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
314-Our Number [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The extremely unlikely scenario of an impactor with our number on it.
313-Martian Motherlode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Using ground the penetrating RADAR on the NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists have discovered an ice deposit on Mars the size of New Mexico.
312-200 Yards Of Trouble [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
An asteroid which can come to within about an Earth circumference of the surface of our home planet needs watching.
311-Bright and Bald [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Humans are developing the ability to study an Earth approaching object to prepare for one that is on an impact trajectory with our home planet.
310-Ethics and Mars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Should martian microbes be sacrificed to human space exploration.
309-Tiny Atira [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Atira, named for the Pawnee goddess of Earth and the Morning and Evening Star orbits the Sun inside of our path.
308-Planning For Impact [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Planning for the unlikely event that an asteroid is on a collision course with planet Earth will minimize injury and the loss of life.
307-Stepping It Up [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Competition gives humans the best chance to find dangerous objects and tax payers get more bang for their buck.
306-Egg Rock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The NASA/JPL Mars Curiosity Rover discovers a meteorite on Mars.
305-Murky [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A very close approaching asteroid is observed to pass through the Earth's shadow.