquisitions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Milky Way is a vast grand spiral today, but how did it get this way? Astronomers are starting to unravel the history of our galaxy, revealing the ancient collisions with dwarf galaxies, and how they came together to build the modern Milky Way.


Ep. 633: Weirdly Habitable Places
Astronomy Cast Ep. 633: Weirdly Habitable Places by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've always assumed that habitable planets would need to be like Earth; a terrestrial planet orbiting a sunlike star. But now astronomers have been discovering planets in the habitable zone around very much non-sunlike stars. What strange places could be habitable?


Ep. 632: Building Images: Optical vs Radio
Astronomy Cast Ep. 632: Building Images: Optical vs Radio by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay A recent image from the South African MeerKAT Telescope blew our minds. It was a high resolution image of the center of the Milky Way showing delicate filaments and other structures. What was so mind blowing is that this was an image from a radio telescope. Today we’re gonna talk about why this was such an accomplishment and what the future holds for radio astronomy.


Ep. 631: All The Uses Of Pulsars (Including Murder)
Astronomy Cast Ep. 631: All The Uses Of Pulsars (Including Murder) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Pulsars are the rapidly spinning degenerate husks of dead stars, turning hundreds of times a second. But they're also handy clocks, spinning with such certainty and accuracy that astronomers can use them for all kinds of stuff. We might even use them to navigate the cosmos.


Ep. 630: Things We Can Look Forward To
Astronomy Cast Ep. 630: Things We Can Look Forward To by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay In a rare moment of weakness, Pamela has decided she's open to the possibility that a future exists. That missions, telescopes and spacecraft are going to be built and they're going to do science. Today we'll talk about what we're looking forward to before she changes her mind and my naive optimism for the future.


Ep. 629: The Cost of Delays
Astronomy Cast Ep. 629: The Cost of Delays by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay With all the success of James Webb so far, it's looking like science's huge gamble is going to pay off, but there were years of delays and budget overruns. What impacts did these delays have on science, careers, and the future of space exploration?


Ep. 628: The Sun Revisited
Astronomy Cast Ep. 628: The Sun Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Once again, it's time to take a look at the Sun. You know, the ongoing thermonuclear explosion of fusing hydrogen that's right over there. Fortunately, there's a fleet of spacecraft and ground observatories ready to give our best ever view of the Sun, so we can watch it. Always watching…


Ep. 627: Mercury Revisited
Astronomy Cast Ep. 627: Mercury Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It’s been about a thousand years since since we last looked at Mercury. So we figured it’s time for an update. What new things have we learned about Mercury? Or even new questions! Fortunately there’s a mission on the way to help us get some answers.


Ep. 626: Terrestrial Planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth & Mars
Astronomy Cast Ep. 626: Terrestrial Planets - Mercury, Venus, Earth & Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We continue our refreshed tour of the solar system, checking in on the inner terrestrial planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. What have we learned about the formation, evolution and what they might tell us about planets across the Universe.


Ep. 625: End of the Year Review
Astronomy Cast Ep. 625: End of the Year Review by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've reached the end of 2021 and this is the last episode of the year. Let's look back at the big space events of the last year and talk about what we're looking forward to in 2022.


Ep. 624: Small Rocky Bodies (Including Phobos & Deimos)
Astronomy Cast Ep. 624: Small Rocky Bodies (Including Phobos & Deimos) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've talked about the icy objects of the Solar System, today let's talk about space rocks. There's a surprising variety of rocky material in the Solar System, and each object has a story to tell about the history and formation of the planets, moons and other rocky bodies.


Ep. 623: NEOs: Concern or Nah
Astronomy Cast Ep. 623: NEOs: Concern or Nah by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Are asteroids dangerous? Well, just ask the dinosaurs and they’ll tell you a sad story of fiery death. It turns out we’re in a shooting gallery of space rock and metal. And somewhere out there there’s one with our name on it. Should we be worried? Or are the risks so minimal to be irrelevant.


Ep. 622: Rockier Moons & Giant Asteroids
Astronomy Cast Ep. 622: Rockier Moons & Giant Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So a rock is a rock is a rock. Right? Across the solar system there are giant rocky asteroids and even “gianter” rocky moons. What is the difference between these two families of objects and where do they come from?


Ep. 621: Gas Giants
Astronomy Cast Ep. 621: Gas Giants by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay For the longest time the only gas giant planets that we knew about were Jupiter and Saturn. But now, in the age of extrasolar planets, astronomers have discovered thousands of gas giants across almost as many star systems. What new discoveries have been made about gas giants, both here in the solar system and across the Milky Way?


Ep. 620: Why Getting to the Outer Worlds is So Difficult
Astronomy Cast Ep. 620: Why Getting to the Outer Worlds is So Difficult by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Good News! Over the next few years we’re gonna see a flotilla of new missions headed to Jupiter and Saturn. Why aren’t we seeing more missions to the outer planets like Uranus and Neptune, even Pluto? It turns out those places are far away. Today let’s talk about the challenges of exploring the outer, outer solar system.


Ep. 619: Icy Moons & Dwarf Planets
Astronomy Cast Ep. 619: Icy Moons & Dwarf Planets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The outer Solar System is far enough from the Sun that water doesn't get blasted away into deep space. In this icy realm, there are many worlds with vast quantities of water ice. Today let's look at the icy outer moons and dwarf planets.


Ep. 618: Ice Giants
Astronomy Cast Ep. 618: Ice Giants by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So we’re learning more & more about the outer planets of the solar system. Uranus & Neptune are Ice Giants, filled with water and other volatiles that we'd consider ice if it was here on Earth. What’s inside these worlds and what can we expect to find across the Milky Way as we find more?


Ep. 617: Hangout-A-Thon Episode 2 - Crowdfunding Science
Astronomy Cast Ep. 617: Hangout-A-Thon Episode 2 - Crowdfunding Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Funding for basic science has always been tricky business, coming mainly from universities, government, companies or wealthy individuals. But who knows how many fascinating discoveries were never made because of a lack of funding. And we now live in an era where regular people can come together to fund scientific discoveries.


Ep. 616: Hangout-A-Thon Episode 1 - The Great Observatories
Astronomy Cast Ep. 616: Hangout-A-Thon Episode 1 - The Great Observatories by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Well, you’re familiar with the Hubble Space Telescope of course, but it’s just one of NASA’s Great Observatories. After Hubble came 3 more incredible telescopes. Each greater than the last! (That’s not true… The first one was the greatest.) But together they would fill in almost the entire electromagnetic spectrum.


Ep. 615: Planet 9
Astronomy Cast Ep. 615: Planet 9 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay After Pluto lost its planethood we were down to 8 planets. But there’s growing evidence of another world or worlds out beyond the orbit of Pluto. Is Planet 9 out there and how will we find it? Could there even be a Planet 10?


Ep. 614: Centaurs, Comets & Asteroids
Astronomy Cast Ep. 614: Centaurs, Comets & Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So there are asteroids, and there are comets. But there’s an entirely separate class of objects called centaurs. But instead of half human, half horse, imagine an object that’s half comet, half asteroid, but 100% interesting!


Ep. 613: Pluto’s Demotion: 15 Years Later
Astronomy Cast - Ep. 613: Pluto’s Demotion: 15 Years Later by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's been 15 years since Pluto was kicked out of the planet club. It also happens to be the topic of our very first episode of Astronomy Cast more than 600 episodes ago. Are there any updates? Does Pluto have a chance of regaining planethood again?


Ep. 612: Hiatus Message
Astronomy Cast Ep. 612: Hiatus Message by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Fraser & Pamela will return in early September with more episodes of Astronomy Cast. We hope you all have a safe, relaxing and prosperous summer!


Ep. 612: The SETI Renaissance
Astronomy Cast Ep. 612: The SETI Renaissance by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about the various ways that astronomers could detect the presence of intelligent civilizations by observing technosignatures. This week we'll give you an update on the state of the search for extraterrestrials. This field has gone from a collection of pariahs to a completely legitimate field of research. What's changed?


Ep. 611: What is Required to Confirm Alien Life: Intelligence Edition
Astronomy Cast Ep. 611: What is Required to Confirm Alien Life: Intelligence Edition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about what it's going to take to confirm basic biological life across the Solar System and the Milky Way. This week, we'll discuss what it's going to take to detect intelligent life out there in space.


Ep. 610: What is Required to Confirm Alien Life: Non-Sentient Edition
Astronomy Cast Ep. 610: What is Required to Confirm Alien Life: Non-Sentient Edition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Are we alone in the Universe? It's one of the biggest scientific questions we can possibly ask. And yet, with rovers on Mars, missions planned to visit Europa and Ganymede. Powerful telescopes able to detect the atmospheres of exoplanets, we're closer than ever to finding out the answer.


Ep. 609: Volcanos With Benefits: Lava Tubes, Hydro Thermal Vents & More
Astronomy Cast Ep. 609: Volcanos With Benefits: Lava Tubes, Hydro Thermal Vents & More by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Volcanos can be some of the worst natural disasters that we can experience here on Earth. But life wouldn't even exist without them. So, what are volcanos good for anyway?


Ep. 608: NASA Perseverance, The First 100 Days
Astronomy Cast Ep. 608: NASA Perseverance, The First 100 Days by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As you all know, Pamela refuses to talk about any missions which aren't actually doing science. Well, Perseverance has crossed the line, from fantasy to an actual working rover, scooping regolith and yeeting helicopters. What has the rover accomplished in its first 100 days?


Ep. 607: InSight and Earthquakes
Astronomy Cast Ep. 607: InSight and Earthquakes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Mars is cold and dead today, but the massive volcanoes tell us what the planet used to be like, millions and even billions of years ago. But how volcanically active is the planet today? That's what NASA's Mars InSight lander is there to figure out.


Ep. 606 - Time Dilation: Skipping Thru Time
Astronomy Cast Ep. 606 - Time Dilation: Skipping Thru Time by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Have you ever wanted to be a time traveler? Well, good news! You're time traveling right now. Into the future at one second per second. Taking too long? Don't want to wait? Good news, Einstein's got you covered. Today, let's talk about the weird world of time dilation. Also: There are monitor forts to consider… #MonitorFort


Ep. 605: Sounding Rockets
Astronomy Cast Ep. 605: Sounding Rockets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about balloon-based astronomy. This week we're gonna talk about putting telescopes on rockets and making observations mid flight. Welcome to the wild world of sounding rockets.


