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Find out more about our night sky, from new planets to far-off galaxies and the vastness of the Universe. A series of short talks and presentations for the general public from leading astronomy researchers at the Oxford University Physics department - http://www.physics.ox.ac.uk/Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Public astronomy talks • Exoplanet discovery • Planetary atmospheres/clouds • Black holes, exploding stars • Cosmology: Big Bang/inflation/dark matter • Gravitational waves, cosmic rays, high-energy astronomy • Telescopes/techniques: JWST, spectroscopy, radio arrays • Citizen science Galaxy Zoo • Solar-system missions, Mars debate, asteroids/meteors • Stargazing and astrophotographyThis podcast presents short, public-facing talks from astronomy researchers associated with the University of Oxford, covering a wide range of modern astrophysics and space science. Across the episodes, listeners are guided from nearby solar-system targets to the largest structures in the cosmos, with an emphasis on how astronomers gather evidence and how major discoveries are made.
A recurring theme is observation and instrumentation: the podcast explains how different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum reveal different phenomena, including the use of infrared observatories, radio telescopes and large survey instruments. Methods such as spectroscopy are introduced to show how scientists infer the composition, temperature and motion of distant objects. Alongside telescope-based astronomy, the show also explores “multi-messenger” and particle-based perspectives on the universe, including gravitational-wave detections and the study of cosmic rays and other extremely energetic particles.
Another major thread is the life cycle and behavior of dramatic astrophysical objects—black holes, exploding stars, and high-energy environments—linking what is seen in data to the underlying physical processes. Several talks broaden out to cosmology, addressing the history of the universe from the Big Bang onward, the growth of large-scale structure, and open questions involving dark matter and early-universe inflation.
Planetary science and the search for other worlds also feature prominently. Episodes discuss exoplanet discovery and characterization, the prospect of Earth-like planets, and the properties of planetary atmospheres, including clouds and laboratory attempts to recreate atmospheric conditions. Within our own solar system, robotic exploration and high-profile missions and probes are used to illustrate how spacecraft investigations complement telescopic observations.
The podcast also highlights public participation in research through citizen-science projects that enlist volunteers to classify galaxies, as well as practical stargazing and astrophotography for observing the night sky. Overall, the show blends big-picture context with explanations of current research tools, missions, and unanswered questions in astronomy.