Astronomy Cast

Take a fact-based journey through the cosmos. Tune in to hear weekly discussions on astronomical topics ranging from planets to cosmology. Hosted by Fraser Cain (Universe Today) and Dr. Pamela L. Gay (Planetary Science Institute), this show brings the questions of an avid astronomy lover direct to an astronomer. Together Fraser and Pamela explore what is known and being discovered about the universe around us. Astronomy Cast is supported thru patreon.com/AstronomyCast.

Ep. 742: Atmospheric Gravity Waves 02/03/2025

Ep. 742: Atmospheric Gravity Waves Astronomy Cast Ep. 742: Atmospheric Gravity Waves By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 27, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay Gravity Waves ... not gravitational waves ... move atmospheres and make pretty clouds. Have you ever looked up into the sky and seen bizarre cloud formations that look like waves on the ocean? These are gravity waves. Not to be confused with gravitational waves, and they’re caused by a balance of buoyancy and gravity. And of course these have been seen across the solar system. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/35120220

Ep. 741: Technosignatures 01/27/2025

Ep. 741: Technosignatures Astronomy Cast Ep. 741: Technosignatures By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 20, 2025. As humanity developed more advanced technology, we’re having a larger effect on our environment. The more we do, the more we could be detectable. And this gives us ideas on how we could detect other civilizations, even if they don’t realize we’re watching. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/35002305

Ep. 740: Sneaky Stars! 01/20/2025

Ep. 740: Sneaky Stars! Astronomy Cast Ep. 740: Sneaky Stars! By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 13, 2025. Why stars can’t be trusted! If you’re an astronomer you depend on accurate observations of stars, but there’s a problem. Stars are sneaky! Changing in size, brightness, color, they hide their chemistry, their age and even their companions from all but the cleverest observers. Stars explode precisely when they intend to. Betelgeuse took a brightness plunge, T CrB refused to go nova, and other failures to be predictable irk observers for good reasons. Let's talk about it. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/34915705

Ep. 739: Drones! 01/13/2025

Ep. 739: Drones! Astronomy Cast Ep. 740: Drones! By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live January 9, 2025. From little Ingenuity to the future Firefly and all our Earth Science fliers, let's look at the buzzy scientists. NASA’s Mars Ingenuity helicopter showed us how wonderful a flying science platform can be on another world. Soon there’ll be a helicopter flying on Titan, but there are many other flying robots that’ll be helping us with all our science needs. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/34819225

Ep. 736: Gift Guide 2024 12/09/2024

Ep. 736: Gift Guide 2024 Astronomy Cast Ep. 736: Gift Guide 2024 By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 2, 2024 It’s time for our Holiday Gift Guide, where we suggest ideas for presents for the space fans in your life! What books are we reading? What games are we playing and what telescopes are we admiring? SUPPORTED BY YOU !!! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/34330540

Ep. 735: Albert Einstein 12/02/2024

Ep. 735: Albert Einstein Astronomy Cast Ep. 735: Albert Einstein By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 25, 2024. Last week we talked about the Einstein probe. So this week it is only natural that we talk about the man himself, Albert Einstein. He revolutionized the field of physics, played a vital role in the early 20th century and struggled to unite the forces of the Universe at the end of his career. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit! /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/34221890

Ep. 734: The Einstein Mission 11/18/2024

Ep. 734: The Einstein Mission Astronomy Cast Ep. 734: The Einstein Mission By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 11, 2024. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. Another day, another space telescope! Today we’re looking at the newly launched Einstein Probe. A collaboration between the Chinese Space Agency and the European Space Agency. The mission has been operating since January searching the cosmos for short, bright flashes of X-rays. SUPPORTED BY YOU This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/33952302

Ep. 733: Euclid Of Alexandria 11/11/2024

Ep. 733: Euclid Of Alexandria Astronomy Cast - Ep. 733: Euclid Of Alexandria By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 5, 2024. Last week we talked about the mission. This week we’ll talk about Euclid of Alexandria, the ancient Greek mathematician who inspired the mission. Let’s learn about his life and the ground breaking work that made so much of our modern mathematics possible. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit! /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/33876572

Ep. 732: The Euclid Telescope 11/04/2024

Ep. 732: The Euclid Telescope Astronomy Cast Ep. 732: The Euclid Telescope By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 28, 2024. Let's look at the Euclid Space Telescope. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay The Euclid 208-Gigapixel image! SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/33758827

Ep. 731: Neil Gehrels 10/28/2024

Ep. 731: Neil Gehrels Astronomy Cast Ep. 731: Neil Gehrels By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 21, 2024. Last week we talked about the Neil Gerhels Swift Telescope, this week we’ll be talking about the man behind the mission. Gerhels was the principle investigator behind many missions, including Swift. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Andrew Poelstra, BogieNet, Brian Cagle, David, David Truog, Ed, Gerhard, Schwarzer, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Stephen Veit /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/33594107

