AWESOME ASTRONOMY
Episodes
Panto 2025: Cometh the Comet, Comet the Ralph
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It's time for our annual review of the year, a look forward to next year and of course the Panto!...and the return of an old face! Produced by Ralph, ...
Yeeting your office into a flamepit
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this chatty news episode we chat about more Artemis mission shenanigans and how the Russians have wrecked their only human rated launch pad. Produc...
Icy Telescopes and Martian Lightning
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode it is a new bananza with discussion of the Thirty Metre Telescope, shenanigans on Mars, asymmetrical supernovae and more trouble in the w...
What an Artimess!
15 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In our second episode of the month we chat about the weird mess that is now the Artemis Programme, whether there is even a new space race and what str...
Comet I3 ATLAS and Cerne Abbas Star Party
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Time for a Comet 3I ATLAS deep dive, a chat about Paul's recent visit to the Cerne Abbas Starparty and our new extended skyguide. Produced by Paul,...
Camping, Craters and Comets
01 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This month we are at Astrocamp, our biannual dark sky retreat. We have a Q and A session with the campers and we talk a newly confirmed impact crater ...
Paul in Festival Land
02 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A bumper end of summer episode with Paul out in the world of science outreach and communication in a Summer music festival. There's also discussion of...
AI, Hypersonics and Betelbuddy
01 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This month we talk about Jen at the BBC, AI in science communication, a supernova in NGC7331, whether Betelgeuse has a companion, Exoplanet shenanigan...
Vera Rubin, Welsh Satellites and LIGO disaster
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A bumper episode or is that a Jumper episode if Jeni has her way. Paul has new scope and Jeni has been seeing the Sun. We have terrible news from LIGO...
Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!
Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails
04 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!
Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!
AstroCamp Spring 2025!
07 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We come at you with all the fun of AstroCamp in Welsh Wales. Chat, debate and birdsong! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin
Has NASA been Trumped?
01 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
We try to keep it upbeat this month with tales of blackholes, definitions of moons, and solar system science but unfortunately the fate of NASA and Am...
Paranal Problems: Light Pollution at the VLT
02 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It looks as though the European Southern Observatory is caught in an American light pollution pincer...starlink above and now the threat of an America...
Asteroid Doom and Gaia Gloom
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The world veers towards madness, asteroids threaten destruction and Gaia is no more. But the planets are putting on a show and Pluto is 95, so that's ...
Venus. Twined with Milton Keynes
04 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Happy New Year! This month we talk about an new climate history for Venus, a new origin story for Mars' moons and we chat about the new potential head...
Panto 2024!
31 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's that time of year again where the team get silly...this year Butch and Suni hijack the ISS...
Re-examining Uranus
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month we look at new old data about Uranus, a possible second dinosaur asteroid the first image of a star in another galaxy and the image of a ...
Comets, Cruises and Outreach
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month the episode is all about astronomy! Yep just astronomy. We catch up with the wonderful comet observations of the autumn, Jen's aurora cruis...
Apollo 12
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Team are taking a little break so here is a classic interview with Apollo astronaut Alan Bean.
Gaining InSight
18 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Dr Anna Horleston from Bristol University. NASA's InSight lander was active on Mars from November 2018 to December 2022 – a total of 1446 sols ...
AstroCamp Special!
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month the episode comes from the user dark skies of Wales as it is AstroCamp time! Discussion of Hera and Europa Clipper probes, comet news and t...
100 Hours of Astronomy with Go Stargazing
22 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Between 2nd and 5th October, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are celebrating 100 hours of astronomy. We've caught up with good friend of th...
Chatting Space within tent
01 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A bit different this month as Paul is joined by Dustin as they chat about aurora on Ganymede, starliner, Polaris Dawn, Blue Origin and Dustin shares a...
British Planetary Science Conference
21 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this podcast extra for Awesome Astronomy in August 2024, we bring you two of the Plenary Sessions from the British Planetary Science Conference 202...
Comet Olbers in Silly Season
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month the team talk Comet Olbers, black holes in globular Clusters, the cancellation of Vixen, the ultra calm lakes of Titan, more phosphine ne...
Sanctuary on the Moon
14 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrating 55 years since humans first set foot on the Moon with Project Apollo, in this podcast extra, Dr Jen meets with Benoit Faiveley and Mario F...
