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
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.
02/25/2013 | 37:45
Guests
- Andrew Siemion, Project Scientist, UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley SETI researcher Andrew Siemion and his colleagues have put an upper limit on the number of civilizations in our galaxy that are capable of giving us a call. He’ll explain their reasoning and provide other search updates.
Listening Once Again to Amateur Astronomy Pioneer John Dobson
01/07/2013 | 28:50
Guests
- John Dobson, Astronomer and designer of telescopes, The Sidewalk Astronomers
A reprise of our very popular conversation with the delightful 97-year old John Dobson, inventor of the Dobsonian telescope that brings the universe within everyone’s reach.
Celebrating 35 Years of the Voyager Mission
09/17/2012 | 28:50
Guests
- Ed Stone, Voyager Interstellar Mission Chief Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- Ann Druyan, writer and producer
- Emily Lakdawalla, Senior Editor and Planetary Evangelist, The Planetary Society
- Robert Picardo, Actor and director
Voyagers 1 and 2 just reached 35 years of travel in space. What a great reason to celebrate! Join Voyager Project Scientist Ed Stone, Ann Druyan, Emily Lakdawalla and Robert Picardo in this special live edition of our show. Bill Nye reports on a separate celebration in London and on the International Space Station, and Bruce Betts is back in fine form with Mat Kaplan for this week’s What’s Up.
A Conversation With Telescope Inventor John Dobson
09/10/2012 | 28:50
Guests
When John Dobson invented the Dobsonian telescope he changed the face of amateur astronomy. The 96-year old pioneer talks with Mat Kaplan. Emily Lakdawalla loves Curiosity’s self-portraits. Bill Nye the Science Guy is in London to host a youth webcast with International Space Station astronaut Sunita Williams. Bruce Betts keeps us from getting Lost in Space and helps Mat give away a cool Curiosity bumper sticker in What’s Up.
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