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Video Podcast Listing: Full Feature (4-12 min)
The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall (05-24-2007)
When you look at the night sky, stars look like permanent fixtures of light. However, stars are born, live for a period of time, and then ultimately die. How they die is directly linked to how massive they were when they were born.
- Related Links:
-- SN 2006gy
When you look at the night sky, stars look like permanent fixtures of light. However, stars are born, live for a period of time, and then ultimately die. How they die is directly linked to how massive they were when they were born.
- Dowload Video Podcast (30.6 MB, Runtime: 4:32)
- Listen to Audio Only
- Transcript
- Related Links:
-- SN 2006gy
The Exotic World of Neutron Stars (04-30-2007)
Neutron stars are created when a massive star runs out of fuel and collapses. As the star collapses, the density becomes so immense that protons and electrons are squeezed tightly together to form neutrons. The end result is a star only 20 km across but weighing 1 1/2 times more than our sun and made up mostly of neutrons.
- Related Links:
-- Neutron Stars/X-ray Binaries
Neutron stars are created when a massive star runs out of fuel and collapses. As the star collapses, the density becomes so immense that protons and electrons are squeezed tightly together to form neutrons. The end result is a star only 20 km across but weighing 1 1/2 times more than our sun and made up mostly of neutrons.
- Dowload Video Podcast (29.8 MB, Runtime: 4:23)
- With closed-captions (at YouTube)
- Listen to Audio Only
- Transcript
- Related Links:
-- Neutron Stars/X-ray Binaries
The Giant Planets: X-ray Secrets Revealed (03-19-2007)
Jupiter and Saturn are the two largest planets in our Solar System, best known for very different reasons. Most people think of Jupiter's famous Great Red Spot, while Saturn is, of course, most loved for those excellent rings. These two planets, however, offer much, much more for astronomers looking to learn more about our Solar System.
- Related Links:
-- They Might Be Giants: X-ray Secrets of Saturn and Jupiter
Jupiter and Saturn are the two largest planets in our Solar System, best known for very different reasons. Most people think of Jupiter's famous Great Red Spot, while Saturn is, of course, most loved for those excellent rings. These two planets, however, offer much, much more for astronomers looking to learn more about our Solar System.
- Dowload Video Podcast (28.7 MB, Runtime: 4:13)
- With closed-captions (at YouTube)
- Listen to Audio Only
- Transcript
- Related Links:
-- They Might Be Giants: X-ray Secrets of Saturn and Jupiter
Star (X-ray) Light, Star (X-ray) Bright (02-28-2007)
Remember the line from the children's saying that goes: "Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight"? Looking at the light from stars is exactly how astronomers can learn about them.
- Related Links:
-- Normal Stars & Star Clusters
Remember the line from the children's saying that goes: "Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight"? Looking at the light from stars is exactly how astronomers can learn about them.
- Dowload Video Podcast (28.7 MB, Runtime: 4:13)
- With closed-captions (at YouTube)
- Listen to Audio Only
- Transcript
- Related Links:
-- Normal Stars & Star Clusters
Snowball Fight in the Solar System (01-22-2007)
One of the most surprising objects observed in X-rays are comets. X-rays are normally associated with the hottest things in the Universe, such as black holes. Comets, however, were described by Fred Whipple as being "dirty snowballs". So how does a snowball make X-rays?
- Related Links:
-- Comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR
One of the most surprising objects observed in X-rays are comets. X-rays are normally associated with the hottest things in the Universe, such as black holes. Comets, however, were described by Fred Whipple as being "dirty snowballs". So how does a snowball make X-rays?
- Dowload Video Podcast (26.6 MB, Runtime: 4:36)
- With closed-captions (at YouTube)
- Listen to Audio Only
- Transcript
- Related Links:
-- Comet C/1999 S4 (LINEAR
Please note: These podcasts include artist illustrations and conceptual animations in addition to astronomical data.


