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AWESOME ASTRONOMY

Paul & Dr Jeniawesomeastronomy.com
Awesome 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

Vera Rubin, Welsh Satellites and LIGO disaster

A bumper episode or is that a Jumper episode if Jeni has her way. Paul has new scope and Jeni has been seeing the Sun. We have terrible news from LIGO, the end of Milkomeda, Light pollution paradox, Vera Rubin first light, a new satellite from Wales, spaceX kablooie, leaks on the ISS and of course the usual skyguide and emails! Phew!

Jul 01, 20251 hr 33 minEp. 157

Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails

This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!

Jun 04, 20251 hr 11 minEp. 156

AstroCamp Spring 2025!

We come at you with all the fun of AstroCamp in Welsh Wales. Chat, debate and birdsong! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

May 07, 20251 hr 23 minEp. 155

Has NASA been Trumped?

We try to keep it upbeat this month with tales of blackholes, definitions of moons, and solar system science but unfortunately the fate of NASA and American science currently hangs in the balance... Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Apr 01, 20251 hr 10 minEp. 154

Paranal Problems: Light Pollution at the VLT

It looks as though the European Southern Observatory is caught in an American light pollution pincer...starlink above and now the threat of an American industrial complex as a neighbour. Is this the end? We have eclipse news, launch round up and the usual inane chatter from Jeni & Paul.

Mar 02, 20251 hr 6 minEp. 153

Asteroid Doom and Gaia Gloom

The world veers towards madness, asteroids threaten destruction and Gaia is no more. But the planets are putting on a show and Pluto is 95, so that’s alright... Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Feb 11, 202559 minEp. 152

Venus. Twined with Milton Keynes

Happy New Year! This month we talk about an new climate history for Venus, a new origin story for Mars' moons and we chat about the new potential head of NASA... Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Jan 04, 202539 minEp. 151

Panto 2024!

It's that time of year again where the team get silly...this year Butch and Suni hijack the ISS...

Dec 31, 202443 minEp. 150

Re-examining Uranus

This month we look at new old data about Uranus, a possible second dinosaur asteroid the first image of a star in another galaxy and the image of a new planet forming. Plus sky and launch guides and a chat about Christmas present ideas! Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Dec 05, 20241 hr 1 minEp. 150

Comets, Cruises and Outreach

This month the episode is all about astronomy! Yep just astronomy. We catch up with the wonderful comet observations of the autumn, Jen’s aurora cruise in Norway and we talk outreach astronomy in response to a listener's question.

Nov 30, 20241 hr 11 minEp. 149

Apollo 12

The Team are taking a little break so here is a classic interview with Apollo astronaut Alan Bean.

Nov 04, 202441 minEp. 149

Gaining InSight

Meet Dr Anna Horleston from Bristol University. NASA’s InSight lander was active on Mars from November 2018 to December 2022 – a total of 1446 sols (Martian days). InSight carried a suite of geophysical instruments designed to help us understand the interior structure of the red planet. The primary instrument was a seismometer – the first seismometer to be deployed to the surface of Mars – and my job was to analyse the seismic data, to find Marsquakes (like earthquakes but on Mars), and to figur...

Oct 18, 20241 hr 19 minEp. 148

AstroCamp Special!

This month the episode comes from the user dark skies of Wales as it is AstroCamp time! Discussion of Hera and Europa Clipper probes, comet news and the live recording of the Astrocamp panel! Enjoy

Oct 03, 20241 hr 20 minEp. 148

100 Hours of Astronomy with Go Stargazing

Between 2nd and 5th October, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are celebrating 100 hours of astronomy. We’ve caught up with good friend of the show Neill Sanders, founder of Go Stargazing, who’s helped create an app to get you and all your friends involved with the celestial party! Enjoy!

Sep 22, 202422 minEp. 148

Chatting Space within tent

A bit different this month as Paul is joined by Dustin as they chat about aurora on Ganymede, starliner, Polaris Dawn, Blue Origin and Dustin shares an interview at a local astronomy Festival. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Sep 01, 20241 hr 37 minEp. 147

British Planetary Science Conference

In this podcast extra for Awesome Astronomy in August 2024, we bring you two of the Plenary Sessions from the British Planetary Science Conference 2024, hosted by Space Park Leicester and the National Space Center. The first, from Dr Aprajita Verma, discusses the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), and the second, from Dr Steve Banham, gives you a new view of Mars Evolution, based on Curiosity’s work at Gale Crater. Keep an ear out for activities to get involved with!

Aug 21, 202453 minEp. 146

Comet Olbers in Silly Season

This month the team talk Comet Olbers, black holes in globular Clusters, the cancellation of Vixen, the ultra calm lakes of Titan, more phosphine news from Venus and look forward to this months Perseids. Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Aug 01, 20241 hr 8 minEp. 146

Sanctuary on the Moon

Celebrating 55 years since humans first set foot on the Moon with Project Apollo, in this podcast extra, Dr Jen meets with Benoit Faiveley and Mario Freese, founder and chief engineer of Sanctuary on the Moon, a daring project to leave a legacy of humanity on our nearest celestial neighbour. In the late 2020s, 24 coaster-sized sapphire disks will sail to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis CLPS program. Engraved upon them will be the essence of humanity. One hundred billion pixels depicting the h...

Jul 14, 202445 minEp. 145

Starliner Marooned and Playing Gyros!

This month the team discuss keeping the elderly Hubble alive with a single gyro, how Starliner is currently marooned in orbit and are usually round up of other news from the cosmos, a skyguide for what to look out for and a this month in astronomy history that explores the life of Henrietta Swan-Leavitt.

Jul 02, 20241 hr 12 minEp. 145

Aurora at Home

This month is indulgent and ranty! Well it is summer...Jen waxes lyrical about a night out, Paul has written a book and in amongst it is some astronomy! There is a big dive into the huge aurora display in May, talk of new exoplanets and old ones vanishing. The usual skyguide and this months history moment is all about X rays. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Jun 01, 20241 hr 4 minEp. 144

Totally Eclipse

Dustin and Jeni talk about their Eclipse adventures from last month.

May 17, 20241 hr 6 minEp. 143

Nova predictions and China to the Moon

This month excitement builds for the predicted Nova outburst in Corona Borealis as well as looking forward to China launching a sample return mission to the far side of the Moon. We have our usual skyguide and chat about upcoming missions and some fun insights into the methane on Mars.

May 01, 20241 hr 9 minEp. 143

Episode 142 Awesome Astronomy April 2024

This 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.

Apr 01, 20241 hr 9 minEp. 142

Britain's First Astronaut

This 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.

Mar 22, 202439 minEp. 141

Wet Moons and Tippy landers

This 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!

Mar 01, 20241 hr 3 minEp. 141

Blasting Soil - Interview with Dr Phil Metzger

This 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…

Feb 17, 202453 minEp. 140

Awesome Astronomy Episode #140

This 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.

Feb 02, 20241 hr 10 minEp. 140

#139 Awesome Astronomy January 2024

This 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. Produced ...

Jan 15, 20241 hr 14 minEp. 139

#138 Awesome Astronomy December 2023 Pt1

This 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

Dec 01, 20231 hr 15 minEp. 138
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