Space Junk – Details, episodes & analysis

Is it better to buy a complete amateur astronomy telescope system that includes optical tube, mount, drive, etc or can you get better quality by assembling your own from individual components.  Dustin talks advantages and disadvantages to both.

Tony is finally getting to a place where he can start construction on his backyard observatory for his 20 inch reflector.  In this episode, we discuss the value of having a permanent place for your telescope and it doesn't have to be fancy!

We've been listening for signals from the galaxy hoping to detect another civilization out there.  What are the actual chances we'll hear anything?  Let's take a look at this paper and find out: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1007.0850.pdf

Dustin and Tony also talk about APO refractors and catadioptric telescope systems.

Cat Machin is in town and talking with Dustin and Tony, picking up where we left off last time in discussing all the ways your passion of space and the cosmos can be expressed and we get a little philosophical about what it all means.

Tony met Dustin and Ian for the first time IRL in NYC.  This episode is a preview of what we hoped to do while in the Big Apple.

Join Tony Darnell and Dustin Gibson as we talk amateur astronomy with Scott Roberts of Explore Scientific

In this episode of Space Junk, we discuss astrophotography with a husband/wife team from the American southwest whose work is rapidly gaining notice.  Antoine and Dalia Grelin starting taking astro photos around five years ago and haven't looked back.  Their work is featured in many places and they have a YouTube channel full of excellent tutorials on getting stuff done in astrophotography.

Check out their website here:

https://www.galactic-hunter.com

YouTube:

https://youtube.com/GalacticHunter

Instagram:

@galactic.hunter

Astronomer and science communicator Paul Sutter joins the Space Junk crew to talk about the worst job in the universe: stealing tidbits of information from a universe that is very stingy with its secrets.  Tony and Dustin discuss what it's like to be a professional astronomer using some of the best equipment from around the globe.

This week we talk with the Bad Astronomer himself and discuss a wide range of issues that deal with just how dangerous a place the universe is.  What are some of the biggest threats from the sky that face humanity?  Should we be worried?

Near OPT Telescopes HQ, there is a great brewery: Wavelength Brewing Co that is a great place to hang out if you're a science nerd.  Every Friday they offer science talks on all sorts of topics and if you're in the area, you have to check 'em out.  In this episode, Tony and Dustin talk with the owner of Wavelength Brewing Co about all kinds of space junk.