Podcasts by Astronomy Minute
Learn the basics of astronomy in one-to-two minute packets of concise information about specific topics. You are a busy person with a short attention span, and you want to learn about astronomical topics in a short amount of time. Your host Professor Ata is a PhD research astronomer and astrophysicist and a noted authority on stellar and galactic astronomy. I welcome your feedback at ata.sarajedini@gmail.com. See the web site astronomyminute.org for more. The podcast logo is courtesy of Zachary Greathouse and shows a globular cluster photo taken by the author with the Hubble Space Telescope.
Further podcasts by Ata Sarajedini
Podcast on the topic Astronomie
All episodes
What is an Astronomical Observatory? from 2023-07-20T20:32:55
A brief description of what constitutes and astronomical observatory with a few examples in the real world that you have probably heard of.
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What is Occam's Razor? from 2023-07-19T14:12:08
A brief description of the philosophical concept known as Occam's Razor, which asserts that “the simplest explanation of a particular natural phenomenon is usually the correct one.”
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Why is the Webb Telescope Optimized to Observe Infrared Light? from 2023-01-04T16:18:45
A brief description of why the Webb Telescope is optimized to observe infrared light. Hint: it has to do with the four main science areas that it will be studying: “Other Worlds,” “Star Lifecycl...
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What are the Main Science Goals of the Webb Telescope? from 2023-01-04T16:03:15
A brief description of the four main science goals of the James Webb Space Telescope - “Other Worlds,” “Star Lifecycle,” “Galaxies Over Time,” and “Early Universe.”
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What is the James Webb Space Telescope? from 2022-12-20T00:54:43
A brief description of the James Webb Space Telescope and how it's different than the Hubble Space Telescope.
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What is the Hubble Space Telescope? from 2022-12-14T22:05:03
A brief description of the Hubble Space Telescope and its scientific capabilities.
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Why Do We Put Telescopes in Space? from 2022-12-14T16:20:29
A brief description of the two primary reasons why we send telescopes into space to observe and study celestial objects.
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What is Meant by Spiral Nebula? from 2022-06-19T22:09:53
A brief historical summary of what we mean when we refer to "Spiral Nebulae."
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What is the Big Crunch? from 2022-05-31T18:54:39
A brief description of what will happen if the universe stops expanding and collapses back on itself - this is known as the Big Crunch.
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What are the Basic Properties of Astronomical Objects? from 2022-05-18T20:25:08
A brief description of the basic properties of astronomical objects such as mass, radius, distance, luminosity, and temperature.
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What is the Local Group of Galaxies? from 2022-05-10T03:06:11
A brief description of the Local Group of galaxies which contains the Milky Way, the Andromeda galaxy, and dozens of dwarf galaxies all gravitationally bound to each other.
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What Does it Mean to “Know” Something in Science? from 2022-04-10T19:44:18
A brief description of what scientists mean when they say we "know" something.
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How Can Atoms and Thus Matter be Mostly Empty Space? from 2022-04-08T20:56:07
A brief description of the structure of atoms - how they are mostly empty space - and why the everyday objects you use don't collapse and fall in on themselves.
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What are Interacting Galaxies? from 2022-03-09T21:49:16
A brief description of what we mean when we talk about interacting galaxies.
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How do the Sun and Other Stars Shine? from 2022-03-09T19:55:27
A brief description of nuclear fusion, which is the process by which stars produce light so that they can shine.
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What are Giant Molecular Clouds? from 2022-02-25T15:06:07
A brief description of giant molecular clouds and why they are important for stars.
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How do We Know that the Milky Way Galaxy is Spiral in Shape? from 2022-02-24T21:25:10
A brief description of the observational evidence we have supporting our assertion that the Milky Way galaxy is spiral in shape.
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What is Meant by the 21 Centimeter Radiation of Hydrogen? from 2022-02-04T20:59:15
A brief description of the 21 centimeter radiation (light) that the Hydrogen atom emits and the mechanism behind this emission.
