Ask a Spaceman!
Episodes
AaS! 65: How Does One Become an Astrophysicist?
03 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How does one become an astrophysicist? What are the challenges and rewards of that kind of career? Are there even any jobs? I discuss these questions ...
All about the "Sea and the Stars" AstroTour
26 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Fraser Cain and I are leading another starry-eyed adventure, this time to the beautiful caribbean on a 7-day cruise, featuring tours of the Kennedy Sp...
AaS! 64: What Fate Awaits the Voyagers?
19 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why were the Voyager missions so important? Where are they now, and where are they going? What is their ultimate fate? And that Golden Record…good i...
AaS! 63: How Are We to Understand Quantum Spin?
05 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What does it mean for an electron to spin? Why do we have such a hard time measuring it? And why doesn't Paul Dirac get any attention anymore, anyway?...
AaS! 62: Why Do Some Stars Blow Up?
15 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What's the balancing act happening inside stars? Why is iron the fusion limit? How long does it take for a star to blow? I discuss these questions and...
Update and Space Radio Preview
08 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A quick update on Patreon, Astrotours, and a preview of the new Space Radio show! Space Radio: http://www.SpaceRadioShow.com Support the show: http:...
AaS! 61: Where Do Giant Magnetic Fields Come From?
01 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How does the universe generate giant magnetic fields? Is it astrophysical or primordial? How do we find them anyway? Why am I not talking about Maxwel...
AaS! 60: What's the Deal With Time Crystals?
18 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What's the deal with time crystals? Do they break physics as we know it? Or are they merely…neat? What do symmetries and the conservation of energy ...
AaS! 59: Do Black Holes Exist?
04 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Do black holes exist, or are they merely theoretical constructs? What's the evidence? And what about the singularity, surely that doesn't happen, righ...
AaS! 58: Is Time Travel Possible?
20 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Does everyone have the same clock? Can we skip forward into the future? What about the past? Why does it appear to be forbidden in our universe? I dis...
AaS! 57: What's the Matter With Dark Matter?
06 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How is the bullet cluster the "smoking gun" for dark matter? Why aren't alternate theories of gravity satisfactory? Could dark matter just be a bunch ...
AaS! 56: What Is the "Axis of Evil"?
16 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Just how mediocre are we? I've heard there's an "axis of evil" in space - what's up with that? Is there anything special about our position within the...
AaS! 55: Does Dark Energy Exist?
02 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How do we measure the expansion history of the universe? Why are supernovae so dang useful? Come on, what's with this "dark energy" business? I discus...
AaS! 54: What Happens When Galaxies Collide?
18 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What happens during a galaxy merger event? Is dark matter involved? How do we use simulations to learn about these processes that last hundreds of mil...
AaS! 53: Why Is the Higgs Boson Important? (Part 2)
04 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Part Two! What's the relationship between the Higgs Boson and mass? What does that even mean, and how do we go about detecting it? I discuss these que...
AaS! 52: Why Is the Higgs Boson Important? (Part 1)
21 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Part One! What does the Higgs Boson mean? What role does it play in the forces of nature? What makes it so special? I discuss these questions and more...
AaS! 51: What Has New Horizons Learned About Pluto?
07 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What has New Horizons taught us about Pluto so far? What's going on under the ice? Why does the "heart" of Pluto still beat? I discuss these questions...
AaS! 50: What's Up With Saturn's Rings?
21 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How (and when) did the rings of Saturn form? How are we to understand the complex systems of rings and gaps? How do the moons influence their shape? I...
AaS! 49: What Were the Most Clever Experiments of All Time?
07 Feb 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What are the most clever physics and astronomy experiments of all time? What did we learn from them, and what made them so dang clever? I discuss thes...
AaS! 48: Why Are Kepler's Laws Important?
17 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why are Kepler's Laws important? What was Kepler trying to understand? What connection did Kepler think he was making? I discuss these questions and m...
AaS! 47: What's the Universe Made Of?
03 Jan 2017
Contributed by Lukas
What's the universe made of? How is this connected to its age? What's the connection between dark matter and dark energy? I discuss these questions an...
AaS! 46: How to Describe Astronomy to the Blind?
20 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How can the night sky be described to someone who can't see it? What's it like to do astronomy? What kind of feelings come into play? I discuss these ...
AaS! 45: Wormholes - Deal or No Deal?
