Astronomy Cast

Astronomy Cast Ep. 713: Solar System Volcanoes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 18, 2024. Last week was one of the most exciting meetings we’ve seen from the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, with hundreds of announcements and discoveries from various missions. One theme kept coming up, the Solar System is more volcanically active than we thought. Today, we’ll explore volcanism on other worlds.   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

Astronomy Cast Ep. 712: How Peer Review Fails by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Mar 11, 2024.   You’ve probably heard that the best kind of science is peer-reviewed research published in a prestigious journal. But peer review has problems of its own. We’ll talk about that today.   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

Astronomy Cast Ep. 711: NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live March 4, 2024. NASA works on many missions using tried and true technology, but they also invest in creative ideas that could drive the future of space exploration. It’s called NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts or NIAC.   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

Astronomy Cast Ep. 710: NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) Program by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 26, 2024. In the olden days, NASA developed its missions using a variety of in-house engineers and external suppliers. As more commercial companies are targeting the Moon, NASA is working with partners to deliver its payloads to the lunar surface. Today let’s talk about NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Program.   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

Astronomy Cast Ep. 709: Space Weapons by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 19, 2024. [My apologies for Fraser’s audio dropouts. We’re not sure how it happened as it wasn’t happening at his studio. Audio is a black art, IMHO. Rich) Last week we learned that Russia might be planning nuclear weapons to take out satellites in space. What is the current and future possibility of weapons in space and what are the treaties designed to prevent them?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit (rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 708: What Goes Into Sample Return Missions From Asteroids & Comets? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live Feb 12, 2024. Last week we talked about sample return missions from the Moon and Mars, but scientists have retrieved samples from other objects in the Solar System, including comets and asteroids. What does it take to return a piece of rock from space, and what have we learned so far?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit ( rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 707: What Goes Into A Sample Return Mission? Moon & Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Feb 5, 2024. We’ve sent robots to other worlds, but the amount of science we can deploy to another planet can’t compare with the vast science labs we have on Earth. That’s why more and more missions are for a sample return, bringing pieces of alien worlds back to Earth, where we study them with proper equipment.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young BogieNet Stephen Veit ( rhymes with right) Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog Ed David Gerhard Schwarzer THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 706: China’s Space Program by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Jan 30, 2024. We’re so familiar with NASA’s exploration efforts in space, but you might be surprised to learn that China launches almost as many rockets as the US. They’ve got their own space exploration program that could soon bring humans to the surface of the Moon. Let’s give a brief overview of China’s space exploration plans.   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

Astronomy Cast Ep. 705: Water Worlds - Looking For Life Beyond Earth by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live January 17, 2024. Wherever we find liquid water on Earth, we find life, so it makes sense to search for water across the Universe, and hopefully we can find evidence of life. But what about worlds which are completely covered in water, oceans hundreds of kilometers deep. Can there be too much water?   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

Astronomy Cast Ep. 704: NASA's Juno Releases New Images by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live January 8, 2024. NASA’s Juno spacecraft has completed dozens of flybys of Jupiter, seeing the planet from many angles and delivering some of the most beautiful images we’ve ever seen of the Jovian world. Now it’s focusing in on Io, sending home images of the tiny volcanic world from just 1,500 km away. And the best is yet to come.   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

Astronomy Cast Ep. 703: Solar Maximum of Doom? Maybe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 20, 2023. Solar cycle 25 is shaping up to be a doozy, with plenty of flares and coronal mass ejections blasting off the Sun. As the solar activity continues to rise, how are things shaping up?   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 Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 702: Moonshot 2024 - Go or No Go? by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 11, 2023. With Artemis 1 completing its robotic flight around the Moon, we know that the SLS works. Next comes Artemis 2, with a crew of astronauts flying past the Moon. If that’s successful, we could see humans set foot on the Moon in December 2025. But there is a long list of challenges to consider that could delay things considerably. Go or no go for launch‽   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 Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 701: Space Science We Look Forward to in the Next 700 Episodes by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Dec 4, 2023. Last week we looked back at some of the ideas that science has changed its mind about. This week we look forward, into the future, at some of the big ideas that astronomers are making progress in. What space science are we looking forward to?   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 Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 700: The Things We Got Wrong by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 27, 2023. Astronomers talk about all the amazing discoveries they’re making but sometimes, it turns out, they were wrong. After decades and centuries of discoveries, how have they changed their minds?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 699: Holiday Gift Giving Ideas for Astronomy and Space Fans by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Nov 20, 2023. Just a warning, the holidays are rapidly approaching. It’s time, once again, to think about what to buy all the space nerds on your lists. Here’s what we like.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David Nicholas Cunningham THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 698: Insights Into the Universe by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay From Nov 5, 2023. How the time flies. It’s been over a year since JWST went operational, with other missions joining the fun. What new insights have we gained about the Universe thanks to these powerful new tools?   Recorded live during the 2023 Hangout-a-Thon on November 5.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 697: Mission Roll Call Part 6: The Outer Solar System and Beyond by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live November 4th, 2023.. Finally, we reach the end of our tour through the missions in the Solar System. Out beyond Mars, to Jupiter, the Kuiper Belt and Beyond.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Jordan Young Stephen Veit Jeanette Wink Siggi Kemmler Andrew Poelstra Ed BogieNet Brian Cagle David Truog Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 696: Mission Roll Call Part 5: The Science at Mars by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 30, 2023. Another week, another review of space missions in the Solar System. Today we set our sights on the red planet. What are all the active missions at Mars today?   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 695: Mission Roll Call Part 4: Lunar Exploration by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 23, 2023. Our journey through missions continues, this time we focus on the Moon. There are many nations on the Moon, near the Moon, around the Moon, traveling to the Moon. It’s a lot. We’ll talk about it today.   This video was made possible by the following Patreon members: Stephen Veit Jordan Young Jeanette Wink Andrew Poelstra Brian Cagle David Truog BogieNet Gerhard Schwarzer David THANK YOU! - Fraser and Dr. Pamela

Astronomy Cast Ep. 694: Mission Roll Call Part 3: Sun, Mercury, and Venus by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Streamed live on Oct 16, 2023. Our journey through space missions continues. Now we move away from the Earth to the rest of the solar system. What’s out there orbiting, roving and flying on other worlds and in interplanetary space. Today we look inward and we’ll talk about the missions studying the Sun, Mercury and Venus.   Thank you to all of our patrons who allow us to do this! This week I'd like to thank Jeremy Kerwin, Stuart Mills, Slug!, Harold Bardenhogan, Matthew Horstman, Kimberly Reich, Georgie Ianov, Scott Bieber, Jim Schooler. Marco Yarasi, David Gates, Alex Cohen, Justin Proctor, Claudia Mastriani, Scott Cohen, Disastrina, Kinsaya Pianflinko, Mathias Hayden, The Big Squish Squash!, Tim Garish, Gregory Singleton, Tim McMackin, Jeff Wilson Cooper, Paul D Disney, Benjamin Mueller, Ninja Nick, Kenneth Ryan, Eran Segev, Scott Briggs and Bruce Amazine. Thank you all so much!