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How are Neutron Stars and Pulsars Related? from 2021-12-18T23:54:56
A brief description of what astronomers mean when they say that "all pulsars are neutron stars but not all neutron stars are pulsars."
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What is a Neutron Star? from 2021-08-03T00:51:10
A brief description of neutron stars, which are essentially the end state of massive stars some of which become pulsars.
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What is a White Dwarf Star? from 2021-07-28T16:06:33
A brief description of a white dwarf star, which is the end-state of a star that is less than 8 times the mass of Sun.
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How do We Know the Ages of Stars? from 2021-06-23T03:28:56
A brief description of how we use the HR Diagram and the main sequence to measure the ages of stars in groups and clusters.
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What is Seeing and the Resolving Power of a Telescope? from 2021-06-18T03:52:29
A brief description of seeing and the resolving power of a telescope.
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Are Black Holes Cosmic Vacuum Cleaners? from 2021-06-14T19:44:05
A brief description of the true nature of black holes as highly localized sources of gravity and not cosmic vacuum cleaners.
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What Was Here Before the Big Bang? from 2021-06-11T17:25:28
A brief description of what we think was here before the Big Bang. Short answer is that we don't know since "Science" is not equipped to answer questions where no data or information is availabl...
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Are UFOs Aliens From Outer Space? from 2021-06-09T14:55:43
A brief description of my personal point of view regarding the possibility that UFOs harbor extraterrestrial beings visiting Earth.
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What is the Milky Way Galaxy? from 2021-06-06T16:49:17
A brief description of the structure of the Milky Way galaxy - our galactic home.
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What is the Hubble Law? from 2021-06-02T18:11:17
A brief description of the Hubble Law, now more formally known as the Hubble-Lemaitre Law.
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What are Starburst Galaxies? from 2021-06-01T19:33:38
A brief description of starburst galaxies and why they are in star formation overdrive.
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Is Science Absolute? from 2021-05-26T17:18:52
A brief description of whether the findings of science are _absolutely_ true. It could also have been entitled “Are Scientific Results Absolute?” and “Is the Scientific Method Absolute?”
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What is Meant by Dimensional Analysis? from 2021-05-17T19:37:19
A brief description of what is meant by dimensional analysis. In short, the final units in a calculation must be correct for the calculation to be correct.
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What are Sunspots and the Sunspot Cycle? from 2021-05-11T16:23:06
A brief description of the nature of sunspots and the sunspot cycle.
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What is Meant by Einstein’s Theory of Relativity? from 2021-05-11T11:29:14
A brief description of Einstein’s Theories of Special Relativity and General Relativity?
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A Description of the Mathematical Basis of Cause-and-Effect from 2021-05-02T15:49:09
A brief description of how we mathematically relate cause and effect in science. A short description of the equation of a straight line, y=m*x + b is also included.
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How do Lunar and Solar Eclipses Happen? from 2021-04-12T00:52:27
A brief description of the different kinds of lunar and solar eclipses and how they happen.
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What do I Need to Know About Planet Earth? from 2021-04-07T16:25:10
A brief description of what makes Earth unique from the other terrestrial planets - active plate tectonics, liquid water, a significant atmosphere, and the rich diversity of life.
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So You Want to be a Professional Astronomer? from 2021-03-30T15:34:35
Some advice for anyone wanting to pursue professional astronomy/astrophysics as a career choice.
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How do Atoms Absorb and Emit Light? from 2021-03-24T19:45:33
A brief description of how atoms absorb and emit particles of light known as photons based on the Bohr Model of the atom. This leads directly to the creation of absorption and emission lines in ...
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What are Some Well-Known Deep Sky Objects? from 2021-03-15T14:49:24
A brief description of some deep sky objects whose names you may have heard of in popular culture.
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What is Meant by the Retrograde Motion of the Planets? from 2021-03-12T19:29:19
A brief description of what is meant by retrograde motion of the planets in the Solar System.
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What Professional Organizations Support the Work of Astronomers? from 2021-03-10T18:13:10
A brief description of the professional organizations that support the work of astronomers in North America and worldwide.
