Podcast: Quasars



Last week we talked about galaxies in general, and hinted at the most violent and energetic ones out there: active galaxies. Quasars have been a mystery for half a century; what kind of object could throw out more radiation than an entire galaxy? A black hole, it turns out, with the mass of hundreds of millions of suns performs this feat. Let’s trace back the history of quasars, how they were first discovered and puzzled astronomers for so long. And let’s look at what we know today.

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Quasars – Show notes and transcript

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Podcast: Galaxies

Whirlpool Galaxy. Image credit: Hubble

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This week we’re going to look at some of the biggest objects in the Universe: galaxies. It was the discovery of galaxies in the early 20th century that helped astronomers realize just how big the Universe is, and how far away everything is. Let’s learn how galaxies formed and how they evolve and change over time, merging with the neighbors. And what the future holds.

Click here to download the episode

Galaxies – Show notes and transcript

Or subscribe to: astronomycast.com/podcast.xml with your podcatching software.

Listen to Terra Chat Live Tonight: Cosmic Occurances, Planet X and Space Travel (Update)

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Update: The Terra Chat show recording is now available online as an mp3 if you missed the live broadcast…

In a follow-up radio interview on Blog Talk Radio’s Terra Chat, I will be Colin Knight’s special guest to briefly discuss my recent Universe Today 2012 articles and then chat about my thoughts on space travel and Mars colonization. I previously appeared with Colin on June 8th to discuss the Mayan 2012 Prophecy, so I’m overjoyed to be invited back.

If you are interested and want to listen in to Colin Knight’s Terra Chat show, with me as his guest, go to the Blog Talk Radio: Terra Chat homepage and you’ll find the live radio feed.

Time: Thursday July 10th 2008, 10pm Eastern Time (7pm Pacific Time)

More information on tonight’s show »

I have another follow-up show on Paranormal Radio at the end of the month with Captain Jack, so I’ll keep you posted (listen to my previous appearance). Cheers, Ian

Podcast: Humans to Mars, Part 3 – Terraforming Mars

Artist impression of terraformed Mars. Image credit: NASA

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And now we reach the third part of our trilogy on the human exploration and colonization of Mars. Humans will inevitably tire of living underground, and will want to stretch their legs, and fill their lungs with fresh air. One day, we’ll contemplate the possibility of reshaping Mars to suit human life. Is it even possible? What technologies would be used, and what’s the best we can hope for?

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Humans to Mars, Part 3 – Terraforming Mars – Show notes and transcript

Or subscribe to: astronomycast.com/podcast.xml with your podcatching software.

Podcast: Humans to Mars, Part 1 – Scientists

Mars Explorer. Image credit: NASA

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We’re learned about the failed missions to Mars in the past, and the current spacecraft, rovers and landers currently exploring the Red Planet. But the real prize will come when the first human sets foot on Mars. Robots are cheaper, but nothing beats having a real human being on the scene, to search for evidence of water and life.

Click here to download the episode

Humans to Mars, Part 1 – Scientists – Show notes and transcript

Or subscribe to: astronomycast.com/podcast.xml with your podcatching software.

Paranormal Radio’s “2012 Just Another Day” Show Now Available!

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On June 10th, I was invited on Captain Jack’s Paranormal Radio show to chat about the various 2012 Doomsday scenarios. We had a great time for three hours talking about everything from the Mayan calendar and Planet X to the Phoenix Mars Mission and Saturn. The show has just been made available as an MP3 that should be easy to listen to on your podcast-grabbing equipment, or your favorite media player on your computer.

Download the Paranormal Radio “2012 Just Another Day” show with Captain Jack and myself (hosted at Astroengine.com) »

Enjoy!

And in case you missed it, the first radio show I did with Colin Knight on Terra Chat (dated June 8th) is still online.

I’ve been invited back to both Paranormal Radio and Terra Chat for future shows, so I’ll post any news as I get it.

Cheers! Ian

Podcast: Missions to Mars, Part 2

Phoenix Lander. Image credit: NASA/JPL



I know last week was a bit of a dry history lesson, but we wanted to give you some understanding of past efforts to explore Mars. Now we’ll look at the missions currently in orbit, and crawling around the surface of Mars, and help you understand the science that’s happening right now.

Click here to download the episode

Missions to Mars, Part 2 – Show notes and transcript

Or subscribe to: astronomycast.com/podcast.xml with your podcatching software.

Podcast: Missions to Mars, Part 1



With last month’s safe arrival of the Phoenix Mars Lander, Mars enthusiasts breathed a collective sigh of relief… phew. Now it’s time to search for evidence of organic molecules in the ice at Mars’ north pole. But this is just the latest in a long series of missions sent to the Red Planet. Let’s have a history lesson, and look back at the missions sent to Mars, successful and unsuccessful.

Click here to download the episode

Missions to Mars, Part 1 – Show notes and transcript

Or subscribe to: astronomycast.com/podcast.xml with your podcatching software.

Listen to Paranormal Radio Live Tonight: The 2012 Controversy

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The second live show in response to the 2012 articles (“No Doomsday in 2012” and “2012: No Planet X“) is scheduled for tonight at 9pm US Eastern Time. This time, I will be joining Captain Jack over at Paranormal Radio for the two and a half hour event. There will be a live broadcast across the web and it will be aired across the Seattle airwaves on 106.9 FM HD Channel 3. If you miss it, there will be a recorded version you can listen to at your leisure.

Time: Tuesday June 10th, 9pm Eastern Time
Listen Live via Contact Radio or download the .pls file to listen on your audio player »
More information on tonight’s show »

I am still astounded by the response to these 2012 articles, so thanks to Captain Jack for inviting me on his show, it will hopefully be an interesting discussion! Cheers, Ian

Listen to Terra Chat Live Tonight: 2012 and the Mayan Prophecy (Updated)

Blog Talk Radio logo - Terra Chat

Update (Monday, June 9th):
Listen to the recorded show from last night (June 8th) with Colin Knight and myself.

In response to my Universe Today 2012 articles (“No Doomsday in 2012” and “2012: No Planet X“), I’ve been invited by two radio shows to chat about the fuss surrounding the 2012 doomsday prophecies. I had no idea these articles would cause such a stir! I’ve taken the view that there is very little scientific evidence for many of the different “end of the world” scenarios, and I remain highly sceptical of any theory that proclaims to predict the future (especially the much-hyped Planet X). There are a few more articles in the pipeline, so watch this space.

If you are interested and want to listen in to Colin Knight’s Terra Chat show, with me as his guest, go to the Blog Talk Radio: Terra Chat homepage and you’ll find the live radio feed. Looks like fun!

Time: Sunday June 8th 2008, 10pm Eastern Time

More information on tonight’s show »

I have another show on Tuesday night, so I’ll post that information closer to the time. Cheers, Ian