exocast

The exoplanet podcast

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100 episodes
Updated April 29

Episodes100

Newest first

Jan 25, 2019 · 1 hr
Exocast-31b: with special guest Lee Billings, plus Waterworlds and exoplanet news
On the 31th episode of Exocast: Hugh is joined in the virtual exocast studio by Science Journalist Lee Billings a writer for Scientific American and author of “5 billion years of Solitude”. Andrew dives into waterworlds inside and outside of our solar system and what we can learn about habitability. Hannah takes a look at what exoplanet news had been released over the past months and highlights the great work done by furloughed US scientists who keep the Hubble Space Telescope alive and healthy. And Lee, adopts the newly discovered Barnard’s Star b into the Exocast Adopted Planets family and promises to keep a good eye on it in the coming years for us.
Dec 13, 2018 · 56 min
Exocast-30b: with special guest Jessie Christiansen, plus ExoCup2018 analysis
On the 30th episode of Exocast: Andrew is joined in the virtual exocast studio by Dr Jessie Christiansen from Caltech/NExSci to talk a little about her work on exoplanet demographics, catalogs, public outreach, and citizen science. Hannah provides an overview of last month’s #exocup, giving us a run down on the stats, the winners, losers, surprises and lessons learned. Hugh takes a look at what other exoplanet news had been released over the past month. And Jessie, to the chagrin of some and the appreciation of others, chose ‘the Next Planet’ as her adopted world – find out why and what she meant on the show.
Oct 28, 2018 · 1 hr 7 min
Exocast-29b: with special guest Sarah Hörst, Exomoons, News, and Exocup2018
On the 29th episode of Exocast: Hannah is joined by Professor Sarah Hörst from Johns Hopkins University to talk about her lab and working on haze production for solar system planets and beyond. Hugh discusses the concept of Exomoons following the recent potential discovery. Andrew takes a look at the exoplanet news for the past month, and introduces the new format for the Exocup2018! And Sarah adds the not extra-solar, not planet, Titan to the exocast adopted exoplanet family. Also, did we mention the EXOCUP is back!
Oct 5, 2018 · 1 hr 9 min
Exocast-28b: Special guest Daniel Angerhausen, SOFIA, technosignatures, news, HD 209458b
On the 28th episode of Exocast, returning from a month’s break: Hugh is joined by Daniel Angerhausen from the University of Bern/Blue Marble Space to talk exoplanet science with SOFIA and high-altitude balloon experiments. Andrew introduces the concept of technosignatures in time for the first NASA Technosignatures Workshop, held at the end of September, and chats a little more with Daniel who will be taking part in the meeting. Hannah takes a look at the exoplanet news for the past two months, and there’s a lot to discuss! And Daniel adds the ‘standard candle’ Hot Jupiter HD 209458 b to our collection of Adopted Planets Also, EXOCUP is back!
Aug 2, 2018 · 1 hr 2 min
Exocast-27b: special guest Michael Gully-Santiago, K2, Exoplanet meetings, news, HAT-P-11b
In the 27th episode of Exocast: Michael Gully-Santiago joins Andrew for a chat about his work on instrumentation, and with the K2 guest observer office (https://keplerscience.arc.nasa.gov/). Hannah reports back from the Exoplanets II meeting in Cambridge (https://www.exoplanetscience2.org/), where she takes to the conference floor to speak to the attendees about some of their favourite exoplanet facts. Hugh covers all the exoplanet news and views from the last month; And Gully adds HAT-P-11b to our Adopted Planets
Jul 2, 2018 · 1 hr 6 min
Exocast-26b with Natasha Batalha, PandExo, RVs, and HAT-P-26b
In the 26th episode of Exocast: Natasha Batalha joins Hannah for a chat about PandExo (the Exoplanet ETC for HST and JWST) and her work on Martian climate modelling. Hugh discusses all things radial velocity: history, current, and future prospects. Andrew covers all of June’s exoplanet news; And Natasha adds “Hannah’s special planet” HAT-P-26b to our gang of Adopted Planets