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How do Astronomers Obtain Their Observations of the Sky? from 2021-03-09T20:41:08
A brief description of the process used to allocate telescope time to professional astronomers interested in addressing scientific questions.
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How do Astronomers Disseminate Their Scientific Research Results? from 2021-03-03T16:27:34
A brief description of how astronomers disseminate their research results to other scientists.
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What is Meant by Metal Abundance or Metallicity? from 2021-02-24T04:45:06
A brief description of how we quantify the amount of metals in a star, i.e. how much of the star is composed of elements heavier than Helium, using a logarithmic quantity designated as Fe over H...
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What is Meant by Light Pollution? from 2021-02-24T04:04:20
A brief description of light pollution and why astronomers are so concerned about its effects on the brightness of the night sky.
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Is Science the Only Path to the Truth? from 2021-02-19T03:49:43
A brief treatment of the limitations of science as pertains to seeking the truth in other areas outside of the natural world.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Virgo? from 2021-02-14T05:52:34
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Virgo.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Ursa Major? from 2021-02-14T04:48:39
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Ursa Major.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Tucana? from 2021-02-12T01:58:22
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Tucana.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Triangulum? from 2021-02-11T19:57:25
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Triangulum.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Scorpius? from 2021-02-11T19:18:04
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Scorpius.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Ophiuchus? from 2021-02-10T15:11:08
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Ophiuchus.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Monoceros? from 2021-02-10T14:34:41
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Monoceros.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Leo? from 2021-02-07T05:35:39
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Leo.
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The Many Facets of Astronomy and the Lure of the Night Sky from 2021-01-29T16:54:20
A brief description of the many facets of astronomy and what attracts us to study and gaze upon the night sky.
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What is the Relation Between Local Sidereal Time and Local Time? from 2021-01-28T21:14:29
A not-so-brief description of the relation between Local Sidereal Time and Local Time. For the purposes of this podcast, Local Time, Local Apparent Time, and Standard Time are largely interchang...
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What is the Equation of Time? from 2021-01-26T20:51:59
A brief description of the definition of the Equation of Time.
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What is Meant by Local Apparent Time? from 2021-01-26T19:54:11
A brief description of the definition of Local Apparent Time.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Dorado? from 2021-01-23T20:10:37
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Dorado.
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What is Meant by Local Sidereal Time? from 2021-01-23T19:40:21
A brief description of what is meant by Local Sidereal Time. In a nutshell, Local Sidereal Time or LST is the Right Ascension of the Meridian.
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What is Meant by Galactic Coordinate System? from 2021-01-22T14:14:05
A brief description of the way astronomers identify the locations of stars and other celestial objects relative to the plane of the Milky Way galaxy known as the Galactic Coordinate System.
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What is Meant by Altazimuth Coordinate System? from 2021-01-22T13:43:07
A brief description of one of the ways astronomers identify the locations of stars and other celestial objects in the sky known as the Altazimuth Coordinate System..
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What is Meant by Altitude and Azimuth? from 2021-01-22T13:20:37
A brief description of altitude and azimuth and how they are used to located objects in the sky.
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What is Meant by Equatorial Coordinate System? from 2021-01-22T13:02:40
A brief description of one of the ways astronomers identify the locations of stars and other celestial objects in the sky known as the Equatorial Coordinate System.
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What is Meant by Quantum Mechanics? from 2021-01-17T20:22:56
A brief description of what quantum mechanics is and how it relates to other areas of physics.
