The Jodcast - astronomy podcast

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Monthly astronomy news, interviews and questions. Created by astronomers.

Jodrell Bank Observatory


    • Jun 2, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 5m AVG DURATION
    • 642 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Jodcast is an astronomy podcast that has been running for over a decade and has gained a dedicated following. It offers informative and interesting content, covering a range of topics in astronomy and astrophysics. With a variety of voices and guests, the podcast provides listeners with insight into current research before it is widely published. For those interested in staying up to date on space news, this podcast is highly recommended.

    One of the best aspects of The Jodcast is its high production quality. The hosts do an excellent job of delivering complex scientific information in an accessible manner, making it easy for both enthusiasts and professionals to understand. The podcast also features interviews with leading researchers, providing listeners with unique perspectives on various astronomical topics. Additionally, the show includes a guide to the night sky segment each month, helping listeners navigate and appreciate celestial events.

    However, one potential drawback of The Jodcast is that it can be overwhelming for some listeners due to the level of expertise displayed by the hosts and guests. The discussions can sometimes make individuals feel unintelligent or out of their depth. While this may not be an issue for those with a strong background in astronomy or astrophysics, it could discourage beginners from fully engaging with the content.

    In conclusion, The Jodcast is a highly recommended podcast for anyone interested in astronomy and astrophysics. It offers in-depth coverage of current research, informative interviews with experts in the field, and helpful insights into observing the night sky. While it may be challenging at times for beginners, the overall quality and content make it one of the best astronomy podcasts available.



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    Latest episodes from The Jodcast - astronomy podcast

    June 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2025 54:04


    Galaxy Redshifts - A hard thing to nail down. In this month's episode, we interview Prof Joe Zuntz about his research into clustering galaxies for cosmology. Our next Jodbite comes from this year's PhD cohort, Georgie, as she submits her thesis on molecular line fitting using ALMA.

    May 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2025 75:05


    Infinite Diversity In Infinite Combinations. In this month's episode, we have a double interview special as we get the opportunity to talk to Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell about her discovery of pulsars and resilience against the challenges she faced. We also talk to Louise Carvahlo, the diversity and inclusion programme leader at CERN, about how they are challenging the invisible barriers that academia face.

    cern dame jocelyn bell burnell
    April 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 52:45


    Bursting with Mysteries, FRBs. Welcome to our first themed episode of 2025. This month's episode is everything to do with Fast Radio Bursts, or FRBs - their exciting discovery, mysterious origins and paving the way to using them as probes in space. This episode features double FRB interviews, with Dr Cherry Ng from CNRS Orleans giving an overview about these astrophysical mysteries, and Dr Ines Pastor Marazuela talking about her work here at Jodrell Bank to observe and understand the populations of FRBs we've found. But first, the news.

    March 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 35:37


    Exoplanets from the Archives. In this month's episode, we have another interview from the archive where Fiona talks to Faith Hawthorn about her work in exoplanet detection and astronomy outreach. George and Jessy also answer your questions about potential dark matter candidates and Mercury's origins, but first the news.

    March 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2025 35:37


    Exoplanets from the Archives. In this month's episode, we have another interview from the archive where Fiona talks to Faith Hawthorn about her work in exoplanet detection and astronomy outreach. George and Jessy also answer your questions about potential dark matter candidates and Mercury's origins, but first the news.

    February 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 61:16


    A Blast from the Past. In this month's episode, we are hearing from a familiar voice as we are joined by now Dr. Ian Harrrison as he talks to us about weak lensing. We will also be diving into the archives with familiar the familiar voices of Imogen and Jonathan discussing theoretical cosmology with Dr. Cora Uhlemann

    February 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2025 61:16


    A Blast from the Past. In this month's episode, we are hearing from a familiar voice as we are joined by now Dr. Ian Harrrison as he talks to us about weak lensing. We will also be diving into the archives with familiar the familiar voices of Imogen and Jonathan discussing theoretical cosmology with Dr. Cora Uhlemann

    January 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 61:39


    Cloudy with a Chance of Stars. In this month's episode, we have two interviews from back in 2022: one with with Eloy de Lera Acedo and another with Mark Magee. Louisa and Barbara talk about the Arecibo Message, imaging stars and flying to space! Bijas chats with James Turner about his work finding pulsars with MeerKAT in our next installment of the Jodbite.

    January 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2025 61:39


    Cloudy with a Chance of Stars. In this month's episode, we have two interviews from back in 2022: one with with Eloy de Lera Acedo and another with Mark Magee. Louisa and Barbara talk about the Arecibo Message, imaging stars and flying to space! Bijas chats with James Turner about his work finding pulsars with MeerKAT in our next installment of the Jodbite.

