In this episode of Star Stuff, Cody Half-Moon sits down with Lowell astronomer Brian Skiff as he recounts his discovery of Venusian moon Zoozve, and how a determined dad’s twitter thread helped him do it.

The post Does Venus Have A Moon? | We Talk To Zoozve Discoverer Brian Skiff appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this special episode of Star Stuff recorded live from Grand Canyon National Park, we’re joined by former Astronomer in Residence and Lowell Observatory Public Information Officer Kevin Schindler, Grand Canyon Conservancy Residency Manager Clover Morell, and Dark Sky Ranger Rader Lane.

Blast off into exciting topics, including the Astronomer in Residence and alumni programs, the magic of dark skies at Grand Canyon, and Grand Canyon National Park’s achievement of reaching 90% dark sky compliance with new dark sky-friendly lighting fixtures throughout the park. We also recap Star Party 2024 and so much more!

The post LIVE from Grand Canyon: Turning the Park Dark appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

The man, the myth, the founder. In this episode of Star Stuff, we talk about how Percival Lowell made history by founding Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona and how he was one of the first popularized alien hunters in astronomy.

The post The Life and Times of Percival Lowell appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, we sit down with journalist Melissa Sevigny to talk about her career, choosing between different paths, and her newest book, “Brave the Wild River.” Learn more about Melissa at melissasevigny.com.

The post Choosing Between Sciences and Humanities: We Talk to Journalist Melissa Sevigny appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Learn about a 50,000-year-old Meteor Crater from the man who runs the crater business here in Flagstaff, Arizona. In this episode of Star Stuff, we sit down with Matthew Kent, President and CEO of Meteor Crater Enterprises, to talk about all of the exciting things going on surrounding Meteor Crater and Planet Science, as well as the importance of keeping people connected to science.

The post Making an Impact appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, we talk to University of Denver professor and astronomer, Dr. Jennifer Hoffman, about making science more accessible. To learn more about DU SciTech Summer Camp, visit science.du.edu/du-sci-tech.

The post Making Science Accessible appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Multiverse? Simulation? In this episode of Star Stuff, we discuss even more of the most mind-blowing theories of how our universe works.

The post Theories of the Universe Part 2 appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

String Theory? Braneworld? In this episode of Star Stuff, we discuss some of the most mind-blowing theories of how our universe works. Stay tuned for Part 2!

The post Theories of the Universe Part 1 appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, astronomers Dr. Gerard van Belle and Dr. David Ciardi take us on a behind-the-scenes journey through a night of observing, from the movies they watch to pass the time to terrifying close calls.

The post What Astronomers Do In The Dark appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Filmed at the Grand Canyon! This episode features audience favorite Dark Sky Ranger Rader Lane to discuss the Astronomer in Residence program at the Grand Canyon with the Astronomer in Residence for May 2023… our very own Kevin Schindler! Learn about what research Kevin is doing from the Grand Canyon about the Apollo astronauts and the training they did in the canyon ahead of their Lunar Landing.

The post Apollo Astronauts At The Grand Canyon? We Talk To Dark Sky Ranger Rader Lane appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Ever wondered what it’s like to live in space? Star Stuff sits down with Astronaut Nicole Stott to ask the important questions, from how living in space affected her art, how she helped so many through her adventures, and also what it’s like to pee in space. Find it all in this episode, and buy her book at nicolestott.com.

The post What Is Life Really Like In Space? – We Talk To Astronaut Nicole Stott appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, we sit down with Lowell educator, Gavin Moriarty, to talk about the basics of astrophotography and how you can get started in the craft.

The post Capturing The Cosmos: We Talk About Astrophotography appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Lowell Historian Kevin Schindler sits down with the one and only Diana Gabaldon, author of the wildly popular Outlander book series. They discuss Diana’s familial connection to the observatory, her creative process, and how Lowell Telescope Dome Engineer Stanley Sykes dealt with wild turkeys.

