Podcasts about fraknoi

The Space Show Presents Dr. Andrew Fraknoi, Sunday, March 1, 2026Quick Summary:The Space Show presented an in-depth discussion with astronomer Dr. Andrew Fraknoi about the upcoming total lunar eclipse on March 3rd, which will be visible in the early morning hours across North America. Our discussion explored how ancient Greeks used lunar eclipses to prove Earth's spherical shape and covered modern astronomical topics including the Vera Rubin Observatory's 10-year sky-mapping project and the James Webb Space Telescope's capabilities for observing distant galaxies. The discussion also touched on the debate between active and passive SETI approaches to searching for extraterrestrial intelligence, with Dr. Fraknoi expressing caution about sending messages to potential alien civilizations. The program concluded with information about Dr. Fraknoi's free astronomy textbook and his ongoing Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures series for 27 years.Detailed Summary:The meeting began with a discussion about teaching programs for retired individuals, where Andrew shared his experience teaching astronomy in national classes through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. The conversation then shifted to a discussion about supernovae, with Andrew explaining that predicting them is currently impossible. David encountered technical difficulties with Zoom, preventing a participant from joining, and John Hunt offered suggestions to resolve the issue. The conversation ended with David announcing upcoming schedule changes, including a canceled show due to his travel to UCLA, and encouraged listeners to support the program through PayPal or Substack.Andrew explained the details of the upcoming total lunar eclipse, noting that while it's easily observable without special equipment, its timing in the middle of the night makes it inconvenient for most people. He shared a chart showing the eclipse's progression across different time zones, highlighting that the total phase will last about an hour, with the moon appearing red due to Earth's atmosphere bending sunlight. Andrew also discussed the historical significance of lunar eclipses, explaining how ancient Greeks observed the round shadow cast by Earth to conclude the Earth was spherical, and clarified that lunar eclipses are safe to watch without protection. He contrasted lunar and solar eclipses, noting that while lunar eclipses are more accessible and beautiful, solar eclipses are crucial for studying the sun's atmosphere due to a unique coincidence where the moon and sun appear the same size from Earth.The Space Show Wisdom Team discussed the history of astronomical knowledge, focusing on ancient Greek contributions to understanding the Earth's shape and the distances to the moon and sun. Andrew explained how the Greeks developed geometry to calculate these distances, with Marshall noting that their ratio estimates were surprisingly accurate. They also discussed Eratosthenes' experiment measuring the Earth's circumference and how this knowledge influenced Columbus' voyages, despite some debate during the Middle Ages about the Earth's shape.Andrew discussed the historical significance of Einstein's general theory of relativity, highlighting the 1919 solar eclipse experiment that confirmed his predictions about light bending. He also explained the Vera Rubin Observatory, a ground-based telescope in Chile with a sophisticated digital camera that will capture a 10-year time-lapse of the sky, enabling astronomers to discover millions of new celestial objects. David inquired about the observatory's citizen science component, to which Andrew confirmed the existence of projects like the Rubin Comet Catchers and mentioned that the data will be accessible for public participation. Andrew also briefly mentioned the James Webb Space Telescope, emphasizing its ability to observe infrared wavelengths and its potential to provide new insights into the universe's history.Andrew explained how light travels at a finite speed, making observations of distant astronomical objects reflect events from the past, such as the 4-year-old light from the nearest star. He highlighted the James Webb Space Telescope's ability to observe the early universe, revealing structures and black holes that formed much earlier than expected, prompting questions about their origins and the need for better theories and telescopes to understand these phenomena. David inquired about the feasibility of extrapolating current conditions from ancient observations, to which Andrew responded that while AI and data could help, more observations and theoretical understanding are needed to accurately model the early universe's evolution.The group discussed historical measurements of the speed of light, with Marshall sharing how Galileo used Jupiter's moons to make one of the first estimates. David mentioned a story about an Old West cowboy who invented a way to measure the speed of light and later became involved with the Naval Observatory, though the group couldn't confirm the details. The conversation concluded with David asking if there was any citizen science opportunity related to the James Webb Telescope, though no answer was provided.Andrew discussed citizen science projects, particularly Zooniverse and NASA's citizen science page, where individuals can contribute to astronomical discoveries. He highlighted the significant increase in the number of known planets around other stars since 1995, from zero to over 6,000, emphasizing the role of citizen science in these discoveries. Andrew also touched on the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), expressing optimism about the possibility of discovering advanced life forms elsewhere in the universe, and mentioned an upcoming international symposium on the search for technosignatures.Our guest explained that the speed of light does not change near a black hole, but rather space and time are affected by gravity. He described how time would slow down for someone approaching a black hole, causing them to experience a faster-paced universe upon their return. Andrew mentioned a Harvard experiment that confirmed Einstein's predictions about time's relationship with gravity. John Hunt noted that the phenomenon was depicted in the movie Interstellar, though the film's space dynamics were inaccurate.We continued talking about black holes and their properties, with Andrew explaining that black holes themselves are invisible but can be detected through their accretion disks - swirling whirlpools of material being pulled into the black hole. Marshall clarified his earlier comment about varying gravity in accretion disks, explaining that while black hole gravity remains constant, individual particles in the disk experience varying gravitational effects due to the complex arrangement of mass. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the differences between astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology, with Andrew explaining that while all astronomers are essentially astrophysicists, cosmology is a specialized branch that studies the universe as a whole rather than individual celestial objects.Andrew and David discussed the nature of astronomy and astrophysics degrees, emphasizing that the terms are often interchangeable and that a strong background in physics and mathematics is crucial for a career in astronomy. They also explored the concept of SETI (searching for extraterrestrial intelligence) versus MEDI (messaging extraterrestrial intelligence), with Andrew expressing concerns about sending out loud messages to potential alien civilizations due to humanity's relative youth and lack of understanding of other civilizations in the galaxy. The discussion concluded with the question of who should make the decision to reveal humanity's presence to extraterrestrial civilizations, highlighting the need for a global consensus on such an important issue.Andrew and David discussed the potential dangers and ethical considerations of broadcasting messages to extraterrestrial civilizations, emphasizing the need for caution and decision-making processes. Andrew shared insights from his work with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, highlighting efforts to debunk pseudoscience and paranormal claims, and explained the role of faith in personal belief systems. He also promoted the OpenStax project, which provides free online textbooks for introductory college courses, including astronomy. The conversation concluded with updates on the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures, which are now available as podcasts and on YouTube, and a brief discussion about upcoming celestial events and potential guests for future shows.Special thanks to our sponsors:American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223 (Not in service at this time)For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.com for instructions and access.The Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:Broadcast 4516 Zoom: Phil Swan | Sunday 15 Mar 2026 1200PM PTGuests: Phil SwanZoom: Phil Swan discusses launching orbital data centers from the MoonSpace Show weekly schedule pending. See Upcoming Show Menu on the right side of our home page, www.thespaceshow.com. The weekly newsletter will be posted on Substack when completed. Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

