The 365 Days of Astronomy

The 365 Days of Astronomy podcast launched in 2009 as part of the International Year of Astronomy. This community podcast continues to bring you day after day of content across the years. Everyday, a new voice, helping you see the universe we share in a new way. This show is managed by Avivah Yamani, edited by Richard Drumm. This podcast is funded through Patreon.com/CosmoQuestX and produced out of the Planetary Science Institute.

Travelers in the Night Eps. 373 & 374: Plant Companionship & Earth’s Pet Rock 09/06/2026

Travelers in the Night Eps. 373 & 374: Plant Companionship & Earth’s Pet Rock 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 January & February 2026. Today's 2 topics: - On Earth, human life is enabled by plants which provide us with calories, vitamins, fuel, medicines, and oxygen to breathe. In addition, recent scientific studies indicate that plant cultivation reduces anxiety and depression and has a positive influence on diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and longevity. Perhaps this is the reason that 80% of the cultivated plant species on planet Earth are not used for any food related purpose. On long duration space missions astronauts live in close quarters isolated from the natural world where the basic activities like eating, sleeping, and attending to bodily functions are difficult and stress producing. - On it's gravitational leash, Earth's pet space rock, 2016 HO3, accompanies us at a distance of between 38 and 100 times the Moon's distance from Earth as we both travel about the Sun. As this tiny asteroid orbits the Sun it spends about half of its time inside the Earth's orbit where it moves faster and passes ahead of us and the other half of its yearly path outside of our orbit which causes it to lag behind our home planet. Since its discovery little has been known about Earth's pet space rock leaving some to speculate that perhaps it is an old rocket booster or other piece of space junk. 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! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at . /episode/index/show/astro365/id/42797925

Equatorial Sky Guide - September 09/05/2026

EVSN - On Background: The Anatomy of a Comet 09/04/2026

Actual Astronomy - The Observer’s Calendar for September 09/03/2026

Actual Astronomy - The Observer’s Calendar for September Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan who enjoy teaching astronomy classes and showing the public views through their telescopes. In Episode 549 of Actual Astronomy, hosts Chris and Shane present the Observer’s Calendar for September 2026, highlighting key celestial events for amateur astronomers throughout the month. Highlights include the Sept 1 Aurigids meteor shower peak, a Venus-Spica conjunction on Sept 2, two regional star parties in early September, and a Moon occultation of Jupiter on Sept 8. Observing targets throughout the month feature various lunar features like the Lunar X and Straight Wall, deep-sky objects, multiple carbon stars, Neptune reaching opposition on Sept 25, and the Harvest Full Moon on Sept 26. Sept 1: Aurigids peak (ZHR=10) predawn; γ Del double star; M27 well placed in evening Sept 2: Venus 1.7° South of Spica Sept 4: Last Quarter Moon (2:11) Sept 5: Lunar X visible Sept 6: Alberta Star Party begins; Mars 3° South of Moon; Moon at perigee; NGC 6781 well placed; B142/3 well placed; Carbon star W Orionis in pre-dawn Sept 7: Labour Day; M71 well placed; Carbon star HK Lyr in evening Sept 8: Northern Prairie Star Party begins; Moon occults Jupiter (2:58 pm); M27 well placed; Max R Aql (9:00 pm); Star Trek 60th anniversary Sept 9: NGC 6905 well placed; Carbon star RV Mon in pre-dawn; Zodiacal Light in E before morning twilight Sept 10: New Moon (23:27); Uranus Stationary; Old crescent Moon in E before sunrise; M39, M29 well placed Sept 11: Veil Neb well placed Sept 12: NGC 7000 well placed Sept 13: NGC 6946 well placed Sept 14: Venus 0.5° South of Moon; IC 5146 well placed; Carbon star U Cyg in evening Sept 15: NGC 6819 well placed Sept 16: NGC 6826 well placed Sept 17: First Quarter Moon (18:44) Sept 18: Venus greatest illuminated extent; Sept 19: Lunar Straight Wall this evening; Two shadows on Jupiter visible (9:03 pm) Sept 20: Follow Capella unaided into daylight this week Sept 22: Autumnal Equinox (12:00 am); Jeweled Handle (12:00 am) Sept 24: Crater Billy (9:00 pm) Sept 25: Neptune at opposition; Sept 26: Full Moon / Harvest Moon (12:49); Two shadows on Jupiter (10:56 pm); Mare Orientale (9:00 pm); Crater Einstein (4:00 am); Carbon star V Cyg in evening Sept 30: 192 Nausikaa at opposition (m=8.4) 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! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at . /episode/index/show/astro365/id/42713540

