Podcasts by Space Junk

Complete Telescope Systems vs Assembling From Components - Which is Better? from 2023-03-15T20:02:15

Is it better to buy a complete amateur astronomy telescope system that includes optical tube, mount, drive, etc or can you get better quality by assembling your own from individual components. &...

Backyard Observatories: Tony is Finally Building His, Should You? from 2023-02-24T00:36:43

Tony is finally getting to a place where he can start construction on his backyard observatory for his 20 inch reflector.  In this episode, we discuss the value of having a permanent place ...

The Search for Intelligence in the Universe w/ Beth Johnson from SETI Institute from 2023-02-01T21:39:55

We have a guest today!  Beth Johnson from the SETI Institute kindly agreed to join us to talk about her role at the SETI Institute and what they are doing to help us find signs of intellige...

How Autoguiders Can Help You Find the Meaning of Life from 2023-01-25T19:29:52

Tony's been thinking a lot out his life and the meaning it holds.  Getting philosophical, Dustin helps Tony realize that autoguiders are the key to understanding.

Askar Astrographs // Degree for an Astronomy Job? // Becoming an Expert from 2023-01-18T20:15:18

Dustin has been using the new line of astrographs from Askar/Sharpstar and tells us a little about them.  Astrographs are more ubiquitous now that imaging has become so mainstream.

T...

New iOptron Mounts // The Growing Problem of LED Streetlighting from 2023-01-11T20:12:24

Dustin's been using some of the new iOptron mounts that have recently come out and he talks about his experiences with them.  Tony wonders about the effects of the growing use of LED lighti...

NASA's Artemis Mission: What is Tony's Problem? from 2023-01-04T22:29:06

We're Podchatting, did you know that? Tony ventures into the realm of saying what's on his mind.  Dustin and Tony discuss the Artemis mission and Tony has thoughts.  They also talk gea...

Space Junk Podcast is Back from 2022-12-14T21:26:58

OK so we decided to pick this back up again.  Tony and Dustin are back talking astronomy and telescopes and we hope you'll join us!  Please send us any input you have and you're always...

The Search for the Perfect Telescope; Camera Resolution Wars - It's like magnification all over again from 2022-03-11T17:00

This episode was prompted by an email from Matt who wanted to sort out WHY different telescopes are better than others.  In this episode, I'll break down all the different telescope types a...

Pro-Am Astronomy Collaboration; Celestron RASA and Other Wide Field Telescopes from 2022-03-04T17:00

More than any other aspect of amateur astronomy, using your equipment to get involved in professional astronomy is growing the fastest.  In this episode, we explore ways you can use your st...

We have Little Chance of Hearing Other Civilizations; APO's vs Catadioptric Telescopes; Another Black Hole Question from 2022-02-26T00:20:44

We've been listening for signals from the galaxy hoping to detect another civilization out there.  What are the actual chances we'll hear anything?  Let's take a look at this paper and...

How Do We Know There are Other Planets in Our Galaxy?; Picking Your First Object to Image; Tony Gets an Email! from 2022-02-16T23:17:06

The study of planets around other stars, exoplanets, is a brand new field, one that closely tracks my career as a software engineer in professional astronomy.  I've had the privilege to wat...

Black Holes - A Guided Tour; Telescope Autoguiders - What Good are They?; Update on JWST from 2022-02-09T16:48:38

In recent decades, our knowledge of what black holes are, how many and what types, has exploded.  Coupled with the brand-new field of gravitational wave astronomy, we are poised to learn ev...

Is Earth's Magnetic Field Flipping?; Smart Telescopes; Orion The Hunter from 2022-02-02T22:59:53

The magnetic field of the Earth is undergoing some changes.  Scientists measuring the strength and direction have noticed a weakening of the magnetic field along with movement.  Is thi...

Terraforming the Moon; Building a Beginner Astrophotography Rig; Amateur Astronomer Discovers Hot Jupiter from 2022-01-26T22:39:29

Can we terraform the Moon?  It's a better idea than terraforming Mars believe it or not.  Dustin and Tony discuss putting together an astrophotography rig for beginners and some space ...

Narrow Band Filters: What You Need to Know from 2022-01-12T15:08:45

Imaging with filters can dramatically improve the signal to your camera allowing for much higher quality images.  The question of which filter to use on what object can be daunting.  D...

