• MP3 - the whole show
  [Duration 72:48, 33.3 MB]
• MP3 - The news - December 2007
  [Duration 05:22, 1.9 MB]
• MP3 - Interview with Prof Carl Murray (Queen Mary, University of London)
  [Duration 32:08, 11.1 MB]
• MP3 - Interview with Dr Leonid Gurvits (JIVE)
  [Duration 09:58, 3.4 MB]
• MP3 - The night sky for December 2007
  [Duration 13:53, 6.4 MB]

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December 2007

This is our Cassini-Huygens special all about the NASA/ESA mission to the planet Saturn. We find out all about Cassini from Carl Murray and find out how radio astronomers helped recover some data from the Huygens lander. We also get the latest news from Megan and find out what you can see in the night sky from Ian.

• December 2007 MP3: Download the whole show (low and high bandwidth versions)

The news - December 2007

In the news this month: Hubble takes a close look at Comet Holmes, evidence of rocky planet formation in the Pleiades cluster, STFC plan to pull out of the Gemini project, and ESA's Rosetta spacecraft was spotted by several observatories prompting alerts on the minor planet circulars.

• The news - December 2007 MP3: Download this segment individually (low and high bandwidth versions)
• Sky & Telescope: Comet Holmes Beckons Skygazers Worldwide
• Gemini: Astronomers Spot Evidence for Colliding Planet Embryos in Famous Star Cluster
• Important Announcement from the Gemini Board - November 16, 2007
• Planetary Society: That's no near-Earth object, it's a spaceship!
• Planetary Society: Son of Rosetta

NASA/ESA Hubble Zooms In on Heart of Mystery Comet

Interview with Prof Carl Murray (Queen Mary, University of London)

Nick talked to Carl Murray about the NASA/ESA Cassini-Huygens mission orbiting Saturn.

• Interview with Prof Carl Murray (Queen Mary, University of London) MP3: Download this segment individually (low and high bandwidth versions)
• NASA/ESA's Cassini-Huygens
• The Voyager 1 and 2 Saturn encounters
• Science Magazine: Discovery of S/2004 S6

Saturn seen by Voyager 1 in 1980. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

A portrait of Saturn by Cassini. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

A cross section of Saturn's rings (D, C, B, A, and F). Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Saturn, backlit rings and the Earth. The G Ring is visible. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

B Ring terminus. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Pan in the Encke Gap. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Waves in the Encke Gap. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Discovery of Daphnis in the Keeler Gap near the edge of the A Ring. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Pandora, Prometheus and the F Ring. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Prometheus and knots in the F Ring. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Prometheus colliding with the F Ring. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Prometheus creates a gore in the ring once every 14.7 hours. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

The F Ring spiral. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

The Clump/Moon Mystery in the F Ring. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Braided Channels in the F-ring. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Propeller-shaped features in the A Ring. Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute

Interview with Dr Leonid Gurvits (JIVE)

Nick and Stuart talked to Leonid Gurvits about VLBI observations which recovered lost data from ESA's Huygens lander which landed on Titan. He also describes observations of SMART-1 with VLBI.

• Interview with Dr Leonid Gurvits (JIVE) MP3: Download this segment individually (low and high bandwidth versions)
• Joint Institute for Very Long Baseline Interferometry in Europe
• Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI)
• ESA: Radio astronomers confirm Huygens entry in the atmosphere of Titan
• Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN)

Composite of DISR images of Titan's surface during descent. CREDIT: ESA/NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

A fish-eye projection shows a stereographic view of Titan's surface from 5 kilometres above the surface on 14 January 2005. CREDIT: ESA/NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Raw image with scales showing the surface at the landing site of the Huygens probe. CREDIT: ESA/NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

The night sky for December 2007

Ian Morison tells us what we can see in the night sky from northern latitudes during December 2007. The constellations of Taurus, Orion, Canis Major and Gemini are visible this month. In Taurus you can see Aldebaran as well as the Hyades and Pleiades star clusters. Down to the lower left of Taurus is Orion the Hunter. Below the three stars of Orion's belt is the Orion Nebula. Following the three stars on the belt down to the left takes us to the brightest star in the sky - Sirius. To the top left of Orion is the constellation of Gemini where we find Mars this month. In the pre-dawn sky we can see Saturn which is about eight degrees down to the lower left of the star Regulus in Leo. Venus is dominating the morning sky in the constellation of Virgo. As Comet 17P/Holmes becomes a bit more diffuse - about the same angular size as the Moon - you probably need binoculars to see it. Mars is about at its best in eight and a half years for northern latitude observers as it is almost at the highest point in the ecliptic so will be higher in the sky. It is closest on the nights of 18/19th December and will be around due south at midnight. The Geminids meteor show should be visible around December 14th. Finally, one can still observe Uranus and Neptune in the hours after sunset.

• The night sky for December 2007 MP3: Download this segment individually (low and high bandwidth versions)
• Ian Morison's Night Sky pages for December 2007
• The region around the Pleiades star cluster
• BAA: Meteor Observing Prospects for Autumn/Winter 2007-8

Show Credits