The Cosmic Companion - Astronomy, Space, Technology Advancing Humanity (Exploring the wonders of the Cosmos, one mystery at a time)

This week, we are joined by Dr. Roberto Gilli from the National  Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, speaking with us from Italy.  We will talk about his recent discovery of six galaxies huddled around a  supermassive black hole in the early Universe.   

But first, we take a look at the massive red giant star Betelgeuse,  finding it's not as big –or as close to exploding – as we thought.  Speaking of exploding stars (because, why not?) we take a look at a pair  of massive stars doomed to end their lives in a dramatic fashion. And,  we will take a look up at our night sky, and learn how to see a meteor  shower happening this week.

This week, we talk with Dr. Stella Kafka, CEO and Executive Director of the American Association of Variable Star Observers. We discuss the human quest for knowledge, amateur astronomy, and, of course, variable stars.  

But, first, we're going to take a look at the future of space exploration, as China successfully launches Tianhe, the first module in their upcoming space station. We will also look forward to the Interstellar Probe, a new idea being designed to view our solar system from the outside, far further than any spacecraft has yet reached.  

Listen to the podcast here or watch the video at:  https://youtu.be/zEKDTDaSEaQ!

Matthew Bothwell, author of The Invisible Universe, discusses the 93% of "ordinary" matter we cannot see with the human eye - radio, infrared, ultraviolet astronomy, and more...    

This week on Astronomy News with the Cosmic Companion, we also look at how machine learning recently discovered hundreds of unknown planets, we explore a massive world hotter than some stars, and Dart lifts off on a mission that could help us save the planet.

Hello and welcome back to Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion. This  week, continuing our fortnight of Mars, we have a pair of special  guests, offering us a look at both the present, as well as the future, of Martian exploration. First, we welcome Martian geologist Dr. Kirsten Siebach back to the show. She will give us a first-person look at how the Perseverance rover will explore the landscape of Mars. We will also talk with Dr. Fatima Ebrahimi from the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. We will discuss her work designing a new plasma engine capable of bringing spacecraft and people to Mars and beyond.



But first, we take a look at the arrival of NASA's Perseverance rover at  Mars. This is the third mission to arrive at the Red Planet in the last two weeks. We also look at a new study showing microbes are able to  survive – and thrive – within Martian soil. Finally, we will journey out  to the TOI 451 star system, where three newly-discovered planets await our watchful gaze.



Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/aLeeSmhW0UY



Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion has just been named the Best Astronomy Podcast in the World by the editors of Starlust.org! Thanks to all our listeners.

What is ASKAP J173608.2-321635 - the strange radio burst from near the center of the Milky Way? We talk with Professor Tara Murphy of the University of Sydney, who helped lead this discovery.   

Here's a sneak preview - enjoy!

Full interview drops 2 November. Follow or subscribe today and never miss an episode.

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at Teaching Children Science. We will be talking with National Geographic's Kelly Hargrave about her new book, Can't Get Enough Shark Stuff. 

Children are natural scientists. The questions which may be tedious to some parents "Why is the sky blue?" "What are the stars?" "Why do we have belly buttons?"- reveal science to be hard-wired into the human mind.  

Far too often, natural curiosity is squelched and discouraged by society as a whole. Children often find their questions brushed aside by adults all too often caught up in the daily tribulations of media celebrities and the soap opera of state. At the same time, our race stands at the precipice of massive potential dangers ranging from nuclear war to pandemics to catastrophic climatic change.

Earth: Our Fragile Planet w/ Katherine Calvin and Sylvia Earle

Celebrating Earth Day with NASA Senior Climate Advisor Katherine Calvin and Sylvia Earle - Time Magazine’s first Hero for the Planet!

This week, we look forward to Yuri's Night. Monday, April 12th marks the 60th anniversary of the first human space flight, as well as the 40th anniversary of the first flight of the Space Shuttle. We will visit with three-time Shuttle astronaut Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space. She also just became the first woman to ever visit the deepest spot in the Earth's ocean!  

But first, we discuss Yuri's Night, and look forward to the return of humans to the Moon. We learn about the International Lunar Research Station, a new plan by Russia and China to place dozens of people on the lunar surface on a permanent basis in the coming years. We will also take a look at the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, one of NASA's next-generation space telescopes, which will soon search our galaxy for unknown worlds. Finally, we will journey out to Uranus, where astronomers see X-rays emanating from the ice giant planet for the first time. 

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video: https://youtu.be/XfTYqpJi5zY

This week, we welcome Laura Fackrell, geochemist at the University of  Georgia, to the show. We will be discussing her work developing soil for  farms on Mars, capable of growing crops to feed interplanetary  colonists.

We will also journey out beyond our solar system, where Voyager 2 hears from NASA for the first time in months. We examine a tiny asteroid  traveling through space along with Mars that is a near-perfect geological match for our Moon. Finally, we will explore the Solar System from our own back yards, as all seven planets visible in the sky can be seen this week from most places on Earth.

The film Don’t Look Up recently captured the eyes of the general public, bringing the story of a massive comet heading to Earth to screens everywhere.

Perhaps less well-known is the recent discovery of a real-life comet racing toward its closest approach to the Sun.

We talk with Pedro Bernardinelli, co-discoverer of Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein, a comet the size of Mount Everest. We discuss the film Don’t Look Up, science in the media, and how making a real-life discovery of a massive comet compares with Hollywood’s vision of science.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Stella Kafka back to the show. She is CEO of The American Association of Variable Star Observers, and she's going to teach us all about Betelgeuse.  

We are also going to look at the night sky, as Venus, Mars, and the Moon huddle close together. Then, we venture out Enceladus, one of the mighty moons of Saturn, examining its geysers for signs of life. Finally, we journey back to ancient Earth, learning about massive impacts on its young surface.  

Listen to this interview with Stella Kafka here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/nMuNnhmlEiY.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome New York Times best-selling author Earl Swift to the show. He recently released a new book, Across the Airless Wilds, the first major history of NASA's lunar buggy.  

We're also going to hear about NASA's latest success story, as the Hubble Space Telescope is successfully repaired, readying to continue exploring the Cosmos. We will also journey out to Venus, looking at the ultimate source of phosphine in the atmosphere of our planetary neighbor. Finally, we learn a possible answer to a 40-year-old mystery about the King of the Solar System, Jupiter.  