Ep. 604: Balloon Astronomy
Astronomy Cast Ep. 604: Balloon Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So when you think about the world's observatories, I'm sure you're imagining huge telescopes perched atop mountain peaks or space telescopes like Hubble. But you might be surprised to learn that some telescopes are carried high into the atmosphere on board balloons. What can they accomplish?


Ep. 603: New Colors of the Radio Spectrum
Astronomy Cast Ep. 603: New Colors of the Radio Spectrum by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about how new telescopes and techniques are allowing astronomers to explore the shortest wavelengths of light. This week we go to the other end of the electromagnetic spectrum and explore the longer radio waves which are now accessible to astronome


Ep. 602: The New Colors of Gamma Rays - Getting Shorter
Astronomy Cast Ep. 602: The New Colors of Gamma Rays - Getting Shorter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Earth's atmosphere protects us from a Universe that is definitely trying to kill us. But it also blocks our view of the entire cosmos, like seeing X-rays and gamma radiation. Space telescopes are changing our view of the most extreme events in the Universe.


Ep. 601: Unexpected Light Pollution
Astronomy Cast Ep. 601: Unexpected Light Pollution by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Day-by-day we're loosing our connection with the night sky. Already one third of humanity lives in so much light pollution that they can't see the Milky Way without a drive. And now satellite constellations are adding additional light pollution, even in the darkest skies on Earth.


Ep. 600: Looking Ahead
Astronomy Cast Ep. 600: Looking Ahead by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Today we are gonna gaze into the future of space and astronomy. What upcoming missions & events are we excited about?


Ep. 599: Zodiacal Light
Astronomy Cast Ep. 599: Zodiacal Light by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Pamela has told us in the most flowery terms about the diffuse dust across the inner solar system left over from the formation of the inner planets. well, it turns out she was wrong. Super wrong. Time to update!


Ep. 598: How You Could Overturn Cosmology
Astronomy Cast Ep. 598: How You Could Overturn Cosmology by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay You've probably heard of dark matter and dark energy, but maybe you don't fully understand what they are. Or maybe the idea itself just rubs you the wrong way and you'd like to know why scientists think they can just make stuff up like this. So you'd like to overturn cosmology? Here's all you need to do.


Ep. 597: The Expansion of the Universe
Astronomy Cast Ep. 597: The Expansion of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's been a while since we checked to make sure the Universe was still expanding. Yeah, apparently, that's still a thing. But in the last few years powerful new telescopes and expansive surveys have given us much more knowledge about what's happening. Especially at the earliest times.


Ep. 596: The Universe’s Background Noise
Astronomy Cast Ep. 596: The Universe’s Background Noise by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay You might be familiar with the cosmic microwave background, but that's just one of the background radiations that astronomers look at. Some are well known and cataloged. While others are just starting to be possible to see at all. All of them tell us more about our Universe.


Ep. 595: Planet Hunting - Revisited
Astronomy Cast Ep. 595: Planet Hunting - Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay This is gonna be another one of those evergreen topics where we come back again and again. Finding planets. Every time we talk about this now it seems like we've gained thousands of new planets. Well, buckle up! New techniques will grow that by tens of thousands and even millions!


Ep. 594: Juno - Primary Mission Highlights
Astronomy Cast Ep. 594: Juno - Primary Mission Highlights by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Pamela is always loath to talk about spacecraft until the mission's in space and the science is rolling. NASA's Juno Mission just received a mission extension, adding Jupiter's moons to the menu. Now, finally, we can talk about Juno! [Ed. Juno what I mean?]


Ep. 593: Stellar Parasites
Astronomy Cast Ep. 593: Stellar Parasites by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Stars often come in groups of 2 or more. And if they're orbiting close enough to each other one star can feast on the other and when that happens, well, mayhem ensues!


Ep. 592: Gamma-Ray Bursts - Updated
Astronomy Cast Ep. 592: Gamma-Ray Bursts - Updated by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Some of the most powerful explosions in the Universe are gamma-ray bursts, capable of blasting a beam of death half way across the galaxy. In just the last few years astronomers have discovered a tremendous amount about these blasts and what's actually causing them. The answer, of course, is that it's more complicated than we originally thought. The old Gamma-Ray bursts show:


Ep. 591: What Are We Gonna Do With All That Space Junk?
Astronomy Cast Ep. 591: What Are We Gonna Do With All That Space Junk? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Remember the good old days when there were only a few thousand living and dead satellites? Well, those days are long over. We're now entering an era where there will be tens of thousands of satellites. Not to mention the spent rocket boosters and other space junk. What kind of risk do we face and what can be done about it?


Ep. 590: Lunar Hazards: Dust, Radiation and More
Astronomy Cast Ep. 590: Lunar Hazards: Dust, Radiation and More by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay 2024 can't come soon enough. You know, that's the year when humans will set foot on the Moon again. Now don't you roll your eyes! That's the plan. Unless the plan changes. But my point is, explorers going to the Moon will need to be concerned about all kinds of hazards, like dust, radiation and gigantic Moon worms. I believe.


Ep. 589 - Lunar Resources: Water (Update) & Other Volatiles
Astronomy Cast Ep. 589 - Lunar Resources: Water (Update) & Other Volatiles by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've talked about the Moon and its water many times here on Astronomy Cast, but there've been a bunch of big updates thanks to new research from NASA and others. Today we're gonna give you an update on the state of water on the Moon and the plans to take advantage of it.


Ep. 588 - Lunar Resources: Lava Tubes
Astronomy Cast Ep. 588 - Lunar Resources: Lava Tubes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay All eyes are on the Moon. We're going back, this time to stay, right? One of the best resources on the Moon will be the lava tubes that criss-cross the subsurface of the Moon. These can provide protection from space, and a look at the geologic history of the Moon, and they can be enormous!


Ep. 587: The Artemis Accords
Astronomy Cast Ep. 587: The Artemis Accords by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So the Moon is about to become a very busy place with multiple countries and private companies planning missions in the next few years. It's been decades since the Outer Space Treaty was negotiated. It's time for the Artemis Accords!


Ep. 586: Life As We Know It: Habitable Exoplanets & Extremophiles
Astronomy Cast Ep. 586: Life As We Know It: Habitable Exoplanets & Extremophiles by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As scientists continue to explore the Earth, they're discovering life, surviving and even thriving in extreme environments. What hints can this give us about what we might find as we search for live on other worlds.


Ep. 585: Super Earths, Mini-Neptunes & Gas Dwarfs
Astronomy Cast  585: Super Earths, Mini-Neptunes & Gas Dwarfs by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Astronomers are finding even more new extrasolar planets and they're starting to discover entirely new categories. There are classes of planets out there that we just don't have any analog here in the solar system. Let's talk about them!


Ep. 584: Sample Return Missions From Asteroids
Astronomy Cast Ep. 584: Sample Return Missions From Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So with a sample of asteroid Bennu firmly inside OSIRIS-REx's return capsule, it's time to bring this treasure home. So scientists can study the composition and history of the space rock. But it's not the only sample return mission out there, with Japan's Hyabusa II mission also bringing asteroid debris home. So today, let's talk about the missions and what we've learned so far.


Ep. 583: The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics
Astronomy Cast Ep. 583: The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay This year's Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three brilliant researchers who worked out some of the secrets of black holes. Today we're going to talk about the chain of discoveries that led to this award.


Ep. 582: Building Bigger Black Holes
Astronomy Cast Ep. 582: Building Bigger Black Holes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Did you hear the news? Nobel prizes for Black Holes! Now, we know there are stellar mass black holes and supermassive black holes, but how do you get from one to the other? How do black holes get more massive?


Ep. 581: Other Kinds Of Novae
Astronomy Cast Ep. 581: Other Kinds Of Novae by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Don't ever accuse us of not comprehensively covering every kind of exploding star. This week we gather up all the left over ways that stars partially or fully explode or don't. Probably. Enjoy!


Ep. 580: Exploding Dwarfs
Astronomy Cast Ep. 580: Exploding Dwarfs By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So you think that a white dwarf star is the end of a stellar life, and it's all downhill from there, a long, slow cool down towards the end of everything. But in some situations even dead stars can get exciting again, briefly becoming some of the brightest objects in the Universe. And maybe, just maybe, the last exciting thing that'll ever happen in the Universe.


Ep. 579: White and Black Dwarf Stars
Astronomy Cast 579: White and Black Dwarf Stars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay I've got some bad news for you. Stars die. At some point in the next few billion years or so our Sun is going to start heating up, using up all the fuel in its core, and then eventually die, becoming a white dwarf. It'll then slowly cool down to the background temperature of the Universe, becoming a black dwarf. Let's learn about this fascinating process.


Ep. 578: Venus Updates - or - Life on Venus?!?
by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So have you heard the news? Of course you have. Evidence of phosphene on Venus. Which could be a biosignature of life on our evil twin planet. There have been a lot of surprising stories about Venus, so let's get you all caught up!


Ep. 577: Mars in Opposition
Astronomy Cast 577: Mars in Opposition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Every 2 years or so Mars lines up nicely with the Earth. It takes only 2 minutes to communicate with the rovers. You can see the polar ice caps in a small telescope. And it's the best time to send your spacecraft to the Red Planet.  Oct 3rd: Moon & Mars conjunction, 1.1° separation. Oct 6th: Mars opposition. Dec 21st: Jupiter/Saturn conjunction, 0.1° separation! Feb 18th "Percy" lands on Mars' Jezero crater.


Ep. 576: Summer Stargazing Special
Astronomy Cast Ep. 576: Summer Stargazing Special by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's time once again for Astronomy Cast to go on hiatus. You've got a couple months on your own to explore the night sky. But before we say goodbye, we'd like to make a few suggestions.


Ep. 575: Observing The Moon
Astronomy Cast Ep. 575: Observing The Moon by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As amateur astronomers, we curse the Moon every month. Seriously! Why doesn't someone get rid of that thing! This week, something occurred to us. What if we actually pointed our telescopes at the Moon? What would we see? The Lunar "X" that Fraser talked about will be visible this Friday, June 26th! So go out with binoculars or a telescope and enjoy!


Ep. 574: Trojan Asteroids
Astronomy Cast Ep. 574: Trojan Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We imagine the asteroid belt as a place where all the rocks hang out in the solar system. But there are 2 huge bands of asteroids that orbit the Sun with Jupiter called the Trojans. And soon we may actually get a chance to see them up close!


Ep. 573: Exoplanet Atmospheres
Astronomy Cast Ep. 573: Exoplanet Atmospheres Not only have astronomers discovered thousands of exoplanets, but they're even starting to study the atmospheres of worlds thousands of light years away. What can we learn about these other worlds and maybe even signs of life.


