Looking Up

How do you feel about the universe? Is it scary, you know with how large it is? How far way everything is? Is it intimidating when astronomers talk about time in millions and billions of years? Okay, on the surface it’s intimidating. But there are lots of people out there who have made it their mission, sometimes dedicating years to volunteering, and a few well-paying careers, just to bring the universe down to Earth. Dean Regas chats with Kat Troche, project coordinator for the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, to learn more.

By some counts as much as 96% of everything in the universe comes from dark matter and dark energy. And, up to now, both are completely invisible. Few in the field question this theory, but could there be alternatives? Dean chats with Professor Stacy McGaugh from the Department of Astronomy at Case Western Reserve University to learn more.

What happens when 3000 astronomers gather in one place? The annual American Astronomical Society meeting puts this question to the test. In this episode, Dean Regas shares what makes a gathering like this so special, reflecting on conversations he had with like-minded astronomers at his first AAS meeting. Special thanks this episode to Diana Hannikainen, Christina Williams, Kevin Legore, Aaron Yung, Allyn Smith and Alex Thomas.Leave us a voicemail by calling (513) 352-9188 and you might hear yourself in a future episode!You can also send us your thoughts on this episode at [email protected] or post them on social media using #lookinguppodcastFind Us Online: Twitter: @lookinguppod @deanregas, Instagram: @917wvxu @deanregas, Tiktok: @cincinnatipublicradio @astronomerdean, Episode transcript: www.wvxu.org/podcast/looking-up More from Dean: www.astrodean.com#lookingup #lookinguppod #deanregast #astronomy #cincinnatipublicradio #NPR #lookinguppodcast

With Artemis II's recent launch, we are revisiting this conversation. Dean gets to the root of this question with guest Oliver Morton, Senior Editor for The Economist and author of the book The Moon: A History for the Future. They discuss Musk's likelihood for a Mars landing, and what the future of private space travel could mean for present Earthlings.

With the recent release of the "Project Hail Mary" film adaptation, we are revisiting a favorite episode of "Looking Up." Dean chats with science fiction novelist Andy Weir about what it takes to solve problems in the cosmos or as a stay-at-home dad. The acclaimed author of "The Martian" (which itself became an acclaimed film) also updates listeners on the eagerly anticipated film adaptation of another of Andy's books: "Project Hail Mary."

Last fall, NASA announced that it found something incredible in a rock on Mars. A core sample obtained by the Mars Perseverance rover discovered a potential biosignature. In other words, a potential sign of ancient life on Mars. Dean Regas chats with Kathryn Stack Morgan, Perseverance project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, about this chemical "fingerprint."

What was the planet Mars like in the past? Was it a dry desolate world like the one we see today, or was it a watery oasis filled with oceans, lakes, and rushing rivers? Was it Earthlike? Dean Regas chats with University of Cincinnati Professor of Geosciences, and NASA Advisory Board Member, Dr. Andy Czaja, to find out more.

What is a moonbow, and what does it take to get a picture of one? And do rare events in the night sky lose their appeal after you've seen a bunch of them? Dean chats with Jeff Pfaller, astro-photographer and author of "Dark Skies: Rare Phenomena in America’s Public Lands" to learn more.

What might it be like to watch an alien spacecraft fall from the sky? Residents of Ava, Ohio, in 1925 experienced something close to this, when the USS Shenandoah, a naval airship, crashed down on rural farmland. Dean Regas chats with Ohio News Room journalist, Kendall Crawford, after her visit to Ava's mobile museum. We want to hear from you!Send us your thoughts on this episode at [email protected] or post them on social media using #lookinguppodcast

How do you eat in space? Simple everyday chores like sleeping or going to the bathroom take on all new challenges when you're weightless and floating in mid-air. Dean is joined by Mark Borison, Host of The Jungle Jims Podcast to do a space food taste test.

The question seems completely absurd to us in the 21st century: should we use cameras to help with astronomical research? Well, of course. Why wouldn’t we? But in the early 20th century, this was a heated debate that echoed in the domes of many established observatories around the world. So when did the camera really outshine the eye for documenting things in space? Dean Regas chats with Anika Burgess, author of Flashes of Brilliance: The Genius of Early Photography and How it Transformed Art, Science, and History, to learn more.

