Episode 185: Did a Supernova Cause a Mass Extinction?, with Brian Fields

For more info on the podcast, please see our About page.

Feature Guest: Brian Fields

By now we are all familiar with the theory that an asteroid brought to an end the age of the dinosaurs, a period of domination that had lasted 167 million years. But asteroids are not the only harbingers of doom that lurk in the darkness of space. Today we’re joined here at The Star Spot by Brian Fields, whose research team has found evidence linking supernovae events in deep space to mass extinction events in deep time.

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Current in Space

Tony reports on the mystery of the vanished star. Then Jeff describes electromagnetic flare from a gravitational wave event caused by two merging black holes. And Camilla brings news of two new super-Earths. Finally Amelia and Priyanka offer an explanation for radio waves caused by pulsars.

About Our Guest

Brian Fields is Professor of Astronomy and Physics at the University of Illinois

Links

Exploding stars may have caused mass extinction on Earth, study shows (news release)

How to Listen to the Show

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD
* Subscribe for free with itunes
* Use feedburner in your browser

The Star Spot is also broadcast on The Scope at Ryerson. The show airs every Sunday at 8:00PM and Tuesday at 6:00PM Eastern Time. Listen live here.

If you have interesting news and story ideas, as well as topics or potential interview guest, please send them to info@thestarspot.ca

Support The Star Spot

The Star Spot is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization. We operate with lots of love and a passion for astronomy, but that doesn’t quite cover all of our needs all of the time. Costs from web hosting, recording space, speaker fees, conference coverage and printing flyers, posters, business cards and the like do add up. Patreon is a simple way that fans of the show can contribute to the podcast every month and get some great rewards in return. If you’d like to see us continue to grow and continue to put out great content please consider helping us out. Our annual expenses total at about $10,000, and every little bit helps.

PatreonIf you’d like to know exactly where your money is going, ask us, and we’ll be glad to share the information. Alternatively, get involved with The Star Spot and have a say in it yourself!

Episode 184: The Milky Way’s First Fast Radio Burst, with Sandro Mereghetti

For more info on the podcast, please see our About page.

Feature Guest: Sandro Mereghetti

Fast radio bursts are a new mystery in astronomy. These highly energetic events of unknown origin were first discovered in 2007 out in deep space. Now a team is reporting the first fast radio burst to emanate from our own Milky Way Galaxy. Today we’re joined here at The Star Spot by Sandro Mereghetti, whose team is on the hunt for the source of this unusual phenomenon.

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Current in Space

Camilla shares the remarkable discovery, or rather re-discovery, of the heartbeat of a supermassive black hole in a distant galaxy, found still alive and kicking ten years after being first observed. In addition to the supermassive black hole shaping the environment at the centre of our home galaxy, Amelia and Priyanka explain that something else there is also calling the shots (and no, it’s definitely not like what we saw in Star Trek V). In other black hole news, Finally, Jeff brings us back down to Earth (though still above Earth), as SpaceX is launching ever more Starlink satellites into orbit to provide high-speed Internet coverage to citizens of our planet. There’s only one problem: the future of ground-based astronomy may be at stake.

About Our Guest

Sandro Mereghetti is research staff member at the National Institute for Astrophysics in Milan.

Links

INTEGRAL discovery of a burst with associated radio emission from the magnetar SGR 1935+2154 (scholarly article)

Dead star emits never-before seen mix of radiation (news release)

How to Listen to the Show

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD
* Subscribe for free with itunes
* Use feedburner in your browser

The Star Spot is also broadcast on The Scope at Ryerson. The show airs every Sunday at 8:00PM and Tuesday at 6:00PM Eastern Time. Listen live here.

If you have interesting news and story ideas, as well as topics or potential interview guest, please send them to info@thestarspot.ca

Support The Star Spot

The Star Spot is a nonprofit, volunteer-run organization. We operate with lots of love and a passion for astronomy, but that doesn’t quite cover all of our needs all of the time. Costs from web hosting, recording space, speaker fees, conference coverage and printing flyers, posters, business cards and the like do add up. Patreon is a simple way that fans of the show can contribute to the podcast every month and get some great rewards in return. If you’d like to see us continue to grow and continue to put out great content please consider helping us out. Our annual expenses total at about $10,000, and every little bit helps.

PatreonIf you’d like to know exactly where your money is going, ask us, and we’ll be glad to share the information. Alternatively, get involved with The Star Spot and have a say in it yourself!

Are you interested in a Paid Short-Term Internship with The Star Spot?