Awesome Astronomy - Holy Flipping Galaxies Batman! 09/02/2026

Deep Astronomy - The Most Distant Galaxy Ever Measured 09/01/2026

Astronomy Cast Ep. 8: Meteor Showers. Yes, the Sky is Falling! 08/31/2026

Travelers in the Night Eps. 371 & 372: Kiwi Nights & Close Ones 08/30/2026

Travelers in the Night Eps. 371 & 372: Kiwi Nights & Close Ones 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 January, 2026. Today's 2 topics: - New Zealand's 4.5 million people are concentrated in three major population centers which to various degrees suffer from the modern plague of light pollution. However, most of New Zealand's large rural areas and land reserves, covering an area as large as the UK, have unpolluted natural night skies. A completely unique place to experience New Zealand's natural night sky is the Aotea-Great Barrier Island International Dark Sky Sanctuary. It encompasses New Zealand's, 110 square mile, sixth largest island, which is located about 62 miles from central Auckland. It is easily accessible by boat or a short airline flight. - In less than 24 hours, while observing with the Catalina Sky Survey's 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Arizona, I discovered two 25 foot diameter space rocks that can theoretically pass less than a quarter of the Moon's distance from us. After I posted my discovery observations on the Minor Planet Center's Near Earth Object Confirmation page one of them received immediate attention, as an incoming object, and was tracked by observers at 14 different observatories around the world. Scientists at the Minor Planet Center used these data to calculate its 926 day orbital path around the Sun, estimate its size, and give it the name 2017 TH5. 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! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at . /episode/index/show/astro365/id/42592690

Space Stories - Syzygy, When Worlds Line Up 08/29/2026

EVSN - After Hours #8: Making Moons & Getting Cratered With William K Hartmann 08/28/2026

Guide To Space - Are Aliens Watching Us & How Could We Hide? With Dr. David Kipping 08/27/2026

Deep Astronomy - NASA's TESS Finishes First Year of Exoplanet Science Operations 08/26/2026

Cheap Astronomy - Dear CA #138: In Space! 08/25/2026

Astronomy Cast Ep. 101: Advanced Propulsion Systems 08/24/2026

Travelers in the Night Eps. 369E & 370E: Night Vision & Double Comet 08/23/2026

Travelers in the Night Eps. 369E & 370E: Night Vision & Double Comet 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 December 2025 & January 2026. Today's 2 topics: - Many people in our modern world rarely if ever experience night vision. To achieve this interesting state of sensory awareness you cannot look at your cell phone or any other source of bright light for 30 to 45 minutes. Your night vision comes about over time because the rod sensors in the retina of your eye undergo a chemical change when they are placed in total darkness. The process starts immediately but takes 20 to 30 minutes to get 80% of maximum sensitivity. The night vision process can be reversed in seconds by exposure to a bright light. In its most sensitive state your eye can function with a billion times less light than is present in strong sunlight enabling you to see a candle flame from 1.6 miles away. - In November of 2006, University of Arizona's Spacewatch astronomers on Kitt Peak discovered a faint moving point of light in the night sky which appeared to be a garden variety main belt asteroid orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter. The Minor Planet Center calculated it's orbit and gave it the name 2006 VW139. Five years later when it again moved closest to the Sun the Pan-STARRS group in Hawaii discovered that 2006 VW139 is surrounded by a gas cloud like a comet and it was given a comet designation, 288P. 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! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at . /episode/index/show/astro365/id/42519120

