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
414-Enormous Visitor [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The impact of a 1,200 foot diameter asteroid would produce devastating earth quakes and wind blasts over many square miles on the Earth's surface.
413-Fission Rocket [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
To cut the mission time to Mars, the risks, and the mass of supplies required for such a prolonged space mission NASA is looking at alternative means of rocket propulsion.
412-Tiny Space Rock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A tiny space rock narrowly missed the Earth.
411-200 Plus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
My team the Catalina Sky Survey set a new single month record by discovering 211 Earth approaching objects in October of 2017. Fortunately none of them are on a collision course with planet Earth, however, they give us a…
410-Extraterrestrial Whales [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Perhaps the reason that we have not detected alien civilizations on distant worlds is because they exist in oceans covered by miles of radiation absorbing ice and rocks.
409-Alien Rock? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A rock from another solar system is likely to have streaked by Earth before heading back into interstellar space.
408-Earth's Pet Rock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
On it's gravitational leash, Earth's pet space rock, 2016 HO3, accompanies us at a distance of between 38 and 100 times the Moon's distance from Earth as we both travel about the Sun.
407-Plant Companionship [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The plants that Mars explorers take with them will provide a source of fresh fruits and vegetables , fresh air to breathe, and perhaps a psychological benefit that is crucial to the success of their mission.
406-Close Ones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
In less than 24 hours, while observing with the Catalina Sky Survey's 60 inch telescope on Mt. Lemmon, Arizona , I discovered two 25 foot diameter space rocks that theoretically can pass less than a quarter of the Moon's…
405-Kiwi Nights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Most of New Zealand's large rural areas and land reserves, covering an area as large as the UK, have unpolluted natural night skies offering spectacular views of the southern skies.