Jodcast RSS Feed
CURRENT SHOW > May 2008
 
Launch Astronomy Media Player

Review us

Have you listened to the Jodcast? If so, we would love it if you would review the Jodcast on iTunes.

The Jodcast is supported by:
Science and Technology Facilities Council

October 2007 Extra

We've got another bumper show for you starting with some interviews we recorded at the Modern Radio Universe conference. We talk to the Astronomer Royal, find out about adapting spacecraft technology to track TB on Earth, the successor to SMART1, and how astronomers and particle physicists are using the Moon as a huge neutrino detector. We listen to audience comments on the fantastic Space 50 event where the Lovell Telescope was turned into a giant projector screen and then we have our main interview about the Dark Energy Survey. We also have an announcement about an event being held in Macclesfield on 27th October. Finally, we answer your questions in Ask an Astronomer.

Interview with Donna Kubik (Fermilab)

Donna Kubik of Fermilab in the United States explains what we currently know about the mysterious dark energy that we currently think makes up about 70 percent of the stuff in the Universe. She describes the Dark Energy Survey which aims to find out more.

Interview with Sir Martin Rees (Institute of Astronomy)

Nick caught up with the Astronomer Royal during the Modern Radio Universe conference. Sir Martin Rees tells us what the role of the Astronomer Royal is and what he thinks are the interesting problems in astronomy today.

Interview with Dr Geraint Morgan (Open University)

Dr Geraint Morgan describes how technology built for the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft is being adapted to track cases of tuberculosis (TB) in Africa. The Open University team are currently trying to adapt the technology to other non-invasive tests.

Interview with Clancy James (University of Adelaide)

Clancy James tells us how a team of particle physicists and astronomers are attempting to use telescopes on the Earth to observe neutrino interactions within the surface of the Moon. In the future, they plan to use the Square Kilometre Array to do this.

Interview with Dr Barry Kellet (Rutherford Appleton Laboratories)

Last year ESA's SMART-1 deliberately crashed into the Moon. On board was the D-CIXS X-ray instrument. The new instrument, C1XS, will fly on an Indian spacecraft and will work out what the top 100 micrometres of the surface of the Moon is made of.

Space 50 Reactions

Stuart took on the role of the Jodcast's roving reporter at the Space 50 projection event. The event was held on the 5th and 6th October 2007 and turned the Lovell Telescope into a huge projection screen showing images of engineering, spaceflight and astronomy. Here are a selection of visitor reactions and comments.

Notice: Macclesfield Astronomical Society workshop day

Macclesfield Astronomical Society (MAS) and the British Astronomical Association (BAA) will be holding a full-day of Workshops on Saturday, October 27 2007 at Macclesfield Town Hall from 0945 until 1645. All members of the community are welcome.

Ask an astronomer - redshifts and the ISS

Nick puts listener questions to Dr Edward Boyce. Larry Hunt asks how to convert redshifts into distance and wants to know if the conversion is one-to-one. Joe Jones asks what the object was that he saw near the International Space Station.

Show Credits

Interview:Donna Kubik and Nick Rattenbury
Interview:Sir Martin Rees and Nick Rattenbury
Interview:Dr Geraint Morgan and Nick Rattenbury
Interview:Clancy James and Nick Rattenbury
Interview:Dr Barry Kellet and Nick Rattenbury
Interview:Visitors interviewed by Stuart Lowe
Notice:Andrew Greenwood (Macclesfield Astronomical Society)
Ask an Astronomer:Edward Boyce and Nick Rattenbury
Presenters:Nick Rattenbury and Stuart Lowe
Challenge setter:David Ault
Editor:Stuart Lowe
Segment Guest Presenter:Jenny Williams
Cover Art:The Lovell Telescope projected onto the Lovell Telescope at the Space 50 event 5th October 2007 CREDIT: Anthony Holloway, Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics. The projected image shows part of the First Light event which was performed by Jem Finer & Ansuman Biswas
Website:Stuart Lowe