Ep. 729: The James Webb Space Telescope 10/07/2024

Ep. 729: The James Webb Space Telescope Astronomy Cast Ep. 729: The James Webb Space Telescope By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 30, 2024. Let's talk about that giant telescope that's changing everything. We have been waiting our entire careers to make this episode on the James Webb Space Telescope, AKA the JWST. This historic Observatory was launched just a couple of years ago and it's already overturning our understanding of the early Universe star formation and exoplanets! /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/33343327

Ep. 728: Solar Scientist Eugene Parker 09/30/2024

Ep. 728: Solar Scientist Eugene Parker Astronomy Cast Ep. 728: Solar Scientist Eugene Parker By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 23, 2024. Last week, we talked about the Parker Solar Probe. As always, we like to talk about the person who inspired the mission. What makes this amazing and different is that Eugene Parker was there to watch the launch of the mission that shares his name. Why is he so influential on solar astronomy? SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Paul Fischer, Joe Holistein, Janelle aka Veronica_Cure, Lenore Horner, David Troug, Timelord Iroh. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/33225757

Ep. 727: Parker Solar Probe 09/23/2024

Ep. 727: Parker Solar Probe Astronomy Cast Ep. 727: Parker Solar Probe By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Sep 16, 2024. Let's look over the long life of the Parker Solar Probe as it explores the Sun and nearby worlds. The Sun! It’s that ongoing thermonuclear explosion that’s happening right over there! And although the Sun is necessary for life on Earth, we still have questions! So NASA has sent the Parker Solar Probe to visit the Sun up close, to get us some answers. SUPPORTED BY YOU! This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. Thanks to: Paul Fischer, Joe Holistein, Janelle aka Veronica_Cure, Lenore Horner, David Troug, Timelord Iroh. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/33162387

Ep. 726: Looking Back Over The Summer 09/16/2024

Ep. 726: Looking Back Over The Summer Astronomy Cast Ep. 726: Looking Back Over The Summer By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Sep 9, 2024. We made all sorts of predictions, and some of the stuff we didn't know about last July, somehow, we still don't know about as we set up this episode on September 3! Join us for the first episode of Season 18 as we review all the crazy space science that happened during our Summer Hiatus. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/33065437

Ep. 173: Herschel Space Observatory - REMASTER 08/26/2024

Ep. 173: Herschel Space Observatory - REMASTER Astronomy Cast Ep. 173: Herschel Space Observatory - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From January 18, 2009. Last week we talked about Herschel the people – William Herschel, his sister Caroline, and his son John. This week we look at the Herschel Space Observatory, a mission launched in 2009 to reveal the coldest and dustiest regions in the Universe. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/32747327

Ep. 172: William Herschel - REMASTER 08/19/2024

Ep. 172: William Herschel - REMASTER Astronomy Cast Ep. 172: William Herschel - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From January 11, 2010. Ancient astronomers knew of 5 planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn – 6 if you count Earth. And then in 1781, William Herschel discovered an entirely new planet, Uranus, boosting the number of planets to 7. Let’s learn about Herschel, his equipment, his discoveries, and his sister Caroline – an accomplished astronomer all on her own! /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/32632427

Ep. 88 - The Hubble Space Telescope - REMASTER 08/12/2024

Ep. 88 - The Hubble Space Telescope - REMASTER Astronomy Cast Ep. 88 - The Hubble Space Telescope - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From May 12, 2008. Our understanding of the cosmos has been revolutionized by the Hubble Space Telescope. The breathtaking familiar photos, like the Pillars of Creation, pale in comparison to the astounding amount of science data returned to Earth. Hubble’s getting old, though, serviced several times already, and due for another mission later this year. Let’s relive the historic observatory’s amazing life so far, and see what the future holds. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/32468342

Ep. 162: Edwin Hubble - REMASTER 08/05/2024

Ep. 162: Edwin Hubble - REMASTER Astronomy Cast Ep. 162: Edwin Hubble - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From November 2, 2009. You might know the name “Hubble” because of the Hubble Space Telescope. But this phenomenal observatory was named after one of the most influential astronomers in modern history. Hubble discovered that galaxies are speeding away from us in all directions, leading to our current understanding of an expanding Universe. Let’s learn about the man behind the telescope. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/32438272

Ep. 219 - Planck Mission - REMASTER 07/29/2024

Ep. 219 - Planck Mission - REMASTER Astronomy Cast Ep. 219 - Planck Mission - REMASTER By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From February 7, 2011. Another mission named after a famous physicist. This time we’re looking at the Planck mission, designed to study the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation over the entire sky. Like the previous WMAP mission, this will help astronomers understand the first moments after the Big Bang. This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/32318042

Ep. 218 REMASTER - Max Plank 07/22/2024

Ep. 218 REMASTER - Max Plank Astronomy Cast - Ep. 218 REMASTER - Max Plank By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From Jan 31, 2011. It’s time for another action-packed double episode, where we meet a man and his mission. This time around its German physicist Max Planck, considered to be the father of quantum theory – he was later granted a Nobel Prize for just that discovery. Let’s take a trip back just over 100 years to learn about the man who changed our understanding of the very small. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/32247867

