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
304-Close One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Tracking a small asteroid as it makes a very close approach to planet Earth.
303-CRASH [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Traveling to Mars is a risky business.
302-Sensing A Comet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Combining Art and Science gives us a new way to appreciate the wonders of the Universe.
301-Visitors From Afar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A pair of comets visiting our neighborhood are discovered in a matter of 4 days.
300-Biggest Ear [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
China's new big ear will be the most sensitive receiver to search for signals from alien civilizations.
299-Sporadic Geysers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
The Hubble Space Telescope has spotted geysers erupting from Jupiter's Moon Europa.
298-Rosetta [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
A comet nucleus is a dynamic world of its own.
297-White Sky [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Inappropriate night time outside lighting causes accidents and does not deter crime. However, it blinds you from the beauty of the Universe which surrounds you.
296-Tilted History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Where you are from and where you live has been influenced by changes in the tilt of the Earth's axis of rotation relative to its orbit around the Sun.
295-Close Passes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:01
Small close approaching space rocks are part of our environment.