Crisp winter nights are back, and with clear skies that makes for perfect star gazing conditions for the whole family to wrap up warm and see some amazing things..!  It is a busy time for meteor showers, a number of planets are visible to the naked eye, and we now have the best chance for the next 11 years of seeing the aurora too..!Get a full update of what's happening at the observatory as well as space in general with Ian Brannan & Director of Astronomy Dan Pye, who also have news of...

Life IS 100% out there, we just need to find it, however that's not to say other life hasn't found us..! A few of the insights from evolutionary astrobiologist Wallace Arthur, who joins us once again to discuss the latest discoveries relating to Exo Planets, and why they could be the key for discoveries..!If you want to know where we may find alien life, and why the conversations could be fairly lengthy if we do, then make sure you listen to this one! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

We are recording on location at the Kielder Observatory. As the seasons change and autumn approaches, join host Ian Brannon and a panel of space experts as they delve into the latest celestial events and missions. From the best time to view the Milky Way and Saturn to upcoming lunar eclipses and the fascinating missions to Mercury and Europa, this episode is packed with astronomical insights. Discover how you can make the most of the night sky with just your naked eye, binoculars, or a...

In this episode of the Kielder Observatory podcast, we venture into the fascinating world of remote sensing with Professor Danny Donoghue from Durham University. Discover how legacy satellite data from as far back as the 1960s is being utilised to enhance our understanding of Earth's resources, environmental changes, and even archaeology. Learn about the declassified Cold War-era satellite programme, Corona, and its modern applications. Join us as we delve into the past, present, and future...

As we head through the middle part of the year, Ian Brannan and Director of Astronomy Dan Pye look at the Summer Triangle, a collection of constellation which take centre stage in the night sky at this time of year. We also discuss the discovery of frost on Mars, which has been found at the top of the biggest mountain in the Solar System Olympus Mons, which is 3x bigger than Mount Everest! And we look ahead to a potential comet with could be visible this autumn! For more news and info...

In this episode Ian Brannan & Director of Astronomy Dan Pye take a look at some of the recent space stories making the news, including the discovery of an Exo Planet dubbed "Super Earth". Find out why though it is probably not a place you want to book a holiday to just yet. We also look at Black Holes, NASA have simulated what it would be like to fall into one..!And a new kind of rocket is set to blast off to space, built by Boeing..! It however doesn't resemble the kind of Boeing craft...

This month we record the podcast at the observatory itself, and it's a Dan fest. Host Ian Brannan is joined by Director of Astronomy Dan Pye, and Director of Astrophotography Dan Monk, to discuss a couple of hot topics and give you some top tips heading into April! On April 8th there is due to be a total eclipse which will be best viewed in the United States, but discover Kielder's plans to bring this event to you LIVE from one of our astronomers who is heading to Texas to take in and share...

The spring equinox is approaching, and in this month's episode Director of Astronomy at Kielder Observatory Dan Pye joins us to look ahead to an interesting time of year as the seasons change! Plus will look at a few news stories from the universe including the discovery of the oldest Black Hole ever found, lurking near the very dawn of time!We are also joined by 2 CEOs, as way say goodbye and look back on the time of Catherine Johns, who has been CEO of the observatory since 2019. We also...

February is the month of love, and in this episode of the Kielder Observatory Podcast discover how to see a heart light years away in space! Our Director of Astronomy Dan Pye explains the other celestial events occurring through February including our Pye in the Sky challenge!The main theme of this episode is the Aurora, our science communicator Ishbel Wright has recently ventured north of the Arctic Circle as part of a university project to install a network of cameras to give us a better...

In this episode we are joined by some of the team behind out "Kielder Narratives" project: Composer Will Todd, Poet Dan Simpson, and musician & Producer Chad Male join Ian Brannan & Director of Astronomy Dan Pye to tell the story behind the work, and we will also hear the final production in full too! Kielder Narratives is a collaborative project which builds upon the work we have already delivered with Southpaw Dance Company as part of Kielder Dark Skies.We wanted to find different...

This month we are joined by Adrian West, an astronomer with over 30 years' experience. Better known as Virtual Astro, he has one of the largest independent astronomy and space accounts on social media. He's passionate about the night sky and inspiring people to look up. Adrian is author of the book "The Secret World of Stargazing", and is now touring the UK with his show "The Night Sky Show Live". You can see Adrian performing in the North East at the Sunderland Empire on January 6th...

In this episode we hand over to Amber, age 6 (nearly 7!) from Sunderland who came to visit and take part in one of out many family events. Rather than a grown up talk all about it, we thought it best to hear about the experience from one of our younger guests! Rockets & More is one of the summer events which has become a firm part of the Kielder programme, ultimately ending with kids building and launching their own rockets into the sky!There are many family events all year round, they...

