Astronomy - for iPad/Mac/PC - podcast cover

Astronomy - for iPad/Mac/PC

The Open Universitywww3.open.ac.uk
Thanks to cutting-edge radio and infra-red astronomy, our understanding of the universe is moving very fast. Ideas about black holes and cosmic jets are constantly being refined as new discoveries are made using new, more powerful telescopes. This album explores the incredible discoveries and theories developed in recent years and introduces the astronomical observatories, space missions and satellites that have made it possible. The 12 video tracks reveal that our sun, though essential for our existence, is an unremarkable member of the stellar menagerie. They describe how astronomers study the structure and dynamics of our galaxy, the Milky Way and they introduce the challenges inherent in mapping the geometry and expansion of the universe. This material forms part of the course S282 Astronomy.
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Episodes

Astronomy

A short introduction to this album.

Apr 12, 20101 min

Our Invisible Sun

Scientists investigate sun spots, solar flares and arcs using x-ray telescopes, featuring the Big Bear Observatory in LA.

Jan 23, 200910 min

Transcript -- Our Invisible Sun

Transcript -- Scientists investigate sun spots, solar flares and arcs using x-ray telescopes, featuring the Big Bear Observatory in LA.

Jan 23, 2009

VLA, HEIDI & YOKOH

What would the sun look like if we had magnetically sensitive eyes? How the most sensitive radio telescopes on earth work.

Jan 23, 20099 min

Transcript -- VLA, HEIDI & YOKOH

Transcript -- What would the sun look like if we had magnetically sensitive eyes? How the most sensitive radio telescopes on earth work.

Jan 23, 2009

Is Our Sun Normal?

Astronomers compare events on other stars to helps us better understand our sun.

Jan 23, 20093 min

Mapping the Milky Way

The discovery of radio emissions from the Milky Way, and the theory of dark-matter.

Jan 23, 20098 min

The Shape of Our Galaxy

Infra-red satellites. The DIRBE experiment on NASA's Cosmic Explorer opened a new window into the Milky Way.

Jan 23, 20095 min

The Scale of Our Galaxy

A route map to the stars. The Hipparcos satellite measured the position of stars with better precision than ever before.

Jan 23, 20093 min

Radio Telescopes and Stellar Jets

The advent of radio astronomy. How radio telescopes like the Maxwell telescope in Hawaii work and what they can tell us about cosmic jets.

Jan 23, 20098 min

Detecting Galactic Jets

How do radio astronomers see jets far outside our galaxy? Introducing the MERLIN array in the UK and the VLA in New Mexico.

Jan 23, 20097 min

Transcript -- Detecting Galactic Jets

Transcript -- How do radio astronomers see jets far outside our galaxy? Introducing the MERLIN array in the UK and the VLA in New Mexico.

Jan 23, 2009

Measuring Black Holes

What is the connection between black holes and cosmic jets? Scientists measure the mass and gravitational energy of black holes.

Jan 23, 20094 min

Transcript -- Measuring Black Holes

Transcript -- What is the connection between black holes and cosmic jets? Scientists measure the mass and gravitational energy of black holes.

Jan 23, 2009

What Causes Jets?

What goes on deep in the centre of galaxies? Revealing the power source for stars and galactic jets.

Jan 23, 20093 min

Transcript -- What Causes Jets?

Transcript -- What goes on deep in the centre of galaxies? Revealing the power source for stars and galactic jets.

Jan 23, 2009

The Expanding Universe

Russell Stannard uses simple analogies to explain difficult concepts. The expansion of space, and the cosmological red-shift, or doppler shift.

Jan 23, 20096 min

Transcript -- The Expanding Universe

Transcript -- Russell Stannard uses simple analogies to explain difficult concepts. The expansion of space, and the cosmological red-shift, or doppler shift.

Jan 23, 2009

Geometry of the Universe

Russell Stannard explains why standard Euclidean geometry doesn't apply when considering the geometry of outer space.

Jan 23, 200912 min
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