Urban Astronomer

Interview with Dr Julia Healy

Posted on 26 Oct, 2021 by Allen Versfeld26 Oct, 2021

This episode features an interview with Dr Julia Healy, from ASTRON, where she works as part of the MHONGOOSE survey team. When this interview was originally recorded early last year, she hadn’t yet submitted her PhD thesis, but has since graduated and earned the title “Dr”. Julia completed her Bachelor of Science, specialising in Astrophysics and Physics, at the University of Cape Town in 2013. She went on to complete a Bachelor of Science Honours in Physics in 2014 and … Continue reading →

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How do we know what things in space are made from?

Posted on 10 Sep, 2020 by Allen Versfeld10 Sep, 2020

This is episode 60 of the Urban Astronomer podcast! Is that a milestone? Sure, but we’ll save the party hats for episode 75. Today we’ll just get on with the job at hand, and bring you a science explainy bit. Today’s question: How can astronomers be so certain about what things in space are made from? On Earth it’s relatively easy to send geologists out to different places with their hammers, and have them collect samples from interesting rock formations … Continue reading →

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Interview with Imogen Whittam

Posted on 8 Aug, 2020 by Allen Versfeld8 Aug, 2020

This episode of the Urban Astronomer Podcast features an interview with Dr Imogen Whittam, an astrophysicist at Oxford University

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Southern skies and Northern skies

Posted on 10 Jul, 2020 by Allen Versfeld10 Jul, 2020

It’s another Science Explainy Bit episode, and today we answer a question asked by another podcaster while interviewing us for their show. The host wanted to know how the view of southern skies compares to that of the northern hemisphere. I gave a quick answer before we moved on to another topic, but I would have liked to give a more detailed and complete answer. Which brings us to this episode, in which I describe how there really isn’t a … Continue reading →

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Interview with Carol Botha

Posted on 24 Jun, 2020 by Allen Versfeld24 Jun, 2020

Microphone. Image By Jpcuevas (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Urban Astronomer interviews noted South African amateur astronomer Carol Botha about her science outreach work. Carol has become quite well known on Slooh, the robotic telescope and astronomy service which I know quite well because I’ve provided a few video streams of eclipses and the like for them over the years.

Be warned though, this is a long episode so make some popcorn and find a comfortable seat before you start!

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