Trump's stump speech in Palm Beach was filled with blame for Biden and Netanyahu.Mark discusses how Trump himself may be to blame for the escalation of events that brought on the terror in Israel.The BBC won't call Hamas terrorists...We discuss.Former Federal Prosecutor David Katz weighs in on Trump cases, SCOTUS gerrymandering case in S. Carolina, George Santos and Sam Bankman-Fried.Plus, Professor Andrew Fraknoi talks astronomy and the Ring of Fire eclipse!The Mark Thompson Show10/12/23Patreon subscribers are the backbone of the show! If you'd like to help, here's our Patreon Link:https://www.patreon.com/themarkthompsonshowMaybe you're more into PayPal. https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=PVBS3R7KJXV24And you'll find everything on our website: https://www.themarkthompsonshow.com

Two eclipses of the sun are coming to North America during the 2023–24 school year—an annular (“ring of fire”) eclipse on October 14, 2023 and a total eclipse on April 8, 2024. People in two narrow paths will have the full eclipse experience each time. Everyone else (an estimated 500 million people, including all of us in the Bay Area) will see a nice partial eclipse, where the moon covers a good part of the sun. Dr. Andrew Fraknoi will describe how eclipses come to be (and why they are total only on Earth), what scientists learn during eclipses, exactly when and where the eclipses of 2023 and 2024 will be best visible, and how to observe the eclipses and the sun safely.  MLF ORGANIZER George Hammond NOTES A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. In Association with Wonderfest. Everyone who attends this program in person will receive a free pair of safe-viewing glasses for the eclipse (which enable you to look at the sun without eye damage), courtesy of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Fraknoi photo courtesy the speaker' eclipse images from NASA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

