5 Minutes With An Astronomer
52 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 5 years ago - ★★★★★ - 3 ratingsJoin us to explore the universe. Each episode we tackle one question and ask Stuart Robbins, a professional astronomer, to help us understand the topic in under 5 minutes without a script. The show is a crossover of the Exposing PseudoAstronomy podcast and the award winning The Reality Check podcast.
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Episodes
S02E01: Corrections
May 20, 2019 16:55 - 4 minutes - 4.51 MBAnd...we’re back, Astro Nuts! We kick off a fun-filled Season 2 with some corrections from Season 1. If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E02: What Is The Cosmic Distance Ladder?
May 20, 2019 16:54 - 7 minutes - 6.65 MBThis episode’s question is, what is the Cosmic Distance Ladder and how does it work? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E03: How Do Standard Candles Work?
May 20, 2019 16:53 - 7 minutes - 6.81 MBThis episode’s question comes from a listener named Todd who asks, “How do standard candles work? It seems like a really huge assumption that all of these stars are truly identical.” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E04: Where Does Earth’s Atmosphere End And Space Begin?
May 20, 2019 16:51 - 9 minutes - 8.44 MBThis week, we welcome special guest and science enthusiast Ed Robertson. Ed is the frontman of Barenaked Ladies and wrote the theme song for Big Bang Theory. He asks, “Where does earth’s atmosphere end and where does space begin?” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E05: Solar Structure Part 1
May 20, 2019 16:50 - 5 minutes - 5.04 MBThis episode is part 1 of 2 on the structure of the Sun, based on a question from listener Todd who asks, “How do we know what's going on inside the Sun? We can see the outside, but it's not like we can place seismometers on it like we do to measure the layers of the Earth.” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E06: Solar Structure Part 2
May 20, 2019 16:48 - 6 minutes - 6.26 MBThis episode is part 2 on the structure of the Sun after listener Todd asks, “How do we know what's going on inside the Sun? We can see the outside, but it's not like we can place seismometers on it like we do to measure the layers of the Earth.” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E07: What Is The Solar Wind?
May 20, 2019 16:47 - 7 minutes - 7.33 MBBuilding on earlier episodes about the structure of the sun, this episode tackles: what is the solar wind? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E08: Earth’s Magnetosphere
May 20, 2019 16:45 - 8 minutes - 8.26 MBWhat is Earth’s magnetosphere and what does it have to do with those amazing light shows in the sky called auroras? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E09: Magnetospheres In The Solar System
May 20, 2019 16:44 - 7 minutes - 6.6 MBAn overview of the Earth’s magnetosphere on the last episode begs the question, do other objects in our solar system have magnetospheres? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E10: What Is Interesting about Io?
May 20, 2019 16:42 - 6 minutes - 6.26 MBOccasionally rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. On this episode: what is so interesting about Jupiter’s moon Io? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E11:Heat Death And The End Of The Universe
May 20, 2019 16:41 - 7 minutes - 7.15 MBThis episode we are joined by Darren McKee, host of The Reality Check. Darren asks about the end of the universe and Heat Death. If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E12: Volcanoes In The Solar System
May 20, 2019 16:39 - 8 minutes - 8.17 MBHaving discussed the volcanically active moon Io on a previous episode, we ask Stuart: where else are there volcanoes in the solar system? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E13: Talking With Flat Earthers
May 20, 2019 16:37 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBNot your typical episode! Special guest Ed Robertson talks with the crew about conspiracy theories and a recent run-in with a flat earther. Ed is the frontman of Barenaked Ladies and wrote the theme song for Big Bang Theory. If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E14: What Is The Hubble Constant?
May 20, 2019 16:34 - 8 minutes - 8.03 MBOne of the most important numbers in Cosmology makes up this episode’s question: what is the Hubble Constant? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E15: Why Does Why Does NASA Follow The Water?
May 20, 2019 16:23 - 5 minutes - 5.49 MBNASA missions seem to often be looking for water elsewhere in the solar system. Why does NASA follow the water? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E16: What Is Interesting About Comets?
May 20, 2019 16:22 - 7 minutes - 6.74 MBOccasionally rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. This episode’s question is: what is interesting about comets? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E17: Does The Moon Improve Earth’s Habitability?
May 20, 2019 16:19 - 8 minutes - 7.53 MBPat asked a question last season about whether our moon improves the Earth’s habitability. Stuart said it would have to wait for another episode. That time has come! If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E18: What Is The Photoelectric Effect?
May 20, 2019 16:17 - 6 minutes - 5.56 MBMany people know that Albert Einstein won a Nobel prize. But do you know why? It was for something called the photoelectric effect. Well, what’s that? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E19: Gravitational Assists
May 20, 2019 16:15 - 6 minutes - 6.45 MBCristina has been waiting to ask this one since season one after pondering Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. What is a gravitational assist and how does it work? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E20: What Is Expanding?
May 20, 2019 16:06 - 6 minutes - 5.63 MBThis episode we are joined by Darren McKee, host of The Reality Check. We previously discussed that the universe is expanding but Darren asks, “What exactly is expanding and what is it expanding into?” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E21: How Big Is The Universe?
May 20, 2019 16:04 - 3 minutes - 3.5 MBThis episode we are joined by Darren McKee, host of The Reality Check who asks, “What is the size of the universe?” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E22: What Is A Light Cone?
