no Astronomy with bad humor instead of math. By professional astronomers. Astronomy news and slack as told by professional astronomer slackers. Bad humor, sci-fi jokes and clips are the norm. And since this is their day job, they often cover stories not picked up in the mainstream press and also respect the intelligence of the audience. Think Dr. Who combined with Carl Sagan and Car Talk. Aaron, Rebekah, Travis, Dr. Doug, Michael (and Pamela in the archives) Astronomy,science,interviews,tours,slacker,comedy,stars,humor,geeks,nerds info@slackerastronomy.org http://www.slackerastronomy.org/ en Astronomy news and slack Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0500 Sat, 19 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0500 An interview with Aaron Price about the history of Slacker Astronomy plus ramblings by Michael. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/080419-sa.mp3 00:18:30 yes Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 +0500 Doug and Michael chat with Brant Robertson, who is a Spitzer Fellow doing research at The Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics. Brant is a theoretical astrophysicist involved with computer simulations of the evolution of galaxies. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/080328l-sg.mp3 01:11:20 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:55:00 +0500 A brief history of the universe according to modern cosmology. Also a brief discussion of asteroid 2007 WD5, which may hit Mars. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/080107-sg.mp3 36:12 Tue, 27 Nov 2007 11:45:00 +0500 Discussion on what stars are and how they work. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/071127-sg.mp3 28:24 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:00:00 +0500 Astrotalk about news and events followed by an exclusive interview with author and film maker Timothy Ferris. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070915-sg.mp3 48:06 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 01:00:00 +0500 A tour of the DAO Observatory in Victoria, BC, Canada. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070810-sg.mp4 Fri, 25 May 2007 13:30:00 +0500 Opening skit, Astro news, another First Principles, discussions of astronomy tenure policies and the first of a new recurring segment: Kavli Cosmology Nugget, where cosmologists sit around a table with wine and cheese and talk shop. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070525-sg.mp3 Fri, 18 May 2007 13:30:00 +0500 Dr. Lucy Fortson is vice president for research at the Adler Planetarium and a member of the VERITAS gamma ray experiment. She talks about VERITAS, gamma rays, astronomy artifacts and new roles for the public in astronomy research practices. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070518-sg.mp3 Thu, 17 May 2007 13:30:00 +0500 Dr. Stephen Meyer has been a part of most of the major CMB discoveries in the past two decades. He takes us on a journey of all the experiments, their challenges and successes and then sets the stage for the next phase of CMB experiments. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070517-sg.mp3 Wed, 16 May 2007 22:30:00 +0500 Dr. Josh Frieman discusses dark energy and alternative theories along with current and pending experiments to test it. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070516B-sg.mp3 Wed, 16 May 2007 15:30:00 +0500 Dr. Michael Turner updates his famous 1998 checklist of the seven major cosmological questions http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070516-sg.mp3 Wed, 16 May 2007 01:30:00 +0500 Dr. Jim Cronin, winner of the 1980 Nobel Prize in physics, discusses cosmic rays and the Pierre Auger Observatory http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070515C-sg.mp3 Tue, 15 May 2007 13:30:00 +0500 Dr. Clem Pryke discusses the Big Bang, the cosmic microwave background, and various properties of it currently being tested in an effort to test and answer open questions about the Big Bang. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070515B-sg.mp3 Tue, 15 May 2007 12:30:00 +0500 Dr. Andrey Kravtsov gives a good description of the dark matter concept along with current understandings, challenges and active experiments underway to positively detect dark matter. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070515-sg.mp3 Mon, 14 May 2007 12:30:00 +0500 Our first interview from the Kavli Institute For Cosmological Physics. The Director, Dr. John Carlstrom, gives us an overview of the institute and the major equipment they are building and using. Throughout the week we will bring you many interviews, both audio and video, from the institute and about all things cosmology. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070514-sg.mp3 Mon, 7 May 2007 12:30:00 +0500 It's baaaacckk. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070430-sg.mp3 Mon, 2 Apr 2007 11:30:00 +0500 The second in the First Principle series in which our heroes posit on mass, inertia and other stuff. Also, two skits with Travis and Rebekah about Comet McNaught and Titan. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070402-sg.mp3 Tue, 13 Feb 2007 11:30:00 +0500 The first episode of a new segment called First Principles, in which we discuss the basics of what astronomers are and what they do. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070213-fp.mp3 Sun, 4 Feb 2007 23:40:00 +0500 Fun with the Apollo Lunar Surface Journal http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070204-sg.m4v Sun, 28 Jan 2007 23:40:00 +0500 Join us Feb. 3 and Feb. 5 in Second Life for Slacker Astronomy Cafe Interviews with Dr. Stuart Lowe and Dr. Doug Welch. More on Second Life at slackerpedia.org. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070128-sg.mp3 Thu, 18 Jan 2007 23:40:00 +0500 Tonya, Michael and Travis wander the halls in search of hot astronomers. Filmed at the 209th American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle, WA. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070118-sg.mp4 Thu, 11 Jan 2007 23:40:00 +0500 Dr. Doug Welch interviews Dr. Travis Rector, a science visualizer with NOAO and Gemini observatories. