AWESOME ASTRONOMY

Paul & Dr Jeni

Awesome Astronomy explores the frontiers of science, space and our evolving understanding of the universe. Join Paul & Dr Jeni for informative and fun astronomy programmes dedicated to space and astronomy news and occasional podcast extras covering hot topics and special interviews in the world of science and astronomy. read less

Our Editor's Take

The AWESOME ASTRONOMY podcast shares news and interviews about the world of space. The show team includes Ralph, Jen, Paul, John, and Damien. Each panel member is passionate about understanding more about the night sky. Listeners should expect a round-up of astronomy news, from possible signals on an exoplanet to updates on cosmology. The team also interviews experts, from astronauts to astrophysicists, about their latest discoveries.

The first episode in 2012 started the podcast in style with legend Sir Patrick Moore. He shares his advice for amateur astronomers to start their stargazing adventures. Sir Patrick reveals how seeing Saturn through a space telescope for the first time excited him about space exploration. The episode also includes a solar system tour based on space mission discoveries.

Another episode explores imagery taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. Jen talks to Dr Robert Wessen, who investigated this Messier planetary nebula. He tells podcast listeners they can see the Ring Nebula from Earth with a standard telescope. An image from the Hubble telescope showed this ring to be more complex than it first appeared. This discovery led to further exploration by the team.

Other podcast guests include nuclear physicist turned astronaut Dr. Kathy Thornton. She discusses an exciting Space Shuttle mission to fix the Hubble telescope. Chris Lee, who led international space policy at the UK Space Agency, joins in an episode. He shares his highlights and how agencies work together for space exploration.

In another podcast episode, the team shares their live Astrocamp panel shows. They answer audience questions and provide a guide to viewing the Aurora. For passionate amateurs, there is also news of events, including Astronomy Cruise Holidays.

The AWESOME ASTRONOMY podcast chats all things NASA and astronomy with expert guests. They provide night sky guides for amateur astronomers and answer questions from listeners. New episodes premiere twice a month.

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Re-examining Uranus

Re-examining Uranus

This month we look at new old data about Uranus, a possible second dinosaur asteroid the first image of a star in another galaxy and the image of a new planet forming. Plus sky and launch guides and a chat about Christmas present ideas! Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Episodes

Re-examining Uranus

Re-examining Uranus

This month we look at new old data about Uranus, a possible second dinosaur asteroid the first image of a star in another galaxy and the image of a new planet forming. Plus sky and launch guides and a chat about Christmas present ideas! Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Comets, Cruises and Outreach

Comets, Cruises and Outreach

This month the episode is all about astronomy! Yep just astronomy. We catch up with the wonderful comet observations of the autumn, Jen’s aurora cruise in Norway and we talk outreach astronomy in response to a listener's question.

The Team are taking a little break so here is a classic interview with Apollo astronaut Alan Bean.

Gaining InSight

Gaining InSight

Meet Dr Anna Horleston from Bristol University. NASA’s InSight lander was active on Mars from November 2018 to December 2022 – a total of 1446 sols (Martian days). InSight carried a suite of geophysical instruments designed to help us understand the interior structure of the red planet. The primary instrument was a seismometer – the first seismometer to be deployed to the surface of Mars – and my job was to analyse the seismic data, to find Marsquakes (like earthquakes but on Mars), and to figure out what was causing them. I’ll take you through the highs and lows of working on an active NASA mission, the real meaning of “remote working”, and show you some of the amazing results from the mission.

AstroCamp Special!

AstroCamp Special!

This month the episode comes from the user dark skies of Wales as it is AstroCamp time! Discussion of Hera and Europa Clipper probes, comet news and the live recording of the Astrocamp panel! Enjoy

100 Hours of Astronomy with Go Stargazing

100 Hours of Astronomy with Go Stargazing

Between 2nd and 5th October, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are celebrating 100 hours of astronomy. We’ve caught up with good friend of the show Neill Sanders, founder of Go Stargazing, who’s helped create an app to get you and all your friends involved with the celestial party! Enjoy!

Chatting Space within tent

Chatting Space within tent

A bit different this month as Paul is joined by Dustin as they chat about aurora on Ganymede, starliner, Polaris Dawn, Blue Origin and Dustin shares an interview at a local astronomy Festival. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

British Planetary Science Conference

British Planetary Science Conference

In this podcast extra for Awesome Astronomy in August 2024, we bring you two of the Plenary Sessions from the British Planetary Science Conference 2024, hosted by Space Park Leicester and the National Space Center. The first, from Dr Aprajita Verma, discusses the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), and the second, from Dr Steve Banham, gives you a new view of Mars Evolution, based on Curiosity’s work at Gale Crater. Keep an ear out for activities to get involved with!