06 Dec 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Are wormholes real or what? How did we even start thinking of them? If we could build one, would it be possible to actually, you know, use it? I discu...
AaS! 44: How Does the Sun Get Spots?
15 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How do sunspots work? What do magnetic fields have to do with it? Who was Zeeman and why was his splitting so important? I discuss these questions and...
AaS! 43: What's the Shape of the Universe?
01 Nov 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What's the shape of the universe? What does it even mean for the universe to have a "shape"? If you traveled far enough, would you end up where you st...
AaS! 42: Where Do "Weird" Radio Signals Come From?
18 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Where do "weird" radio signals come from? Is this the first time we thought something weird was happening in space? Why does it make the news so much?...
AaS! 41: How Do (Regular) Novas Work?
04 Oct 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How do regular non-super-novas work? What's the connection to white dwarves? Where do they happen and why should we care? I discuss these questions an...
AaS! 40: Do Black Holes Die?
20 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What's the deal with Hawking Radiation? Does it really mean what we think it means? How do black holes form in the first place? I discuss these questi...
AaS! 39: Is There Life on Europa?
06 Sep 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What's going on under the ice of Europa? What keeps it so warm down there? Are the oceans pure or have the right chemistry for life? I discuss these q...
AaS! 38: How Do We See Beyond the Visible?
16 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How do we make observations beyond visible light? What exactly is a telescope? And what's up with NASA adding colors to images? I discuss these questi...
AaS! 37: What is the Cosmic Microwave Background (Part 2)?
02 Aug 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Part 2 of What is the cosmic microwave background? What causes those bumps and wiggles? What does it tell us about the early universe, and the univers...
AaS! 36: What is the Cosmic Microwave Background? (Part 1)
19 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What is the cosmic microwave background? How was it discovered? What did it have to do with the great debate between Big Bang theory and the Steady St...
AaS! 35: What Are "Virtual Particles"?
05 Jul 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What are virtual particles? What do they have to do with waving fields around? And why can't physicists use meaningful jargon words? I discuss these q...
AaS! 34: What Is the Great Attractor?
21 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What is the so-called Great Attractor? What's the Zone of Avoidance, and is it scary? What makes galaxies move in the first place? I discuss these que...
AaS! 33: What If the Moon Disappeared?
07 Jun 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What would happen if the moon disappeared tomorrow? What makes it so special in the first place? Does it really *do* anything useful? I discuss these ...
AaS! 32: Where Do Nebulae Come From?
17 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How are nebulae formed or created? Where do they go when they're done being nebulae? How is it linked to the formation of stars? I discuss these quest...
AaS! 31: How Can the Universe Expand Faster Than Light?
03 May 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How can the universe expand faster than the speed of light? What does it mean for Special Relativity to be "local"? Is there a conflict between Genera...
AaS! 30: 2nd-Grade Question Bonanza!
19 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
It's a BONANZA, featuring a bunch of questions from second-graders! Including: Where's the edge of the universe? How many rings does Saturn have? Are ...
AaS! 29: Why Does E=mc^2?
05 Apr 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Why does E=mc^2? Where does it come from? What's the significance of that famous equation? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spacema...
AaS! 28: What's the Point in Talking About Science?
15 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
In this very special episode, I discuss the importance of communicating science, a cool new project I'm working on (songofthestars.org), and how arts ...
AaS! 27: How Does Gravity Make Waves?
01 Mar 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How did Einstein develop General Relativity? What does it mean for space to be curved anyway? And just how do these gravitational waves work, anyhow? ...
AaS! 26: Wolf-Rayet Stars: Sci-Fi or What?
16 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What's so special about Wolf-Rayet stars? Do we even know how they work? And what does this all have to do with Paris? I answer these questions and mo...
AaS! 25: How Do We Know How Far Away Stuff Is...Far Away?
02 Feb 2016
Contributed by Lukas
How do we measure distances to…well, distant objects? What the heck is a Cepheid, and why is it useful? Standard candles? Standard rulers? Standard ...
AaS! 24: What's the Beef With Quantum Gravity?
19 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
Why doesn't quantum mechanics agree with general relativity? Will we ever have a quantum picture of gravity? What are some candidates? What does it ha...
Aas! 23: What's Up With Exoplanets?
05 Jan 2016
Contributed by Lukas
What's up with exoplanets? What's the variety, and how do we detect them? How did Hot Jupiters get so hot, anyway? Support the show: http://www.patre...
