Astronomy on the Cheap
Join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski on this week’s Starcast for a deep dive into the universe! We kick things off with a look at the latest space weather, including an aurora forecast. Then, get ready for some lunar magic as the waning crescent moon passes by the Pleiades and reaches its closest point to Earth. Plus, mark your calendars for the new moon!
But the big news this week is a surprise nova in Lupus – V462 Lupi! This once-faint star has dramatically brightened to naked-eye visibility in dark skies, and it’s even better with binoculars. We’ll also celebrate a monumental moment for astronomy: first light for the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, set to create an unprecedented time-lapse of our universe.
Finally, stick around for our main discussion on “Astronomy on the Cheap,” where we’ll share tips and tools for exploring the night sky without breaking the bank, from plain old naked-eye observing to smart telescopes and even renting observatory time. Tune in and get ready to explore!
Podcast links:
Vera C. Rubin Observatory https://rubinobservatory.org/
Star Chart Download: https://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html
Smart Telescopes: https://www.seestar.com/ https://dwarflab.com/
Insight Observatory remote telescopes: https://www.insightobservatory.com/