Thoughts on The James Webb Space Telescope from 2021-12-22T21:23:46

At long last, the launch of the next big NASA flagship telescopes: JWST is ready for launch, sitting atop its rocket and awaiting good weather.  This telescope marks the pinnacle of ambitio...

All About Astronomy Filters from 2021-12-01T20:00

Using filters in amateur astronomy can be confusing, but once you get through some of the basics, they can really enhance your sessions under the stars - either visually or photographically. &nb...

Getting Started in Astronomy Imaging from 2021-11-24T20:21:43

Taking images through your telescope has never been easier.  What used to be complicated, time-consuming and expensive is now accessible to people who've never used a telescope before. &nbs...

Building a Backyard Observatory: What You Should Know from 2021-11-17T21:10:55

Building your own observatory is a great way to enhance your enjoyment of getting out under the stars.  Whether it's a simple cover for your tripod-mounted telescope, an easy to build roll ...

Beginner Astronomy: Where to Go and What to Bring from 2021-11-10T16:49:43

It's good to be back!  To get things started again, we are talking about the beginning - the beginning of getting started in the hobby of amateur astronomy.  We've also brought some ge...

Faster Than Light Phenomena and the Story of APOD w/ Robert Nemiroff from 2021-06-22T21:59:59

There are things we can see, supported by mathematics, that appear superluminal.  In a new book by Robert Nemiroff, we explore some of these and since the author also happens to be the co-f...

JWST Sees More Delays; NASA Going to Venus; Jeff Bezos Tries to Win Billionaire Space Race - Astronomy News from SJP from 2021-06-11T17:47:08

It's no surprise, but JWST will be delayed again.  Now we're looking at a November (at the earliest) 2021 launch thanks to problems with the Ariane 5 rocket.  NASA has selected two mis...

Advice for Getting Your Astronomy Images Published from 2021-06-02T15:08:27

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get your astrophotos into major distribution outlets?  What makes a high-quality astronomy image?  In this episode, Dustin and Tony talk with so...

Studying Dark Energy: Astronomers Now Have 230 Million Galaxies from 2021-05-29T13:50:41

The Dark Energy Survey has released it's latest catalog of over 200 million galaxies to help study dark energy.  How do they do it?  What equipment is involved?

JWST Gets Ready For Launch - Astronomy News from Space Junk Podcast from 2021-05-21T21:26:12

Welcome to our first segment of Astronomy News from Space Junk Podcast.  The successor to Hubble is finally getting ready for launch.  This month the mission team at Northrop Grumman a...

AAPOD2: Showcasing Amazing Images in Amateur Astronomy from 2021-05-17T20:29

We've all heard of the Astronomy Picture of the Day from NASA, but there is another website showcasing amazing photos from the amateur community: The Amateur Astronomy Picture of the Day.  ...

Telescope and Observatory Automation: What You Need to Know from 2021-05-05T14:53:54

Automating an observing run is one of the most efficient uses of your equipment.  You can plan the night's observing, then let your equipment do the work!  But what do you need to make...

Visualizing Space w/ NASA's Brian Day from 2021-04-19T18:33:56

NASA has always excelled at helping us visualize the Cosmos.  Brian Day works at the Solar System Exploration Research Institute, one of the premier groups at NASA that use data from a vari...

Streaming the Skies with TagBackTV from 2021-04-12T18:02:02

TagBackTV is a popular gaming streamer on YouTube who has incorporated his love of astrophotography into his streams, introducing a new audience to amateur astronomy

The Growing Problem of Light Pollution w/ Kelly Beatty from 2021-04-05T17:07:23

What better way to commemorate International Dark Sky Week than by talking with Kelly Beatty, a former editor of Sky and Telescope Magazine and light pollution activist.  He tells us how bi...

Alcohol in Space and Going to Mars w/ Chris Carberry from 2021-03-29T18:34:24

We have limited information about the effects of alcohol in space, but there's no doubt that it is a very important cultural feature for many of us.  Chris Carberry, the CEO of Explore Mars...

Shooting the Moon w/ Lunar Expert Robert Reeves from 2021-03-22T15:45:54

Taking high quality images of our nearest celestial neighbor is harder than you think.  Luckily we've brought Robert Reeves back to our podcast to help you take the best possible images of ...

