Variable Stars and Epsilon Aurigae
[29 Jul 2010 at 1:00pm]
Awesome video, narrated by Timothy Ferris, about variable stars and epsilon Aurigae. Courtesy of the good people at citizensky.org.
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The Extragalactic Distance Scale
[20 Jul 2010 at 11:33am]
Michael Koppelman interviews Dr. Lucas Macri about his work on the extragalactic distance scale using Cepheid variable stars and space telescopes.
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AAVSONet with Dr. Arne Henden
[10 Jun 2010 at 2:01pm]
Mike Simonsen interviews Dr. Arne Henden about AAVSONet, a global network of research telescopes, including APASS and the BSM.
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Citizen Sky with Rebekah Turner
[22 May 2010 at 1:41am]
Michael, Doug and Mike regale us with their wit and humor and then Mike interviews Rebekah Turner about the Citizen Sky project.
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Interview: Robert Naeye of Sky & Telescope Part 2
[3 Apr 2010 at 2:24am]
The conclusion of Mike Simonsen's interview with Robert Naeye, Editor-in-Chief of Sky & Telescope magazine. The topic today is science journalism and afterward Michael, Doug and Mike share their thoughts via their typical slacker banter.
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Interview: Robert Naeye, Editor-in-Chief of Sky & Telescope
[6 Mar 2010 at 3:03pm]
Mike Simonsen from Slacker Astronomy interviews Robert Naeye, Editor-in-Chief of Sky & Telescope magazine about the future of amateur astronomy. Michael, Mike and Doug also discuss various topics and provide brilliant insights and humorous commentary.
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Interview: Kevin Krisciunas
[7 Feb 2010 at 12:12am]
Mike Simonsen interviews Kevin Krisciunas about his recent paper that describes how to measure the eccentricity of the moon's orbit with a yardstick and some cardboard and lots of other stuff.
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Kepler and Extrasolar Asteroids
[3 Jan 2010 at 1:12am]
An interview with Steve Howell from NOAO about the Kepler mission, extrasolar asteroids and Ophiuchans.
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Citizen Science with Epsilon Aurigae
[16 Dec 2009 at 1:04pm]
The folks at citizensky.org made this cool Lite Brite video about Epsilon Aurigae.
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Heat
[12 Dec 2009 at 2:00am]
Michael, Doug and Mike discuss heat, temperature, thermodynamics, black bodies and associated hot topics.
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Supernovae and Caroline Moore
[22 Nov 2009 at 11:45am]
Mike interviews Caroline Moore, the youngest discoverer of a supernova and Michael, Doug and Mike dicuss supernovae in general in some detail.
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CCDs, Cosmology and Ben
[20 Oct 2009 at 12:04am]
Michael, Doug and Mike discuss the charge coupled device (CCD), answer reader mail about cosmology and interivew Slacker Blogger Ben Huset.
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North Star Special
[4 Oct 2009 at 1:40am]
A thorough and lengthy show about the North Star, Polaris, including an interview with Dr. Edward Guinan.
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Slackerchat with Michael, Doug and Mike
[21 Aug 2009 at 6:50am]
Michael, Doug and proto-Slacker Mike Simonsen discuss Citizen Sky, Jupiter, Stardust, Active SETI and much, much more.
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Interview: Evalyn Gates
[7 Jun 2009 at 11:05am]
Doug and Michael interview cosmologist Dr. Evalyn Gates about white dwarfs, dark matter, dark energy and women in science.
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Interview: Peter Brookhouse
[11 May 2009 at 2:20pm]
Doug Welch interview Peter Brookhouse about protecting Australia's observatories from bush fires.
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Simo-Slacker Interviews Pt. II
[13 Apr 2009 at 12:25pm]
Mike Simonsen interviews Christopher Tout, Paula Szkody and Boris Gaensicke about cataclysmic variable stars.
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Simo-Slacker Interviews Pt. I
[30 Mar 2009 at 12:15pm]
A full show complete with discussion by Michael and Doug, 2 interviews by Mike Simonsen about cataclysmic variable stars and more chatter and laughing.
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365 Days of Astronomy: 2/12/09
[5 Mar 2009 at 12:45am]
This is a cross-post of our third contribution to The 365 Days of Astronomy podcast. It is part 2 of a 2 part series with Dr. Roberta Humphreys and Dr. Kris Davidson from the University of Minnesota, discussing massive stars.
