AWESOME ASTRONOMY
325 episodes - English - Latest episode: 24 days ago - ★★★★★ - 114 ratingsAwesome Astronomy explores the frontiers of science, space and our evolving understanding of the universe.
Join Ralph, Paul & Jeni for informative and fun astronomy programmes dedicated to space and astronomy news and monthly podcast extras covering hot topics and special interviews in the world of science and astronomy.
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Episodes
Episode 142 Awesome Astronomy April 2024
April 01, 2024 22:12 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBThis month Dr Jen is off to the US for the Solar Eclipse while Paul is just back from Goonhilly Earth Station. We chat about the imminent demise of the Chandra Space Telescope, more news on the Hubble tension, and of course the Great North American Eclipse. Chinese Lunar ambitions, Starship making it to space and the first Boeing Starliner crew make the news while in this months history moment we talk about the brightest Stellar event witnessed by humans.
Britain's First Astronaut
March 22, 2024 09:03 - 38 minutes - 32.9 MBThis podcast extra is our full length interview with Dr Helen Sharman, Britain's First astronaut and the first woman to visit the Russian Mir Space Station in 1991.
Wet Moons and Tippy landers
March 01, 2024 18:16 - 1 hour - 60.9 MBThis month our intrepid crew of the good ship Awesome investigate sub surface oceans on the moons of the solar system, smoking stars, distant blackholes, oversized structures and of course tippy over lunar landers. There is also the monthly skyguide and a look at the astro history of March!
Blasting Soil - Interview with Dr Phil Metzger
February 17, 2024 10:45 - 53 minutes - 43.1 MBThis month Dr Jen talks to Dr Phil! Dr Phil Metzger, 30 years at NASA where he has worked on various missions and programmes including the ISS snd Space Shuttle, while more recently he has been investigating how rocket efflux interacts with soil and what this will mean for future landings on the Moon and Mars…
Awesome Astronomy Episode #140
February 02, 2024 10:32 - 1 hour - 66.8 MBThis month we explore the exciting announcements from the European Space Agency as they outline their new missions for the 2030s. LISA, a space based gravitational wave detector and EnVision, a Venus mission that will map the surface and under-surface of that planet in unprecedented detail. We have the usual skyguide, chat about recent lunar missions and emails from the listeners.
#139 Awesome Astronomy January 2024
January 15, 2024 19:58 - 1 hour - 110 MBThis episode, it’s Jen and a special guest exploring the inexplicable Big Ring, the first proof connecting supernovae to black holes and neutron stars, cyclones on a far-away world, dazzling images of Io, and the true colour of Neptune. We also take a deep dive into humanity’s efforts to explore the Moon – the failing Peregrine lander and Artemis pushbacks. There’s also a sky guide for the second half of January, and our discussion topic this time involves a most impossible restaurant. P...
Awesome Astronomy Panto and Review of the Year 2023!
December 26, 2023 12:35 - 1 hour - 106 MBFestive silliness (bit naughty!), a review of the Space and astronomy year and a look ahead to what 2024 has in store for us. Not forgetting the outakes!
#138 Awesome Astronomy December 2023 Pt1
December 01, 2023 21:10 - 1 hour - 69.9 MBThis month we explore what might have happened to the Planet Theia after it hit the Earth, what Lucy saw on its first asteroid encounter, the mystery of a new double crater on the Moon and what the first images from the Elucid telescope show. We have our monthly skyguide, launch round up and emails and questions from listeners. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin
Astronomy Mythology of Wales
November 19, 2023 08:43 - 45 minutes - 30.3 MBThis month Jeni talks to Paul. No not our Paul Paul Cornish, planetarium and science outreach extraordinaire at Bristols We the Curious. They chat about one of our favourite topics on Awesome, constellation Mythology and this time it has a very Welsh flavour...enjoy!