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How do We Know the Age of the Universe? from 2021-01-17T03:56:35
A simplified description of one method we can use to calculate the age of the universe using the Hubble Constant.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Crux? from 2021-01-17T03:53:33
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Crux.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Coma Berenices? from 2021-01-13T03:21
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Coma Berenices.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Cetus? from 2021-01-13T02:49:11
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Cetus.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Cassiopeia? from 2021-01-10T16:22:11
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Cassiopeia.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Canis Major? from 2021-01-10T15:57:16
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Canis Major.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Cancer? from 2021-01-10T15:39:28
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Cancer.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Canes Venatici? from 2020-12-24T05:20:26
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Canes Venatici.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Centaurus? from 2020-12-23T13:23:54
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Centaurus.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Taurus? from 2020-12-22T19:11:07
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Taurus.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Sagittarius? from 2020-12-22T18:50:57
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Sagittarius.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Orion? from 2020-12-22T18:15:06
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Orion.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Lyra? from 2020-12-20T14:30:09
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Lyra.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Hercules? from 2020-12-20T14:04
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Hercules.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Cygnus? from 2020-12-20T13:38:11
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Cygnus, the Swan.
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Which Notable Objects are in the Constellation of Andromeda? from 2020-12-18T17:10:40
A brief description of the notable celestial objects located in the constellation of Andromeda.
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What is Meant by a Deep Sky Object? from 2020-12-18T16:54:42
A brief description of what is meant when astronomers refer to something as a deep sky object?
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What is an Asterism? from 2020-12-16T19:08:38
A brief description of how we define an asterism in the sky as distinct from a constellation.
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Why do We Study Astronomy? from 2020-12-16T03:25:19
A brief description of why we study the nature of the Universe. We are mainly interested in gaining knowledge about the universe for the sake of the knowledge itself.
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The Universe as a Time Machine from 2020-12-11T19:26:57
A brief description of how the finite speed of light can be used to our advantage - allowing us to look back in time to see the history of the Universe.
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How Old is the Universe, the Sun, and the Earth? from 2020-12-11T18:56:24
A brief description of how old the universe is as compared with the ages of the Sun, the Earth, and how long Homo Sapiens have lived on the Earth.
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What is a Light Year? from 2020-12-09T13:09:03
A brief description of a light year - a unit of distance based on how far light travels in one Earth year.
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What is Electromagnetic Radiation? from 2020-12-04T20:49:40
A brief description of electromagnetic radiation - that is to say light - and how its wavelength, frequency, and energy are related.
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What is Meant by the Hubble Flow? from 2020-12-04T16:25:55
A brief description of the term Hubble Flow in astronomy. The universe is expanding on the largest scales, and this large-scale expansion of the Universe is known as the Hubble Flow.
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What is a Blackbody Curve or Planck Curve? from 2020-11-29T14:44:07
A brief description of Blackbody or Planck curves. In short, these curves tell us the brightness of stars of a certain temperature.
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What is Precession of the Equinoxes? from 2020-11-29T13:48:17
A brief description of the phenomenon known as Precession of the Equinoxes.
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What is Meant by the Signs of the Zodiac? from 2020-11-24T23:33:12
A brief explanation of the zodiac and how it relates to the other constellations in the sky.
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Is There Life Elsewhere in the Universe? from 2020-11-22T16:27:33
A brief order-of-magnitude description of the probability of life elsewhere in the universe beyond earth.
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How Old is the Solar System? from 2020-11-17T04:21:22
A brief description of two independent methods that give an age of 4.5 billion years old for the Solar System.
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How Did Our Galaxy Form? from 2020-11-14T21:21:54
A brief description of how we think the Milky Way galaxy formed. Basically, it's a process whereby hundreds to thousands of low-mass dwarf galaxies collided and coalesced to form our our galaxy....
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Is There Such a Thing as THE Dark Side of the Moon? from 2020-11-06T22:09:13
A brief description of why there is no such thing as the dark side of the Moon.
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What is Meant by Taxonomy in Science? from 2020-11-06T21:35:56
A brief description of taxonomy in science and how it is used to classify objects that are similar to each other.
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What are the Magellanic Clouds? from 2020-11-06T21:19:41
A brief description of two dwarf galaxies known as the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds that are in orbit around own Milky Way galaxy .
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What do I Need to Know About Isaac Newton? from 2020-10-29T19:05:44
A brief description of Isaac Newton's contributions to science and mathematics. More information is available in the podcasts entitled “What are Newton’s Laws of Motion?” and “What is Newton’s L...
