Podcast appearances and mentions of Alpha Centauri

The situation aboard the incoming colony ship turns out to already be deteriorating when Exocraft I arrives. Scene 1 Scene 2 Scene 3 Note: In this episode, we reminisce a bit about the graffiti aboard James Raynor's flagship in our Starcraft: FRAWD Investigators campaign. That was way back in Episode 22 during Part 1 of One Quiet Night about 16 minutes in. Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Der nächste Nachbar der Sonne, der mit bloßem Auge am Himmel zu sehen ist, ist Alpha Centauri – nur 4,3 Lichtjahre entfernt. Um die eine Komponente dieses Doppelsterns scheint ein Planet zu ziehen, wie das James-Webb-Weltraumteleskop beobachtet hat. Lorenzen, Dirk www.deutschlandfunk.de, Sternzeit

Captain Radio's final adventure begins... When our heroes return home to find the planet Alpha Centauri missing, it's up to them to navigate a dangerous region of space and get to the bottom of the mystery before it's too late.The Adventures of Captain Radio is a production of Obscure Studios. This episode was written by Jonny Eberle and produced by William C. McDonald with mixing and sound design by Trask Snow. This episode features the voices of William C. McDonald, Scott Kennedy, Christian Carvajal, DeLano Hays, Abigail Stokley, Jonny Eberle, and Hanna Wonders. Music by Simon Cunningham. Artwork by Tami King.You can learn more about the show at obscurestudios.net. Support us by buying merch at our TeePublic store or by buying us a cup of coffee on KoFi!Transcript: https://obscurestudios.net/podcasts/podcast-transcripts/transcripts-captain-radio/the-adventures-of-captain-radio-season-3-chapter-1-transcript/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mariah gets Avery Tex's side of his story. Scene 7 Scene 8 Scene 9 Player (!) Notes I learned the term Umwelt from the book An Immense World by Ed Yong. If you have any interest at all in how creatures perceive their world (including humans), I heartily recommend it. There are chapters on the five senses you already know about, but also ones on heat, vibrations, pain, magnetic fields, electric fields, and more. Did you know humans can learn echolocation? It's a brilliant book. Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

As always there are spoilers ahead! We've discussed Czech scifi before with Karel Zeman's gorgeous steam punk offering from 1958 Invention for Destruction (dubbed into the English language The Fabulous World of Jules Verne) and we've also covered Communists in Space with 1960s The Silent Star (AKA First Spaceship on Venus). The Czech Ikarie XB-1 (1963) has connections to both of those films but also offers an aesthetic that seems to directly inspire Kubrick for 2001: A Space Odyssey. The year is 2163, communism has won, and a crew of 40 are sent to find life on the white planet in Alpha Centauri with a journey fraught with sociological, psychological and physical challenges. I have two amazing academics to help give insight into the film. Evan Torner is an Associate Professor of German Studies and Niehoff Professor of Film & Media Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Simon Spiegel is a lecturer of Film Studies at the University of Zurich. He has written extensively about Science Fiction and Utopia and has just released the book The Fear of Knowing about spoilers in film and media. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:11 Stanislaw Lem's The Magellanic Cloud 04:28 Czechoslovakian New Wave and film industry 09:49 The striking introductory scenes and Kubrick's 2001 13:05 Cabin fever in spaaace! 15:13 Music by Zdeněk Liška 16:57 Communist utopia in spaaace! 20:57 The draw of sociological stories 26:19 A utopian party and a red alert 28:15 The capitalist ship and the 20th century 32:47 Putting science into sci-fi 39:30 Evan's Dark Matter Shenanigans 42:21 Post Stalin faith 43:41 The ending 45:39 The US edit 47:27 Legacy 52:18 Recommendations     NEXT EPISODE! I will be taking a detour next episode to talk about Afrofuturism which I've been wanting to discuss since the very early days of research before I launched the podcast. Almost two years late but I hope you enjoy it. After that we will be discussing Dr Strangelove and I would recommend you also watch Fail Safe (also 1964) if you have time.  

Greetings in love, light, and wisdom as one.  A situation arose with this month's channeling session with the members of Ashtar Command and the session chosen for this month only had ten minutes total on side B. We had another tape with only the first thirty minutes recorded so we added them together to make a complete addition to the Ashtar Command archives. We will have guests in the second session but this session it was just me answering questions right away from Korton about a astral travel trip Tia and I had taken earlier that day out to Alpha Centauri and back using Sirius as a waypoint. This was a breakthrough for me that we had made it that far to visit the base on Alpha Centauri and so he was interested in the process that helped me achieve that trip. He can only stay for a short while so Tia comes on and we go over the trip also as a sort of continuing debrief of how everything went. Much of what we discuss is about the navigation needed to reach a point in space when constellations are changing as your position in space is changing. She gives me some good tips about using known planets and constellations as waypoints so as to not lose direction. She also helps me to understand the use of charged particles and dark matter as fuel that I was testing out for the first time. We next talk about the base itself on Alpha Centauri and how it was outside instead of being deep below a planet like Hades base. We finished with coming up with analogies to use for future trips that will bring back all the successful things done that day. Kiri is the next very pregnant speaker and we start off with chitchat about her pregnancy, the end of the ski season and putting in a golf course on the base. She has a funny response to that last one. We finally get to coercion questions and her advice for shortening coercive commands into one or two word sentences. After that it's time for Omal to come on for the minute or so left on the tape before we move on to his picking things up again on side two.   For full transcripts of this session and more information about Hades Base and the 6th dimension, please visit our website:  http://hadesbasenews.com  The sessions lasted from 1992 to 2001 with this one being taped on 02/06/93 & 05/20/1994. Side one includes:   1.)(0:00)- Korton only has a few minutes to channel so he uses the time to debrief me on a trip he already had a report but wanted to hear firsthand what it was I did to get to where I was going in my astral body.   2.)(3:46)- Tia and I now go over what took place during our astral travel trip together to Alpha Centauri and how not to get lost when constellations seen from Earth look so different the closer you get to them.   2.)(3:46)- Tia and I now go over what took place during our astral travel trip together to Alpha Centauri and how not to get lost when constellations seen from Earth look so different the closer you get to them.