North America will be treated to two eclipses of the Sun in the 2023-24 school year: an annular eclipse on Oct. 14, 2023 and a total eclipse on Apr. 8, 2024.  Some 500 million people will be in a position to see at least a partial eclipse on each date. Astronomer Andrew Fraknoi (Fromm Institute, University of San Francisco) discusses the cause of eclipses (and why Earth's eclipses are unique), the circumstances of each coming eclipse and where each will be visible, plus how to view eclipses safely.  He shows maps of the eclipse paths and provides URLs to where you can get free information materials to help you enjoy the eclipses without hurting your eyes, wherever you are.  (A free booklet, co-authored by Fraknoi, with some of this material is also available at http://bit.ly/eclipsesforlibraries )

What Do We Know About the Moon? July 20, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of humanity's first steps on the surface of the moon. In that time, the Apollo missions, a fleet of robotic probes and observations from Earth have taught us a lot about Earth's surprising satellite. In this nontechnical talk, Andrew Fraknoi, who is sometimes called the Bay Area's public astronomer, will look at the past, present and future of the moon, including its violent origins, the mystery of the frozen water we have found at its poles and its long-term future as it moves farther and farther away from us. Illustrated with beautiful images taken from orbit and on the surface, his talk will make the moon come alive as an eerie world next door, as a changing object in our skies, and as a possible future destination for humanity and its ambitions. Come find out how the achievements of the Apollo program fit into the bigger picture of our involvement with our only natural satellite. Fraknoi recently retired as the chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College and now teaches noncredit astronomy courses for seniors at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State. He also served as the executive director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for 14 years and was named the California professor of the year in 2007. Fraknoi appears regularly on local and national radio, explaining astronomical developments in everyday language. The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 after Fraknoi in honor of his contributions to the public understanding of science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your Weekly Dose Show # 179 opens with Drops of Jupiter by Train in honor of our guest. But first we offer up a M&B Past moment - with a visit from Elvis. Next the guys catch up with each other. Steve talks about going to Sean's house to write stuff for the show. Sean talks about getting back into his western guns and Zach talks about helping out friend of the program with his voice over reel. Next the guys check in with their favorite TV Show The Neanderthals. Then we welcome our special guest Professor Andrew Fraknoi. We learn his beginnings from Hungry to the U.S. - how he learned English - what led him to astronomy and why he became a teacher.  LINKS: Train Music                    

Your Weekly Dose Show # 179 opens with Drops of Jupiter by Train in honor of our guest. But first we offer up a M&B Past moment - with a visit from Elvis. Next the guys catch up with each other. Steve talks about going to Sean's house to write stuff for the show. Sean talks about getting back into his western guns and Zach talks about helping out friend of the program with his voice over reel. Next the guys check in with their favorite TV Show The Neanderthals. Then we welcome our special guest Professor Andrew Fraknoi. We learn his beginnings from Hungry to the U.S. - how he learned English - what led him to astronomy and why he became a teacher.  LINKS: Train Music                    