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365 Days of Astronomy: 1/12/09
[5 Mar 2009 at 12:40am]
This is a cross-post of our second contribution to The 365 Days of Astronomy podcast. It is part 1 of a 2 part series with Dr. Roberta Humphreys and Dr. Kris Davidson from the University of Minnesota, discussing massive stars.
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Interview with George Hrab
[24 Jan 2009 at 1:45pm]
An interivew with musician, skeptic, podcaster and 365 Days of Astronomy theme song writer George Hrab. Also includes a live extended version of the 365 Days of Astronomy theme song!
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Dark Energy with Dr. Michael Turner
[10 Jan 2009 at 12:45am]
An interivew with cosmologist Dr. Michael Turner, who coined the term Dark Energy. We caught up with Dr. Turner at the AAS Meeting in Long Beach, CA on Jan 7th, 2009.
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365 Days of Astronomy: 1/5/09
[5 Jan 2009 at 11:00am]
This is a cross-post of our first contribution to The 365 Days of Astronomy podcast. Doug and Michael discuss the cause of the seasons here on earth and other aspects of the night sky as explained by simple geometry.
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Interview: Ken Mogul on using Global Rent-a-Scope
[23 Dec 2008 at 1:00pm]
Doug interviews Ken Mogul, who has been using the Global Rent-a-scope system to observe variable stars from his bed.
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Interview: JJ Kavelaars and the Kuiper Belt
[16 Nov 2008 at 11:35pm]
Michael and Doug discuss Mars Phoenix, Hubble and iPhone rockets plus an interview with Dr. JJ Kavelaars about Kuiper Belt objects.
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Is Geoff Clayton the man from Nantucket?
[23 Oct 2008 at 1:10am]
From the Nantucket studios of Slacker Astronomy, we join Aaron, Michael and Doug for some astronomical chatter, including an interview with Dr. Geoff Clayton, an expert on R Coronae Borealis stars.
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Another Slacker Chat!
[25 Sep 2008 at 1:20am]
After the tragedy of the "lost episode", undaunted, we got the gang together on Skype and had some fun recording a new show. Warning: Some politics within!
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SOFIA and Hubble
[26 Aug 2008 at 1:50pm]
Brief discussions about SOFIA and the upcoming Hubble servicing mission from the AAS meeting in Saint Louis. Cameos by Phil Plait (Bad Astronomy) and Mike Simonson (AAVSO).
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Slacker Chat with Doug, Michael, Aaron and Travis
[21 Aug 2008 at 7:30am]
We bring the old gang back together for a chit chat about Mars, Brian May, kinematic footprints, IYA and more. We had some technical problems so please ignore the occasional static, beeps or bad jokes.
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Interview: Doug Baum on the BIPH
[7 Aug 2008 at 2:50pm]
Doug and Michael interview Doug Baum who, along with his partner Russ Lederman, has developed the Binocular Photon Machine (BIPH), a device which amplifies incoming light 50,000 times, effectively tripling your telescope aperture. We talk about the device, how it works and the cool ways it can be used.
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Interview: Ethan Vishniac
[27 Jul 2008 at 12:40pm]
An interview with Dr. Ethan Vishniac who is the editor-in-chief of The Astrophyscial Journal and a professor of astronomy at McMaster University.
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Interview: Science Cafes
[8 Jul 2008 at 8:00am]
An interview with Ben Wiehe of WGBH about science cafes.
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Aaron Price on BZ UMa [FF]
[29 Jun 2008 at 5:00am]
Aaron Price won a Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award for this poster on the cataclysmic variable star BZ UMa. Aaron walks us through his poster and results.
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Interview: Juan Collar and Detecting Dark Matter
[16 Jun 2008 at 3:00am]
An interview with Juan Collar of the Kavli Institute on detecting dark matter in the laboratory.
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The Goddess of the IYA [FF]
[12 Jun 2008 at 5:00pm]
A short interview with Susana Deustua about the International Year of Astronomy, with a brief cameo by Mike Simonson of the AAVSO.
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Interview: Rick Fienberg of Sky and Telescope [FF]
[4 Jun 2008 at 6:00am]
A short interview with Rick Fienberg of Sky and Telescope magazine.
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Ice Cube
[26 May 2008 at 12:00pm]
Michael and Doug discuss the Ice Cube Neutrino Observatory, supernovae light echos and buying a star.
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Light Pollution
[11 May 2008 at 1:00pm]
Julie Wilbert brings us a report on light pollution with members of the Minnesota Astronomical Society.
