During the five day move-toArizona drive I took last year I started listening to a special podcast called Astronomy Cast. I started at the beginning and would listen to several episodes a day, but for a series that started in 2006 releasing one or two episodes a week and is still going strong I had a lot of catching up to do! Well, last weekend en route to Flagstaff I finally got myself caught up to the current episode, number 200.

Astronomy Cast is truly amazing if you are at all interested in Astronomy.  The hosts Pamela and Frasier make all the complex topics of physics and cosmology understandable to people without a math background.  Frasier is particularly good at breaking down astronomy theories into everyday analogies.  Topics range from Astronomy history, the solar system, stars, cosmology, astronomer biographies, and telescopes.  I have found Astronomy Cast particularly helpful in understanding black holes, dark matter, and dark energy.

So go check them out!  I’ve been so intrigued by the topics covered that I got my own telescope this past summer, and it is so nice to see the planets close up, even in light polluted Phoenix.  If you’ve never seen Jupiter or Saturn through a telescope and you’re in the area, go to Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff for a look through their 24″ refractor.  Most universities have an open Astronomy night, too.