July 2009 Extra - show notes

With it being the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on Earth's Moon, we dedicate most of this episode to things lunar. We discuss the Apollo missions starting with mention of Apollo 11 radio which lets you experience the mission in real-time. As well as the Apollo 11 landing, we mention the Apollo 15 feather drop, the Soviet Luna 15 spacecraft which crashed into the Moon just a few hours before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin lifted off from the Moon's surface, and the amazing images from LRO (not released at the time of recording) showing the Apollo landing sites from lunar orbit.

Interview

Tim popped along to Sir Bernard Lovell's office at Jodrell Bank to talk about the various space missions which led to the Americans landing on the Moon in July 1969. The story starts with a simple scientific beginning with the publication of a report during the International Geophysical Year 1957.

Ask an Astronomer

Stuart puts listener questions to Tim O'Brien.

Mark grady says: "Telescopes work best without light interference so would a telescope on the dark side of the Moon work well."
Steven Uitti says: "Every now and then you hear how radar was used to map the surface of Titan, the pole of Mercury or the pole of the Moon. How can the Goldstone antenna, north of the Earth's equator, map the Moon's south pole?"
Andrew Tysak asks "Is a planet's diameter is measured from the edge of its atmosphere."
Brian Higby asks "Why hasn't the light from the early universe already passed us? In a similar vein, is the distant edge visible in all directions?"

Odds and Ends

In the Forum, Jodatheoak links to some images of noctilucent clouds on Flickr.

Show Credits

Interview:	Prof Sir Bernard Lovell and Tim O'Brien
Ask An Astronomer:	Dr Tim O'Brien and Stuart Lowe
Presenters:	Stuart Lowe and Neil Young
Editors:	Stuart Lowe and Tim O'Brien
Segment voice:	Danny Wong-McSweeney
Website:	Stuart Lowe
Cover art:	The Apollo 11 landing site imaged by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center/Arizona State University

Comments

Comment by Stuart Lowe on Jul 20 2009:
Comments, corrections and clarifications on our Moon-themed show go here.
Comment by Nick Johnson on Jul 20 2009:
There was me gearing up for a once a month fix over the summer-drive to work tomorrow now more appealing.
Nick
Comment by Megan Argo on Jul 21 2009:
If you're interested in hearing more from Sir Bernard, check out the Peoples Archive interview recorded at his home a couple of years ago: http://www.peoplesarchive.com/
(There are a lot of other fascinating interviews with interesting people there too, well worth a look if you run out of podcasts to listen to!)
Comment by Jen Gupta on Jul 21 2009:
That was a really interesting interview with Sir Bernard. Was also nice to listen to the Jodcast without having to cringe at the sound of my own voice!
Comment by EarthUnit on Jul 21 2009:
I agree with Nick, nice surprise.
Thanks for the link Megan, nice find.
Arr Jen no need to cringe, its always nice to hear you, now your proper part of the Jod Squad :-~
Comment by Jodatheoak on Jul 22 2009:
Wonderful to listen to Sir Bernard talk about the moon landings.
It did take me back to viewing the 9 foot screened cine-film my dad used to play of the Apollo missions watching the moon buggy bouncing around, wow and all the badges he had too...I feel quite tearful
Comment by Nick Johnson on Jul 22 2009:
Thought Sir Bernard was fascinating , and shows how far things have come in his lifetime , now going to go to the interviews that Megan suggested. Early question for the live show-is there any question that Tim can't answer !

Leave a comment on this episode in the forum

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The whole episode [Duration 46:17]:
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Interview with Sir Bernard Lovell (Jodrell Bank) [Duration 27:41]:
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Ask an astronomer - the Moon, planetary diameters and light from the early universe [Duration 10:57]:
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July 2009 Extra: We choose the Moon