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Observational astronomy

European consortium planning huge telescope for Chilean desert

Environment

In the Atacama Desert, there’s a massive complex of highly sophisticated telescopes. But that’s not enough. A group of European countries are planning to build a new, massive telescope nearby.

Stargazers Discovering the UK’s ‘Dark Sky’ Locations

Environment

Desert in Chile is Future Site of Extremely Large Telescope

Arts, Culture & Media

Transit of Venus Visible in Today’s Sky

The World

Observing the Transit of Venus: Past and Present

Arts, Culture & Media
The World

New Study Says Plants on Distant Planets May Be Black

Environment

BBC’s science reporter Neil Bowler explains how red dwarf stars — the most common type of star in the universe — could affect plant life on distant planets, making plants appear black or gray to human eyes.

The World

Dark Sky

Correspondent Bob Carty reports from Ontario, Canada on the creation of the world’s first Dark Sky Reserve. It’s an area where lights and development are prohibited so that sky watchers can get a clear view.

INTERPLANETARY ROCKS: FURTHER IMPLICATIONS

As evidence mounts that there may be life elsewhere in the solar system,the national space agency gears up to protect Earth from possible extraterrestrial contamination. For the first time, Apollo scientists are admitting publicly that efforts to protect Earth from extraterrestrial microbes were a failure. And they are warning that (the) NASA must do a […]

Cool Fix- Light Pollution Solutions

Urban residents want local governments to turn down the lights on light pollution.

Planetary Traffic Jam

Host Steve Curwood speaks with David Aguilar of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics about a unique chance to view the five visible planets in the western sky this spring.