Best Astronomy Education Podcasts (2024)

1
Travelers in the Night Eps. 739 & 740: Comet Groeller & Asteroid Billiards 5:30

28m ago5:30

5:30

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( @Nmcanopus ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. travelersinthenight.org From Feb 13 & March 22, 2019. Today's 2 topics: - My Catalina Sky Survey teammate Hannes Groeller was asteroid hunting with our Schmidt telescope…

1
UNAWE - A Missing Ingredient 7:17

1h ago7:17

7:17

https://spacescoop.org/en/scoops/2035/a-missing-ingredient/ From September 10, 2020. The Universe is full of unanswered questions. And more than a few unquestioned answers! One of the biggest questions astronomers are trying to answer is what is the Universe made of? OK, sure, we know about protons, neutrons & electrons already. But astronomers als…

1
EVSN - Cosmic Billiards Leads to Inner Planetary Growth 19:54

32m ago19:54

19:54

From September 28, 2021. The inner solar system was a wild and wooly place as the planets were forming, and new research shows that the collisions that formed Earth and Venus were likely of the hit-and-run variety. Plus, polar ice loss warps the planet, and a black hole eats a star. We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to suppor…

1
Actual Astronomy - Stars: A Month by Month Tour of the Constellations with Mike Lynch 49:03

38m ago49:03

49:03

Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan. actualastronomy@gmail.com Mike Lynch grew up in Richfied, Minnesota. After two years at the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities he transferred to the University of Wisconsin in Madison and earned his B.S. degree in Meteorology. Shortly after he was hired as a br…

1
The penguin, the egg, and the asteroid collision in Beta Pictoris 1:02:52

2h ago1:02:52

1:02:52

We celebrate the second anniversary of the James Webb Space Telescope's (JWST) science operations with Christine Chen, associate astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute. She describes the observatory's newest beautiful image, a close-up of two interacting galaxies called the Penguin and the Egg. Then, she tells us more about her team's …

1
Awesome Astronomy - Sanctuary on the Moon 46:25

7h ago46:25

46:25

Dr. Jenifer “Dr. Dust” Millard hosts solo! Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. Celebrating 55 years since humans first set foot on the Moon with Project Apollo, in this podcast extra, Dr. Jen meets with Benoit Faiveley and Mario Freese, founder and chief engineer of Sanctuary on the Moon, a daring project to leave a legacy of …

1
Ask A Spaceman #228: Can A Galaxy Be Destroyed? 33:48

1h ago33:48

33:48

Can galaxies ever get destroyed? What happens to their stars? Do galaxies ever die? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/spaceman and get on your way to being your best self. Visit BetterHelp to get 10% off your first month! Support the sho…

1
Bonus Content: The week of too much news 21:02

2h ago21:02

21:02

In this bonus episode, we bring you behind the scenes audio from our June 10 pre-show discussion about the “far too much news” that occurred the week of June 3, 2024.By Fraser Cain and Pamela Gay

1
Astronomy Cast Ep. 18: Black Holes, Big & Small 27:51

1h ago27:51

27:51

From Jan 8, 2007. We’re finally ready to deal with the topic you’ve all been waiting for: Schwarzschild swirlers, Chandrasekhar crushers, ol’ matter manglers, sucking singularities… You might know them as black holes. Join as we examine how black holes form, what they consume, and just how massive they can get. We've added a new way to donate to 36…

1
Sanctuary on the Moon 44:55

35m ago44:55

44:55

Celebrating 55 years since humans first set foot on the Moon with Project Apollo, in this podcast extra, Dr Jen meets with Benoit Faiveley and Mario Freese, founder and chief engineer of Sanctuary on the Moon, a daring project to leave a legacy of humanity on our nearest celestial neighbour. In the late 2020s, 24 coaster-sized sapphire disks will s…

1
Travelers in the Night Eps. 281E & 282E: Close Passes & Tilted History 5:30

25m ago5:30

5:30

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( @Nmcanopus ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. travelersinthenight.org Today's 2 topics: - During a recent 3 night observing run my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Rose Matheny discovered 4 asteroids which can come to l…

1
NOIR Lab - Visiting Kitt Peak National Observatories 12:40

4h ago12:40

12:40

Kitt Peak National Observatory is located about 55 miles southwest of Tucson on the land of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Kitt Peak hosts over two dozen optical telescopes and two radio telescopes. The public is welcome to visit and has a variety of daytime telescope tours and night time observing programs to choose from. In this podcast, Kitt Peak Vi…

1
EVSN - Saturn’s Rings & Magnetic Fields Help Understand Planet’s Interior 21:28

1d ago21:28

21:28

From May 7, 2021. Two new studies used data from Cassini’s Grand Finale observations of Saturn and found that the magnetic fields and a wave in the rings provide insight into the core structure and composition of the gas giant. Plus, cosmic rays, how Mayans shaped the Earth, and a review of books by Charles C. Mann. We've added a new way to donate …