Listen to the video version of this episode here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://bit.ly/TCC-210720-pod.



Please help support The Cosmic Companion with a purchase of Across the Airless Wilds: https://amzn.to/3iwxoNe.

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at satellites, the artificial moons orbiting the Earth and other worlds. We will explore the history of satellites, look at how we all depend on these devices, and glimpse the future of these technological marvels as we explore beyond our home planet.  

Later on, we're going to talk with Marc Bell of CEO Orbital, about SmallSat technology, and the future of satellite technology.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we are joined by Dr. Sabine Stanley of Johns Hopkins University. Listen in as we talk about her work using computer modeling to study the atmosphere of Saturn.

But first, we go about as far back in time as we can get, examining conditions in the first millionth of a second after the Big Bang. Next, we learn how oxygen affected ancient forms of life on Earth long ago. Then, we examine a new source of X-rays discovered near the heart of the Milky Way galaxy, and hear how long-period comets can still produce meteor showers in our modern day.

For our first interview of our fourth season, we talk to Dr. Jake Turner  of Cornell University, discussing his work finding the first hints of a  magnetic field surrounding a planet in an alien solar system.   

But first, we examine an unusual radio signal coming from our closest  stellar neighbor that looks like it may have been created by an  intelligent species – but who? Next, we take a look at something you  might not expect – 2020 was, in fact, the shortest year in decades. We  will also head out to the Red Planet, where we see the largest canyon in  the Solar System in unprecedented detail.  

New episodes (nearly) every Tuesday!  Subscribe today and never miss an episode.

This week, we welcome Wen-fai Fong of Northwestern University to the  show, talking about her work studying kilonova explosions and collisions  of neutron stars.  

But first, we will look at new findings showing the Universe is getting  hotter, and we will examine the mysterious Blue Ring Nebula. Next, we  will journey back in time to the ancient solar system, when a massive  megaflood ravished the surface of Mars. Finally, we will bid a sad  farewell to one of the greatest telescopes in the world, as the Arecibo radio Telescope is slated for demolition.  



Watch the video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/sqYE1AX-E9A

Please subscribe to this podcast for weekly episodes. For more details on space and astronomy news, please visit https://thecosmiccompanion.net or http://thecosmiccompanion.com.

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we take a look at our home galaxy, the Milky Way. We will be talking with Stefan Gillessen from the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics about his work understanding Sagittarius A*— the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy.  

Released under Creative Commons 2.0 2022

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we learn how gravitational waves show evidence for a pair of ancient stellar murder mysteries, we meet a white dwarf the size of our Moon, and we pay a visit to our ailing friend, the Hubble Space Telescope.  

This week's scheduled interview with Earl Swift, author of Across the Airless Wilds, has been postponed until July 20, due to technical problems. Make sure to join us then for an inside look at NASA's lunar buggy!   

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/60amV2NtG_c

Catch up on every episode of this show at: www.thecosmiccompanion.tv! Subscribe or follow today and never miss an episode!  

For more details on space and astronomy news, please visit: www.thecosmiccompanion.net.

This is a very special global episode on Astronomy News with The Cosmic  Companion, as we talk with Dr. Amanda Karakas of Monash University,  speaking from Melbourne, Australia, as well as Dr. Chiaki Kobayashi,  from the University of Hertfordshire, joining us from London. These  researchers were at the heart of the new study showing how much of the  gold in the Universe was produced by a particular type of supernova  explosion.  

But first, we examine a stunning glitter seen around a supermassive  black hole. We also journey to Mars, where the Mars Express Orbiter  finds three more salty lakes beneath the surface of that world. The Red  Planet is also an easy find in the sky this week, and we will take a  look at how to find it. We will also journey back in time, where (and  when!) we will see six galaxies huddling around an ancient quasar, and  learn how the largest structures in the Universe were formed.

This week, we talk to Dr. Lauren Weiss, astronomer at the University of Hawaii. We will be talking about her work discovering the TOI-561 planetary system, and discussing extreme exoplanets!

But first, we head out to the TRAPPIST-1 solar system, where we find each of the seven worlds in that system are surprisingly alike. Next, we look at a new study finding that earlier reports of phosphine on Venus may have been in error. Then, we look at a new conceptual idea for a next-generation plasma engine that could bring spacecraft and people to Mars and beyond.

Listen to the podcast episode here, or watch it in video: https://youtu.be/r_QFsXew_Vs 

This week, we visit with Alyssa Mills. She is a graduate student at the University of Alabama, and we will talk about her work studying the largest moon in the Solar System – Ganymede.

We also talk with Pedro Bernardinelli, the astronomer who recently found the largest comet ever seen – and it is coming our way.

We also look in on the Hubble Space Telescope, which is still out of operation, following a computer failure. And, we learn details about Comet Bernardinelli-Bernstein before talking with the astronomer who first found this massive iceberg in space. Finally, we learn about a new study showing which nearby exoplanets are the most-likely places from which to find life on Earth, before we explore Jupiter's massive moon Ganymede with astronomer Alyssa Mills.

Listen to this episode as a podcast here, or watch it as a video at: https://youtu.be/AgmPvdXZJtQ

View our past episodes at: www.thecosmiccompanion.tv

Subscribe to this channel today, and never miss an episode!

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we take an up-close look at the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) as the most advanced spaceborne telescope ever built prepares for launch.

We talk with Dr. Stefanie Milam from the Goddard Space Flight Center. She is a planetary scientist who will be telling us about how the JWST will change our notions about the Cosmos.   We will also hear from fellow scientists answering the question “What excites you most about the James Webb Space Telescope?”

This week, we are joined by Dr. Elisabeth Newton, astronomer at Dartmouth College, who recently discovered three new worlds around the dwarf star TOI 451.  

But first, we're going to take a look at a new study showing that water worlds like Earth may be common around the galaxy. Next, we take a look at a new image of Venus, taken by the Parker Solar Probe, that could have implications for planetary science. Finally, we learn about a new study showing microbes under the seafloor of Earth could live off products formed by natural radiation, a finding that could assist in our understanding of the development of life on other worlds.



Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video version at: https://youtu.be/qZSbOq3xuJE

On 10 December, Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon will all line up just after sunset.   Here's a look at what's happening, and how to get the most out of this dazzling display!