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Whatever the hell is Slacker Astronomy
[18 Apr 2008 at 2:00pm]
An interview with Aaron Price about the history of Slacker Astronomy plus ramblings by Michael.
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Podcast interview with Brant Robertson
[27 Mar 2008 at 2:00pm]
Doug and Michael chat with Brant Robertson, who is a Spitzer Fellow doing research at The Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics. Brant is a theoretical astrophysicist involved with computer simulations of the evolution of galaxies.
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Slackerpedia Galactica 8.0: A Brief History of the Universe
[6 Jan 2008 at 1:55pm]
A brief history of the universe according to modern cosmology. Also a brief discussion of asteroid 2007 WD5, which may hit Mars.
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First Principles 4.0 - Inside Stars [FF]
[27 Nov 2007 at 12:45am]
Discussion on what stars are and how they work.
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Interview: Timothy Ferris [FF]
[15 Sep 2007 at 7:00am]
Astrotalk about news and events followed by an exclusive interview with author and film maker Timothy Ferris.
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Video: DAO Visit [FF]
[9 Aug 2007 at 3:00pm]
A tour of the DAO Observatory in Victoria, BC, Canada.
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SG Chit Chat #6
[25 May 2007 at 3:30am]
Opening skit, Astro news, another First Principles, discussions of astronomy tenure
policies and the first of a new recurring segment: Kavli Cosmology Nugget, where cosmologists sit
around a table with wine and cheese and talk shop.
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Cosmology #8: Dr. Lucy Fortson on VERITAS and new forms of astro research
[18 May 2007 at 3:30am]
Dr. Lucy Fortson is vice president for research at the Adler Planetarium
and a member of the VERITAS gamma ray experiment. She talks about VERITAS, gamma rays, astronomy
artifacts and new roles for the public in astronomy research practices.
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Cosmology #7: The CMB Soap Opera w/Dr. Stephan Meyer
[17 May 2007 at 3:30am]
Dr. Stephen Meyer has been a part of most of the major CMB discoveries in the past two decades.
He takes us on a journey of all the experiments, their challenges and successes and then sets the stage for the next
phase of CMB experiments.
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Cosmology #6: Dark Energy w/Dr. Josh Frieman
[16 May 2007 at 12:30pm]
Dr. Josh Frieman discusses dark energy and alternative theories along with current and pending experiments to
test it.
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Cosmology #5: Dr. Michael Turner updates his famous 1998 paper: Cosmology Sol...
[16 May 2007 at 5:30am]
Dr. Michael Turner updates his famous 1998 checklist of the seven major cosmological questions
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Cosmology #4: Nobel Laureate Dr. Jim Cronin On Cosmic Rays
[15 May 2007 at 3:30pm]
Dr. Jim Cronin, winner of the 1980 Nobel Prize in physics, discusses cosmic rays and the Pierre Auger
Observatory
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Cosmology #3: The Big Bang and CMB w/Dr. Clem Pryke
[15 May 2007 at 3:30am]
Dr. Clem Pryke discusses the Big Bang, the cosmic microwave background, and
various properties of it currently being tested in an effort to test and answer open questions about the
Big Bang.
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Cosmology #2: Dark Matter w/Dr. Andrey Kravtsov
[15 May 2007 at 2:30am]
Dr. Andrey Kravtsov gives a good description of the dark matter concept along with current
understandings, challenges and active experiments underway to positively detect dark matter.
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Cosmology #1: The South Pole Telescope and KICP w/Dr. John Carlstrom
[14 May 2007 at 2:30am]
Our first interview from the Kavli Institute For Cosmological Physics. The Director, Dr. John
Carlstrom, gives us an overview of the institute and the major equipment they are building and using. Throughout the
week we will bring you many interviews, both audio and video, from the institute and about all things cosmology.
Listen
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SG #5.0
[7 May 2007 at 2:30am]
It's baaaacckk.
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First Principles 2: Mass and Stuff (also McNaught/Titan skits)
[2 Apr 2007 at 1:30am]
The second in the First Principle series in which our heroes posit on mass, inertia and other stuff. Also, two skits with Travis and Rebekah about Comet McNaught and Titan.
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First Principles 1.0: Astronomers
[13 Feb 2007 at 12:30am]
The first episode of a new segment called First Principles, in which we discuss the basics of what astronomers are and what they do.