#137 November 2023 Awesome Astronomy
November 01, 2023 22:26 - 1 hour - 70.6 MBThis month we talk about what might have been in the Arthur C Clarke Awards, the latest weird discovery from JWST, the most detailed simulation of the Universe yet, British space plans, giggle at a Space Force painting, and have a look at what you can see in the sky this month. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin
The AstroCamp Panel!
October 19, 2023 09:56 - 1 hour - 71.5 MBThis month we give you a recording of our live panel show from AstroCamp, held in September. The team answer questions and comments from the public about a range of space and astronomy topics.
#136 - October 2023 Awesome Astronomy
October 01, 2023 08:48 - 1 hour - 76.5 MBThis month Paul and Dr Jen talk about the recent astrocamp where yet more Aurora was seen. Later there is a guide to seeing Aurora at lower latitudes. JWST is at it again with a possible detection of biological signals on an exoplanet, AND breaking and rewriting galaxy morphology history. There is an autumnal sky guide and the low down on the Bennu return mission OSIRIS-REx.
JWST looks at the Ring - Interview with Dr Roger Wessen
September 17, 2023 07:11 - 45 minutes - 40.6 MBThis months interview looks at that stunning imagery that JWST took of the Ring Nebula - that familiar Messier planterary nebula in Lyra and favourite of star parties. This new study has revealed new and unexpected details and once again demonstrated the brilliant science of our golden wonder telescope in space. Dr Jeni talks to Dr Robert Wessen, Research Associate at Cardiff University who has worked on the Ring Nebula data, about what astronomers have revealed as well as talking about hi...
#135 - September 2023 Awesome Astronomy
September 01, 2023 09:06 - 1 hour - 83.1 MBThis month we are joined by special guest Neill Sanders from Go Stargazing who is making a special announcement about astronomy cruise Holidays. We have news of a new type of star, mud on Mars and JWST breaking cosmology once again. After our skyguide we chat about the recent Indian and Russian moon missions. In our discussion topic we have a Battle of the Planets as we decide which should get in the bin, Saturn or Jupiter.
#134 August 2023 Pt2 Awesome Astronomy
August 16, 2023 08:05 - 53 minutes - 46.2 MBFor this podcast extra, we return to NAM 2023, this year held at Cardiff University. We’re delighted to bring you the conversational style of Dr Stephen Wilkins, public engagement extraordinaire. Dr Stephen is an STFC Public Engagement Fellow (so you know this talk will be just brilliant) and serves as a Director of Outreach and Public Engagement for the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences at the University of Sussex. This episode, we have the Tale of Two Telescopes, exploring NASA’...
#134 - August 2023 Awesome Astronomy
August 01, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 75 MBThis month we have a packed show, with stories about the European space agency launching a new space telescope to study The Dark Universe. India going to the moon with Chandrayaan-3, astereroid boulders, a key ingredient for life just 1 billion years into the Universe’s history, measuring a crater with highway seismology, hot lava piles on the moon, and a farewell to Ariane 5. We discuss observing meteor showers in our monthly skyguide and we ask the important question- where would you let...
How to grow a supermassive black hole with Dr Becky Smethurst
July 18, 2023 20:56 - 48 minutes - 40 MBOnce a year, astronomers descend upon an unsuspecting UK city in the greatest gathering of astronomically curious minds: the National Astronomy Meeting, otherwise known as NAM (no, not that ‘Nam, though it is quite the battle of the minds). Jen was lucky enough to attend this year and this episode is the first in a series of talks recorded at NAM 2023. We’re delighted to bring you the expertise of none other than Dr Becky Smethurst of Oxford University (you may know her as Dr Becky on You...
#133 Awesome Astronomy July 2023
July 01, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBIt's a summer vacation special with Jeni in the mountains of South America astronomising at altitude and visiting the Vera C Rubin telescope as well as obstech. We have an interview with a Vera Rubin Observatory astronomer as well as a skyguide and an astronomy news round up.