Backyard Professional Astronomy w/ Asteroid Hunters from 2021-03-15T16:57:33

One of the most important activities that professional astronomers are engaged in is looking for objects out there that might hit the Earth and in THAT task, they can use all the help they can g...

Meet the Next Generation of Amateur Astronomers from 2021-03-08T18:24:05

Arelius Mitty and Griffin Haisman are two young amateurs just getting started in our exciting hobby.  Both have worked closely with Dustin to produce some of the most amazing images we've e...

Don Pettit: The Adventures of an American Astronaut & Amateur Astronomer from 2021-03-01T16:26:19

Don Pettit is a chemical engineer from Silverton, Oregon who also happens to be an astronaut!  An avid amateur astronomer, he is a veteran of three flights into space: once on a space shutt...

AstroBin w/ Salvatore Iovene: A New Website Dedicated to Astrophotography from 2021-02-22T17:01:52

Astrobin was created as a labor of love with the goal of providing context to astro images that astrophotographers could appreciate and use.  Salvatore Lovene, the founder and creator of th...

Using Passion for the Stars to Improve Science Literacy w/ Rachel Freed from 2021-02-15T16:54:30

Passion for anything is a powerful motivator, our guest today channels our innate passion for our place in the universe as a driver to improve science education and literacy.  Rachel Freed ...

The Language of Astronomy w/ Brian Fulda from 2021-02-09T15:35:07

I can't tell you how many times I get called out calling The Big Dipper a constellation.  "It's not a constellation, it's an ASTERISM!"  OK, fine.  So, what's the difference? &nbs...

What's It Like to Work In Professional Astronomy? from 2021-02-01T14:57:48

Josh Walawender is a staff astronomer at Keck Observatory and joins Dustin and Tony to give us some insights into working at a leading astronomical facility.  Josh is also involved in Proje...

Beginners Guide to Your New Telescope from 2021-01-25T16:10:39

Did you get some new gear for the holidays?  Are you just starting out in this great hobby?  Then this episode is for you.  Dustin and Tony are joined by Brian Fulda, an instructo...

The End of 2020! from 2021-01-01T03:00:36

As I post this episode, we are two hours away from midnight Eastern Time.  I for one, will be glad to see this year go.  In this episode, Dustin and Tony talk about the year just past ...

Scanning the Skies with Molly Wakeling from 2020-12-23T16:01:48

Molly Wakeling, aka AstronoMolly has only been imaging for five years and in that short time has made a name for herself in the astro-imaging world.  In addition to her studies as a graduat...

Primaluce's Tom Bramwell: The Astronomer Next Door from 2020-12-14T15:12:31

Tom Bramwell is the Director of Operations in the U.S. for Prima Luce Lab and joins us to talk about his journey into amateur astronomy and his move from Apple to Prima Luce Labs.  We strea...

The Great Binocular Episode from 2020-11-24T18:58:47

Binoculars are a great way to get introduced into the hobby of amateur astronomy.  In addition to being useful for other activities like bird watching, sporting events and any outdoor activ...

All About Telescope Mounts from 2020-11-05T18:14:42

Tripods, fork arms, equatorial, polar aligning... what does all this mean and what do you need to know when buying a telescope?  Telescope mounts are a critical component and Dustin and Ton...

All About the Radian Raptor 61 APO Refractor w/ Astrobackyard from 2020-10-29T21:08:55

Radian Telescopes is releasing a new APO refractor designed for imaging that will change the way astrophotography is done.  Small, lightweight and with high quality optics, the Radian Rapto...

Observing Solar Max w/ Lunt Solar Telescopes from 2020-10-05T20:42:21

Observing the Sun through proper solar filters has never been better - or cheaper.  Amateurs have within their grasp solar filters and telescopes that allow us to see detail and activity on...

Wide Field Telescopes w/ David Rowe from 2020-10-01T16:30:18

David Rowe's optical designs are in some of the best telescopes available to amateur astronomers today.  He designed the Corrected Dall-Kirkham (CDK), a telescope that allows unprecedented ...

Ultimate Astro-Camera Episode Pt 2 from 2020-09-21T17:37:38

In this episode, Dustin and Tony continue their discussion of astro-imaging cameras, specifically, which ones are best for different types of imaging.  Whether you want to take wide-field s...

Ultimate Astro-Camera Episode Pt 1 from 2020-09-07T19:12:08

Today's astronomy camera selection is amazing, comprehensive and overwhelming!  The imaging capabilities manufacturers make available at amateurs has never been more sophisticated. Nowadays...

