Space Junk

We've all heard this before: what's so great about astronomy?  Why do I have to know about stuff I'm never gonna be able to go see?  Why is this stuff important?  This week, we discuss this and much more with Alize Shilling from OPT Telescopes

Rogelio Bernal Andreo is one to the foremost astrophotographers and in this episode, he tells the story of his journey to becoming featured on APOD, Nat Geo and many other media outlets.  Tune in and learn how to take better astrophotos from one of the masters.

In this episode, we talk with Victor Aniceto, president of Meade Instruments.  Learn about the challenges facing the company and the subsequent turnaround.

When it comes to end of the world theories, NASA conspiracies or astronomy hoaxes Fraser has seen or heard them all.  This episode picks apart those ideas and we talk about whether anything should or could be done to combat them.

This episode features a great discussion on what astronomy means to us and how it influences our lives.  The study and enjoyment of the night sky affects us in ways we don't often think about... in this episode, we think about it! :-)

Our guest this week is Ralph Emerson from Planewave Instruments, makers of some of the most high-quality equipment for amateur astronomers.

While it's true that we are losing our dark skies, not all is lost.  It is still possible to not only see the stars using a telescope from some of the most light-polluted areas in the world, but we can also take images of the night sky. 

Our guest this week, Dr. Steven Swancoat, an OB-Gyn, artist and astrophotographer, describes how he images from places like Times Square with Dustin Gibson.

I think we all realize just what a great time it is to be involved in amateur astronomy: gaining access to the stars has never been easier.  The equipment available to image the night sky is easier to use and extremely affordable.

Lots of people think that to get paid to study or enjoy the universe takes a huge amount of education, maths, and a lifelong dedication to research.  The thing is that's just not true.  In this podcast Tony and Dustin talk with Cathrin Machin, a space artist making her dreams come true by bringing space to everyone.  Listen to her story and we'll also give you some great tips for making money from your passion of the night sky.

Advances in technology and communication have brought the world of professional science to the rest of us.  With initiatives like Galaxy Zoo and CosmoQuest, the interested public can get involved in producing scientific results that are often a crucial component in a scientific paper or a new discovery.

In this episode, Tony Darnell and Dustin Gibson discuss the growing importance of citizen science and we'll talk about CosmoQuest, a citizen science initiative started in 2012 that has faced budget cuts and needs your help.