Cosmic Radio NRAO (National Radio Astronomy Observatory)

Mighty Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is also a powerful radio transmitter! The dynamo driving Jupiter’s radio emission is a strong magnetic field.

Throughout history, women have had a tough time breaking into the physical sciences. And when they do, their contributions may go unnoticed for decades. This is the story of Ruby Payne Scott, the first female radio astronomer.

The Atacama desert in Chile is one of the driest places on earth. It’s also the site of a new telescope called the Atacama Large Millimeter Array.

Dip a teaspoon in a pulsar, and pull out the equivalent of a full ocean tanker! Add the amazing fact that a pulsar can rotate up to 700 times a second and you have one of the most exotic objects in the Universe.

Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, actually has water ice in craters near the planet’s poles. Does the Moon also harbor water ice? It would be nice to have a ready-made source of water when astronauts return to set up a permanent lunar colony.

What does a man do who’s bored with his hobby? Build the world’s first radio telescope in his mom’s backyard, of course!