Greetings once more in love, light, and wisdom as one.    Omal returns to questions about farsighting or would have except that he happened across a file in Mark's brain called Python humor. He couldn't resist and broke out a Monty Python joke to liven things up. We get back on topic which is ideas he can provide to take it to the next step from all that Tia had gone over. What he suggests is visiting Sedona and the various universities around the world to help with looking for landmarks to find my way to each one. He identifies those places of learning that were working on astral travel at the time. He next suggests other places around the world like visit to hone my skill at astral travel such as Edinburgh or the Imperial Palace in China. That was all we had time for so we move on from there to the next session where this time we would have guests. Kiri is the ring mistress for the session and starts things off with introductions all around. She gets a surprise in that one of the guests has a son in the room called Alex which happens to be her son's name also. Before we get to questions and answers, there is some housekeeping she needed to go over which was a visit that Mark and I had planned to a psychic who was able to read auras and her husband. The plan was to have Kiri and Karra channeling through Mark but he would be up on the base in his astral body at the same time. So his physical body would be theirs to use and they would feed me questions while we talked to the people. We have been trying to perfect the technique since we had discovered it during a Pink Floyd concert. When we do get the questions, it is about coercion lessons for one of the guests who was moving to Las Vegas where it might come in handy. So she gives a basic primer on coercion for him along with examples of various coercers throughout history. She next does a coercion example by trying to coerce a cat in the room. We finish up so Omal can get us to the end of the tape by offering advice about a light sound technology that we were looking to test. It would integrate pulsed lights flashed through goggles that would correspond to sound coming through at the same time. It was thought it would be a way to achieve deeper states of consciousness along with opening up deeper states of the mind. Omal was already familiar with the tech and what it could do so his advice was very helpful. The technology was also thought to help with stopping smoking which is just about where the tape stopped as well. It was a good session where we learned a lot. For full transcripts of this session and more information about Hades Base and the 6th dimension, please visit our website:  http://hadesbasenews.com  The sessions lasted from 1992 to 2001 with this one being taped on 02/06/93 & 05/20/1994. Side two includes:   1.)(0:00)- Omal finishes out a short session by suggesting locations I can visit in my astral body to build up the skill. He also suggests looking at maps ahead of time to note any landmarks to point the way. 2.)(9:07)- Kiri starts off a brand new channeling session with making arrangements for a planned visit to someone who could see auras. She then gives a coercion primer for a guest in the room to get him started.   3.)(25:15)- Omal gives his take on some googles designed to help increase psychic skills by using lights that strobe and sounds in ways that act on the brain. One of the benefits was to help reach a Theta state.

Humanity's first interstellar missions may reach Alpha Centauri—but what comes next? Explore nearby stars, colony plans, and how we'll build civilizations beyond our stellar neighbor.Checkout Scav: https://go.nebula.tv/scav?ref=isaacarthurWatch my exclusive video Autonomous Space Industry: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-autonomous-space-industry-when-ai-robots-run-the-economyGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGrab one of our new SFIA mugs and make your morning coffee a little more futuristic — available now on our Fourthwall store! https://isaac-arthur-shop.fourthwall.com/Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Beyond Alpha CentauriWritten, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurEditors: Donagh Broderick & Merv Johnson IISelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music by Epidemic Sound: http://nebula.tv/epidemic & Stellardrone & Chris ZabriskieSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Humanity's first interstellar missions may reach Alpha Centauri—but what comes next? Explore nearby stars, colony plans, and how we'll build civilizations beyond our stellar neighbor.Checkout Scav: https://go.nebula.tv/scav?ref=isaacarthurWatch my exclusive video Autonomous Space Industry: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-autonomous-space-industry-when-ai-robots-run-the-economyGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurGrab one of our new SFIA mugs and make your morning coffee a little more futuristic — available now on our Fourthwall store! https://isaac-arthur-shop.fourthwall.com/Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:Beyond Alpha CentauriWritten, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurEditors: Donagh Broderick & Merv Johnson IISelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music by Epidemic Sound: http://nebula.tv/epidemic & Stellardrone & Chris ZabriskieSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cleve listens to the University's perspective on the stowaway. Scene 4 Scene 5 Scene 6 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Captain Radio and the crew of the Phaeton are embarking on their final adventure. What should have been a triumphant homecoming has turned to disaster — and a race against time to save the planet Alpha Centauri from certain annihilation. Our heroes must brave an unpredictable region of space, uncover hidden secrets, and avoid falling into a carefully laid trap. Listen to Season 3 of The Adventures of Captain Radio, a full-cast science fiction audio drama, wherever you enjoy podcasts. New episodes drop Sundays starting December 7, 2025! Learn more and sign up for our newsletter at obscurestudios.net. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy this episode? Please share it with at least ONE friend who you think needs to hear it!Energy healer and Star Magic founder Jerry Sargeant joins Faust Checho to break down pineal gland activation, his blue extraterrestrial encounters, and the consciousness-expanding Stargate experiences that triggered his light-body awakening in episode 226 of Far Out with Faust.Jerry Sargeant is the founder of Star Magic Healing, a multidimensional energy modality rooted in advanced geometry, pineal activation, and consciousness expansion. His abilities emerged after off-world encounters, time-dilated experiences, and deep initiation in ancient mystery schools. Today, Jerry teaches how to activate the light body, interface with higher-dimensional realms, and restore humanity's original crystalline blueprint.In this conversation, Faust and Jerry explore extraterrestrial contact, the crystalline Flower of Life, the 363 Code, and how consciousness creates geometry, timelines, and reality itself. Jerry shares how blue beings from Alpha Centauri initiated him into Stargate travel, how the pineal gland functions as a multidimensional portal, and why the magnetic field is the primary access point for psychic interference. They dive into AI manipulation, ascension timelines, energetic protection, and what it truly means to move from belief to knowing — the key to soul sovereignty.In this episode: 

A newcomer unexpectedly lends a hand stabilizing Exocraft I. Scene 3 GM Notes The voice for Avery is directly inspired by comedian Melissa Villaseñor's impression of actor Owen Wilson.  Her voice is amazingly broad, and while I strive to emulate it, I don't think I'll be doing a Lady Gaga impression anytime soon. If you'd like to see what Melissa's capable of, check out this link for her talk on finding her own voice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFjv971_NZM. Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan. actualastronomy@gmail.com Our friend Mark Radice joins us to talk about his recent trip to Namibia where he helps run astronomy tours at a ranch. Great fun observing with guests and celestial sights including: - Alpha Centauri double star - 47 Tucanae – simply stunning - Comet SWAN (couldn't see Lemon) - Milky Way constellations - NGC 253 galaxy; M8 Lagoon; Tarantula Nebula - Saturn - Neptune - Moon - Sirius and Pup   We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.