What will living in space be like? We talk with Paul Albert-Lebrun, Product Manager at Kepler Communications, bringing the internet to space.  

As our species begins to move beyond our planetary cradle, what will life be like for the first generations of humans living in space?

This week, we welcome Brittany Zimmerman to the show. She is CEO of Yummet, an organization developing technology for living in space, as well as preserving our environment right here on Earth. We also check in on new findings about Betelgeuse, explained by Dr. Stella Kafka of the American Association of Variable Star Observers!

But first, we look in on the Hubble Space Telescope, as that famed instrument powers down, following a computer failure. Next, we look at a new study examining the causes of the recent dimming of the star Betelgeuse. Finally, we journey out to a pair of distant galaxies that appear to be missing one critical ingredient – dark matter.

Listen to the podcast here or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/gLA-860WDME

As humanity moves out into the final frontier, music will evolve and change. What can we expect from the future of music in space?  

From the earliest rhythmic beats made by our distant human ancestors to independent musicians now pushing the limits of music on YouTube channels, music has always changed and evolved with society. In turn, changes in music can bring about cathartic change within the human psyche.  

We are going to look at three of the major causes driving the evolution of musical expression and see how the human migration to space will affect the future of music.  Many of the great changes in music have come from migrations of people, and the collaborations they inspire. Changing economic conditions have also inspired musical change, and the evolution of technology constantly defines the limits of what is possible.   

Later on, we’ll be talking with classical music composer Doug Helvering, host of The Daily Doug about the future of music in space.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Bruce Betts to the show. He is Chief Scientist and LightSail Program Manager for The Planetary Society. We will be talking about near-Earth objects, and how we might protect our world from potentially-hazardous asteroids and comets.

But first, we journey back almost 75,000  years, to a time when the Toba volcano erupted, wiping out much of the human population at that time. Then, we look up at our planetary companion, the Moon, as it  pays visits in the night sky to four planets of our Solar System throughout the month. And, we're gonna tell you how to see it happen.

Plus, we get an inside look at an upcoming book about one of NASA's most-inspiring figures, Katherine Johnson. Finally, before welcoming Dr. Betts to the show, we learn about a solar eclipse taking place this week that's really for the snowbirds!



Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/NmFw2oHcgj4

The Lunar eclipse of May 26th should be a delight for skygazers across the United States - especially those west of the Mississippi!   Here's what's happening, where you can see it, and more!   

This is the first episode of a new idea - The Astronomy Minute! One story, told in 60 seconds or less - what do you think? What do you think - should we make more?   

For more information, visit: The Cosmic Companion » Astronomy News - Exploring the wonders of the Cosmos, one mystery at a time

Welcome back to the Cosmic Companion. This is the first episode from our new studio, and I sure hope you all enjoy it.

This week, we kick of Women's History Month by celebrating women in science. We have an amazing trio of guests, including science journalists Clare Fiesler and Gabby Salazar from National Geographic, and Kim Macharia, chair of Space Prize.

We'll also take a look at three amazing women who changed the face of astronomy forever. Let's take off!

The Geminid meteor shower arrives on the night of 13 December 2021.   We take a look at how to view this display, where to look in the sky, and we take a glimpse at an alignment of planets happening on the other side of the sky. Cats may be involved for video viewers.

This week, we learn about the first space hurricane ever spotted. We will also visit two different exoplanets that may strangely look familiar to Star Wars fans. One of these is thought to be a lava world, while the other may be largely covered in volcanoes.  

Plus, a sneak preview of next week's episode, when we will be joined by Neil deGrasse Tyson, talking about his new book, Cosmic Queries, as well as alien intelligence, the drive for science, Carl Sagan and more!  Subscribe today and never miss an episode!



Listen here or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/V2X-7xoseFo

Astronomers recently found six galaxies orbiting a distant quasar from  the early age of the Universe. What can this tell us about the formation  of supermassive black holes?



Dr. Roberto Gilli from the National Institute for Astrophysics in Italy will join us October 20 to talk about this discovery.  

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome NASA legend Homer Hickam to the show. The inspiration for the movie October Sky talks about growing up in a West Virginia coal-mining town, his new book, Don’t Blow Yourself Up, and... teaching David Letterman how to SCUBA dive?  

But first, we look in on an extreme exoplanet where iron rains down from the sky, we join NASA as they ready to deflect an asteroid for the first time, and we will join a Russian film crew which recently arrived at the ISS, preparing to shoot the first movie in space.  

Listen to this interview with Homer Hickam here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/Y1QzOHO-HyI

This week, we take an up-close look at what will be the most-advanced telescope ever to launch into space, the James Webb Space Telescope. We welcome Scott Lambros, Instrument Systems Manager for this remarkable instrument, back to the show!

But first, we look at new evidence for volcanic eruptions on Mars in the surprisingly-recent past. We also head out to the distant void of space as Voyager 1 detects a faint hum which could help us better understand interstellar space. Finally, we turn our sights to the James Webb Space Telescope as it unfurls its massive mirror for the final time on Earth, before talking with our special guest, who just returned from conducting the tests.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins. Thanks for exploring the Cosmos, and liking a couple of my posts - that was awesome.



Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/_yP_eddfaJQ

Good news: We have Geoff Notkin, Emmy Award-winning host of Meteorite Men and STEM Journals on next week, talking about meteorites, and his adventures searching the globe for treasures from space.

Better news: We have a sneak preview of the episode for you right now! Enjoy!

This week, we are joined by Dr. Andrea Dupree, senior astrophysicist with the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. She recently carried out a study showing why the red supergiant star Betelgeuse recently dimmed, a sight seen by millions of amateur astronomers worldwide.

We also look at how the development of life on Earth may have been shaped by a nearby supernova explosion, and we take a look at a new study suggesting the Sun may have once had a stellar companion, with whom it was born billions of years ago. Meanwhile, NASA charges batteries on the first helicopter ever headed to another planet.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Mark McCaughrean, Senior Advisor for Science & Exploration at the European Space Agency, to the show. We'll talk about the European Space Agency's BepiColombo mission to Mercury.