Starliner Marooned and Playing Gyros!
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month the team discuss keeping the elderly Hubble alive with a single gyro, how Starliner is currently marooned in orbit and are usually round up...
Aurora at Home
01 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month is indulgent and ranty! Well it is summer...Jen waxes lyrical about a night out, Paul has written a book and in amongst it is some astronom...
Totally Eclipse
17 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dustin and Jeni talk about their Eclipse adventures from last month.
Nova predictions and China to the Moon
01 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month excitement builds for the predicted Nova outburst in Corona Borealis as well as looking forward to China launching a sample return mission ...
Episode 142 Awesome Astronomy April 2024
01 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month Dr Jen is off to the US for the Solar Eclipse while Paul is just back from Goonhilly Earth Station. We chat about the imminent demise of th...
Britain's First Astronaut
22 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast extra is our full length interview with Dr Helen Sharman, Britain's First astronaut and the first woman to visit the Russian Mir Space St...
Wet Moons and Tippy landers
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month our intrepid crew of the good ship Awesome investigate sub surface oceans on the moons of the solar system, smoking stars, distant blackhol...
Blasting Soil - Interview with Dr Phil Metzger
17 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month Dr Jen talks to Dr Phil! Dr Phil Metzger, 30 years at NASA where he has worked on various missions and programmes including the ISS snd S...
Awesome Astronomy Episode #140
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This month we explore the exciting announcements from the European Space Agency as they outline their new missions for the 2030s. LISA, a space based ...
#139 Awesome Astronomy January 2024
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode, it's Jen and a special guest exploring the inexplicable Big Ring, the first proof connecting supernovae to black holes and neutron stars...
Awesome Astronomy Panto and Review of the Year 2023!
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Festive silliness (bit naughty!), a review of the Space and astronomy year and a look ahead to what 2024 has in store for us. Not forgetting the outak...
#138 Awesome Astronomy December 2023 Pt1
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month we explore what might have happened to the Planet Theia after it hit the Earth, what Lucy saw on its first asteroid encounter, the mystery ...
Astronomy Mythology of Wales
19 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month Jeni talks to Paul. No not our Paul Paul Cornish, planetarium and science outreach extraordinaire at Bristols We the Curious. They chat a...
#137 November 2023 Awesome Astronomy
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month we talk about what might have been in the Arthur C Clarke Awards, the latest weird discovery from JWST, the most detailed simulation of the...
The AstroCamp Panel!
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month we give you a recording of our live panel show from AstroCamp, held in September. The team answer questions and comments from the public ab...
#136 - October 2023 Awesome Astronomy
01 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month Paul and Dr Jen talk about the recent astrocamp where yet more Aurora was seen. Later there is a guide to seeing Aurora at lower latitudes....
JWST looks at the Ring - Interview with Dr Roger Wessen
17 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This months interview looks at that stunning imagery that JWST took of the Ring Nebula - that familiar Messier planterary nebula in Lyra and favourite...
#135 - September 2023 Awesome Astronomy
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month we are joined by special guest Neill Sanders from Go Stargazing who is making a special announcement about astronomy cruise Holidays. We ha...
#134 August 2023 Pt2 Awesome Astronomy
16 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For this podcast extra, we return to NAM 2023, this year held at Cardiff University. We're delighted to bring you the conversational style of Dr Steph...
#134 - August 2023 Awesome Astronomy
01 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month we have a packed show, with stories about the European space agency launching a new space telescope to study The Dark Universe. India going...
How to grow a supermassive black hole with Dr Becky Smethurst
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Once a year, astronomers descend upon an unsuspecting UK city in the greatest gathering of astronomically curious minds: the National Astronomy Meetin...
#133 Awesome Astronomy July 2023
01 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It's a summer vacation special with Jeni in the mountains of South America astronomising at altitude and visiting the Vera C Rubin telescope as well a...
Interview with Dr Kathy Thornton
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We chat to Dr Kathy Thornton, nuclear physicist turned NASA astronaut who went on to fly on four Space Shuttle missions. Dr Thornton flew for over 40 ...
#132 - June 2023 Awesome Astronomy
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month Jeni and Paul talk about the recent supernova in galaxy M101; volcanic exoplanets; the growing observational evidence putting the current B...