Ep. 572: Twists in Planet Formation
Astronomy Cast Ep. 572: Twists in Planet Formation by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We're all looking to the next generation of exoplanetary research where we get planets directly. But astronomers are already making great strides in directly observing newly forming planets help us understand how our solar system might have formed.


Ep. 571: Extreme Binaries
Streamed live on May 22, 2020. So we're familiar with regular binary stars. Two stars orbiting each other. Simple. Of course the Universe has come up with every combination of things orbiting other things, and this week we look at some extreme examples.


Ep. 570: Discovering Comets
Astronomy Cast Ep. 570: Discovering Comets Discovering comets is one of the fields that amateurs can still make a regular contribution to astronomy. But more and more comets are getting found by spacecraft, automated systems and machine learning. This week we'll talk about how comets are discovered and how you can get your name on one!


Ep. 569: Ethics of Commercial and Military Space, Part 1: Private Space Flight
Every year, more and more people are making their way to space. Some private citizens have already gotten their astronaut wings, paying for a trip to space out of their own pocket. What are the ethical implications of this as the costs of spaceflight come down?


Ep. 568: In Situ Resource Utilization
The key to surviving in space will be learning how to live off the land. Instead of carrying all your fuel, water and other resources from Earth, extract them locally from your destination. It's called In Situ Resource Utilization, and if we can figure it out, it'll change everything.


Ep. 567: When Satellites Need a House Call
567: When Satellites Need a House Call Astronomy Cast 567: When Satellites Need a House Call by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Space is really far away, so when you send a satellite out into the void, that's pretty much the last you're going to be able to work on it. And if anything goes wrong, too bad, you're out a satellite. But a new test has shown that it's possible to actually visit and fix a satellite in space. Maybe we don't have to throw them all away after all.


Ep. 566: When Comets Fall Apart
566: When Comets Fall Apart Astronomy Cast 566: When Comets Fall Apart by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As everyone knows, the Universe owes us a bright comet. There have been a lot of promising candidates, but in the end, they always fail to live up to our expectations. Comets keep on breaking up with us.


Ep. 565: When Worlds Collide
565: When Worlds Collide Astronomy Cast 565: When Worlds Collide by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay So much of our Solar System has been shaped by enormous collisions early on in our history. Seriously, the nature of every planet in the Solar System has some evidence of massive impacts during some point in its history.


Ep. 564: Mini Moons
564: Mini Moons Astronomy Cast 564: Mini Moons by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last month astronomers announced that they had detected a tiny asteroid that had been captured by the Earth's gravity well and had been sharing our orbit for a few years. Today, let's talk about the smallest moons in the Solar System.


Ep. 563: White Dwarf Mergers
563: White Dwarf Mergers Astronomy Cast 563: White Dwarf Mergers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay White dwarfs are usually about 60% the mass of the Sun, so it was a bit of a surprise when astronomers found one that was almost exactly twice that. What happens when white dwarfs merge?


Ep. 562: Dealing with COVID-19 and the Changes it will Bring
562: Dealing with COVID-19 and the Changes it will Bring Astronomy Cast 562: Dealing with COVID-19 and the Changes it will Bring by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Pamela and Fraser discuss the implications of COVID-19 and it's changes on the world, and what we all can do during this time.  


Ep. 561: Remembering Katherine Johnson
561: Remembering Katherine Johnson Astronomy Cast 561: Remembering Katherine Johnson by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We lost a bright star here on planet Earth last week. NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson passed away at the age of 101, after an incredible career of helping humans land on the Moon. If you saw the movie Hidden Figures, you'll know what I'm talking about.


Ep. 560: Betelgeuse
560: Betelgeuse Astronomy Cast 560: Betelgeuse by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay You might be surprised to hear that we've never done an episode of Astronomy Cast featuring Betelgeuse. Well, good news, this is that episode. Let's talk about the star, why it might be dimming, and what could happen if it explodes as a supernova.


Ep. 559: The Surface of the Sun
559: The Surface of the Sun Astronomy Cast 559: The Surface of the Sun by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay A brand new telescope has completed on Maui's Haleakala, and it has just one job: to watch the Sun in unprecedented detail. It's called the Daniel K. Inouye telescope, and the engineering involved to get this telescope operational are matched by the incredible resolution of its first images.


Ep. 558: Supernova SN 2006gy
558: Supernova SN 2006gy Astronomy Cast 558: Supernova SN 2006gy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We've been following this story for more than a decade, so it's great to finally have an answer to the question, why was supernova 2006gy so insanely bright? Astronomers originally thought it was an example of a supermassive star exploding, but new evidence provides an even more fascinating answer.


Ep. 557: Red Dwarfs: Friend or Foe
557: Red Dwarfs: Friend or Foe Astronomy Cast 557: Red Dwarfs: Friend or Foe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay On the one hand, red dwarfs are the longest lived stars in the Universe, the perfect place for life to hang out for trillions of years. On the other hand, they're tempestuous little balls of plasma, hurling out catastrophic flares that could wipe away life. Are they good or bad places to live?


Ep. 556: Multi Messenger Astronomy
556: Multi Messenger Astronomy Astronomy Cast 556: Multi Messenger Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay For the longest time astronomers could only study the skies with telescopes. But then new techniques and technologies were developed to help us see in different wavelengths. Now astronomers can study objects in both visible light, neutrinos, gravitational waves and more. The era of multi-messenger astronomy is here.


Ep. 555: Satellite Constellations and the Future of Astronomy
555: Satellite Constellations and the Future of Astronomy Astronomy Cast 555: Satellite Constellations and the Future of Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The other big issue at the AAS was the challenge that astronomy is going to face from all the new satellite constellations coming shortly. There are already 180 Starlinks in orbit, and thousands more are coming, not to mention the other constellations in the works. What will be the impact on astronomy, and what can we do about it?


Ep. 554: Big Telescope Controversy in Hawai'i
554: Big Telescope Controversy in Hawai'i Astronomy Cast 554: Big Telescope Controversy in Hawai'i by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay This week we're live at the American Astronomical Society's 235th meeting in Honolulu, Hawai'i. We learned about new planets, black holes and star formation, but the big issue hanging over the whole conference is the protests and politics over the new Thirty Meter Telescope due for construction on Mauna Kea.  


Ep. 553: What To Look Forward To In 2020
553: What To Look Forward To In 2020 Astronomy Cast 553: What To Look Forward To In 2020 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's hard to believe it, but we survived another trip around the Sun. Now it's time to take the whole journey all over again, but with new news. Let's take a look at some of the space and astronomy stories we're looking forward to in 2020.


Ep. 552: Boyajian's star (and other strange stars)
552: Boyajian's star (and other strange stars) Astronomy Cast 552: Boyajian's star (and other strange stars) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Huge surveys of the sky are finding more and more planets, stars and galaxies. But they're also turning up strange objects astronomers have never seen before, like Boyajian's star. Today we're going to talk about some unusual objects astronomers have discovered, and why this number is only going to go way way up.


CosmoQuest Hangoutathon Promo
Hi everyone, Producer Susie here. This weekend, December 21-23, 2019, we will be having our CosmoQuest Hangoutathon.  For 40 straight hours, our team will be bringing you guests, science and fun live on our channel. We are raising money to pay for our team to continue to bring you science, and for us to continue our citizen science programs, like the extremely successful Bennu Mappers from this past year, where over 3500 of you wonderful volunteers mapped over 14 million rocks on the asteroid Bennu, looking for a safe place for the OSIRIS-REx mission to grab samples to return to earth.  We want to keep doing projects like this - and we need your help to continue doing the science.  Please join us at starting 9am EST / 6am PST / 1400UTC. If you can’t tune in live, you can catch the replays on Twitch, and we’ll be trying our best to archive all of the content on YouTube after this weekend. We’re accepting donations at As part of the Planetary Science Institute, we are a 501c3 non-profit, so all of your donations are tax deductible where the law allows.  Please watch, share and donate if you can, so we can keep bringing the science to you! Thank you for listening!


Ep. 551: Missing Epochs - Observing before the CMBR
551: Missing Epochs - Observing before the CMBR Astronomy Cast 551: Missing Epochs - Observing before the CMBR by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation is the earliest moment in the Universe that we can see with our telescopes, just a few hundred thousand years after the Big Bang itself. What will it take for us to be able to fill in the missing gap? To see closer to the beginning of time itself?


Ep. 550: Missing Epochs - Observing the Cosmic Dark Ages
550: Missing Epochs - Observing the Cosmic Dark Ages Astronomy Cast 550: Missing Epochs - Observing the Cosmic Dark Ages by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Powerful observatories like Hubble and the Very Large Telescope have pushed our vision billions of light-years into the Universe, allowing us to see further and further back in time. But there are regions which we still haven't seen: the Cosmic Dark Ages. What's it going to take to observe some of these earliest moments in the Universe?


Ep. 549: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In and on and around dead stars
549: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In and on and around dead stars Astronomy Cast 549: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In and on and around dead stars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we gave you an update on the formation of elements from the Big Bang and in main sequence stars like the Sun. This week, we wrap up with a bang, talking about the death of the most massive stars and how they seed the Universe with heavier elements.


Ep. 548: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In stellar cores & atmospheres
548: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In stellar cores & atmospheres Astronomy Cast 548: Stellar nucleosynthesis revisited: In stellar cores & atmospheres by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Universe started out with hydrogen and helium and a few other elements, but all around us, there are other, more proton-rich elements. We believe these heavier elements formed in stars, but which stars? And at what points in their lives? Today we'll update our knowledge with the latest science.


Ep. 547: Why Astronomy Still Needs Humans
547: Why Astronomy Still Needs Humans Astronomy Cast 547: Why Astronomy Still Needs Humans by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Few sciences have been able to take advantage of the power of computers like astronomy. But with all this computing power, you might be surprised to learn how important a role humans still play in this science.


Ep. 546: Weird Issues: Planetary Migration
546: Weird Issues: Planetary Migration Astronomy Cast 546: Weird Issues: Planetary Migration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Before we discovered other planets, our Solar System seemed like a perfectly reasonable template for everywhere. But now we see massive planets close to their stars, which leads you to the question, how does it all get there. Do the planets form in place or do they migrate around?


Ep. 545: Weird Issues: Are comets asteroids or are asteroids comets?
545: Weird Issues: Are comets asteroids or are asteroids comets? Astronomy Cast 545: Weird Issues: Are comets asteroids or are asteroids comets? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Things used to be so simple. Comets were snowballs from the outer Solar System, and asteroids were rocks from the inner Solar System. But now everything's all shades of grey. Astronomers have found asteroids that behave like comets and comets that behave like asteroids.


