Leon and Beth take you through what you’ll find in the night sky in the month of September, 2024.

They discuss how to spot Saturn in opposition, identify Venus as the evening star, and locate the Southern Birds constellations. They also explain the significance of the equinox and the upcoming supermoon.

Leon shares his tips on using apps to find faint constellations and sneaks in a fun fact about the moon’s orbit.

To find out more about the WA night sky, search for “the sky tonight” on scitech.org.au.

Leon and Amanda discuss the night sky in August 2024, highlighting the Milky Way and the constellations Scorpius and Sagittarius. They share tips for spotting the teapot asterism and the potential appearance of a new star in Corona Borealis. The hosts also talk about Venus shining brightly in the evening sky and the close approach of Mars and Jupiter.

Leon is joined by Amanda, a Scitech Planetarium Presenter, to give you tips on how to spot Saturn, Jupiter, Venus and Mercury alongside a peculiar constellation known as Pavo the Giant Space Slug.

The duo also update us on the Chandrayaan-3 mission. And explain how India's ADITYA-L1 is going to study the Sun.

To find our more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Amanda Hunter

Producer: Zaya Altangerel

As we head into the Noongar season of Djilba, Leon is joined by Amanda, one of Scitech's expert Planetarium Presenters to talk all things stargazing.

In addition to highlighting all that we can currently see in the WA night sky, Amanda answers the question of "What exactly is a blue moon?"

To find our more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Amanda Hunter

Producer: Zaya Altangerel, Michael Gatt & Alyshia Gatani

Leon is joined by Professor Steven Tingay, the Deputy Executive Director of ICRAR, to talk all about the Murchison Widefield Array.

Join us as we discover the:

• purpose of the ground-breaking telescope
• meaning behind the MWA's Wajarri name
• MWA's influence on the Australian economy and more!

To find out more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight

Credits

Host: Leon SmithGuest:

Professor Steven Tingay

Producers: Zaya Altangerel, Michael Gatt & Alyshia Gatani

Leon is joined by Sharna, a Scitech Planetarium Presenter, to talk all about what you can spot in the July night sky – including the International Space Station!

The duo also try to comprehend the mind boggling task set for the Euclid Consortium.

To find out more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Sharna Lambert

Producers: Zaya Altangerel & Michael Gatt

As we head into the Noongar season of Makuru, Leon is joined by Amanda, a Scitech Planetarium Presenter, to talk all about what you can spot in the June night sky.

The duo highlight the constellation of Ophiuchus 'the serpent-bearer', and guide you on how to spot Venus, Mercury, and Jupiter.

Amanda also highlights the importance of a space mission called JUICE.

To find out more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith

Guest: Amanda Hunter

Producer: Zaya Altangerel

Leon is joined by Damon, one of Scitech's expert Planetarium Presenters, to talk all about how to spot Mars, Venus and Orion in the May night sky.

The duo also recount the launch of Space X Falcon 9 rocket. Some say it was a complete failure, others say it was a great success. Find out why the event was so polarising.

To find out more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits

Host: Leon Smith Guest: Damon Hill Producers: Zaya Altangerel & Michael Gatt

Leon ventures out to Exmouth, Western Australia to watch the hybrid total solar eclipse. Afterwards, he sat down with Dr Robin Cook from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) to further discuss the special event.

To find out more about the April night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Find out more about Dr Cook's research via www.icrar.org/people/rcook/

Credits Host: Leon Smith Guest: Dr Robin Cook Producer: Zaya Altangerel and Michael Gatt

Leon is joined by Brandi, a Scitech Planetarium Presenter and lover of the night sky, to talk all about the total solar eclipse that's about to occur over Exmouth, WA. The duo answer questions like 'what makes a solar eclipse so special?' and 'how can we safely view the solar eclipse?'

To find out more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits Host: Leon Smith Guest: Brandi Wahl Producer: Zaya Altangerel

Leon is joined by Damon, one of Scitech's expert Planetarium Presenters, to talk all about the different constellations and planets visible in the March night sky. The duo also ponder upon the role of 3D printers in space exploration.

To find out more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits Host: Leon Smith Guest: Damon Hill Producers: Zaya Altangerel & Michael Gatt

Leon is joined by Rob, one of Scitech's expert Planetarium Presenters. This month, they will guide you through the night sky and help you spot Jupiter, Venus, Mars, and a once-in-a-lifetime comet crossing the West Australian night sky.

To find our more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits Host: Leon Smith Guest: Rob Producers: Zaya Altangerel & Michael Gatt

Beth Maskall & Leon Smith discuss what on in the sky in July

Included in this episode: Planets: Mercury & Saturn, Constellations: Corvus, Stars: The Even Star.

Produced by: Michael Gatt

Leon is joined by Amanda, one of Scitech's expert Planetarium Presenters. This month we will guide you through the night sky and help you spot Venus, Saturn, Mars and Orion in Western Australia's night sky.

To find our more about the WA night sky, visit: www.scitech.org.au/explore/the-sky-tonight/

Credits Host: Leon Smith Guest: Amanda Hunter Producer: Zaya Altangerel

This month, Leon sits down with Rob, a Scitech Planetarium presenter, to highlight the different planets and constellations we can see in the December night sky from WA.

