Exoplanets are planets that orbit stars outside our solar system. We've been finding potential exoplanets more often since the Kepler and TESS spacecraft were launched. But confirming these planets takes time, and telescope time is limited. To speed up the process, amateur astronomers are using their own telescopes. One program, called UNITE (Unistellar Network Investigating TESS Exoplanets), brings together a global group of volunteer and professional astronomers. They use Unistellar telescopes to gather data when exoplanets pass in front of their stars, blocking some of the light. Scientists from the SETI Institute and Unistellar analyze this data. Recently, they confirmed two exoplanets—a hot Jupiter and a warm sub-Saturn. Dr. Lauren Sgro, UNITE’s Exoplanets Lead, talks with communications specialist Beth Johnson about exoplanets, community science, and how science is evolving. (Recorded live 19 September 2024.)

In the quest to find life beyond Earth, icy worlds within our solar system are full of potential. Europa, one of Jupiter's four largest (Galilean) moons, is one possible target because of the vast ocean beneath its icy shell. That ocean, heated by the push and pull of Jupiter, could contain life. The Europa Clipper mission will send a spacecraft to the distant moon, and the spacecraft's instruments will determine if the conditions truly are suitable. This week, NASA announced that Europa Clipper passed another milestone toward the October 10 launch window. Communications specialist Beth Johnson is joined by Project Staff Scientist and Science Communications Lead Cynthia Phillips to discuss the mission and how it could answer the question, "Are we alone?" (Recorded live 12 September 2024.)

There are supermassive black holes. There are stellar mass black holes. And based on the idea that galaxies evolve as they merge, there should be black holes in between -- intermediate mass black holes. However, finding these middle-of-the-road beasts has been difficult. Now, a new paper in Nature identifies the first ever mid-size sedan in a universe of compact cars and SUVs. This black hole resides in the center of the Omega Centauri star cluster, which is thought to be the core of a galaxy that merged with the Milky Way billions of years ago. Deputy Director of the Carl Sagan Center Simon Steel chats with lead author Maximilian Häberle (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy) about just what this discovery means for astrophysics and galaxy evolution. (Recorded live 5 September 2024.)