The post Makers, Menders, and Writers | We Talk to Diana Gabaldon appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

What is life? In this episode of Star Stuff, our hosts discuss what it means to be alive on Earth and beyond.

The post What Is Life? appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

The Star Stuff crew sits down with solar astronomer and Lowell Observatory Executive Director, Dr. Jeff Hall, to talk about a seriously hot topic: the Sun! Jeff tells us about the Sun’s life cycle and what it can teach us about other stars.

The post Let’s Take A (Conversational) Look at the Sun – We Talk to Dr. Jeff Hall appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Are we running through the six with our woes…. alone? The Drake Equation says no. On this episode of Star Stuff, our fearless hosts delve into a probabilistic argument created by Dr. Frank Drake in 1961, used to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy.

The post Exploring the Drake Equation: We Talk About Aliens appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Star Stuff sits down for a chat with astronomer Dr. Daniel Fleisch, who served as Astronomer in Residence at Grand Canyon National Park in December 2022. They discuss his time at one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, as well as the math of the universe and the awe it inspires.

The post The Math of the Universe & Elements of Awe with Astronomer Dr. Daniel Fleisch appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

A telescope made out of farming equipment? Discovering Pluto? In this episode of Star Stuff, Hailey sits down with Lowell historian Kevin Schindler to talk about the man who discovered Pluto, Clyde Tombaugh.

The post From The Farm To The Stars: We Talk About Clyde Tombaugh appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Wormholes? Time travel? Alternate universes? In this episode of Star Stuff, we talk about black holes, the different types of black holes, and the bizarre implications of their existence.

The post Beyond The Event Horizon: We Talk About Black Holes appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Welcome to Star Stuff Season 2, now also in video format on YouTube! How do scientists study light? In this episode, we talk about the various types of spectroscopy and how they’re used in different fields, from astronomy to art history.

The post Seeing The Unseen: We Talk About Spectroscopy appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

That’s a wrap on Star Stuff Season 1! In this episode, we reminisce with Star Stuff crew members, Madi Mooney, Nate Nise, and John Compton, about their favorite episodes from the past year and what they learned while working on the show. Get ready for Season 2, premiering in January 2023 in all new video format on YouTube! But don’t worry, we’ll still be on all your favorite streaming platforms. Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next year!

The post Season 1 Finale: What We Learned On Season 1 appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

You’ve heard the Greek myths about how the constellations formed, but what about the stories of other cultures? In this episode of Star Stuff, we sit down with cultural astronomer Dr. Danielle Adams to discuss the lesser-known stories of the Arabian night sky.

The post Learning Science Through Historic Literature appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Listen in as Lowell Observatory Educators Hailey Osborn and Matt Lydy discuss some of the most popular sci-fi movies, from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) to Passengers (2016). Learn their hot scientific takes on these films, and what the plot may have actually been like if the storylines were real.

The post <strong>How Realistic Were These Popular Sci-Fi Movies? A Scientist’s Review</strong> appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Wow, over 70,000 listens to Star Stuff! This podcast is still in the top 20 of astronomy podcasts and climbing. Thank you all for your support as we wrap up Season 2. If you would like to see more episodes next year for Season 3, we will be doing special segments only. Let us know what you want to learn about!

In this Season 2 finale episode of Star Stuff, Cody Half-Moon sits down with Lowell astronomer Dr. Joe Llama, who specializes in the study of exoplanets. They discuss the distant worlds that lie in the Habitable Zone, the possibility that we are not alone in the universe, and more.

The post How Common is Life on Other Planets? appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, Hailey chats with Lowell Early Education Supervisor, Kelly Ferguson, and CEO of Flagstaff local business Quality Connections, Armando Bernasconi. Kelly talks about how Lowell’s education programs help kids get into STEM and Armando talks about how Evergreen Academy Preschool helps kids become successful learners and members of our community.

The post Fostering Education Resources in Communities appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Grab a horn-full of your favorite beverage and get ready for a crossover of mythic proportions! In this episode of Star Stuff, Hailey and John discuss Norse mythology with Nick Irvine and Evan Anderson of the Drinking Horn Meadcast.

