5 Minutes With An Astronomer

Join us to explore the universe. Each episode we tackle one question and ask Stuart Robbins, a professional astronomer, to help us understand the topic in under 5 minutes without a script. The show is a crossover of the Exposing PseudoAstronomy podcast and the award winning The Reality Check podcast.

S02E01: Corrections 05/20/2019

S02E01: Corrections And...we’re back, Astro Nuts! We kick off a fun-filled Season 2 with some corrections from Season 1. If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us. /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853268

S02E02: What Is The Cosmic Distance Ladder? 05/20/2019

S02E02: What Is The Cosmic Distance Ladder? This episode’s question is, what is the Cosmic Distance Ladder and how does it work? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853256

S02E03: How Do Standard Candles Work? 05/20/2019

S02E03: How Do Standard Candles Work? This episode’s question comes from a listener named Todd who asks, “How do standard candles work? It seems like a really huge assumption that all of these stars are truly identical.” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853229

S02E04: Where Does Earth’s Atmosphere End And Space Begin? 05/20/2019

S02E04: Where Does Earth’s Atmosphere End And Space Begin? This week, we welcome special guest and science enthusiast Ed Robertson. Ed is the frontman of Barenaked Ladies and wrote the theme song for Big Bang Theory. He asks, “Where does earth’s atmosphere end and where does space begin?” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853220

S02E05: Solar Structure Part 1 05/20/2019

S02E05: Solar Structure Part 1 This episode is part 1 of 2 on the structure of the Sun, based on a question from listener Todd who asks, “How do we know what's going on inside the Sun? We can see the outside, but it's not like we can place seismometers on it like we do to measure the layers of the Earth.” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853139

S02E06: Solar Structure Part 2 05/20/2019

S02E06: Solar Structure Part 2 This episode is part 2 on the structure of the Sun after listener Todd asks, “How do we know what's going on inside the Sun? We can see the outside, but it's not like we can place seismometers on it like we do to measure the layers of the Earth.” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853115

S02E07: What Is The Solar Wind? 05/20/2019

S02E07: What Is The Solar Wind? Building on earlier episodes about the structure of the sun, this episode tackles: what is the solar wind? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853097

S02E08: Earth’s Magnetosphere 05/20/2019

S02E08: Earth’s Magnetosphere What is Earth’s magnetosphere and what does it have to do with those amazing light shows in the sky called auroras? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853049

S02E09: Magnetospheres In The Solar System 05/20/2019

S02E09: Magnetospheres In The Solar System An overview of the Earth’s magnetosphere on the last episode begs the question, do other objects in our solar system have magnetospheres? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9853019

S02E10: What Is Interesting about Io? 05/20/2019

S02E10: What Is Interesting about Io? Occasionally rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. On this episode: what is so interesting about Jupiter’s moon Io? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852998

S02E11:Heat Death And The End Of The Universe 05/20/2019

S02E11:Heat Death And The End Of The Universe This episode we are joined by Darren McKee, host of The Reality Check. Darren asks about the end of the universe and Heat Death. If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852962

S02E12: Volcanoes In The Solar System 05/20/2019

S02E12: Volcanoes In The Solar System Having discussed the volcanically active moon Io on a previous episode, we ask Stuart: where else are there volcanoes in the solar system? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852935

S02E13: Talking With Flat Earthers 05/20/2019

S02E13: Talking With Flat Earthers Not your typical episode! Special guest Ed Robertson talks with the crew about conspiracy theories and a recent run-in with a flat earther. Ed is the frontman of Barenaked Ladies and wrote the theme song for Big Bang Theory. If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852896

S02E14: What Is The Hubble Constant? 05/20/2019

S02E14: What Is The Hubble Constant? One of the most important numbers in Cosmology makes up this episode’s question: what is the Hubble Constant? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852845

S02E15: Why Does Why Does NASA Follow The Water? 05/20/2019

S02E15: Why Does Why Does NASA Follow The Water? NASA missions seem to often be looking for water elsewhere in the solar system. Why does NASA follow the water? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852686

S02E16: What Is Interesting About Comets? 05/20/2019

S02E16: What Is Interesting About Comets? Occasionally rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. This episode’s question is: what is interesting about comets? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852668

S02E17: Does The Moon Improve Earth’s Habitability? 05/20/2019

S02E17: Does The Moon Improve Earth’s Habitability? Pat asked a question last season about whether our moon improves the Earth’s habitability. Stuart said it would have to wait for another episode. That time has come! If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852617

S02E18: What Is The Photoelectric Effect? 05/20/2019

S02E18: What Is The Photoelectric Effect? Many people know that Albert Einstein won a Nobel prize. But do you know why? It was for something called the photoelectric effect. Well, what’s that? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852605

S02E19: Gravitational Assists 05/20/2019

S02E19: Gravitational Assists Cristina has been waiting to ask this one since season one after pondering Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. What is a gravitational assist and how does it work? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852566

S02E20: What Is Expanding? 05/20/2019

S02E20: What Is Expanding? This episode we are joined by Darren McKee, host of The Reality Check. We previously discussed that the universe is expanding but Darren asks, “What exactly is expanding and what is it expanding into?” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852452

S02E21: How Big Is The Universe? 05/20/2019

S02E21: How Big Is The Universe? This episode we are joined by Darren McKee, host of The Reality Check who asks, “What is the size of the universe?” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852419

S02E22: What Is A Light Cone? 05/20/2019

S02E22: What Is A Light Cone? Darren McKee, host of The Reality Check has many questions. This episode he asks: “What is a light cone?” If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852389

S02E23: The Big Bang 05/20/2019

S02E23: The Big Bang On this episode we are joined by special guest and science enthusiast Ed Robertson. Ed is the frontman of Barenaked Ladies and wrote the theme song for Big Bang Theory. So naturally, we HAD to challenge Stuart to try and explain the Big Bang in 5 minutes with Ed in the house! If you have feedback or a topic suggestion, email us. /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9852326

Black Hole Image And Season 2 Announced 04/11/2019

Black Hole Image And Season 2 Announced We're back! Announcing season two of 5 minutes with an astronomer. We start recording next week and should have a new set of shows for you shortly. In the meantime, Cristina and Pat have a discussion with Stuart about the recent headlines regarding the first image of a black hole. /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/9361622

S01E01: An Introduction To 5 Minutes With An Astronomer 07/03/2018

S01E01: An Introduction To 5 Minutes With An Astronomer Since this is the first episode, rather than asking Stuart a question, the crew introduces themselves and this new crossover podcast. If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/6772351

S01E02: What Are Kepler’s Laws? 07/03/2018

S01E02: What Are Kepler’s Laws? This episode’s question is: what are Kepler’s laws of planetary motion? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/6772340

S01E03: Why Do We Have Seasons? 07/03/2018

S01E03: Why Do We Have Seasons? This episode’s question is: why do we have seasons and are there seasons on other planets? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/6772329

S01E04: Where Did Our Moon Come From? 07/03/2018

S01E04: Where Did Our Moon Come From? This episode’s question is: where did our moon come from and have we always thought this? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/6772318

S01E05: What Is Interesting About Our Moon? 07/03/2018

S01E05: What Is Interesting About Our Moon? Occasionally, rather than asking a specific question, we ask Stuart why he finds something interesting. This episode’s question is: what is interesting about our moon? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/6772301

S01E06: What Are Lagrange Points? 07/03/2018

S01E06: What Are Lagrange Points? This episode’s question is: what is the parallax? If you have feedback or a topic suggestion you can . /episode/index/show/astronomyin5/id/6772290

5 Minutes With An Astronomer

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