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Astronomy Cast Ep. 781: Awakening Black Holes

The 365 Days of Astronomy

Release Date: 02/09/2026

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

Hosted by Tony Darnell. From May 16, 2025. Join this channel to get access to special content including livestreams:   In July 2022, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope made its public debut with a series of breathtaking images. Among them was an ethereal landscape nicknamed the Cosmic Cliffs. This glittering realm of star birth is the subject of a new 3D visualization derived from the Webb data. The visualization, created by NASA’s Universe of Learning and titled “Exploring the Cosmic Cliffs in 3D,” breathes new life into an iconic Webb image.   Visuzliation created at STScI...

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

Hosted by: Fraser Cain ( ) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay ( ) Streamed live March 6, 2026. Magnetars are a special type of neutron star with physics that defy comprehension. Magnetic fields so powerful they could strip you apart at an atomic level. But, where do they come from? So many mysteries to uncover about magnetars. Back in December 2004, a gamma rays washed out cameras and zotted satellites as a star on the other side of the Milky Way shifted around its magnetic fields. Magnetars are violent that way. In this episode of Astronomy Cast, Fraser and Pamela take on this tiny terrible monsters....

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. From August 2025. Today's 2 topics: - Big Bear Solar Observatory is a unique facility operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Its 1.6 meter Goode Solar Telescope is located on the north side of Big Bear Lake at an elevation of 6,760 feet above sea level in the San Bernardino Mountains of Southern California. Being surrounded by cold water at high altitude provides the site with exceptional atmospheric...

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Hosted by our Director, Avivah Yamani. A guide to March 2026 sky events from Indonesia, featuring the total lunar eclipse on March 3rd, planetary conjunctions, the March equinox, and dark sky campaigns.   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other...

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

From February 25, 2026. The glaciers are melting, the volcanoes are erupting, and earthquakes are shaking things up. Let’s discuss.   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! This show is made possible through your donations. ...

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

Episode 524. Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan who enjoy teaching astronomy classes and showing the public views through their telescopes. This month we talk about another Comet, colorful doubles, Mira at maximum. We also have one of the brightest clusters in the skies, the Beehive, well placed while the Moon meets with Antares then Regulus.   End of Feb. beginning of March Comet C/2024 E1 Wierzchos 6th – 7th magnitude Mar 1 – Struve 1183 Monoceros – Colorful Double Mar 2 – Regulus .4° S of Moon Mar 3 – Full Moon &...

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

Paul Hill and Dr. Jenifer “Dr. Dust” Millard host.  Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. March episode part 1. This month it is the curious case of a vanishing star and galaxies that shine no light…plus our monthly skyguide and Jeni has a blocked drain! Also:   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you!...

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

Hosted by Dr. Paul M. Sutter. How can anyone agree on the age of the Universe? And how can we be so confident if it’s all just a bunch of models? What if the Universe is extra lumpy, does that change anything? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!   Support the show: All episodes: Watch on YouTube: Read a book:   Keep those questions about space, science, astronomy, astrophysics, physics, and cosmology coming to #AskASpaceman for COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF TIME AND SPACE!   Big thanks to my top Patreon supporters this month: Justin G, Chris L, Alberto...

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

Off label uses for Pulsars… Hosted by: Fraser Cain () and Dr. Pamela L. Gay () Streamed live on Feb 16, 2026. Pulsars are dead stars and fascinating in their own right, but astronomers can use their predictable rotation for exploring the cosmos in a series of amazing ways. We can detect gravitational waves, navigate the solar system, test general relativity and find exoplanets. Pulsars are the time keepers of the sky, with their precise ticking allowing researchers to track gravitational waves, find exotic planets, and study weird relativistic effects. Come learn about how pulsars can be...

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The 365 Days of Astronomy

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. From July & August 2025. Today's 2 topics: - After the Earth the Sun is the most important object for human beings in the Universe.  It is the energy source which produces our food and is the source for all of the energy and motion around us except for geothermal and nuclear energy sources. The Sun is normally well behaved the exception being solar storms which can dump incredible amounts of energy onto the Earth....

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More Episodes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpZRjII8qkc

Hosted by: Fraser Cain (@frasercain) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (@CosmoQuest)

Streamed live on Feb 2, 2026.

One long standing mystery in astronomy were the quasars. Incomprehensible energy blasting out of a point-like source, billions of light years away. We now know these are actively feeding supermassive black holes, which can turn off and on in a startlingly short period of time. Today: When black holes awaken! Our Universe is filled with sleeping monsters. And sometimes, whether we want it or not, they wake up hungry. In this episode, we take a look at the science behind how and why black holes of all sizes can go from nothing to the triggers of massive high-energy power release.

 

This show is supported through people like you on Patreon.com/AstronomyCast 

In this episode, we'd like to thank: Burry Gowen, Eric Lee, Jeanette Wink, Michael Purcell, Andrew Poelstra, David, David Rossetter, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jason Kwong, Joe McTee, Sergey Manouilov, Siggi Kemmler, Sergio Sancevero

 

Image credit: LOFAR/Pan-STARRS/S. Kumari et al.

 

We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. 

Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can!

Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! 

Every bit helps! Thank you!

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Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness!

http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. 

Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!)

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The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu

Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.