Astronomy

Knowing this number unlocked the Solar System.

It's the fundamental meter stick of astronomy, and the scale we use to measure everything.

Having this number meant we could predict the motions of the planets, moons, comets, and asteroids.

Plus, it meant we could launch our probes into space and explore these strange new worlds for ourselves, see them up close, and truly understand the nature of the Solar System.

NASA is probably the best known independent agency because everyone knows space travel is awesome.

Watch Crash Course Astrolo, Astrolo, Astronomy, not Astrology.

That's not as good.

That one's not as good.

It's only in the last couple decades, I'd say only in the last decade, that we've really started to understand what's happening.

We've talked in the A is for Astrophysics or A is for Astronomy episode about Alphen waves.

Do you remember that?

Vaguely.

"I found a book about the stars.

They are also called Astronomy, I think." This was a new thought to Rickard, and he propped his head up on one elbow.

"What did you find out?" "That's about all.

They're just called Astronomy, I think."

Hi, my name is Lisa, and I'm a licensed psychotherapist, which means my work doesn't magically end when the session does.

There are notes to write, appointments to manage, billing, insurance follow-ups, and somehow all that admin used to creep into my nights and weekends.

[laughs] You know what the problem with astrology is? It's so inconvenient.

Like, if you're into astronomy, I s- What'd I say? Astrology? Astronomy, not astrology.

Astronomy, the other one.

Um, it really cramps your lifestyle.

You know, i- if, if they really wanna mainstream astronomy, you'd have some...

Other suns must die like our own, and any life there may be on other planets must meet the same inglorious end.

physics tells the same story as astronomy for independently of all astronomical considerations the general physical principle known as the second law of thermodynamics predicts that there can be but one end to the universe a heat death in which the total energy of the universe is uniformly distributed and all the substance of the universe is at the same temperature this temperature will be so low as to make life impossible It matters little by what particular road this final state is reached All roads lead to Rome and the end of the journey cannot be other than universal death is this then all that life amounts to to stumble almost by mistake into a universe which was clearly not designed for life and which to all appearances is either totally indifferent or definitely hostile to it to stay clinging on to a fragment of a grain of sand until we are frozen off to strut our tiny hour on our tiny stage with the knowledge that our aspirations are all doomed to final frustration and that our achievements must perish with our race leaving the universe as though we had never been Astronomy suggests the question, but it is, I think, mainly to physics that we must turn for an answer.

For astronomy can tell us of the present arrangement of the universe, of the vastness and vacuity of space, and of our own insignificance therein.

It can even tell us something as to the nature of the changes produced by the passage of time.

It's the three hundred sixty-five Days of Astronomy podcast coming in three, two, one.

[upbeat music] Hello and welcome to Astro Man, the Night Sky Guardian, the podcast where we explore the wonders of the universe and explore the latest in astronomy and space phenomena.

I'm your host, Exodus Chanan Sitz, transmedia astronomy educator from Hong Kong, China.

Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious.

And this is Exodus Siu, your Dark Sky Guardian, and see you next time.

You are listening to the 365 Days of Astronomy podcast.

[upbeat music] Cool.

The 365 Days of Astronomy podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute.

624, okay.

So AI doesn't have to even ca- Go to, go to nasa.gov, go to astronomy.com. You can, you know, run a calculation.

Since the first Ramadan in the year 624, that never, ever happened.

It's happened one time, and that was in the year 2024, just a few months before this guy showed up in Damascus.

It's the three hundred and sixty-five Days of Astronomy podcast coming in three, two, one.

[upbeat music] Hello, and welcome to this Awesome Astronomy podcast extra about the recent paper on the Hubble tuning fork and galaxy classification.

This was a story that intrigued us at Awesome because it's a fantastic example of citizen science and a major change in astronomy in an area that has been accepted science for almost a century.

Joining me to discuss this is Karen Masters, Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Haverford College, with a partial affiliation to the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth.

Professor Karen Masters, welcome to Awesome Astronomy.

This is about, I think I can honestly say this was quite a surprise announcement.

I didn't see this one coming.

Ah, it's a pleasure.