Assistant Producer, A Paid Summer Internship with a Leading Science Radio Show and Podcast

The Star Spot is a space themed podcast and radio show focusing on all aspects of astronomy and space exploration. The show was awarded “New and Notable” on iTunes and has been featured on CBC’s Podcast Playlist as well as InnerSpace, the flagship program of Canada’s space channel. The Star Spot has interviewed Nobel laureates, astronauts and leaders of major international space missions. It is available on Ryerson Radio, iTunes and at www.thestarspot.ca

We have been provided with a grant from Canada Summer Jobs to hire an intern to work full-time for eight weeks this fall 2020. The position will focus on The Star Spot’s growth and development, preparing an audience engagement plan, building a new platform for the show on YouTube, and assisting in organizing interviews, debates and news reporting.

Please note that unlike previous years, the Canada Summer Jobs program is now open to both students and non-students, although candidates must be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of employment.

Applications Due: September 18, 2020

Term: October 19 to December 11, 2020

Status: Full-time, 8 weeks, 32 hours/week

Location: Toronto

How to Apply: Review the eligibility requirements below. If you are interested, available, and eligible for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume as text, word or PDF attachment, to Executive Producer Justin Trottier at info@thestarspot.ca.

 

Roles and Responsibilities

Develop an Audience Engagement Plan

Following research into best practices among educational podcasts as well as surveys conducted of The Star Spot listeners, the intern will develop recommendations for improving the show’s engagement with its audience.

Growth and Development of The Star Spot

The intern will work to further grow the show by: pitching the program to online and conventional radio stations; fundraising to corporations, universities and foundations; Developing a Student Placement Strategy, aimed at appointing student interns to ongoing Assist Production roles.

Build a YouTube Platform for the Show

The Star Spot has been an audio-only podcast for most of its history. Recently a presence has been launched on YouTube and a few preliminary videos episodes have been broadcast. The intern will develop the framework for a regular scheduled program on YouTube. This will include developing a visual brand for the show and troubleshooting the platform technology. 

 

Skills, Attributes and Qualifications

It is no longer a requirement that Canada Summer Jobs applicants be full-time students. However, to be eligible, the Canada Summer Jobs program requires that an applicant:

  • (a) is between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the start of employment;
  • (b) is a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act*; and
  • (c) is legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial / territorial legislation and regulations.


Background and Experience

  • Completion or in-process of acquiring relevant post-secondary degree, diploma, or certificate from an accredited post-secondary institution. Target domains of study include fundraising, development, marketing, communications, public relations, advertising, promotions, journalism or related areas. 
  • Experience in marketing, public relations, relationship management, communications and content creation ideal.
  • Experience with YouTube video production ideal.
  • Experience with marketing campaigns on social media helpful.
  • Appreciation and basic understanding for science ideal.

Personality and Skills

  • Demonstrated ability to write clear, well-structured, articulate, and persuasive proposals and to develop associated visuals.
  • Ability to build strong relationships 
  • Outstanding organizing, project management, time management and planning skills.
  • Ability to adapt to a continually evolving environment and thrive in an autonomous and deadline-oriented workplace. 
  • Resourceful and proactive in resolving challenges and finding solutions.
  • Ability to identify and summarize relevant information.
  • Independent self-starter capable of managing and prioritizing multiple, time-sensitive priorities.
  • Assertive but not aggressive.


Technical Knowledge

  • Knowledge of Adobe creative cloud software a considerable asset.
  • High familiarity with common social media networks and YouTube.
  • Hands-on experience with WordPress, SEO and Google Analytics helpful.

 

Are you interested in a Paid Summer Internship with The Star Spot?

Are you interested in a Paid Summer Internship Opportunity with The Star Spot?

The Star Spot is a space themed podcast and radio show focusing on all aspects of astronomy and space exploration. The show was awarded “New and Notable” on iTunes and has been featured on CBC’s Podcast Playlist as well as InnerSpace, the flagship program of Canada’s space channel. The Star Spot has interviewed Nobel laureates, astronauts and leaders of major international space missions. It is available on Ryerson Radio, iTunes and at www.thestarspot.ca.

We have been provided with a grant from Canada Summer Jobs to hire an intern to work 32 hours/week during July and August 2019. The position will focus on fundraising, marketing and communication, with the goal of growing the show’s resources and reach. Please note that unlike previous years, the Canada Summer Jobs program is now open to both students and non-students, although candidates must be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of employment.