Bonus Content: The week of too much news 07/15/2024

Bonus Content: The week of too much news In this bonus episode, we bring you behind the scenes audio from our June 10 pre-show discussion about the “far too much news” that occurred the week of June 3, 2024. /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/32147877

Ep. 725: Looking Ahead 07/01/2024

Ep. 725: Looking Ahead Streamed live on Jun 24, 2024. Normally Pamela refuses to think about the future. But today, on our final episode before hiatus, she’s throwing out those rules. It’s like the PURGE! Here’s what we’re excited about for the future. Especially for the next couple of months until we return in September. This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. From Pamela: I also have a favor to ask - I'm working on a research project with my collaborator Sanlyn Buxener on what factors help and hinder people learning and doing science. Can you please take our survey? THANK YOU! - Pamela Join our Patreon: This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31949522

Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) Reads 06/24/2024

Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) Reads Astronomy Cast Ep. 724: Summer (Science & Sci Fi) ReadsFraser & Pamela list their favorite books! Take notes! It’s almost time for our summer hiatus. A time to catch up on all that reading. We’ll give you some book recommendations, and what we’re hoping to read during the summer. Streamed live Jun 20, 2024. From Pamela: I also have a favor to ask - I'm working on a research project with my collaborator Sanlyn Buxener on what factors help and hinder people learning and doing science. Can you please take our survey? THANK YOU! Join our Patreon: This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31851302

Ep. 723: Exoplanets by the Numbers 06/17/2024

Ep. 723: Exoplanets by the Numbers Astronomy Cast Ep. 723: Exoplanets by the Numbers By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 10, 2024. Astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets, revealing entirely new types of worlds that we just don’t have in the solar system. It’s enough to start getting a rough sense of what kinds of planets are out there. What’s the big picture? This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31767677

Ep. 722: Weather on Exoplanets 06/10/2024

Ep. 722: Weather on Exoplanets Astronomy Cast Ep. 722: Weather on Exoplanets By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jun 3, 2024. Here’s a familiar question: How’s the weather? We’re familiar with the weather on Earth and telescopes and missions are watching the weather on other planets in the Solar System. But for the first time in history, astronomers can now answer that question for exoplanets, located light-years away from us. This Episode is made possible thanks to our Patrons on Patreon. Join at the Galaxy Group level or higher to be listed in our YouTube videos. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: - BogieNet - Stephen Veit - Jeanette Wink - Siggi Kemmler - Andrew Poelstra - Brian Cagle - David Truog - Ed - David - Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31659262

Ep. 721: Rogue Planets 05/27/2024

Ep. 721: Rogue Planets Astronomy Cast Ep. 721: Rogue Planets By Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on May 20, 2024. Most of the exoplanets we’ve found are around stars, where they belong. But a few have been found free-floating in interstellar space. The evidence is growing that there are a lot of them out there, maybe even more than planets with stars. How do they form and how can we learn more about them? /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31467157

Ep. 720: Galaxy Series - Elliptical Galaxies 05/20/2024

Ep. 720: Galaxy Series - Elliptical Galaxies Astronomy Cast - Ep. 720: Galaxy Series - Elliptical Galaxies by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 30, 2024. Our galaxy series continues with elliptical galaxies. Unlike other types, these are large, smooth with very few distinguishing features. They’re filled with red and dead stars, a clue to their evolution. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31345407

Ep. 719: Galaxy Series - Spiral Galaxies 05/13/2024

Ep. 719: Galaxy Series - Spiral Galaxies Astronomy Cast Ep. 719: Galaxy Series - Spiral Galaxies by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 30, 2024. Our galaxy series continues, on to spiral galaxies. In fact, you’re living in one right now, but telescopes show us the various shapes and sizes these galaxies come in. Thanks to JWST, we’re learning how these spirals got big, early on in the Universe. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra David Truog Brian Cagle Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31257212

Ep. 718: Galaxy Series - Dwarf Galaxies 05/06/2024

Ep. 718: Galaxy Series - Dwarf Galaxies Astronomy Cast Ep. 718: Galaxy Series - Dwarf Galaxies by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 30, 2024. It’s time to begin a new mini-series, where we’ll look at different classes of galaxies. Today, we’ll start with the dwarf galaxies, which flock around larger galaxies like the Milky Way. Are they the building blocks for modern structures? This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31138978

Ep. 717: Understanding the Ages of Distant Cosmic Objects 04/29/2024

Ep. 717: Understanding the Ages of Distant Cosmic Objects Astronomy Cast Ep. 717: Understanding the Ages of Distant Cosmic Objects by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Apr 22, 2024. How old is that star? That planet? That nebula? Figuring out the ages of astronomical objects is surprisingly challenging. Fortunately, astronomers have developed a series of techniques they can use to work out the ages of stuff. This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela /episode/index/show/astronomycast/id/31020278

Astronomy Cast

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