Stellina and eVscope: A New Class of Telescopes for Amateur Astronomy from 2020-08-28T20:31:09

Thanks to advances in sensors, software and the implementation of the smartphone, amateur astronomy as a hobby is under going a renaissance.  Complete beginners can now enter the hobby and ...

Amateur Astronomers, Professional Results: Tracking NEO's w/ Asteroid_Hunters from 2020-08-18T18:26:25

We are lucky enough to live in a time when amateur astronomers using off-the-shelf equipment can make meaningful contributions to professional astronomy.  Advances in equipment, detectors a...

The Lure of Astronomy w/ Abigail Bollenbach from 2020-08-11T17:42:19

How old were you when you first got interested in space and astronomy?  What did you do to pursue that interest?  In this episode we meet Abigail Bollenbach, a young student just start...

Radian Telescopes: Born to Solve Problems from 2020-07-29T14:30

Radian Telescopes is a new company founded by OPT that strives to solve problems of amateur astronomy.  Driven to identifying needs and meeting them with high-quality hardware, Radian is a ...

Mars: The Worst Place to Live w/ Fraser Cain from 2020-06-27T02:43:13

Does Mars have the most overpriced real estate ever?  While going to Mars would be great from a scientific standpoint, would you really want to live there?  Should we go to Mars?  ...

Finding Life on Other Planets With Astrobiologist Graham Lau from 2020-06-17T00:02:38

What is life?  Where should we look for it outside of Earth?  Is life common or rare?  These questions and many more are the daily job of Graham Lau, an astrobiologist who has joi...

Questioning Reality - The Philosophy of Astronomy from 2020-06-05T21:47:02

This week Dustin and Tony go deep and talk about the nature of reality, what knowledge is and how we can colonize the stars.  

Reaching for the Sky with Skye Schwartz from 2020-05-27T00:14:59

Skye Schwartz has a remarkable story to tell, one filled with obstacles overcome and dreams coming into focus.  Skye shares these stories with Tony and Dustin in this episode and we hope yo...

Installing HUGE Telescopes with Matt Dieterich from 2020-05-13T15:38:51

Our guest in this episode works for Planewave Instruments and travels the globe instaling the meter-class telescopes they produce in some of the most amazing locales.  Learn all about his e...

Jumping Into DSLR Astrophotography with Nico Carver from 2020-04-29T14:26:31

There are so many ways to get into astrophotography!  Nico Carver is primarily interested in imaging nebulae and uses simple equipment, join us to learn all about getting started

Expressing Your Space Passion Part II, with Ron Sparkman from 2020-04-20T23:49:11

Ron Sparkman is the founder/publisher for Stardom, the co-creator of I Love Mars and co-host of the Mars Society's Red Planet Radio.  He sits down with Tony and Dustin to discuss his passio...

Social Distancing with the Space Junk Podcast from 2020-04-09T22:18:42

The show must go on!  Tony and Dustin are back talking about all the latest stuff happening at OPT, Deep Astronomy and our new social media endeavors.  

Lighting Up the Night with Mack Murdoc from 2020-03-25T02:00

Mack Murdoc is an astrophotographer and light artist who combines his talents to create stunning visuals.  In this episode, Mack sits down with Dustin in the studio to talk about how he cre...

Alcohol in Space w/ Chris Carberry from 2020-03-18T18:21

Chris Carberry is CEO and co-founder of Explore Mars, Inc. a nonprofit which was created to advance the goal of sending humans to Mars within the next two decades. The organization also encourag...

Evolving a Brand w/ SkyWatcher's Jeff Simon & Kevin Legore from 2020-03-12T18:13:26

Skywatcher is a company that is very familiar to amateur astronomers and this episode offers a great chance to learn more about this company!  Please join Dustin Gibson and Tony Darnell as ...

Overcoming the Learning Curve with Shawn Neilsen from 2020-03-04T23:14:59

Shawn is a big user of Pix Insight and shares his knowledge with the rest of us in the hobby.  In this episode, Shawn shares his journey traveling the skies as an amateur astronomer.

