AAA SKY

In this episode, we speak with Nicolas Altobelli, the science operations and development manager for the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) mission. Launched in April 2023 by the European Space Agency, this interplanetary spacecraft is currently on its way to orbit and study three icy moons of Jupiter: Ganymede, Callisto and Europa, and what would make them potentially habitable for extraterrestrial life. Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at aaasky@aaa.org, even if just to say hi!

In this episode Stanley interviews Alan and Aaron Sliski, a father-son team of professional observatory builders.  In a discussion full of anecdotes, Alan and Aaron give useful tips, advice, and discuss the various types of observatories and the reasons for building one, as well as the numerous pitfalls to avoid.  We welcome our new AAA President, Alfredo Viegas.  And MJ and Stanley give us a heads-up about the various upcoming Club observing events. Links Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston CKD 17 ASCOM Alpaca Astro Haven Ash-Dome Backyard Observatories Center for Backyard Astrophysics NexDome SkyShed POD Home-Dome Pier-Tech Gemma Observatory Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at aaasky@aaa.org, even if just to say hi!

Welcome back to AAA SKY! In this episode we introduce MJ, the newest member of the AAA SKY team. Kat interviews Brian Levine, science educator, who shows us a novel way of modeling the distances between planets in the solar system. And Brian and Kat discuss Astronomy on Tap. Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at aaasky@aaa.org, even if just to say hi!

In this episode Kat interviews Tony Hoffman, AAA Member and Citizen Scientist. Tony recounts his adventures photographing eclipses from airplanes in Africa, in northern Norway and wherever else the path of the sun and moon has taken him. He also gives tips on finding comets and even exoplanets. Kat and Stan discuss citizen science more generally and we have a new Listeners Challenge. Links PlanetHunters.org - Planet Hunters TESSTravelQuest InternationalTony Hoffman on Flickraavsoanecdata AAASky Listener Challenge Every 10 years, NASA engages a committee of scientists who develop a list of programs called the decadal survey, which they collectively recommend NASA should focus on. The new decadal survey has just come out. What is the number one priority they recommend NASA should do over the next 10 years? Email us your answer at listenerchallenge@aaa.org by May 10th at 11:59pm. We'll select a random person with the correct answer and send them a AAASky hoodie! Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at aaasky@aaa.org, even if just to say hi!

In this episode we mix it up! Join AAA President Brian Berg and Executive Vice President Bart Fried as they debate the merits and demerits of public vs. private space launches. From Sean Connery to Elon Musk, from Apollo to Artemis, our adversaries discuss the operations, financing and legality of putting people and robots into space. And we introduce the newest member of our AAASKY team, co-host Kat Troche. Links Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars)OutlandDiamonds Are Forever AAASky Listener Challenge Matthias Schmitt told us that the greatest concentration of dark sky parks in the world is in one of the 50 US states. Which one did he say it was? Hint: You can find the answer in last month's episode. Email us your answer at listenerchallenge@aaa.org by March 10th at 11:59pm. We'll select a random person with the correct answer and send them a AAASky hoodie! Have a question or a comment? Reach out to us at aaasky@aaa.org, even if just to say hi!