    December 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 39:43


    Shining a Light on Dark Matter. In December's episode, we have delved into the archive for an interview with Grace Lawrence from 2022; she talks with Jonathan and Imogen about her work in dark matter detection. Nastassia and Louisa answer some listeners' questions in Ask an Astronomer, delving into wormhole exit points and pringle-shaped universes.

    December 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2024 39:43


    Shining a Light on Dark Matter. In December's episode, we have delved into the archive for an interview with Grace Lawrence from 2022; she talks with Jonathan and Imogen about her work in dark matter detection. Nastassia and Louisa answer some listeners' questions in Ask an Astronomer, delving into wormhole exit points and pringle-shaped universes.

    November 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 55:40


    Exploring Exoplanets with JWST. In November's episode, Mel talks to Dr Hannah Wakeford on her work in the field of exoplanets, utilising JWST to delve into planetary atmospheres. For our Jodbite, we talk to postdoc Dr Aishrila Mazumder about her research mapping hydrogen.

    November 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2024 55:40


    Exploring Exoplanets with JWST. In November's episode, Mel talks to Dr Hannah Wakeford on her work in the field of exoplanets, utilising JWST to delve into planetary atmospheres. For our Jodbite, we talk to postdoc Dr Aishrila Mazumder about her research mapping hydrogen.

    October 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 39:35


    How to build your own radio telescope!. In this episode, Louisa talks to Dr. Danny Jacobs about radio cosmology and the physical challenges that face building and operating radio telescopes today. In October's Jodbite, Honor and Phoebe talk about their masters projects, and it's all things lunar with back-to-back moon news.

    October 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2024 39:35


    How to build your own radio telescope!. In this episode, Louisa talks to Dr. Danny Jacobs about radio cosmology and the physical challenges that face building and operating radio telescopes today. In October's Jodbite, Honor and Phoebe talk about their masters projects, and it's all things lunar with back-to-back moon news.

    September 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 49:10


    Exoplanets, Brown Dwarfs, and Semantics. In the show this time, Mél Azombo interviews Dr. Ed Gillen about the evolution of stellar and planetary systems, we review the status of each of the next-generation optical/near-infrared telescopes currently under construction, and George Bendo answers an ask an astronomer question about the difference between exoplanets and brown dwarfs.

    September 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2024 49:10


    Exoplanets, Brown Dwarfs, and Semantics. In the show this time, Mél Azombo interviews Dr. Ed Gillen about the evolution of stellar and planetary systems, we review the status of each of the next-generation optical/near-infrared telescopes currently under construction, and George Bendo answers an ask an astronomer question about the difference between exoplanets and brown dwarfs.

    July 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 31:38


    To celebrate the first images from the Euclid Mission, we are doing a special Euclid episode

    July 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2024 31:38


    To celebrate the first images from the Euclid Mission, we are doing a special Euclid episode

    June 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 42:42


    The CMB and it's B-modes. In this episode, Kammy and Jonathan interview Dr William Coulton from the Centre of Computational Astronomy in New York and they discuss early universe cosmology and the detection of CMB B-modes. Bijas and Phoebe discuss the discovery of a protoplanetary disk around a nearby star, new insights into one of the most distant and luminous galaxies ever observed and the possible environments on exoplanets. Jessy interviews Oli Dodge in this month's Jodbite. This month we had issues with the audio quality when recording. We tried to mitigate them in post but it mostly affects the jodbite (24:45 - 35:27).

    June 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2024 42:42


    The CMB and it's B-modes. In this episode, Kammy and Jonathan interview Dr William Coulton from the Centre of Computational Astronomy in New York and they discuss early universe cosmology and the detection of CMB B-modes. Bijas and Phoebe discuss the discovery of a protoplanetary disk around a nearby star, new insights into one of the most distant and luminous galaxies ever observed and the possible environments on exoplanets. Jessy interviews Oli Dodge in this month's Jodbite. This month we had issues with the audio quality when recording. We tried to mitigate them in post but it mostly affects the jodbite (24:45 - 35:27).

    May 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 65:19


    Galaxy evolution: not so sim(ple)ulations. This month, Kammy and Jessy are joined by Dr. Ana Duarte Cabral from Cardiff University, where she discusses her work on understanding the connection between star formation and galaxy evolution and clues us in on how simulating these processes are not a simple affair. Fiona and Phoebe report on the recent discovery of a quiet Galactic black hole, and observations of a loud white dwarf star. Ask an Astronomer makes a return with George and Honor!

