Episodes

  • 60: Q&A - Space Potatoes and Christmas Stars

    60: Q&A - Space Potatoes and Christmas Stars
    Dec 21 2024
    Our final episode of 2024 is a SUPERMASSIVE Q&A.

    Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst and Dr Robert Massey make their way through your questions. What’s the farthest star we can see with the naked eye? Why do black holes expand and shrink? And what would happen if we accelerated an uncompressed medium sized potato to 99% the speed of light?

    And remember, do not confuse the ISS with Santa's Sleigh in the run up to Christmas. To avoid any confusion, find out when the ISS is flying over your home using https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/home.cfm

    If you have any questions for a future episode, email podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on instagram @SupermassivePod. And thank you to anyone who has listened or reviewed the podcast this year, we really appreciate it.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

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    54 mins
  • 59: BONUS - Why can't anything go faster than the speed of light?

    59: BONUS - Why can't anything go faster than the speed of light?
    Dec 13 2024
    From planetary alignment through the galaxy to spacetime expansion, The Supermassive Team answer your questions.

    Keep sending us your questions, email us on podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on instagram @SupermassivePod
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    14 mins
  • 59: The Mystery of Fast Radio Bursts

    59: The Mystery of Fast Radio Bursts
    Dec 5 2024
    The Supermassive Team are investigating strange blasts of energy in space called Fast Radio Bursts. What are they and where do they come from? Dr Stuart Ryder from Macquarie University in Australia joins Izzie, Dr Becky and Robert to help explain.

    Christmas Present Ideas
    • Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s talk - A Journey into The Cosmos
    • Astronomy Photographer of the Year exhibition at Royal Museums Greenwich
    • Telescope SeeStar S50
    • Image stabilising binoculars
    • Cosmos (book) from DK
    • The Impossible Man by Patchen Barrs.
    • The Little Book of Cosmic Catastrophes by Sarah Webb
    • The Night Sky Almanac for 2025 by Radmila Topalovic, Storm Dunlop and Wil Tirion
    Keep sending your brilliant questions and photos to podcast@ras.ac.uk or on Instagram @SupermassivePod.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham
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    41 mins
  • 58: BONUS - Nuclear Pasta & G-Astronomy

    58: BONUS - Nuclear Pasta & G-Astronomy
    Nov 19 2024
    ... Potentially the silliest bonus episode we've ever recorded.

    The Supermassive Team takes on your questions; What are Brown Dwarfs? How can photons have different energies? Do frozen stars exist? And they get extremely distracted by the concept of nuclear pasta. Even Producer Richard gets involved.

    Here's the paper mentioned by listener Hanna, Thermodynamics of Frozen Stars

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.

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    18 mins
  • 58: Strange Stars and Bizarre Binaries

    58: Strange Stars and Bizarre Binaries
    Nov 6 2024
    From pulsating stars to those with diamond cores, Izzie and Dr Becky are exploring weird and wonderful stars. What are the different types of stars in our universe? And what are the oddballs? Plus Dr Robert Massey is here for your top stargazing tips.

    With thanks to Professor Andrew Norton from the Open University for joining the team this episode.

    Keep sending your brilliant questions and photos to podcast@ras.ac.uk or on Instagram @SupermassivePod.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production for the Royal Astronomical Society. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham
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    48 mins
  • 57: BONUS - A Bumper Edition

    57: BONUS - A Bumper Edition
    Oct 19 2024
    Auroras, and comets, and launches... Oh my! Izzie Clarke, Dr Becky Smethurst, and Dr Robert Massey run through a MEGA month for the astronomy community. Plus, there's just enough time to squeeze in a few listener questions.

    Here's our recommendations on news or journals sites to keep up with all things space and science:

    space.com
    Universe Today
    Astronomy Now
    Sky at Night
    Sky and Telescope
    NASA
    ESA
    ESO
    The RAS Website and Journals
    Dr Becky's YouTube channel
    Astrobites.org
    TheConversation.com

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.
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    32 mins
  • 57: Untangling the Cosmic Web

    57: Untangling the Cosmic Web
    Oct 2 2024
    Izzie and Dr Becky are untangling the cosmic web - the large scale structure of the universe - with help from Dr Chiara Mingarelli from Yale University. What the heck is it? What do we know about it? And can we use gravitational waves to "see" it? Plus, Dr Robert Massey is on hand to answer your questions.

    Got a question for the team? Contact us on podcast@ras.ac.uk or find us on Instagram, @SupermassivePod.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media Production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.
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    44 mins
  • 56: BONUS - What distorts time?

    56: BONUS - What distorts time?
    Sep 26 2024
    What happens when a black hole and gravitational wave collide? How will the moon's gravity impact tides with rising sea levels? And "the Supermassive Wise Ones" discuss Einstein vs Newton in this bonus episode.

    Send your questions to podcast@ras.ac.uk.


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    16 mins