May 28, 2018 · 57 min
Exocast-25b: Exoplanetary Helium (with guest Jess Spake), plus the “Shadow Biosphere”
In the 25th episode of Exocast: Jessica Spake joins us to chat about the first detection of exoplanetary Helium – around the planet Wasp-107b Andrew covers whether alien biology could exist in a Shadow Biosphere here on Earth. Hannah covers all of May’s exoplanet news; And Jess invites an old friend to the exocast adopted planets – 51 Pegasi b, the first exoplanet detected around a sun-like star.
Apr 30, 2018 · 1 hr 8 min
Exocast-24b: Special guest Rus Belikov, direct imaging, Alpha Can, Titan, news, Ross-128b
In the 24th episode of Exocast: Andrew chats with special guest Rus Belikov about direct imaging and Alpha Cen ; Hannah dives into the lakes of Titan to take us on a scuba diving adventure through alien worlds; And Hugh takes us through the latest in Exoplanet news; Finally, as always, we adopt a planet into our exocast family. This week selected by our guest Rus who chose Ross-128b, welcome to the family.
Apr 1, 2018 · 51 min
Exocast-23b: special guest Jayne Birkby, UKExoM, Gaia, news, WTS-2b
In the 23rd episode of Exocast: Hannah and Hugh join us from the UK Exoplanet Meeting; Hannah chats with special guest Dr Jayne Birkby about her work on high resolution spectroscopy; Hugh talks about the Gaia mission and what it means for exoplanets; Andrew covers all of this months exciting exoplanet news; And we invite our guest to add to the exocast adopted planets, so welcome WTS-2b to the exocast family.
Feb 28, 2018 · 47 min
Exocast-22b: panspermia, exoplanet phases, news, Kepler-167e
In the 22nd episode of Exocast: Andrew talks about the concept of panspermia; Hugh discusses how astronomers can observe the changing phases of exoplanets; And Hannah covers the exoplanetary news including discoveries from K2 and new open-source science for exoplanet spectroscopy. And Hugh adds the cold transiting jupiter Kepler-167 e as the newest adopted Exocast planet.
Jan 30, 2018 · 59 min
Exocast-21b: planet formation, habitability of eccentric planets, news, Kepler-21b
In the 21st episode of Exocast: Hannah talks about planet formation; Andrew discusses the potential habitability of planets on eccentric orbits; Hugh disseminates a backlog of exciting exoplanet news from the past two months including discoveries, planet characterization, and community debate; Andrew adds the eponymous Kepler-21b as the newest member of the Exocast adopted planets gang;
Dec 9, 2017 · 1 hr
Exocast-20b: The ExoCup
In the 20th episode of Exocast we discuss all things #ExoCup What is the ExoCup? How was it conceived? What was the result? Why was it so stressful for the Exocast crew? We take a voxbox from some members of the exoplanet community on their opinions of the ExoCup (inc. Dr. Jessie Christiansen, Dr. Nikole Lewis, Dr. Natalie Batalha, Dr. Abhi Rajan); Andrew reports on the months interesting exoplanetary news that was still churning out planets during the cup; Hannah adopts runner up GJ 1214b into the Exocast family to join winner Kepler-10b. Big thank you to all who joined us on twitter for the ExoCup and explored 32 alien worlds with us.
Oct 30, 2017 · 56 min
Exocast-19b: origins of life part 2, software and machine learning, news, Proxima b
In the 19th episode of Exocast: Andrew continues his 2-parter on research into the origins of life; Hugh details all the numerous way that computers & software is used in astronomy, from Microsoft to MCMC to Machine Learning; Hannah reports on two whole months worth of interesting exoplanetary news; Hugh adopts Proxima Centauri b, the solar system’s closest cousin, into the Exocast family; And we announce the start of the first Exocast #ExoCup!
Oct 7, 2017 · 30 min
Exocast-18b – Direct Imaging Special with special guest Sasha Hinkley