1
Guide To Space - What Do Other Planets Sound Like? 8:15

2d ago8:15

8:15

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4g591h49HE From Sep 3, 2015. We know that in space, no one can hear you scream. But what would things sound like on another planet? When humans finally set foot on Mars, they’re going to be curious about everything around them. What’s under that rock? What does it feel like to jump in the lower Martian gravity. What…

1
Challenger, and Space Barbie 48:41

7d ago48:41

48:41

Was the Space Shuttle fundamentally flawed? Richard Hollingham talks to Adam Higginbotham, author of a new book on the Space Shuttle to discuss the design, the dream, and the wishful thinking that led to the Challenger and Columbia disasters. Sue Nelson visits London's Design Museum to visit a new Barbie exhibition and talk "Space Barbie". Also, di…

1
Meet Roo-ver and The Planetary Society’s new board member 1:06:49

3d ago1:06:49

1:06:49

The Planetary Society introduces the newest member of its board of directors this week on Planetary Radio. Newton Campbell Jr., the director of the Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE) Consortium, discusses his career journey, AI in space, and Australia's first lunar rover, the Roo-ver. But first, we go to Washington D.C., U.S.A…

1
Cheap Astronomy - Dear CA # 106: Articles On Particles 14:46

7d ago14:46

14:46

Very Small Rocks. Particular rocks… Dear Cheap Astronomy – What’s a particle? Probably the best answer is that particles are those things detected by particle detectors. Unfortunately this can range from dust detected by atmospheric particle detectors to those things detected within the large hadron collider – which are a special category of those …

1
Exoplanet Radio Ep. 21: JWST Takes First Direct Image of an Exoplanet 5:38

4d ago5:38

5:38

From August 16, 2023. Just a few months after deployment, astronomers have used NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to take a direct image of a planet outside our solar system. The exoplanet is a gas giant, meaning it has no rocky surface and could not be habitable. We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting,…

1
Astronomy Cast Ep. 7: Getting Started in Amateur Astronomy 23:47

5d ago23:47

23:47

From October 23, 2006. Got your eye on that $40 telescope at Walmart? Wait, hear us out first! Fraser and Pamela discuss strategies for getting into amateur astronomy – one of the most worthwhile hobbies out there. We discuss what gear to get, where to look, and how to meet up with other astronomy enthusiasts. We've added a new way to donate to 365…

1
Travelers in the Night Eps. 737 & 738: Collision & Tiny Visitor 5:30

6d ago5:30

5:30

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( @Nmcanopus ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. travelersinthenight.org Today's 2 topics: - Astronomers working with the ATLAS project reported that the perviously normally appearing asteroid 6478 Gault now has a 250,…

1
The Last Minute Astronomer - July Episode 12:24

7d ago12:24

12:24

Hosted by Rob Webb. July’s fireworks include Saturn coming back around closer to being an evening planet, Mercury and Venus dancing low in the evenings, and some magic between the Moon and Spica. 1st - Waning Crescent Moon is just above Mars in the AM 3rd - Up and to the left of Jupiter in the AM 6th - Above Venus, to the left of Mercury, NNW just …

1
Space Policy Edition: NASA and the American South 58:26

8d ago58:26

58:26

Every major NASA center built after the agency’s inception is located in the American South. Why? Dr. Brian Odom, NASA’s chief historian, joins the show to explore the relationship between NASA and the South, how politics and geography led to this focus, and why NASA’s expansion during the Apollo era was likened to a second reconstruction of a prev…

1
EVSN - JWST Reveals Star Formation Details 30:27

8d ago30:27

30:27

From July 3, 2024. Let's take a fast-paced journey thru all that's new in space and astronomy, including Mars Perseverance Rover fords an ancient river, black holes sometimes form like baby stars, and this week's tales from the launch pad. We also look in detail at how JWST images reveal star formation in never-before-seen details. We've added a ne…

1
Actual Astronomy - The Observer’s Calendar for July 28:55

9d ago28:55

28:55

Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan. actualastronomy@gmail.com * July 1st - Today is Canada Day Mars 4° below Moon this morning * July 2nd - Uranus 4° below Moon this morning * July 3rd - Jupiter 5° below Moon this morning * July 4th - is Independence Day in the USA and the 970th anniversary of the Crab S…

1
Fifty-five hundred worlds and counting: The astonishing diversity of exoplanets 1:10:12

10d ago1:10:12

1:10:12

Scientists have discovered over 5,500 exoplanets, but they’re just getting started. We dive into the stunning variety of exoplanets beyond our Solar System with Jessie Christiansen, the project scientist for the NASA Exoplanet Archive. But first, The Planetary Society's science editor, Asa Stahl, shares more about the upcoming Habitable Worlds Obse…