Damage from the assault on the launch causes problems once Exocraft I reaches orbit. Scene 1 Scene 2 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Before we plant flags on alien worlds, we'll build homes that can cross the void. This episode explores how humanity's first interstellar colony might be born inside the ship itself.Checkout Scav: https://go.nebula.tv/scav?ref=isaacarthurWatch my exclusive video The Fermi Paradox - Civilization Extinction Cycles: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-fermi-paradox-civilization-extinction-cyclesGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurVisit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:The First Interstellar Colony Humanity's Leap Beyond SolWritten, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurEditor: Donagh Broderick & Ludwig LuskaGraphics: Bryan Versteeg, Jeremy Jozwik, Udo SchroeterSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music by Epidemic Sound: http://nebula.tv/epidemic & StellardroneSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Before we plant flags on alien worlds, we'll build homes that can cross the void. This episode explores how humanity's first interstellar colony might be born inside the ship itself.Checkout Scav: https://go.nebula.tv/scav?ref=isaacarthurWatch my exclusive video The Fermi Paradox - Civilization Extinction Cycles: https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur-the-fermi-paradox-civilization-extinction-cyclesGet Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurVisit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.netJoin Nebula: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthurSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/IsaacArthurSupport us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-arthurFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1583992725237264/Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IsaacArthur/Twitter: https://twitter.com/Isaac_A_Arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.SFIA Discord Server: https://discord.gg/53GAShECredits:The First Interstellar Colony Humanity's Leap Beyond SolWritten, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac ArthurEditor: Donagh Broderick & Ludwig LuskaGraphics: Bryan Versteeg, Jeremy Jozwik, Udo SchroeterSelect imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music by Epidemic Sound: http://nebula.tv/epidemic & StellardroneSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone contributes to preparing the exodome rocket for launch. Scene 23 Scene 24 Scene 25 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Cleve and Mariah deal with their injuries. Scene 21 Scene 22 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

The Data Haven gang escapes with enough rocket control units, but the price is high. Scene 20 GM Notes The organic superlubricant Arx deploys is a researchable tech for powering fusion lasers from Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, but our PCs' use is far more mundane. Just like in the video game, though, they can't exactly control where it spreads. Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Omega interrupts the rocket control unit heist. Scene 19 GM Notes Many of the minions here wield “hatchets and cleavers.” This comes from one of our favorite songs about peasant revolts, “John the Red Nose” (also known as “Cutty Wren”). We're especially fond of the cover by The Longest Johns, which you can find on Bandcamp here. Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

This week on Hysteria 51, we swirl a glass of weird with a splash of what-the-actual-hell.First up: A New Zealand company is now selling non-alcoholic “wine” for cats and dogs—finally, your pet can join you in judging reality TV with a glass of Pinot Meow. It's cute, it's confusing, and it raises more questions than answers. Conspiracy Bot is demanding a robot-friendly rosé.Then, we spiral into deep-space biology as a scientist claims that alien DNA is embedded in the human genome. That's right—there may be a little E.T. in all of us. (Which would explain some of your uncle's Facebook posts.)It's felines, fine wine (kind of), and fringe science in one deliciously derailed episode of audio absurdity.Listen now before your tabby opens a sommelier TikTok and your ancestry results list “Alpha Centauri.”Links & Resources

BLACKSEA AUDIO PRESENTS: 2109 BLACK SUN RISING The Prequel Logs, Episode 1: Fair Start In the year 2091 the ASIMOV-1 Deep Space Probe was launched on it's journey to the Alpha Centauri region of the Galaxy. It was the first manned Space flight to another star… We now join Fleet Admiral Veers who is currently going through the court documents pertaining to Captain Dyllan Pike and his crew's historic voyage…. Credits: Script for “2109: Black Sun Rising- The Prequel Logs” written by Mat Weller, based on ideas presented in the upcoming Audio Drama “2109: Black Sun Rising” written by Bill Hollweg. Cast for Eps 1-6: Mat Weller as Dyllan Pike Gwendolyn Jensen Woodard as The Computer Jack Ward as The Ensign Joe Stofko as Fleet Admiral Veers Mark Kalita as the Solar Football League Sportscaster W. Ralph Walters as The Solar Football League Game Day Host Lothar Tuppan as The “Terra” Pitchman John Bell as The Announcer for “Reality T.V. Solar Corp. R.T.S.C.” Amanda Fitzwater as Gillian Gee “Solar Football League Game Day Weather Girl and Model” The Ratings Game Audio Drama Courtesy of P.S. Gifford and BrokenSea Audio Productions James Leeper as Contestant on “The Ratings Game” Bruce Busby as The Host on “The Ratings Game”

The team makes a move on the warehouse to recover the missing rocket parts. Scene 17 Scene 18 GM Notes The MacGuffin of this arc, rocket control units, is from another video game, Factorio. Like our adventure, Factorio involves crashing on an alien world. And the objective is also to launch a rocket into space. Factorio's means of doing so, however, involve more ecological destruction than Mariah and Cleve might be comfortable with. Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

How close are we to another Carrington-style event and how bad will it be? Why do people keep calling interstellar comets alien spaceships? Why not shift our focus from Alpha Centauri to Tau Ceti? And it Q&A+, if we see the Universe in the past, do we have a model of how it looks right now?Watch the video here (with no ads) or on YouTube: https://youtu.be/W_79cnrZbjc

Cleve and Mariah recruit the Pirates as local security. Scene 12 Scene 13 Scene 14 Scene 15 Scene 16 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

1674 - Astronomía: El Sistema Estelar Alpha Centauri El muro de Comentarios de los episodios de UDM en iVoox NO es una red social. Universo de Misterios tiene reservado el derecho de admisión y publicación de comentarios. Generalmente, los comentarios anónimos podrían no ser publicados. No envíe comentarios que contengan falacias lógicas. No de información personal. No espere que su comentario sea respondido necesariamente. Comprenda que se reciben diariamente un elevado número de comentarios que han de ser gestionados se publiquen o no. Si hace comentarios con afirmaciones dudosas, arguméntelas aportando enlaces a fuentes fiables (recuerde, el muro de Comentarios de los episodios de UDM en iVoox NO es una red social). En caso de no respaldar su comentario como se indica en la caja de descripción del episodio, su comentario podrá ser no publicado. Contacto con Universo de Misterios: universodemisteriospodcast@gmail.com La imagen de la miniatura que ilustra este episodio ha sido creada con la ayuda de una Inteligencia Artificial. Puedes hacerte Fan de Universo de Misterios y apoyarlo económicamente obteniendo acceso a todos los episodios cerrados, sin publicidad, desde 1,99 €. Aunque a algunas personas, a veces, puede proporcionar una falsa sensación de alivio, la ignorancia nunca es deseable. Pero eso, tú ya lo sabes... Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