Ep. 544: Weird Issues: Biosignatures
544: Weird Issues: Biosignatures Astronomy Cast 544: Weird Issues: Biosignatures by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Once again, another place where the Universe is going to make this difficult for us. Proving, once and for all that there's alien life on another world. It should be straightforward, look for biosignatures, but it looks like there are natural sources that could explain almost any chemical we could hope to search for.


Halley's Meteor Shower and Two spacecraft updates
Got clear skies? Go out tonight and catch the Orionids Meteor shower, a storm of falling stars generated by Halley's comet. Later this week, we'll see aurora like those that will one day be predicted by the ESA Solar Probe. We also have an update on the Mars 2020 rover.


Ep. 543: Weird Issues: The Habitable Zone
543: Weird Issues: The Habitable Zone Astronomy Cast 543: Weird Issues: The Habitable Zone by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Our series on Universe weirdness marches on. This week we take a look at the habitable zone, and how things aren’t as simple as we thought. 


Ep. 542: Weird Issues: The Age of the Universe
542: Weird Issues: The Age of the Universe Astronomy Cast 542: Weird Issues: The Age of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Our series on Universe weirdness continues, this time we learn how astronomers are struggling to make sense of the age of the Universe.


Ep. 541: Weird Issues: Expansion Rate of the Universe
541: Weird Issues: Expansion Rate of the Universe Astronomy Cast 541: Weird Issues: Expansion Rate of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Just when the Universe was starting to make sense, the cosmos throws a curveball at us. Astronomers have been trying to accurately measure the expansion rate of the Universe as far back as Hubble. It's been tough to nail down, and now astronomers are starting to figure out why.


Ep. 540: Weird Issues: How Do (or Don't) Planets Form?
540: Weird Issues: How Do (or Don't) Planets Form? Astronomy Cast 540: Weird Issues: How Do (or Don't) Planets Form? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay As astronomers started to discover planets orbiting other stars, they immediately realized that their expectations would need to be tossed out. Hot jupiters? Pulsars with planets? We're now decades into this task, and the Universe is continuing to surprise us.


Ep. 539: Weird Issues: Why We Don't Know the Age of Saturn's Rings
539: Weird Issues: Why We Don't Know the Age of Saturn's Rings Astronomy Cast 539: Weird Issues: Why We Don't Know the Age of Saturn's Rings by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay How old are Saturn's rings? They could be brand new, or they could be as ancient as the Solar System itself. Planetary scientists thought they knew the answer thanks to new data from Cassini, but new ideas are calling even that into question. 


Ep. 538: Asteroids: Rubble piles of the Solar System
538: Asteroids: Rubble piles of the Solar System Astronomy Cast 538: Asteroids: Rubble piles of the Solar System by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Thanks to all the work from Hayabusa 2 and OSIRIS-REx, astronomers are getting a much better look at the smaller asteroids in the Solar System. It turns out, they're piles of  rubble... but fascinating piles of rubble. Let's talk about what we've learned so far.


Ep. 537: Reusable Rocket Revolution
537: Reusable Rocket Revolution Astronomy Cast 537: Reusable Rocket Revolution by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We took a hiatus this summer, but SpaceX sure didn’t, with the tests of the Starhopper prototype. Today we’re going to talk about the revolution in reusable rocketry and quest to build a fully reusable two-stage rocket. 


Libsyn Survey Request
Please help us keep bringing you content by going to  and filling out the survey, so Libsyn can find us sponsors for Astronomy Cast!


Astronomy Cast on Hiatus until Sept 2019
Astronomy Cast will be on hiatus for July and August. Don't worry, we'll be back in September, and we might just have surprises for you all along this summer! Don't forget you can still catch Pamela with Daily Space, rocket launches and specials on , and you can find all the space news and videos from Fraser at ! We usually record Astronomy Cast every Friday at 3:00 pm EDT / 12:00 pm PDT / 19:00 UTC. You can watch us live on here on , or the .


Ep. 536: Everyday Relativity
536: Everyday Relativity Astronomy Cast 536: Everyday Relativity by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Relativity is used in more day to day situations than you may realize. In this episode, we will count (some of) the ways. This episode is brought to you live from the All-Stars Star Party in Indian Wells, California.


Ep. 535: Astronomy-Related Things To Do This Summer
535: Astronomy-Related Things To Do This Summer Astronomy Cast 535: Astronomy-Related Things To Do This Summer by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay It's summertime, and time for our annual Astronomy Cast hiatus. But that doesn't mean that the astronomy adventure has to end. Today we'll give you some tips and tricks for astronomy summer adventures.


Ep. 534: Modern South African Astronomy
534: Modern South African Astronomy Astronomy Cast 534: Modern South African Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay You know the drill now. Last week we talked about ancient south African astronomy, and so this week we'll talk about the modern state of astronomy in the southern part of Africa, which happens to be a great place with nice dark skies and a perfect view into the heart of the galaxy.


Ep. 533: Indigenous South African Astronomy
533: Indigenous South African Astronomy Astronomy Cast 533: Indigenous South African Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Let's move to another continent this week, and look at the astronomy that was going on in southern Africa in ancient times.


Ep. 532: Modern Astronomy of Australia
532: Modern Astronomy of Australia Astronomy Cast 532: Modern Astronomy of Australia by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about how well the indigenous Australians followed the night sky. Well, it turns out, Australia is still an amazing place for astronomy. There are so many powerful observatories in Australia, and even more in the works.


Ep. 531: Australian Indigenous Astronomy
531: Australian Indigenous Astronomy Astronomy Cast 531: Australian Indigenous Astronomy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay South America, especially the Atacama Desert in Chile has become one of the best places in the world to put a telescope. It's dry, high, and the nights are clear. Today we'll talk about the monster telescopes already in operation in this region, and the big ones coming soon.


Ep. 530: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 2
530: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 2 Astronomy Cast 530: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 2 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay South America, especially the Atacama Desert in Chile has become one of the best places in the world to put a telescope. It's dry, high, and the nights are clear. Today we'll talk about the monster telescopes already in operation in this region, and the big ones coming soon.


Ep. 529: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 1
529: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 1 Astronomy Cast 529: Astronomy of the Andes - Then and Now Pt. 1 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay The Andes mountains in South America are a hotspot of astronomy today, but ancient peoples knew it was a great place for astronomy and lived their lives in tune with the night sky. Today we'll learn all about what they knew, and how they mapped the movements of the stars and planets.


Ep. 528: Modern Astronomy of the American Southwest
528: Modern Astronomy of the American Southwest Astronomy Cast 528: Modern Astronomy of the American Southwest by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Last week we talked about the ancient astronomy of the American Southwest. But this is actually Pamela's stomping grounds, and she's spent many a night perched atop mountains in this region staring in the night sky with gigantic telescopes. How does astronomy get done in this region today?


Ep. 527: Ancient Astronomy of the American Southwest
527: Ancient Astronomy of the American Southwest Astronomy Cast 527: Ancient Astronomy of the American Southwest by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Ancient peoples had no light pollution, and they knew the night skies very well. In fact, they depends on them to know when to plant and when to harvest. Today Pamela talks about the archeoastronomical sites of the American Southwest.


Ep. 526: Event Horizon Telescope and the Black Hole at M87
526: Event Horizon Telescope and the Black Hole at M87 Astronomy Cast 526: Event Horizon Telescope and the Black Hole at M87 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Today, of course, we're going to talk about the announcement from the Event Horizon Telescope and the first photograph of a black hole's event horizon.


Ep. 525: 100 Years of the International Astronomical Union
525: 100 Years of the International Astronomical Union Astronomy Cast 525: 100 Years of the International Astronomical Union by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Even though they might be scattered around our planet, astronomers have way to come together to work out issues that face their entire field of study. It's called the International Astronomical Union, and they're the ones who work out the new names for stars, and sometimes de-planet beloved Kuiper Belt Objects.


Ep. 524: Judging Age & Origins, part 3 - Beyond Our System
524: Judging Age & Origins, part 3 - Beyond Our System Astronomy Cast 524: Judging Age & Origins, part 3 - Beyond Our System by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We learned how to figure out the ages of objects in the Solar System, now we push out into the deeper Universe. What about stars, galaxies, and even the Universe itself? How old is it? This episode is part 3 of a series.


Ep. 523: Judging Age & Origins, Pt. 2 Across the Solar System
523: Judging Age & Origins, Pt. 2 Across the Solar System Astronomy Cast 523: Judging Age & Origins, Pt. 2 Across the Solar System by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Today we push our aging curiosity out into the Solar System to ask that simple question: how old is it and how do we know? What techniques do astronomers use to age various objects and regions in the Solar System? This is part two of a series.


Ep. 522: Judging Age & Origins, part 1 - Earth Rocks
522: Judging Age & Origins, part 1 - Earth Rocks Astronomy Cast 522: Judging Age & Origins, part 1 - Earth Rocks by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay People always want to know how old everything is. And more specifically, they want to know how we know how old everything is. Well, here at Astronomy Cast, it's our job to tell you now only what we know, but how we know what we know. And today we'll begin a series on how we know how old everything is.


Bonus Episode: Dust with Dr. Paul Sutter
Bonus: Dust with Dr. Paul Sutter Astronomy Cast Bonus: Dust with Dr. Paul Sutter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Recorded during the Astrotour to Costa Rica, Fraser talks to Dr. Paul Matt Sutter about the nature of dust and BICEP 2's claim of discovering primordial gravitational waves.


Ep. 521: The Deep Space Network
521: The Deep Space Network Astronomy Cast 521: The Deep Space Network by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay We always focus on the missions, but there's an important glue that holds the whole system together. The Deep Space Network. Today we're going to talk about how this system works and how it communicates with all the spacecraft out there in the Solar System.