Actual Astronomy - Messier Objects for August 08/22/2026

Actual Astronomy - Messier Objects for August Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan who enjoy teaching astronomy classes and showing the public views through their telescopes. On Episode 547 of Actual Astronomy, hosts Chris and Shane guide listeners through observing an array of August Messier objects across the constellations Ophiuchus, Scorpius, and Sagittarius. The show details viewing techniques for globular and open clusters—highlighting targets like the egg-shaped globular M19, the historical Ptolemy's Cluster (M7), and the beginner-friendly M23. Additionally, they explore iconic Milky Way nebulae, including the active star-forming Lagoon Nebula (M8) and the nearby Trifid Nebula (M20) with its distinctive three-lobed dark dust lanes. 1. M10 & M12 (Globular Clusters in Ophiuchus) - Binoculars: Sweeping through central Ophiuchus reveals these two bright globulars in the same binocular field. They appear as soft, distinct bluishgray spheres. - Telescope: In an 8-inch telescope, M12 resolves well into individual stars across its core, while M10 appears somewhat more tightly packed, brighter toward the center, and slightly fuzzier at the edges. - Compare the two side-by-side: Despite being located near each other in our sky, M12 has lost a significant portion of its lower-mass stars due to repeated passages through the Milky Way’s dense galactic disk. 2. M107 (Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus) - Binoculars: A challenging target for binoculars; requires dark skies and averted vision to spot as a minute, faint smudge. - Telescope: Small-to-medium telescopes reveal a delicate, somewhat un-concentrated patch of light with a loose core. - M107 contains noticeable dark dust lanes or obscuring regions, which is relatively rare for a globular cluster, giving it a unique visual texture in medium-to-large scopes. 3. M9 (Globular Cluster in Ophiuchus) - Binoculars: Similar in scale to M107, though slightly brighter and easier to catch in 10x50s on a clear night. - Telescope: Small scopes show a bright, unresolved central nucleus surrounded by a faint, grainy halo. - M9 is located remarkably close to the Galactic Centre—only about 5,500 light-years away from it. It lies near dark nebulae like Barnard 64, making the surrounding starfield visually compelling. 4. M19 & M62 (Globular Clusters in Ophiuchus) - Binoculars: Separated by about 4 degrees, both fit easily into a standard binocular field of view south of M10/M12. They look like round, soft patches brightening toward their centers, with M19 appearing noticeably brighter. - Telescope: Smaller telescopes show compact, fuzzy disks. Moderate magnification begins resolving outer stars on both. - M19 is famous for being one of the most distinctly oblate (egg-shaped) globular clusters known, likely due to tidal forces from its proximity to the galactic core. - M62 has an asymmetric core, heavily deformed by galactic tidal forces, and hosts a rich population of millisecond pulsars. 5. M6 (The Butterfly Cluster) & M7 (Ptolemy’s Cluster) Scorpius - Naked Eye: Both are bright and obvious to the naked eye under dark skies near the "stinger" of Scorpius. - Binoculars: Binoculars provide the absolute best view. Both clusters fit together in a wide 10x50 field. M7 is larger and brighter; M6 displays a striking butterfly-like star arrangement. - M7 is one of the oldest recorded deep-sky objects, noted by Ptolemy in 130 AD. - The orange giant star BM Scorpii, which sits on the wing of the "Butterfly" in M6 and adds a nice pop of stellar color contrast. 6. M8 (The Lagoon Nebula) Sagittarius - Naked Eye: Appears as a distinct, hazy patch in the Milky Way band above Scorpius. - Binoculars: Shows as a huge, glowing oval patch—larger than the full Moon—with several bright stars embedded within it. - Telescope / Filters: A UHC or O-III filter enhances the dark dust lane ("the lagoon") bisecting the bright nebulosity. - M8 is an active star-forming region containing Bok globules (collapsing clouds of protostellar gas) and the famous "Hourglass Nebula" region at its core. 7. M20 (The Trifid Nebula) Sagittarius - Binoculars: Located just 1.4 degrees northwest of M8. Appears as a faint, ghostly glow surrounding a central triple/multiple star system. - Telescope: Medium scopes under dark skies reveal the dark dust lanes splitting the bright emission portion into three distinct lobes. - M20 is a rare "triple threat" nebula containing an emission nebula (red in photos), a reflection nebula (blue in photos), and a dark dust lane network (Barnard 85) that gives it its name. 8. M21 (Open Cluster) Sagittarius - Binoculars: Situated right next to M20. Appears as a small, compact, bright knot of stars. - Telescope: Low-power views easily resolve 20–30 stars packed tightly together. - The "Trifid Trio": In wide-field eyepieces or binoculars, you can view M8, M20, and M21 all in a single field of view, offering one of the most spectacular Milky Way vistas available to visual observers. 9. M23 (Open Cluster) Sagittarius - Telescope: Low magnification is key. Small telescopes easily resolve over 80–100 stars spread across a wide field in subtle arc-like patterns. - M23 sits against a rich background Milky Way star field, making low-power wide-field views ideal. It is an excellent target for beginners practicing star-hopping in northern late-summer skies. 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! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at . /episode/index/show/astro365/id/42519110

Space Stories - The Fastest Star in the Milky Way 08/21/2026

EVSN - After Hours: Doing Big Science With Light Tools & Guest Dr. Danny Jacobs 08/20/2026

