National Astronomy Meeting: Wednesday

What will the last survivors at the end of the world look like?
03 July 2013
Presented byDominic Ford.

Red_Giant_Earth.jpg

Red giant star and the Earth

Share

What will the last remaining lifeforms on the Earth look like as the Sun swells to become a red giant star? And why might future robotic explorers of the Moon find themselves engulfed in dust? Both of these questions were discussed at the National Astronomy Meeting today, meanwhile I also had a chance to catch up with some of the amateur astronomers at the conference.

In this episode

Red giant star and the Earth

01:14 - The last survivors on Earth

Jack O'Malley James tells me that life is likely to live deep underground in two billion years' time.

The last survivors on Earth
with Jack O'Malley James, University of St Andrews

Transcript to follow.

A supernova in the bottom left of the galaxy

08:57 - Amateur observations of supernovae

With his own telescope Tom Boles has personally discovered more supernova than any other human in history. I asked him why he does it.

Amateur observations of supernovae
with Tom Boles, The British Astronomical Association

Transcript to follow.

Heat generated from the nuclear fusion in the Sun

17:02 - Amateur observation of the Sun

It is not just professional astronomers who observe the Sun, as Lee Macdonald tells me.

Amateur observation of the Sun
with Lee Macdonald, The British Astronomical Association

Transcript to follow.

An artist's concept portrays a NASA Mars Exploration Rover on the surface of Mars. Two rovers have been built for 2003 launches and January 2004 arrival at two sites on Mars. Each rover has the mobility and toolkit to function as a robotic geologist.

23:15 - A dusty dilemma

Future robotic rovers on the Moon could find that moon dust sticks to them electrostatically, meaning they will be buried alive.

A dusty dilemma
with Farideh Honary, University of Lancaster

Transcript to follow.

Comments

Add a comment