    May 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 65:19


    Galaxy evolution: not so sim(ple)ulations.This month, Kammy and Jessy are joined by Dr. Ana Duarte Cabral from Cardiff University, where she discusses her work on understanding the connection between star formation and galaxy evolution and clues us in on how simulating these processes are not a simple affair. Fiona and Phoebe report on the recent discovery of a quiet Galactic black hole, and observations of a loud white dwarf star. Ask an Astronomer makes a return with George and Honor!

    May 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 65:19


    Galaxy evolution: not so sim(ple)ulations.This month, Kammy and Jessy are joined by Dr. Ana Duarte Cabral from Cardiff University, where she discusses her work on understanding the connection between star formation and galaxy evolution and clues us in on how simulating these processes are not a simple affair. Fiona and Phoebe report on the recent discovery of a quiet Galactic black hole, and observations of a loud white dwarf star. Ask an Astronomer makes a return with George and Honor!

    April 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2024 79:13


    ABC's of GRB's. In this episode, Soheb interview Dr Gavin Lamb from Liverpool John Moores University and they discuss the exotic nature of gamma ray bursts. Fiona is joined by Mel and Honor and they discuss NASA's DART mission, the oldest 'dead' galaxy yet and why Gallifrey must not exist. The Jodbite makes a comeback where Fiona interview Micah Bowles.

    March 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 57:10


    {Feel the Magnetic Pull}. {Feel the Magnetic Pull. In this episode Jessy Marin talks to Dr. Kate Pattle about her work studying the involvment of magnetic fields in star formation. We discuss some of the new released images from the Event Horizon Telescope and JWST and test a new format for our Odds and Ends section where we present an interesting article on Saturn's moon Mimas.}

    March 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 1, 2024 57:10


    Feel the Magnetic Pull. In this episode, Jessy Marin talks to Dr. Kate Pattle about her work studying the involvment of magnetic fields in star formation. We discuss some of the newly released images from the Event Horizon Telescope and JWST and test a new format for our Odds and Ends section where we present an interesting article on Saturn's moon, Mimas.

    February 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 40:12


    Blueberries and Peas. In February's episode, Fiona interviews Dr Alex Cameron on his work understanding the properties of early galaxies using JWST, and we take a whistle-stop tour around some of Bluedot's stalls from July 2023.

    February 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2024 40:12


    Blueberries and Peas. In February's episode, Fiona interviews Dr Alex Cameron on his work understanding the properties of early galaxies using JWST, and we take a whistle-stop tour around some of Bluedot's stalls from July 2023.

    January 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2024 45:12


    Bluedot 2023 Special. In this episode, Fiona Porter travels to Bluedot and interviews Dr. Rebecca Bowler, a newly-hired researcher at the University of Manchester, about studying high-redshift galaxies using the James Webb Space Telescope; Professor Sheena Cruickshank about her work on immunology at the University of Manchester; and Dr. Jen Gupta, who is now an associate professor in public engagement and outreach at the University of Portsmouth, about her life and work after leaving the Jodcast. Additionally, Fiona Porter conducted a separate, extended interview with Dr. Tim O'Brien about organizing Bluedot and about the history of Jodrell Bank.

    January 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 1, 2024 45:12


    Bluedot 2023 Special. In this episode, Fiona Porter travels to Bluedot and interviews Dr. Rebecca Bowler, Sheena Cruickshank, and Jen Gupta. Additionally, Fiona Porter conducted a separate, extended interview with Dr. Tim O'Brien about organizing Bluedot and about the history of Jodrell Bank.

    December 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2021 81:34


    Hello? Is there anybody there? In the show this time, we talk to Tom Scragg about Pulsar timing arrays [07:43:00 - 00:41:43], Jonathan Wong rounds up the latest news [00:01:02-00:07:33] and we find out what we can see in the December night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [00:55:19 - 01:19:20].

    December 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 18, 2021 81:34


    Hello? Is there anybody there? In the show this time, we talk to Tom Scragg about Pulsar timing arrays [07:43:00 - 00:41:43], Jonathan Wong rounds up the latest news [00:01:02-00:07:33] and we find out what we can see in the December night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [00:55:19 - 01:19:20].

    May 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2021 85:01


    Back in Business. In the show this time, we talk to Bert Hawkins and Matt Morgan about their work at the NRAO [06:32.5-37:49.0], Amy Suddards rounds up the latest news [01:17.5-06:23.0] and we find out what we can see in the May night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [00:50:27.4-01:17:15.0].

    May 2021

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2021 85:01


    Back in Business. In the show this time, we talk to Bert Hawkins and Matt Morgan about their work at the NRAO [06:32.5-37:49.0], Amy Suddards rounds up the latest news [01:17.5-06:23.0] and we find out what we can see in the May night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [00:50:27.4-01:17:15.0].