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Video: The Moon Is A Trip
[4 Feb 2007 at 12:40pm]
Fun with the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal
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Second Life Astro Cafe Interviews Promo
[28 Jan 2007 at 12:40pm]
Join us Feb. 3 and Feb. 5 in Second Life for Slacker Astronomy Cafe Interviews with
Dr. Stuart Lowe and Dr. Doug Welch. More on Second Life at slackerpedia.org.
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Video: Hot Astronomers [OF]
[18 Jan 2007 at 12:40pm]
Tonya, Michael and Travis wander the halls in search of hot
astronomers. Filmed at the 209th American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle,
WA.
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Video: AAS Doug Interviews an Astronomy Visualizer [FF]
[11 Jan 2007 at 12:40pm]
Dr. Doug Welch interviews Dr. Travis Rector, a science visualizer
with NOAO and Gemini observatories.
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Video: AAS Poster Wanderings [FF]
[10 Jan 2007 at 12:40pm]
Mike and Aaron wander the posters on day two of the AAS
meeting in Seattle
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AAS: Day 3 Round Up and The Hot Chocolate Experiment [FF]
[10 Jan 2007 at 1:00am]
Aaron, Doug, Michael, Travis and a friend Anthony talk about day 3 of the
American Astronomical Society meeting and perform an experiment with hot chocolate from room service.
Craziness ensues.
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AAS Interview With Pamela Gay [FF]
[9 Jan 2007 at 12:00pm]
Interview with Dr. Pamela Gay at the 209th meeting of the American Astronomical
Society
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AAS Recap Days 1-2 [OF]
[8 Jan 2007 at 11:00pm]
A recap of the first two days of the American Astronomical Society meeting. Ryan
Wyatt (Science Visualization blog) joins us as a guest. Meeting blog at slackerastronomy.org.
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Video: Neil deGrasse Tyson [FF]
[8 Jan 2007 at 7:00am]
A quick interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson at AAS
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Dirty Rotten Astronomers [JF]
[6 Jan 2007 at 12:45pm]
Michael and Travis skip out to Bermuda and report on the Space Technology
6 program from NASA.
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Video: AAS Meeting Nonsense [FF]
[6 Jan 2007 at 1:05pm]
Some dumb questions asked of smart people at the AAS meeting in Seattle.
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Video: Optical SETI at Oak Ridge Observatory [FF]
[2 Jan 2007 at 1:05pm]
A tour of the Harvard University Oak Ridge Observatory and the Optical
SETI telescope there
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Video: Are there extra-terrestrials? [FF]
[13 Dec 2006 at 12:45pm]
3 Questions. Second question: Are there extra-terrestrials?
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SG 4.0: The Astronomer Who Cried Wolf [FF]
[22 Nov 2006 at 6:45am]
In this show we cover stories of astronomical predictions: the good, bad and why it's
easier to be the former than the latter. We also have an interview with Ryan Wyatt, a science visualizer at the American
Museum of Natural History who talks about what goes on behind the scenes to turn those faint fuzzies into pretty pictures and
gives us a report from a recent astro-visualization conference. And of course the news, mail and more.
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Video: The Story of V838 Mon - [FF]
[22 Nov 2006 at 6:45am]
Rebekah and Travis tell the story of V838 Mon, a planet eater or just a really weird star?
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Video: Should Pluto be a planet? [FF]
[14 Nov 2006 at 6:45am]
3 Questions. First question: Should Pluto be a planet?
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Video: Behind The Scenes [FF]
[1 Nov 2006 at 11:40pm]
Michael is visited by Timothy Ferris and a video crew to shoot
a scene for an upcoming PBS show about amateur astronomers.
Listen
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SG #3.0: Planet eating monsters, light echos, unicorns and more...[FF]
[31 Oct 2006 at 11:40pm]
Rebekah is back and we have two old-school skits, Doug joins us from Gemini South observatory in Chile and we cover
lots of news and gossip in the world of astrology, oops, I mean, astronomy.
Listen
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SG Interview: Doug Welch on MACHO [FF]
[4 Oct 2006 at 12:40am]
MACHO, and its sequel, SuperMACHO, are projects that have directly detected dark matter. Dr. Doug Welch is one of the researchers involved with the MACHO project. In this podcast interview with Michael Koppelman, Doug talks about all things MACHO.
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Lite Brite Supernovae Video [FF]
[17 Sep 2006 at 3:02pm]
For our first video podcast, we take 5 pounds of Lite Brite pegs and use them to illustrate the process of supernovae explosions.