We're also going to look at Comet Leonard as it makes its closest approach to Earth this week, and we'll tell you how to find it in the night sky. We're going to hear about an odd finding from a Chinese lunar rover on the far side of the Moon, and we look forward to the launch of the most advanced telescope ever sent into space – the James Webb Space Telescope.

Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion. This week, we are delighted to be joined by one of the world's most renowned oceanographers, Dr. Sylvia Earle. She's here to talk to us about her new book, National Geographic Ocean | A Global Odyssey. We're going to get an in-depth look at the oceans of our home world.

We're also going to take a look up in the sky, as a trio of planets line up with the Moon, and the Geminid meteor shower aims to delight skygazers. And, we look in on an odd planet that is really metal. No, seriously. It's metal.

Thousands of centuries ago, on the ancient plains of Africa, our most distant hominid ancestors looked upward, embracing the pitch-dark night sky above their heads.

Cultures around the globe made up stories of the bright band of light which ran across the inky darkness.

Little could any person imagine the Milky Way was composed of hundreds of billions of stars, let alone comprehending the notion of a trillion galaxies throughout the Cosmos.

Later on in the show, we’ll talk with Dr. Joe Pesce, astrophysicist at the National Science Foundation, talking about the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.

Exploring exoplanets — worlds orbiting alien stars — talking with Thayne Currie of NAOJ, who recently found a bizarre massive planet.

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at exoplanets — worlds orbiting alien stars. We are joined by Dr. Thayne Currie, astrophysicist at The Subaru Telescope, who recently discovered a planet nine times more massive than Jupiter orbiting a young star a little over 500 light years from Earth.

On 21 March 2022, NASA confirmed the 5,000th confirmed exoplanet, marking a milestone in our understanding of the Cosmos.

Three decades before, the first exoplanets were found orbiting pulsars — rapidly spinning corpses of stars, during the second week of 1992. This was the week Kristi Yamaguchi won the US female Figure Skating championship, Paul Simon opened a tour of South Africa, and President George H. W. Bush got ill at the home of the Japanese Prime Minister.

On 6 October 1995 (the day after O.J. Simpson was found innocent of murder), astronomers announced the discovery of 51 Pegasi, the first exoplanet found around a healthy, active, main-sequence star.

Dr. Meridith Joyce of Australian National University joins us on the  show, talking about her new finding showing that the red giant star Betelgeuse is both smaller and closer than we believed.   

We'll also take a look at the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which touched down  last week on the surface of the asteroid Bennu. We examine a  new study identifying 1,000 worlds where extraterrestrial astronomers  could – theoretically –  easily see signs of life on Earth. Also, one  exoplanet the size of Neptune is found orbiting far too close to its  parent star. And we take a look at findings from the ALMA network of  radio telescopes, revealing the role volcanoes play in forming the  atmosphere of Io, one of the largest moons of Jupiter.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we take a look at a project that could become the first mission far into the void between the stars – the Interstellar Probe. We'll talk with Dr. Elena Provornikova from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory about this futuristic mission.  

But first, we journey far back in time, to an era when the Milky Way may have merged with another, smaller galaxy, and learn how that event changed our galaxy. Next, we travel even further back in time and out in space, as evidence suggests one of the most-important constants in cosmology may not be a constant after all. Finally, we look up in the sky, as a lunar eclipse will be visible early Wednesday morning over most of the United States, before welcoming our special guest.



Learn more: The Cosmic Companion » Astronomy News - Exploring the wonders of the Cosmos, one mystery at a time

The May 15 Lunar Eclipse gives us a perfect reason for Exploring Our Neighbor: The Moon! Features lunar eclipse viewing guide for Sunday's celestial event!

This week, we talk with Dr. Jack Hughes, astrophysicist at Rutgers University, telling us of new findings about supernovae, the powerful eruptions that can mark the end of life for massive stars.  

But first, we will use computer simulations to peer inside the atmosphere of Saturn. We will look in on an unusual yellow supernova, and find what made this eruption so strange. And, we will look to the future, as researchers plan a massive radio telescope on the far side of the Moon.  The magnetic field of Saturn is surprisingly symmetrical near the poles, a mystery of the ringed planet that might now be explained. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University took data collected during the suicide plunge of the Cassini spacecraft into Saturn, feeding it into computer simulations similar to those used to model weather and climate here on Earth. They found that helium rain falling through the atmosphere of Saturn could explain the oddly-regular nature of this massive magnetic field. 

Join us on June 1st, when we will talk with Professor Sabine Stanley of Johns Hopkins University about this unique study.

For the first episode of our fourth season,, we have a special episode  of Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, as we look forward to the  Top 10 astronomy and space stories we can expect to see unfold in 2021. 

Learn about the two lunar eclipses happening in 2021, the return of  Russia to the Moon, the launch of Artemis 1, and much more!  

Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode on YouTube. 

Happy New Year!

This week, we are joined by Dr. Oskar Elek from the University of  California, Santa Cruz. We will be discussing his work seeking to  understand the Cosmic Web – the largest structures in the Universe –  through computer modeling and humble slime mold.   

We'll also take a look at the future of farming on Mars, as a new study  examines how to turn Martian topsoil into a fertile growing medium for  Martian colonists of the future. We will examine the origin of water on  planets, and find clues to the chemistry of the early Solar System in a  Martian meteorite. And, in the dark recesses of the early solar system,  we see an ancient ice planet that may have forever shaped our family of  planets before heading out to the void of space.

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we look at meteorites, and the role they play in shaping our planet and the history of the human race. 

We will be talking with Greg Brennecka, author of Impact How Rocks from Space Led to Life, Culture, and Donkey Kong.  

Earth is constantly impacted by material from space. Most of this debris is small - the size of an apple seed or smaller. As these pebbles from space race through our atmosphere, they burn away as meteors, or shooting stars, which can, sometimes, be seen by curious eyes gazing upward to the heavens.   

Occasionally, some of the larger pieces survive their incendiary sojourn through our atmosphere, landing on Earth as meteorites.

* We Love Science! * Win a free copy of Impact by Greg Brennecka - enter by Valentine's Day! 

Water on the Moon has been seen before in dark craters. Now, a new study finds water in a crater exposed to sunlight. We explore the finding, and SOFIA - the airborne telescope that made the discovery. 