Cleve and Mariah make plans with the co-leaders of the exodome expedition to resume their rocket project. Scene 8 Scene 9 Scene 10 Scene 11 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Cleve and Mariah learn about the current status of the exodome. Scene 5 Scene 6 Scene 7 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

The conflict with the exodome gangs is resolved. Scene 3 Scene 4 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

The Milky Way is packed with star clusters – thousands of them. They contain anywhere from a few dozen stars to more than a million. And the most impressive of them all is right in the middle – it surrounds the supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy. The Nuclear Star Cluster contains up to 10 million stars. They extend a couple of dozen light-years from the black hole in every direction. But most of them are packed in close. If our part of the galaxy were that densely settled, we’d have a million stars closer to us than our current closest neighbor, Alpha Centauri. So any planets in the cluster would never see a dark night. Most of the stars in the cluster formed about 10 billion years ago, when the galaxy was young. But there was another wave of starbirth about three billion years ago, and a smaller one just a hundred million years ago. Each wave might have been triggered when the Milky Way swallowed a smaller galaxy. As the galaxies merged, clouds of gas and dust settled in the middle, around the Milky Way’s black hole. That gave birth to new stars – populating the galaxy’s most impressive cluster. The cluster is in Sagittarius, which is due south at nightfall. The constellation looks like a teapot. The center of the galaxy is in the “steam” rising from the spout. But giant clouds of dust absorb the light from the galaxy’s heart, so it takes special instruments to see the cluster. Script by Damond Benningfield

This show has been flagged as Clean by the host. Playing Civilization V, Part 3 Victory Types This is a good time to discuss the Victory types in Civ 5. We have talked about choosing appropriate strategies and that mostly has to do with what kind of Victory you are aiming for. Now you can change the objective as the game goes on, so if you realize you can't win your original Victory type, you can switch to another. But success is a lot easier if you make the right choices early on. Domination – To win this, you must keep possession of your own original capital, and capture everyone else's original capital. Original capital is the first city founded by each Empire. It can never be destroyed, but can be captured. Once the original capital city of an Empire is captured, another city will become the current capital, but capturing that does not count towards victory, and a current capital can be destroyed. Science – To win this, build and launch a spaceship to Alpha Centauri. To build a spaceship requires technologies at the end of the Technology tree, but you don't have to actually research every possible technology to do this. You build the parts in your various cities, and assemble them in your Capital. Once you have assembled all the parts, the spaceship will automatically launch and you win the game. Cultural – This depends on your culture compared to the other Empires, and involves the Tourism mechanic. If you attract tourists from another Empire, your culture will become more dominant over theirs. There are 6 levels for your Empire vis-a-vis the others: Unknown, Exotic, Familiar, Popular, Influential, and Dominant. These are defined by the amount of tourism you receive from an Empire compared with their own production of Culture. If the tourism you receive is at least equal to their own Culture production, you are Influential. And to get Culture victory you have to be at least Influential with every other Empire still in the game. The basic source of tourism comes from Great Works of Art, and Artifacts. Great Works of Art are produced by Great Artists, and Artifacts are dug up by your Archeologists once you discover this. Your own Culture production both defends against tourism of other Empires (i.e. your own citizens would rather enjoy your culture than travel to other Empires), and helps to produce the Great Works of Art. This victory type and the Tourism Mechanic is one of the innovations in Civ 5 , and carries over and is developed further in Civ 6. Diplomatic – To win this, you have to voted in as World Leader in the United Nations. You can gain votes in several ways. First, you can liberate the conquered capital of another Empire and return it to them. That will guarantee that they will vote for you in the United Nations. Or, and this is most common, you can ally with City-States and get their vote in the UN. Finally, if a City-State has been previously conquered by another Empire, you can liberate it and they will vote for you in the UN. Once the UN is achieved, votes take place every 20 turns, so if you fall short on one try, you can try to line up more votes for the next try, which usually means allying with a few more City-States. Time – If no one has won by the above means, the Empire with the highest score when time runs out will win. In a Standard game, that is in 2050 AD, and is turn 500. But note that turn 500 is not a turn when you can make a play. Your last chance to actually do anything is turn 499. Terrain Civilization V changed the game board from squares to hexes, which was the first big change. But another change makes terrain even more important in Civ V, and that is that you can only have one unit per tile. The giant death stacks of units that you could employ in Civ III and Civ IV are now gone. That means that any military campaign will mostly be fought on a variety of tiles. Most of this we will discuss later when we look at the military and how to fight wars, but knowing how terrain affects your units in terms of strength and mobility will be a big part of that. So first we need to know what the Terrain Types are. Of course, the other reason we need to know this is in terms of where to settle, where to farm, where to mine, and so on. And special resources are a modifier, but first we'll look at the Terrain Types by themselves. They can be analyzed in terms of their Base Production, i.e., what they will produce without any improvements such as farms and mines, Movement Cost, i.e. how many movement points it takes to move into the Tile, and Defensive Bonus, i.e. how the strength of your units is modified if they are in combat. Grassland – Base Production = 2 Food, Movement Cost = 1, and Defensive Bonus = -33% Plains – Base Production = 1 Food and 1 Production, Movement Cost = 1, and Defensive Bonus = -33% Desert – Base Production = Nothing, Movement Cost = 1, and Defensive Bonus = -33% Ocean – Base Production = 1 Food and 1 Gold, Movement Cost = 1 Lake – Base Production = 2 Food and 1 Gold , Movement Cost = 1 Tundra – Base Production = 1 Food, Movement Cost = 1 Snow – Base Production = None, Movement Cost = 1, and Defensive Bonus = -33% These basic Terrain Types can then be modified by Terrain Features, which can be stacked. For example, you could have a Plains tile with Hills and a Forest. Hills – Base Production = 0 Food and 2 Production, Movement Cost = 2, and Defensive Bonus = +25%. Note that the Base Production for Hills will be 0 Food and 2 Production regardless of the underlying Terrain Type. Forest – Base Production = 1 Food and 1 Production, Movement Cost = 2, and Defensive Bonus = +25%. Note that the Base Production for tiles with Forests will be 1 Food and 1 Production regardless of the underlying Terrain Type. But Forests can be cleared by Workers once Mining is discovered. Jungle – Production effect = -1 Production, Movement Cost = 2, and Defensive Bonus = +25%. Jungles can be cleared by Workers once Bronze Working is discovered, and should be. Mountain – Production = 0, Movement = impassable except for Air units, and for Carthaginian units once they have earned a Great General. Defensive Bonus = +25% River – Rivers run along the borders of tiles. They add +1 Gold. Attacking across a river reduces your attack strength by 20%. Crossing a river will end movement for most units unless there is a road with a bridge. Marsh – Production effect = -1 Food, Movement Cost = 2. Can be removed by workers once Masonry is discovered. If you have a Marsh tile in your city, have the workers remove the Marsh before you attempt to work the tile. Coast – These are the water tiles with relatively shallow water along the coast of a land mass. They are lighter in color than deep ocean tiles. Coast tiles can be traveled on by early water units which cannot travel on the deeper ocean tiles. Coast tiles produce one gold each. Flood plains – These tiles can be found sometimes along river banks. They produce 2 food, but can also produce disease outbreaks. Oasis – Produce +3 Food and +1 Gold. These tiles cannot be improved other than to add roads and railroads. Ice – At the top and bottom of the map are ice tiles representing the north and south poles. Airplanes can fly over these tiles, and submarines can go under them, but otherwise they are impassable Fallout – Once nuclear weapons have been discovered, you can have tiles that are covered by fallout. This will reduce food by 3, production by 3, and gold by 3. Movement cost is 2. In practice this will mean the tile produces nothing. A Worker unit can clean this up, but it will take time. So until that happens, you should look for opportunities to move your citizen into some other occupation until it is cleaned up. And you have to clean it up before building or restoring any improvements. Atoll – This tile type was added in a patch with the Polynesian DLC. It is an ocean tile that produces 1 Food and +1 Production. Movement cost is 1. Admittedly, this is a lot of detail to take in, but there are a few basic rules you might want to keep in mind. First, you don't want to settles cities where there are lots of Desert, Tundra, or Snow tiles. One or two Tundra tiles are OK if there are other positive features, like access to a luxury resource, but Desert and Snow tiles are completely useless. Again if there are lots of desirable tiles available, having one or two Desert or Snow is not problem, since in most cases you never will work all of the tiles in most cities. But look for the good tiles. Similarly, Mountain tiles are not generally useful, however if you are going for a Science victory they can be handy if you settle a city immediately adjacent to a mountain, since that will let you build an Observatory in the city. Observatories cost zero maintenance and add 50% to the science output of the city, making them very valuable. Mountains are also handy as barriers to keep away your enemies. Jungle tiles can also cause disease outbreaks, but clearing the jungle from the tile will put a stop to that. I will always clear away any jungle or Marsh tiles within my cities. Defensive bonuses are also important, but that is better covered when we get to warfare. From: https://www.palain.com/gaming/civilization-v/playing-civilization-v-part-3/ Provide feedback on this episode.