May 20, 2019 16:02 - 6 minutes - 5.56 MBDarren McKee, host of The Reality Check has many questions. This episode he asks: “What is a light cone?” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
S02E23: The Big Bang
May 20, 2019 15:56 - 14 minutes - 13.7 MBOn this episode we are joined by special guest and science enthusiast Ed Robertson. Ed is the frontman of Barenaked Ladies and wrote the theme song for Big Bang Theory. So naturally, we HAD to challenge Stuart to try and explain the Big Bang in 5 minutes with Ed in the house! If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us.
Black Hole Image And Season 2 Announced
April 11, 2019 20:30 - 10 minutes - 8.34 MBWe're back! Announcing season two of 5 minutes with an astronomer. We start recording next week and should have a new set of shows for you shortly. In the meantime, Cristina and Pat have a discussion with Stuart about the recent headlines regarding the first image of a black hole.
S01E01: An Introduction To 5 Minutes With An Astronomer
July 03, 2018 20:18 - 5 minutes - 3.71 MBSince this is the first episode, rather than asking Stuart a question, the crew introduces themselves and this new crossover podcast. If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E02: What Are Kepler’s Laws?
July 03, 2018 20:16 - 7 minutes - 4.99 MBThis episode’s question is: what are Kepler’s laws of planetary motion? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E03: Why Do We Have Seasons?
July 03, 2018 20:13 - 6 minutes - 4.31 MBThis episode’s question is: why do we have seasons and are there seasons on other planets? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E04: Where Did Our Moon Come From?
July 03, 2018 20:11 - 5 minutes - 4.05 MBThis episode’s question is: where did our moon come from and have we always thought this? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E05: What Is Interesting About Our Moon?
July 03, 2018 20:05 - 7 minutes - 4.89 MBOccasionally, rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. This episode’s question is: what is interesting about our moon? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E06: What Are Lagrange Points?
July 03, 2018 20:02 - 7 minutes - 5.33 MBThis episode’s question is: what is the parallax? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E07: What Is The Roche Limit?
July 03, 2018 19:59 - 5 minutes - 4.04 MBThis episode’s question is: what is the Roche limit? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E08: What and Where Are Planetary Rings?
July 03, 2018 19:49 - 8 minutes - 5.62 MBThis episode’s question is: what and where are planetary rings? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E09: What Is Parallax?
July 03, 2018 19:45 - 7 minutes - 5.38 MBThis episode’s question is: what is parallax? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E10: What Is Interesting About Pluto?
July 03, 2018 19:41 - 8 minutes - 5.93 MBOccasionally, rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. This episode’s question is: what is interesting about Pluto? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E11: Why Are Rocky Planets Closest To The Sun?
July 03, 2018 19:35 - 6 minutes - 4.75 MBThis episode’s question is: why are rocky planets closest to the sun while gaseous planets are further away? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E12: What Is Special Relativity?
July 03, 2018 19:32 - 7 minutes - 5.53 MBThis episode’s question is: what is Einstein’s theory of general relativity? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E13: What Is General Relativity?
July 03, 2018 19:28 - 6 minutes - 4.61 MBThis episode’s question is: what is Einstein’s theory of general relativity? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E14: What Is The Cosmic Microwave Background?
July 03, 2018 19:25 - 5 minutes - 3.63 MBThis episode’s question is: what is the cosmic microwave background and why does it matter? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E15: What Is Interesting About Jupiter?
July 03, 2018 19:22 - 7 minutes - 5.09 MBOccasionally, rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. This episode’s question is: what is interesting about Jupiter? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E16: What Is The Doppler Effect?
July 03, 2018 19:17 - 4 minutes - 3.32 MBThis episode’s question is: what is the Doppler Effect and why is it important? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E17: What Is Dark Matter?
July 03, 2018 19:13 - 4 minutes - 3.41 MBThis episode’s question is: what is dark matter? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E18: Why Do Stars Twinkle?
July 03, 2018 19:10 - 5 minutes - 3.99 MBThis episode’s question is: why do stars twinkle while planets don’t seem to? Stuart explains that this has something to do with “astronomical seeing.” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E19: What Is Sound Speed?
July 03, 2018 19:06 - 6 minutes - 4.24 MBThis episode’s question is: we know what the speed of sound is but what is sound speed? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E20: What Is Interesting About Craters?
July 03, 2018 19:03 - 9 minutes - 6.35 MBOccasionally, rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. This episode’s question is: what is interesting Craters? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E21: What Is The Drake Equation?
July 03, 2018 18:59 - 5 minutes - 3.78 MBThis episode’s question is: what is the Drake Equation? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E22: What Is The Fermi Paradox?
July 03, 2018 18:18 - 5 minutes - 3.82 MBThis episode’s question is a follow up to the Drake Equation episode: What is the Fermi Paradox? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E23: Does Everything In The Universe Rotate?
July 03, 2018 18:14 - 5 minutes - 3.73 MBThis episode’s question is: does pretty much everything in our universe rotate and why? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E24: What Is Interesting About Charon?
July 03, 2018 18:11 - 9 minutes - 6.38 MBOccasionally, rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. This episode’s question is: what is interesting about Charon, one of the satellites of the dwarf planet Pluto? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E25: How Does GPS Work?
July 03, 2018 18:06 - 6 minutes - 4.85 MBThis episode’s question is: how does the global positioning system, or GPS, work? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.
S01E26: Gravitational Lensing
July 03, 2018 17:55 - 6 minutes - 4.82 MBThis episode’s question is: we understand that gravitational lensing is one of the predictions of Einstein’s theory of general relativity but what is it? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can email us.