This month it’s all about the trapped charged particles around our planet - the Van Allen radiation belts. Izzie and Dr Becky find out all about them with the help of Dr Maria Theresia Walach from Lancaster University, and Dr David Devorkin from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum explains how Explorer 1 discovered the belts in 1958. Plus, Dr Robert Massey joins to take on your questions and shares his top stargazing tips for July. 



The podcast is looking for sponsorship to keep the series running. It'll help fund the recording, editing and time needed to bring you the latest from space. If you have a business that would be interested in supporting the series - or just a single episode - then email podcast@ras.ac.uk with the subject “sponsorship” for more information.



This is a Boffin Media production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham 


19: Radiation Belts and Billionaires

This is The Supermassive Podcast from the Royal Astronomical Society. Every month, science journalist Izzie Clarke and astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst take you through the universe with the latest research, history from the society’s archives and astronomy you can do from your own home.

Support the team by buying their book, The Year in Space - https://geni.us/jNcrw

You can send your questions to the team via podcast@ras.ac.uk or follow them on Instagram @SupermassivePod.

The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

History

Society & Culture

Science

Physics

Astronomy

Can wobbly planets have more than two solstices? Are we earthlings receding from the sun and the other planets? What is dark flow and why is it controversial? When stars die, is their energy lost forever? 



Send your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram @SupermassivePod. 



The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 

51: BONUS - Wobbly Planets and Baby Names

Izzie and Dr Becky are venturing into interstellar space. What is it? Where is it? And what do we know about it? 



With special thanks to Professor Martin Barstow from University of Leicester and Professor Chris Lintott from the University of Oxford. Chris' new book "Our Accidental Universe" is out now. 



Check out the RAS's video on Pons Brooks here: https://ras.ac.uk/news-and-press/news/12ppons-brooks-how-and-when-see-devil-comet



The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 








51: Into The Interstellar

What is cosmic dust? Could we reignite a dying Sun with a nuclear weapon? How do we know what galaxies stars are in, and can the JWST see streetlights on alien worlds?



 If you have a question for the Supermassive team, send them to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.

 

 The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 






50: BONUS - Dust, stars and alien streetlights

Izzie and Dr Becky are exploring shaky ground, whether that’s on Earth, other planets and even on our neighbour the Moon. This month is all about quakes.  



With special thanks to Mark Panning, the project scientist for NASA's InSight mission, and Dr Jess Johnson from the University of East Anglia. 



Join Izzie and the UK Space Education Office for Mars Day on Tuesday 5th March, sign up to the virtual event here.  



Explore the North Tyneside Solar Trail and discover models representing planets from our solar system, 16 & 17 March 2024



The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 










50: Quakes in Space

Do we see black hole mergers as a result of galaxy mergers? What did the night sky look like to the dinosaurs? Is a gas giant just a rocky planet with a huge and dense atmosphere? Do all orbits eventually end up in resonance? 



The Supermassive Team is back with the first bonus episode for 2024! Send in your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.



The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. 










19: Radiation Belts and Billionaires

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