syzygy – Details, episodes & analysis

Live from York's Festival of Ideas*, in front of an audience of ... what, had to be a few hundred thousand people, right? ... Emily and Chris discuss some awesome astronomy that you can go outside and see with your own eyes. In particular, they go deep on the incredible May 2024 aurora, and show what the 2024 total eclipse across the USA looked like, with a preview of amazing eclipses to look forward to in the coming years. Chris finishes with a song, as he does. Watch on YouTube!

(* Apologies for the audio quality, it was a big echo-ey space and it didn’t record as well as I’d hoped)

Help us make Syzygy even better! Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced byChris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

On the web:syzygy.fm | Instagram & Threads: @syzygypod

Some of the things we talk about in this episode:

• Watch this live show on YouTube

• York Festival of Ideas

• The May 2024 Aurora

• Solar Cycle 25

• The Solar Dynamics Observatory

• timeanddate.com

• The 2024 total solar eclipse

• Upcoming eclipses

A huge team of astronomers — and their even-huger team of tiny, fibre-obtic-wielding robots — are zeroing in on one of the great questions of cosmology: just what the heck is going on with Dark Energy? We know the Universe is expanding. Apparently, it's expanding faster. But maybe it is expanding faster, slower? Tiny robots measuring breathtakingly-huge cosmic bubbles may give us an answer.

Help us make Syzygy even better! Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced byChris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

On the web:syzygy.fm | Instagram & Threads: @syzygypod

Some of the things we talk about in this episode:

• Announcement of the DESI results

• A good video about the results

• The DESI home page

• Dark Energy

• Heat Death or Big Rip

• The 2011 Nobel Prize for Physics

• BAO bubbles

JWST is flinging out Just Wonderful observations at great speed, many already leading to new astronomical insights. Here's one that was really unexpected: the Orion Nebula is full of JuMBOs! Jupiter-Mass Binary Objects, that is — pairs of giant planets (or planetty-things, the definition isn't terribly clear ...) floating free in space, in quantities that aren't possible based on what we *thought* we understood about planet formation. New observations that seem to break astrophysics? We're always up for that discussion!

Help us make Syzygy even better! Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

On the web: syzygy.fm | Twitter: @syzygypod

Things we talk about in this episode:

• The Fibonacci Sequence

• The JuMBOs papers: overview, and JuMBO-specific

• The Orion Nebula

• JWST gets a good look at the Orion Nebula

• Where is the Orion Nebula, exactly?

• The definition of “planet"

Help us make Syzygy even better! Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

On the web: syzygy.fm | Twitter: @syzygypod

Things we talk about in this episode:

The early solar system: https://www.space.com/35526-solar-system-formation.html 

Stellar nurseries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_formation 

Pillars of creation: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-pillars-of-creation 

The Snow Line: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frost_line_(astrophysics) 

Models of planet formation: http://cosmicdiary.org/geminiplanetimager/2015/09/16/what-do-we-know-about-planet-formation/

Where did Earth’s water come from? https://cosmosmagazine.com/geoscience/where-did-earth-get-its-water 

Jupiter and Saturn migration: https://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/young-jupiter.html 

Hot Jupiters: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/investigating-the-mystery-of-migrating-hot-jupiters 

Hoptunes: http://kiaa.pku.edu.cn/news/2018/introducing-hoptunes-new-class-exoplanets-could-help-solve-mystery-worlds-scorching-orbits 

Help us make Syzygy even better! Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

On the web: syzygy.fm | Twitter: @syzygypod

Things we talk about in this episode:

Image 1, The Pillars of Creation, from Time Magazine’s 100 Photos site: http://100photos.time.com/photos/nasa-pillars-of-creation

The Pillars of Creation — 2015 update: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/the-pillars-of-creation

Comparing the two images: https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1501d/

Modelling the Pillars in 3D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWklVPvk0C8

Image 2, Huge Hubble panorama of Andromeda galaxy: https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1502a/

Zoom into Andromeda! https://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic1502a/zoomable/

A video zoom into the Andromeda image: https://youtu.be/aLlQxsGyhnw

A fly-through in 4k: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udAL48P5NJU

The zoom that broke Chris’s brain: http://hubblesite.org/image/3478/news_release/2015-02

Chris’s video on Andromeda’s awesomeness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wicEtpPfry4

Chris Baker, Galaxy on Glass: https://galaxyonglass.com

Image 3, Chris’s Witch’s Broomstick: https://galaxyonglass.com/product/supernova-the-witchs-broom/

The Witch’s Broom, a.k.a The Veil Nebula: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil_Nebula

The Cygnus Loop Nebula: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/galex/pia15415.html

Image 4, Chris’s Rosette: https://galaxyonglass.com/product/the-rosette/

The Rosette Nebula: https://oneminuteastronomer.com/2477/rosette-nebula/

Strömgren Spheres: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strömgren_sphere

Help us make Syzygy even better! Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

On the web: syzygy.fm | Twitter: @syzygypod

Things we talk about in this episode:

The merging galaxies paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0652-7

Hubblesite article about the story: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/astronomers-unveil-growing-black-holes-in-colliding-galaxies

Simulations of galaxy collisions: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10687

Stephan’s Quintet: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140327.html

Keck Observatory: http://www.keckobservatory.org

Gravitational wave discovery: https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/news/ligo20170927

