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AWESOME ASTRONOMY

Paul & Dr Jeni·Hosted by Ralph Wilkins, Paul Hill and Dr Jeni Millard·368 episodes

ScienceAstronomyNaturalCo-hosted astronomyUK science chatSky guidesSpace newsListener emails50-75 min

Awesome Astronomy explores the frontiers of science, space and our evolving understanding of the universe. Join Ralph, Paul & Jeni for informative and fun astronomy programmes dedicated to space and astronomy news and monthly podcast extras covering hot topics and special interviews in the world of science and astronomy.

Why listen

Awesome Astronomy feels like joining a group of sharp, funny astronomy friends as they unpack space news, observing tips, mission updates, and the occasional wonderfully odd tangent. Ralph Wilkins, Paul Hill, and Dr Jeni Millard bring enough expertise for serious sky-watchers, but the tone stays chatty and approachable for curious listeners who want astronomy without classroom stiffness.

Episodes

1 hr
Jul 1, 2026Episode 177
When Cosmologists get Spicy

This month it appears cosmology is saved, Swift maybe saved and exoplanets have their magnetosphere measured. Jeni has been in the States where she may have been turned into an android visiting Silicon Valley. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 10 min
Jun 19, 2026Episode 176
The Secret History of a Space Mission

The idea that sparked a billion-dollar space telescope was recorded in the most unlikely of places: a scrap of paper fished out a pocket while gondolas sailed by in Venice. In this talk, award-winning astrophysicist and science communicator Steve Eales of Cardiff University takes us on the unlikely journey of the Herschel Space Observatory, the most sensitive far-infrared space telescope yet launched. This talk wes recorded at the recent AstroCamp in Cwmdu, Wales Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

51 min
Jun 1, 2026Episode 175
Objects in the Golden Mirror may be Closer

This month a bit of a JWST fest with news about the cosmic Web (Webb?! ) and those little red dots the seem to be breaking cosmology. There is also our normal skyguide and moon guide. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 6 min
May 19, 2026Episode 174
Psyche, Poet and Astronomy Exams

It's the chatty astrowaffle episode! Psyche rushing past Mars, Power instrument at VLT, GCSE Astronomy exams and listener emails. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

58 min
May 1, 2026Episode 173
AstroCamp Live Show

A show recorded with the happy campers of Cwmdu. We talk smart scopes, late nights, planetary formation, news on Comet 3I and more on the Hubble tension. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

39 min
Apr 17, 2026Episode 172
Artemis Chat

This month what else can we chat about? Paul and Jeni talk Artemis II. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

55 min
Apr 1, 2026Episode 171
Gravitational musing and nuclear cruising

This episode Paul and Jeni look at a possible gravitational wave solution to the Hubble tension, NASAs new nuclear deep space engine, Hubble telescope boosting, and more news on the destruction of British science. There is also our monthly skyguide to to get you looking up. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

55 min
Mar 18, 2026Episode 170
Artemis II Helium boogaloo

Our chatty astrowaffle episode this month is all about the Artemis re-jig and what the future now holds for the programme. Oh and update on Jeni's drains. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr
Mar 1, 2026Episode 169
Vanishing Stars and Invisible Galaxies

This month it is the curious case of a vanishing star and galaxies that shine no light...plus our monthly skyguide and Jeni has a blocked drain! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

56 min
Feb 15, 2026Episode 168
Ozone Hole II Mega-Constellation Bogaloo

This episode we chat about the potential ozone hole issue caused by mega constellations, how Jupiter has shrunk and what Aurora would look like when Earth's poles flip. Produced by  Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 14 min
Feb 1, 2026Episode 167
The End of British Astronomy?

We discuss the British Government's vandalism of UK physics and astronomy. In better news we celebrate the refunding of NASA and the up coming Artemis II mission... will Paul finally get excited? Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

55 min
Jan 16, 2026Episode 166
3 days to lose LEO

So it looks like Low Earth Orbit is not just crowded but a disaster waiting to happen trapping humanity on this planet for a very long time... Produced by, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

47 min
Jan 5, 2026Episode 165
Soundgarden win at Astrophysics

So it turns out Soundgarden nailed astrophysics in 1994. We explore latest thinking on Little Red Dots, Globular Custers, oldest supernovae, No-ceans on Titan as well as our monthly skyguide and moon guide. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

53 min
Dec 25, 2025Episode 1643
Panto 2025: Cometh the Comet, Comet the Ralph

It's time for our annual review of the year, a look forward to next year and of course the Panto!...and the return of an old face! Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

52 min
Dec 14, 2025Episode 164
Yeeting your office into a flamepit

In this chatty news episode we chat about more Artemis mission shenanigans and how the Russians have wrecked their only human rated launch pad. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 3 min
Dec 1, 2025Episode 163
Icy Telescopes and Martian Lightning

This episode it is a new bananza with discussion of the Thirty Metre Telescope, shenanigans on Mars, asymmetrical supernovae and more trouble in the world of cosmology. There is a Xmas Telescope buying guide as well as our monthly skyguide! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

40 min
Nov 15, 2025Episode 162
What an Artimess!

