AAA SKY
24 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 months ago - ★★★★★ - 15 ratingsAAA SKY is the Amateur Astronomers Association's podcast for astronomy fans in New York City and beyond. Join co-hosts Maggie, Kat, and Stanley as they interview club members, prominent scientists, and personalities on the New York astronomical scene. Topics range from current space missions, night sky observing, astrophotography, cosmological research—plus AAA news and messages. Join us to find out what’s happening above, with AAA SKY.
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Episodes
23. The AAA Elects a New President
July 02, 2023 12:00 - 36 minutes - 41.2 MBIn this episode MJ interviews Alfredo Viegas, the new President of the AAA. Alfredo details his vision for the future of the club, and highlights various new programs the club has for its members and New Yorkers in general. MJ and Stanley discuss the AAA’s collaboration with other groups and tell us about the various upcoming club events. And they develop a new title for all astronomers, with a bit of help from Mark Twain. Links Hayden Planetarium Astronomy on Tap A Connecticut Yankee...
22. Building an Observatory
June 18, 2023 14:26 - 43 minutes - 50 MBIn this episode Stanley interviews Alan and Aaron Sliski, a father-son team of professional observatory builders. In a discussion full of anecdotes, Alan and Aaron give useful tips, advice, and discuss the various types of observatories and the reasons for building one, as well as the numerous pitfalls to avoid. We welcome our new AAA President, Alfredo Viegas. And MJ and Stanley give us a heads-up about the various upcoming Club observing events. Links Amateur Telescope Makers of Bosto...
21. From Academia to the Moon
May 21, 2023 12:00 - 30 minutes - 35.3 MBIn this episode Stanley interviews Paige Godfrey, Senior Software Systems Engineer at Lockheed Martin about life at Lockheed, her inspiring career path, the dichotomy between scientists and engineers and oh yes, the Orion Space Capsule and Artemis missions. Brian says farewell, and MJ and Stanley speculate about life in a capsule and give us a heads-up about various astronomy events around NYC. Links Orion Spacecraft Slooh Online Telescope For Educators, Students, Astronomers & Space Ent...
20. Brian Levine Measures the Solar System
April 02, 2023 12:00 - 39 minutes - 44.9 MBWelcome back to AAA SKY! In this episode we introduce MJ, the newest member of the AAA SKY team. Kat interviews Brian Levine, science educator, who shows us a novel way of modeling the distances between planets in the solar system. And Brian and Kat discuss Astronomy on Tap. Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at [email protected], even if just to say hi!
19. How to make an Impact in Astronomy as a Teenager
May 29, 2022 13:00 - 36 minutes - 41.4 MBIn this final episode of the season Yui Hasegawa, AAA member and high school student extraordinaire, tells Maggie how she came up with an idea for how to make stargazing vastly more accessible to the New York public, and how she made it a reality. By combining the respective resources of the AAA and the Brooklyn Public Library, Yui developed a library loaner program for telescopes which she hopes will serve as a model for cities and clubs worldwide. Hear our first all-women episode with Kat ...
19. How to make an Impact in Astronomy as a Teenager
May 29, 2022 13:00 - 36 minutes - 41.4 MBIn this final episode of the season Yui Hasegawa, AAA member and high school student extraordinaire, tells Maggie how she came up with an idea for how to make stargazing vastly more accessible to the New York public, and how she made it a reality. By combining the respective resources of the AAA and the Brooklyn Public Library, Yui developed a library loaner program for telescopes which she hopes will serve as a model for cities and clubs worldwide. Hear our first all-women episode with Kat ...
18. Tony Hoffman and Citizen Science
May 02, 2022 15:31 - 36 minutes - 41.9 MBIn this episode Kat interviews Tony Hoffman, AAA Member and Citizen Scientist. Tony recounts his adventures photographing eclipses from airplanes in Africa, in northern Norway and wherever else the path of the sun and moon has taken him. He also gives tips on finding comets and even exoplanets. Kat and Stan discuss citizen science more generally and we have a new Listeners Challenge. Links PlanetHunters.org - Planet Hunters TESS TravelQuest International Tony Hoffman on Flickr aavso an...
17. Bell’s Theorem and Quantum Strangeness with George Greenstein
April 10, 2022 13:00 - 41 minutes - 47.6 MBIn this episode Stanley interviews physicist and astronomer George Greenstein about Quantum Mechanics, how he became fascinated with the subject and why this highly successful theory still defies visualization and remains essentially strange to us. It is precisely the unfamiliarity of the quantum world which George captures and explains in his book, Quantum Strangeness. Links Bell's theorem EPR paradox The Uncertainty principle Quantum entanglement Soho Photo Gallery AAASky Listener ...
