Episodes

  • 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
  • 56: We Made It To Mercury!

    56: We Made It To Mercury!
    Sep 4 2024
    Izzie and Dr Becky complete their tour of the solar system with a trip to Mercury, the space spirograph (copyright: Dr Becky). Join them as they explore what we know about the planet so far and what ESA's current mission, BepiColombo, is hoping to find. Plus, Dr Robert Massey is on hand to answer your questions.

    Special thanks to guests Dr David Rothery from the Open University and Dr Simon Lindsay from the University of Leicester.

    Don't forget to send your questions to the team via podcast@ras.ac.uk or 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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    35 mins
  • 55: BONUS - Galaxy Spin and Saving Herstmonceux Observatory

    55: BONUS - Galaxy Spin and Saving Herstmonceux Observatory
    Aug 21 2024
    Does an instantaneous star map exist? Where are the perfect spheres in space? How did Venus get so close to the Sun? It's a bonus episode from The Supermassive team.

    Sign the petition and support Herstmonceux Observatory here... https://www.change.org/p/save-the-observatory-science-centre-herstmonceux
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    14 mins
  • 55: Venus aka "Earth's Evil Twin"

    55: Venus aka "Earth's Evil Twin"
    Aug 1 2024
    This is Venus’ moment in the supermassive spotlight. What do we know about this hellish planet? And what missions are going there in the near future?

    Izzie and Dr Becky speak with Dr Phillipa Mason from Imperial College London about EnVision, an upcoming mission to Venus, as well as RAS librarian Sian Prosser to explore the archive. Plus Dr Robert Massey is here to take on your questions.

    The paper about the sounds on Venus can be found here.

    The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production by Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham.
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    43 mins
  • 54: BONUS - Overmassive Galaxies

    54: BONUS - Overmassive Galaxies
    Jul 20 2024
    The Supermassive Overmassive Podcast has a special bonus episode. Join Izzie, Dr Becky, Dr Robert and Richard as they discuss the last two years of JWST and share their recommendations for Space Book Club.

    Recommendations:
    • Unseen Universe: New Secrets of the Cosmos Revealed by the James Webb Space Telescope by Dr Caroline Harper
    • The Possibility of Life by Jaime Green
    • When Galaxies Were Born - Richard Ellis
    • Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space By Adam Higginbotham
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    23 mins