1
Awesome Astronomy - July Part 1: Starliner Marooned & Playing With Gyros! 1:13:28

10d ago1:13:28

1:13:28

Paul Hill and Dr. Jenifer “Dr. Dust” Millard host. Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. This month the team discuss keeping the elderly Hubble alive with a single gyro, how Starliner is currently marooned in orbit and are usually round up of other news from the cosmos, a skyguide for what to look out for and a this month in ast…

1
Starliner Marooned and Playing Gyros! 1:11:58

11d ago1:11:58

1:11:58

This month the team discuss keeping the elderly Hubble alive with a single gyro, how Starliner is currently marooned in orbit and are usually round up of other news from the cosmos, a skyguide for what to look out for and a this month in astronomy history that explores the life of Henrietta Swan-Leavitt.…

1
Ask A Spaceman Ep. 227: Where is the Center of the Universe? 39:09

11d ago39:09

39:09

What does it mean for the Universe to have a center? Could we ever travel to ours? What is a singularity? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/spaceman and get on your way to being your best self. Visit BetterHelp to get 10% off your first …

1
#725: Looking ahead 35:48

16d ago35:48

35:48

Normally, Pamela refuses to think about the future. But today, on our final episode before hiatus, she’s throwing out those rules. Here’s what we’re excited about for the future, especially in the next couple of months until we return in September The post #725: Looking ahead appeared first on Astronomy Cast.…

1
Astronomy Cast Ep. 725: Looking Ahead 33:42

12d ago33:42

33:42

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi-fnU88Cn0&list=PLFCJ8BHVyBD6EQmSjjUl1mh1bsFGPK0CM Streamed live on Jun 24, 2024. Normally Pamela refuses to think about the future. But today, on our final episode before hiatus, she’s throwing out those rules. It’s like the PURGE! Here’s what we’re excited about for the future. Especially for the next couple of mo…

1
Ep. 725: Looking Ahead 33:48

12d ago33:48

33:48

Streamed live on Jun 24, 2024. Normally Pamela refuses to think about the future. But today, on our final episode before hiatus, she’s throwing out those rules. It’s like the PURGE! Here’s what we’re excited about for the future. Especially for the next couple of months until we return in September. This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patro…

1
Travelers in the Night Eps. 735 & 736: One Thousand & Home Wrecker 5:30

13d ago5:30

5:30

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( @Nmcanopus ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. travelersinthenight.org From Mar 10 & 17, 2023. Today's 2 topics: - For the first time in history, an asteroid hunting team, the Catalina Sky Survey, has discovered more…

1
Awesome Astronomy - Prepare For Falling Space Debris! 10:41

19d ago10:41

10:41

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4em31acmK3E Ralph Wilkins hosts. Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. From Aug 12, 2022. The International Space Station has been continuously inhabited for more than 20 years but its end is coming. - But how do you bring down a spacecraft the size of a football field? - How do you squeeze maximu…

1
H’ad Astra Historia - ‘A Distinguished Career’ Part 2 46:58

14d ago46:58

46:58

Hosted by Loretta Cannon. Today’s guest: Dr. Steve Maran (retired from NASA and AAS https://aas.org/stephen-p-maran) shares stories with us from his almost 70 years working, and having fun, in astronomy. H’ad astra historia is the official podcast for the Historical Astronomy Division of the American Astronomical Society. We’re here to share storie…

1
EVSN - Planning To Go Back To The Moon 33:34

15d ago33:34

33:34

From June 19, 2024. This week… there was a far too much news problem. We saw the last flight of Virgin Galactic’s Unity suborbital spacecraft, the first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner capsule to the ISS, a more successful launch test of SpaceX’s massive starship, the successful landing, loading, and liftoff of Chang’e 6 at the Moon, and… the b…

1
An asteroid bash and an asteroid smash 59:59

17d ago59:59

59:59

Every year on June 30, the space community observes Asteroid Day, the anniversary of the Tunguska blast. Markus Payer, Asteroid Foundation Chair, joins us to talk about this year's Asteroid Day festivities. We also get an update on the results of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) with Terik Daly, a planetary scientist and the Planetary Im…

1
Cheap Astronomy - Dear CA Ep. 105: Life & Death 14:12

17d ago14:12

14:12

Staying alive… Dear Cheap Astronomy – Just how useful are humans in space? Just by landing robots on Mars, we’ve been able to take lots of photos, smell the air, feel the ground and listen to the wind blow. We’ve got bogged in difficult terrain, but also climbed hills to take in the view and even operated a drone. Sending people there is a lot more…

