Planetary Radio • August 2, 2017

An Eye on the Sun (In the Middle of a Lake)

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On This Episode

Fadi Deek

Provost and Senior Executive VP, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Andrew Gerrard

Professor of Physics and Director of the Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Phil Goode

Distinguished Research Professor and former Director of the Big Bear Solar Observatory, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Claude Plymate

Telescope Engineer and Chief Observer, Big Bear Solar Observatory Telescope

The world’s most powerful solar telescope has just been renamed for the man responsible for its creation. We’ll meet astrophysicist and helioseismologist Phil Goode, and we’ll enjoy a tour of the Goode Solar Telescope. All you need to safely enjoy the coming Great American Eclipse are a couple of pieces of cardboard and a pushpin. Emily Lakdawalla explains. A discovery at Saturn’s moon Titan has Bill Nye thinking again about the discovery of life elsewhere in the universe. With an eclipse and a meteor shower on deck, Bruce Betts has much to share in this week’s What’s Up.

Mat Kaplan

Goode Telescope

The Goode Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory, Big Bear Lake, California.

Mat Kaplan

Mat Kaplan and Claude Plymate

Mat Kaplan with Big Bear Solar Observatory Telescope Engineer and Chief Observer Claude Plymate.

Mat Kaplan

Phil Goode with brothers

Former Big Bear Solar Observatory Director Phil Goode (center) with his two brothers at Goode Solar Telescope renaming ceremony.

Mat Kaplan

Big Bear Solar Observatory renaming attendees

Related Links:

Trivia Contest

This week's prizes are the brand new Chop Shop-designed Planetary Radio t-shirt, cheap but effective Bill Nye solar eclipse glasses, and a 200-point iTelescope.net astronomy account.

iTelescope.net

This week's question:

Just before totality in a solar eclipse, the sun is blocked except for sunlight streaming through lunar valleys along the limb. Who are these brief, bright “beads” of light named after?

To submit your answer:

Complete the contest entry form at http://planetary.org/radiocontest or write to us at planetaryradio@planetary.org no later than Wednesday, August 9th at 8am Pacific Time. Be sure to include your name and mailing address.

Last week's question:

Mars’ orbit is elliptical, of course. How much closer is it to the sun when it is at perihelion (closest to the sun) than it is at aphelion (farthest from the sun)?

Answer:

The answer will be revealed next week.

Question from the week before:

By mass, what is the fourth most common element in the sun, after hydrogen, helium and oxygen?

Answer:

The fourth most common element in the sun is carbon, after hydrogen, helium and oxygen.

Listen more: Cassini, Titan, the Sun, solar eclipse, Planetary Radio, Earth, the Moon, Saturn's moons, optical telescopes, Bill Nye