AaS! Transient Special: What was the Christmas star?
22 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a special “transient” edition! What was the Christmas Star? Follow all the show updates at askaspaceman.com and support the show at patr...
AaS! 22: Question Bonanza!
15 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
It's a BONANZA! Featuring many questions from a live event, including: Is time travel possible? Can a galaxy eat itself? Will we ever run out of stars...
AaS! 21: Are We Really Made of Stars?
01 Dec 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Are we really made of stars? How do we know? What does it mean for us? Ask a Spaceman! Support the show: http://www.patreon.com/pmsutter All episode...
AaS! 20: How Much Light Is in the Universe?
17 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
How much light is in the universe? What's a "photon"? What's the brightest thing out there? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spacem...
AaS! Special: What did you think of The Martian?
12 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a super-special episode, featuring a discussion with me, my “Space in your Face” co-hosts Wayne Schlingman and Anna Nierenberg, and Laura A...
AaS! 19: How Do Planets Get Magnetic Fields?
03 Nov 2015
Contributed by Lukas
How do planets get their magnetic fields? What's a dynamo? What do magnetic fields have in common with plate tectonics? I discuss these questions and ...
AaS! 18: Is the Universe Dying?
20 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Is the universe dying? What is the ultimate fate of the universe? Will it transform into something else? I discuss these questions and more in today's...
AaS! 17: What Banged the Big Bang?
06 Oct 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What's the history of the universe? What is the big bang? What came before? I discuss these questions and more in today's Ask a Spaceman! Support the ...
AaS! 16: How Do Spiral Galaxies Form?
15 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
How do spiral galaxies form? How do galaxies form in the first place, anyway? What's so special about spirals that make them look so cool? I discuss t...
AaS! 15: Will We Colonize Mars?
01 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Will we ever actually colonize Mars? Why is it so hard to get to space? What are the challenges specific to Mars? I discuss these questions and more i...
AaS! 14: What is Spacetime? (Part 2)
18 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
How are space and time related? How long would it take to travel the Milky Way? What other tricks can you play with Special Relativity? I discuss thes...
AaS! 14: What Is Spacetime? (Part 1)
04 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What is spacetime? What was the breakthrough idea that led Einstein to develop Special Relativity? Who was right: Newton or Maxwell? I discuss these q...
AaS! 13: What the Heck Is a Magnetar?
21 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What's the difference between a neutron star and a magnetar? How do you make a neutron star? How do they get so magnetic? I discuss these questions an...
AaS! 12: Is Life Possible Around Binary Stars?
07 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Is Tatooine from Star Wars possible? What kind of binary stars are allowed? What would life be like around binary stars? I discuss these questions and...
AaS! 11: What Do We Do in Space?
16 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What kind of experiments do we do in space? Why do we even bother? Is there any benefit to having telescopes in orbit instead of on the ground? I disc...
AaS! 10: How Do Black Holes Form?
02 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
How do black holes form? Why are there only two sizes (Small and Big Gulp)? How do we know black holes exist, and what purpose do they serve in the un...
AaS! 9: How Big Is the Universe?
19 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
How big is the universe? What's outside the universe, and what are we expanding into? Can it even be put into words? I discuss these questions and mor...
AaS! 8: Will a Comet Kill Us All?
05 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What are the chances of a comet hitting the earth? What other stuff can fall from space? What would the effects be, and how much do we need to worry? ...
AaS! 7: How Do We Know That Dark Matter Exists?
21 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
How do we know that dark matter exists? Are you sure that scientists aren't just making things up because they're lazy? What makes it dark anyway? I d...
AaS! 6: When Did the First Stars Appear?
07 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
When did the first stars appear in the universe? How long did they live? Was it awesome when they blew up? Are there any around today? Did the univers...
AaS! Transient Special: When is the next eclipse?
27 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
It’s a special “transient” episode featuring the questions of Finn and Zakk from Dr. Batchelder’s class in Corbridge, England. They are celebr...
AaS! 5: Where Did the Oceans Come From?
20 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Where did the oceans come from? Yeah, the answer is space, but are there any more details? Where does water come from anyway? Did the oceans come alon...
AaS! 4: Are There Aliens...Out There?
20 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Are there aliens...you know, out there? What are the chances of life appearing somewhere, anywhere, in the universe? Will we get to say "hi" and have ...