Simulations of SMBH mergers: https://www.space.com/42017-merging-supermassive-black-holes-eerie-glow.html

Milky Way and Andromeda are going to collide: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hubble/science/milky-way-collide.html

And they will form … Milkdromeda! https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/30955

Andromeda in the night sky: https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061228.html

If only Andromeda was a bit brighter: http://i.imgur.com/EpuhHJa.png

Help us make Syzygy even better! Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

On the web: syzygy.fm | Twitter: @syzygypod

Things we talk about in this episode:

YorNight 2018: https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/yornight/2018/

The Kepler mission: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler

Kepler runs out of fuel: https://www.space.com/41363-kepler-exoplanet-hunting-telescope-dead.html

TESS: https://tess.gsfc.nasa.gov

NASA’s heart-tugging animation: https://nasaviz.gsfc.nasa.gov/20284

NASA’s Exoplanet Travel Bureau: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/alien-worlds/exoplanet-travel-bureau/

Kepler 78b: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/226/kepler-78b/

Kepler 186f: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/198/kepler-186f-the-first-earth-size-planet-in-the-habitable-zone-artists-concept/

Kepler 64b: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/resources/222/kepler-64b-four-star-planet/

Musical note: Chris would like to acknowledge that he now realises that The Exoplanet Song’s chorus melody is really quite similar to the verse melody from Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours”. And by “quite similar” he means “almost identical to”. He’d like to point out that he did have a sneaking suspicion there was a reason the song had come to him so quickly … So, you know, thanks Jason.)

SYZYGY LIVE! Join us for a very special live podcast recording at the University of York’s YorNight 2018: https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/yornight/2018/

Help us make Syzygy even better! Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

On the web: syzygy.fm | Twitter: @syzygypod

Things we talk about in this episode:

Chris’s video about the cosmic distance ladder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFoHlWK571k

The AU: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical_unit

A very simple Parallax explanation: https://youtu.be/iwlMmJs1f5o

Parsec definition: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parsec

Cepheid Variables: https://www.space.com/15396-variable-stars.html

NGC 4258: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2014/m106/

Type 1a Supernovae: https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/objects/supernovae2.html

Edwin Hubble: https://www.spacetelescope.org/about/history/the_man_behind_the_name/

Redshift and blueshift: https://www.space.com/25732-redshift-blueshift.html

Hubble’s Constant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EP5cNoNuXo

The expanding universe as explained by Brian Cox: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR6wN8ym7SI

SYZYGY LIVE! Join us for a very special live podcast recording at the University of York’s YorNight 2018: https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/yornight/2018/

Want to help us make Syzygy even better? Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

Visit us at syzygy.fm or find us on Twitter: @syzygypod

Things we talk about in this episode:

SYZYGY LIVE! Podcast recording at YorNight 2018 https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/yornight/2018/

NASA’s Mercury page: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/mercury/overview/

NASA’s Messenger Mission: https://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-s-messenger-spacecraft-10-years-in-space

BepiColombo’s going to Mercury: http://sci.esa.int/bepicolombo/59288-bepicolombo-s-journey-to-mercury/

JAXA, Japan’s space agency: http://global.jaxa.jp

Giuseppe “Bepi” Colombo: https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Welcome_to_ESA/ESA_history/Giuseppe_Bepi_Colombo_Grandfather_of_the_fly-by

ESA’s video showing BepiColombo’s journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yp-q1wqgig

Animation of Mercury’s 3:2 orbital resonance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUde7LFOlPs

Tidal Locking: https://www.universetoday.com/123391/what-is-tidal-locking/

Ice on Mercury: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/water-ice-on-mercury/

Colour maps of Mercury: https://www.universetoday.com/102901/messengers-unique-view-a-colorful-spinning-planet-mercury/

The solar wind: https://solarscience.msfc.nasa.gov/SolarWind.shtml

The Great Observatories: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Observatories_program

Want to help us make Syzygy even better? Tell your friends and give us a review, or show your support on Patreon: patreon.com/syzygypod

Syzygy is produced by Chris Stewart and co-hosted by Dr Emily Brunsden from the Department of Physics at the University of York.

Visit us at syzygy.fm or find us on Twitter: @syzygypod

Things we talk about in this episode:

SYZYGY LIVE! Podcast recording at YorNight 2018 https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/yornight/2018/

Fermi’s new constellations for the high-energy sky: https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/yornight/2018/

Imaging the SMBH at the centre of the Milky Way: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/04/magazine/how-do-you-take-a-picture-of-a-black-hole-with-a-telescope-as-big-as-the-earth.html

Event Horizon Telescope: https://eventhorizontelescope.org

Emily’s Astrocampus at the Uni of York : https://eventhorizontelescope.org

Sagittarius A*: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagittarius_A*

Star S2: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S2_(star)

A truck-full of data: https://what-if.xkcd.com/31/

The Black Hole (movie): https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1002497_black_hole

Interstellar (movie): https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/interstellar_2014

The physics of the Interstellar black hole: https://www.wired.com/2014/10/astrophysics-interstellar-black-hole/

Gravitational lensing: https://www.spacetelescope.org/science/gravitational_lensing/

Pale Blue Dot: https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/resources/536/pale-blue-dot/

Carl Sagan on the Pale Blue Dot image: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wupToqz1e2g