The Age of the Solar System

Maybe a little bit higher than previously thought. Go here to read about the latest measurement.

Pulsars and the Solar System

Pulsars are the most common type of neutron stars, objects more massive than the Sun but about the size of your favorite major city. The Solar System is well, our Solar System. How can you use one to study the other? Gravity. Go here to read how.

The Sun and You

Not surprisingly, activity of the Sun has a large impact on the properties of the Earth. The most prominent example are solar flares, which cause aurorae and can significantly damage satellites. A less prominent, but just as important example, is the uppermost atmosphere, which is ionized by UV radiation from the Sun. Not surprisingly, as UV radiation from the Sun drops, so does the thickness of this layer. To learn more, go here. Enjoy!

The edge of the Solar System

is a very mysterious place, as further revealed by the IBEX mission. Read more about the latest mysteries here.

Space dust

Some pieces of genuine space dust were identified in the thousands of particles captured by the Stardust mission. Go here to read more. Neat!

Dating the Solar System...

using the craters of the Moon. Go here to learn more.

The Origin of Comets

Most comets are believe to reside in the Oort Cloud, the most distant part of the Solar System, and were though to form from the dust and gas left behind from the formation of our Solar System. Well, this article argues that it was formed from the dust and gas stolen from other Solar Systems. Wow!

The Next NASA Solar-System Mission

It is a reality show of sorts, but a more serious one that on your television. Read an update here (subscription required).

Pencils on the Moon?

Well, not pencils, but the same materials that makes up "pencil lead." Go here for more information.

A family portrait

Of our Solar System. Courtesy of Voyager. Enjoy.

A Wise comet

Well, the comet itself probably isn't wise (it isn't alive you know), it was discovered by the recently launched Wise satellite. Go here to learn more.

The Ever-shifting face of Pluto

Just because it isn't a planet anymore doesn't mean it isn't interesting. Go here to read what some recent Hubble pictures of the founding "plutoid" revealed.

Asteroid collision?

You would think, given how "empty" space is, the odds of two asteroids colliding together would practically never happen. However, it appears that Hubble might have imaged the debris from such a collision. Go here for details.

WISE's first discovery is...

... a near-Earth asteroid. It's good to discovery these things in time, don't you agree? Go here to read more how it was identified, and how many more WISE is expected to see.

Yet another Hubble discovery

This time of the smallest yet known object in the Kuiper Belt, the area full of comet-like objects just beyond Neptune's orbit. Go here for more details.

The Ribbon at the End of the Solar System

I definitely plan on discussing this in more detail on a future show, but the IBEXspacecraft recently detected that high-energy neutrons accelerated where the solar wind meets the rest of the Milky Way come from a large ribbon on the sky, not the point in the direction of the Sun's motion as expected. Now, there might be an answer. Go here to read more.

September 14th Radio Show: Solar System News

Wrapping up the radio shows originally broadcast on WVKR, here is a show trying to wrap up the latest Solar System news (I run out of time, and will do this on my first web-only podcast). Hope you enjoy! As always, please leave below any questions, comments, or concerns you might have. Thank you for listening

August 31st Radio Show: The Outer Solar System

Originally broadcast over a month and a half ago (I'm really sorry for the delay), finally available here is the August 31st episode of this radio, where in addition to the latest (at that time) Astronomy news I also discuss interesting scientific results concerning the outer Solar System. Thank you very much for listening and your patience, hope you enjoy, and please leave any questions or comments you might have below.

Happy 20th Birthday Galileo!

The NASA mission to Jupiter and beyond!, not the Italian astronomer (who is much older). Go here to read more. Enjoy!

July 27th Radio Show: Venus, Earth, and the Moon

Continuing on the Solar System theme started two weeks ago, and the focus on the Moon from last week, finally available here is the July 27th episode of this radio, where I discuss recent scientific results pertaining to Venus, Earth, and the Moon. As always, please leave below or email me any questions, comments, or concerns you might have. Thank you for listening.