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What do I Need to Know About Galileo? from 2020-10-28T18:57:11
A brief description of Galileo's contributions to astronomy.
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The Clockwork of the Universe from 2020-10-28T17:01:58
A brief description of how the motion of the Moon around the Earth, the Earth around the Sun, the Sun around the center of our galaxy, and the motion of the galaxy itself are like clockwork.
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What do I Need to Know About Johannes Kepler? from 2020-10-28T14:30:41
A brief description of Johannes Kepler's main contributions to astronomy.
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What do I Need to Know About Tycho Brahe? from 2020-10-26T22:49:23
A brief description of Tycho Brahe's contributions to astronomy.
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What do I Need to Know About Nicolaus Copernicus? from 2020-10-26T22:41:44
A brief description of the basic contributions Nicolaus Copernicus made to the science of astronomy.
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How do We Know There are Planets Around Other Stars? from 2020-10-20T22:28:06
A brief description of the techniques we use to detect the presence of planets orbiting around other stars besides the Sun. These techniques are known as Transit Photometry and Doppler Spectrosc...
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What is Meant by a Bell Curve? from 2020-10-16T17:47:41
A brief description of the definition of a Bell Curve - also known as a Normal Distribution and a Gaussian Distribution; it is very important in the fields of statistics and probability.
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What are Right Ascension and Declination? from 2020-10-16T15:43:30
A brief description of Right Ascension and Declination and how they are used to locate objects in the sky.
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What Causes the Phases of the Moon? from 2020-10-05T18:52:46
A brief description of what causes the phases of the Earth's Moon. An animation/movie linked off of the web page helps to explain the podcast.
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What Causes the Seasons on the Earth? from 2020-09-29T04:28:14
A brief description of what doesn't cause the seasons and what we actually believe does cause them. There is also a graphic linked off the web page that helps explain this episode.
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What is the Difference Between Precision and Accuracy? from 2020-09-27T00:57:58
A brief description of the difference between precision and accuracy in astronomy.
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What is Meant by an Order of Magnitude and a Logarithmic Scale? from 2020-09-16T18:10:08
A brief description of what we mean when we say that two numbers differ by an order to magnitude. This includes a summary of what a Logarithmic is.
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Where are the Sun's Siblings? from 2020-09-14T21:13:37
A brief description of why we expect the Sun to have been formed in a multiple star system and how we are searching for the other stars formed with it.
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What is the Difference Between Random Errors and Systematic Errors? from 2020-09-09T18:01:47
A brief description of the difference between random errors and systematic errors in science.
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What is Meant by the Magnitude System? from 2020-09-04T03:23:37
A brief description of the magnitude system in astronomy including the difference between apparent magnitude and absolute magnitude.
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What is the Kelvin Temperature Scale? from 2020-09-01T03:16:07
A brief description of the Kelvin temperature scale as compared with Fahrenheit and Celsius.
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What are Comets and Meteor Showers? from 2020-09-01T02:51:46
A brief description of what comets are and how they are responsible for meteor showers on the Earth.
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What is the Cosmic Microwave Background? from 2020-08-27T21:37:43
A brief description of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) also known as the Primordial Background Radiation.
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How Do We Classify Stars? from 2020-08-25T14:03:59
A brief description of how we classify stars based on their surface temperatures.
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What is Meant by Hierarchical Clustering in Astronomy? from 2020-08-23T14:55:03
A brief description of the concept of hierarchical clustering in astronomy.
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What is the Interstellar Medium? from 2020-08-22T22:36:51
A brief description of the main components of the interstellar medium, which is the stuff in space between the stars.
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What is Meant by Tidal Forces? from 2020-08-21T18:09:27
A brief description of what tidal forces refer to and why they are important in astronomy.
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What is Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation? from 2020-08-21T14:12:09
A brief description of Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation and its applicability.
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What is the Copernican Principle? from 2020-08-21T13:25:22
A brief description of the Copernican Principle.
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What is Dark Energy? from 2020-08-18T16:23:57
A brief description of Dark Energy, which is causing the acceleration of the Universe.