Applications Due: June 21, 2019

Start Date: July 8, 2019

Status: Full-time, 8 weeks, 32 hours/week

Location: Toronto

How to Apply: Review the eligibility requirements below. If you are interested, available, and eligible for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume as text, word or PDF attachment, to Executive Producer Justin Trottier at info@thestarspot.ca.

Roles and Responsibilities

Fundraising

  • Develop fundraising communication materials for various audiences.
  • Prepare and submit grant applications.
  • Develop a corporate fundraising program.
  • Maintain and build relationships with grantors and sponsors.
  • Direct or coordinate web-based fundraising activities using the website and social media.
  • Research grant and sponsorship opportunities that meet the unique needs of the organization.
  • Identify unique sources of individual or organizational financial support and submit.
  • Develop a university and college targeted fundraising campaign.

Marketing and Development

  • Assist in developing communication material for various audiences across several channels (website, social media, email blasts, print advertisements).
  • Develop concrete relationships with new partners, including university departments, nonprofits, industry groups and other podcasts/radio shows.
  • Build our online and social media outreach in existing and new channels.
  • Grow our online and social media audience through well developed social media campaigns, with a focus on reaching students and youth.
  • Develop tools to track and analyze online audience growth.
  • Develop mechanisms for enhancing relationships with listeners.

Skills, Attributes and Qualifications

To be eligible, the Canada Summer Jobs program requires that an applicant:

  • (a) is between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the start of employment;
  • (b) is a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act*; and
  • (c) is legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial / territorial legislation and regulations.

Background and Experience

  • Completion or in-process of acquiring relevant post-secondary degree, diploma, or certificate from an accredited post-secondary institution. Target domains of study include fundraising, development, marketing, communications, public relations, advertising, promotions, journalism or related areas.
  • Experience in grant writing and fundraising ideal.
  • Experience in marketing, public relations, relationship management, communications and content creation ideal.
  • Experience in public relations, marketing, communication.
  • Experience with marketing campaigns on social media helpful.
  • Appreciation and basic understanding for science ideal.

Personality and Skills

  • Demonstrated ability to write clear, well-structured, articulate, and persuasive proposals and to develop associated visuals.
  • Ability to build strong relationships
  • Outstanding organizing, project management, time management and planning skills.
  • Ability to adapt to a continually evolving environment and thrive in an autonomous and deadline-oriented workplace.
  • Resourceful and proactive in resolving challenges and finding solutions.
  • Ability to identify and summarize relevant information.
  • Independent self-starter capable of managing and prioritizing multiple, time-sensitive priorities.
  • Assertive but not aggressive.

Technical Knowledge

  • Knowledge of Adobe creative cloud software a considerable asset.
  • High familiarity with common social media networks.
  • Hands-on experience with WordPress, SEO and Google Analytics helpful.

 

Episode 158: Telling Space Stories, with Rayna Slobodian

For more info on the podcast, please see our About page.

Feature Guest: Rayna Slobodian

As we dream of space, we must remain anchored to humanity. Space exploration is a human story, and music may be the perfect medium to capture the emotive drama of discovery, risk and the mystery of the unknown. Today we’re joined here at The Star Spot by singer-songwriter, space ethicist, homelessness researcher and all around geek, Rayna Slobodian, for a far-ranging discussion that, while focused on space music, is ultimately about bringing space exploration down to Earth.

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD

The Star Spot is now on the Radio!

Star Spot podcast is now The Star Spot podcast and radio show. That’s right. Your favourite astronomy program is now travelling through space, specifically the 1280AM frequency. Our broadcaster, CJRU The Scope at Ryerson, is now available on the radio dial, which means you can join us at The Star Spot at 1280AM every Sunday 8PM and Tuesday 6PM Eastern Time.

Visit http://www.thescopeatryerson.ca/ to learn more about our partner radio station.

About Our Guest

Rayna Slobodian is a singer-songwriter whose music combines her love of space exploration with her passion for ethics, justice and human imagination. Her album Space Stories is available on iTunes and YouTube. She is a psychology and anthropology masters student at York University, focusing on research into the reporting of homelessness in Canada.

Links

Space Stories EP on iTunes

@RaynaElizabeth (twitter)

The Geek Anthropologist column

How to Listen to the Show

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD
* Subscribe for free with itunes
* Use feedburner in your browser

The Star Spot is also broadcast on The Scope at Ryerson. The show airs every Sunday at 8:00PM and Tuesday at 6:00PM Eastern Time. Listen live here

If you have interesting news and story ideas, as well as topics or potential interview guest, please send them to info@thestarspot.ca

Episode 157: How We Discovered That Blazars Cause Mysterious Cosmic Rays, with Darren Grant

For more info on the podcast, please see our About page.