Interview with Dr Kathy Thornton
June 15, 2023 09:08 - 20 minutes - 18.1 MBWe chat to Dr Kathy Thornton, nuclear physicist turned NASA astronaut who went on to fly on four Space Shuttle missions. Dr Thornton flew for over 40 days and completed over 21 hours of EVA, including the famous operation to fix the blurry Hubble Space Telescope. We talk about her life as an astronaut, the Hubble fix and that fateful day in mission-control on Columbia's last re-entry.
#132 - June 2023 Awesome Astronomy
June 01, 2023 16:38 - 1 hour - 79.1 MBThis month Jeni and Paul talk about the recent supernova in galaxy M101; volcanic exoplanets; the growing observational evidence putting the current Big Bang theory under strain and the history of water on both Earth and Mars. There is discussions on alien contact; exoplanet detection and how long it would take to accelerate to the speed of light. Paul does a summer reading book review with three space books to keep you entertained on the beach this summer. Jeni has a look at the Juice...
Skylab 50 - Interview with Astronaut Jack Lousma
May 14, 2023 16:12 - 48 minutes - 46.8 MBTo celebrate the Skylab 50th anniversary here is one our favourite astronaut chats from 2012 where we caught up with Skylab 3 and STS-3 astronaut, Jack Lousma. Jack was also capcom during Apollo 13 and he tells us about taking that ominous ‘Houston, we’ve had a problem’ call and how they solved each life-threatening issue in sequence to get the astronauts back alive. He talks about missing out on flying Apollo 20 to the moon, being a crew member on the Skylab space station and taking one of ...
#131 - May 2023 Awesome Astronomy
May 01, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 76.7 MBThis month Paul and Jeni in astronomy news talk about new data on the M87 blackhole, the architecture of planetary systems, the hottest stars, an impact crater in France and how Mars might not have been oxygen rich. In exploration news there is the latest on JUICE and they welcome an old friend back to the show to talk about Starship. There is a review of the recent AstroCamp where the team witnessed one of the biggest geomagnetic storms of recent times and saw one of the most impressiv...
Interview with Joshua Western CEO of Space Forge
April 15, 2023 01:00 - 27 minutes - 24.2 MBJeni visits Space Forge for an update on their mission to build reusable satellites to manufacture materials that that are impossible on the ground. She talks to CEO Joshua Western about that fateful launch from Cornwall on Virgin's Cosmic Girl, how they are getting ready for their next test aboard a Falcon 9, their re-entry tech nicknamed 'Mary Poppins in Space' and the company's future plans to scale up the manufacturing process from grams to tons!
#130 - April 2023 Awesome Astronomy
April 01, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 68.7 MBIn this episode Jeni and Paul talk about exoplanet atmospheres, the latest thinking on solar system visitor Oumuamua, Vigin Orbit's woes, Relativity's 3D success, and the oldest orbiting satellite. There is the sky guide for April, a discussion about what new telescope Jeni should buy and listener emails, as well as Paul's miserable weather and Jeni's gala dinner talk for International Women's Day.
Interview with Solar Astronomer Professor Robert Walsh
March 15, 2023 01:00 - 26 minutes - 25.9 MBPaul takes time out from outreach at the Festival of Tomorrow at the Swindon STEAM museum to chat with Professor Robert Walsh of the University of Central Lancashire, who with artist Alex Rinsler has created a giant representation of the Sun as an outreach and art project that uses the data of the Solar Dynamics Observatory. They talk about solar science, the coronal heating problem, sounding rockets, space missions professor Walsh has been involved with, space weather and why he has his o...
#129 - March 2023 Awesome Astronomy
March 01, 2023 01:00 - 1 hour - 63.3 MBIn this episode Jeni tells us about her TEDx talk, dressing up for Mama Mia and eating insane burgers, while Paul appears to have started a modelling career. In astronomy news the team explore the latest JWST findings that may have broken cosmology and changed everything we thought we knew about the history of the universe, as well as a potential new explanation for dark energy and black holes. There is the sky-guide looking at the highlights for March as well as the Messier marathon, wh...
