Planetary Radio
Planetary Radio
Each week, Planetary Radio visits with a scientist, engineer, project manager, astronaut, advocate or writer who provides a unique and exciting perspective on the exploration of our solar system and beyond. We also showcase regular features that raise your space IQ while they put a smile on your face. Host Mat Kaplan is joined by Planetary Society colleagues Bill Nye the Science Guy, Bruce Betts, and Emily Lakdawalla. We hit the road now and then to produce a Planetary Radio Live show in front of an audience. Drop us a line or enter the weekly space trivia contest at planetaryradio@planetary.org.
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Recent Shows
JPL and England Wave at Saturn
07/22/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- Scott Edgington, Deputy Project Scientist, Cassini
- Earl Maize, Program Manager, Cassini Mission
Hundreds came out on the JPL mall on Friday, July 19th to salute the Cassini spacecraft as it captured a rare image of Earth from the outer solar system. Among them were the mission Deputy Project Scientist, Scott Edgington, and the Cassini Program Manager, Earl Maize.
Touring Mt. Wilson with George Ellery Hale's Descendants
07/15/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- David Jurasevich, Superintendent, Mount Wilson Observatory
On this special vacation edition of the show, we climb to the Mount Wilson Observatory to join a special tour for the descendants of the facility’s fascinating founder, George Ellery Hale.
Tim Spahr of the Minor Planet Center
07/08/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- Timothy Spahr, Director, Minor Planet Center, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
There’s a place to go when you find a space rock headed our way, or headed any which way. Tim Spahr directs the Minor Planet Center, the global clearinghouse for all information about asteroids, comets and other relatively small bodies like moons.
Saving Science Education With Pamela Gay AND Creating the Blackest Black
06/10/2013 | 35:12
Guests
- David Carnahan, President and Co-Founder, NanoLab
- Pamela Gay, Astronomer, Astronomy Cast Co-host and CosmoQuest Principal, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
A Planetary Radio double header includes a visit with CosmoQuest’s Pamela Gay. She and colleagues are working to replace vital federal funds for science education and citizen science programs. We also go to the dark side with David Carnahan of NanoLab, developer of carbon nanotubes that may help us discover Earth-like planets.
Tasting the Air of Distant Worlds
06/03/2013 | 31:50
Guests
- Ben R. Oppenheimer, Associate Curator/Astrophysics Department Chair, American Museum of Natural History, Division of Physical Sciences
There will soon be one thousand confirmed exoplanets, but how do we learn more about such distant worlds? We talk to the leader of a team that has recently developed technology capable of revealing the spectra of these planets, which allows us to tease apart their composition. Emily Lakdawalla invites you to find the next “face” on Mars, while Bill Nye says another asteroid flyby is good news. Our special What’s Up space trivia contest prize will put your picture in orbit!
Saturn Update from Cassini Project Scientist Linda Spilker
04/01/2013 | 30:14
Guests
- Linda Spilker, Cassini Project Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
We pay another visit to the queen of planets with Cassini Mission Project Scientist Linda Spilker. She always brings us fascinating news from Saturn, its moons and rings.
More of Our ALMA Adventure in Chile's Atacama Desert
03/25/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- Denis Barkats, Sysem Astronomer, ALMA
- Stuartt Corder, Commissioning and Science Verification Project Scientist, ALMA
- Pierre Cox, Director, ALMA, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array
Our special coverage of the ALMA Observatory inauguration continues, with the President of Chile, the incoming ALMA Director, and much more from the Atacama Desert.
03/18/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- Ewine van Dishoeck, Radio Astronomer, University of Leiden & Former ALMA Board Member
- Al Wooten, North American Project Scientist and head of the North American ALMA Science Center, National Radio Astronomy Observatory
- Alison Peck, Former ALMA Commissioning Scientists Team Leader, National Radio Astronomy Observatory
- Gianni Marconi, Commissioning Scientist, ALMA
The first of two shows about Mat Kaplan's journey to Chile's Atacama Desert for the inauguration of the Atacama Large Millimeter small millimter Array, the most ambitious, Earth-based astronomy project in history.
2012 DA14--Coming Soon to a Planet Near You!
02/11/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- Amy Mainzer, NEOWISE Principal Investigator, Jet Propulsion Lab
- Timothy Spahr, Director, Minor Planet Center, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
- Lindley Johnson, NASA
- Edward Beshore, OSIRIS REx Deputy Principal Investigator, University of Arizona, Tucson
The 45-meter Near Earth Asteroid flies by on February 15. NASA brought together asteroid experts to discuss it and others of its threatening kind.
An Imminent Asteroid Encounter
02/04/2013 | 28:50
Spain’s La Sagra Observatory discovered Asteroid 2012 DA14 just a year ago. Now it’s nearing Earth once again. Jaime Nomen of La Sagra is back to prepare us for this very close flyby.
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