Ep. 520: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter, Part 2
520: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter, Part 2 Astronomy Cast 520: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter, Part 2 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 519: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter
519: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter Astronomy Cast 519: Transients: What They Are and Why They Matter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 518: When the Universe tried to Declare War
518: When the Universe tried to Declare War Astronomy Cast 518: When the Universe tried to Declare War by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 517: Fritz Zwicky and the Zwicky Transient Facility
517: Fritz Zwicky and the Zwicky Transient Facility Astronomy Cast 517: Fritz Zwicky and the Zwicky Transient Facility by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 516: Polar Vortices
516: Polar Vortices Astronomy Cast 516: Polar Vortices by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 515: Space Radiation
515: Space Radiation Astronomy Cast 515: Space Radiation by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 514: Planetary Protection Protocols
514: Planetary Protection Protocols Astronomy Cast 514: Planetary Protection Protocols by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 513: Stellar Fusion
513: Stellar Fusion Astronomy Cast 513: Stellar Fusion by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 512: Direct Imaging of Exoplanets
512: Direct Imaging of Exoplanets Astronomy Cast 512: Direct Imaging of Exoplanets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 511: Predictions for 2019
511: Predictions for 2019 Astronomy Cast 511: Predictions for 2019 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 510: 2018 - Year in Review
510: 2018 - Year in Review Astronomy Cast 510: 2018 - Year in Review by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 509: Fiction to Fact: 3D Printers
509: Fiction to Fact: 3D Printers Astronomy Cast 509: Fiction to Fact: 3D Printers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 508: 2018 Holiday Gift Guide
508: 2018 Holiday Gift Guide Astronomy Cast 508: 2018 Holiday Gift Guide by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


507: From Fiction to Fact: Ion Drive
507: From Fiction to Fact: Ion Drive Astronomy Cast 507: > From Fiction to Fact: Ion Drive by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


506: It’s not Aliens, Unless it’s Aliens
506: It’s not Aliens, Unless it’s Aliens Astronomy Cast 506: It’s not Aliens, Unless it’s Aliens by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


505: Seismology
505: Seismology Astronomy Cast 505: Seismology by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


504: Radar, Lidar & Sonar
504: Radar, Lidar & Sonar Astronomy Cast 504: Radar, Lidar & Sonar by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


503: Gravity Mapping
503: Gravity Mapping Astronomy Cast 503: Gravity Mapping by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


502: No Touching: Determining Composition of Worlds Remotely
502: No Touching: Determining Composition of Worlds Remotely Astronomy Cast 502: No Touching: Determining Composition of Worlds Remotely by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


501: Water Worlds Revisited
501: Water Worlds Revisited Astronomy Cast 501: Water Worlds Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


500: Live Celebration!
500: Live Celebration! Astronomy Cast 500: Live Celebration! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


499: What is the proposed Hubble-Lemaitre Law?
499: What is the proposed Hubble-Lemaitre Law? Astronomy Cast 499: What is the proposed Hubble-Lemaitre Law? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Astronomy Cast: On Hiatus until September 2018
Astronomy Cast will be on hiatus until September, 2018.  When we return, we'll be gearing up for the 500th Episode!  


498: Dwarf Galaxy Update
498: Dwarf Galaxy Update Astronomy Cast 498: Dwarf Galaxy Update by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


497: Update on Globular Clusters
497: Update on Globular Clusters Astronomy Cast 497: Update on Globular Clusters by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


496: Update on Stellar Populations (I, II, & III)
496: Update on Stellar Populations (I, II, & III) Astronomy Cast 496: Update on Stellar Populations (I, II, & III) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


495: Update on Asteroids & Prospects of Asteroid Mining
495: Update on Asteroids & Prospects of Asteroid Mining Astronomy Cast 495: Update on Asteroids & Prospects of Asteroid Mining by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


494: Icy Moons Update 2018
494: Icy Moons Update 2018 Astronomy Cast 494: Icy Moons Update 2018 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


493: Mars Update 2018
493: Mars Update 2018 Astronomy Cast 493: Mars Update 2018 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


492: Comets, Asteroids and KBO’s
492: Comets, Asteroids and KBO’s Astronomy Cast 492: Comets, Asteroids and KBO’s by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


491: Exoplanet Update 2018
491: Exoplanet Update 2018 Astronomy Cast 491: Exoplanet Update 2018 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


490: What’s New with Supernovae
490: What’s New with Supernovae Astronomy Cast 490: What’s New with Supernovae by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


489: Black Hole Update
489: Black Hole Update Astronomy Cast 489: Black Hole Update by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


488: Dark Energy: 2018 Edition
488: Dark Energy: 2018 Edition Astronomy Cast 488: Dark Energy: 2018 Edition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


487: Dark Matter: 2018 Edition
487: Dark Matter: 2018 Edition Astronomy Cast 487: Dark Matter: 2018 Edition by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


486: Particle Physics Update
486: Particle Physics Update Astronomy Cast 486: Particle Physics Update by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


485: Docking, Refueling, and Transferring
485: Docking, Refueling, and Transferring Astronomy Cast 485: Docking, Refueling, and Transferring by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


484: Transfer Orbits and Gravitational Assists
484: Transfer Orbits and Gravitational Assists Astronomy Cast 484: Transfer Orbits and Gravitational Assists by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


483: Stopping in Space
483: Stopping in Space Astronomy Cast 483: Stopping in Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


482: Alternative Ways to Space
482: Alternative Ways to Space Astronomy Cast 482: Alternative Ways to Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


481: Rockets pt. 3 – Going Faster, Higher, Farther after Fairing Separation
481: Rockets pt. 3 – Going Faster, Higher, Farther after Fairing Separation Astronomy Cast 481: Rockets pt. 3 – Going Faster, Higher, Farther after Fairing Separation by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


February Q&A
This was a special Q&A episode Pamela recorded while Fraser was in Iceland.


480: Rockets pt. 2- Multi-stage Boosters
480: Rockets pt. 2- Multi-stage Boosters Astronomy Cast 480: Rockets pt. 2- Multi-stage Boosters by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


479: Rockets pt. 1- What Does “Single Stage To Orbit” Really Mean?
479: Rockets pt. 1- What Does “Single Stage To Orbit” Really Mean? Astronomy Cast 479: Rockets pt. 1- What Does “Single Stage To Orbit” Really Mean? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


478: Apollo 8 with Paul Hildebrandt
478: Apollo 8 with Paul Hildebrandt Astronomy Cast 478: Apollo 8 with Paul Hildebrandt by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


477: State of Exploration: Once and Future Moon
477: State of Exploration: Once and Future Moon Astronomy Cast 477: State of Exploration: Once and Future Moon by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


476: The Overview Effect
476: The Overview Effect Astronomy Cast 476: The Overview Effect by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


475: Fast Radio Bursts
475: Fast Radio Bursts Astronomy Cast 475: Fast Radio Bursts by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


474: Predictions for 2018
474: Predictions for 2018 Astronomy Cast 474: Predictions for 2018 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


473: Remembering the Best Space Science of 2017
473: Remembering the Best Space Science of 2017 Astronomy Cast 473: Remembering the Best Space Science of 2017 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


472: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 4: Bioscience
472: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 4: Bioscience Astronomy Cast 472: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 4: Bioscience by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


471: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 3: Human Computer Relations
471: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 3: Human Computer Relations Astronomy Cast 471: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 3: Human Computer Relations by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


470: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 2: 3D Printing
470: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 2: 3D Printing Astronomy Cast 470: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 2: 3D Printing by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


469: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 1 Space Exploration
469: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 1 Space Exploration Astronomy Cast 469: Best Modern Sci Fi for the Science Lover – Part 1 Space Exploration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


468: Simulations for Science and Fun
468: Simulations for Science and Fun Astronomy Cast 468: Simulations for Science and Fun by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


467: Resonance
467: Resonance Astronomy Cast 467: Resonance by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


466: Origins of Zero (0)
466: Origins of Zero (0) Astronomy Cast 466: Origins of Zero (0) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


465: Exploiting Interfering Light
465: Exploiting Interfering Light Astronomy Cast 465: Exploiting Interfering Light by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


464: Why the Hype over an Exorock?
464: Why the Hype over an Exorock? Astronomy Cast 464: Why the Hype over an Exorock? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


463: Pareidolia and the Moon
463: Pareidolia and the Moon Astronomy Cast 463: Pareidolia and the Moon by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


462: Modeling the Weather
462: Modeling the Weather Astronomy Cast 462: Modeling the Weather by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


461: Measuring the Weather with Satellites
461: Measuring the Weather with Satellites Astronomy Cast 461: Measuring the Weather with Satellites by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


460: Earth from Afar: Remote Sensing
460: Earth from Afar: Remote Sensing Astronomy Cast 460: Earth from Afar: Remote Sensing by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


459: Arecibo Observatory
459: Arecibo Observatory Astronomy Cast 459: Arecibo Observatory by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


458: The Science of Cassini
458: The Science of Cassini Astronomy Cast 458: The Science of Cassini by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


457: Why Did Cassini Have To Die? In Memoriam
457: Why Did Cassini Have To Die? In Memoriam Astronomy Cast 457: Why Did Cassini Have To Die? In Memoriam by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


456: Pluto Revisited
456: Pluto Revisited Astronomy Cast 456: Pluto Revisited by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


455: Your Practical Guide to Colonizing the Milky Way!
455: Your Practical Guide to Colonizing the Milky Way! Astronomy Cast 455: Your Practical Guide to Colonizing the Milky Way! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Astronomy Cast Extra! Solar Eclipse 101
Pamela and Fraser talk about solar eclipse basics at their Solar Eclipse Escape event in Saint Louis on August 19th. What to do, and (perhaps more importantly) what NOT to do is covered!