Learn more at https://thecosmiccompanion.net/water-on-the-moon-isnt-just-hiding-in-the-shadows

This week, we talk to Dr. Kirsten Siebach, a Martian geologist from Rice University, talking about her work uncovering secrets of the climate of ancient Mars.

But first, we study a newly-discovered system of exoplanets featuring an extreme planet of molten lava. Next, we learn about a so-called cotton-candy planet with a density so low it wasn't thought to be possible. Finally, closer to home, we take a look at a new study revealing that Gale Crater on Mars may have once resembled Iceland, before talking to one of the lead researchers on that study.

Next week, we talk to Dr. Lauren Weiss, astronomer at the University of Hawaii, on her work studying the TOI-561 solar system and extreme exoplanets!

Next week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion: Dr. Jenifer Millard, host of The Awesome Astronomy Podcast, talks about astronomy, star parties, and the wonder of science. Listen to the sneak preview! 

plus Esen Ercan Alp of Argonne National Laboratory – one of the few people to have seen samples from the asteroid Ryugu!

Full interview drops 19 October.

Future episodes:

26 October (s5/e16): Halloween Special! The science of Halloween with Erika Engelhaupt, author of Gory Details.

2 November (s5/e17): Professor Tara Murphy, University of Sydney, on strange radio signals coming from near the center of our galaxy.

9 November (s5/e18): NASA’s Psyche Mission to the Asteroid Belt! Guest TBA

Subscribe or follow us today, and never miss an episode!

Amateur astronomers have a lot to look up to in October 2021.   Jupiter, Saturn, Venus, and the Moon all put on dazzling shows, plus a pair of meteor showers!



Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this guide to the night sky at: https://youtu.be/-9a9klMgJ2o

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome CHIME member Kaitlyn Shin to the show, and she's going to  teach us about fast radio bursts coming from space.

But first, we look at a new study showing that stars eating planets may be more common than we thought, a new type of supernova is seen by astronomers as a black hole or neutron star collides with its parent star, and China takes the first steps toward building a space station a kilometer long.



Listen to the podcast here, or watch this episode as a video at: https://youtu.be/cvs0vvAgDbA

This week, we welcome Dr. Christopher Berry to the show. He is an astrophysicist who recently helped discover the first intermediate-mass black hole ever seen by astronomers.

We will also look at an ancient galaxy that looks normal, and talk about why that's so  unusual. We learn of an active environment around the asteroid Bennu, and we see how our ideas of dark matter may change, due to an unexpected bending of light.

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/vMGk_k93IKA

On December 21, 2020, the two largest planets in our solar system will appear just one-tenth of a degree apart, or one-fifth of the diameter of a full Moon. This is the closest visible conjunction of the planets seen since the year 1226.

We take a look at what to expect, and how to best prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime celestial event.

The three brightest planets in the Solar System - Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, together with the Moon - will all line up tonight just after sunset.



Here's a look at what's happening, and how to get the most out of this dazzling display!

This week, we have a double interview, talking with astronomer Alan Jackson and astrophysicist Steven Desch. We will talk about their new study of 'Oumuamua, an interstellar body which visited our solar system in 2017.  

But first, we look at some odd geology on the Red Planet, as researchers learn how spiders on Mars form. We also see new images of the supermassive black hole at the core of the galaxy M87. Finally, we dive into the mammoth oceans of Saturn's moon, Enceladus, learning how currents flow under its icy shell.

Listen to the podcast of this episode here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/T4Vu3n4Z3OE



Next week: Yuri's Night - celebrating the 60th anniversary of human spaceflight and the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle with three-time Shuttle astronaut Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan!  

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Jenifer Millard  to the show. She is a science journalist and co-presenter of the Awesome Astronomy podcast, and we will talk about amateur astronomy and bringing science to the masses. We're also going to hear from Dr. Tara Murphy of the University of Sydney about her recent discovery of strange radio signals coming from near the center of the Milky Way.

In addition, we learn of a solar system that looks much like our own family of planets will in the distant future, following the death of our Sun. Plus, we look in on those odd radio signals from near the center of our galaxy, and get a sneak preview of our upcoming conversation with Dr. Murphy.

We take a look at the history of science fiction and talk about how these stories enrich the soil from which science grows, advancing our species to our future among the stars. We will be talking with Jenny Curtis and Chris Porter from the new hit podcast, Solar, starring Helen Hunt.

Science fiction - stories set in worlds where science has changed society for good or bad, plays a central role in the development of society and culture. This genre has, in one form or another, been a part of the human psyche since antiquity...

This week, we welcome science writer David W. Brown to the show. He is a contributor for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Scientific American. We will discuss his new book, The Mission, telling the story of NASA's upcoming project, the Europa Clipper.

But first, we kick off the fortnight of Mars, as the first two of three new spacecraft arrive at our planetary neighbor, readying to explore the Red Planet. We will also head out to the outer reaches of our planetary family, where we meet Farfarout – the most-distant object known in our solar system.

Watch the video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/qIFG5MwJZYc

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we take a close-up look at asteroids – those lumps or rock, metal, and ice racing around our solar system. We're going to examine five major missions happening right now, examining asteroids, and potentially, saving us from the fate of the dinosaurs.

Bill Bottke, Director of Space Studies at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) joins us talking about the Psyche mission, exploring a metal-rich asteroid for the first time.

We will also be joined by Esen Ercan Alp, senior physicist at Argonne National Laboratory, one of the few people in the world studying samples from the asteroid Ryugu returned from Haybusa2.

In addition, we examine the Dart mission – the first-ever test in space, deflecting an asteroid by impacting it with a spacecraft!

Together, we explore the OSIRIS-REx mission to Bennu, and hear from Cathy Olkin of SwRI, telling us of the journey of Lucy to the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter.

All this and more in this week's episode of Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion!

Next week 30 November (s5/e20): Matthew Bothwell talks about his new book, The Invisible Universe. He’ll tell us about the Universe we can’t see with our eyes. Subscribe or follow today and never miss an episode!

The premiere episode of our newest short-form series, Cosmic Connections!



This week, we explore the connections between a nebula in space called the Dragons of Ara, and learn its connections to woolly mammoths, floods, and more! 

The Perseverance rover made an unexpected finding on Mars - organic material in Jezero Crater.

Exploring Jezero Crater on Mars, the Perseverance rover recently came across an unexpected finding - organic molecules within the Martian rocks.  