Interview with Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
February 15, 2023 22:00 - 39 minutes - 29.1 MBInterview with astronomer Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell Jeni talks to the legendary discoverer of pulsars, champion of women in science and Oxford University astronomer about her astronomy career, inspirations, motivations and key discoveries.
#128 - February 2023
February 01, 2023 00:05 - 1 hour - 65.1 MBThe Discussion: Our dark sky practical astronomy event, AstroCamp Farewell Apollo 7’s Walt Cunningham Comet C2022 E3 ZTF reaches naked eye brightness The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in February, we have: Incredible finding: stars have not always been made the same way throughout the history of the Universe The debacle of the first space launch from UK soil 3 rocky water worlds found by the Kepler Space Telescope The big news story: a decade-long study finds lig...
Interview with Chris Lee
January 15, 2023 14:52 - 48 minutes - 40.2 MBBringing back the much-missed Awesome Astronomy interviews with a bang, we’re joined by friend of the show Chris Lee. Chris began his career in the 80s in the UK space industry at British Aerospace, Matra Marconi and SCISYS where he worked on the Hubble Space Telescope, the Giotto mission to Halley’s Comet, Beagle 2, Exomars and LISA Pathfinder. He then became the UK Space Agency’s first Head of International Space Policy and then Head of Space Science Programmes before becoming ...
#127 - January 2023
January 01, 2023 00:05 - 1 hour - 75.6 MBThe Discussion: A refreshed format coming to Awesome Astronomy in 2023 A look back at the festive season The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in November, we have: Something in the solar system is producing light that’s not unaccounted for A leak on the International Space Station’s lifeboat NASA’s Mars lander comes to an end A new way to look for aliens The big news story: As the UK gets ready to launch space vehicles for the first time, we take a look at the l...
End of Year Show
December 24, 2022 12:20 - 54 minutes - 24.2 MB*** Beware, stiff profanity (phnar phnar) in the outtakes at the end *** Our Christmas Pantomime sees the Awesome Astronomy crew exploring strange new worlds on the Astronomy Star Ship (ASS) Penetrator. Between the puerile skits you’ve come to expect from our end of year shows, we bring you a roundup of the best astronomy and space exploration news from 2022. And, of course, a look forward to the highlights to come in 2023. To all our listeners, a very merry Christmas, happ...
#126 - December 2022
December 01, 2022 00:05 - 1 hour - 67.4 MBThe Discussion: Meteor shower disappointment Lecturing course started Dr Jen’s 30th birthday party karaoke – with audio! more resources for astronomy and astrophotography over at nightskypix.com The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in November, we have: JWST picks up chemical reactions in an exoplanet atmosphere ESA’s latest astronaut recruitment Virgin Galactic gets go ahead to launch from Cornwall UK spaceports pop up all over the place Rocket Lab continue chasin...
#125 - November 2022 Part 1
November 01, 2022 00:05 - 53 minutes - 52.7 MBThe Discussion: Enjoying the recent eclipse (weather permitting) Jeni is officially recognised as being great Visiting the Herschel Museum And listeners’ emails on: Having astronomy on the brain Cartoon characters in space A reflection of Venus off swamp gas! The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in November, we have: Why spiral galaxies seem to line up from our perspective The origin story for Saturn’s rings Still waiting for NASA’s first Artemis moon mission Far...
Rendlesham Forest Incident
October 15, 2022 11:06 - 59 minutes - 87.2 MBChristmas 1980. Suffolk, England. Two US airmen witness what they believe is an aircraft coming down in the forest next to their base. So begins the story of the UKs most notorious UFO sighting, the Rendlesham Forest incident. Paul dives head first into a 'Hat of Woo' special as he explores the mysterious forest of Rendlesham on the Suffolk coast and considers what this famous conspiracy story says about time and place and of course what really happened.
