Astronomy

Dr Becky Smethurst: Black Hole gazing We all know what a black hole is don't we? They suck everything in and there's no light or time in the middle. At least that's how they work in films. Our guest… Audio

Renowned Kiwi painter Dick Frizzell's new book 'The Sun is a Star' celebrates his passion for cosmology. Audio

Space science educator and astrobiologist Haritina Mogosanu returns to Saturday Morning to discuss growing plants in space. Her Seeds in Space programme has involved distributing seeds to more than… Audio

Astronomer John Hearnshaw is determined to protect and maintain dark skies from light pollution and believes there should be a nationwide law for it. Audio

By this time next year we would have already celebrated our very first Matariki holiday in New Zealand. Stardome astronomy educator and astro-photographer Josh Kirkley joins the show to discuss the… Audio

Kiwi-Scottish starman Dr Stephen Curran returns by popular demand to unpack cosmic goings-on. Audio

Kiwi-Scottish starman Dr Stephen Curran returns by popular demand to unpack cosmic goings ons. This week: how all the iron in your blood came from a massive star which lived and died before the Sun… Audio

In late 2017, scientists at a Hawaiian observatory glimpsed a strange object soaring through our inner solar system. The object dubbed "Oumuamua" was pancake-shaped, and as big as a football field. It… Audio

Jupiter and Saturn are going to appear closer than they ever have in a rare astronomical event for the next few days. Gisborne astronomer John Drummond talks to Jesse about what to expect. Audio

Former University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory superintendent Alan Gilmore joins us once again. Tonight he has news of some important observations from Mt John, damage to the Arecibo radio… Audio

Unbeknownst to many of us, a small asteroid was passing by planet Earth last night. Audio

Māori Astronomer Dr Rangi Mataamua won the top communication prize at the recent Prime Ministers Science Awards, not bad for someone who failed fourth form Science at Hato Paora College. In the lead… Audio

New Zealand's earliest European-era star observatory on a farm near Featherston - built by an amateur astronomer/farmer in 1867 - could be saved in the nick of time. The Carkeek Observatory is now… Audio

Science regular Alan Gilmour discusses a recently discovered black hole. Audio

The Green Bank Radio Telescope is the largest steerable telescope in the world. The telescope needs to be isolated from all the radio noise that humanity produces. Which means that WiFi in Green Bank… Audio

Astronomers have spotted an ultrafast star, traveling at six million km/h, that was ejected by the supermassive black hole at the heart at the Milky Way five million years ago. Associate Professor… Audio

Looking skyward and the importance the stars have had historically for Aotearoa-New Zealand. Science writer Naomi Arnold's book Southern Nights: The story of New Zealand's night sky from the Southern… Audio, Gallery