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070112-sg.mp4 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 23:40:00 +0500 Mike and Aaron wander the posters on day two of the AAS meeting in Seattle http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070110b-sg.mp4 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 12:00:00 +0500 Aaron, Doug, Michael, Travis and a friend Anthony talk about day 3 of the American Astronomical Society meeting and perform an experiment with hot chocolate from room service. Craziness ensues. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070110a-sg.mp3 Tue, 9 Jan 2007 23:00:00 +0500 Interview with Dr. Pamela Gay at the 209th meeting of the American Astronomical Society http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070109B-sg.mp3 Tue, 9 Jan 2007 10:00:00 +0500 A recap of the first two days of the American Astronomical Society meeting. Ryan Wyatt (Science Visualization blog) joins us as a guest. Meeting blog at slackerastronomy.org. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070109A.mp3 Mon, 8 Jan 2007 18:00:00 +0500 A quick interview with Neil deGrasse Tyson at AAS http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070108-sg.mp4 Sat, 06 Jan 2007 23:45:00 +0500 Michael and Travis skip out to Bermuda and report on the Space Technology 6 program from NASA. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070107A-sg.mp3 Sun, 7 Jan 2007 00:05:00 +0500 Some dumb questions asked of smart people at the AAS meeting in Seattle. http://www.lolife.com/podcast/070107-sg.mp4 Wed, 3 Jan 2007 00:05:00 +0500 A tour of the Harvard University Oak Ridge Observatory and the Optical SETI telescope there http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/070102-sg.mp4 Wed, 13 Dec 2006 23:45:00 +0500 3 Questions. Second question: Are there extra-terrestrials? http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/061213-sg.mp4 Wed, 22 Nov 2006 17:45:00 +0500 In this show we cover stories of astronomical predictions: the good, bad and why it's easier to be the former than the latter. We also have an interview with Ryan Wyatt, a science visualizer at the American Museum of Natural History who talks about what goes on behind the scenes to turn those faint fuzzies into pretty pictures and gives us a report from a recent astro-visualization conference. And of course the news, mail and more. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/061128-sg.mp3 Wed, 22 Nov 2006 17:45:00 +0500 Rebekah and Travis tell the story of V838 Mon, a planet eater or just a really weird star? http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/061122-sg.m4v Tue, 14 Nov 2006 17:45:00 +0500 3 Questions. First question: Should Pluto be a planet? http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/061114-sg.mp4 Thu, 2 Nov 2006 10:40:00 +0500 Michael is visited by Timothy Ferris and a video crew to shoot a scene for an upcoming PBS show about amateur astronomers. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/061031-sg.mp4 Wed, 1 Nov 2006 10:40:00 +0500 Rebekah is back and we have two old-school skits, Doug joins us from Gemini South observatory in Chile and we cover lots of news and gossip in the world of astrology, oops, I mean, astronomy. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/061031-sg.mp3 Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:40:00 +0500 MACHO, and its sequel, SuperMACHO, are projects that have directly detected dark matter. Dr. Doug Welch is one of the researchers involved with the MACHO project. In this podcast interview with Michael Koppelman, Doug talks about all things MACHO. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/061004-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 18 Sep 2006 01:02:00 +0500 For our first video podcast, we take 5 pounds of Lite Brite pegs and use them to illustrate the process of supernovae explosions. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060917-sg.m4v Thu, 14 Sep 2006 01:02:00 +0500 The first edition of the new show. Future shows will be posted on this same feed. Info at www.slackerastronomy.org. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060914-sg.mp3 Thu, 14 Sep 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Pluto musings, then the bomb. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060914-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 28 Aug 2006 01:00:00 +0500 There are two good places to have CO detectors: In your house and on your radio telescope. We talk about one good place to find CO, and it's not in your basement. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060828-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 16 Aug 2006 01:00:00 +0500 The things Pluto must do to remain in the brotherhood of planets would make even Luke remble with fear. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060816-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 2 Aug 2006 01:00:00 +0500 In the 90's, astronomers had a chance to see an object usually obsructed by glare. That window of opportunity has just now closed so the results of the research are now starting to come out.. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060802-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 31 Jul 2006 01:00:00 +0500 A great ball of gas, greater in size than the distance between us and the Andromeda galaxy(!), has been spyed plunging into the distance Abell 3266 galaxy cluster. Why? Well why not? If you were a bored bit of gas living out your days in the suburbs of such a great galactic metropolis, wouldn't you too want to take a plunge, and go live in the center of things for a while? http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060729-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 18 Jul 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Grab a partner, doe-se-doe. Watch the moons dance and roll... http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060719-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 11 Jul 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Lookee what we found... http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060710-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 5 Jul 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Astronomers prove you wouldn't have dustballs without supernovae. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060705-slackastro.mp3 Thu, 22 Jun 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Weird hard math sometimes is and sometimes isn't weird good science. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060621-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 7 Jun 2006 23:00:00 +0500 Pictures of big things from the earliest days of the Universe http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060605-slackastro.mp3 Thu, 1 Jun 2006 23:00:00 +0500 Slowing light, and even making time run backwards, does nothing to help Pamela get more hours into a day. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060522-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 15 May 2006 23:00:00 +0500 All work and no play makes an infrared space telescope a dull - but efficient, boy. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060515-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 9 May 2006 23:00:00 +0500 GRBs don't kill people. Paranoia kills people. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060509-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 26 Apr 2006 23:00:00 +0500 To learn of the Sun, we must look to the Moon. Or, more accurately, the dirty footprints we left behind. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060426-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 5 Apr 2006 23:00:00 +0500 Sterile neutrinos are on a quest to solve all life's mysteries without interacting. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060418-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 5 Apr 2006 23:00:00 +0500 Slush Puppies are what's for breakfast on Saturn's Moon Enceladus http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060405-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 28 Mar 2006 23:00:00 +0500 Lights, lights, lights everywhere and not a star to see. Just how many stars can you see in your area? http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060327-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 21 Mar 2006 23:00:00 +0500 The show is now one year old, but the rest of us are 13.7 billion years old. Break out the Geritol. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060320-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 14 Mar 2006 23:00:00 +0500 Occationally people go bump in the night, and occationally things flare in Gamma Rays. Did you go bump when GRB060218 went flare? http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060313-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:00:00 +0500 Somewhere on Titan, in a sleepy, empty home, an oven door is ajar. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060307-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 28 Feb 2006 23:00:00 +0500 The recurrent nova RS Ophiuci erupts for the first time in 21 years and illustrates the impermanence of existence - or just looks neato http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060227-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 15 Feb 2006 23:00:00 +0500 Don't know what to do with your snow? Toss it in a Lagrange Point! http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060215-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 7 Feb 2006 23:00:00 +0500 This Valentines Day pity the poor, lonely stars http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060206-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 24 Jan 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Life is like a box of onions... http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060123-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 16 Jan 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Brad Schaeffer demonstrates that Gamma-Ray Bursts can be used to measure the Cosmological Variable. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060116-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 9 Jan 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Light echoes from supernovae centuries old are discovered by SuperMacho-Macho-Man. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060109-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 3 Jan 2006 01:00:00 +0500 Monday Night Football is no longer. Fret not fellow couch potatoes! We have Monday Night Astronomy and a story about low energy aurorae. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/060102-slackastro.mp3 Thu, 22 Dec 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Our holiday treat for our listeners http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051222-slackastro.mp3 Fri, 16 Dec 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Science results from the Huygens Atmospheric Probe from all over http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051216-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 07 Dec 2005 01:00:00 +0500 The Crab Nebula, SN 1970g, and Universal Expansion provide explosive science http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051206-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 30 Nov 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Cassini and Mira team up to find wakes that look like Ridges in Saturn's Rings http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051129-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 16 Nov 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Andromeda Has Never Been So Hot [FF] - infrared discoveries from the Andromeda galaxy http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051116-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 8 Nov 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Eta Boy Eta Carinae [FF] http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051108-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 25 Oct 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Pop goes the Neutron (neutron star that is) [FF] http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051024-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 19 Oct 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Visiting an Old Friend For the First Time [JF] http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051018-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 4 Oct 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Carrying the 1's Along Gravitational Highways [OF] http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/051004-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 26 Sep 