Comet Olbers in Silly Season

Comet Olbers in Silly Season

This month the team talk Comet Olbers, black holes in globular Clusters, the cancellation of Vixen, the ultra calm lakes of Titan, more phosphine news from Venus and look forward to this months Perseids. Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Sanctuary on the Moon

Sanctuary on the Moon

Celebrating 55 years since humans first set foot on the Moon with Project Apollo, in this podcast extra, Dr Jen meets with Benoit Faiveley and Mario Freese, founder and chief engineer of Sanctuary on the Moon, a daring project to leave a legacy of humanity on our nearest celestial neighbour. In the late 2020s, 24 coaster-sized sapphire disks will sail to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis CLPS program. Engraved upon them will be the essence of humanity. One hundred billion pixels depicting the human genome, the work of masters, and the every day - one pixel for every human that ever lived. It is an exploration of ourselves, our world, and our epoch. Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Starliner Marooned and Playing Gyros!

Starliner Marooned and Playing Gyros!

This month the team discuss keeping the elderly Hubble alive with a single gyro, how Starliner is currently marooned in orbit and are usually round up of other news from the cosmos, a skyguide for what to look out for and a this month in astronomy history that explores the life of Henrietta Swan-Leavitt.

This month is indulgent and ranty! Well it is summer...Jen waxes lyrical about a night out, Paul has written a book and in amongst it is some astronomy! There is a big dive into the huge aurora display in May, talk of new exoplanets and old ones vanishing. The usual skyguide and this months history moment is all about X rays. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

Totally Eclipse

Totally Eclipse

Dustin and Jeni talk about their Eclipse adventures from last month.

Nova predictions and China to the Moon

Nova predictions and China to the Moon

This month excitement builds for the predicted Nova outburst in Corona Borealis as well as looking forward to China launching a sample return mission to the far side of the Moon. We have our usual skyguide and chat about upcoming missions and some fun insights into the methane on Mars.

Episode 142 Awesome Astronomy April 2024

Episode 142 Awesome Astronomy April 2024

This month Dr Jen is off to the US for the Solar Eclipse while Paul is just back from Goonhilly Earth Station. We chat about the imminent demise of the Chandra Space Telescope, more news on the Hubble tension, and of course the Great North American Eclipse. Chinese Lunar ambitions, Starship making it to space and the first Boeing Starliner crew make the news while in this months history moment we talk about the brightest Stellar event witnessed by humans.

Britain's First Astronaut

Britain's First Astronaut

This podcast extra is our full length interview with Dr Helen Sharman, Britain's First astronaut and the first woman to visit the Russian Mir Space Station in 1991.

Wet Moons and Tippy landers

Wet Moons and Tippy landers

This month our intrepid crew of the good ship Awesome investigate sub surface oceans on the moons of the solar system, smoking stars, distant blackholes, oversized structures and of course tippy over lunar landers. There is also the monthly skyguide and a look at the astro history of March!

Blasting Soil - Interview with Dr Phil Metzger

Blasting Soil - Interview with Dr Phil Metzger

This month Dr Jen talks to Dr Phil! Dr Phil Metzger, 30 years at NASA where he has worked on various missions and programmes including the ISS snd Space Shuttle, while more recently he has been investigating how rocket efflux interacts with soil and what this will mean for future landings on the Moon and Mars…

Awesome Astronomy Episode #140

Awesome Astronomy Episode #140

This month we explore the exciting announcements from the European Space Agency as they outline their new missions for the 2030s. LISA, a space based gravitational wave detector and EnVision, a Venus mission that will map the surface and under-surface of that planet in unprecedented detail. We have the usual skyguide, chat about recent lunar missions and emails from the listeners.

#139 Awesome Astronomy January 2024

#139 Awesome Astronomy January 2024

This episode, it’s Jen and a special guest exploring the inexplicable Big Ring, the first proof connecting supernovae to black holes and neutron stars, cyclones on a far-away world, dazzling images of Io, and the true colour of Neptune. We also take a deep dive into humanity’s efforts to explore the Moon – the failing Peregrine lander and Artemis pushbacks. There’s also a sky guide for the second half of January, and our discussion topic this time involves a most impossible restaurant. Produced by Paul, Jen, Dustin, John & Damien.