343E-366-3 Explorers

343E-366-3 Explorers

Author: Albert D. Grauer July 1, 2025 Duration: 2:01
Recently, my Grandsons, Dane and Hank joined our asteroid hunting team at the Catalina Sky Survey 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon. The most interesting of our discoveries, 2017 KJ32 is only 16 feet in diameter, orbits the Sun once every 315 days, and can come closer to us than the communications satellites. 4 days and 16 hours before Dane, Hank, and I spotted it, 2017 KJ32 passed about 41,000 miles from the surface of Earth traveling at a relatively slow speed for an Earth approaching asteroid of 1.6 mi/sec. By the time 2017 KJ32 came into one of our images it was already 768,000 miles from Earth and was traveling away from us at 1.5 miles per second. A few weeks later it was too faint to be detected by our most powerful telescopes.

Each episode of Travelers In The Night feels like a quiet, personal conversation under a dark sky. Hosted by astronomer Dr. Albert D. Grauer, this podcast brings the distant cosmos into sharp, intimate focus. Dr. Grauer isn't just an observer; he's an active participant in the hunt, working with the Catalina Sky Survey team that has consistently discovered near-Earth asteroids for years. In these brief and engaging segments, you'll hear firsthand accounts of what it's like to track these ancient celestial travelers-the asteroids and comets that silently pass by our world. The discussions move beyond simple facts to explore the real-world implications of these discoveries, from planetary defense to the sheer wonder of our dynamic solar system. Accompanied by the contemplative music of John Lyell's "Eternity," each installment offers a moment of calm reflection on humanity's place in the universe. It’s a perfect blend of grounded science and cosmic curiosity, making complex astronomical concepts accessible and deeply fascinating. For anyone who has ever looked up and wondered what's out there moving in the dark, this podcast provides a direct line to the front lines of discovery.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 1000

Travelers In The Night
Podcast Episodes
233E-245-Asteroid Awareness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
You are less likely to be injured by a space rock than you might thinkRecently in response to a question from a reader of the "Asteroid Day" blog, my Catalina Sky Survey team captain Eric Christensen, wrote a blog piece…
743-Alex’s Catch(531) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
On a cold windy night, with clouds frustrating his search, my Catalina Sky Survey teammate Alex Gibbs discovered 8 new celestial visitors while observing with our 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Arizona
232E-244-Earths Wobble [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A careful study of the Earth's motion in space is a key to understanding past climate change and enables us to predict future patterns of flooding and drought.Wobbles tell all.
742-Cuban Meteorites(530) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A large fireball meteor which exploded over Cuba produced a number of interesting results.
231E-243-Comet Ahoy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Recently a relatively dim object, Comet P/2016 BA14 flew past Earth at about 9 times the distance to our Moon from us. It was the third closest comet approach in recorded history. This situation allowed NASA scientists t…
741-Africano(529) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
My Catalina Sky Survey Teammate Brian Africano discovered his 4th comet while asteroid hunting in the constellation of Ursa Major with our Schmidt telescope on Mt. Bigelow, Arizona. Observers with small telescopes equipp…
230E-242-Spray Paint [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A gentle method of causing an asteroid to miss planet Earth.Will spray paint save the world?Recently, NASA scientists using the giant RADAR telescope in Puerto Rico measured changes in the orbit of the asteroid Bennu. Th…
740-Asteroid Billiards(528) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test or DART for short will test methods to make a dangerous asteroid miss Earth
229E-241-Could Be Twins [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A pair of possibly related comets pass unusually close to Earth.It is hard to have a personal feel for the microgravity of a comet since it is only a few ten thousandths of the pull of gravity we experience on Earth. Whe…
739-Comet Groller(527) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
My Catalina Sky Survey teammate Hannes Groller was asteroid hunting with our Schmidt telescope on Mt. Bigelow, Arizona when he discovered his first comet. After the Sun bakes out all of the frozen gasses, Hannes's Comet,…