From Your Backyard to the Cosmos with AstroBackyard's Trevor Jones from 2020-02-25T18:25:47

AstroBackyard stopped by the studios of OPT to discuss everything from astrophotography, philosophy and science communication

The Modern Star Party With Economics PhD EconGreg from 2020-02-19T20:54:52

Rising Twitch streamer EconGreg joins us this week to talk about his amazing community and efforts to stream observing session live from his equipment.  Greg's day job is professor of Econo...

The Future of Visual Astronomy with Tele Vue President David Nagler from 2020-02-03T22:47:54

David Nagler is back in this episode to talk about the future of visual observing and all the cool stuff going on at Tele Vue.

The Skies of February 2020 from 2020-01-28T17:53:58

So you're new to the night sky and want to know the coolest things you should look at on these cold winter evenings?  Wait no further because the answer to your questions are in this episod...

Q and A w/ Dustin and Tony from 2020-01-22T22:42:07

This episode features feedback from you, our audience!  Dustin and Tony discuss everything from how to be an astronomer to what damage the Starlink satellites are going to do to our night s...

Looking Back at 2019 With 2020 Vision from 2020-01-06T18:19:07

As we say goodbye a banner year in amateur astronomy, full of new and exciting technologies and discoveries, Dustin and Tony reflect on 2019 with an eye towards 2020.

"The Frontline of Astrophysics with James Fanson" from 2019-12-17T19:16:27

The largest ground-based telescope ever is being built in Chile right now.  In this episode Dustin and Tony talk with James Fanson, the Project Manager for the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT...

What Do Brain Scans and Astronomy Have in Common? With Dr. Craig Stark from 2019-12-11T21:20:19

Craig Stark is a neuroscientist who has taken his experience with imaging brains to the skies.  The developer of the popular astronomy programs Nebulosity and PHD, he talks with Dustin abou...

Imaging the Solar System w/ Chris Go from 2019-12-03T20:01:04

One of the most satisfying activities in astro imaging is getting high quality, high contrast images of the planets in our own solar system.  The bands and Great Red Spot of Jupiter, the wo...

Searching for Life with Andrew Semion from SETI from 2019-11-25T19:50:27

What are our latest effort with regard to listening for and otherwise searching for life in the universe?  Andrew Semion from the SETI Institute joins us to talk about some of our tools on ...

Creating Galaxies w/ Lanchen Mihalic from 2019-11-18T22:58:21

Understanding galaxies and how they form is hard enough for most astronomers, but have you ever tried to create one?  Space artist Lanchen Mihalic tells us how she creates galaxies from res...

A Galaxy Far, Far Away with Jason Thomas from 2019-11-11T23:08:07

Jason Thomas is an avid science fiction and fantasy fan who uses his passion as a bridge to enjoy astronomy.  In this episode, Tony and Dustin talk with Jason about some of his adventures i...

Easy Astrophotography with Jimmy Nguyen from 2019-11-04T18:29:26

Astrophotography is an amazing hobby, but it's also full of very busy work: setting up, focusing and aligning telescopes, taking calibration images, finding dark skies, all of this is very time ...

Staring at the Sun w/ Tim Morrill from 2019-10-25T22:58

Tim Morrill is one of the foremost amateur imagers of the Sun.  In this episode, Dustin and Tony talk with him about how he got started, what equipment he uses and his techniques for proces...

Accidentally Incredible with Andrew McCarthy from 2019-10-18T19:52:18

This week's episode features astrophotographer and outstanding Moon imager Andrew McCarthy.  He's been imaging the Moon, planets and deep sky objects for many years, but is known as the "Mo...

Keeping Space in Style with AstroAthens from 2019-10-11T18:24:10

Athena Brensberger, aka @AstroAthens, is a model and science communicator.  She embarked on her modelling career while she was a researcher at the Hayden Planetarium studying proto-planetar...

Engineering Opportunity with The Arabian Stargazer from 2019-10-03T16:12:15

Diana Alsindy, "The Arabian Stargazer" is an Iraqi immigrant whose love of science and engineering is contagious.  In this episode, Diana shares her passion for space and engineering as wel...

Space Facts to Impress Your Friends from 2019-09-23T20:05:31

We spend a lot of time looking up at the night sky with our telescopes and every once in a while, it's great to take a moment to wonder aloud at some of the amazing things going on up there "beh...

Paving the Way with Robert Reeves from 2019-09-01T13:23:45

Robert Reeves is an author, amateur astronomer and astrophotographer.  Over his long career he has many interesting stories to tell and Dustin and Tony sat down to discuss some of the more ...

