IRrelevant Astronomy

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It's the series Aint-It-Cool-News calls ''the most (intentionally) hilarious series of educational films you'll find...the pieces carry a Muppets-esque charm.'' Alan Dyer at Discovery.com says it's ''a lot of fun, and breaks the mold for NASA videos.'' Recently a top-10 finalist for ''Best Science/T…

NASA's Spitzer Science Center and Infrared Processing and Analysis Center


    • Dec 16, 2015 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 54 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from IRrelevant Astronomy

    Stampy, the Science-Loving Postage Stamp

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2015


    Stampy helps a student learn about the engineering behind NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Featuring Richard Horvitz, Robert Picardo, and Danny Pudi.

    Stampy! The Science-Loving Postage Stamp!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2015


    Stampy helps a student learn about the engineering behind NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Featuring Richard Horvitz, Robert Picardo, and Danny Pudi.

    NOTGLaDOS: Fusion vs. Fission

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2014


    When a science-mad A.I. system is installed at NASA, two hapless computer technicians learn the process behind nuclear fusion in the Sun, and how it differs from fission.

    Fusion vs. Fission

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2014


    When a science-mad A.I. system is installed at NASA, two hapless computer technicians learn the process behind nuclear fusion in the Sun, and how it differs from fission.

    Ask an Astronomy Brain Parasite: Why are astronauts weightless in space?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 16, 2013


    Deep inside an astronomer's head, a parasite (voiced by Alan Tudyk) taps into his brain to learn about...science! Specifically, about why astronauts appear weightless in space. Wil Wheaton co-stars.

    Ask an Astronomy Brain Parasite

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 15, 2013


    Deep inside an astronomer's head, a parasite (voiced by Alan Tudyk) taps into his brain to learn about...science! Specifically, about why astronauts appear weightless in space. Wil Wheaton co-stars.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: The Mass of Asteroids (Cameron Diaz, Ed Wasser)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2013


    Cameron Diaz teaches Robot IR-2 (Ed Wasser) how astronomers can measure the mass of asteroids from tremendous distances.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show In Progress: The Mass of Asteroids

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2013


    Cameron Diaz teaches Robot IR-2 (Ed Wasser) how astronomers can measure the mass of asteroids from tremendous distances.

    Big Bang: The Musical

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2011


    Did you know 13.7 billion year old radiation from the Big Bang can be seen on any analogue TV set? In this mini-musical, a fictional couple (Brigitte Dale, Marc Helou) discuss the science behind this. Original song written & performed by Danny Tieger.

    Big Bang Musical

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2011


    Did you know 13.7 billion year old radiation from the Big Bang can be seen on any analogue TV set? In this mini-musical, a fictional couple (Brigitte Dale, Marc Helou) discuss the science behind this. Original song written & performed by Danny Tieger.

    Astronomy Anemone

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2011


    Veronica Belmont co-hosts a space-themed talk show with Astronomy Anemone, a carnivorous man-eating sea polyp. WARNING: contains scenes of cartoon violence and scientific jargon.

    Astronomy Anemone

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2011


    Veronica Belmont co-hosts a space-themed talk show with Astronomy Anemone, a carnivorous man-eating sea polyp. WARNING: contains scenes of cartoon violence and scientific jargon.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Destroyer of Worlds (Ed Wasser, Wil Wheaton)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2010


    Robot IR-2 (Ed Wasser) meets The Physician (Wil Wheaton), an intergalactic buttinsky in a small blue box spaceship. Together, they work to escape "The Destroyer of Worlds," a binary star system that is destroying its inner planets. With Brigitte Dale.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Destroyer of Worlds

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2010


    Robot IR-2 (Ed Wasser) meets The Physician (Wil Wheaton), an intergalactic buttinsky in a small blue box spaceship. Together, they work to escape "The Destroyer of Worlds," a binary star system that is destroying its inner planets. With Brigitte Dale.

    Behind the Scenes: Dead Stars (Sean Astin, Sandeep Parikh)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2010


    Actor Sean Astin is hired by a bullying educational film Director and her Flunky sidekick to explain about the life and death of stars. But when things go wrong on the set, actor Sandeep Parikh is hired to replace Sean... only to have things take a bizarre twist.