1
Exoplanet Radio - Ep. 20: TRAPPIST-1d: A World on the Edge of Life 5:38

18d ago5:38

5:38

From Aug 15, 2023. Tucked inside a quiet solar system, in the area of sky outlined by the constellation Aquarius, orbits a planet named TRAPPIST-1d, the third of seven planets in a system positioned 41 light years from our vantage point. TRAPPIST-1d is a rocky, Earth-like planet, meaning that it is roughly the same size and mass as our home. We've …

1
#724: Summer Science & SciFi Reads

21d ago

—

It’s almost time for our summer hiatus. A time to catch up on all that reading. We’ll give you some book recommendations, and what we’re hoping to read during the summer. The post #724: Summer Science & SciFi Reads appeared first on Astronomy Cast.By Astronomy Cast

1
Astronomy Cast Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) Reads 31:06

19d ago31:06

31:06

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFCW2nCw2-w Streamed live Jun 20, 2024. Fraser & Pamela list their favorite books! Take notes! I also have a favor to ask - I'm working on a research project with my collaborator Sanlyn Buxener on what factors help and hinder people learning and doing science. Can you please take our survey? bit.ly/AstEco THANK YOU! …

1
Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) Reads 31:11

20d ago31:11

31:11

Astronomy Cast Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) ReadsFraser & Pamela list their favorite books! Take notes! It’s almost time for our summer hiatus. A time to catch up on all that reading. We’ll give you some book recommendations, and what we’re hoping to read during the summer. Streamed live Jun 20, 2024. From Pamela: I also have a favor to ask -…

1
Travelers in the Night Eps. 733 & 734: Lunar Space Rock & Comets Africano 5:30

20d ago5:30

5:30

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( @Nmcanopus ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. travelersinthenight.org From Feb 24 & May 3, 2023. Today's 2 topics: - Recently, my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Hannes Groller discovered an Earth approaching asteroid …

1
The Cosmic Savannah - Season 4 in Review 51:06

21d ago51:06

51:06

Hosted by Dr. Jacinta Delhaize & Dr. Daniel Cunnama. From June 21, 2022. In this week’s episode, Jacinta and Dan take a step back to review the past year of The Cosmic Savannah podcast. We chat about some of the highlights of the past year in astronomy and also some of our favourite episodes of the season. We discuss some of the great astronomical …

1
EVSN - Climate in Crisis & Stars in Formation 30:31

22d ago30:31

30:31

From June 5, 2024. In this episode, we bring you stories on how JWST - Not LIGO and Virgo - spotted the most distant Black Hole merger to date, why the search for life on other worlds gets more challenging the more we look, and we take a deep dive into the things we’re doing that cause and relieve climate change. We've added a new way to donate to …

1
Actual Astronomy - The Sherwood Planetarium 58:13

23d ago58:13

58:13

Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan. actualastronomy@gmail.com Chris and Shane welcome guests Adam Firth and Steve Wallace to talk about the Sherwood Planetarium project. More details can be found at https://sherwood-observatory.org.uk/ We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support e…

1
A big year for heliophysics and Parker Solar Probe 54:30

24d ago54:30

54:30

Our Sun is nearing the most active part of its solar cycle. This week, we explore recent solar activity and discoveries from NASA's Parker Solar Probe with Nour Rawafi, the mission's project scientist. But first, we honor the life and legacy of Ed Stone, the former director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the longtime project scientist of t…

1
Cheap Astronomy - Dear CA #104: Moving Out 14:24

24d ago14:24

14:24

Checking out the neighbors. Dear Cheap Astronomy – Is solar or nuclear better for a future Mars base? A common theme on Cheap Astronomy, with regards to space exploration is that just because we can do it, doesn’t mean we will do it, since any billion dollar investment is going to require some kind of return on investment, whether that be an actual…

1
Ask A Spaceman Ep. 226 - Does the Universe Get Shorter When You Go Faster? 39:04

25d ago39:04

39:04

How does length contraction work in relativity? Do moving objects really get shorter? What about from their perspective? How are we supposed to make sense of any measurement? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/spaceman and get on your way…

1
Ep. 723: Exoplanets by the Numbers 31:15

1M ago31:15

31:15

Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets, revealing entirely new types of worlds that we don’t have in the Solar System. It is enough to start getting a rough sense of what kinds of planets are out there. What’s the big picture? The post Ep. 723: Exoplanets by the Numbers appeared first on Astronomy Cast.…

1
Ep. 723: Exoplanets by the Numbers 29:15

27d ago29:15

29:15

Astronomy Cast Ep. 723: Exoplanets by the Numbers By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 10, 2024. Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets, revealing entirely new types of worlds that we just don’t have in the solar system. It’s enough to start getting a rough sense of what kinds of planets are out there. What’s the big pi…

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