This month Ian and Dan head out to combine recording a podcast, with a spot of stargazing as they highlight some of the other great and free locations across the North East offering a great view of the night sky. They have a chat on a hill near Derwent Reservoir which despite some patch weather on the day is a great vantage point to see the Aurora, the Milky Way and meteor showers.  August sees the return of proper astronomical darkness at night, but it's also a month filled with great...

This month for the first time ever we record the Kielder Observatory Podcast on location at the observatory! And it has been a busy time, not least with one of our telescopes being renamed. Find out its new name, and why it was chosen in the podcast!Plus Ian Brannan and Director of Astronomy Dan Pye look at some of the recent scientific breakthroughs in space, and what this could mean for our understanding of the universe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who is responsible if something goes wrong in space? Whilst we are a way off having an intergalactic police force, there are many laws and regulations specific to space. From space junk & satellites to who owns a planet, the countries of Earth have come together to make agreements on the rules of space. Northumbria University is one of the few places which specialises in the subject of "Space Law", and in this episode we chat to lecturer Lauren Napier to find out more about the rules...

This month on the Kielder Observatory podcast we speak to photographic artist Melanie King, and explore her work capturing scenes of the night sky via classic analogue methods. Many of us now have switched to digital cameras or even smart phones, but Melanie explains her love for space and the constellations that inspire her the most. We also update you on the latest news from the observatory, and take a look at some of the things to look out for at night, even though the nights are getting...

In this episode of the Kielder Observatory Podcast Ian Brannan and our Director of Astronomy Dan Pye are joined by special guest Dr Olivia Jones, to look back on the first year since first light on the James Webb Space Telescope. Dr Olivia Jones was involved in the launch mission, and is one of a number of scientific researchers working on the project and now analysing the data sent back from JWST. Even after a short period of operation the JWST has given us stunning images and data from...

The Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights are widely regarded as a Holy Grail for any sky watchers. For those lucky enough to see a display it's all about the beautiful serene colours lighting up the sky. However what we witnessing is the Earth's magnetic field protecting us from a violent onslaught of energised particles from the Sun, slamming into the planet at 45 million MPH! Dr Melanie Windridge is a physicist, explorer and author of “Aurora: In Search of the Northern Lights” who has...

This month we talk to observational astronomer Dr Victoria Fawcett, about some of the research she has been involved in including the DESI & MOONs projects.  As we get more data about the deeper universe scientists like Victoria hope to learn more about the formation of galaxies and even the origins of the universe. Dr Victoria is also very active sharing her knowledge via outreach programmes, and was awarded an outstanding contribution award at the North East STEM awards last year. See...

In this month's episode Ian Brannan, and astronomers Dan Pye & Ellie Macdonald  explore the relationship between humans and the night sky, with cultural astronomy expert Dr Jarita Holbrook.  Since the dawn of time humans have gazed into the night sky, with many civilisations drawing their own inspiration and meaning from what they saw. Timeless stories, even whole religions has been formed from the inspiration the universe has given particularly in times of great turbulence and...

This weekend, James Wilton Dance are performing at Dance City Newcastle, the Four Seasons. Our Science Lead, Ellie Macdonald, chats to James Wilton about what inspiration the Universe has had on this piece. Using Max Richter’s recomposed version of Vivaldi’s seminal work The Four Seasons James Wilton Dance has created a work of immense physicality, driving energy and sweeping beauty. "We wanted to do something that moved away from the traditional Earth Seasons, and look at something more...

This month the spotlight is on both wind, and astro photography..! Firstly we introduce our new crowd funding initiative to raise money for a 2nd wind turbine on the Kielder Observatory site.   One of the first features many visitors notice will be the general hum coming from the existing wind turbine. In order to rely less on a diesel generator we are looking to add a second turbine elsewhere on the site. Dan Pye our director of astronomy explains why the wind turbine is so important, and...

Ever wondered what would happen if the Earth should fall into a black hole? A black hole is a region of spacetime where gravity is so strong that nothing, no particles or even light can escape from it, and time literally ends. Prof Martin Ward is currently the Temple Chevallier Chair of Astronomy at Durham University and has spent over 50 years studying black holes. In this episode he shares his findings, and explains what a black hole is, why planets can exist perfectly well near one, and...

Joining us this month is Chris Lintott, a Professor of Astrophysics at Oxford University but known to millions as a current presenter on the BBC's The Sky At Night, a show which has been on our screens ever since 1957! He co-authored Bang! – The Complete History of the Universe and The Cosmic Tourist with Sir Patrick Moore and Queen guitarist and astrophysicist Brian May. A book which has had a recent revision having been published originally in 2006. He's also co founder of Galaxy Zoo, an...