Spacepod

A quick bonus episode about the April 8th, 2024 total solar eclipse in Mexico, the US, and Canada! I talk about the difference between a partial and total solar eclipse, and share some tips in case you want to travel to see it.

Professor Raman Prinja talks about his new book, "Wonders of the Night Sky."  He tells us how we are lucky to live on a planet with a transparent atmosphere. He also shares stargazing tips for city dwellers as well as long-haul truck drivers. The...

Dr. Olivier Witasse tells us about the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer, or JUICE mission, which is currently traveling through space. JUICE will conduct 34 flybys of Jupiter's moons before orbiting Ganymede. Ganyemede may have significant liquid water, and...

Dr. Andrés Plazas Malagón tells us about a field of astronomy called cosmology. He explains that either our universe is mostly made of mysterious stuff called dark energy, or the laws of physics are wrong. He also explains the difference between...

Dr. Richard Cartwright tells us about the moons of Uranus and explains why we should visit Uranus with an orbiting spacecraft. This mission would take decades to design, build, and travel to the planet. He also shares what he thinks about Uranus...

Dr. Peter Veres talks about asteroids, comets, and meteors. He describes how the Minor Planet Center keeps track of observations and orbits. This data is publicly available, and non-scientists make valuable contributions. He also tells us about the...

Dr. Parvathy Prem tells us about lunar ice. She says, "the moon records the history of our solar system neighborhood in a way that the Earth doesn't." Her simulations show that rocket landings can change lunar ice. We discuss different perspectives on...

Kelly Beatty shares easy things we can do to reduce light pollution. He tells us how artificial night light can harm humans, birds, and insects. He shares the five principles of good lighting, and explains how addressing light pollution can save money.

Dr. Nancy Chabot returns to the show to talk about the DART mission, which changed the orbit of an asteroid moon. This was the first demonstration of asteroid deflection technology. She explains how the mission worked, what scientists are discovering,...

Professor Myriam Telus shares how she studies atmospheres using meteorites. These experiments can teach us about exoplanet atmospheres and planet formation. She says science feels like a playground, with so much to explore.