The joint University and Data Haven expedition to the exodome begins with a bang. Scene 1 Scene 2 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

# Exploring Webb Telescope's Latest Cosmic Discoveries - Space Cowboy PodcastEmbark on an interstellar journey with The Space Cowboy as he reveals the James Webb Space Telescope's most groundbreaking discoveries in this captivating episode. From the glittering stars of the Lobster Nebula to potentially habitable exoplanets, this cosmic roundup showcases humanity's furthest reach into the universe.Discover Webb's stunning new imagery of the Pismis 24 star cluster, featuring dramatic stellar formations and gas spires that span hundreds of solar systems. Learn about the surprising chemical complexity found in the planet-forming disk around brown dwarf Cha Ha One, where exotic molecules suggest new possibilities for planetary development.The episode highlights K2-18b, an ocean exoplanet 120 light-years away with atmospheric signatures that hint at potential habitability and perhaps even life. You'll also explore Webb's observations of interstellar comet 3I/Atlas and potential planetary discoveries around our nearest stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri.Perfect for astronomy enthusiasts, science lovers, and anyone fascinated by space exploration, this episode demonstrates how Webb is revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos and bringing us closer to answering humanity's biggest questions about life beyond Earth.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.ai

# Unveiling the Cosmos: Latest James Webb Space Telescope Discoveries - Space Cowboy PodcastExplore the breathtaking discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope in this captivating episode of the Space Cowboy podcast. Journey through the stunning Pismis 24 star cluster in the Lobster Nebula, where massive supergiant stars sculpt cosmic landscapes over five light-years tall. Discover the fascinating chemistry of planet-forming disks around brown dwarfs, potentially creating worlds unlike any in our solar system.The episode delves into the search for alien life, examining K2-18b's potential ocean world and the nitrogen-rich atmosphere of LHS 1140b. Get exclusive insights into the possible discovery of a planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, potentially the closest sun-like planet ever directly imaged.Learn how Webb's infrared capabilities are revolutionizing astronomy by revealing previously hidden cosmic phenomena and fueling scientific breakthroughs despite fierce competition for telescope time. Perfect for astronomy enthusiasts, space exploration fans, and anyone curious about our universe's deepest mysteries.#JamesWebbTelescope #SpaceExploration #Astronomy #ExoplanetDiscovery #CosmicWondersSome great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.ai

Cleve and Mariah meet with Dr. Ale Barbossa, scientific leader of the University explorers. Scene 27 Scene 28 Scene 29 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

Cleve and Mariah decide how to handle what they have learned in the miasma repulsion facility. Scene 24 Scene 25 Scene 26 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

In this episode of SpaceTime, we uncover the latest astronomical marvels and pressing concerns in space science.The Cosmic Horseshoe: A Supermassive DiscoveryAstronomers have potentially identified the most massive supermassive black hole ever discovered, dubbed the Cosmic Horseshoe, which is estimated to be around 36 billion times the mass of our Sun. Located approximately 5 billion light years away, this colossal black hole distorts space-time and creates a stunning Einstein ring effect by gravitationally lensing light from distant galaxies. The measurement of its mass combines gravitational lensing and stellar kinematics, providing a rare glimpse into the formation and evolution of galaxies and their central black holes.Possible New Planet in the Alpha Centauri SystemExciting news emerges from the Alpha Centauri star system, where astronomers may have discovered a new planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A, the closest star system to our own at just 4.25 light years away. Using data from NASA's Webb Space Telescope, researchers suggest this Saturn-sized gas giant could be located in the habitable zone of a sun-like star. While the planet's gaseous nature may not support life, its proximity offers a unique opportunity to study planetary systems beyond our own, challenging existing theories on planet formation in binary star systems.The Satellite Proliferation DilemmaAs the number of satellites in Earth orbit continues to rise, astronomers are sounding alarms over the interference these satellites cause to vital scientific research. A study has highlighted the impact of Starlink's megaconstellation on radio astronomy, with significant radio emissions masking faint signals from the universe. This growing concern emphasizes the need for regulatory measures to mitigate interference and protect the integrity of astronomical observations.www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com✍️ Episode ReferencesMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societyhttps://academic.oup.com/mnrasAstrophysical Journal Lettershttps://iopscience.iop.org/journal/2041-8205Astronomy and Astrophysics Journalhttps://www.aanda.org/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/spacetime-space-astronomy--2458531/support.

