The Urban Astronomer Podcast

The Urban Astronomer Podcast


Latest Episodes

Star colours and what space is like
December 05, 2019

The Urban Astronomer Podcast's season 2 finale examines the colours of stars, and ponders what it's actually like out in space

Interview with Nicole Thomas
November 19, 2019

In this episode, we interview Nicole Thomas, a PhD student at the University of the Western Cape with an interest in the evolution of galaxies, and the super-massive black holes that lie within. We recorded this conversation only a week ago,

Guns in Space and Why Venus is so Hot
November 06, 2019

Episode 10 of Season Two answers listener questions: What happens when a spaceship shoots its gun in space, and why is Venus so hot?

Interview with Dr Tana Joseph
October 22, 2019

This is episode 9 of the 2nd season of the Urban Astronomer Podcast, featuring an interview with Dr Tana Joseph.  It's been an interesting two weeks since the last episode - I've settled further into my new home and adjusted from rural to suburban life...

Why did I defend the geocentric model?
October 08, 2019

In this eighth episode of the second season, I defend my defense of the Ptolemaic geocentric system of crystal spheres! I hadn't even realized till I started recording that this is our 50th ever episode. I really should be so blown away that I've kept ...

Interview with Dr Jarita Holbrook
September 24, 2019

In Episode 7 of the second season of the Urban Astronomer Podcast, I chat with Dr Jarita Holbrook of the University of the Western Cape about her interest in cultural astronomy. This was one of the longer and more interesting interviews of my career,

Why do planets orbit in the same plane?
September 09, 2019

In episode 48 of the Urban Astronomer Podcast, we're doing another Science Explainy bit! These segments are where you get to hear my droning voice explain some fundamentals and answer listener questions. Today we get asked why it always is that planets...

Interview with Dr Rosalind Skelton
August 26, 2019

This is episode five of this season of the Urban Astronomer Podcast. As usual, this being the 4th show of the month, we have an Interview episode today, and this is the one that gets us back to our scheduled order of things.

How do orbits work?
August 13, 2019

A quick look at how gravity and momentum combine to keep objects in space and stops them falling to Earth

Interview with Dr Daniel Cunnama
July 30, 2019

Dr Daniel Cunnama is the Science Engagement Astronomer at the South African Astronomical Observatory, and is directing the SAAO's 200th anniversary celebration next year