Radio Programs & Podcasts with Andrew Fraknoi

With Michael Krasny, former host of the Forum talk show, on the San Francisco NPR Station, KQED Radio

Over the years, both national and local radio programs (and podcasts) have asked me to explain astronomical developments in everyday language.  Sometimes I am on for just a few minutes as part of the discussion of a piece of astronomy news; on other occasions I am on for a full hour discussing astronomy and space and answering listener questions.   Below are links to some of the longer programs I have been on which are preserved on the Web.

KQED Forum radio show (Dec. 20, 2024): 55 min interview and call in program about the winter solstice, the Parker Solar Probe, the drone craze in New Jersey and a number of other topics: https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101908219/how-to-fly-close-to-the-sun-with-astronomer-andrew-fraknoi

Big Picture Science radio show (Dec. 2024): 15 min interview about big astronomy stories of 2024 (starts 4 min into the show): https://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/2024-our-space-odyssey

Kainaat Astronomy (June 30, 2024) (in English): 40-min interview about the free introductory astronomy textbook I am the lead author on, about science fiction, an my other work in astronomy outreach: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxeeYGAWBUc

Dr. Space Web Radio Show (June 23, 2024): 90 minute interview about my free textbook and news and ideas from many parts of astronomy: https://www.thespaceshow.com/show/23-jun-2024/broadcast-4219-andrew-fraknoi

Planetary Society Book Club with Mat Kaplan (March 2024): Discussion of “Science-y Science Fiction” — stories that have reasonable astronomy in their settings (including my seven published stories so far): https://www.planetary.org/video/the-best-science-y-science-fiction-with-andrew-fraknoi

Grey Matter Podcast with Michael Krasny (Mar. 15, 2024): 60-minute interview about eclipses and more: https://www.greymatter.show/episodes/s1e75-andrew-fraknoi-science-a-total-view-of-the-total-eclipse

An Eclipse Double Header: The Two Eclipses of the Sun in 2023-24 (A Talk in the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lecture Series, May 10, 2023): https://www.buzzsprout.com/1805595/episodes/12872142

The Mark Thompson Show (Mar 11, 2023): A 20-minute interview on a variety of astronomy and space topics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cr7ycZjpFI

KCBS in Depth (with Keith Menconi, Nov. 19, 2022): An interview on the James Webb Space Telescope and more (my part starts at 14:27): https://omny.fm/shows/kcbs-in-depth/moon-mission

KQED Forum Radio Program (interview with Mina Kim, Nov. 18, 2021, on a lunar eclipse, Mars exploration, and other topics): https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101886553/longest-partial-lunar-eclipse-in-centuries-on-full-view-friday-morning

Your Weekly Dose Podcast (July 2020): An Interview about my Career, Astronomy News, and Reminiscences about the syndicated Mark & Brian Radio Show, on which I was a Regular Guest (my part starts 33 minutes in): https://seanroberts.net/podcast/blog/your-weekly-dose-podcast-show-179-learning-the-fraknoi-way

50 Years after our First Step: What Do We Know about the Moon? (a talk at the Commonwealth Club of California; July 2019, 68 min):  https://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/archive/podcast/astronomer-andrew-fraknoi-50-years-our-first-step

The Winter Solstice in Astronomy and History (Big Picture Science Dec. 17, 2018; 36 minutes into the program): http://radio.seti.org/episodes/yule

Big Picture Science Radio Show on the 2017 eclipse of the Sun (July 2017, four different guests share the hour):
http://radio.seti.org/episodes/eclipsing-all-other-shows

Big Picture Science Radio Show on science fiction (features my discussion of science fiction writing and my first published story, June 12, 2017; my section starts 18 minutes into the show):
http://radio.seti.org/episodes/science-fiction

Big Picture Science Radio Show on the top tourist sights in the solar system (features discussion with me at several points during the show; Aug. 10, 2015):
http://radio.seti.org/episodes/solar-system-vacation

NPR Science Friday about a lunar eclipse (17 min, Apr. 2014):
https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/up-close-with-the-lunar-eclipse/

Big Picture Science Radio Show overview of comets and Comet ISON (10 min, Dec. 16, 2013):
http://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/Some_Like_It_Cold (AF starts 28 minutes into the show; you can move your cursor along the show timeline to get to it)

KQED Radio News Interview on Comet ISON (6 min, Dec. 2, 2013):
http://blogs.kqed.org/science/audio/meet-comet-ison-our-icyfiery-visitor-from-the-oort-cloud/

NPR Science Friday Interview about Comet ISON (15 min, Nov. 22, 2013):
http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/11/22/2013/ison-the-comet-of-the-century-or-is-it.html

Comets and Other 2013 Sky Events (NPR Science Friday, 10 minute segment, Jan. 4, 2013):
http://sciencefriday.com/segment/01/04/2013/a-journey-to-the-oort-cloud-where-comets-are-born.html

Big Picture Science Special Episode on Doomsday (Nov. 25, 2012):
http://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/Doomsday_Live_Part_I

Interview about Galileo’s 400^th Anniversary on the Are We Alone Radio Show with Seth Shostak (Mar. 2, 2009):
http://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/A_Man_A_Planet_A_Tenal_Panama_

Podcast on the 120^th Anniversary of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, part of the 365 Days of Astronomy series during the International Year of Astronomy (Feb. 6, 2009):
https://cosmoquest.org/x/365daysofastronomy/2009/02/06/february-6-the-120th-anniversary-of-the-astronomical-society-of-the-pacific-the-first-national-astronomy-organization-in-the-us/

KQED Forum Program on New Discoveries about Astronomy (an hour conversation with Michael Krasny), Dec. 11, 2008:
http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R812111000

Point of Inquiry Webcast on “Your Body’s Cosmic History”, Sept. 12, 2008:
http://www.pointofinquiry.org/andrew_fraknoi_the_cosmic_history_of_your_body/

Are We Alone Radio Show (SETI Institute) on writing a children’s book for Disney (15 minutes in middle of show), Jan. 14, 2008:
http://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/May_the_Forces_Be_With_You

KQED Forum Discussion on Discovery of an Earth-like Planet (also with planet-hunter Debra Fischer); 1 hr., Apr. 30, 2007:
http://www.kqed.org/epArchive/R704300900

Science and Society Podcast on “Pluto and the New Definition of a Planet” (Nov. 17, 2006):
http://www.scienceandsociety.net/podcasts/archives/2006/11/dr_andrew_frakn_1.html

Are We Alone Radio Show (SETI Inst.) on “A Skeptical View of Astrology” (Oct. 18, 2006):
http://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/Skeptical_Sunday_There_s_Noah_Counting

Are We Alone Radio Show on “Science Fiction with Good Astronomy” (Aug. 23, 2006):
http://bigpicturescience.org/episodes/Lost_and_Found_Astronomy

Science Friday (NPR) 20-min Interview on a Sightseeing Tour of the Solar System (Jul. 28, 2006):
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5589630

Science Friday Short Interview on Leonids Meteor Shower and Meteor Observing (Nov. 16, 2001):
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1133310