AWESOME ASTRONOMY

Download Episode!

The Discussion: Astronomy in the late 18th Century and the increased sense of hope we, as amateur astronomers, get from the work of early astronomical observations.

The Field Report: This month we record from the Herschel Museum of Astronomy in Bath, England and take a tour of the Georgian townhouse to investigate the many objects, telescopes and handwritten observations of William and Carline Herschel.

The News: In the news, we have more exciting inferences about the watery composition of Saturn’s moon Enceladus; a new moon forming in the outer rings of Saturn and a round up of the current tally in exoplanetology.

The 5 Minute Concept: In the 5 Minute Concept, Paul sits in the very spot where William Herschel discovered the planet Uranus and explains the Herschels’ contribution to astronomy.

The Interview: This month, Paul speaks with the curator of the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, Debbie James, about the life and works of the Herschels, the museum and Georgian life.

Q&A: Listeners’ questions via email, Facebook & Twitter take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month Ralph & Paul answer:

• Why does the planet Uranus spin on its side? Thea Hutchinson from London, UK via email
• How did Caroline Herschel record her observations? Eric Emms @EmmsStarGaze in London, UK via Twitter & email

Download Episode!

This month we talk National Astronomy Week and have an audio report from the outreach we conducted.

In the news, we have a discussion with Jeni Millard and Sebastian Khan from Cardiff University about the discovery of gravitational waves; we discuss the auroral display that lit up Europe and the ensuing scandals caused by the Daily Mail; we have a possible way of detecting dark matter and a theory that dark matter may have killed the dinosaurs; a new minor planet emerges beyond the orbit of Pluto and a yet another minor planet is found to have its own ring system.

In the 5 Minute Concept, Paul poetically explains the history and science behind that false dawn that plagued observers for centuries, the zodiacal light.

We interview Dr Chris North, Astrophysicist at Cardiff University and presenter of the BBC’s Sky at Night programme, about the detection of gravitational waves and what it means for wider cosmology.

And in Q&A, we answer listeners’ questions on Transient Lunar Phenomena and what happens on the boundary of a black hole.

Download Episode!

This month we talk science outreach in Wiltshire and have an audio report on the aurora from Iceland

In the news, we have a supernova for amateur observers in a ‘nearby’ galaxy and Europe’s Herschel Observatory finding water plumes on dwarf planet Ceres. China’s Chang’e-3 moon mission finds itself in trouble (in more ways than one!) and the European Space Agency gives the green light to the exoplanet and star characterising PLATO mission.

In the 5 Minute Concept, Paul poetically explains the history and science behind one of astronomy’s greatest ever discoveries, as he unwraps the concept of redshift.

We interview Carole Mundell, Professor of Extragalactic Astronomy at Liverpool John Moore’s University, about the most violent explosions in the universe and promoting equality in science & astronomy.

And in Q&A, we answer listeners’ questions on the likelihood of fatalities from the M82 supernova and why the sun doesn’t just float away.

Download Episode!

This month, our captured Earthling Damien brings us a stargazing report from Pakistan.

News includes a new planet hunting instrument in Chile, a best-yet candidate for a naked-eye visible supernova, the progress of commercial space-flight and public access to space, China’s Chang’e-3 rover’s discoveries and ESA’s Rosetta and Gaia missions.

In his 5 Minute Concept, Paul explains our solar systems ring of icy debris – the Kuiper Belt – and the need for a good publicist!

We have lots of goodies to give away to one listener in our European Southern Observatory competition and Ralph interviews Dr Joe Liske, from ESO, about the world’s biggest telescopes and finding ET in our lifetime.

And in listeners’ Q&A we answer questions about ice on Mercury and the expansion of the universe.