    Behind the Scenes: Dead Stars

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2010


    Actor Sean Astin is hired by a bullying educational film Director and her Flunky sidekick to explain about the life and death of stars. But when things go wrong on the set, actor Sandeep Parikh is hired to replace Sean... only to have things take a bizarre twist.

    Spaceship Spitzer: Bots of Both Worlds (Amy Okuda, Ed Wasser, Wil Wheaton)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2010


    Amy Okuda flies to Saturn to observe a new giant ring around the planet: the largest ring ever discovered in our Solar System, but one that was only recently revealed through infrared observations by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope in 2009. While there, she and Irwin (voiced by Wil Wheaton) encounter an old enemy, and must defeat their sinister plot. Ed Wasser also stars. Watch the 3D version on YouTube

    Spaceship Spitzer: Bots of Both Worlds

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2010


    Amy Okuda flies to Saturn to observe a new giant ring around the planet: the largest ring ever discovered in our Solar System, but one that was only recently revealed through infrared observations by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope in 2009. While there, she and Irwin (voiced by Wil Wheaton) encounter an old enemy, and must defeat their sinister plot. Ed Wasser also stars. Watch the 3D version on YouTube

    Spitzer Space Telescope: The Musical

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2010


    A singing NASA supervisor uses song to explain about NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, and how infrared astronomy differs from visible-light telescopes like Hubble.

    Spitzer Space Telescope: The Musical

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2010


    A singing NASA supervisor uses song to explain about NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, and how infrared astronomy differs from visible-light telescopes like Hubble.

    Behind the Scenes: When Galaxies Collide (Felicia Day, Sean Astin)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2009


    Felicia Day explains some of the science behind galactic "collisions," including the upcoming collision between the galaxy Andromeda and our own galaxy, in this mock behind-the-scenes look at the making of an educational video. Sean Astin also stars.

    Behind the Scenes: When Galaxies Collide

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2009


    Felicia Day explains some of the science behind galactic "collisions," including the upcoming collision between the galaxy Andromeda and our own galaxy, in this mock behind-the-scenes look at the making of an educational video. Sean Astin also stars.

    Back in Time - Robot Astronomy Talk Show (Linda Hamilton, Dean Stockwell, Ed Wasser)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2009


    Linda Hamilton attempts to foil the robots' plans of Universal conquest; meanwhile, Dean Stockwell explains the concept of "looking back in time" at objects in space, and how it helps astronomers understand how the Universe has evolved. Starring Ed Wasser as the voice of IR-2.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Back in Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2009


    Linda Hamilton attempts to foil the robots' plans of Universal conquest; meanwhile, Dean Stockwell explains the concept of "looking back in time" at objects in space, and how it helps astronomers understand how the Universe has evolved. Starring Ed Wasser as the voice of IR-2.

    Part Two: The Warm Mission (Sean Astin, Betty White)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2009


    In this spoof of old TV action shows, Sean Astin, Osa Wallander, and Betty White search for a way to help the Spitzer Space Telescope after it runs out of coolant.

    Gravity and the Great Attractor - Robot Astronomy Talk Show (George Takei, Mark Hamill, Ed Wasser))

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2009


    George Takei, Mark Hamill, and Ed Wasser provide voices as IR-2 and the robot crew take a look at the Great Attractor, a massive hidden object that is pulling in every nearby galaxy in the local Universe (including our own).

    Twin Brown Dwarfs (Robot Astronomy Talk Show)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2009


    While trapped in an interdimensional portal between two brown dwarfs, IR-2 and the robots encounter their evil twins from an alternate universe.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Twin Brown Dwarfs

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2009


    While trapped in an interdimensional portal between two brown dwarfs, IR-2 and the robots encounter their evil twins from an alternate universe.

    M51 & Gizmo: Half-Baked Plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2009


    Hoping for his birthday to come around sooner, innocent alien M51 moves the Earth into a closer, faster orbit around the sun, and learns an important lesson about life in the Universe.