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What is Gravitational Lensing? from 2020-08-13T18:13:18
A brief description of what a gravitational lens is and how it works.
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How Do We Classify Galaxies? from 2020-08-13T15:36:53
A brief description of how we classify galaxies using the Hubble Tuning Fork Diagram.
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What do I Need to Know About the Planet Neptune? from 2020-08-11T16:15:36
A brief description of some interesting facts about the planet Neptune.
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What do I Need to Know About the Planet Uranus? from 2020-08-11T15:41:04
A brief description of some interesting facts about the planet Uranus.
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What do I Need to Know About the Planet Saturn? from 2020-08-11T03:30:13
A brief description of some interesting facts about the planet Saturn.
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What do I Need to Know About the Planet Jupiter? from 2020-08-11T02:12:44
A brief description of some interesting facts about the planet Jupiter.
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What do I Need to Know About the Planet Mars? from 2020-08-09T17:15:45
A brief description of some interesting facts about the planet Mars.
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What do I Need to Know About the Planet Venus? from 2020-08-09T14:18:39
A brief description of some interesting facts about the planet Venus.
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What do I Need to Know About the Planet Mercury? from 2020-08-09T13:08:35
A brief description of some interesting facts about the planet Mercury.
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What are the Different Types of Telescopes? from 2020-07-30T03:09
A brief description of the different types of telescopes and the most important characteristic to consider when comparing them.
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Why is the Sky Blue? from 2020-07-29T19:28:07
A brief explanation of why the sky is blue within the context of the Scientific Method as described in the episode "What is Science?"
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What are Interstellar Reddening and Extinction? from 2020-07-29T17:08:46
A brief explanation of interstellar reddening and extinction and why understanding their effects is important in astronomy.
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How Did the Earth's Moon Form? from 2020-07-29T01:08:28
A very brief description of the Giant Impact Hypothesis that describes how the moon formed.
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What do we Know About the Sun? from 2020-07-28T15:51:06
A brief description of some of the things we know about the Sun.
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What is Conservation of Angular Momentum? from 2020-07-28T15:37:58
A brief description of angular momentum and how it is conserved in rotating systems that we encounter in astronomy.
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What is the HR Diagram and the Main Sequence? from 2020-07-27T17:18:51
A brief description of the Hertzsprung Russell (HR) Diagram and its primary feature known as the main sequence.
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What is the Doppler Effect and Redshift? from 2020-07-24T21:21:15
A brief description of the Doppler Effect and how it can be used to measure the motion of celestial objects toward (via blueshift) and away (via redshift) from us.
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What is the Inverse Square Law of Light? from 2020-07-24T15:19:21
A brief description of the inverse square law of light and how we use it to determine the distances of celestial objects.
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What are Newton's Laws of Motion? from 2020-07-24T13:34:28
A brief description of Isaac Newton's three laws of motion.
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Can the Millennium Falcon Really do the Kessel run in 12 parsecs? from 2020-07-23T18:57:34
A basic definition of the distance unit we call a Parsec.
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Does Science Prove Things? from 2020-07-23T15:59:20
A brief description of how science does not prove things but rather provides evidence in favor of or against a particular theory.
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How do we know there is a black hole at the center of our galaxy? from 2020-07-23T14:50:38
A description of the main piece of evidence supporting the hypothesis that there is a black hole at the center of our galaxy.
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What are Kepler's Laws? from 2020-07-23T01:12:43
A brief description of Kepler's Three Laws of Planetary Motion.
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What are Active Galaxies? from 2020-07-22T14:09:52
A basic description of an active galaxy and how it produces the energy that we observe from it.
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How Did the Solar System Form? from 2020-07-21T02:33:56
A brief description of the Nebular Hypothesis which is believed to describe how the Solar System formed.
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Why Did I Create These Podcasts? from 2020-07-21T01:23:08
A brief explanation of why I felt the need to create another podcast about astronomy.
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Will Polaris Always be the North Star? from 2020-07-19T19:09:31
A description of Precession of the Equinoxes which determines what the north star will be.
