Candle Stars The podcast episode discusses how the pioneering work of Henrietta Swan Leavitt on Cepheid variables—giant pulsating stars whose period of pulsation directly relates to their true luminosity—provided the first reliable standard candle for astronomers like Edwin Hubble to measure vast cosmic distances and understand the expansion of the universe.   Episode Links: On […]

Wayback Machine This week Mike and Jay discuss a new study about the early, warmer-than-expected universe, which leads to a deep dive into the properties of cosmic microwave background radiation and listening to the Big Bang. Also, a launch of Kuiper satellites, and an update on space weather and the night sky. Episode Links: The […]

KEEP IT REAL! Mike and Jay discuss the profound importance of direct observation in astronomy. The hosts share personal anecdotes, emphasizing how witnessing phenomena like the Orion Nebula or space launches firsthand provides an undeniable, grounding connection to the reality of the universe. The episode also explores the week’s celestial events, including a Super Harvest […]

This episode of StarCast discusses the intersection of astronomy and wildlife, revealing how migrating birds, sea turtles, and even dung beetles use stellar navigation—like the North Star and the Milky Way—to find their way at night. The hosts also cover current space weather, celestial events like the Zodiacal Light, and issue a call to action […]

Balloons in Space!   This week, hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski discuss the potential for a G1-class solar storm and what’s visible in the night sky. The episode also delves into astronomical balloons, their scientific applications, and the citizen science projects that use them for research.   Episode Links: Younger Dryad Impact Hypothesis articles […]

Fun with Comets! On this week’s StarCast, join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski as they discuss comets!. They’ll also review the week’s best celestial viewing,  including a potential G1 or G2 class geomagnetic storm that may produce aurorae, and a newly discovered comet named SWAN25B. Then, they’ll dive deep into the world of comets, […]

Far Out! Join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski as they discuss the week in space, including a geomagnetic storm and a total lunar eclipse. They also explore the vastness of space by explaining astronomical distances, from light seconds to light years and beyond. Episode Links: https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Astronomical_unit    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsec   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_distance_ladder

It’s All Relative This episode explores the fascinating connections between Albert Einstein’s theories of relativity and modern technology, like GPS. The hosts, Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski, explain how both special relativity (which deals with time dilation from speed) and general relativity (which explains how gravity warps spacetime) are essential for the accurate functioning of […]

Twilight and the Holy Grail Mike and Jay discuss the “Holy Grail” of astrophotography, a term used for capturing time-lapses that transition smoothly from day to night. They explain the challenges of this type of photography, as it requires continuous adjustment of camera exposure as the light fades. Mike shares his personal experience with both […]

This week Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski interview astronomers Prof. Peter Wheatley, Daniel Bayliss , and Toby Rodel from the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) about their work detecting exoplanets and the future of astronomical imaging technology.  Also they discuss a potential solar storm and a planetary conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, as well as […]