#124 - October 2022 Part 1
October 01, 2022 00:30 - 1 hour - 63.6 MBJeni and Paul talk to Professor Mike Edmunds, President of the Royal Astronomical Society and Emeritus Professor of astrophysics at Cardiff University, who is also Dr Jeni's academic grandfather.... Paul gives a quick look at the sky highlights for October and then Jeni, John and Paul host an open panel discussion at AstroCamp where the audience talk about where space begins, JWST, the worth of Artemis and how the infamous Elephant Trunk nebulae incident happened...
#123 - September 2022 Part 2
September 13, 2022 16:47 - 1 hour - 70.4 MBThe Discussion: Farewell Frank Drake It’s uncrewed, not unmanned! Filming with the BBC again Listeners’ emails on city astronomy and the missing AweAst show this month The News: JWST unearths a huge cosmic riddle Artemis 1 moon launch delays Solar astronomers solve one of the great mysteries about the Sun A round up of all the incredible things that have happened in space this month (thanks to @jessicaxlis for the inspiration… and much of the content!) Skyguid...
#123 - September 2022 Part 1
September 01, 2022 17:28 - 3 minutes - 5.08 MBHear ye! Hear ye! Al Worden (went to the moon on Apollo 15): https://tinyurl.com/56w9rkr4 Al Bean (walked on the moon on Apollo 12): https://tinyurl.com/2ewb5vj3 Charlie Duke (walked on the moon on Apollo 16): https://tinyurl.com/5fhacvmk
#122 - August 2022 Part 2
August 15, 2022 10:29 - 56 minutes - 90.1 MBThe Discussion: The Perseids meteor shower Another heatwave in the UK The Orville on Disney+ The News: NASA is going back to the moon – this month! SpaceX join the companies dropping space debris on Australia Northrop Grumman & Firefly’s new rocket The news discussion: Loads of news around the International Space Station Q&A: What would we like to see happen to the ISS instead of being deorbited? From our good friend Mindy Scott in South Africa.
#122 - August 2022 Part 1
August 01, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 75.5 MBThe Discussion: The release of JWST’s first images, the press conferences and media coverage. Emails on astrophotography, Dr Jen’s TV appearances and a more politically correct alternative name for JWST. The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in August, we have: We now know why Jupiter doesn’t have rings like Saturn A huge triple star system with a violent past A fossil galaxy – one of the first galaxies from the early universe Some good news for the prospects for life o...
#121 - July 2022 Part 2
July 15, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 57.3 MBThe Discussion: Another heatwave in the UK Dr Jen on TV covering the latest JWST news The Orville on Disney+ Night Sky on Amazon Prime The News: Preparations for the launch of Starship and an unexpected explosion! Artemis 1 readied for launch to the moon The topsy turvy world of international cooperation in space Virgin Galactic’s next plans The news discussion: NASA’s CAPSTONE mission to lunar orbit Q&A: If you let your breath out couldn't you dash across ...
#121 - July 2022 Part 1
July 01, 2022 08:43 - 58 minutes - 55.4 MBThe Discussion: More filming for the BBC Longer days and shorter nights L Showcasing amateur photography on noctilucent clouds Listeners’ emails on Less well known cultural names for Ursa Major The current planetary alignment in the sky The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in April, we have: The Milky Way once went through a massive rate of star formation Solving the riddle of how Mars’ storms can be so big and violent A new data release from the incredible Gaia...
#120 - June 2022 Part 2
June 14, 2022 23:21 - 1 hour - 64.6 MBThe Discussion: Discrimination in science and academia Returning to the Welsh valleys to attempt astronomy Free NASA merch from Official NASA Gear Listener’s comments on Boeing and the state of spaceflight innovation. The News: Assembly of China’s Tiangong space station Artemis 1 wet rehearsal attempt #2 France join the Artemis Accord NASA outsources moon suit developments SpaceX’s critical approval for starship flight tests The news discussion: NASA to formally inv...