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What Happened to Pluto Formerly Known as a Planet? from 2020-07-19T18:19:58
A description of one of the main reasons why Pluto is no longer classified as a planet.
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How Do We Name Stars? from 2020-07-17T18:12:57
A brief description of how astronomers refer to individual stars in the sky.
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What is a Constellation? from 2020-07-17T17:11:12
A brief description of what the ancients and modern astronomers call constellations.
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What are Variable Stars? from 2020-07-17T02:31:03
A brief description of the two very broad categories into which variable stars are classified.
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What is Helioseismology? from 2020-07-15T02:42:57
A description of what helioseismology is and how we can use it to determine the various properties of the Sun.
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What do Astronomers do? from 2020-07-14T20:49:09
A brief explanation of what professional astronomers actually do in their role of applying the scientific method to better understanding the Universe.
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What is the Difference Between Astronomy and Astrophysics? from 2020-07-14T16:59:02
What is the Difference Between Astronomy and Astrophysics? In a word, nothing!
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How do we use Light to Study the Universe? from 2020-07-14T13:08:56
A brief description of the ways in which we analyze light to help us better understand the Universe.
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What is the Solar System? from 2020-07-14T02:48:06
A description of the basic constituents of the Solar System.
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What is Cosmology? from 2020-07-14T01:11:48
A basic description of what cosmology is and the assumption we need to make in order to apply it to the universe.
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What is Light? from 2020-07-12T18:51:11
A basic explanation of our theory for how light, a.k.a. electromagnetic radiation, behaves.
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What is the Big Bang? from 2020-07-12T18:41:19
A brief description of the Big Bang Theory and one of its primary predictions.
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What is Dark Matter? from 2020-07-10T21:25:38
A brief description of how we know dark matter exists.
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What are M-numbers and NGC-numbers? from 2020-07-10T19:59:09
An explanation of what M-numbers and NGC-numbers mean and represent in astronomy.
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What is a Galaxy? from 2020-07-10T17:57:16
A brief description of a galaxy and a cluster of galaxies.
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What is a Nebula? from 2020-07-10T17:26:10
A brief description of the 4 types of nebula we have identified in astronomy.
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What is a Star Cluster? from 2020-07-10T15:43:54
A description of the different kinds of star clusters and their properties.
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How do Stars Form? from 2020-07-10T14:33:03
A brief description of the process by which "A Star is Born."
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Where do the Chemical Elements Come From? from 2020-07-10T01:58:55
A brief description of the origin of the chemical elements seen in the periodic table.
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What is a Brown Dwarf? from 2020-07-09T20:25:18
A brief description of what a brown dwarf is and how it's formed.
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What is Science? from 2020-07-09T19:17:24
A brief description of what science is and how it works.
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How do we measure distances in Astronomy? from 2020-07-09T16:32:35
A very brief description of how we measure distances of celestial objects. This is truly a 30,000 foot view of a very complicated subject.
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What is a Quasar? from 2020-07-09T16:13:39
A brief description of what a quasar is and what we think they represent.
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Astronomy is a Science of Extremes from 2020-07-08T01:34:36
This episode explains how astronomy is a science of extremes.
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What is the Celestial Sphere? from 2020-07-07T18:32:56
A brief description of the celestial sphere and how astronomers precisely locate objects in the sky.
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What is a Black Hole? from 2020-07-06T14:45:29
A brief description of the basic property of a black hole.
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What is a Pulsar? from 2020-07-06T14:26:05
A brief description of the basic definition and properties of a pulsar.
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How do Stars Die? from 2020-07-03T18:26:51
A brief description of what happens to stars when they reach the end of their lives.
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How do Stars Evolve? from 2020-07-03T18:07:44
A description of how stars live their lives and evolve with a little about how they end their lives.
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What is a Nova? from 2020-07-03T03:44:54
A concise description of novae and what causes them to occur.
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What is Astronomical Vocabulary? from 2020-07-03T03:31:37
A description of how astronomers use everyday language to refer to the objects they are studying.
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