The universe is enormous and time to observe it is limited. This means planet-hunters have to be extra picky in their search for habitable worlds. Dean chats with Dr. Néstor Espinoza, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute who has his eye on one specific star system, Trappist-1.

Mars and Martians. They go together in the public's mind. The Earthling fascination with "alien invaders" goes back a long time. But why? And what does it say about all of us here on Earth? Dean explores this cultural phenomenon with David Baron, author of "The Martians."

Revisiting a favorite from 2025: Dean chats with Inspiration4 astronaut and artist, Dr. Sian Proctor about seeing Earth from outer space, and her book, "Earthlight, The Power of Earthlight and the Human Perspective."Send us your thoughts at [email protected] or post them on social media using #lookinguppodcastFind Us Online: Twitter: @lookinguppod @deanregas, Instagram: @917wvxu @deanregas, Tiktok: @cincinnatipublicradio @astronomerdean, Episode transcript: www.wvxu.org/podcast/looking-up, More from Dean: www.astrodean.com

This holiday season, Dean Regas visits a favorite episode of Looking Up, featuring astrophysicist Dr. Katie Mack. They discuss how all of this might end: could it be a crunch, a freeze or a rip?

Venus is close-by and similar in size to Earth, but until recently, we couldn’t tell much about it. Dr. Rakesh Mogul, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, at Cal Poly Pomona took another look at old Venus data to potentially change what we know about our sister planet. Dean chats with Dr. Mogul to unravel the mystery.

Peter Hillary's father, Sir Edmund Hillary, was the first person to climb Mt. Everest. Mark Armstrong's father, Neil Armstrong, was the first person to walk on the moon. Now, the two sons of iconic explorers are going on an adventure together to the North Pole. A new film documents this journey, and a parallel journey their fathers took together in 1985. The working title of the documentary is North Pole '85, and was produced by an Icelandic film crew.

After NASA's recent milestone of over 6000 exoplanets tracked, Dean Regas has one big question. Is anyone living on them? On this episode, Dean chats with Dr. Malena Rice, a planetary astrophysicist and assistant professor in the Yale Department of Astronomy, to find out.

What happens if you fall into a black hole? What would it sound like? What would you see? Dean Regas chats with Dr. Janna Levin, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Barnard College of Columbia University, to find out the answers to these questions and more.

Dr. Konstantin Batygin, professor of Planetary Science at Caltech, made a joke that turned out to be true. In 2014, another Caltech professor, Mike Brown, brought an intriguing research paper to Batygin's attention. The paper described a peculiar planetary alignment in the outer solar system. While developing theoretical models to explain the paper's assertions, Brown and Batygin had a running gag, "We were like, okay, as a joke, let's put a planet in the outer solar system just to see what would happen." In this episode of Looking Up, Dean Regas chats with Dr. Batygin and gets the full story.

Has anyone written more screenplays than Albert Einstein? On this episode of Looking Up, Dean Regas consults with comedian, screenwriter, and Chris Hadfield look-alike, Thomas Lennon, on this very question.

"Some people hustle pool, some people hustle cars, but have you ever heard of the man who hustles stars?" From 1976 to 1997, these lines began every episode of Jack Horkheimer: Star Hustler, the astronomy show from WPBT, South Florida PBS. Later on Star Hustler was rebranded to Star Gazers, and hosts Dean Regas and James Albury took over after Horkheimer's passing. In this episode of Looking Up, Dean and James reminisce on production of the show, plus, "buzzkill" astronomy is back!

You might have to watch the sunrise by yourself at Kitt Peak Observatory. At night, astronomers and technicians conduct research and lead tours for the public. But as the sun starts to peek over the Quinlan Mountains, everyone is still asleep. Dean Regas chats with Vannessa Gressieux, the docent and guide coordinator at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona, to learn more.

Science journalist Anne Saker describes the Chandrasekhar Limit as a range of possibility where if a planet has enough stability in its magnetic force and its gravitational force, it can sustain life. This Nobel Prize winning discovery changed the field of fluid dynamics. Though it was named after theoretical physicist Dr. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, he credited his computer, Donna Elbert, "for without her part, there would have been no substance.” Dean Regas chats with Anne Saker to learn more about Donna Elbert's astronomical legacy.