454: Things We’re Looking Forward To
454: Things We’re Looking Forward To Astronomy Cast 454: Things We’re Looking Forward To by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


453: Favorite Things We’ve Done These 10 Years
453: Favorite Things We’ve Done These 10 Years Astronomy Cast 453: Favorite Things We’ve Done These 10 Years by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


452: Summer Observing Challenges
452: Summer Observing Challenges Astronomy Cast 452: Summer Observing Challenges by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


451: When Can I Buy My Ticket To Space?
451: When Can I Buy My Ticket To Space? Astronomy Cast 451: When Can I Buy My Ticket To Space? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


450: Inflatable Habitats
450: Inflatable Habitats Astronomy Cast 450: Inflatable Habitats by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


449: Robots in Space!
449: Robots in Space! Astronomy Cast 449: Robots in Space! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


448: Prepping for the Eclipse
448: Prepping for the Eclipse Astronomy Cast 448: Prepping for the Eclipse by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


447: Animals in Space Pt. 3: Dogs, Monkeys and More
447: Animals in Space Pt. 3: Dogs, Monkeys and More Astronomy Cast 447: Animals in Space Pt. 3: Dogs, Monkeys and More by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


446: Animals in Space Pt. 2: Mice and Other Small Animals
446: Animals in Space Pt. 2: Mice and Other Small Animals Astronomy Cast 446: Animals in Space Pt. 2: Mice and Other Small Animals by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


445: Animals in Space Pt. 1: Insects and Arachnids
445: Animals in Space Pt. 1: Insects and Arachnids Astronomy Cast 445: Animals in Space Pt. 1: Insects and Arachnids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


444: Fractals
444: Fractals Astronomy Cast 444: Fractals by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


443: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 7: Tsunamis
443: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 7: Tsunamis Astronomy Cast 443: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 7: Tsunamis by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


442: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 6: Magnetic Pole Reversal
442: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 6: Magnetic Pole Reversal Astronomy Cast 442: Destroy and Rebuild Pt. 6: Magnetic Pole Reversal by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


441: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 5: Continental Drift
441: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 5: Continental Drift Astronomy Cast 441: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 5: Continental Drift by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


440: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 4: Supervolcanoes!
440: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 4: Supervolcanoes! Astronomy Cast 440: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 4: Supervolcanoes! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


439: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 3: How Do We Terraform Earth?
439: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 3: How Do We Terraform Earth? Astronomy Cast 439: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 3: How Do We Terraform Earth? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


438: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 2: Geoengineering
438: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 2: Geoengineering Astronomy Cast 438: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 2: Geoengineering by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


437: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 1: The Torino Scale
437: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 1: The Torino Scale Astronomy Cast 437: Destroy and Rebuild, Pt. 1: The Torino Scale by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


436 Bonus: Moon Cheeziness
436 Bonus: Moon Cheeziness Astronomy Cast 436 Bonus: Moon Cheeziness by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


436: Common Misconceptions in Probability
436: Common Misconceptions in Probability Astronomy Cast 436: Common Misconceptions in Probability by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


435: The Butterfly Effect
435: The Butterfly Effect Astronomy Cast 435: The Butterfly Effect by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


434: Am I On An Alien World?
434: Am I On An Alien World? Astronomy Cast 434: Am I On An Alien World? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


433: Volcanoes on Mars
433: Volcanoes on Mars Astronomy Cast 433: Volcanoes on Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


432: Geologic Ages of Mars – From Wet and Wild to Desolate Desert
432: Geologic Ages of Mars – From Wet and Wild to Desolate Desert Astronomy Cast 432: Geologic Ages of Mars – From Wet and Wild to Desolate Desert by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


431: The Search for Life on Mars
431: The Search for Life on Mars Astronomy Cast 431: The Search for Life on Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


430: Coming Home from Mars
430: Coming Home from Mars Astronomy Cast 430: Coming Home from Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


429: Living on Mars
429: Living on Mars Astronomy Cast 429: Living on Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


428: The Moons of Mars
428: The Moons of Mars Astronomy Cast 428: The Moons of Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


427: Click Bait vs Clear Science
427: Click Bait vs Clear Science Astronomy Cast 427: Click Bait vs Clear Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


426: Confirmation Bias
426: Confirmation Bias Astronomy Cast 426: Confirmation Bias by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


425: Naming Spacecraft
425: Naming Spacecraft Astronomy Cast 425: Naming Spacecraft by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


424: Lightning
424: Lightning Astronomy Cast 424: Lightning by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


423: Cyclones
423: Cyclones Astronomy Cast 423: Cyclones by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


422: Geysers
Astronomy Cast 422: Geysers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


421: Space Games!
Astronomy Cast 421: Space Games! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


420: FIRE!
Astronomy Cast 420: FIRE! by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


419: DragonCon 2016 Live: Rocket Girls
AstronomyCast 419: DragonCon 2016 Live: Rocket Girls by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


418: I'm a Teapot
AstronomyCast 418: I'm a Teapot by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


417: Expectation: Failed
AstronomyCast 417: Expectation: Failed by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


416: Fireballs from Space
AstronomyCast 416: Fireballs from Space by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


415: The Temperature of the Universe
AstronomyCast 415: The Temperature of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


414: Navigating Far
AstronomyCast 414: Navigating Far by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


413: Navigating Near
AstronomyCast 413: Navigating Near by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


412: The Color of the Universe
AstronomyCast 412: The Color of the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


411: The Science of Sunset Colors
AstronomyCast 411: The Science of Sunset Colors by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


410: Planet Nine - Facts & Fiction
AstronomyCast 410: Planet Nine - Facts & Fiction by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


409: Spin in the Solar System
AstronomyCast 409: Spin in the Solar System by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


408: Universal Cannibalism
AstronomyCast 408: Universal Cannibalism by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


407: Galactic Cannibalism
AstronomyCast 407: Galactic Cannibalism by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


406: Stellar Cannibalism
AstronomyCast 406: Stellar Cannibalism by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


405: Method Not Found
AstronomyCast 405: Method Not Found by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


405: Method Not Found
AstronomyCast 405: Method Not Found by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


404: What We Know, What We Don't Know, & What We Can't Know
AstronomyCast 404: What We Know, What We Don't Know, & What We Can't Know by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


403: Funding Big Science
AstronomyCast 403: Funding Big Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


402: Gravity Eyes - See the Invisible with the Force
AstronomyCast 402: Gravity Eyes - See the Invisible with the Force by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


401: Future Predictions
AstronomyCast 401: Future Predictions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


400: The State of the Universe
AstronomyCast 400: The State of the Universe, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


399: Women in Science
AstronomyCast 399: Women in Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


398: Seeing Things
AstronomyCast 398: Seeing Things by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


397: Why is There Something and Not Nothing?
AstronomyCast 397: Why is There Something and Not Nothing? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


396: Family Astronomy for the Holidays
AstronomyCast 396: Family Astronomy for the Holidays by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


395: Baryons & Beyond the Standard Model
AstronomyCast 395: Baryons & Beyond the Standard Model by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


394: Bosons
AstronomyCast 394: Bosons by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


393: The Standard Model - Leptons & Quarks
AstronomyCast 393: The Standard Model - Leptons & Quarks by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


392: The Standard Model
AstronomyCast 392: The Standard Model by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


391: Entropy
AstronomyCast 391: Entropy by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


390: Occam's Razor & the Problem with Probabilities
AstronomyCast 390: Occam's Razor & the Problem with Probabilities by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


388: Megastructures
AstronomyCast 388: Megastructures by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


389: Roundtable with Paul M. Sutter
AstronomyCast 389: Roundtable with Paul M. Sutter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


387: Water on Mars (Again)
AstronomyCast 387: Water on Mars (Again) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


386: Orbiting Observers
AstronomyCast 386: Orbiting Observers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


385: Rovers on the Run
AstronomyCast 385: Rovers on the Run by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


384: Escaping Probes
AstronomyCast 384: Escaping Probes, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


383: Approaches to Absolute Zero
AstronomyCast 383: Approaches to Absolute Zero by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


382: Degenerate Matter
AstronomyCast 382: Degenerate Matter by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


381: Hollowing Asteroids
AstronomyCast 381: Hollowing Asteroids by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


380: The Limits of Optics
AstronomyCast 380: The Limits of Optics by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


379: Fermi's Atom Splitting
AstronomyCast 379: Fermi's Atom Splitting by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


378: Rutherford Atoms
AstronomyCast 378: Rutherford Atoms, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


377: Thomson Finds the Electron
AstronomyCast 377: Thomson Finds the Electron by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


376: The Miller-Urey Experiment
AstronomyCast 376: The Miller-Urey Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


375: The Search for Life in the Solar System, with Morgan Rehnberg
AstronomyCast 375: The Search for Life in the Solar System, with Morgan Rehnberg by Fraser Cain & Morgan Rehnberg


374: The Stern-Gerlach Experiment
AstronomyCast 374: The Stern-Gerlach Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


373: The Becquerel Experiment
AstronomyCast 373: The Becquerel Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


372: The Millikan Oil Drop Experiment
AstronomyCast 372: The Millikan Oil Drop Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


371: The Eddington Eclipse Experiment
AstronomyCast 371: The Eddington Eclipse Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


370: Kaufmann Bucherer Neumann Experiments
AstronomyCast 370: Kaufmann Bucherer Neumann Experiments by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


369: The Fizeau Experiment
AstronomyCast 369: The Fizeau Experiment by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


368: Searching for the Ether Wind (The Michelson–Morley Experiment)
AstronomyCast 368: Searching for the Ether Wind (The Michelson–Morley Experiment) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


367: Spitzer Does Exoplanets
AstronomyCast 367: Spitzer Does Exoplanets by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


366: HARPS
AstronomyCast 366: HARPS by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


365: Gaia
AstronomyCast 365: Gaia by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


364: COROT
AstronomyCast 364: COROT by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


363: Where Did Earth's Water Come From?
AstronomyCast 363: Where Did Earth's Water Come From? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


362: Carolyn Porco
AstronomyCast 362: Carolyn Porco by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


361: Maria Zuber
AstronomyCast 361: Maria Zuber by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


360: Jocelyn Bell Burnell
AstronomyCast 360: Jocelyn Bell Burnell by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


359: Margaret Geller
AstronomyCast 359: Margaret Geller by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


358: Sandra Faber
AstronomyCast 358: Sandra Faber by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


357: Vera Rubin
AstronomyCast 357: Vera Rubin by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


356: Inertia
AstronomyCast 356: Inertia by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


355: 3D Printing Exploration
AstronomyCast 355: 3D Printing Exploration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


354: Comet Siding Spring vs. Mars
AstronomyCast: 354: Comet Siding Spring vs. Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


353: Seasons and Saturn
AstronomyCast 353: Seasons and Saturn by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


352: Water, Water Everywhere
AstronomyCast 352: Water, Water Everywhere by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Live from DragonCon 2014
AstronomyCast Live from DragonCon 2014 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


351: Asteroid Adventures
AstronomyCast 351: Asteroid Adventures by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


350: Spaceship One
AstronomyCast 350: SpaceShip One by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


349: Mercury 7 Astronauts
AstronomyCast 349: Mercury 7 Astronauts by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


348: 2 Independence Square, the NASA Headquarters
AstronomyCast 348: 2 Independence Square, the NASA Headquarters by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Live from Balticon
AstronomyCast: Live from Balticon, with P.G. Holyfield by Dr. Pamela Gay


346: Area 51
AstronomyCast 346: Area 51 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


345: Launch Complex 39
AstronomyCast 345: Launch Complex 39 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


344: Saturn's Rings
AstronomyCast 344: Saturn's Rings by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


343: The Universe is Trying to Kill You
AstronomyCast 343: The Universe is Trying to Kill You by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


342: Sunsetting Spacecraft
AstronomyCast 342: Sunsetting Spacecraft by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


341: The 45th Lunar and Planetary Society Conference, with Alessondra Springmann
AstronomyCast 341: The 45th Lunar and Planetary Society Conference, with Alessondra Springmann by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