In the 18th episode of Exocast, we chat to Sasha Hinkley, a direct imaging expert at the University of Exeter: “Spotlights & fireflies” – what it means to be able to directly image planets and how we do it. Why direct imaging may not have the numbers compared to other detection techniques, but can give us so much more information on each planet The future of direct imaging instruments, including JWST, WFIRST and the E-ELT. And Sasha adopts the HR 8799 system as an Exocast adopted planet.
Sep 16, 2017 · 57 min
Exocast-17b: origins of life part 1, global circulation models, news, GJ 667Cc
In the 17th episode of Exocast: Andrew introduces us to the origins of life studies in the first of a two-part segment. Hannah talks about Global Circulation Models (GCMs) and why they matter for exoplanets. Hugh reports on the latest exciting exoplanetary news, including alien stratospheres, new exoplanets from RV studies, and exo-comets. Andrew adopts GJ 667Cc into the misfits that are the Exocast adopted planets.
Aug 8, 2017 · 54 min
Exocast-16b: ELTs, JWST, news, 51 Eri b, newly minted Dr Osborn
In the 16th episode of Exocast: Hugh discusses exoplanet science in the era of extremely large telescopes. Hannah brings us up to speed with the outcomes of the recent James Webb Space Telescope workshop held at the Space Telescope Institute at the beginning of July. Andrew reports on the latest exciting exoplanetary news, including a potential exomoon candidate, some worrying disclosures from the TESS mission, and a possible atmosphere detection around a large terrestrial planet. Hannah adopts the directly-imaged world 51 Eridani b into our exoplanet orphanage, a young, hot, Jupiter-like planet detected by the Gemini Planet Imager. Hugh became an Official Doctor of Space by passing his PhD viva – well done Hugh!
Jul 6, 2017 · 41 min
Exocast-15b: biosignatures, TESS, news, Kepler-37b
In the 15th episode of Exocast: Andrew revisits the signals life may or may not leave in a planet’s atmosphere, taking in recent results from the NExSS biosignature workshop. Hugh details the pros & cons of NASA’s upcoming planet-hunting machine, the Transiting Exoplanet Satellite Survey, or TESS, mission. Hannah covers the breaking news, including a host of new results from the Kepler mission. and Hugh adopts the mini-Mercury Kepler-37b into our collection, the smallest planet yet found around a main sequence star.
Jun 12, 2017 · 43 min
Exocast-14b
In the 14th episode of Exocast Hannah takes us back to basics and introduce the composition and chemistry of exoplanet atmospheres. Andrew covers some recent updates from astrobiology, the field of study that aims to figure out if there’s life on any the exoplanets we’ve discovered, or on some of the worlds closer to home. Hugh takes us through the latest in exoplanetary news, including the newest discoveries, investigations, and notable events in exoplanets this month. and Andrew adopts the well characterized exoplanet HD 189733b – a hellish world with high speed winds filled with molten glass, but very popular with observers.
Apr 28, 2017 · 55 min
Exocast-13b
In the 13th episode of Exocast Hugh talks about planets in binary systems – are two stars better than one? Hannah discussed the importance of brown dwarfs as the intermediary between planets and stars. Andrew takes us through the latest in exoplanetary news, including the newest discoveries, investigations, and notable events in exoplanets this month. and Hannah adopts WASP-12b with it’s ruby clouds into our extreme family of exoplanets.
Apr 7, 2017 · 48 min
Exocast-12b
In the twelfth episode, Exocast-12b: Andrew details highlights of the recent UK exoplanet meeting. Hugh and Andrew play “Just an Arcminute” with UK exoplanet scientists. Hannah sits in at the exocast newsdesk to cover news including new data on the Trappist-1 system, unusual clouds closer to home, and new brown dwarfs at the boundary of planets & stars. And Hugh chooses Kepler-47ABc, a rare circum-binary planet, as our adopted planet of the month.