Feature Guest: Darren Grant

A one hundred year old astronomical mystery may finally have been solved. Scientists have long wondered just what caused high energy particles called cosmic rays, which arrive on Earth from the far unknown reaches of the universe. But now we have a discovery by the South Pole Neutrino Observatory, appropriately named IceCube, which points the finger at a peculiar phenomena known as blazars. The IceCube Collaboration’s Professor Darren Grant joins us today here at The Star Spot.

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD


Current in Space

Dave reports on the arrival of the Osiris-Rex mission at the asteroid Bennu. Then, when it comes to climate change, desperate times call for desperate measures, such as the plan we hear from Simon to spray chemicals into the atmosphere to reflect the sun’s heat back into space. And Tony explains the possible outcome of an astronomical event so energetic we detected its gravitational waves back in August 2017. Finally Amelia tells us we may have finally come a step closer to understanding what fuels the least-understood type of supernova.

The Star Spot is now on the Radio!

Star Spot podcast is now The Star Spot podcast and radio show. That’s right. Your favourite astronomy program is now travelling through space, specifically the 1280AM frequency. Our broadcaster, CJRU The Scope at Ryerson, is now available on the radio dial, which means you can join us at The Star Spot at 1280AM every Sunday 8PM and Tuesday 6PM Eastern Time.

Visit http://www.thescopeatryerson.ca/ to learn more about our partner radio station.

About Our Guest

Darren Grant is Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Alberta. He is the Spokesperson for the IceCube Collaboration, referring to the South Pole Neutrino Observatory. Grant is Canada Research Chair in Astroparticle Physics and received an E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.  

Links

How to Listen to the Show

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD
* Subscribe for free with itunes
* Use feedburner in your browser

The Star Spot is also broadcast on The Scope at Ryerson. The show airs every Sunday at 8:00PM and Tuesday at 6:00PM Eastern Time. Listen live here

If you have interesting news and story ideas, as well as topics or potential interview guest, please send them to info@thestarspot.ca

Episode 156: The Do-It-Yourself Spacesuit, with Cameron Smith

For more info on the podcast, please see our About page.

Feature Guest: Cameron Smith

One of the challenges in building a future where humans are able to explore other worlds are the massive, clumsy and expensive spacesuits currently in use. Now enter into the picture Pacific Spaceflight. They’re a grassroots team with a do-it-yourself attitude and they’re busy perfecting the next generation space suit technology. Today we’re joined here at The Star Spot by their leader, Professor Cameron Smith, an anthropologist and archaeologist who’s research on humanity’s deep past now fuels his determination to take us into the future.

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD


Current in Space

Could we have missed one of our closest galactic neighbours, asks Dave. Then Tony explains how humans aren’t the only animals effected by a solar eclipse. Simon freaks us out with news that worms are being sent to the International Space Station. And finally, in her big debut, Amelia reports first views of supermassive black holes colliding in galaxy mergers.

The Star Spot is now on the Radio!

Star Spot podcast is now The Star Spot podcast and radio show. That’s right. Your favourite astronomy program is now travelling through space, specifically the 1280AM frequency. Our broadcaster, CJRU The Scope at Ryerson, is now available on the radio dial, which means you can join us at The Star Spot at 1280AM every Sunday 8PM and Tuesday 6PM Eastern Time.

Visit http://www.thescopeatryerson.ca/ to learn more about our partner radio station.

About Our Guest

Cameron Smith is a Professor of Anthropology and Archaeology at Portland State University, author of the book Emigrating Beyond Earth: Human Adaptation and Space Colonization  and founder of the thinktank Pacific Spaceflight.

Links

Principles of Space Anthropology: Biological and Cultural Evolution Beyond Earth (technical report)

Emigrating Beyond Earth: Human Adaptation and Space Colonization

Cameron Smith’s website

How to Listen to the Show

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD
* Subscribe for free with itunes
* Use feedburner in your browser

The Star Spot is also broadcast on The Scope at Ryerson. The show airs every Sunday at 8:00PM and Tuesday at 6:00PM Eastern Time. Listen live here

If you have interesting news and story ideas, as well as topics or potential interview guest, please send them to info@thestarspot.ca

The Star Spot is on vacation!

 

The Star Spot is on vacation!

When you’re an all volunteer production, sometimes you need a little break to relax and reinvigorate.

We’ll be skipping the next two regularly scheduled episodes, and returning to you on Sunday, May 13th.