16. The Great Debate – Public vs. Private Space Launches with Brian Berg and Bart Fried
February 27, 2022 14:00 - 47 minutes - 54.9 MBIn this episode we mix it up! Join AAA President Brian Berg and Executive Vice President Bart Fried as they debate the merits and demerits of public vs. private space launches. From Sean Connery to Elon Musk, from Apollo to Artemis, our adversaries discuss the operations, financing and legality of putting people and robots into space. And we introduce the newest member of our AAASKY team, co-host Kat Troche. Links Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) Outland Diamonds Are Forever AAA...
15. Follow Your Bliss! – The Astronomical Journey of Matthias Schmitt
January 30, 2022 14:00 - 45 minutes - 52.5 MBIn this episode Maggie discovers the amazing personal and professional journey of astronomer Matthias Schmitt, Dark Sky Coordinator at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah and an astronomy guide for Stargazing Zion. He is an avid eclipse chaser with observations in Oregon, Argentina, Oman, the Antarctic, and other locations. Find out how joining an astronomy club, surrounding yourself with passion, and following your bliss, can change your life forever. Read about Matthias’s most recent ...
14. The History of Telescope-making in NYC with Bart Fried
January 02, 2022 14:00 - 53 minutes - 61.5 MBIn this episode telescope historian Bart Fried recounts how New York City became the nation’s center for telescope-making in the early 19th century, and he discusses with Stan some impressive early observatories located in the city. An episode chock full of anecdotes! And Maggie and Stan discuss Cassegrain telescopes and 19th century light pollution as well as their first telescope experiences. Notable Topics Henry Draper Henry Fitz Lewis Morris Rutherford John Byrne Fitz/Clark 12-in ...
13. Photographing the Space Shuttle with Stan Honda
November 28, 2021 15:09 - 56 minutes - 64.4 MBHave you ever dreamed of photographing rocket launches at Cape Canaveral? In this episode Maggie interviews renowned photographer Stan Honda about his experiences shooting launches of the Space Shuttle. Stan takes us to the Kennedy Space Center and recounts some humorous anecdotes all while giving us useful photography tips and techniques. And Maggie and Stan discuss why Florida’s weather is worth enduring. Find all of Stan's imagery on his website, https://www.stanhonda.com/images, or foll...
12. Making Astronomy Accessible to Everyone: The Advent of Smart Telescopes with Cyril Dupuy
October 24, 2021 13:00 - 43 minutes - 49.8 MBA telescope for the rest of us. In this first episode of AAA SKY’s second season, Stan interviews Vaonis founder Cyril Dupuy about his company’s Stellina and smart telescopes in general. Cyril’s dream is to open up astronomy and astrophotography to the greater population. Can smart telescopes eliminate the learning curve for observational astronomy or astrophotography? And welcome to Maggie Machinsky, our new co-host and newest member of the AAA SKY team! Notable Topics Devialet Stellinap...
11. Skywatching in NYC with John Bills
July 04, 2021 13:00 - 39 minutes - 44.9 MBFor our last episode of the season and our first post-pandemic in-person interview, Irene and Stan together speak with John Bills, Chairman of the AAA, about the technology of and his experience in observing from the heart of the city that never sleeps. And we announce the winner of the last Listener Challenge of the season. Thanks for all your support on season 1! Notable Topics STELLINA Plate solving StarSense Explorer Telescopes Brooklyn's Prettiest Telescope NYPL Telescope Loan Pr...
10. Full Steam Ahead
June 20, 2021 14:00 - 49 minutes - 56.5 MBIn this episode Irene interviews David Pentecost about building and using a Planetarium at the Lower East Side Girls Club. Stanley and Irene discuss how the organization takes advantage of the Planetarium for more than just astronomy. And we announce our first winner of the AAA SKY Listener Challenge! Notable Topics Spitz Planetariums East Village Planetarium UNIVIEW OpenSpace NASA International Space Apps Challenge API Adirondack Sky Center AAA SKY Listener Challenge What is Dr. A...
9. Hungry, Hungry Galaxies
June 06, 2021 12:00 - 35 minutes - 40.7 MBIn this episode Stanley interviews Dr. Allyson Sheffield about the Milky Way’s history of interactions with satellite galaxies and the clues left behind in each galaxy by such encounters. And Irene and Stanley introduce a new feature to AAASky. Notable Topics Untangling the streamers in the Milky Way CUNY Astro Faculty and Student Team (FAST) Initiative Chemodynamically Characterizing the Jhelum Stellar Stream with APOGEE-2 AAASky Listener Challenge What is the name of the Pre-Columbi...