The six-wheeled rover arrived on Mars in February, spending the last 10 months exploring Jezero Crater on the Red Planet. The spacecraft now reports finding organic material within this alien basin.

The buzz this week is all about the Eta Aquarid meteor shower visible late on Thursday and Friday nights! Nearly one shooting star a minute might bee seen under really dark skies.

The Eta Aquarids are caused by Earth impacting tiny pieces of the most famous of all comets — Halley!

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we look at the future of data storage in space, as we talk with Ohad Harlev, CEO of Lyteloop.  

But, first, we examine the case of the missing supernova, an exploding star that should have been seen on Earth three centuries ago - and wasn't. Next, we take a look at the Chinese Space Station Telescope, a new set of eyes readying to explore the Universe. Then, we look in on the first test flights of Ingenuity – the first helicopter ever to fly on another world. Finally, we examine the first-ever production of oxygen on the Martian surface, bringing us one step closer to living on Mars.  

Watch the video here or listen to the podcast version of this episode: https://bit.ly/TCC-210427-pod

This week, we welcome Professor Eric Agol from the University of Washington to the show. He is an astrophysicist focused on the study of  exoplanets, and we will be talking about his work uncovering conditions on the seven worlds of the TRAPPIST-1 system.  

But first, we look at a study proposing a new way to find dark matter – one of the greatest mysteries in astrophysics. Next, we examine a possible new method for seeing long-elusive gravitational waves. Finally, we hear the story of a student astronomer who may have found a  missing piece of the Cosmos.  



Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video at: https://youtu.be/c5YZK4916d8

Coming March 16: Neil deGrasse Tyson!   

Subscribe today and never miss an episode!

This week, we are joined by Dr. Brian Fields of the University of Illinois. He recently headed a study showing how the Devonian extinction which took place on Earth 359 million years ago, may have been triggered by the supernova explosion of a nearby star.

We also look at a new experiment showing how life might survive a trip aboard an asteroid traveling from Mars to Earth, and we discuss new ideas showing how Earth may have been a water world since soon after its formation. Finally, we gaze out to the nearby galaxy, Andromeda, as the Hubble Space Telescope reveals a massive halo of ionized gas surrounding the massive collection of stars.

This week, we are joined by Dr. Allison Youngblood of the University of Colorado Boulder. She recently used the Hubble Space Telescope to look at the atmosphere of Earth during a lunar eclipse, testing methods to find life on other worlds. In addition, we talk with Professor Jane Charlton of Penn State University about last week's virtual Astrofest.

Also on this episode of Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we take a look at the lone dwarf planet in the inner solar system, Ceres, as new evidence comes to light revealing a vast ocean beneath its frozen surface. We will learn about a possible answer to the great mystery of why the star Betelgeuse recently dimmed for several months, and talk about the Perseid meteor shower and spotting shooting stars in the late summer skies.



Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/CjmO0vV_9_k

A twin star of the Sun, formed billions of years ago as the Solar System took shape, might help explain movements of bodies at the outer reaches of our family of planets, researchers suggest. Astronomers from The Center for Astrophysics believe that if a ninth planet is discovered beyond the orbit of Pluto, its movements could help us better understand how the Sun and our planetary neighborhood formed billions of years in the past.

This week on the Cosmic Companion, we discuss the return of humans to the Moon with NASA's Artemis program and compare today's endeavors to the Apollo program of the 1960s and early 70s.

Later on, we will be joined by Apollo mathematician Poppy Northcutt. She was the first woman to work at NASA mission control and was instrumental to the success of Apollo 8 and the safe return of Apollo 13.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Rosanne Di Stefano from the Center for Astrophysics to the show, talking about her work finding the first planet yet seen in another galaxy.

We also look in on the ailing Hubble Space Telescope, as that famed instrument unexpectedly shuts down. We're going to examine the first signs of water within a galaxy in the ancient Cosmos, and we will look up in the night sky as Uranus offers amateur astronomers a prime chance to view that world.

This week, we welcome Dr. Dimitra Atri to the show. He is an astrophysicist from New York University Abu Dhabi, and we will be discussing his work showing how life might survive just beneath the surface of Mars, aided by galactic cosmic rays.

We will also look at how astronomers found a type of black hole they always expected to find as well as one thought impossible. We examine the most detailed images ever recorded of the Sun, taken by astronomers at Europe's largest solar telescope. Lastly, we will journey to the Moon, where investigators recently found hematite – a mineral which forms from water and free oxygen – both of which are rare on the lunar surface.

This week, we welcome Affelia Wibisono from University College London to the show, discussing the first discovery of X-rays seen radiating from the ice giant planet Uranus.  

But, next up, we take a look at the oldest, closest pairs of quasars yet seen in the early Universe. We will also look at the pulsar at the core of the Crab Nebula, revealing secrets of these enigmatic bodies. Then, we travel to Mars, examining the first helicopter ever designed to fly on another world, as Ingenuity prepares for its first flight on the Red Planet.  

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/okCLultDsHA

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Geoff Notkin to the show. He is the two-time Emmy Awarding-winning host of STEM Journals, and he hosted Meteorite Men on the Science Channel. He’s going to tell us all about meteorites!   

But first, we discuss the future of space stations as the ISS nears the end of its operational life. We also find that supermassive black holes wandering through space may be more common than we thought, and we hear about the discovery of an asteroid by someone who is very familiar to fans of Star Trek.



Listen to the podcast here, or watch this episode as a video at: https://youtu.be/0axG2zDOd1s

This week, we welcome Dr. Ezat Heydari to the show. He is a professor of  geoscience at Jackson State University. We will discuss his work  showing evidence of a possible megaflood on Mars in the ancient solar  system.  

But, first, we examine fusion processes at the core of our Sun, using a  detector buried deep underground. We also take a look at a sunspot that  became visible from Earth on Thanksgiving, and learn how astronomers saw  it when it was still on the other side of the Sun. Finally, we will  take our first - but by no means last - look at a great conjunction of  planets coming soon to a sky near you.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we talk with Roman Chiporuhka, CEO of Space VIP, about the future of private spaceflight, and what it could mean for the future of humanity.  

