The 365 Days of Astronomy

• H’Ad Astra Historia Ep. 203: Interstellar Part 1

  Today’s guest:  Dr. Jamie Rankin, Voyager Deputy Project Scientist, talks with us today about all things Interstellar. She is also an Associate Research Scholar and Lecturer in Space Physics at Princeton University. NASA-JPL continues to communicate with both Voyagers 1 and 2 as they explore interstellar space. Closer to home, IBEX and three soon-to-be-launched new spacecraft study the protective bubble of our star system from the inside, while also investigating our star’s ever-changing effect on Earth.   H’ad astra historia is the official podcast for the Historical Astronomy Division of the American Astronomical Society. We’re here to share stories from and about the people who study the stars, planets, and the cosmos. We’ll be hearing from individuals who not only study the history of astronomy, but also those who lived it, who were “in the room” during pivotal events within the last 50 years or so.     Podcaster:  Loretta Cannon (an AAS affiliate via Rose City Astronomers) is a science-and-word-nerd who really likes the stars. She quite enjoys working as HAD’s podcaster, bringing astronomy stories to you.   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! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ 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 [email protected].

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• Guide to Space - Should We Fly to Another Star Soon? Or Wait for Better Technology to Come Along?

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXtYUawd4AY From Feb 14, 2020. Hosted by Fraser Cain. It’s hard to really wrap your mind around the vast distances between stars. The fastest spacecraft ever launched into an interstellar trajectory right now is Voyager 1. If it was directed at the nearest star, it would take tens of thousands of years to make the journey across the interstellar gulf.   Even so, groups like Breakthrough Starshot and Icarus Interstellar are working on plans right now to try and send spacecraft to other stars, ideally within our lifetimes.   But we can see how quickly technology is advancing all around us, from materials science to high energy physics, not to mention reusable rockets.   It seems reasonable to ask, should we invest in an interstellar mission now, or wait a few decades or even centuries for better technology to come along which could make the trip much shorter?   Watch Chris Hadfield's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6woV3encOA   Andrew Kennedy’s paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260275150_Interstellar_Travel_-_The_Wait_Calculation_and_the_Incentive_Trap_of_Progress   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! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ 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 [email protected].

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• Cheap Astronomy - Implausible Engineering, Ep. 3: We All Need Some Space

  Hosted by Steve Nerlich. A. Interstellar Travel. There is so much imagined interstellar flitting about in star trek, wars etc, that it seems almost inevitable it will all really happen one day. That is, that we might set off from Earth in the morning and arrive at Alpha Centauri system in time for tea. It’s only 4.3 light years away after all. B. Space Colony. A standard theme of science fiction and science forecasting is that we’ll establish space colonies one day. This is certainly possible, if not likely, but there are a number of issues to think through. Most importantly, you need energy – so if you are going to build a real space colony that’s in space then the Earth – Moon Lagrange points 4 and 5 might be good since they keep pace with the Moon around its Earth orbit and so will get Earth-Moon levels of solar flux. Or you might float a gondola above the clouds of Venus and get even more solar flux – or you might do the traditional thing and build on the surface of a celestial body. The Moon is good for all sorts of reasons, although Mars tends to be where people look to.   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! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ 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 [email protected].

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• Astronomy Cast Ep. 748: Fast Radio Bursts

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFC408k3RmE Streamed live on Mar 17, 2025. Hosted by: Fraser Cain and Dr. Pamela L. Gay. For the briefest of moments, some dead stars can flash brighter than their entire galaxy (in Radio light) and then live to do it again and again. It’s time for an update on fast radio bursts, a phenomenon we’ve only known about for a few decades. In this time astronomers have learned a tremendous amount them. They’re not solved, but we’re getting closer!   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: BogieNet, Stephen Vei, Jeanette Wink, Siggi Kemmler, Andrew Poelstra, Brian Cagle, David Truog, Ed, David, Gerhard Schwarzer, Sergio Sancevero, Sergey Manouilov, Burry Gowen, David Rossetter, Michael Purcell, Jason Kwong   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! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ 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 [email protected].

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• Ask A Spaceman - Ep. 240: Does the Great Filter Explain Why We’re Alone?

  What is the Fermi Paradox? How rare is non-intelligent vs intelligent life? What are the challenges a species must overcome to colonize the galaxy? Where is everybody? I discuss these questions and more in today’s Ask a Spaceman!   Support the show:  http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episodes:  http://www.AskASpaceman.com Follow on X:  https://x.com/PaulMattSutter Read a book: http://www.pmsutter/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, Duncan M, Corey D, Robert B, Naila, Sam R, John S, Joshua, Scott M, Rob H, Scott M, Louis M, John W, Alexis, Gilbert M, Rob W, Jessica M, Jules R, Mike G, Jim L, David S, Scott R, Heather, Mike S, Pete H, Steve S, wahtwahtbird, Lisa R, Couzy, Kevin B, Michael B, Aileen G, Mark R, Alan B, Craig B, Mark F, Richard K, Stace J, Stephen J, Joe R, David P, Sean M, Tracy F, Sarah K, Ryan L, Ella F, Thomas K, James C, Syamkumar M, Homer V, Mark D, Bruce A, Bill E, Tim Z, Linda C, The Tired Jedi, Gary K, David W, dhr18, Lode D, Bob C, Red B, Stephen A, James R, Robert O, Lynn D, Allen E, Michael S, Reinaldo A, Sheryl, David W, Sue T, Josephine K, Chris, Michael S, Erlend A, James D, Larry D, Matt K, Charles, Karl W, Den K, George B, Tom B, Edward K, and Catherine B!   Hosted by Paul M. Sutter.   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! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ 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 [email protected].

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