340: Warner von Braum
AstronomyCast 340: Warner von Braum by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


339: Space Conspiracy Theories
AstronomyCast 339: Space Conspiracy Theories by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


338: Copernicus
AstronomyCast 338: Copernicus by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


337: Photometry
AstronomyCast 337: Photometry by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


336: Units of Measure
AstronomyCast 336: Units of Measure by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


335: The Photoelectric Effect
AstronomyCast 335: The Photoelectric Effect by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


334: Chelyabinsk, One Year Later
AstronomyCast 334: Chelyabinsk, One Year Later by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


333: When Worlds Collide
AstronomyCast 333: When Worlds Collide by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


332: Stellar Collisions
AstronomyCast 332: Stellar Collisions by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


331: Arthur C. Clarke's Ideas and Technology
AstronomyCast 331: Arthur C. Clarke's Ideas and Technology by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


330: Arthur C. Clarke
AstronomyCast 330: Arthur C. Clarke by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


329: Telescope Making, Pt. 3
329: Telescope Making, Pt. 3 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


328: Telescope Making, Pt. 2
AstronomyCast 328: Telescope Making, Pt. 2 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


327: Telescope Making, Pt. 1
AstronomyCast 327: Telescope Making, Pt. 1 by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


326: Atmospheric Dust
AstronomyCast 326: Atmospheric Dust by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


325: Cold Fusion
AstronomyCast 325: Cold Fusion by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


324: Sun Grazers
AstronomyCast 324: Sun Grazers by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


323: Isotopes
AstronomyCast 323: Isotopes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


322: SOHO
AstronomyCast 322: SOHO by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


321: Solar Flares
AstronomyCast 321: Solar Flares by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


320: Layers of the Sun
AstronomyCast 320: Layers of the Sun by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


319: The Zodiac
AstronomyCast 319: The Zodiac by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


318: Escape Velocity
AstronomyCast 318: Escape Velocity by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


317: Observatories
AstronomyCast 317: Observatories by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


316: Observational vs. Experimental Science
AstronomyCast 316: Observational Vs. Experimental Science by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


315: Particle Accelerators
Who knew that destruction could be so informative? Only by smashing particles together with more and more energy, can we truly tease out the fundamental forces of nature. Join us to discover the different kinds of accelerators (both natural and artificial) and why questions they can help us answer.


314: Acceleration
AstronomyCast 314: Acceleration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


313: Precession
AstronomyCast 313: Precession by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


312: The Inverse Square Law & Other Strangeness
AstronomyCast 312: The Inverse Square Law & Other Strangeness by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


311: Sound
AstronomyCast 311: Sound by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 309: Creating a Science-y Society
AstronomyCast 309: Creating a Science-y Society by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


308: Climate Change
AstronomyCast 308: Climate Change by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


307: The Pacific Ring of Fire
AstronomyCast 307: The Pacific Ring of Fire by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


306: Accretion Discs
AstronomyCast 306: Accretion Discs by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


305: The Spacecraft That Wouldn't Die
AstronomyCast 305: The Spacecraft That Wouldn't Die by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


304: Death of a Spacecraft
AstronomyCast 304: Death of a Spacecraft by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


303: Equilibrium
AstronomyCast 303: Equilibrium by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


302: Planetary Motion in the Sky
AstronomyCast 302: Planetary Motion in the Sky by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 301: Planetary Migration
AstronomyCast 301: Planetary Migration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 295: The Observable Universe
AstronomyCast 295: The Observable Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 300: What We've Learned in Almost 7 Years
AstronomyCast 300: What We've Learned in Almost 7 Years by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 299: Space Stations, Pt. 4: Future Space Stations
AstronomyCast 299: Space Stations, Pt. 4: Future Space Stations by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 298: Space Stations, Pt. 3: The International Space Station
AstronomyCast 298: Space Stations, Pt. 3: The International Space Station by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 297: Space Stations, Pt. 2: Mir
AstronomyCast297: Space Stations, Pt. 2: Mir, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 296: Spacestations, pt. 1
AstronomyCast 296: Spacestations, pt. 1, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - May 3rd, 2013


Ep. 294: Arecibo Observatory
AstronomyCast 294: Arecibo Observatory, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 293: Earthquakes
AstronomyCast 293: Earthquakes, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 292: The Oort Cloud
AstronomyCast 292: The Oort Cloud, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 291: Shockwaves
AstronomyCast 291: Shockwaves, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 290: Failed Stars
AstronomyCast 290: Failed Stars, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 289: Cherenkov Radiation
AstronomyCast 289: Cherenkov Radiation, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 288: Phases of Matter
AstronomyCast 288: Phases of Matter, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 287: E = mc2
AstronomyCast 287: E = mc2, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout Feb 15, 2013


Ep. 283: Stellar Motion
AstronomyCast 283: Stellar Motion, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 286: How to Debunk and End-of-the-World Myth
AstronomyCast 286: How to Debunk and End-of-the-World Myth, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 285: How the World Will Really End
AstronomyCast 285: How the World Will Really End, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout Feb 8, 2013


Weekly Space Hangout Feb 1, 2013


Weekly Space Hangout - Jan 25 2013


Weekly Space Hangout - Jan 18, 2013


Ep. 284: Optics
AstronomyCast 284: Optics, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 282: Seasons
AstronomyCast 282: Seasons, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 281: Explosions in Space
AstroCast 281: Explosions in Space, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 280: The Cosmological Constant
AstronomyCast 280: The Cosmological Constant, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 279: The Hubble Constant
AstronomyCast 279: The Hubble Constant, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 278: Animals in Space
AstronomyCast 278: Animals in Space, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 277: Orbit
AstronomyCast 277: Orbit, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 276: XMM Newton
AstronomyCast 276: XMM Newton, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout-Oct 25, 2012


Mobile App: Phases of the Moon
Universe Today needs your help. Support the site and enrich your life at the same time by buying our mobile app: Phases of the Moon, for both Android and iPhone. The app is only $.99 in the store or .


Ep. 275: Isaac Newton, Pt. 1
AstronomyCast 275: Isaac Newton, Pt. 1, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Ep. 274: The Asteroid Vesta
AstronomyCast 274: The Asteroid Vesta, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 273: Solutions to the Fermi Paradox
AstronomyCast 273: Solutions to the Fermi Paradox, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - Oct 4, 2012


Weekly Space Hangout Sep 27, 2012


Weekly Space Hangout Sep 20, 2012


AstronomyCast 272: Abiogenesis
AstronomyCast 272: Abiogenesis, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 271: Who Does What in Space & Astronomy?
AstronomyCast 271: Who Does What in Space & Astronomy? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - Sep. 13, 2012


AstronomyCast: Live from DragonCon 2012
AstronomyCast: Live from DragonCon 2012, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 270: Inertia
AstronomyCast 270: Inertia, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Live coverage of the Curiosity Landing on August 5th, 2012


Astronomy Cast on Hiatus for the Summer
We'll be back for with a live show at Dragon*Con 2012 at the Labor Day Weekend.


AstronomyCast 269: Mass
AstronomyCast 269: Mass, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - July 12, 2012
This week we talk about the new moon discovered orbiting Pluto (P5), New Horizons doing science in it's sleep, a southern polar vortex on Titan, and Pluto moon orbits, et cetera. We are joined by Robert Nemiroff, Jason Major, Alan Boyle, Michael Wall, Amy Shira Teitel and special guest Mark Showalter of SETI. Hosted by Fraser Cain.


AstronomyCast 268: Energy
AstronomyCast 268: Energy, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 267: Infinities
AstronomyCast 267: Infinities, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - July 5, 2012


Weekly Space Hangout - June 28, 2012


Ep. 266: Archimedes
It's time to look deep into history to the birthplace of modern mathematics - Ancient Greece. And the most famous mathematician of the time was Archimedes. We use many of his mathematical theories and inventions to this day; others are steeped in legend and mystery.


265: Arthur Eddington
We can thank Arthur Eddington for much of our current understanding of stars. He provided some of the breakthrough concepts that explain what's going on, deep inside the hottest places in the Universe. Sadly, the spacecraft associated with his name wasn't so successful. 


Weekly Space Hangout - June 21, 2012
This week we talk about: Black Holes as particle detectors, New advances in Chinese space exploration, Asteroid research, History of women in space. We're joined by Amy Shira Teitel, Alan Boyle, Ian O'Neill, and Michael Wall. Hosted by Fraser Cain


Weekly Space Hangout - June 14, 2012
This week we talk about: Lakes on Titan, Mars Curiosity landing, Earth-type worlds more common, NuSTAR Mission launch. We are joined by Amy Shira Teitel, Emily Lakdawalla, and Nicole Gugliucci


AstronomyCast 264: The Hazards of Space Flight
AstronomyCast 264: The Hazards of Space Flight, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 263: Radioactive Decay
AstronomyCast 263: Radioactive Decay, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 262: Solar Sails
AstronomyCast 262: Solar Sails, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - June 7, 2012
In this week's Weekly Space Hangout, we talk about the Transit of Venus, the transfer of the space shuttle Enterprise, the future of commercial space exploration, and the new movie Prometheus. We're joined by Alan Boyle from http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/ and Amy Shira Teitel from http://www.amyshirateitel.com/


AstronomyCast 261: Lasers & Masers in Astronomy
AstronomyCast 261: Lasers & Masers in Astronomy, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - May 31, 2012
In this episode of the Weekly Space Hangout, we're joined by special guest Robert Nemiroff from Astronomy Picture of the Day. We also talked about the return of the SpaceX Dragon capsule, a manned mission to Venus, nomadic planets and the announcement of the Square Kilometer Array. Our team included: Amy Shira Tietel, Jason Major, Alan Boyle, Nicole Gugliucci and Robert Nemiroff


AstronomyCast 260: Lasers & Masers
AstronomyCast 260: Lasers & Masers, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - May 17, 2012
Sorry for the lack of a Hangout last week, we had massive internet fail in Fraser's home city. This week, we talk about: Building a real starship Enterprise, preparations for the annular solar eclipse, investigation into the Gaia theory, fuel for black holes, Hubble and the transit of Venus. We're joined by Amy Shira Teitel, Jason Major, Nancy Atkinson, Nicole Gugliucci, Phil Plait.


AstronomyCast 259: The Exploration of Venus
AstronomyCast 259: The Exploration of Venus, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 258: Viking Landers
AstronomyCast 258: Viking Landers, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - May 3, 2012
In this episode we talked about asteroid mining, SpaceX delays, Shuttle retirement, killer black holes, supermassive planets (aka brown dwarfs), Enceladus/Dione flybys, and missions to Jupiter.