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Black Hole Roundup [FF] http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050926-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 20 Sep 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Deep Impact Isn't A Porno [OF] http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050920-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 14 Sep 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Downsizing Galaxies http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050912-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 7 Sep 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Propeller Population of the Universe http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050906-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 6 Sep 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Donate to New Orleans Astronomy Clubs http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050906-neworleans.mp3 Thu, 1 Sep 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Micro Blazars A Go Go http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050831-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 24 Aug 2005 21:00:00 +0500 NGC 300's position is recalculated and its urban sprawl is remapped. http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050823-slackastro.mp3 Sun, 21 Aug 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Meteor Showers Aren't http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050818-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 8 Aug 2005 21:00:00 +0500 We break down the 10th planet http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050808-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 25 Jul 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Neutrons play Hide and Quake http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050801-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 25 Jul 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Sharin' Charon (Show #19) - Pluto and its Moon Charon http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050725-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 19 Jul 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Breaking the Superwind (Show #18) http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050718-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 13 Jul 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Show #17: Dreaming of a Scary Universe http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050711-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 28 Jun 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Show #15: When Asteroids Attack http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050627-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 21 Jun 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Show #14: Dunkin' Quasars http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050620-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 15 Jun 2005 21:00:00 +0500 Show #13: The End of the Beginning http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050615-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 06 Jun 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #12: Orion Poisons its Young http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050606-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 31 May 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #11: Blame Canada for Extrasolar Planets http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050531-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 25 May 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #10: Magic 8 Ball vs. Mira http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050525-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 16 May 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #9: The Martian Drinking Game http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050516-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 02 May 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #8: Stellar Elders Lack Metal http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050502-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 25 Apr 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #7: Do Minor Planets Get Carded? http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050425-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 18 Apr 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #6: Death of a Disco Star http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050418-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 4 Apr 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #5: The Big Bad Astronomer capsule interview, full interview on the SA Extra Feed http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050412-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 4 Apr 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #4: Going Boom http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050404-slackastro.mp3 Tue, 29 Mar 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #2: Gone With the Wind http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050329-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 14 Mar 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #1: Black Hole In the Corner Pocket http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050314-slackastro.mp3 Thu, 3 Mar 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #-1: Galaxies in Gangs Wear Red http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050307-slackastro.mp3 Wed, 16 Feb 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #-2: Fancy Names For Shiny Lights http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050228-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 21 Feb 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #-3: Your Attention Requested http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050221-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 14 Feb 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #-4: Dark Matter, the Other White Meat http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050216-slackastro.mp3 Mon, 14 Feb 2005 01:00:00 +0500 Show #-5: Saturn's Hot Spot http://www.slackerastronomy.org/shows/050214-slackastro.mp3