Inside SpaceX and Virgin Orbit with Bryce Allen from 2019-08-21T20:13:50

Dustin and Cat Machin talk with Bryce Allen of Virgin Orbit, a company that uses air launches to reach low Earth Orbit.

Why Astronomy Matters with Ian Lauer from 2019-08-16T16:29:52

Because you're a Space Junk Podcast listener, you know astronomy matters but we want to tell you why WE think it does.  OPT's Ian Lauer joins us for opinions and discussion on why we think ...

Life of a City Astronomer with Jupiter Joe from 2019-08-07T22:29:06

Jupiter Joe is amazing and inspiring.  He travels the streets of New York City and surrounding areas introducing people to the night sky.  Dustin and Tony talked with this amateur astr...

Space Telescope Update with Sean League from 2019-07-31T21:32:36

What's the latest with the "space telescope for everyone"?  SpaceFab is building a space telescope using Cubesats and special technology that will allow everyone access to imaging from spac...

Starlink, Apollo, and SpaceFlight from 2019-07-24T19:34:30

This episode is just Tony and Dustin, getting some alone time to talk about stuff that's on their mind.  We talked about the Apollo 11 anniversary and what it means to each of us, and wheth...

Paying It Forward w/ Travis Burke from 2019-07-17T15:09:49

Most of us are amateur astronomers in part because we are curious about the heavens and want to connect directly with the stars.  We stare through eyepieces, open our camera shutters, and p...

Educating Millions with John Michael Godier from 2019-07-10T21:02:15

In this episode we are going to be talking with John Michael Godier, a futurist, science fiction author and maker of amazing astronomy videos on YouTube.  He has written several sci fi book...

Just Do It with iDeepSpace from 2019-06-27T13:27:30

This episode features one of the best astrophotographers around: iDeepSpace.  From his home in Tampa, FL, Jeremiah takes some of the most breathtaking images we've ever seen.  He's bee...

Focusing In On Optec's Jeff Dickerman from 2019-06-18T16:31:30

One of the most challenging aspects of astro imaging with todays wonderful telescopes and cameras is focusing.  While your GOTO telescope can easily zero in on obscure, faint nebulae and ga...

21st Century Astronomy with Bray Falls from 2019-06-10T20:04:49

In this episode, Dustin and Tony talk with Bray Falls, an advanced astrophotographer who is sharing his ideas, tips and techniques with all of us.

Chasing Solar Eclipses w/ Jay Pasachoff from 2019-06-05T18:36:55

What's it like to go to a solar eclipse?  What equipment should you use?  How can you image during an eclipse?  What are the various wavelengths available for solar observing? &nb...

Virtual Astronomy with Skylias from 2019-05-31T16:35

Once again the amazing Skylias joins the gang at Space Junk Podcast to talk about astronomy on twitch and being an astronomy communicator in this digital age.

The Fermi Paradox and The Great Filter w/ Fraser Cain from 2019-05-25T00:10:30

Time for round two with Fraser Cain from Universe Today.  In this episode, we dive into the topic of "Where is everybody?"

Telescopes, Balloons, and Beer with Dr. Nick Galitzki from 2019-05-16T20:47:19

What happens when a cosmologist, a local brewery and amateur astronomers all get together?  This episode!  Dr. Nick  Galitzki, a cosmologist working with balloons in Antarctica to...

High-end Astronomy with OPT's Professional Services from 2019-05-06T15:39:50

Learn more about Dustin that you've probably ever wanted in this candid and funny episode discussing behind the scenes stuff that goes on at OPT and learn how they meet the needs of the professi...

PrimaLuceLab founder Filippo Bradaschia from 2019-04-23T18:32

PrimaLuceLabs is breaking new ground in amateur astronomy by offering some of the first off-the-shelf radio astronomy solutions along with revolutionary electronics to make your optical observin...

Expressing Your Space Passion w/ Cat Machin from 2019-04-16T18:43:15

Cat Machin is in town and talking with Dustin and Tony, picking up where we left off last time in discussing all the ways your passion of space and the cosmos can be expressed and we get a littl...

Space Junk Podcast Does New York City from 2019-04-12T14:01:36

Tony met Dustin and Ian for the first time IRL in NYC.  This episode is a preview of what we hoped to do while in the Big Apple.