AstronomyCast 257: Viking Orbiter
AstronomyCast 257: Viking Orbiter, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 256: Resolution
AstronomyCast 256: Resolution, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 254: Reflection & Refraction
AstronomyCast 254: Reflection & Refraction, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - Mar. 8, 2012
In this episode of the Weekly Space Hangout, we talk about two different asteroid close passes, the solar storms buffeting the Earth, a recent space exploration conference, and a team of amateur astronomers flashing the space station. We're also joined by Ryan Kobrick - Executive Director of Yuri's Night - to talk about the upcoming festivities.


AstronomyCast 255: Observing Hydrogen
AstronomyCast 255: Observing Hydrogen, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - Mar. 1, 2012
Another week, another space roundup. This week we talk about the redefinition of the term "Earthlike", salty soil on Mars, how you can participate in SETI, asteroid dust from Hayabusa, and the dangers of a warp drive.


AstronomyCast 253: Rayleigh Scattering
AstronomyCast 253: Rayleigh Scattering, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - Feb. 23, 2012


Weekly Space Hangout - Feb. 16, 2012


AstronomyCast 251: Messier Objects
AstronomyCast 251: Messier Objects, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - Feb. 9, 2012


Weekly Space Hangout - Feb. 2, 2012


AstronomyCast 252: Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle
AstronomyCast 252: Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 250: Precision
AstronomyCast 250: Precision, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 249: Schrödinger's cat
AstronomyCast 249: Schrödinger's cat, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 248: The Carina Constellation
AstronomyCast 248: The Carina Constellation, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Weekly Space Hangout - Jan. 26, 2012
Another edition of our weekly space hangout. This week we talked about a week of space remembrance, solar storms, Newt's plans for a 2020 lunar base, arsenic and old news, black holes and their galaxies and the death of Phobos-Grunt.


AstronomyCast 247: The Ages of Things
AstronomyCast 247: The Ages of Things, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 246: What If Something Was Different
AstronomyCast 246: What If Something Was Different, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 245: Calendars
AstronomyCast 245: Calendars, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


Discovery of Earth-Sized Planets - Google+ Hangout
This is a Google+ Hangout we did to discuss the announcement of Earth-sized planets discovered by NASA's Kepler mission. Moderated by Fraser Cain from Universe Today/Astronomy Cast, with Nancy Atkinson from Universe Today, Dr. Phil Plait from Bad Astronomy, Emily Lakdawalla from the Planetary Society and Alan Boyle from MSNBC's Cosmic Log.


AstronomyCast 244: Io
AstronomyCast 244: Io, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 243: The Tunguska Event
AstronomyCast 243: The Tunguska Event, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 242: The Turino Scale
AstronomyCast 242: The Turino Scale, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 241: Astrophotography | Pt. 3: Image Processing
AstronomyCast 241: Astrophotography | Pt. 3: Image Processing by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 240: Astrophotography | Pt. 2: Techniques
AstronomyCast 240: Astrophotography | Pt. 2: Techniques, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 239: Astrophotography | Pt. 1: The Gear
AstronomyCast 239: Astrophotography | Pt. 1: The Gear, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 238: Solar Activity
AstronomyCast 238: Solar Activity, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 237: Spooky Space Sounds
AstronomyCast 237: Spooky Space Sounds, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 236: Einstein Was Right
AstronomyCast 236: Einstein Was Right, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 235: Einstein
AstronomyCast 235: Einstein, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 234: Lunar Phases
AstronomyCast 234: Lunar Phases, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 233: Radar
AstronomyCast 233: Radar, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 232: Galileo Spacecraft
AstronomyCast 232: Galileo Spacecraft, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast: Live at Dragon*Con
AstronomyCast: Live at Dragon*Con, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 231: Galileo Galilei
AstronomyCast 231: Galileo Galilei, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 230: Christiaan Huygens
AstronomyCast 230: Christiaan Huygens, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 229: The Cassini Mission
AstronomyCast 229: The Cassini Mission, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 228: Giovanni Cassini, Pt. 1
AstronomyCast 228: Giovanni Cassini, Pt. 1, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 227: The Big Dipper
AstronomyCast 227: The Big Dipper, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 226: Weather
AstronomyCast 226: Weather, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 225: Ice in Space
AstronomyCast 225: Ice in Space, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 224: Orion
AstronomyCast 224: Orion, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 223: The Transit of Venus
AstronomyCast 223: The Transit of Venus, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 222: The Decadal Survey
AstronomyCast 222: The Decadal Survey, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 221: Geomorphology
AstronomyCast 221: Geomorphology, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 220: Mass Extinction Events
AstronomyCast 220: Mass Extinction Events


AstronomyCast 219: The Planck Mission
AstronomyCast 219: The Planck Mission, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 217: Stellar Classification
AstronomyCast 217: Stellar Classification, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 218: Max Planck Pt. 1
AstronomyCast 218: Max Planck Pt. 1, by Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela Gay


AstrnomyCast 216: Archeo-Astronomy
AstrnomyCast 216: Archeo-Astronomy, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 215: Light Echoes
AstronomyCast 215: Light Echoes, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 214: Space Tourism
AstronomyCast 214: Space Tourism, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 213: Supermassive Black Holes
AstronomyCast 213: Supermassive Black Holes


AstronomyCast 212: GPS Navigation
  AstronomyCast 212: GPS Navigation, by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay  


AstronomyCast 211: Celestial Navigation
AstronomyCast 211: Celestial Navigation


AstronomyCast 210: The Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit & Opportunity
AstronomyCast 210: The Mars Exploration Rovers: Spirit & Opportunity


AstronomyCast 209: Exotic Life
AstronomyCast 209: Exotic Life


AstronomyCast 208: The Spitzer Space Telescope
AstronomyCast 208: The Spitzer Space Telescope


AstroCast 207: Lyman Spitzer
AstroCast 207: Lyman Spitzer


AstronomyCast 206: Fission
AstronomyCast 206: Fission


AstronomyCast 205: Fusion
AstronomyCast 205: Fusion


AstronomyCast 204: Temperature
AstronomyCast 204: Temperature


AstronomyCast 203: Europa
AstronomyCast 203: Europa


AstronomyCast 202: The Planets at Gliese 581
AstronomyCast 202: The Planets at Gliese 581


AstronomyCast 201: Titan
AstronomyCast 201: Titan


AstronomyCast 200: The Mariner Program
AstronomyCast 200: The Mariner Program


AstronomyCast 199: The Voyager Program
AstronomyCast 199: The Voyager Program


AstronomyCast 198: How is a Space Mission Chosen?
AstronomyCast 198: How is a Space Mission Chosen?


AstronomyCast 196: Luminosity & Magnitude
AstronomyCast 196: Luminosity & Magnitude


Astronomy Cast 197: Live from Dragon*Con 2010


AstronomyCast 195: Planetary Rings
AstronomyCast 195: Planetary Rings by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay


AstronomyCast 194: Dwarf Planets
AstronomyCast 194: Dwarf Planets


AstronomyCast 193: Astronomy with the Unaided Eye
AstronomyCast 193: Astronomy with the Unaided Eye


AstronomyCast 192: The Chandra X-Ray Observatory
AstronomyCast 192: The Chandra X-Ray Observatory


AstronomyCast 191: Chandrasekhar
AstronomyCast 191: Chandrasekhar


AstronomyCast 190: The Kepler Mission
AstronomyCast 190: The Kepler Mission


AstronomyCast 189: Johannes Kepler and His Laws
AstronomyCast 189: Johannes Kepler and His Laws


AstronomyCast 187: The History of Astronomy | Pt. 5, The 20th Century
AstronomyCast 187: The History of Astronomy | Pt. 5, The 20th Century


AstronomyCast 188: The Future of Astronomy
AstronomyCast 188: The Future of Astronomy


AstronomyCast 186: History of Astronomy | Pt. 4, Beginning of Modern Astronomy
AstronomyCast 186: History of Astronomy | Pt. 4, Beginning of Modern Astronomy


Audible Ad: AstroCast 185


AstronomyCast 185: History of Astronomy | Pt. 3, The Renaissance
AstronomyCast 185: History of Astronomy | Pt. 3, The Renaissance


AstronomyCast 184: History of Astronomy | Pt. 2, The Greeks
AstronomyCast 184: History of Astronomy | Pt. 2, The Greeks


AstronomyCast 183: History of Astronomy | Pt. 1, The Ancient Astronomers
AstronomyCast 183: History of Astronomy | Pt. 1, The Ancient Astronomers


AstronomyCast 182: Astrometry
AstronomyCast 182: Astrometry


AstronomyCast 181: Rotation
AstronomyCast 181: Rotation


AstronomyCast 180: Albedo
AstronomyCast 180: Albedo


AstronomyCast 179: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 2
AstronomyCast 179: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 2


AstronomyCast 178: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 1
AstronomyCast 178: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 1


AstronomyCast 84: Getting Around the Solar System
AstronomyCast 84: Getting Around the Solar System


AstronomyCast 177: Mysteries of the Milky Way, pt. 2
AstronomyCast 177: Mysteries of the Milky Way, pt. 2


AstronomyCast 176: Mysteries of the Milky Way, pt. 1
AstronomyCast 176: Mysteries of the Milky Way, pt. 1


AstronomyCast 175: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 2
AstronomyCast 175: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 2


AstronomyCast 174: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 1
AstronomyCast 174: Mysteries of the Universe, pt. 1


AstronomyCast 173: The Herschel Space Observatory
AstronomyCast 173: The Herschel Space Observatory


Ep. 26: The Largest Structures in the Universe
This week we continue the story of galaxy formation, learning how groups of galaxies come together to form the biggest structures around – galaxy superclusters. And when you look at the Universe at this scale, environment is everything.


AstronomyCast 172: William Herschel
AstronomyCast 172: William Herschel


AstronomyCast 171: Solar System Movements & Positions
AstronomyCast 171: Solar System Movements & Positions


AstronomyCast 170: Coordinate Systems
AstronomyCast 170: Coordinate Systems


AstronomyCast 169: The Fermi Mission
AstronomyCast 169: The Fermi Mission


AstronomyCast 168: Enrico Fermi


Ep. 15: Listener Questions Answered
We finally get organized enough deal with several listener questions: isn�t dark matter just regular stuff we can�t see? how can parts of the Universe be expanding faster than the speed of light? what will Betelgeuse look like when it explodes as a supernova? what�s the speed of gravity? All these and more questions are answered.