Planetary Exploration

Viking Lander on Mars 1976

We humans have come a long way, evolving into a technologically advanced species. Over the past 60 years we have mastered the ability to send robotic spacecraft throughout the Solar System, getting a close up look at all of the worlds, even landing on some of them. As a young person in Los Angeles in the 1970s, I would regularly ride my bicycle to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and pick up the latest pictures from the Solar System, from the first landing on Mars in 1976, throughout the entire Voyager missions and fly-bys in the late 70s through the end of the 80s. I am personally moved to watch and learn as we (NASA, ESA, other space agencies) push the frontier and travel farther and wider in our own home solar system. 

I recently recorded a podcast for the Translunar series talking about Planetary Exploration. You can listen here. And for those of you in and around Munich, Germany, I will be delivering talks in English and in German at the Volkssternwarte München on the same topic in November 2024. 

NASA and the Planetary Society have amazing stories, reports and photos from these missions. If you like learning about our Solar System, you will be happy to find endless resources on their websites. 

Image courtesy of NASA. 

Spooky Astronomy

The Face on Mars (1976)

It's that time of year when pumpkins begin appearing everywhere and darkness arrives earlier in the evening. We humans generally enjoy being spooked a bit, to be scared of things we do not fully understand or cannot fully explain. And looking up into the night sky, imaginations can run wild.  In 1976 the Viking landers took this iconic picture of the Martian landscape and many people saw a face in the picture. Since then, much better resolution images have come from Mars landers and orbiters and we now know that this is an optical illusion, a unique view that was fortuitous timing and also due to the fairly rudimentary camera that were on that early Mars mission. This is but one of many things people see in the sky, including UFOs and aliens, asteroids and comets, that strike fear into those seeing these objects. 

Several years ago I prepared a Halloween lecture called Spooky Astronomy that I have presented at the Munich Public Observatory (Volkssternwarte München). In this lecture, I share many more such examples of optical illusions, of real and less-real things we see in the sky, and talk about the science behind them. I have updated the talk and will present it again this week, in costume. It's fun, it's playful, it's a bit serious too, and bottom line, it's about learning. I have created a podcast version of this for the Observatory's podcast series, Translunar. You can hear it here. 

Image courtesy of NASA. 

Space Weather

Between the Earth and the Sun are 93 Million Miles (150 Million Kilometers) of empty space. Or is it really empty? Actually, there is a lot going on in that vast expanse and we call that Space Weather. We live, astronomically speaking, quite close to a fairly ordinary star and thank goodness, because a 4 billion year old star that rarely changes its output has allowed life to emerge and thrive on Earth. But the Sun still has its moments and causes surprisingly regular phenomenon on Earth, much more than just warming the atmosphere.

I have recorded a podcast, in which I explain in detail what kind of space weather the Sun creates for us, and how you can learn more about these phenomena, including sunspots, northern lights, and solar flares. 

The website Spaceweather.com is an excellent resource for tracking the outbursts and phenomenon that are driven by the cycles and episodes of our own home star.

Image credit: SDO/HMI

Perseid Meteor Shower 2024

The Perseids in 2024 promise a favorable viewing on the nights of August 11th and 12th. This meteor shower is quite reliable in providing a dazzling display of beautiful meteors, but you need to stay up late if you want the full effect. And you will want to find a dark location with little to no ambient light or city lights, if possible. Finally, you will want to dress well, because even on a warm day the evening can cool down quickly and make viewing unpleasant. 

I have just published a podcast that outlines in detail the origin of the Perseids, the best way to view them, and other tips about this annual meteor shower. It is just a little over 20 minutes long and I think you will enjoy it. You can read more about the Perseids in this excellent article from Sky and Telescope. There are many online resources for more information, but you don't need to overcomplicate viewing of the meteor shower. The most important factors are a dark location, comfortable clothing, a place to sit or lie, a few good friends, and patience. You will see them, I can assure you. 

Give a listen to my Translunar Podcast here for more tips and inspiration. Wishing you clear skies and happy viewing. 

Image courtesy Sky & Telescope. 

Tour the Summer Sky

You are invited to dress reasonably warm, go outside in the evening, and listen to this podcast on your earbuds or headphones. I will guide you on a tour of the night sky where you will discover many constellations, from scorpions to swans. Summer is not only the time of the summer triangle, it also has a very diverse collection of different constellations to offer and invites with its mild nighttime temperatures to stargaze until dawn!

"Tour the Summer Sky with Paul" from the Translunar Podcast series. 

Read more: this writeup from the Celestron Telescope Company is an excellent summary of what you can see in the summer night sky. 

Image courtesy of Panos Zoulakis / Wikimedia Commons

The Marvels of Polaris, the North Star

Polaris, our North Star, is one of the most well-known stars in the night sky. But why is it so well known? What are its special characteristics that make it so special? It is far from being the brightest star in the night sky (it’s the 48th brightest), yet it has an amazing reputation. I've recorded a podcast to talk about the special place that Polaris inhabits right now, and how this will change over the very long-term. 

"Guiding Light: The Marvels of Polaris, the North Star" on the Translunar Podcast. 

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Observing Tips for the Moon

Our lovely Moon is a steadfast companion, a glowing orb that faithfully accompanies us in our journey around the Sun every year. The Moon presents us many facets in its 29-day journey around the Earth and is a wonderful object to look at with visual aid such as binoculars or a telescope. I recorded a podcast to share some insights about our Moon and some tips how you can really savor the view. The podcast is part of the Translunar series recorded for the Bavarian Public Observatory nearby where I live in Munich, Germany. 

"Observing Tips for the Moon" on the Translunar Podcast.

Image courtesy of NASA 

Seeing the International Space Station (ISS)

Looking up into the night sky, we can see many satellites gently gliding across the heavens on any clear night. Some are faint, others brighter. But nothing rivals the International Space Station when it makes a pass overhead. The largest artificial satellite in orbit around the Earth, the ISS circles the globe every 90 minutes and is usually visible for 1-2 weeks at at time in any given location. I recorded this podcast to provide some guidance on the how, why and where of the ISS.

"Seeing the ISS" on the Translunar Podcast. 

Image courtesy NASA.