Skylab 50 - Interview with Astronaut Jack Lousma
14 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the Skylab 50th anniversary here is one our favourite astronaut chats from 2012 where we caught up with Skylab 3 and STS-3 astronaut, Jac...
#131 - May 2023 Awesome Astronomy
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This month Paul and Jeni in astronomy news talk about new data on the M87 blackhole, the architecture of planetary systems, the hottest stars, an impa...
Interview with Joshua Western CEO of Space Forge
15 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jeni visits Space Forge for an update on their mission to build reusable satellites to manufacture materials that that are impossible on the ground. S...
#130 - April 2023 Awesome Astronomy
01 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Jeni and Paul talk about exoplanet atmospheres, the latest thinking on solar system visitor Oumuamua, Vigin Orbit's woes, Relativity's...
Interview with Solar Astronomer Professor Robert Walsh
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Paul takes time out from outreach at the Festival of Tomorrow at the Swindon STEAM museum to chat with Professor Robert Walsh of the University of Cen...
#129 - March 2023 Awesome Astronomy
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Jeni tells us about her TEDx talk, dressing up for Mama Mia and eating insane burgers, while Paul appears to have started a modelling ...
Interview with Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Interview with astronomer Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell Jeni talks to the legendary discoverer of pulsars, champion of women in science and Oxford Univers...
#128 - February 2023
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Our dark sky practical astronomy event, AstroCamp Farewell Apollo 7's Walt Cunningham Comet C2022 E3 ZTF reaches naked eye brightness...
Interview with Chris Lee
15 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bringing back the much-missed Awesome Astronomy interviews with a bang, we're joined by friend of the show Chris Lee. Chris began his career in the...
#127 - January 2023
01 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: A refreshed format coming to Awesome Astronomy in 2023 A look back at the festive season The News: Rounding up the astronomy n...
End of Year Show
24 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
*** Beware, stiff profanity (phnar phnar) in the outtakes at the end *** Our Christmas Pantomime sees the Awesome Astronomy crew exploring strange ...
#126 - December 2022
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Meteor shower disappointment Lecturing course started Dr Jen's 30th birthday party karaoke – with audio! more resources for astrono...
#125 - November 2022 Part 1
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Enjoying the recent eclipse (weather permitting) Jeni is officially recognised as being great Visiting the Herschel Museum And liste...
Rendlesham Forest Incident
15 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Christmas 1980. Suffolk, England. Two US airmen witness what they believe is an aircraft coming down in the forest next to their base. So begins the s...
#124 - October 2022 Part 1
01 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jeni and Paul talk to Professor Mike Edmunds, President of the Royal Astronomical Society and Emeritus Professor of astrophysics at Cardiff Universi...
#123 - September 2022 Part 2
13 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Farewell Frank Drake It's uncrewed, not unmanned! Filming with the BBC again Listeners' emails on city astronomy and the missing AweA...
#123 - September 2022 Part 1
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hear ye! Hear ye! Al Worden (went to the moon on Apollo 15): https://tinyurl.com/56w9rkr4 Al Bean (walked on the moon on Apollo 12): https://tinyurl....
#122 - August 2022 Part 2
15 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: The Perseids meteor shower Another heatwave in the UK The Orville on Disney+ The News: NASA is going back to the moon – thi...
#122 - August 2022 Part 1
01 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: The release of JWST's first images, the press conferences and media coverage. Emails on astrophotography, Dr Jen's TV appearances and ...
#121 - July 2022 Part 2
15 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Another heatwave in the UK Dr Jen on TV covering the latest JWST news The Orville on Disney+ Night Sky on Amazon Prime The New...
#121 - July 2022 Part 1
01 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: More filming for the BBC Longer days and shorter nights L Showcasing amateur photography on noctilucent clouds Listeners' emails on ...
#120 - June 2022 Part 2
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Discrimination in science and academia Returning to the Welsh valleys to attempt astronomy Free NASA merch from Official NASA Gear Li...
#120 - June 2022 Part 1
31 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: You can now watch Jen presenting on BBC TV's Weatherman Walking (from 06:40) Walking, astronomy and animal abuse in the New Forest N...
#119 - May 2022 Part 2
15 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Getting back in the studio Watch us recording in our behind the scenes 10th Anniversary show Inspiring children to think about career...
