The Urban Astronomer Podcast

This is episode 60 of the Urban Astronomer podcast! Is that a milestone? Sure, but we'll save the party hats for episode 75. Today we'll just get on with the job at hand, and bring you a science explainy bit. Today's question: How can astronomers be so certain about what things in space are made from? On Earth it's relatively easy to send geologists out to different places with their hammers, and have them collect samples from interesting rock formations and bring them back to the lab for analysis, but astronomers hardly ever get to do that with planets, comets, the Sun and distant galaxies. So how do they know, and how can they sound so confident? Listen below to find out!

This is just a short note to let you know that we're still here, and that the new season launches next week! Long-time listeners have been waiting for this since February, but I don't think there's anybody left on Earth who couldn't guess which world-changing event caused our schedule to slip! Still, after eight weeks in lock-down, it's time to start delivering on our promises. Tune in next week to hear the first exciting episode of the new season of the Urban Astronomer Podcast!

Welcome to this special Equinox edition of the Urban Astronomer Podcast! This episode I share the microphone with Clem Unger for the first of a quarterly series. Clem has been on the show before, and he'll be back every equinox and every solstice. In this episode We start with a look at coming attractions in the sky over the next three months. Clem discusses the state of current asteroid missions OSIRIS-Rex and Hayabusa 2 Allen and Clem butt heads over whether Pluto should have stayed a planet, and speculate about the Martian provenance of their friends at the Awesome Astronomy podcast! Links Allen on Twitter Clem on Twitter The Astronomical Society of South Africa on Twitter The Southern Comets Homepage How to find Comet 21P (Remember to set your location at the top right of the page!) Dark Matter Day

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. You'll remember two episodes ago, we were supposed to interview Dr Rosalind Skelton of the South African Astronomical Observatory. Unfortunately, I messed up somewhere and the recordings we'd made well in advance of the show were lost. Luckily we were able to shuffle the slot with another guest, also from SAAO. Anyway, I've spoken to Dr Skelton again and this time everything went as planned. Dr Rosalind Skelton 2:01 Dr Skelton is a SALT Astronomer at the South African Astronomical Observatory in Cape Town. She is part of the team of astronomers who manage the SALT telescope operations and observe on behalf of all the SALT partners. Her research within the field of galaxy formation and evolution currently concentrates on the impact of mergers on the growth of galaxies, the mechanisms that shut down star formation in galaxies, environmental effects within groups and cluster of galaxies and large but faint “ultra-diffuse” galaxies. ScopeX 30:12 In a few weeks, on 14 September, I will be at ScopeX, at the Military History Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa. ScopeX is an astronomy and telescope fair held every year It is packed with amateur telescope making displays, science shows, commercial telescope vendors, and public lectures in the auditorium. I will be presenting a talk on Orbital Mechanics, demonstrated through the medium of Kerbal Space Program. So basically, I'll be playing games to demonstrate the physics of space travel. Other speakers include Case Rijsdijk, president of the Astronomical Society of South AFrica, Dr Pieter Kotze of the Hermanus Magnetic Observatory, Prof Roger Deane of the University of Pretoria, Martin Heigan, who is the section director of ASSA, and David Rogers who will be speaking on "Fifty Years after Apollo - with so much going wrong, how did they get it right?" Name an Exoplanet 31:41 The IAU have assigned South Africans to come up with a name for an exoplanet and its star, which have the official designatons of WASP 62 and WASP 62b. You can enter as either a private individual, or as a school or other organization. If one of your suggestions is chosen for the shortlist, you will win something. The prize for individuals is fully paid a trip to Sutherland, for a tour of SAAO's telescopes. Organizations, however, get a 6" telescope, a selection of astronomy books for their library, and training on how to use it all. Suggested names have to comply with standard IAU naming rules Links Contact Dr Skelton Dr Rosalind Skelton's website Name an Exoworld competition website

Welcome to episode 35 of the Urban Astronomer Podcast! This week we have a full show for you, with our main feature being an interview with South African astronomer Dr Itumeleng Monageng. We also continue our series on the physics behind the evolution of a star from gas cloud to black hole.  And finally, my new co-host Clem Unger brings us updates on current space missions. Itumeleng Monageng Itumeleng is a post-grad researcher working for the South African Astronomical Observatory and talks about his research interests, how he came to be an astronomer, and more. Earlier this year, he was featured in a short promotional video for SAAO, which is how I heard about him. He very kindly agreed to do the same thing for us! Stellar Physics Last time we looked at our star, on its journey towards becoming a black hole, we took a detour to categorise different types of stars that form at different masses. Today we see what happens when a medium-sized star, like our own Sun, runs out of Hydrogen Mission Updates Clem Unger brings us up to date with news and updates about current space programs and missions. Today he talks about NASA's 60th birthday, the Hayabusa 2 landers, OSIRIS REx, and the Parker Solar Probe. He also mentions some interesting launches coming up in October. Links Itumeleng Monageng on Twitter Clem Unger on Twitter Allen Versfeld on Twitter