The Progenitor in the miasma repulsion facility explains their situation. Scene 22 Scene 23 Our music is from Purple Planet Music. Visit them at purple-planet.com. Need context? Jump to the start of the series!

# Exploring the Universe's Oldest Secrets: James Webb Space Telescope's Latest DiscoveriesJourney through the cosmos with The Space Cowboy as this captivating podcast episode unveils the James Webb Space Telescope's most groundbreaking discoveries. From the oldest black hole ever detected to mysterious ultra-bright galaxies challenging our understanding of universal formation, this episode delivers the latest astronomical revelations in an accessible, engaging format.Discover how Webb confirmed the existence of a 13-billion-year-old black hole, identified 2,500 previously unseen deep space objects, and measured the universe's expansion rate with unprecedented precision. Learn about Webb's collaboration with Hubble to study interstellar object 3I/Atlas and its exciting investigations of the Alpha Centauri system and potentially habitable TRAPPIST-1 planets.Perfect for space enthusiasts, astronomy hobbyists, and anyone fascinated by our cosmic neighborhood, this episode transforms complex scientific findings into an entertaining cosmic adventure that will leave you stargazing with newfound wonder and appreciation for the universe's greatest mysteries.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.ai

Brose, Maximilian www.deutschlandfunk.de, Forschung aktuell

Brose, Maximilian www.deutschlandfunk.de, Forschung aktuell

# The Space Cowboy Podcast: Webb Telescope Discoveries from Alpha Centauri to Distant GalaxiesJourney across the cosmos with The Space Cowboy's latest episode exploring groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope discoveries. From a potential Saturn-sized planet orbiting Alpha Centauri A to unprecedented views of Neptune's auroras, this episode covers the most significant recent findings in accessible, jargon-free language.Discover how Webb's 100-hour deep field observation revealed thousands of previously unseen galaxies, detected hidden supermassive black holes, and captured stunning planetary nebula details. Learn about "Sleeping Beauties" - dormant early galaxies with paused star formation - and what they tell us about cosmic evolution.The Space Cowboy breaks down complex astronomical concepts in plain terms, explaining how coronagraphs work, why mid-infrared imaging matters, and what auroras reveal about planetary magnetospheres. Get expert insights on Webb's capabilities and upcoming observation targets that promise to revolutionize our understanding of nearby exoplanets, galaxy formation, and Solar System dynamics.Perfect for astronomy enthusiasts and casual space fans alike, this episode showcases how Webb continues to transform our cosmic perspective through patient observation and cutting-edge technology.Some great Deals https://amzn.to/49SJ3QsFor more check out http://www.quietplease.ai

The groundbreaking design of Chrysalis, a theoretical spacecraft intended for interstellar travel to Alpha Centauri.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The 3rd Pyramid Band: https://www.youtube.com/@3rdPyramidBand 00:00:00 – Show Open, Joe's Computer Woes & Drawbridge Donations Mike and Cratchit open the show without Joe, who's out due to a broken computer. They discuss his status, plans for thanking supporters of the “Joe Fund,” and tease upcoming topics—mix of current events and paranormal news. 00:10:00 – Project Veritas Allegations Against Bill Barr Discussion of a Project Veritas report alleging former Attorney General Bill Barr plotted with prosecutors to block Trump's political comeback. Ties to Epstein, Harvard, and historical political scandals are explored, with emphasis on money laundering, technology transfers, and media's selective focus. 00:20:00 – Blue Whales Go Silent & 2,400-Person Starship Proposal News of a mysterious 40% drop in blue whale songs linked to climate-driven algae blooms. Followed by a speculative design for a 36-mile-long generation ship to Alpha Centauri carrying 2,400 people over 400 years—mocked for impracticality. 00:30:00 – Mirror Portals & Poltergeist Activity A psychic medium warns against mirrors facing beds, claiming they can act as portals for low-vibration spirits. Mike shares personal accounts of mild poltergeist-like activity at his home, debating mirror-related causes. 00:40:00 – Near-Death Experiences: Visits to Hell & Heaven First story: a Florida woman named “Yoga” claims she visited hell, met Archangel Raphael, and was returned to life unharmed after a car crash. Second story: an ex-addict recounts a heroin overdose leading to a heavenly “waiting room,” spiritual healing, and newfound psychic abilities. 00:50:00 – NDE Spotlight: The Healed Addict A former addict's near-death experience includes a vivid “instant healing” moment (countdown, little “techs” mowing through neural pathways), plus the aftermath and claimed psychic abilities. 01:00:00 – NDE Takeaways: Lessons & Letting Go Discussion of what souls “bring back” from the other side—partial downloads, life-lesson themes, and the tough idea of releasing attachments before moving on. 01:10:00 – Haunted Headliner: Annabelle's New Guardian Comedian Matt Rife becomes caretaker of Ed & Lorraine Warren's museum, including the infamous Annabelle doll, and plans to open it for public investigations—sparking warnings about possible curses. 01:20:00 – Drawbridge & Wacky News: Radioactive Wasps Thanks to donors, a “Joe signal” sketch reveal, and a follow-up on Savannah River's radioactive wasp nests, with officials advising “don't eat them” as the main safety note. 01:30:00 – Culinary Crime: Heinz x Smoothie King A bizarre ketchup smoothie collaboration is met with online backlash. Mike muses about “controversy marketing” and suggests turning it into a Bloody Mary smoothie. 01:40:00 – AI Politician: Chatting up an MP Bot A UK Labour MP launches an AI avatar to interact with constituents. Mike tests it with UFO-related questions, but the bot gives canned, evasive answers—raising concerns about authenticity and trust. 01:50:00 – Ohio Oddity: Apartment “Doctor” Ultrasounds Coverage of a Cincinnati doctor accused of luring runners to his apartment for unsupervised bedroom ultrasounds; license revoked amid court testimony. 02:00:00 – Wrap & Sign-Off: Cave of Honor & Sword Jokes Closing thanks, running gags, and a final nod to sword-related weirdness.   Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research ▀▄▀▄▀ CONTACT LINKS ▀▄▀▄▀ ► Phone: 614-388-9109 ► Skype: ourbigdumbmouth ► Website: http://obdmpod.com ► Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/obdmpod ► Full Videos at Odysee: https://odysee.com/@obdm:0 ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/obdmpod ► Instagram: obdmpod ► Email: ourbigdumbmouth at gmail ► RSS: http://ourbigdumbmouth.libsyn.com/rss ► iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/our-big-dumb-mouth/id261189509?mt=2  