#120 - June 2022 Part 1
May 31, 2022 23:27 - 1 hour - 73.8 MBThe Discussion: You can now watch Jen presenting on BBC TV’s Weatherman Walking (from 06:40) Walking, astronomy and animal abuse in the New Forest NASA find the Awesome Astronomy bunker on Mars! Listeners’ emails on Obscure names for constellations Podcast editorial suggestions Sending us your astrophotography The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in April, we have: A companion star that survived a supernova! Galaxies that had their dark matter stripped away ...
#119 - May 2022 Part 2
May 15, 2022 00:02 - 1 hour - 66.4 MBThe Discussion: Getting back in the studio Watch us recording in our behind the scenes 10th Anniversary show Inspiring children to think about careers in science Listener’s emails about swearing in the podcast and catching objects from space. The News: Our favourite Welsh satellite space company, Space Forge Rocket Lab’s attempt to catch a falling rocket booster with a helicopter More JWST updates Jeff Bezos buys every western rocket (that’s not owned by Musk) for the ...
#119 - May 2022 Part 1
May 01, 2022 00:02 - 1 hour - 73.9 MBThe Discussion: Jeni’s magazine article on ‘everything JWST’ UK government's social mobility commissioner gets us wound up Listeners’ emails on: Professional vs amateur astronomy Artificial Intelligence in consumer telescopes JWST’s Early Release Observations The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in April, we have: New type of nebula discovered by an amateur astronomer Detecting life-giving hydrothermal vents on Saturn’s moon Europa An exoplanet around a dead sta...
#118 - April 2022 Part 2
April 14, 2022 23:44 - 1 hour - 65.4 MBAlso check out our YouTube channel here for much more astronomy and spacey goodness: https://www.youtube.com/awesomeastronomy?sub_confirmation=1 The Discussion: Watching a SpaceX Starlink launch Tales from this month’s AstroCamp star party Jeni on the radio and TV again A listener’s email on JWST’s first image. The News: NASA’s moon rocket finally undergoes testing for the Artemis 1 moon mission next month! Rocket Lab attempt to catch a falling rocket booster with a helicopt...
#118 - April 2022 Part 1
April 01, 2022 00:02 - 1 hour - 61.3 MBThe Discussion: Observing trip with Cardiff Uni students Really bright ISS passes Jen’s first TV presenting gig about to be released Watching a SpaceX launch Listeners' email about previous episodes The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in April, we have: NASA think JWST will perform better than expected! (see also https://youtu.be/YJMBvcG7nRM) A milestone 5,000 confirmed exoplanets (see also https://youtu.be/ByfigQW-6Mk) The carbon impact of running large observatori...
#117 - March 2022 Part 2
March 15, 2022 00:02 - 55 minutes - 54.1 MBThe Discussion: A little bit of singing to brighten your day and abuse your ears It's Messier Marathon season A Messier challenge A great listeners' email on naming space missions The News: Rounding up the space exploration news this month we have: Space Forge's reusable satellites demonstrator ESA's demonstrator for extracting oxygen from the lunar surface The countdown to the death of NASA's Mars Insight lander SpaceX's Starship developments The future for ExoMars and ...
#117 - March 2022 Part 1
March 01, 2022 19:41 - 54 minutes - 52.5 MBThe Discussion: Stargazing & post-covid travel A lovely email from our good friend @SsonnyY The joys of being an astronomy beginner Pioneer 10’s 50th anniversary The News: Rounding up the astronomy news in March, we have: A new planet discovered in our neighbouring Alpha Centauri system A massive new dataset of 4.4m brand new radio objects to get excited about Quasars, blazars, - turns out they’re all the same thing The first observation of a free floating black hole M...
#116 - February 2022 Part 2
February 15, 2022 00:02 - 1 hour - 63.2 MBThe Discussion: Techniquest in Cardiff Bay Our Good friend Dylan O’Donnell at Star Stuff A listener’s email on the naming of spacecraft, prompting a debate on history, cultures and tearing down statues. The News: Britain’s ambitious spaceports hit regulatory purgatory China’s plans for this year include space station completion, comet and asteroid missions Unknown heroines of space & astronomy for International Women in Science Day The news discussion: NASA contract a Mars Sa...