Can we see the Big Dipper from our side of the planet?

And what's the difference between a meteor and meteorite?

For more information on the December night sky and the latest astronomy news, visit The Sky Tonight blog.

Look deep into Centaurus to spy a globular cluster. Are these the building blocks of galaxies or the dead hearts left over from cosmic cannibalism?

If you enjoyed the music in this episode visit artlit.io

Taurus, the Bull, is one of the largest constellations in the northern night sky. It’s known for the distinctive V-shaped pattern of stars that make up the horns of the bull, and the red giant star Aldebaran that forms its eye. 

This week on Audio Guide to the Galaxy, join Mel to explore these and other remarkable features that make this constellation so intriguing.  

If you enjoyed the music in this episode go to artlist.io

When we look up at night, we see a sky filled with stars. Over time, humans have 'connected the dots' to cover the sky in pictures, and the stories behind them. This week, we're looking at some of the mightiest constellations in our night sky.

If you enjoyed the music in this episode, check out artlist.io

The cold distant world of Uranus is one of the most mysterious planets in the Solar System. Visible through a telescope as a greenish-blue dot, Uranus is technically the first planet ever discovered. Learn about its bizarre 40 year summers. its rings and the intriguing story it tells about the evolution of the Solar System.

If you enjoy the music in this episode, visit https://artlist.io/

The Moon is out and looking glorious as usual. Learn about our closest celestial neighbour and how scientists are putting together the pieces of the puzzle of the close relationship between the Earth and the Moon.

This episode is timed to be listened to at any time after 8pm on Saturday 15 January. If it’s cloudy tonight, you can still listen to this at later days, but be aware that the time to see some things will change.

The Binar (BIN-ah) Space Program (named for the Noongar word for fireball) from the Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC) at Curtin University is building the next generation of Australian small spacecraft. Find out more about this exciting program at https://www.binarspace.com/

The International Space Station is passing overhead this week. Join Leah to learn where to look, at what time, to see this massive orbital laboratory from your backyard. It's been a busy year for the ISS. Hear about the crew changeovers, the additions to the station and the latest science being carried out on this truly international spaceship.

Make sure you’ve got this episode downloaded, and remember to take insect repellent, a torch, and a jumper if it’s cold. We’ll see you outside!

If you liked the music in this episode, it is all available on https://artlist.io/

Perfect for anyone heading out of town for the summer break, as you also move away from the light pollution of the city, revealing the majestic night sky in all its splendour. Learn about the Milky Way, our galaxy stretching overhead, and our place within it.

Make sure you’ve got this episode downloaded, and remember to take insect repellent, a torch, and a jumper if it’s cold. We’ll see you outside!

If you liked the music in this episode, it is all available on https://artlist.io/

Beth Maskall & Leon Smith Discuss what on in the sky in June.

Included in this episode: Planets: Saturn, Mars & Jupiter, Constellations: Scorpius & Hydra, Stars: Antares, Alphard, The Winter Solstice.

Audio editing: Alyshia Gatani.

NASA is sending its next flagship observatory to space. After a troubled development, the James Webb Space Telescope is ready for launch on 25 December 2021. JWST is a next generation telescope pioneering astronomy of the future.

No compass? No star chart? No problem! Join Leah to discover how to find your way around the night sky using just your eyes, your hands, and a few handy pieces of knowledge.

This week, we're taking a closer look at our nearest celestial neighbour, the moon! We will also learn about Artemis 1 and the Space Launch System and what they mean for the future of human spaceflight to the Moon.

You can listen to this episode after sunset on any clear evening this week (9 October - 15 October).

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellant and a jumper if it's cold.

To find out more about the Artemis 1 mission and when it will launch, check out www.nasa.gov/news

This week we're taking a look at Jupiter and Saturn in our night sky and learning about the upcoming journey of Lucy, a NASA spacecraft that will be visiting asteroids near Jupiter to learn about the origins of our solar system.

You can listen to this episode after sunset on any clear evening this fortnight (2 October - 14 October)

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellant and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside

This week, we’re taking a look at Venus, the brightest planet in our sky – so bright, it’s often the first object we see as the sun sets, and the last one we see as the sun rises. We’ll be hearing a bit about Venus’ sky as well.

You can listen to this episode at or after sunset, on any clear night this week (24 September to 1 October).

Credits: Frozen Star Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

On Wednesday this week, 26 May, we're heading outside to spot a cosmic coincidence in the evening sky - a lunar eclipse. Just after sunset, the moon will start to pass into the Earth's shadow, and by 7.18pm it'll be completely covered. Take us with you for a guided commentary on how and why it's happening!

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week, we're getting up before dawn to try catching a glimpse of the Eta Aquarid meteor shower. It's a cosmic lightshow that only comes around once a year, as fragments of Halley's comet streak through our atmosphere. It's at its peak between the 5th and 7th of May, visible from 2am until sunrise at around 6am.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week on the Audio Guide to the Galaxy, we spot the International Space Station as it passes over Perth - not just once, but a several times over the next few days. This orbiting lab is the only place humans can live beyond Earth, and you can see it from your backyard!

