September 25, 2017 8:31 pm

Tuesday: Janna Levin Explores Cosmic Cataclysms, Eclipses and More

Ah…remember the 2017 Great American Eclipse? You should because it wasn’t that long ago. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’ve got some serious catching up to do in the world of science.

This week on StarTalk All-Stars, we look back at the 2017 total solar eclipse as Janna Levin welcomes comic co-host Matt Kirshen and Joe Patterson, professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Columbia University – and Janna’s first astronomy professor – to Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, NY to talk about the eclipse and other cosmic happenings throughout the universe.

One thread of conversation I enjoyed on this episode was the discussion on the scientific benefits of studying a total solar eclipse. Most people focus on the visuals, the blocking out of the sun, the “nighttime” during the day, etc. But can we gain scientific knowledge from a total solar eclipse?

As you’ll hear, the answer is a resounding yes. As discussed on this episode, one example of scientific benefit is that during the 1918 total solar eclipse, a group of scientists helped establish Einstein’s then unproven theory of relativity. You’ll also hear about the value of studying the corona during the eclipse.

However, it’s not all just eclipse talk. You’ll hear great conversation on cosmic cataclysms, otherwise known as binary star systems, as well as black widow pulsars, why it’s important for life that stars blow up, and much more!

Want to join the cosmic conversation? Then please join us tomorrow night for Eclipses, Cosmic Cataclysms, and More, with Janna Levin at 7pm ET right here on our website, as well as on our All-Stars channels on Apple Podcasts, Google Play Music, SoundCloud, Stitcher, and TuneIn. If you’re an All-Access subscriber, you can watch or listen to this episode ad-free at 7pm, too. And remember that you can also catch next week’s episode one week early on TuneIn, at tunein.com/startalkallstars.

That’s it for now. Keep Looking Up!
–Ian Mullen