In our second episode of the month we chat about the weird mess that is now the Artemis Programme, whether there is even a new space race and what strange shenanigans rogue planets are up to! Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 7 min
Oct 31, 2025Episode 161
Comet I3 ATLAS and Cerne Abbas Star Party

Time for a Comet 3I ATLAS deep dive, a chat about Paul's recent visit to the Cerne Abbas Starparty and our new extended skyguide.   Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 21 min
Oct 1, 2025Episode 160
Camping, Craters and Comets

This month we are at Astrocamp, our biannual dark sky retreat. We have a Q and A session with the campers and we talk a newly confirmed impact crater in the UK, Artemis II, ozone layer, and an upcoming comet bonanza!   Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 35 min
Sep 2, 2025Episode 159
Paul in Festival Land

A bumper end of summer episode with Paul out in the world of science outreach and communication in a Summer music festival. There's also discussion of the new Astronomer Royal, China's moon programme, Starship and a deep dive on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

1 hr 26 min
Aug 1, 2025Episode 158
AI, Hypersonic and Betelbuddy

This month we talk about Jen at the BBC, AI in science communication, a supernova in NGC7331, whether Betelgeuse has a companion, Exoplanet shenanigans, European hypersonic space planes, and of course our monthly sky guide and general chat.   Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 32 min
Jul 1, 2025Episode 157
Vera Rubin, Welsh Satellites and LIGO disaster

A bumper episode or is that a Jumper episode if Jeni has her way. Paul has new scope and Jeni has been seeing the Sun. We have terrible news from LIGO, the end of Milkomeda, Light pollution paradox, Vera Rubin first light, a new satellite from Wales, spaceX kablooie, leaks on the ISS and of course the usual skyguide and emails! Phew!

1 hr 11 min
Jun 4, 2025Episode 156
Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails

This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!

1 hr 11 min
Jun 4, 2025Episode 156
Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails

This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!

1 hr 11 min
Jun 1, 2025Episode 156
Lancing Galaxies and Angry Emails

This month we have Galactic sized lancing battles, Jupiter twice its size, Wales entering the space race and we have emails! Oh we have emails!

1 hr 22 min
May 7, 2025Episode 155
AstroCamp Spring 2025!

We come at you with all the fun of AstroCamp in Welsh Wales. Chat, debate and birdsong!   Produced by  Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 10 min
Apr 1, 2025Episode 154
Has NASA been Trumped?

We try to keep it upbeat this month with tales of blackholes, definitions of moons, and solar system science but unfortunately the fate of NASA and American science currently hangs in the balance... Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 6 min
Mar 2, 2025Episode 153
Paranal Problems: Light Pollution at the VLT

It looks as though the European Southern Observatory is caught in an American light pollution pincer...starlink above and now the threat of an American industrial complex as a neighbour. Is this the end? We have eclipse news, launch round up and the usual inane chatter from Jeni & Paul.

58 min
Feb 11, 2025Episode 152
Asteroid Doom and Gaia Gloom

The world veers towards madness, asteroids threaten destruction and Gaia is no more. But the planets are putting on a show and Pluto is 95, so that's alright... Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

39 min
Jan 4, 2025Episode 151
Venus. Twinned with Milton Keynes

Happy New Year! This month we talk about an new climate history for Venus, a new origin story for Mars' moons and we chat about the new potential head of NASA...   Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

43 min
Dec 31, 2024Episode 150
Panto 2024!

It's that time of year again where the team get silly...this year Butch and Suni hijack the ISS...

1 hr 1 min
Dec 5, 2024Episode 150
Re-examining Uranus

This month we look at new old data about Uranus, a possible second dinosaur asteroid  the first image of a star in another galaxy and the image of a new planet forming. Plus sky and launch guides and a chat about Christmas present ideas! Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 10 min
Nov 30, 2024Episode 149
Comets, Cruises and Outreach

This month the episode is all about astronomy! Yep just astronomy. We catch up with the wonderful comet observations of the autumn, Jen's aurora cruise in Norway and we talk outreach astronomy in response to a listener's question.

40 min
Nov 4, 2024Episode 149
Apollo 12

The Team are taking a little break so here is a classic interview with Apollo astronaut Alan Bean.

1 hr 18 min
Oct 18, 2024Episode 148
Gaining InSight

Meet Dr Anna Horleston from Bristol University. NASA's InSight lander was active on Mars from November 2018 to December 2022 – a total of 1446 sols (Martian days). InSight carried a suite of geophysical instruments designed to help us understand the interior structure of the red planet. The primary instrument was a seismometer – the first seismometer to be deployed to the surface of Mars – and my job was to analyse the seismic data, to find Marsquakes (like earthquakes but on Mars), and to figure out what was causing them. I'll take you through the highs and lows of working on an active NASA mission, the real meaning of "remote working", and show you some of the amazing results from the mission.