    December 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2020 56:47


    2020 Is Over. In the show this time, we talk to Kaustav Basu about The Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect [6:32 - 16:39], Cameron Bogue rounds up the latest news [1:19 - 6:22] and we find out what we can see in the December night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [38:05 - 55:43].

    December 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2020 56:47


    2020 Is Over. In the show this time, we talk to Kaustav Basu about The Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect [6:32 - 16:39], Cameron Bogue rounds up the latest news [1:19 - 6:22] and we find out what we can see in the December night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [38:05 - 55:43].

    November 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2020 52:21


    A-RIP-bo. In the show this time, we talk to Taïssa Danilovich about the chemistry of Asymptotic Giant Branch stars [05:46 - 27:57], Michael Wright rounds up the latest news [01:31-05:38] and we find out what we can see in the November night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [42:40 - 50:19].

    November 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2020 52:22


    A-RIP-bo. In the show this time, we talk to Taïssa Danilovich about the chemistry of Asymptotic Giant Branch stars [05:46 - 27:57], Michael Wright rounds up the latest news [01:31-05:38] and we find out what we can see in the November night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [42:40 - 50:19].

    October 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2020 66:19


    Worthy Winners. In the show this time, we talk to Sofia Wallstrom about Studies of Asymptotic Giant Branch stars with TESS [09:03.00-27:14.00], Michael Wright rounds up the latest news [01:45.00-08:55.00] and we find out what we can see in the October night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [00:44:55.00-01:05:11.00].

    October 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2020 66:20


    Worthy Winners. In the show this time, we talk to Sofia Wallstrom about Studies of Asymptotic Giant Branch stars with TESS [09:03.00-27:14.00], Michael Wright rounds up the latest news [01:45.00-08:55.00] and we find out what we can see in the October night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [00:44:55.00-01:05:11.00].

    September 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2020 82:24


    A Pair of Planets. In the show this time, we talk to Andrew Tkachenko about Stellar astrophysics in the era of big data [04:43.00-29:21.00], Fiona Porter rounds up the latest news [00:50.00-04:34.00] and we find out what we can see in the September night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [52:55.00-01:21:00.00].

    September 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2020 82:24


    A Pair of Planets. In the show this time, we talk to Andrew Tkachenko about Stellar astrophysics in the era of big data [04:43.00-29:21.00], Fiona Porter rounds up the latest news [00:50.00-04:34.00] and we find out what we can see in the September night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [52:55.00-01:21:00.00].

    August 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2020 78:48


    Sights Scarce Seen. In the show this time, we talk to Rosita Kokotanekova about her work on Jupiter family comets [07:42 - 25:51], George Bendo rounds up the latest news [02:20 - 07:34] and we find out what we can see in the August night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [58:25 - 01:14:42].

    August 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2020 78:49


    Sights Scarce Seen. In the show this time, we talk to Rosita Kokotanekova about her work on Jupiter family comets [07:42 - 25:51], George Bendo rounds up the latest news [02:20 - 07:34] and we find out what we can see in the August night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [58:25 - 01:14:42].

    May 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2020 41:45


    Breaking Apart. In the show this time, Emma Alexander rounds up the latest news [00:56.96-07:22.00] and we find out what we can see in the May night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [07:27.82 - 40:51.00].

    May 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2020 41:46


    Breaking Apart. In the show this time, Emma Alexander rounds up the latest news [00:56.96-07:22.00] and we find out what we can see in the May night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [07:27.82 - 40:51.00].

    Month 4 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 46:20


    Keeping It Simple. In the show this time, we talk to Stewart Eyres about his study of a star that blew up a long time ago [03:48 - 21:30], Luke Hart rounds up the news that has happened in the near past [01:11-03:41] and we find out what we can see in the Month 4 night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [29:00 - 44:52]."

    Month 4 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2020 46:21


    Keeping It Simple. In the show this time, we talk to Stewart Eyres about his study of a star that blew up a long time ago [03:48 - 21:30], Luke Hart rounds up the news that has happened in the near past [01:11-03:41] and we find out what we can see in the Month 4 night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [29:00 - 44:52].

    March 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2020 79:58


    Kaboom. In the show this time, we talk to Rebecca Bowler about galaxies in the early universe [04:09.0 - 20:25.5], Alice Humpage rounds up the latest news [00:54.5-04:02.5] and we find out what we can see in the March night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [1:00:00.1 - 1:18:13.5].

    March 2020

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2020 79:59


    Kaboom. In the show this time, we talk to Rebecca Bowler about galaxies in the early universe [04:09.0 - 20:25.5], Alice Humpage rounds up the latest news [00:54.5-04:02.5] and we find out what we can see in the March night sky from Ian Morison, Haritina Mogosanu and Samuel Leske [1:00:00.1 - 1:18:13.5].

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