The post Tales from the Drinking Horn: We Talk Norse Mythology with the Meadcast appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, we chat with Bradly Rivera, the Elementary School Division Head and STEM Program Lead at Arecibo Observatory’s STAR Academy. Learn all about the incredible Arecibo Message sent by Arecibo Observatory in 1974, what the message entailed, and what they were hoping to accomplish. They also talk about the STAR Academy program, what it entails, and how it’s helping students prepare to pursue careers in STEM.

The post Arecibo Observatory: A Message To The Unknown appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, Hailey chats with astrobiologist Dr. Bonnie Baxter and Lowell Public Program Educator Juan Ruiz about astrobiology. How did they get into the field? What might life look like on other planets? What do Mars and the Great Salt Lake have in common?

The post The Modern Hunt for Aliens: What Is Astrobiology? appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this Episode of Star Stuff, Cody and Hailey chat with astrophysicist and returning guest Dr. Martin Elvis about ‘Oumuamua, an interstellar object with unknown origins. Is it a space rock? Or something beyond our wildest imaginations?

The post ‘Oumuamua: The Extrasolar Asteroid… Or Alien Craft appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, we chat with poet Lauren Camp about her experience as the Grand Canyon’s astronomer in residence and how the park’s dark skies influenced her poetry.

The post The Fear and Beauty of the Night: We Talk to Grand Canyon’s Astronomer in Residence Lauren Camp appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, Cody and Hailey hear from astronomers Dr. Kyler Kuehn and Dr. Teddy Kareta as they give their scientific perspectives on the classic horror/sci-fi film The Thing (1982)!

The post We Got Astronomers to Review ‘The Thing’ appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

On this episode of Star Stuff, Hailey and Madi sit down with 2020 Fullbright Future Scholar, astronomy PhD candidate, and freelance science communicator Jake Clark to discuss distant worlds, teenage alien joyrides, and much more.

The post Searching for New Worlds with Jake Clark appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Is NASA real? Is the Earth flat? In this episode of Star Stuff, Cody and Hailey chat with John Compton about space-related conspiracy theories and how they don’t hold up to the science.

The post Debating Space Conspiracy Theories appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Star Stuff meets again with fan-favorite Dark Sky Ranger Rader Lane of the Grand Canyon National Park to talk about how Rader combines dark skies and creative inspirations to produce award-winning art through a series of interactive and immersive videos.

The post How Would You Remember The Stars? | We Talk to Rader Lane, Dark Sky Ranger at Grand Canyon National Park appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this Cosmic Scope Interview (CSI), Lowell’s Technical Facilities Manager Jeff Gehring takes host Cody Half-Moon through the challenges of restoring the historic 24″ Clark Telescope to its former glory while staying true to the designs of the era it was built in.

The post CSI: Mechanical Forensics appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Learn about colliding black holes with CASA postdoctoral research associate Dr. Scott Barrows and Lowell Observatory astronomer Dr. Jennifer Hanley.

The post When Black Holes Collide appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, Cody, Hailey, Lowell Astronomer Dr. Nick Moskovitz, and DART Team Lead Dr. Cristina Thomas will discuss the ins and outs of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission.

The post Throwing DARTs: Exploring NASA’s Planetary Defense Mission appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, Cody, Hailey, and Harvard astrophysicist Dr. Martin Elvis talk about quasars, black holes, asteroids, and Dr. Elvis’ book Asteroids: How Love, Fear, and Greed Will Determine Our Future in Space.

The post Asteroids: How Love, Fear, and Greed Will Determine Our Future in Space appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, Cody and Hailey chat with Dr. Alycia Weinberger and Dr. Kaspar von Braun about American astronomer Dr. Vera Rubin. They discuss her life and career, as well as stories from time spent working with her.