What Do We Know About the Moon? July 20, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of humanity's first steps on the surface of the moon. In that time, the Apollo missions, a fleet of robotic probes and observations from Earth have taught us a lot about Earth's surprising satellite. In this nontechnical talk, Andrew Fraknoi, who is sometimes called the Bay Area's public astronomer, will look at the past, present and future of the moon, including its violent origins, the mystery of the frozen water we have found at its poles and its long-term future as it moves farther and farther away from us. Illustrated with beautiful images taken from orbit and on the surface, his talk will make the moon come alive as an eerie world next door, as a changing object in our skies, and as a possible future destination for humanity and its ambitions. Come find out how the achievements of the Apollo program fit into the bigger picture of our involvement with our only natural satellite. Fraknoi recently retired as the chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College and now teaches noncredit astronomy courses for seniors at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State. He also served as the executive director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for 14 years and was named the California professor of the year in 2007. Fraknoi appears regularly on local and national radio, explaining astronomical developments in everyday language. The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 after Fraknoi in honor of his contributions to the public understanding of science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In search of ET: Fear of what's out there causes big split among space scientists Article Link: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/In-search-of-ET-Fear-of-what-s-out-there-has-13640953.php A cosmic rift has opened between Bay Area astronomers and a splinter group of San Francisco stargazers who are hell-bent on contacting space aliens. The schism pits the traditionalists, who believe humans should only look and listenfor extraterrestrials to avoid tipping off evil aliens, against a rebel faction that wants to broadcast messages to intelligent beings, assuming they are altruistic. The battle is so heated that one prominent scientist quit the Mountain View group known as SETI, or Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, to form METI, or Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence. “Are there intelligent beings out there? We don't know, but the only way we can find out is if we look,” said Douglas Vakoch, who founded METI International in San Francisco after the SETI board voted in 2014 against beaming messages into space. “We've always assumed the extraterrestrials were looking for us,” Vakoch said. But “what if their position is, ‘No, you are the ones who are new to this game. You send us a signal first.'” The problem, many SETI astronomers warn, is that, instead of an intergalactic kumbaya, intelligent extraterrestrials might very well be more inclined to enslave Earthlings and mercilessly plunder and destroy Earth. Andrew Fraknoi visits with his students during a break at San Francisco State University's downtown campus. “We wonder whether the galaxy that we are in is maybe a dark forest, where it is dangerous to scream because there are creatures out there unhappy with new life forms,” said Fraknoi, an astronomer who recently taught a course called Aliens in Science and Science Fiction at the University of San Francisco. “With every strong signal we send out, we advertise our presence, and you don't want to advertise your presence in a dark forest.” Show Stuff TeePublic Store - Get your UBR goodies today! http://tee.pub/lic/2GQuXxn79dg UBR Trurh Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 Manny Moonraker: https://www.facebook.com/MannyMoonraker/ UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA Google Plus Manny's Updated Google+ Profile: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MannyMoonraker To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio  Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com For Skype Users: bosscrawler

In search of ET: Fear of what's out there causes big split among space scientists Article Link: https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/In-search-of-ET-Fear-of-what-s-out-there-has-13640953.php A cosmic rift has opened between Bay Area astronomers and a splinter group of San Francisco stargazers who are hell-bent on contacting space aliens. The schism pits the traditionalists, who believe humans should only look and listenfor extraterrestrials to avoid tipping off evil aliens, against a rebel faction that wants to broadcast messages to intelligent beings, assuming they are altruistic. The battle is so heated that one prominent scientist quit the Mountain View group known as SETI, or Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, to form METI, or Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligence. “Are there intelligent beings out there? We don't know, but the only way we can find out is if we look,” said Douglas Vakoch, who founded METI International in San Francisco after the SETI board voted in 2014 against beaming messages into space. “We've always assumed the extraterrestrials were looking for us,” Vakoch said. But “what if their position is, ‘No, you are the ones who are new to this game. You send us a signal first.'” The problem, many SETI astronomers warn, is that, instead of an intergalactic kumbaya, intelligent extraterrestrials might very well be more inclined to enslave Earthlings and mercilessly plunder and destroy Earth. Andrew Fraknoi visits with his students during a break at San Francisco State University's downtown campus. “We wonder whether the galaxy that we are in is maybe a dark forest, where it is dangerous to scream because there are creatures out there unhappy with new life forms,” said Fraknoi, an astronomer who recently taught a course called Aliens in Science and Science Fiction at the University of San Francisco. “With every strong signal we send out, we advertise our presence, and you don't want to advertise your presence in a dark forest.” Show Stuff TeePublic Store - Get your UBR goodies today! http://tee.pub/lic/2GQuXxn79dg UBR Trurh Seekers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/216706068856746 Manny Moonraker: https://www.facebook.com/MannyMoonraker/ UFO Buster Radio: https://www.facebook.com/UFOBusterRadio YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggl8-aPBDo7wXJQ43TiluA Google Plus Manny's Updated Google+ Profile: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MannyMoonraker To contact Manny: manny@ufobusterradio.com, or on Twitter @ufobusterradio  Call the show anytime at (972) 290-1329 and leave us a message with your point of view, UFO sighting, and ghostly experiences or join the discussion on www.ufobusterradio.com For Skype Users: bosscrawler

Solar and lunar eclipses, planetary flybys, and other rare events in space are making 2019 the year to look skyward. What's the best way to view all these celestial events? In this episode of Komando on Demand, Kim looks at all the cool things that are happening in the sky this year that can't be missed.  We talk to renowned astronomer Andrew Fraknoi, professor at the Fromm Institute for Lifelong Learning at San Francisco State University, about what specific events we will see in the sky this year and what's the best way to view them. 