We'll also take a look at the VIPER spacecraft which will soon scout locations for the return of humans to the Moon. Then, we'll head out to Mars, hearing about a new study showing water on Mars may have been doomed from the start. We're also going to take a look at light from a distant galaxy, seen as an Einstein ring in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope.

A look at robotics and artificial intelligence in space as NASA's Trey Smith and Jose Benavides visit Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion!  

But first, we look at a triple star system that may be home to an odd exoplanet, we ride along with the BepiColombo craft exploring Mercury, and we talk about what's coming to the night sky in October!  

Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/PrqyFLHvbaw

Hello and welcome back to Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion. This week, we welcome Professor Seiji Sugita of the University of Tokyo to the show. He is a researcher on the Hayabusa2 mission which recently brought the first large sample of an asteroid to Earth.

But first, we take a look at a new study teaching us how spiders react to living in space. Next, we will journey to the exoplanet HD 106906 b, and learn what it could teach us about a possible unseen planet at the edge of our solar system. Finally, we will take a look at the first large samples of an asteroid ever to arrive on Earth, before we talk to one of the researchers on this historic mission.   Learn more: https://thecosmiccompanion.net

This week, we are joined by Dr. Maciek Wielgus, astronomer at Harvard  University, speaking to us from Gdansk, Poland. We will discuss his work  revealing glittering around the supermassive black hole at the center  of the M 87 galaxy.

But first, we look at a new study identifying 24 exoplanets that appear  to be even friendlier to life than Earth. We also see how superflares –  powerful eruptions from stars – behave, and learn how they might affect  life on other worlds. Then, we take a look at OSIRIS-REx, NASA's first  attempt to collect material from an asteroid, as the revolutionary  spacecraft readies to touch the surface of the asteroid Bennu.

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome planetary astrophysicist Dr. Stephen Kane to the show. We discuss the role private spaceflight plays in society and developing science.   

We will also learn about the first discovery of a moon in another solar system. Next, we head to Mars, where the InSight rover has mapped the inner structure of the planet in detail for the first time. Finally, we take a glimpse at a new-generation telescope that could revolutionize astronomy, before welcoming our special guest.  

Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/OJhXYEQmQ80

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Noah Petro, Project Scientist for the NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) to the show. We talk about exploring the lunar surface, the Artemis missions, and the return of humans to the Moon!   

But first, we visit the CHIME radio Telescope in Canada, which recorded 535 fast radio bursts coming from around the Cosmos. Then, we will zoom in on Jupiter's system of moons as the Juno spacecraft records the first closeup images in 20 years of the giant moon Ganymede. Next, we will take a look at a new study finding that moons orbiting gas giants could be home to water, even without a parent star.  

Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch it as a video at: https://youtu.be/JMMC9mBqj5M

This week, we welcome Dr. Michael Wurm from the Borexino Collaboration  to the show. He recently led a new study examining neutrino emissions  from the Sun, revealing details of the nuclear furnace burning at the  heart of our parent star.  

But first, we head out to the outskirts of the Solar System, where the long-lived Voyager spacecraft have seen quick-moving particles driven off the surface of the Sun. We will also journey back in time, to the formation of the Moon, as researchers using supercomputer simulations recreate a titanic collision between the Earth and a Mars-sized body four billion years ago. Then, we will take a look up in the sky, readying ourselves for the Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn taking place on the Winter Solstice.

This week on the Cosmic Companion, we explore the Ocean Worlds of the Cosmos. Later in the show, we will talk with oceanographer and National Geographic explorer Sylvia Earle.

Oceans are one of the defining features of our world, covering roughly three-quarters of the globe. Water is essential to life on Earth, and at one time, we thought this life-sustaining substance was rare throughout the Solar System.

Over the last few decades, researchers have come to understand that water appears to be far more common throughout the Cosmos than ever before believed...

Welcome back to The Cosmic Companion. This week we talk about why Black Holes Don’t Suck as we discuss these bizarre features of space. We’ll talk about the different types of black holes, explore the history of our understanding of these objects, and glance at some of the great questions astronomers have today about black holes.

Later on in the show, we’ll be talking with astronomer and astrophysicist Dr. Abigail Frost about her work finding that the nearest black hole to Earth isn’t a black hole after all!

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we have a special double interview as we welcome Dr. Richard Teague from the Center for Astrophysics to the show, talking about finding the first moon ever discovered in another solar system. We will also talk with Dr. Davide Farnocchia, asteroid dynamicist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, about the asteroid Bennu, which could be headed for a collision with Earth (but, probably not).

We also have an exploding star, and we take a look at the development of robotic attendants aboard space stations and colonies of the future.



Listen to the podcast version of this episode here, or watch the video version at: https://youtu.be/FPqJRN68VXA

This week, we are delighted to welcome Neil deGrasse Tyson to the show. We talk about his new book, Cosmic Queries, as well as the nature of intelligence, Carl Sagan, and a whole lot more.

But first, we learn about one of the biggest problems in astrophysics, as a new study lends further evidence to questions about the expansion rate of the Universe. We also examine the oldest quasar jet ever seen radiating in X-rays. Then, we look at a nearby exoplanet that lost one inhospitable atmosphere, just to grow one even more noxious.



Listen to the podcast of this episode here, or watch the video version at: https://youtu.be/Va_by-AuGuY

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Stephanie Ryan to the show. She is the author of Let's Learn About Chemistry, and we will be talking about teaching science to children.  

But first, we look at a new study suggesting clay, not water, may be hidden under the icy  South Pole of Mars. We also examine the radio galaxy Centaurus A in a new light, and look up at Saturn during a close(-ish) approach to Earth.  



New examinations of radar reflections seen on Mars in 2018 suggests these features may be the result of clay, not underground lakes, near the south pole of the Red Planet. When radar images of the south pole of Mars were recorded by the Mars Express orbiter three years ago, researchers suggested the features might be the result of underground water. This was an intriguing possibility. A trio of new papers, however, finds that clay under the surface, not water, may, in fact, be responsible for the data seen by researchers.

Astronomers using the Event Horizon Telescope have carried out the most-detailed observations ever of the radio galaxy Centaurus A. Researchers detailed the source of jets emanating from the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. Astronomers suggest that examination of this galaxy at shorter wavelengths might produce an image similar to that seen in 2019 of the supermassive black hole in M87, taken by this same network of radio telescopes.

