KEEP IT REAL! Mike and Jay discuss the profound importance of direct observation in astronomy. The hosts share personal anecdotes, emphasizing how witnessing phenomena like the Orion Nebula or space launches firsthand provides an undeniable, grounding connection to the reality of the universe. The episode also explores the week's celestial events, including a Super Harvest Moon and a close asteroid flyby. Episode Links: NMPBS ¡COLORES!: Thomas Ashcraft

This episode of StarCast discusses the intersection of astronomy and wildlife, revealing how migrating birds, sea turtles, and even dung beetles use stellar navigation—like the North Star and the Milky Way—to find their way at night. The hosts also cover current space weather, celestial events like the Zodiacal Light, and issue a call to action for "lights out" to protect these migrating species from the dangers of increasing light pollution. EPISODE LINKS:    

Balloons in Space! This week, hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski discuss the potential for a G1-class solar storm and what's visible in the night sky. The episode also delves into astronomical balloons, their scientific applications, and the citizen science projects that use them for research. Episode Links: Younger Dryad Impact Hypothesis articles - ASTHROS - Fort Sumner launches - …

Fun with Comets! On this week's StarCast, join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski as they discuss comets!. They'll also review the week's best celestial viewing,  including a potential G1 or G2 class geomagnetic storm that may produce aurorae, and a newly discovered comet named SWAN25B. Then, they'll dive deep into the world of comets, explaining what they are, where they come from, how they're named, and how to best observe them.

Far Out! Join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski as they discuss the week in space, including a geomagnetic storm and a total lunar eclipse. They also explore the vastness of space by explaining astronomical distances, from light seconds to light years and beyond. Episode Links: › wiki › Astronomical_unit     

It's All Relative This episode explores the fascinating connections between Albert Einstein's theories of relativity and modern technology, like GPS. The hosts, Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski, explain how both special relativity (which deals with time dilation from speed) and general relativity (which explains how gravity warps spacetime) are essential for the accurate functioning of GPS satellites.  The episode also delves into two recent astronomical discoveries: a new tiny moon orbiting Uranus, named S/2025 U1, and a study suggesting that the dwarf planet Ceres may have once been habitable.

Mike Lewinski and Jay Shaffer discussing the “Holy Grail” of astrophotography, a term used for capturing time-lapses that transition smoothly from day to night.

Twilight and the Holy Grail Mike and Jay discuss the "Holy Grail" of astrophotography, a term used for capturing time-lapses that transition smoothly from day to night. They explain the challenges of this type of photography, as it requires continuous adjustment of camera exposure as the light fades. Mike shares his personal experience with both budget-friendly and professional methods, including using a camera's aperture priority mode and more advanced external camera triggers.

This week Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski interview astronomers Prof. Peter Wheatley, Daniel Bayliss , and Toby Rodel from the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) about their work detecting exoplanets and the future of astronomical imaging technology.  Also they discuss a potential solar storm and a planetary conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, as well as the Perseid meteor shower peak. The main news segments cover a plan by the Trump administration to cancel two NASA carbon monitoring missions (OCO2 and OCO3) and the potential discovery of a Saturn-mass exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri A by the James Webb Space Telescope. Episode Links:  

 Crestone Crater Controversy In this episode, Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski discuss a week of quiet space weather, a rare Saturn-Titan eclipse, and NASA funding. The hosts then delve into the geological controversy surrounding the "Mysterious" Crestone Crater, debating whether its origin is extraterrestrial or terrestrial. Episode Links:

STARt Me Up! In this week's Starcast, Jay and Mike talk about the "Big Blob" CME, the Delta Aquarids and Alpha Capicornids meteor showers,  whether 3I/Atlas is an Alien probe, and how to get started in astrophotography.

Stars, Parties, and Clubs! Join Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinsky for space weather, astronomical events, and the latest in space news. NOAA funding cuts, Colliding Black Holes and Gravity Waves, and how to spice up your night life with Star Parties, and Astronomy Clubs! Episode Links: On the black hole "mass gap" - Scientists have detected the largest black hole merger yet.

Gil Graves, an 80-year-old local icon, is facing an unjust aggr… Jay Shaffer needs your support for Remove Barriers! Justice for Gil and The Chili Line Depot

Wanted: Citizen Scientists! This week, Mike and Jay dive into the latest space weather updates, including solar activity and geomagnetic storm forecasts, and share details about a spectacular prominence recently caught on video. We'll guide you on when and where to spot Mars, Saturn, and Venus in the night sky, and highlight a special alignment of Saturn with the Moon. Mike describes a stunning photo of a rare red sprite captured from the ISS and introduces us to the exciting world of citizen science in astronomy.

Mars Ho! or Mars No? Mike and Jay discuss the ongoing debate about human missions to Mars, highlighting the significant challenges of sending people to the Red Planet, including its toxic atmosphere and harsh environment. We suggests that robotic exploration and Mars sample return missions may be more practical and beneficial in the short term, especially given the costs and risks associated with human colonization.