While the Kepler spacecraft hunts for habitable planets beyond the solar system, we’ve let one of our own planets slip away! Find out why Pluto’s demotion to dwarf status created a public uproar as astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson reads us his hate mail. From third-graders! Also, how we might find Earth-like planets… the possibility of life on Saturn’s moon Titan… and TED Prize winner Jill Tarter’s vision for finding E.T. And, the man who made it all possible: 400 years of Galileo and the telescope. Part of our series for the International Year of Astronomy. Guests Neil deGrasse Tyson - Astrophysicist, Head of the Hayden Planetarium, and author of The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet Alan Stern - Planetary Scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, lead investigator on NASA’s New Horizons Mission Jeffrey Van Cleve - Astronomer at the Kepler Mission Science Office Carolyn Porco - Planetary scientist and Lead for NASA’s Cassini Mission Jill Tarter - Director of SETI Research at the SETI Institute Andy Fraknoi - Astronomer at Foothill College and author of Voyages Through the Universe (with CD-ROM, Virtual Astronomy Labs, and InfoTrac ) Descripción en español

Andrew Fraknoi is the Chair of the Astronomy Program at Foothill College near San Francisco. In 2007, he was selected as Professor of the Year for the state of California by the Carnegie Endowment for Higher Education. For 14 years, Fraknoi served as the Executive Director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and was editor of its popular level magazine, Mercury, and its newsletter for teachers, The Universe in the Classroom. He has edited two collections of science articles and science fiction stories for Bantam Books, and is the lead author of Voyages through the Universe, one of the leading astronomy textbooks in the world, and also the children's book Disney's Wonderful World of Space. Fraknoi serves on the Board of Trustees of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) Institute, and is also a Fellow of the Committee for the Skeptical Inquiry, specializing in debunking astrology. He has received the Annenberg Foundation Prize of the American Astronomical Society (the highest honor in the field of astronomy education), as well as the Klumpke-Roberts Prize of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (given for a lifetime of contributions to popularizing astronomy) and the Gemant Prize of the American Institute of Physics. In this discussion with D.J. Grothe, Andrew Fraknoi explains the history of the atoms in our bodies, and how we are literally made of "star stuff." He details how scientists know the history of these atoms, and explores the implications of this "simple but profound fact," and how some people derive mystical meaning from it, while others find it humbling. He talks about the compatibility of religion with astronomy, and the proper role of skepticism in the science classroom. He describes current threats to science education. And he makes a case for popularizing science and astronomy, and how this benefits society. 

Pluto, planets, astronomy, science education. Dr. Andrew Fraknoi has given more than 400 public lectures on such topics as 'Why Falling into a Black Hole is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience.' For 14 years, Dr. Fraknoi served as the Executive Director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, an international scientific and educational organization founded in 1889. He also founded its newsletter for teachers, 'The Universe in the Classroom'. A prolific author, Dr. Fraknoi is the lead author of 'Voyages through the Universe', which has become one of the leading introductory astronomy textbooks in the world. In 1994, Dr. Fraknoi received the Annenberg Foundation Prize of the American Astronomical Society - the highest honor in the field of astronomy education.

Pluto, planets, astronomy, science education. Dr. Andrew Fraknoi has given more than 400 public lectures on such topics as 'Why Falling into a Black Hole is a Once-in-a-Lifetime Experience.' For 14 years, Dr. Fraknoi served as the Executive Director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, an international scientific and educational organization founded in 1889. He also founded its newsletter for teachers, 'The Universe in the Classroom'. A prolific author, Dr. Fraknoi is the lead author of 'Voyages through the Universe', which has become one of the leading introductory astronomy textbooks in the world. In 1994, Dr. Fraknoi received the Annenberg Foundation Prize of the American Astronomical Society - the highest honor in the field of astronomy education.