A Planet Found at Alpha Centauri. Webb Revisits the Hubble Ultra Deep Field. Little Red Dots don't break the laws of physics. In Space Bites Plus, showing that the Earth's magnetosphere was here for a long time.

Foundations of Amateur Radio Recently I came across a series of strident posts about the injustice associated with a non-amateur service using the 70cm band. Complete with links to discussions, spectrum plots, angst and even incoherent outrage, all related to the notion that whomever "allowed" this user to transmit on this band was clearly incompetent. Except, that this is probably not the case, or the full story. So, what's going on and why are people incensed? This all started at least six years ago. Since then AST SpaceMobile has deployed seven low Earth orbit satellites and used the 70cm band to communicate with them. Although in the trial phase, there's plans for an additional 243 satellites, and there's at least one other company playing in the same space, Atmos Space Cargo. The outcry from amateurs is around the commercial use of "their" 70cm amateur band. It's an emotional statement, but what is the reality? Before I dig in, let's set some terms. Radio frequencies are globally coordinated because electromagnetism doesn't care about sovereign borders. This coordination is conducted at the United Nations by a body called the ITU, the International Telecommunications Union. Within that body, amateur radio gets a seat at the table from an organisation called the IARU, the International Amateur Radio Union. For the purposes of the ITU, the world is divided into three, Region 1, or essentially Europe, Russia and Africa, Region 2, the Americas and Greenland, and Region 3, the rest of the world. There's more to it, for example, Antarctica is split across all three, but for the moment, that really doesn't matter. Of interest is that the band plan, the agreements that outline which frequencies are set aside for what service, might be defined differently across each of those three regions. To add complexity, each country can be granted exceptions. I don't know the exact mechanics of how this is achieved, but I can guarantee that there's lots of haggling and foot stomping, diplomatically of course. If you're curious how I come to that observation, just look at the absurd list of exceptions associated with each band plan allocation. Further complexity is added by the fact that not all allocations occupy the same frequency range. For example, in Region 1, the 2m band for Amateurs exists between 144 and 146 MHz, in Region 2 and 3 it's between 144 and 148 MHz. Within an allocation there is the concept of shared and exclusive priorities. These determine who "wins" if two stations with a different service are transmitting on the same frequency. Essentially, a secondary user may not interfere with a primary user and a tertiary user may not interfere with either a secondary or a primary user and so on. A primary user can pretty much do what they want, as long as they stay within the allocation and don't interfere with other primary users. As a result, the order in which services are listed, matters. An exclusive allocation doesn't have to be shared at all. Between regions these service priorities might not be the same. For example, in Region 1 between 430 and 432 MHz is allocated to Amateurs and Radio Location, but in Region 2 and 3 it's between Radio Location and Amateurs. So an amateur using that frequency whilst in Region 1 would be a primary user, but in Region 2 or 3 they wouldn't. As an added wrinkle, for example in Australia, that slice is "primarily for the purposes of defence and national security", even though Radio Location is the primary service and Amateurs the secondary one. As a bonus, amateurs in Australia have access to 420.8 to 421.2 MHz as a secondary service, even though the ITU designates this as Fixed, then Mobile, except Aeronautical Mobile, and then Radio Location. Although amateurs are a secondary service, they come after the Department of Defence who are the primary users for those frequencies in Australia. Between 420 and 430 MHz, and from 440 to 450 MHz in several countries, Australia included, the Amateur Service is explicitly designated as a secondary service even though the band plan doesn't actually show this. If you're confused, you're in good company, since this tapestry of regulation isn't as straightforward as the "70cm band is an amateur band", in fact, I'd go so far as to say that it's not an amateur band at all, except perhaps in Region 1 between 430 and 440 MHz where Amateur is designated as the non-exclusive primary service. Back to the blow up. AST was at one time authorised to use 430 to 440 MHz for trial purposes by a regulator in Region 2, the FCC, the United States Federal Communications Commission. I suspect that at the time, the Blue Walker 1 nano satellite was experimental and the approval made sense. You can argue that whomever initially allowed this made a mistake, but, reality is whatever the regulator says it is, unless someone at the ITU objects. It appears that the FCC has since been attempting to make AST comply, instead with billions of dollars at stake, AST continues to apply for more spectrum, which they apparently originally filed with the ITU through the Papua New Guinea administration. It's unclear if the FCC has since capitulated. There is evidence that the new commercial AST satellites are transmitting outside of their authorisation, euphemistically described as "IARU Uncoordinated". Ask yourself, how is it possible, or even allowable, that a regulator permits use of radio spectrum outside its borders and what penalties and remedies exist? The ground stations using these disputed frequencies are all outside the USA. One of the five ground stations is in my own city, Perth in Western Australia. I haven't noticed any discussion on this topic within my local community, even though this has been brewing for years. It does raise a bigger question. How is the band plan enforced? I mean, the 40m band is pretty much unusable in VK6 between sunset and midnight thanks to the fishing fleet of our northern neighbours, it's been like that for as long as I've been an amateur and I expect no change during my lifetime. How is this satellite fleet operating on the 70cm band any different? That said, I cannot help but wonder, will the originally authorised 50 kHz signal every eight seconds, not for phone calls to space, and only for 24 hours after launch or in the unlikely event of an emergency, for Telemetry, Tracking and Command, actually cause issues, or will it be an opportunity for radio amateurs to learn how to deal with interference? Speaking of interference and considering the allocated services, who is interfering with whom here and what priorities and remedies exist? Recently I talked about promotion, and the lack thereof, across our community. This is an example of promotion, and despite the uproar this week, a very poor example at that. Searching for "AST SpaceMobile", the oldest post I could find was on the German AMSAT, or Amateur Satellite forums back in September 2022 by Peter DB2OS who has been very active on this matter. His original post was in English, but went on to discuss the issue in German. I only found it after specifically looking for the names of the organisation involved. Peter's posts supplied links to many of the documents I consulted. Despite having links to specific pages, I found no search results for "AST SpaceMobile" on the websites for the regulators in the US, UK, Germany or Australia, and none on the ARRL, RSGB or DARC. The WIA produced two glowing news reports around the beginning of 2023 about this wonderful new mobile phone service. No mention of the 70cm band. The only active discussions appear to be the German and UK AMSAT forums, that and all the glowing investor posts. In other words. This is the equivalent of publishing the information at your local planning department in Alpha Centauri, 50 years before the event and hoping for a good outcome. As a potential path forward, in January 2023 the German regulator forced AST to shut off 70cm operations whilst it was within radio visibility of Germany. I don't know if that's still in effect, or how and if it's being enforced. It appears that AST has been lobbying for the use of this spectrum for a long time, not just the 340 page submission made last month. For example, NASA made its first response to this satellite constellation in October 2020. It appears that the WIA responded four years later, but I have yet to see it, and this week the Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs, the ARRL, and RSGB added theirs. The IARU issued a statement this week too. The fact that we're still arguing about it over half a decade later is a good indication that how we're responding as a global community is clearly ineffectual. Perhaps that is what we should be arguing stridently about. So, where do you stand on this? Should something be done about this, and if-so, what, and more importantly, how? I'm Onno VK6FLAB

