20250602_From Naked Eye to high tech
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Release Date: 06/03/2025
20260202_Challenges
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
A possible Challenge to Cold Dark Matter? A sad anniversary for the Space Shuttle Challenger Hubble solves the mystery of Blue Straggler stars Groundhog Day!
info_outline
20260119_About that budget cut!
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
This week, we look at astronomy and space history, including important events in space exploration. We then follow up on the restoration of NASA and other science funding by US Congress, and give updates on manned space exploration. Image: Veritas Spacecraft in orbit around Venus - Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
info_outline
20260112_Into the New Year
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Here we touch on some brief history and then go onto what kind of astronomy we are looking forward to in 2026 including the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, Artemis as well as the Pandora and Plato missions to find exoplanets.
info_outline
2025-12-15 Solstice and other news
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Welcome to our last broadcast of 2025. We will be looking at the solstice this week and some of the ways it has been marked in the past as well as moon and venus landings and other current news. Image : Heart O'Ireland - Cropped version of: File:Newgrange 053.jpg, CC BY 2.5, from Wikimedia commons
info_outline
20251208_Bennu and Beyond
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Tonight we discuss some fun history items, and of course the recent news about sugars and more on Bennu! The host is Dr. Elaina Hyde and we are joined by special guest Mahesh Aravamudan, a RASC Toronto Center member and astronomy enthusiast to investigate. The allsky camera for AICO mentioned in this episode can be found at: Image credit: Aview across asteroid Bennu’s southern hemisphere and into space. The image was obtained on March 7, 2019, by the PolyCam camera on NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft.
info_outline
20251201_HolidayShow
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Welcome to our holiday show! What was the star of Bethlehem? What is a great gift for an astronomer?
info_outline
20251124_ Mars and more
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Here we look at a few Mars related topics, including possible karstic (water eroded) caves and other findings around the solar systems. Image (open access) from Ravi, Sharma et al 2025 APJL 993 L36
info_outline
20251117_MeteorShower!
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Tonight the Leonid meteor shower peaks. Here we look at the Leonids in detail as well as comets and Frank Drake. Image: Leonid meteor storm of 1833 (Public Domain) find out more about the observatory at
info_outline
20251110_Good Satellites, Bad Satellites...
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Julie Tomé and Dr. Elaina Hyde discuss many satellites - most good, some bad! From Lunar Orbiter 2, San Marco 1, and Sputnik to giant space mirrors (shudder) and the JWST (hurray!), explore some of the history and news around satellites. Podcast Image: AICO, Sunna Withers, Zena Khadour
info_outline
20251103_Let’s Break the Universe!
Allan I Carswell Observatory Presents: York Universe
Tune in to go back in time to Tycho's Supernova of 1572, the history of daylight savings time, and how our view of the Universe was revolutionized, twice! This week's host's Paul Mackin and Sunna Withers also discuss astronomy news, including Comet 3I/Atlas and the chaos of galaxies in the early Universe. Image Description: Comet 3I/Atlas on July 21, 2025, imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope Image Credit: NASA, ESA, David Jewitt (UCLA); Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
info_outlineThis episode touches on transits of Venus and their historical and astronomical importance. It also looks a bit at how the observations of the solstice could also be used to gain an understanding of Earth. Your hosts Prof. Mary-Helen Armour and Dr. Elaina Hyde touch on more modern history looking at lunar investigation by the Surveyor and Hayabusa2 investigation of asteroids. In the news we look at recent JWST discoveries, like one of the most distant and youngest galaxies every imaged, amazing aurora and hot exoplanets.
Image credit: NASA (2012 transit) https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10996/#media_group_349107