Awesome Astronomy - The Eclipse & the Perseids 08/19/2026

Ask A Spaceman Ep. 278: What’s A Good Story About Chandrasekhar? 08/18/2026

Ask A Spaceman Ep. 278: What’s A Good Story About Chandrasekhar? Physics under pressure! Hosted by Dr. Paul M. Sutter. What was the big deal about Chandrasekhar’s discovery? Why did he meet so much resistance? How is his work tied to everything from supernovae to black holes? 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, Corey D, Michael P, Naila, Sam R, Joshua, Scott M, Rob H, Scott M, Louis M, John W, Alexis, Gilbert M, Rob W, Jessica M, Jules R, Jim L, David S, Scott R, Heather, Mike S, Pete H, Steve S, Lisa R, Kevin B, Aileen G, Deb A, Michael J, Phillip L, Steven B, Mark R, Alan B, Craig B, Richard K, Joe R, David P, Justin, Tracy F, Thomas K, James C, Syamkumar M, Homer V, Mark D, Bruce A, Tim Z, Linda C, The Tired Jedi, Bob C, Stephen A, James R, Allen E, Michael S, Sheryl, David W, Chris, Michael S, Erlend A, James D, Karl W, Den K, Edward K, Scott K, Vivek D, M0PPET, Brad, Azra K, Steve R, M D Malahy, Brian O, Alonna M, Joseph B, and Anders J! 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! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at . /episode/index/show/astro365/id/42432145

Astronomy Cast Ep. 118: Sky Surveys 08/17/2026

Travelers in the Night Eps. 367 & 368: Moons of Florence & Roving Venus 08/16/2026

Astroman - E is for Eclipse 08/15/2026

EVSN - After Hours: International Moon Day 2026 With guest Jekan Thanga 08/14/2026

Guide To Space - Where Do Comets Come From? Exploring the Oort Cloud 08/13/2026

Equatorial Sky Guide - August 2026 08/12/2026

Cheap Astronomy - Dear CA Ep. 137: Space Missions 08/11/2026

Astronomy Cast Ep. 160: Eclipses 08/10/2026

Travelers in the Night Eps. 365E & 366E: Spotting Meteors & Mars Rocks 08/09/2026

Travelers in the Night Eps. 365E & 366E: Spotting Meteors & Mars Rocks 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 December 2025. Today's 2 topics: - Meteors, shooting stars, or falling stars are different names for the streaks of light in the night sky which are in reality the dying embers of tiny asteroids. These small interplanetary travelers were speeding along at between 7 and 44 miles per second when they entered the Earth's atmosphere. In space, they are called meteoroids and typically ranged in size from that of a grain of sand to perhaps ones as big as of a piece of driveway gravel. Large space pebbles can produce fireballs which are brighter than the planet Venus. - At about 2AM on July 18, 2011 several people in near Tata, Morocco saw a bright fireball which was described by one of them to be initially yellow, then turned green, and finally exploded into several pieces producing two sonic booms. In October of 2011 desert wandering nomads began finding very fresh looking dark fusion-crusted stones which were radioactively dated by Dr. John Duke of the University of Alberta to be less than 5 years old. In total 15-24 lbs of meteorites consistent with a very recent fall were found in a strewn field, were whisked away to receive high prices from collectors, and named after the town of Tissint, about 30 miles from their discovery location. 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! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at . /episode/index/show/astro365/id/42362440

NOIRLab - The Start of the LSST 08/08/2026

NOIRLab - The Start of the LSST Hosted by Rob Sparks. The 10-year Legacy Survey of Space and Time has officially started, marking the beginning of a new era in astronomy and astrophysics. Over the next ten years, Rubin will relentlessly observe the entire southern sky every few nights to create an ultra-wide, ultra-high-definition time-lapse record of our Universe. This long-awaited milestone is the culmination of years of effort by thousands of people around the world. In this podcast, Dr. Christina Williams and Dr. Yumi Choi describe the LSST and its science goals as well as what they are most excited about researching with its groundbreaking data. Bios: - Rob Sparks is in the Communications, Education and Engagement group at NSF’s NOIRLab in Tucson, Arizona. - Dr. Yumi Choi is an Assistant Astronomer at NSF NOIRLab. Her research focuses on understanding the formation and evolution of nearby galaxies. Her primary work utilizes high-precision, multi-band photometry to analyze resolved stellar populations in those galaxies. Beyond my independent research programs, she is a dedicated member of the Rubin Observatory Community Science Team. Dr. Choi earned her PhD in Astronomy from the University of Washington in 2016. She subsequently held postdoctoral research positions at the University of Arizona’s Steward Observatory, Montana State University, and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). Prior to her current appointment at NSF NOIRLab in 2023, she spent a year as an Assistant Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley. - Dr. Christina C. Williams is an Associate Astronomer at NSF NOIRLab in Tucson, Arizona And an Assistant Research Professor at University of Arizona and a member of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) NIRCam instrument and science teams. Her research focuses on high-redshift galaxies, galaxy evolution, and star formation in the early Universe. 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! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just !) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. Visit us on the web at or email us at . /episode/index/show/astro365/id/42362425

The 365 Days of Astronomy

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