    M51 & Gizmo: Half-Baked Plan

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2009


    Hoping for his birthday to come around sooner, innocent alien M51 moves the Earth into a closer, faster orbit around the sun, and learns an important lesson about life in the Universe.

    The Slowlian Web (Spaceship Spitzer)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2008


    During a tense face-off with a sinister (but extremely slow-moving) alien race, Dr. Michelle shows IR-1 how scientists can determine what extrasolar planets are made of, even when the planets are too far away to see.

    Spaceship Spitzer: The Slowlian Web

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2008


    During a tense face-off with a sinister (but extremely slow-moving) alien race, Dr. Michelle shows IR-1 how scientists can determine what extrasolar planets are made of, even when the planets are too far away to see.

    Sculpting With Stars (Robot Astronomy Talk Show)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2008


    IR-2 opens diplomatic relations with the Earth, as a first step toward ruling over all humans on the planet.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Sculpting With Stars

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2008


    IR-2 opens diplomatic relations with the Earth, as a first step toward ruling over all humans on the planet.

    Psych Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2008


    Does the Helix Nebula look like a human eye? Why do we think we see well-known objects in nebulous images from space? An astronomer and his therapist clash over the issue in this comedic but educational animated short.

    Psych Out

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2008


    Does the Helix Nebula look like a human eye? Why do we think we see well-known objects in nebulous images from space? An astronomer and his therapist clash over the issue in this comedic but educational animated short.

    The Building Blocks of Life (Robot Astronomy Talk Show)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2008


    IR-2 and his crew learn about PAHs, which may be the building blocks of all life in the Universe, and decide to put them to good use.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: The Building Blocks of Life

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2008


    IR-2 and his crew learn about PAHs, which may be the building blocks of all life in the Universe, and decide to put them to good use.

    Omega Centauri (Robot Astronomy Talk Show)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2008


    While the robots are away, a sad and lonely man calls in with a beautiful image of the Omega Centauri globular cluster.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Omega Centauri

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2008


    While the robots are away, a sad and lonely man calls in with a beautiful image of the Omega Centauri globular cluster.

    Baby Stars (Robot Astronomy Talk Show)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2008


    Where do stars come from? IR-2 analyzes recent Spitzer imagery to find out, while an imposing Ratings-bot oversees the broadcast.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Baby Stars

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2008


    Where do stars come from? IR-2 analyzes recent Spitzer imagery to find out, while an imposing Ratings-bot oversees the broadcast.

    Mountie Martin and the Space Diamonds (Dub'ya)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2008


    Are tiny diamonds really common in the Universe? Join the intrepid Mountie Martin as he endeavors to find out, while on the trail of the sinister Sammy the Smuggler!

    Dub'ya: Mountie Martin and the Space Diamonds

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2008


    Are tiny diamonds really common in the Universe? Join the intrepid Mountie Martin as he endeavors to find out, while on the trail of the sinister Sammy the Smuggler!

    Water in the Universe (Robot Astronomy Talk Show)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2008


    Astronomers have discovered huge amounts of water around baby stars; IR-2 and his crew plan to make use of it.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Water in the Universe

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2008


    Astronomers have discovered huge amounts of water around baby stars; IR-2 and his crew plan to make use of it.

    Asteroids (Robot Astronomy Talk Show)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2008


    Will an asteroid strike the Earth and wipe out all life as we know it? IR-2 and his robotic crew make random phone calls to find out.

    Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Asteroids

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2008


    Will an asteroid strike the Earth and wipe out all life as we know it? IR-2 and his robotic crew make random phone calls to find out.

    Skinfrared 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2008


    Viewing liquids in extreme temperatures in both visible and infrared light, this episode of the Skinfrared series gives viewers a perspective on how infrared observatories like the Spitzer Space Telescope view the Universe.

    Skinfrared #2: Water and Ice

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2008


    Viewing liquids in extreme temperatures in both visible and infrared light, this episode of the Skinfrared series gives viewers a perspective on how infrared observatories like the Spitzer Space Telescope view the Universe.

    Enemy Mine (Spaceship Spitzer)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 17, 2008


    While in battle around the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy, Dr. Michelle teaches IR-1 the science behind these giant singularities.

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