Live Lockdown Q&A Show

This show is a response to the many requests we get to do an episode dedicated to answering listeners’ space & astronomy questions. Producer John thought lockdown would be the perfect time to do it, when we can try and help ease the stress, boredom and isolation.

The Guests: We invited some of our friends from the astronomy world to answer your questions too:

  • University of Oxford Professor of Astronomy, Creator of the Zooniverse and BBC’s The Sky at Night Presenter, Chris Lintott. We asked him:
    • Are there ways for an amateur astrophotographer to get involved in contributing to actual science? From David Schlaudt
    • Square Kilometre Array or JWST. Which is going to generate the most exciting science? And if each one could answer just 1 question about the Universe, what would you like it to be?  From Mark De Vrij
  • Director of Public Engagement for Cardiff University’s Gravity Exploration Institute, Dr Chris North. We asked him:
    • Why are astronomers so sure that Oumuamua and Borisov are from outside the Solar System? From Derry North (Chris’ Dad!)
    • Square Kilometre Array or JWST. Which is going to generate the most exciting science? And if each one could answer just 1 question about the Universe, what would you like it to be?  From Mark De Vrij
  • Senior Astronomer and Institute Fellow at the SETI Institute, Seth Shostak. We asked him:
    • What’s currently big in the world of extraterrestrial hunting?
    • What happens when we discover possibly habitable planets? From @WrathfulTumbles
    • Square Kilometre Array or JWST. Which is going to generate the most exciting science? And if each one could answer just 1 question about the Universe, what would you like it to be?  From Mark De Vri
  • US Spaceflight researcher and chronicler, Gavin Price. We asked for:
    • An overview of the Apollo 13 mission that was limping back to Earth 50 years ago today
    • The key Apollo 13 decisions and preparations that were underway at this point – a day before splashdown
    • A discussion about, and nod to the BBC World Service podcast 13 Minutes to the Moon. From Peter Ellinger

 Other listener inspired topics discussed by the podcast crew:

  • What astronomy equipment do we use?
  • Are the current clear skies a product of fewer airplanes and lower pollution?
  • What would happen if a small stellar-mass black hole collided with a much more massive star? Could the star ever ‘win’? From Glenn Diekmann in California
  • You talk about the ELT in April part 1. But how on God’s green Earth do you keep a mirror like that clean? From @SeamasterGMT
  • A discussion on the ‘Ashen light of Venus’ inspired by @Blixbuller

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