Cosmic Brew

In this episode, we explore the recent discovery of 3I/ATLAS, a comet traveling through our solar system from another star. As the third known interstellar object, it offers a rare chance to study materials from beyond our stellar neighborhood. Detected by NASA’s ATLAS program in Chile, this cosmic traveler reminds us how much we still have to learn about other planetary systems — and the importance of watching the skies, just in case something unexpected comes to visit. Want to know more about this comet?https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/ Interested in the ATLAS program?https://atlas.fallingstar.com 

In this episode, we break down Einstein’s mind-bending theory of relativity and explore how it affects something as everyday as your phone. You’ll learn why time doesn’t tick the same for everyone, how speed and gravity can mess with your clock, and why your GPS wouldn’t work without Einstein’s equations.  More about different effects on GPS accuracy, including special and General relativityhttps://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.12942/lrr-2003-1.pdf Discussion about time dilation by Neil deGrasshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BCkSYQ0NRQ

The Vera Rubin Observatory has begun operations in Chile, aiming to photograph the entire southern sky every four days with an ultra-powerful telescope and a 3,200-megapixel camera. Named after pioneering astronomer Vera Rubin, the observatory will help track asteroids, monitor changing celestial objects, and discover billions of galaxies — offering new clues about the universe’s structure, dark matter, and our cosmic origins. Want to know more about the Vera Rubin Observatory?https://www.lsst.org Technical paper from 1979 showing Vera Rubin and collaborators results about rotational curves in spiral galaxies and its consequenceshttps://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1978ApJ...225L.107R/abstract

In this episode of Cosmic Brew, we dive into the discovery of a possible new dwarf planet at the edge of our solar system, nicknamed 2017 OF201. We explore what makes a dwarf planet different from a regular planet, revisit the story of Pluto’s controversial reclassification, and learn how astronomers used clever algorithms and massive datasets to spot this tiny, faraway world. With an orbit that takes 25,000 years to complete, this icy object—and others like it—may hold key clues about how the solar system formed and evolved.Information about the five dwarf planets in the solar system here: https://science.nasa.gov/dwarf-planets/ Check out the technical paper on the new dwarf planet candidate: https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.15806#

In this episode, we explore Titan — Saturn’s largest moon and one of the most Earth-like worlds in the solar system. With its thick atmosphere, lakes of liquid methane, and potential for hosting life, Titan could even serve as a future energy reserve.Want more?Learn about the Cassini-Huygens mission by NASA and ESA: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/cassini/Discover NASA’s upcoming Dragonfly mission to Titan: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/dragonfly/

We delve into these mysterious giants: What exactly are black holes? Are they really black? And if they are… how can we see them?Want to learn more?Explore NASA’s page on black holes: https://science.nasa.gov/universe/black-holesWatch Neil deGrasse Tyson’s not-so-quick Q&A:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK1QciF-t5k — What happens if you fall into a black hole? Are they really black, or do they emit anything?See real observations from the European Southern Observatory of stars orbiting the black hole at the center of the Milky Way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRCD-zx5QFA