It’s time to begin a new mini-series, where we’ll look at different classes of galaxies. Today, we’ll start with the dwarf galaxies, which flock around larger galaxies like the Milky Way. Are they the building blocks for modern structures?
Our Hosts
Fraser Cain
Universe Today
Dr. Pamela Gay
CosmoQuest
Production by
- Richard Drumm, Audio Engineer
- Ally Pelphrey, Video Engineer
18 Seasons
700+ Episodes
2018 Winner Parsec Award
Ep. 717: Understanding the Ages of Distant Cosmic Objects
How old is that star? That planet? That nebula? Figuring out the ages of astronomical objects is surprisingly challenging. Fortunately, astronomers have developed a series of techniques they can use to work out the ages of stuff.
Ep. 716: The God**** Particle – Remembering Peter Higgs
Last week, we learned about the death of Peter Higgs, a physicist and discoverer of the particle that bears his name. The Large Hadron Collider was built to find and describe the particle. Today, we’ll look back at the life of Peter Higgs and his particle.
Ep. 715: Total Eclipse of the Science: Experiments During the Eclipse
The next great eclipse is upon us, with viewers across North America witnessing the moon passing in front of the Sun. It’s an amazing experience, but also an opportunity to do science. Let’s talk about what we can learn from this momentous event.
Recent Episodes
Ep. 607: InSight and Marsquakes
https://youtu.be/9Hd_7NacOgU Mars is cold and dead today, but the massive volcanoes tell us what the planet used to be like, millions and even billions of years ago. But how volcanically active is the planet today? That's what NASA's Mars InSight lander is there to...
Ep. 606: Time Dilation – Skipping Through Time
https://youtu.be/Tu5ybfeDTW4 Have you ever wanted to be a time traveler? Good news! You're time traveling right now. Into the future at one second per second. Too long? Don't want to wait? Good news, Einstein's got you covered. Today, let's talk about the weird world...
Ep. 605: Sounding Rockets
https://youtu.be/JMyfpoQbQaI Last week we talked about balloon-based astronomy. This week we're going to talk about putting balloons on rockets and making observations mid-flight. Welcome to the world of sounding rockets. Show Notes | Transcript Show Notes SpaceX...
Ep. 604: Balloon Astronomy
https://youtu.be/GRftqiXvwWg When you think about the world's observatories, I'm sure you're imagining huge telescopes perched atop mountain peaks, or space telescopes like Hubble. But you might be surprised to learn that some telescopes are carried high into the...
Ep. 603: The New Colors of Radio – Getting Longer
https://youtu.be/DaQxukCVqRU Last week we talked about how new telescopes and techniques are allowing astronomers to explore the shortest wavelengths of light. This week, we go to the other end of the electromagnetic spectrum, and explore the longer radio waves which...
Ep. 602: The New Colors of Gamma Rays – Getting Shorter
https://youtu.be/YxpWpaccVHQ The Earth's atmosphere protects us from a Universe that's trying to kill us, but it also blocks our view of the extreme cosmos, like seeing x-rays and gamma radiation. Space telescopes are changing our view of the most extreme events in...
Ep. 601: Unexpected Light Pollution
https://youtu.be/qkbgkUy5ljU Day by day, we're losing our connection with the night sky. Already 1/3rd of humanity lives in so much light pollution that they can't see the Milky Way without a drive. And now satellite constellations are adding additional light...
Ep. 600: Looking Ahead
https://youtu.be/ROKDJZFDyLc Today, we gaze into the future of space and astronomy. What upcoming missions and events are we excited about? Show Notes | Transcript Show Notes The Extremely Large Telescope (ESO) Vera C. Rubin Observatory (LSST) Hypothetical Planet X...
Ep. 599: Zodiacal Light
https://youtu.be/p_R5l-zWH3c Pamela has told us in the most flowery terms about the diffuse dust across inner solar system. Leftover from the formation the inner planets. Well, it turns out, she was wrong. Super wrong. Time to update. Download MP3 | Show Notes |...
Ep. 598: How You Could Overturn Cosmology
https://youtu.be/iNqffMHq-x8 You've probably heard of dark matter and dark energy, but maybe you don't fully understand what they are. Or maybe the idea itself just rubs you the wrong way and you'd like to know why scientists think they can just make stuff up like...
Ep. 597: The Expansion of the Universe (Updated)
https://youtu.be/LR794Yqm-aI It's been a while since we checked to make sure the Universe was still expanding. Yeah, apparently, that's still a thing. But in the last few years powerful new telescopes and expansive surveys have given us much more knowledge about...
Ep. 596: Universe’s Background Noise
https://youtu.be/72ZiKBeCI0U You might be familiar with the cosmic microwave background, but that's just one of the background radiations astronomers look at. Some are well known and cataloged, while others are just starting to be possible to see. All of them tell us...
Ep. 595: Planet Hunting (Updated)
https://youtu.be/hwEArYx7bgk This is going to be another one of those evergreen topics, where we come back to again and again. Finding planets. Every time we talk about this now, it seems like we've gained thousands of new planets. Well, buckle up, new techniques will...
Ep. 594: Juno – Primary Mission Highlights
https://youtu.be/jD2yXzWoK9Y Pamela's always loathed to talk about spacecraft until the mission's in space and the science is rolling. NASA's Juno mission just received a mission extension, adding Jupiter's moons to the menu. Now, finally, we can talk about Juno. Next...
Ep. 593: Stellar Parasites
https://youtu.be/qyKGBykkcuA Stars often come in groups of two or more. And if they're orbiting close enough to each other, one star can feast on the other. And when that happens, well, mayhem ensues. Download MP3 | Show Notes | Transcript Show Notes Red Dwarf...
Ep. 592: Gamma-Ray Bursts (Updated)
https://youtu.be/Yi5qW1sWDx8 Some of the most powerful explosions in the Universe are gamma ray bursts, capable of blasting a beam of death halfway across the galaxy. In just the last few years, astronomers have discovered a tremendous amount about these blasts, and...
Ep. 591: Space Junk
https://youtu.be/DJ1-vulMiUM Remember the good old days, where there were only a few thousand living and dead satellites? Those days are long over. We're now entering an era where there will be tens of thousands of satellites, not to mention the spent rocket boosters...
Ep. 590: Lunar Hazards: Dust, Radiation, and More
https://youtu.be/ruLE8lWObaE 2024 can't come soon enough. You know, that's the year when humans will set foot on the Moon again. Don't you roll your eyes. That's the plan. Well, unless the plan changes. But my point is, explorers going to the Moon will need to be...
Ep. 589: Lunar Resources: Water (Update) & Other Volatiles
https://youtu.be/2klFkWV-ZFc We've talked about water on the Moon many times here on Astronomy Cast, but there have been a bunch of big updates, thanks to new research from NASA and others. Today we're going to give you an update on the state of water on the Moon and...
Ep. 588: Lunar Resources: Lava Tubes
https://youtu.be/BuoDoceXbrI Ep. 588: Lunar Resources: Lava Tubes All eyes are on the Moon. We're going back, this time to stay... right? One of the best resources on the Moon will be the lava tubes that crisscross the subsurface of the Moon. These can provide...