The post Dr. Vera Rubin: Discoveries, Stories, and Good Memories appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

The Star Stuff crew sits down to discuss what it’s like to be a student in modern university structures, including the pressure that students (especially women) face in STEM majors.

The post Academic Burnout appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Enjoy this full book review of Andy Weir’s incredible sci-fi novel Project Hail Mary — from astronomers here at our world-famous observatory! Listen to our scientists Dr. Kaspar von Braun, Dr. Catherine Clark, and educator Claire Gibson talk in depth about their reactions to this sci-fi book. [SPOILERS IN THIS EPISODE.] Buy Project Hail Mary on Andy Weir’s website at andyweirauthor.com.

The post Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir: An Astronomer’s Review appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

No Earth. His best friend is a cockroach. Can you guess the sci-fi movie? Play along on this episode of Star Stuff and see how many you can guess!

The post Guess That Sci-Fi Movie: We Play A Podcast Game appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Cody and Hailey meet up with Dr. Catherine Clark and Dr. Lauren Biddle (two newly-minted PhD’s!) to discuss what inspires them, hurdles they’ve faced as women in STEM, what it takes to become a female scientist, and more.

The post The Path of a Female Scientist appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Learn exactly it means for a planet to be in opposition, and what is so cool about Saturn and its moons. Don’t miss the Saturn Opposition on August 14, and enjoy Saturn at its biggest and brightest for a few weeks around its opposition!

The post Saturn Opposition: What It Means and Why It’s So Cool appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Star Stuff sits down with fiber artist Arline Martens and the principal of Dark Sky Partners Chris Luginbuhl to talk about their experience with astronomical art, and discuss how closely the arts and astronomy are connected. Experience the NightVisions Art Exhibit at the Coconino Center for the Arts in Flagstaff, Arizona.

The post The Art of the Night Sky – We Talk to “NightVisions” Artist Arline Martens and Exhibit Co-Creator Chris Luginbuhl appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

An atheist, a catholic, and an agnostic walk into a podcast recording room… and have an incredible conversation about how science and astronomy inform religious perspectives! Inspired by Dr. Kyler Kuehn, a Lowell astronomer and scientific consultant for the Clergy Letter Project, and featuring Lowell Astronomer Dr. Michael West, this episode explores the compatibility between religion and science. Discover how curiosity and open-mindedness enhance discussions and perspectives in this friendly debate amongst friends.

The post Reconciling Religion and Astronomy appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Star Stuff geeks out with poet Julie Swarstad Johnson, who recently served as Lowell Observatory’s Poet In Residence. Tune in to hear them discuss Julie’s work, how astronomy inspires her poetry, the works she has completed, and her recent publication, Beyond Earth’s Edge: The Poetry of Spaceflight.

The post Astronomy in Poetry with Author Julie Swarstad Johnson appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this very special episode of Star Stuff, our hosts sit down with NAU assistant professor Dr. Cristina Thomas to discuss the ways in which the James Webb Space Telescope will alter our perception of the cosmos forever. As a major contributor to the JWST mission, Dr. Thomas brings some insider insight to what we can look forward to in not just the JWST’s future, but in the future of space travel at large.

The post How The James Webb Space Telescope Will Change The Way We Look At The Cosmos appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

In this episode of Star Stuff, we talk about what constellations are in the Northern Hemisphere’s night sky right now, how to find them, and their stories throughout ancient cultures. In this episode: Scorpius, The Summer Triangle, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Ophiuchus.

The post Star Stories (the Constellations of Summer) appeared first on Lowell Observatory.

Star Stuff hangs out with public speaker, author, television host, and astronomer Dean Regas in the Clyde Tombaugh apartment, where they talk about distant worlds, burning controversies, and the delicate art of talking to grownups about Pluto. Check out Dean Regas’ new book, “How to Teach Grown-ups About Pluto,” and don’t miss his NPR podcast “Looking Up!”

The post Talking With Grown-Ups About Pluto (And Other Fun Controversies) | We Talk To Dean Regas appeared first on Lowell Observatory.