Travelers in the Night Eps. 375 & 376: Extraterrestrial Whales & Tiny Space Rock

Travelers in the Night Eps. 375 & 376: Extraterrestrial Whales & Tiny Space Rock

Author: 365DaysOfAstronomy.org September 13, 2026 Duration: 6:05

Dr. Al Grauer hosts. Dr. Albert D. Grauer ( @Nmcanopus ) is an observational asteroid hunting astronomer. Dr. Grauer retired from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock in 2006. travelersinthenight.org

From February 2026.

Today's 2 topics:

- In an area which is about 1/400th of the entire sky, the NASA Kepler spacecraft has discovered 30 Earth like planets which are likely to have liquid water on their surfaces orbiting distant stars. These planets are likely to represent a tiny sample of the habitable planets which exist in the Milky Way. In spite of our efforts to find them, the question remains where are the alien civilizations? In a recent talk given at the Division of Planetary Sciences meeting Dr. Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute suggests that perhaps the majority of worlds with biology and intelligent civilizations exist on interior water ocean worlds where their existence is hidden by the thick layers of rock and ice which separate them from the hostile vacuum of space.

 

- Eighteen hours before my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Rose Matheny first spotted 2017 UJ2, a small space rock with our Schmidt telescope on Mt. Bigelow, Arizona it had passed less than the Earth's diameter from the surface of our planet. Rose was able to discover this Smart Car sized space rock after it moved out of the Sun's glare. At this point it was about the Moon's distance from her and was traveling away at 3.4 mi/s. After Rose posted her discovery observations on the Minor Planet Center's Near Earth Object Confirmation page, for the next 24 hours it was tracked by telescopes in Spain, Illinois, and Arizona.

 

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Imagine a daily conversation about the cosmos, where each sunrise brings a fresh perspective from a different corner of the globe. That’s the essence of The 365 Days of Astronomy. Born from the spirit of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, this enduring project has evolved into a genuine community effort, releasing a new episode every single day. You won’t hear the same host each time; instead, the microphone passes to astronomers, educators, enthusiasts, and scientists, each sharing their unique passion and expertise. This structure means the tone and topic can shift wonderfully from one day to the next-you might delve into the mechanics of a black hole on Tuesday and then explore ancient celestial myths on Wednesday. The consistent thread is a shared wonder for the universe, presented in accessible, bite-sized pieces. Managed by Avivah Yamani and edited by Richard Drumm, this daily podcast is a production of the Planetary Science Institute, sustained by listener support. It’s a calendar of the cosmos, offering a daily moment of reflection and discovery that proves you don’t need a telescope to have your perspective shifted. Tuning in regularly builds a habit of cosmic curiosity, connecting the vastness of space to the rhythm of our own days.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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