Until then, we encourage you to check out our show archives and listen to one of your favourites!

– The Star Spot Team

Episode 144: A Rough Upbringing: The Discovery of Stars in the Galaxy’s Core, with Farhad Yusef-Zadeh

For more info on the podcast, please see our About page.

Feature Guest: Farhad Yusef-Zadeh

The gravity, radiation and tidal forces at the very core of the Milky Way is kind of intense. That’s why astronomers have long doubted the possibility of star formation in such a hostile environment. And then everything changed with the discovery last fall of 11 sun-like stars living closer to the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy then the distance between our sun and its closest neighbour. What does this breakthrough mean for our understanding of star formation and the possibility of life in what we once imagined were impossibly extreme environments? Today we’re joined here at The Star Spot by the discovery team’s leader Farhad Yusef-zadeh.

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD

The Star Spot is now on the Radio!

Star Spot podcast is now The Star Spot podcast and radio show. That’s right. Your favourite astronomy program is now travelling through space, specifically the 1280AM frequency. Our broadcaster, CJRU The Scope at Ryerson, is now available on the radio dial, which means you can join us at The Star Spot at 1280AM every Sunday 8PM and Tuesday 6PM Eastern Time.

Visit http://www.thescopeatryerson.ca/ to learn more about our partner radio station.

Current in Space

On behalf of The Star Spot, Tony says “Thank you, Stephen.”

About Our Guest

Farhad Yusef-Zadeh received his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at STony Brook then performed his PhD work at Columbia University. He worked as a National Research Council postdoctoral fellow at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center before joining the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Northwestern University. He enjoys performing public lectures on the history of astronomy, science and pseudoscience and how science affects our lives.

Links

ALMA and VLA observations: Evidence for ongoing low-mass star formation near Sgr A (scholarly article)

Flaring Activity of Sagittarius A* at 43 and 22 GHz: Evidence for Expanding Hot Plasma (scholarly article)

How to Listen to the Show

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD
* Subscribe for free with itunes
* Use feedburner in your browser

The Star Spot is also broadcast on The Scope at Ryerson. The show airs every Sunday at 8:00PM and Tuesday at 6:00PM Eastern Time. Listen live here

If you have interesting news and story ideas, as well as topics or potential interview guest, please send them to info@thestarspot.ca

Episode 143: Planet Hunting Goes Extragalactic, with Xinyu Dai

For more info on the podcast, please see our About page.

Feature Guest: Xinyu Dai

Last month astronomers announced the first ever discovery of extrasolar planets… in another galaxy. We’ve already confirmed almost 4000 planets beyond our solar system, but these have all been in a single galaxy, the Milky Way. But then last month a serendipitous discovery opened the door to a galaxy 3.8 billion light years away and it turns out it’s home to thousands upon thousands of planets.Today we’re joined here at The Star Spot by co-discoverer Xinyu Dai to describe the unplanned discovery and whether this is the beginning of a new era in extrasolar extragalactic planetary astronomy.

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD

The Star Spot is now on the Radio!

Star Spot podcast is now The Star Spot podcast and radio show. That’s right. Your favourite astronomy program is now travelling through space, specifically the 1280AM frequency. Our broadcaster, CJRU The Scope at Ryerson, is now available on the radio dial, which means you can join us at The Star Spot at 1280AM every Sunday 8PM and Tuesday 6PM Eastern Time.

Visit http://www.thescopeatryerson.ca/ to learn more about our partner radio station.

Current in Space

The Andromeda Galaxy has tried hard to hide its past, but Dave exposes its dirty secrets. Then Maya numbers our minds with the discovery of the most distant supernova yet. And when psychologists studied the likely ramifications of first contact Tony found the results surprising.

About Our Guest

Xinyu Dai is assistant professor at the University of Oklahoma Department of Physics and Astronomy. He performed undergraduate studies at Beijing University before receiving his PhD from Penn State. He is an expert in gravitational lensing, galaxy clusters, active galactic nuclei and gamma-ray bursts.

Links

Probing Planets in Extragalactic Galaxies Using Quasar Microlensing (scholarly article)

How to Listen to the Show

LISTEN NOW OR DOWNLOAD
* Subscribe for free with itunes
* Use feedburner in your browser

The Star Spot is also broadcast on The Scope at Ryerson. The show airs every Sunday at 8:00PM and Tuesday at 6:00PM Eastern Time. Listen live here

If you have interesting news and story ideas, as well as topics or potential interview guest, please send them to info@thestarspot.ca