Astronomy Cast
Astronomy Cast offers you a fact based journey through the cosmos. Each week Fraser Cain (Universe Today) and Dr. Pamela Gay (SIUE / Slacker Astronomy) take on topics ranging from the nearby planets to ubiquitous dark matter.
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Ep. 303: Equilibrium
So many of the forces in space depend on equilibrium, ...
So many of the forces in space depend on equilibrium, that point where forces perfectly balance out. It defines the shape of stars, the orbits of planets, even the forces at the cores of galaxies. Let's take a look at how parts of the Universe are in per
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Ep. 302: Planetary Motion in the Sky
Even the ancient astronomers knew there was something different about ...
Even the ancient astronomers knew there was something different about the planets. Unlike the rest of the stars, the planets move across the sky, backwards and forwards, round and round. It wasn’t until Copernicus that we finally had a modern notion of w
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Ep. 301: Planetary Migration
We're so familiar with the current configuration of the planets ...
We're so familiar with the current configuration of the planets in the Solar System, but did the planets always orbit in this way? Did they form further out and then migrate inward to their current positions? And what about other star systems out there?
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Ep. 300: What We've Learned in Almost 7 Years
We created Astronomy Cast to be timeless, a listening experience ...
We created Astronomy Cast to be timeless, a listening experience that's as educational in the future as it was when we started recording. But obviously, things have changed in almost 7 years and 300 episodes. Today we'll give you an update on some of the
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Ep. 299: Space Stations, Part 4 — Future Space Station
Sometimes a trilogy needs four parts. We've looked at the ...
Sometimes a trilogy needs four parts. We've looked at the history and modern era of space stations but now it's time to peer into the future at some space station concepts still in the works. Most of these will never fly, but the ideas are important. We
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Ep. 298: Space Stations, Part 3 — International Space Station
And now we reach the third part in our trilogy ...
And now we reach the third part in our trilogy on space stations, with the largest vehicle ever assembled in space: the International Space Station. Launched in 1998, it now consists of 450 metric tonnes of modules, power systems and spacecraft and is re
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Ep. 297: Space Stations, Part 2 — Mir
Last week we introduced the history of space stations and ...
Last week we introduced the history of space stations and focused on the US and Soviet stations that were launched. This week we look at one of the longest running missions ever launched: Mir. From its launch and construction to its fiery finale, Mir hel
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Ep. 296: Space Stations, Part 1 — Salyut and Skylab
It’s one thing to fly into space, and another thing ...
It’s one thing to fly into space, and another thing entirely to live in space. And to understand the stresses and strains this puts on a human body, you’re going to need a space station. In this three-part series, we explore the past, present and future
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Ep. 295: The Observable Universe
We understand our place in the Universe because of our ...
We understand our place in the Universe because of our direct observations. We can see the light that traveled billions of light years across space to reach us. This sphere of space is the observable universe; everything we can detect. But it’s really ju
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Ep. 293: Earthquakes
We always say that the Universe is trying to kill ...
We always say that the Universe is trying to kill you, but actually, the Earth isn't so fond of you either. Certain parts of planet Earth are prone to earthquakes, where the planet's shifting plates can cause the ground to shake violently. We've had a few