#119 - May 2022 Part 1
01 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Jeni's magazine article on 'everything JWST' UK government's social mobility commissioner gets us wound up Listeners' emails on: Pr...
#118 - April 2022 Part 2
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Also check out our YouTube channel here for much more astronomy and spacey goodness: https://www.youtube.com/awesomeastronomy?sub_confirmation=1 The D...
#118 - April 2022 Part 1
01 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Observing trip with Cardiff Uni students Really bright ISS passes Jen's first TV presenting gig about to be released Watching a Space...
#117 - March 2022 Part 2
15 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: A little bit of singing to brighten your day and abuse your ears It's Messier Marathon season A Messier challenge A great listeners' ...
#117 - March 2022 Part 1
01 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Stargazing & post-covid travel A lovely email from our good friend @SsonnyY The joys of being an astronomy beginner Pioneer 10's 50th...
#116 - February 2022 Part 2
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Techniquest in Cardiff Bay Our Good friend Dylan O'Donnell at Star Stuff A listener's email on the naming of spacecraft, prompting a ...
#116 - February 2022 Part 1
01 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: AstroCamp returns for listeners to observe with us 2-5th April. Book tickets here. Listeners' emails on: A Venus sample return miss...
#115 - January 2021 Part 2
15 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Astronomy in Lego Jeni on the BBC Listeners emails on space traffic control and the Chinese space programme The News: SpaceX'...
#115 - January 2022 Part 1
02 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Astronomy Christmas presents Listener's email about the value of early human space endeavours Listener's email about the marvelousnes...
2021 Xmas Special
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We defer our usual Xmas frivolity to go to NASA's coverage of Elon Musk's Penetrating Explorer Neo Insertion System rocket delivering NASA's Advanced ...
#114 - December 2021 Part 2
15 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Jen becomes the Managing Editor of the Sky Guide app and talks hazardous asteroids on BBC1's Breakfast show Observing Comet Leonard L...
#114 - December 2021 Part 1
01 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Sex with aliens (sorry) Jen's reveals the secrets of TV trickery AweAst now has videos! Head over to YouTube Emails about our new You...
#113 - November 2021 Part 2
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Jen as a space expert on BBC1's Breakfast show AweAst on YouTube is coming! Head over and help us out by subscribing here. An email o...
#113 - November 2021 Part 1
01 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: A bonanza of radio interviews Jeni's guide to the darkest and best places to stargaze in the UK A trip to the satellite company Space...
#112 - October 2021 Part 2
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Tales from a dark sky weekend Jen appearing on the Cosmic Companion and at the Open University Space Society Emails on space tourism...
#112 - October 2021 Part 1
01 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Murder on a submarine Jeni's exoplanet talk for the Open University Space Society - available here on YouTube An email from Eastern E...
#111 - September 2021 Part 2
15 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Our practical astronomy gathering is back – join us in Wales on 2-5th October Jen is contributing to Andy Oppenheimer's book Stars ...
#111 - September 2021 Part 1
01 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Jeni Nearly joined a cult Farewell to Carolyn Shoemaker The Room of Doom at Redditch Astronomical Society The new updated Sky Guide a...
Podcast Extra – The Twinkle Space Mission
20 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This podcast extra is all about our favourite topic of them all, exoplanets. Thanks to our good friends Ian and Billy, we'll be taking a look at the v...
#110 - August 2021 Part 2
15 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Presenting on the BBC The importance of dust to astronomy The News: A round up of current Mars exploration from Perseverance, In...
#110 - August 2021 Part 1
01 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Star Wars marathon Observing the ISS & the Nauka Module NAM 2021 Amateur recreation of the Antikythera Mechanism Spectrum analysing t...
#109 - July 2021 Part 2
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Hubble's still in trouble Jeni's presenting on the BBC's Weatherman Walking Ideas for a new segment to replace the moons of the solar...
#109 - July 2021 Part 1
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Discussion: Can you help out the Scottish Dark Sky Observatory? Combining sports & astronomy The hive mind responds to the new audio anomaly ...
Podcast Extra: The Dimming of Betelgeuse!
16 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
To illustrate the epic saga of the Great Dimming of Betelgeuse, in this podcast extra, we revisit all our previous discussions of the red supergi...