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Slackerpedia Galactica #1.0 [FF]
[13 Sep 2006 at 3:02pm]
The first edition of the new show. Future shows will be posted on this same feed.
Info at www.slackerastronomy.org.
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The End of a Planet and the End of a Podcast [FF]
[13 Sep 2006 at 3:00pm]
Pluto musings, then the bomb.
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Carbon Monoxide with Purpose
[27 Aug 2006 at 3:00pm]
There are two good places to have CO detectors: In your house
and on your radio telescope. We talk about one good place to find CO, and it's not in
your basement.
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My Fair Plutonian Menance [FF]
[15 Aug 2006 at 3:00pm]
The things Pluto must do to remain in the brotherhood of planets would make even Luke remble
with fear.
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Sometimes Too Much Light Can Be A Bad Thing [FF]
[1 Aug 2006 at 3:00pm]
In the 90's, astronomers had a chance to see an object usually obsructed by glare. That window of
opportunity has just now closed so the results of the research are now starting to come out..
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Great Balls of Fire
[30 Jul 2006 at 3:00pm]
A great ball of gas, greater in size than the distance between us and the Andromeda galaxy(!),
has been spyed plunging into the distance Abell 3266 galaxy cluster. Why? Well why not? If you were a bored bit of gas
living out your days in the suburbs of such a great galactic metropolis, wouldn't you too want to take a plunge, and go
live in the center of things for a while?
Listen
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Ring Around the Planet [FF]
[17 Jul 2006 at 3:00pm]
Grab a partner, doe-se-doe. Watch the moons dance and roll...
Listen
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Finder's Keeper's [OF]
[10 Jul 2006 at 3:00pm]
Lookee what we found...
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Dusty Supernovae[FF]
[4 Jul 2006 at 3:00pm]
Astronomers prove you wouldn't have dustballs without supernovae.
Listen
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Weird Physics[FF]
[21 Jun 2006 at 3:00pm]
Weird hard math sometimes is and sometimes isn't weird good science.
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Bigger Than the Motor Car [OF]
[7 Jun 2006 at 1:00pm]
Pictures of big things from the earliest days of the Universe
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Running Backwards while Moving Forward [OF]
[1 Jun 2006 at 1:00pm]
Slowing light, and even making time run backwards, does nothing to help Pamela get more hours into a day.
Listen
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Even Space Telescopes Need a Union [OF]
[15 May 2006 at 1:00pm]
All work and no play makes an infrared space telescope a dull - but efficient, boy.
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One Less Thing To Worry About [OF]
[9 May 2006 at 1:00pm]
GRBs don't kill people. Paranoia kills people.
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Digging In the Dirt [FF]
[26 Apr 2006 at 1:00pm]
To learn of the Sun, we must look to the Moon. Or, more accurately, the dirty footprints we left behind.
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Sterile Neutrinos, Enough Said [JF]
[5 Apr 2006 at 1:00pm]
Sterile neutrinos are on a quest to solve all life's mysteries without interacting.
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The Breakfast of Enceladians [JF]
[5 Apr 2006 at 1:00pm]
Slush Puppies are what's for breakfast on Saturn's Moon Enceladus
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Light Brite [FF]
[28 Mar 2006 at 12:00pm]
Lights, lights, lights everywhere and not a star to see. Just how many stars can you see in your area?
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WMAP's Anistropy Trophy [FF]
[21 Mar 2006 at 12:00pm]
The show is now one year old, but the rest of us are 13.7 billion years old. Break out the Geritol.
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Pop and Glow [JF]
[14 Mar 2006 at 12:00pm]
Occationally people go bump in the night, and occationally things flare in Gamma Rays. Did you go bump when GRB060218 went flare?
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Just Blame It On The Termites And Be Done With It [JF]
[8 Mar 2006 at 12:00pm]
Somewhere on Titan, in a sleepy, empty home, an oven door is ajar.
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As Simple As That [FF]
[28 Feb 2006 at 12:00pm]
The recurrent nova RS Ophiuci erupts for the first time in 21 years and illustrates the impermanence of existence - or just looks neato
Listen
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Dirty Rotten Snow Balls [FF]
[15 Feb 2006 at 12:00pm]
Don't know what to do with your snow? Toss it in a Lagrange Point!
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A Star, By Any Other Name... [OF]
[7 Feb 2006 at 12:00pm]
This Valentines Day pity the poor, lonely stars
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