#80 - February 2019 Part 1

The Discussion: Jeni’s off to La Palma to gather data on dust
& gas in the Crab Nebula, did a meteor or two strike the moon
during the January eclipse? And what do Europeans think (or know)
about the European Space Agency?


The News: Rounding up the space and astronomy news this month we
have:


More research suggesting there are no seasonal water flows on
Mars

Modelling the stellar wind at Barnard’s Star

Can interstellar objects survive the journey?

The unusual planetary system EPIC24924646

Lunar craters show Earth had a brief impact lull 650-300
million years ago

The youthful nature of Saturn’s rings

More research suggesting there may be no Planet 9

The Russian company planning to put billboards in space



Main news story: CERN’s plans for the monster successor to the
Large Hadron Collider and what the hell that has to do with
astronomy


The Sky Guide: Covering the solar system and deep sky objects on
offer to amateur astronomers in February.


Paul: Mercury at greatest eastern elongation, a conjunction of
Uranus and Mars.


Ralph: Asteroid 532 Herculina at opposition and a brand new(ly
discovered) comet to view in telescopes


Jen: Venus and Jupiter on show in the early morning and a
conjunction of Saturn and Venus


Main Deep Sky Object: Messier 1, the Crab Nebula


Q&A: Listeners’ questions via email, Facebook & Twitter
take us on a journey into the astronomy issues that have always
plagued our understanding or stretched our credulity. This month
we take a look at the bewildering array of theories for one of
the greatest spectacles in the night sky:


How did Saturn’s rings form? Scott Jorgensen, Michigan.