Foundations of Amateur Radio In the community of radio amateurs scattered around the planet we have a habit of getting together with others to have fun in whatever shape that takes. The obvious ones are HAMfests, car boot sales, raffles and other amateur adjacent pursuits, but we also do things like licence training, weekly on-air nets, contesting, portable activations, climbing mountains, or hills, setting-up in parks, or lighthouses, we set-up on a field day, just for fun, and find excuses, sorry, reasons, for any number of other activities. Some of these are solitary affairs, but many are best enjoyed shared with multiple friends, both old and new ones. Having been a member of this community since 2010 I've come to observe an aspect of this community that is odd, to say the least. We organise all these events, but rarely promote it beyond a single email to three people, if that. It's almost as-if the average organiser thinks that their event permeates the community by magic osmosis. Even if there is any form of promotion, there's sometimes a date and time, but hardly ever does it show that time in UTC, even if it's a radio event, it's like we've forgotten that radio waves pass through time zones, or there is a misconception that everyone on the planet knows what your local timezone is, let alone if it's summer or winter time at the time of the event. So, what does promoting your event look like if you actually want people to know about it? For starters, you should consider who you want to have as a participant. A local HAMfest is unlikely to attract people from around the globe, but Friedrichshafen and Dayton are examples that contradict that notion. A VHF-only event might be intended for local amateurs, but what if it allows for satellite or digital contacts, like say via Allstar, IRLP or Echolink? Similarly, you might run a weekly on-air net, but have visitors from around the planet. The point being, that your audience might not be exactly what you initially think. In other words, there might be people playing from further afield. Consider that when you announce what time the event starts, and finishes. Speaking of finishing, adding an expected closing time is helpful for participants where only one member of the family lives and breathes amateur radio and the rest just want to get on with their respective lives, so consideration is welcome. Aside from telling your audience when and for how long the event goes, adding a location is not optional. You'd be surprised how many events say things like: "it's again in the usual location", or "we're at the community hall" without ever publishing an address. I can tell you, it's fun discovering that the name of the hall isn't unique. Now, for the big one. After putting the information together about the event itself, where and how do you announce it? For starters, on your own website, in whatever form that takes. It serves two purposes, announcing to the world what is happening, but it's also the definitive place where the right information is published. This is important because things change, get cancelled, moved, updated, whatever. Life isn't static, so you need to define a place where the official announcement lives. At this point I'd like to mention that this is often where promotion stops. It's easy to think that in your universe everyone you know is aware of your website, but that's just not true. A single place to publish is not the end of the process, it's the start. Then you need to use things like the local news broadcast, the national news broadcast, the international news broadcasts, contesting websites and calendars, social media, fediverse and whatever else you can get your hands on. You need to include it in your own club news, in club newsletters from other clubs, on the local amateur notice board, you need to talk about the event on-air, share it during on-air nets and if it's recurring, tell the world that it's going to happen again next year. Nothing here is revolutionary, it's not like launching a rocket into space, this is basic common sense and you too can do this. If you need help, ask. So, if you have an event that you want to have participants for, you need to make noise. Publishing the announcement at the local planning department in Alpha Centauri 50 years before the event is going to cause issues, as will defining the date for an annual event as: When the June solstice is on a weekday (Monday through Friday), the weekend following shall be the weekend of the event. When the June solstice falls on a Saturday or Sunday, that weekend shall be the weekend of the event, but only for the Winter field day, the Summer one requires you to count back four weekends, or forward, depending on if you're talking about the Spring or Summer event, and add one if it falls on the weekend. In case you're wondering. No, I didn't make that up. It's real. I'll leave you to ponder how you'd add such an event to your family calendar. I'm Onno VK6FLAB

Astronomers have been searching for planets around one of our closest neighbor stars for decades. And they’ve reported the discovery of several. But the reports have come to naught – until now. Earlier this year, a team confirmed the presence of four planets – all of them smaller than Earth. Barnard’s Star is six light-years away. Only the three stars of the Alpha Centauri system are closer. The star is much smaller and less massive than the Sun, and less than one percent as bright. In fact, it’s so faint that it wasn’t discovered until a little more than a century ago. Barnard’s Star is ancient – probably twice the age of the Sun or older. So if it has planets, there’s been plenty of time for life to take hold. That’s made finding planets a high priority. Last year, a team of astronomers confirmed one planet, and said there might be three more. All of those were confirmed in March. None of the planets is more than a third the mass of Earth. And they’re so close in that they orbit the star in a week or less. So even though Barnard’s Star is faint, the planets are all too hot to provide comfortable conditions for life. Barnard’s Star is in Ophiuchus, the serpent-bearer. The constellation stretches across the east and southeast in early evening, and stands high in the south later on. But Barnard’s Star is too faint to see without a telescope. We’ll have more about exoplanets tomorrow. Script by Damond Benningfield

Launching Breakthrough Starshot light sail probes to Alpha Centauri requires a lot of new tech, including the actual light sails. How do you make the optimal material to maximize the size with minimising mass? Finding out in this interview.