8. Archeoastronomy and Ethnoastronomy
May 23, 2021 13:00 - 37 minutes - 43.3 MBIn this episode Irene interviews AAA Member and anthropologist Jorge Colorado about ancient astronomy and some of his favorite world sites where astronomy plays a major role in the architecture. Stanley discusses some of his visits to these sites and Irene plans a trip. Notable Topics Locations Cihuatan San Andreas Joya de Cerén Cahokia Chichen Itza Angkor Wat Serpent Mound Videos on Jorge's YouTube channel Geology in Central Park Upcoming Lunar Eclipse Have a question or a comm...
7. Black Holes
May 09, 2021 13:00 - 30 minutes - 34.5 MBIn this episode Stanley interviews Dr. Jillian Bellovary about black holes of all sizes and the questions surrounding them. Dr. Bellovary describes her research into the formation of intermediate-mass black holes within the accretion disks of supermassive ones as well as off-center black holes in dwarf galaxies. And Irene discusses Dr. Bellovary’s calculation of the carbon footprint of her scientific research. See Dr. Bellovary’s paper The Origins of Off-Center Massive Black Holes in Dwarf ...
6. Interview with Chuck Nice
April 25, 2021 12:00 - 50 minutes - 57.3 MBIn this episode we listen in on Irene’s far-reaching discussion with StarTalk co-host Chuck Nice, in which he discusses astronomy, sports and climate change, in addition to StarTalk. And Stanley and Irene reveal the secret of why AAA club members love to do public stargazing events. Notable Topics Shhh, It's Real! Pod Zero arXiv.org AAA Calendar of Events Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at [email protected], even if just to say hi!
5. Exomoons
April 11, 2021 12:00 - 41 minutes - 46.9 MBIn this episode Stanley interviews Dr. Alex Teachey about the search for exomoons, and Irene and Stanley discuss galactic real estate as well as the 2084 upcoming Earth transit of the Sun as seen from Mars. Notable topics Science Friday The Takeaway Astronomy On Tap Radial-velocity Method Kepler, TESS Kepler-1625b I Vacation Guide to the Solar System Syzygy Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at [email protected], even if just to say hi!
4. Multiple Mars Missions
March 28, 2021 12:00 - 39 minutes - 44.8 MBIrene interviews astrophysicist Dr. Jana Grcevich about the recent landings of NASA’s Perseverance, China’s Tianwen-1 and United Arab Emirates’ Hope on the red planet. Stanley and Irene discuss autonomy and what to wear on Mars. Follow Jana on Twitter @janagrc, and find her book Vacation Guide to the Solar System: Science for the Savvy Space Traveler! on Amazon. Notable Topics NASA Mars 2020 Perseverance and Ingenuity UAE Hope Orbiter CNSA Tianwen-1 Jezero Crater MOXIE Caveat Astron...
3. History of the Telescope
March 14, 2021 12:00 - 33 minutes - 38.2 MBIn this episode Stanley interviews AAA Executive Vice President Bart Fried about the history of the telescope, which in addition to Galileo's discoveries, was influenced by Newton's greatest blunder and two other very clever Englishmen. Notable topics The Antique Telescope Society Hans Lipperhey Nimrud lens Niccolò Zucchi Chromatic aberration Newtonian telescope Chester Moore Hall John Dollond George Bass Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at [email protected], even if ju...
2. Brown Dwarfs and Astro-Fashion
February 24, 2021 23:15 - 38 minutes - 53.3 MBIn this episode Irene interviews Dr. Emily Rice about her two favorite subjects: Brown Dwarfs and Startorialist Fashion. Stanley and Irene ponder what color a brown dwarf dress should be and whether life could exist on brown dwarf satellites. Startorialist (discount for AAASky listeners) Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at [email protected], even if just to say hi!
1. How will we find the next Earth?
February 24, 2021 23:00 - 33 minutes - 46.3 MBIn this inaugural episode Stanley interviews Dr. John Michael Brewer about the 100 Earths Project and the Planet Hunters citizen science platform. And Irene and Stanley discuss various alleged sightings of aliens. Plus a message from AAA President Brian Berg, and Irene’s Celestial Forecast. Notable topics EXPRES Spectrometer Frequency comb Tabby’s Star Unmasking the Face on Mars