1 hr 19 min
Oct 3, 2024Episode 148
AstroCamp Special

This month the episode comes from the user dark skies of Wales as it is AstroCamp time! Discussion of Hera and Europa Clipper probes, comet news and the live recording of the Astrocamp panel! Enjoy

21 min
Sep 22, 2024Episode 148
100 Hours of Astronomy with Go Stargazing

Between 2nd and 5th October, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) are celebrating 100 hours of astronomy. We've caught up with good friend of the show Neill Sanders, founder of Go Stargazing, who's helped create an app to get you and all your friends involved with the celestial party! Enjoy!

1 hr 37 min
Sep 1, 2024Episode 147
Chatting Space within tent

A bit different this month as Paul is joined by Dustin as they chat about aurora on Ganymede, starliner, Polaris Dawn, Blue Origin and Dustin shares an interview at a local astronomy Festival. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

52 min
Aug 21, 2024Episode 146
British Planetary Science Conference

In this podcast extra for Awesome Astronomy in August 2024, we bring you two of the Plenary Sessions from the British Planetary Science Conference 2024, hosted by Space Park Leicester and the National Space Center. The first, from Dr Aprajita Verma, discusses the upcoming Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), and the second, from Dr Steve Banham, gives you a new view of Mars Evolution, based on Curiosity's work at Gale Crater. Keep an ear out for activities to get involved with!

1 hr 8 min
Aug 1, 2024Episode 146
Comet Olbers in Silly Season

This month the team talk Comet Olbers, black holes in globular Clusters, the cancellation of Vixen, the ultra calm lakes of Titan, more phosphine news from Venus and look forward to this months Perseids. Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

44 min
Jul 14, 2024Episode 145
Sanctuary on the Moon

Celebrating 55 years since humans first set foot on the Moon with Project Apollo, in this podcast extra, Dr Jen meets with Benoit Faiveley and Mario Freese, founder and chief engineer of Sanctuary on the Moon, a daring project to leave a legacy of humanity on our nearest celestial neighbour. In the late 2020s, 24 coaster-sized sapphire disks will sail to the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis CLPS program. Engraved upon them will be the essence of humanity. One hundred billion pixels depicting the human genome, the work of masters, and the every day - one pixel for every human that ever lived. It is an exploration of ourselves, our world, and our epoch.   Produced by Ralph, Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 11 min
Jul 2, 2024Episode 145
Starliner Marooned and Playing with Gyros

This month the team discuss keeping the elderly Hubble alive with a single gyro, how Starliner is currently marooned in orbit and are usually round up of other news from the cosmos, a skyguide for what to look out for and a this month in astronomy history that explores the life of Henrietta Swan-Leavitt.

1 hr 3 min
Jun 1, 2024Episode 144
Aurora at Home

This month is indulgent and ranty! Well it is summer...Jen waxes lyrical about a night out, Paul has written a book and in amongst it is some astronomy! There is a big dive into the huge aurora display in May, talk of new exoplanets and old ones vanishing. The usual skyguide and this months history moment is all about X rays. Produced by Paul, Jen, John, Damien & Dustin

1 hr 5 min
May 17, 2024Episode 143
Totally Eclipse

Dustin and Jeni talk about their Eclipse adventures from last month.

1 hr 8 min
May 1, 2024Episode 143
Nova predictions and China to the Moon

This month excitement builds for the predicted Nova outburst in Corona Borealis as well as looking forward to China launching a sample return mission to the far side of the Moon. We have our usual skyguide and chat about upcoming missions and some fun insights into the methane on Mars.

1 hr 8 min
Apr 1, 2024Episode 142
Packing for a Solar Eclipse

This month Dr Jen is off to the US for the Solar Eclipse while Paul is just back from Goonhilly Earth Station. We chat about the imminent demise of the Chandra Space Telescope, more news on the Hubble tension, and of course the Great North American Eclipse.  Chinese Lunar ambitions, Starship making it to space and the first Boeing Starliner crew make the news while in this months history moment we talk about the brightest Stellar event witnessed by humans.

38 min
Mar 22, 2024Episode 141
Britain's First Astronaut

This podcast extra is our full length interview with Dr Helen Sharman, Britain's First astronaut and the first woman to visit the Russian Mir Space Station in 1991.

1 hr 2 min
Mar 1, 2024Episode 141
Wet Moons and Tippy Landers

This month our intrepid crew of the good ship Awesome investigate sub surface oceans on the moons of the solar system, smoking stars, distant blackholes, oversized structures and of course tippy over lunar landers. There is also the monthly skyguide and a look at the astro history of March!

53 min
Feb 17, 2024Episode 140
Blasting Soil - Interview with Dr Phil Metzger

This month Dr Jen talks to Dr Phil! Dr Phil Metzger, 30 years at NASA where he has worked on various missions and programmes including the ISS snd Space Shuttle, while more recently he has been investigating how rocket efflux interacts with soil and what this will mean for future landings on the Moon and Mars…

1 hr 9 min
Feb 2, 2024Episode 140
Giant European Space Lasers!

This month we explore the exciting announcements from the European Space Agency as they outline their new missions for the 2030s. LISA, a space based gravitational wave detector and EnVision, a Venus mission that will map the surface and under-surface of that planet in unprecedented detail.  We have the usual skyguide, chat about recent lunar missions and emails from the listeners.