Astronomy Cast Ep. 53: Astronomy in Science Fiction
Release Date: 09/07/2026
The 365 Days of Astronomy
Paul Hill hosts solo! Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. In this podcast extra episode we talk to Dr. Karen Masters, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Haverford College, Pennsylvania about The Hubble Tuning Fork and Galaxy classification. But it’s not only about that canonized galaxy classification system, it’s also about how citizen science – astronomy done by absolutely anybody from their homes – can and does change the accepted wisdom and advance science. Galaxy Zoo: Twelve Years of Galaxy Zoo: Morphological...
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Hosted by: Fraser Cain () and Dr. Pamela L. Gay () Streamed live on Oct 3, 2026. Mission Tech Part 3. Instead of sending up an entire space station for every mission, you can just send up a tiny can filled with astronauts. But that takes docking. And today we’re gonna talk about what it takes to connect two spacecraft together. How to keep a cargo safe to get into orbit, and how to get in and out of your spacecraft without killing everyone! We removed all ads from the show. We need to get to 1500 patrons to keep it this way. We need your support! We've added a new way to...
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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 April, 2026. Today's 2 topics: - In 2012 as it crossed the orbit of Neptune heading towards the Sun a small space rock was 250 times fainter than can be detected by the Hubble Space Telescope. Five years later, after it had rounded the Sun, it became visible in asteroid hunter's telescopes for about 16 days, as it streaked across our planet's orbit at 37 miles per second, as it continued to move away from the Sun....
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Neutron stars, the compact remains of a massive star following a supernova explosion, are the densest matter in the Universe. Some neutron stars, known as magnetars, also claim the record for the strongest magnetic fields of any object. How magnetars, which are a mere 15 kilometers across, form and produce such colossal magnetic fields remains a mystery. New observations by a team of astronomers, including NSF’s NOIRLab’s Dr. André-Nicolas Chené, may shed important light on the origin of these magnetic powerhouses. Using various telescopes around the globe, including the...
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From September 23, 2026. This week we're doing a weather check. No, really. Let’s talk about the weather! All of them! 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. Thank you!...
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Hosted by our Director, Avivah Yamani. Explore October 2026’s equatorial skies as we have Saturn at opposition, Mercury at dusk, Orionid meteors, and the Moon’s celestial encounters. 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...
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October Part 1. Paul Hill and Dr. Jenifer “Dr. Dust” Millard host. Damien Phillips, John Wildridge and Dustin Ruoff produce. We dive into autumn with a baby Planet, the SMILE mission, New weather on Saturn, a new crater on the moon, an update on Nancy Roman and a mission to Phobos. As well as our monthly sky and moon guide. SMILE Mission Gif: 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...
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Solar System Badlands! Hosted by Dr. Paul M. Sutter. How did the scattered disk of the solar system form? What kins of strange objects roam those badlands? And what does it do to the rest of the solar system? 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 M,...
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Hosted by: Fraser Cain () and Dr. Pamela L. Gay () Streamed on October 3, 2026. Today our series continues with our deep dive into rockets, their engines & stages. We fall into the tyranny of the rocket equation and discover what it takes to escape Earth’s gravity and head off into deep space. We removed all ads from the show. We need to get to 1,500 patrons to keep it this way. We need your support! 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...
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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 March 2026. Today's 2 topics: - Astronomers continue to be delighted when they discover an Earth sized planet. Scientists were thus very disappointed when the red dwarf star hosting the nearest such planet, Proxima Centauri b some 4.2 light years away, turns out to have the nasty habit of emitting bursts of radiation which are likely to sterilize and/or remove the atmospheres of it's family of planets. Recently, hope of...
info_outlineFrom September 10, 2007.
Hosted by: Fraser Cain (@frasercain) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (@CosmoQuest)
This is a very different episode of Astronomy Cast. As we mentioned last week, Pamela recently attended the Dragon*Con science fiction convention in Atlanta, Georgia. While she was there, she participated in a special live edition of Astronomy Cast with special guest Dr. Kevin Frazier. Kevin is a NASA scientist, and the science consultant for the TV shows Battlestar Galactica and Eureka. He and Pamela work through physics and astronomy in popular science fiction. What they get right, and what they get wrong... so very wrong.
- Role of Science Consultants in Media: Dr. Grazier shares insights into his work as a science consultant, emphasizing the importance of scientific accuracy in storytelling and how it enhances narrative credibility.
- Analysis of Battlestar Galactica and Eureka: The conversation explores specific examples from these series, highlighting where scientific principles are accurately depicted and where creative liberties are taken.
- Common Misconceptions in Sci-Fi: They address prevalent scientific inaccuracies in science fiction, such as sound in space and unrealistic space travel mechanics, and discuss their impact on public understanding of science.
- Balancing Science and Storytelling: The discussion delves into the challenges writers face in integrating complex scientific concepts into engaging narratives without overwhelming the audience.
- Audience Interaction: Recorded live at Dragon*Con, the episode features questions from the audience, providing additional perspectives and inquiries about science in media.
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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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.