Scott Roberts From Explore Scientific from 2019-04-02T17:52:06

Join Tony Darnell and Dustin Gibson as we talk amateur astronomy with Scott Roberts of Explore Scientific

Astrophotography Adventures with Galactic Hunter from 2019-03-26T19:00:12

In this episode of Space Junk, we discuss astrophotography with a husband/wife team from the American southwest whose work is rapidly gaining notice.  Antoine and Dalia Grelin starting taki...

Astrophysics: The Worst Job in the Universe? w/ Paul Sutter from 2019-03-19T16:34:55

Astronomer and science communicator Paul Sutter joins the Space Junk crew to talk about the worst job in the universe: stealing tidbits of information from a universe that is very stingy with it...

The Universe Is Trying to Kill You w/ Phil Plait from 2019-03-13T18:24:07

This week we talk with the Bad Astronomer himself and discuss a wide range of issues that deal with just how dangerous a place the universe is.  What are some of the biggest threats from th...

Beer n' Rockets with Hans Fredrick Haas from 2019-03-07T19:48:13

Near OPT Telescopes HQ, there is a great brewery: Wavelength Brewing Co that is a great place to hang out if you're a science nerd.  Every Friday they offer science talks on all sorts of to...

Is Astronomy Dead? w/ Alize Shilling from 2019-02-27T21:18:46

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 di...

A Winning Formula: Imaging Tips with Rogelio Bernal Andreo from 2019-02-20T17:14:25

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.  T...

How to Make a Comeback w/ Meade President Victor Aniceto from 2019-02-14T02:09:44

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

Conspiracy Theories w/ Fraser Cain from 2019-02-05T16:22:42

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...

Astronomy, Art and Morality: A Discussion w/ Ginny St. Lawrence of OPT from 2019-01-30T16:24:58

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 abo...

Professional Astronomy Innovation with Planewave Instruments from 2019-01-23T02:10:18

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

Imaging from Time Square with Steven Swancoat from 2019-01-16T22:40:40

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...

Amateur Astronomy 2018 and a Look Towards 2019 w/ Dustin and Tony from 2019-01-09T01:18:29

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 i...

Making Money in Astronomy w/ Cathrin Machin from 2019-01-03T16:14:08

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. &nbs...

Citizen Science with Pamela Gay from 2018-12-28T16:19:06

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 in...

Astronomy Outreach with Kevin Legore from 2018-12-19T00:13:40

Kevin Legore is an avid astronomy promoter and runs Focus Astronomy, and outreach company that works hard to spread the amazing science of astronomy. --- Support this podcast: Listen

Optical Innovation with Tele Vue from 2018-12-10T21:02:05

David Nagler, President of Televue Optics is our guest on this episode. Join us as we explore the optical innovations heralded by Televue and Al Nagler, founder of the company. David outlines how T...

Planetary Imaging with Blake Estes from 2018-12-05T18:46:29

Blake Estes is one of the world's premier planetary imagers. He also works as a telescope operator at the Mount Wilson and Griffith Observatories in California. In this episode Dustin Gibson and T...

Women in STEM w/ Skylias from 2018-11-26T15:23:33

We live in an era where women are increasingly making inroads in a variety of professions that were previously dominated by males. What about STEM fields? Are more women getting into science and ma...

Astro Imaging with Tim Puckett of SBIG from 2018-11-20T14:16:57

If you are interested in imaging with your telescope, then you'll want to listen to what Tim Puckett, long time astro-imager has to say. In this episode, Tony Darnell and Dustin Gibson talk with Ti...

SpaceFab: A Space Telescope for Everyone from 2018-11-13T21:27:15

SpaceFab is a company that is currently building a 8 inch space telescope built around a 12U Cubesat. Scheduled for launch in 2020, this space telescope will be made available to everyone. There ar...

Travis Burke, Nat Geo Cover Photographer from 2018-11-06T17:13:26

What's it like to be an outdoor adventure photographer? This podcast episode features Travis Burke, a professional who has traveled the world taking pictures of some of the most amazing places on t...

Looking Up: Which is Better, Visual Astronomy or Imaging? from 2018-10-29T16:45:50

Welcome to Space Junk, a new podcast dedicated to the joys of the night sky. Tony Darnell from Deep Astronomy and Dustin Gibson from OPT Telescopes have teamed together to bring you a weekly podcas...