Head outside at 7.25pm on Thursday, 6.39pm or 8.14pm on Friday, 7.27pm on Saturday or 6.40pm on Sunday to spot the station. If you miss them, NASA will help you figure out when to look up for another pass - head to https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week on the Audio Guide to the Galaxy, we’ll be exploring a great pattern in our night sky – Argo Navis. We’ll talk about how to find this mighty ship and some of the remarkable stars that it features.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, and the bright stars in the constellations of Vela, Puppis and Carina are visible in Perth for most of the year.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week on the Audio Guide to the Galaxy, we’re taking a look at some of the deepest, most distant parts of our sky. We can only see these from outside the city, so this episode is a little bonus for anyone's who has headed out of town for the long weekend.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, but the Milky Way is easier to see if you can get away from the city lights.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

Leon and Beth discuss what happening in the night sky in Boorloo in May, What's a blue last-quarter moon, and how this months meteor shower was actually remnants Haley's comet.

Hosts: Leon Smith, Beth Maskall

This week, we get a little refresher on our stargazing skills and the Southern Cross, then spiral out to meet some of the other constellations in our southern sky.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, and the Southern Cross, Centaurus and Musca are visible almost all year round.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week, we're finding the Crux, the Southern Cross - one of the most famous patterns in the southern sky - and using it to find our way down here on Earth as well.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, and the Southern Cross is visible almost all year round.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week, we're using Taurus and the Pleiades to tell a story about the life cycle of stars.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, and the stars we're looking at will be visible all Summer.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week, we're finding Sirius in the night sky - and in some stories as well.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, and Sirius and Canis Major will be visible all summer.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week, we're spotting the constellation of Orion, and taking a look at how stars form.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, and Orion will be visible all summer

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week, we're hunting for Mars, the red planet, and taking a look at why it's got scientists so excited.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, and Mars will be visible for most of the summer. Perseverance, NASA's latest rover, should be landing on February 18th - tune in to the live stream at nasa.gov.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week, we're taking a closer look at the surface of the moon, and what it can teach us about how our universe works.

You can listen to this episode any night this week - the moon will be full on December 30th.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

This week, we're learning to find our way around the night sky, and spotting a once-in-a-lifetime planetary conjunction.

You can listen to this episode any night this week, but the planets will be at their closest on the 21st of December.

Make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go, and remember to take insect repellent and a jumper if it's cold. We'll see you outside!

In the final episode for season 2, we're taking a look at the two largest planets in our solar system. Jupiter and Saturn just happen to be rising in the east just after sunset for the next few weeks - and that gives us the chance to take explore just how much they've shaped our solar system's story.

You can listen to this episode at 7:30pm, any night for the next two weeks.

This week on the Audio Guide to the Galaxy, we're continuing our space walk. We'll be exploring the 4.2 billion km expanse of the solar system at 3.5 million kilometres a second. So put your walking shoes on, and let's get out of this world

Once again, you can listen to this episode any time. Yep, even day time.

If you missed part one last week, you might like to listen to that first - you'll find it one episode back wherever you're listening to your podcasts.

Leon and Beth talk about what's in the night sky in the month of April, 2024.

We hear how the planets are a little lacklustre this month, except for one cool event that neither of our hosts will be waking up early to see.

They swap tips for locating constellations, and chat about an upcoming solar eclipse.

Beth points out that a total solar eclipse is an experience unique to earth in our solar system, thanks to a coincidence about our sun and moon.

To find out more about the WA night sky, search for "the sky tonight" on scitech.org.au.

Credits:

Hosts: Leon Smith and Beth Maskall

Producers: Michelle Aitken and Zaya Altangerel

This week on the Audio Guide to the Galaxy, we're going for a walk. No, really - we're walking through the inner planets of our solar system at 175 000km/s. So put your walking shoes on, and let's head into orbit.

You can listen to this episode any time. Yep, even day time.

Tune in next week for part two, which will take us beyond the asteroid belt to the outer Solar System.

It's breakfast time! This week we're looking out through a cosmic pancake, and finding a teapot with a black hole on its spout.

You can listen to this episode at 7pm, on any day over the next week or so. The objects we're looking at this week are especially impressive if you're outside the city - so if you're headed out camping soon, make sure you've got this episode downloaded and ready to go.

This Sunday, we're looking at the sun. Not directly at it though! We'll be talking about a syzygy, the solstice, and why we see eclipses - sometimes. We'll also have a go at spotting the International Space Station as it flies overhead - visit https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/ to get times for your location.

You'll need to head outside at 5pm on Sunday June 21 to spot the sunset and the station.

Music this week:

Dreamy Flashback, by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4543-tranquility License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Light years & Eternity, by Stellardrone Link: https://stellardrone.bandcamp.com/ License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This week, we're taking a look at the elusive planet Mercury, messenger of the gods in ancient myths. We're also meeting another, more pointed message from the gods in the form of Scorpius the Scorpion.

Mercury will be visible for the next few weeks, but you'll need to head outside a little earlier than normal - we suggest 6pm.