On the night of Monday 2 August, Saturn and Earth made their closest approach to each other for this year. This offered amateur astronomers a chance to view the Ringed Planet at its closest and brightest. The rings are also currently aligned at around 18 degrees from edge-on as seen from Earth, offering stunning views of the rings, and the Moon on Monday stayed hidden until late at night. If you missed this close encounter, Saturn is still shining brightly in the southern sky, anytime after sunset, for most skywatchers in the northern hemisphere.

Listen to this episode as a podcast here, or watch it as a video at: https://youtu.be/1rWxEJjLjEY

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dillon Dong, a graduate student at Caltech to the show. We're going to talk about his work discovering a previously-unseen type of supernova eruption.  

But first, we learn about a supernova due for a return engagement, we hear how Steve Wozniak could be entering the space salvage business, and we will look in on Inspiration 4, the first all-civilian flight to space.

Amateur astronomers have a rare treat this week, as all seven planets  visible in the sky can be observed over the course of a single night.  Here's how to find every planet in the sky visible to amateur  astronomers any night this week.   

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For this final episode of our third season, we welcome Dr. Paul Kalas from UC Berkeley to the show. He is an astronomer studying the exoplanet HD 106906, which might resemble an unseen ninth planet in our own solar system.

But first, we journey far out in space and back in time, as astronomers lay their sights on the most distant – and oldest – galaxy ever seen. Closer to home, we examine the discovery of hexamine – a chemical critical to the development of life – inside an asteroid. Finally, we listen in on radio waves from the exoplanet Tau Boötis b, and learn how it shows the first-ever evidence for a magnetic field surrounding a planet in an alien solar system.

When we look up at the moonless, cloudless night sky, far away from city lights, we may see as many as 5,000 stars. These distant dots of light may seem eternal, but this illusion is merely an effect of our momentary, fleeting lives in the Cosmos.  Like humans, stars are born, live, and die. 

Most stars are found within local families called galaxies. Our own Milky Way is thought to contain somewhere around 400 billion stars. And there may be a trillion galaxies spread throughout the Cosmos...

This week, we welcome renowned physicist Dr. Lawrence Krauss, the author of The Physics of Star Trek, to the show, talking about his new book, The Physics of Climate Change.

But first, we're going to take a look at a new study that may have found the final resting place of the ancient water of Mars. In other watery news, we look at how life may be hiding on ocean worlds within our own solar system. Finally, we'll take another glimpse at Oumuamua, the odd body which visited our family of planets in 2017.



Listen to the podcast here, or watch the video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/rN1GDBHyhsw

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, Dr. Tara Murphy from the University of Sydney joins us, looking at an odd radio burst seen near the center of the Milky Way galaxy.

We will also look at a possible discovery of a planet in another galaxy, and examine a massive solar flare that nearly missed Earth over the weekend. Finally, we will head out to Jupiter, where NASA's Juno spacecraft made some intriguing new findings, before welcoming our special guest.

Hello, and welcome back to Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion. This week, we have a pair of amazing guests. First, we talk to Joshua Ravich, NASA’s lead mechanical engineer for the Ingenuity helicopter on Mars. We will discuss the design, testing, operation of this remarkable little robotic explorer. Next, we will be joined by Andrew Fazekas, National Geographic's Night Sky Guy, discussing amateur astronomy, science, and exploring the Cosmos.  

But, first, we'll examine a new study showing ways that oxygen might be produced on planets in the absence of life, and what that could mean in the search for extraterrestrial life. Next, we look in on a newly-discovered rocky world not far from our own home. Then, we journey out to the edge of out planetary family, where the New Horizons spacecraft reaches a historic milestone.

The Science of Halloween featuring Erika Engelhaupt, author of Gory Details: Adventures from the Dark Side of Science.   

Plus - Would Aliens Eat Humans? Extinction from an Asteroid, and the Scariest Objects in the Night Sky!

Our video editing software went down, but here is a podcast-only version of this week's episode - The Future of Robots w/ Jason McKenna of VEX Robotics! 

This week on The Cosmic Companion, we talk about The Future of the International Space Station, as we explore this outpost of humanity in space.

We talk with Homer Hickam - the self-made rocket designer who helped lead negotiations with the Russian government over their role on the ISS. We will talk about his role as the ISS took shape, and how the War in Ukraine might affect the orbiting outpost...

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we head out to Jupiter, where the Juno spacecraft readies to  spend five more years exploring the Jovian system. Next, we will travel far out in space, and back in time, exploring the oldest quasar ever seen by astronomers. Finally, we will examine the remains of a star that was seen exploding 1,700 years ago, piecing together details of a supernova long lost to history.   

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/dn7pgwbltEY

Learn more: https://thecosmiccompanion.net

Subscribe today and never miss an episode!

This week on Astronomy News with The Cosmic Companion, we welcome Dr. Jonathan Lunine, chair of the astronomy department at Cornell University to the show, telling us all about the volcanoes of Venus!  But first, we journey out to the L 98-59 planetary system, exploring a trio of intriguing exoplanets. 

Next, we take a trip out to the Trojan asteroids of Jupiter, along with the Lucy spacecraft, as it readies for launch. Finally, we ready for the Perseid meteor shower, due to rain down to Earth on the nights of the 12th and 13th of August.   New examination of the L 98–59 planetary system reveals hidden details of three exoplanets in that planetary system. One of these is found to have a mass just half that of Venus, while another appears to be a water world. This new study by researchers at the European Southern Observatory also shows evidence for a fourth, and possibly even a fifth world in that stellar system, a mere 35 light years from Earth.  

Listen to the podcast version of the episode here, or watch this show as a video at: https://youtu.be/e0kxpujd1Ok.

The Moon and Mars conjunction of April 16-17 will give skygazers a chance to see these two objects huddled together in the sky.   

Andrew Fazekas, National Geographic's Night Sky Guy, gives us a look at what's happening, and how to see this beautiful display in the night sky.   

Watch the full interview with him on April 20th, when we will talk about amateur astronomy, the human quest for knowledge, and exploring the Cosmos.   

Watch past episodes at: https://thecosmiccompanion.net/astronomy-news-with-the-cosmic-companion 

For more information about Astronomers Without Borders, please visit: https://my.astronomerswithoutborders.org/home