The Nature of Nantucket

On this week's Maria Mitchell Association Podcast, Joanna Roche gets to talk with acclaimed author and literary scholar Katherine Bucknell to discuss her acclaimed biography, Christopher Isherwood Inside Out , an intimate portrait of the celebrated writer behind Goodbye to Berlin and A Single Man . Katherine shares insights from decades of research as one of the world's foremost Isherwoo...

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about how the Rubin Observatory will study billions of stars and galaxies in the universe.

This week on the podcast, host Joanna Roche , Executive Director of the Maria Mitchell Association , welcomes Elisa Kermani , Manager of the MMA's Natural Science Museum . Elisa shares her Nantucket story, reflecting on the journey that brought her to the island six years ago and inspired her lifelong passion for animals, conservation, and education. Joanna and Elisa also dive into everything...

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about how satellites need to be boosted into higher orbits or they will burn up in the atmosphere.

Host Joanna Roche of the Maria Mitchell Association sits down with Rosie Agnew LaBonte , author of the new field guide Nantucket Nature . Rosie shares her Nantucket origin story, her deep connection to the island's natural world, and the inspiration behind creating a guide designed to help residents and visitors better understand the plants, animals, and ecosystems that make Nantucket so spec...

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about how fast the Earth rotates and orbits the Sun and how fast the Sun is moving.

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about JWST and how it works.

Host Joanna Roche of the Maria Mitchell Association sits down with Kevin Venardos , founder and ringmaster of the acclaimed Venardos Circus , to preview the MMA's Stargazer Gala: A Night at the Circus on Thursday, July 23. Kevin shares the story behind his Broadway-style production and what audiences can expect from an evening filled with world-class acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, and unforg...

This week on the podcast, host Joanna Roche of the Maria Mitchell Association sits down with Chelsea Petrik , the MMA's new Aquarium Manager, to learn more about her background and what brought her to Nantucket. Chelsea shares her origin story, including where she grew up, how she developed a passion for marine science, and the experiences that led her into the field. The two also discuss Che...

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about globular clusters which have hundreds of thousands of the oldest stars in our Milky Way galaxy.

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about what’s been going on in the sky this week.

This week on the podcast, host Joanna Roche of the Maria Mitchell Association sits down with Ginger Andrews , Field Ornithologist for the organization, for a fascinating conversation about all things birds. Ginger shares insights from the completion of the spring 2026 barn owl survey and discusses what the results reveal about the island’s owl population, while also diving into the ongoing convers...

Host Joanna Roche of the Maria Mitchell Association sits down with Hayley Nelson and Keely Farrell from the Egan Maritime Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum for a fascinating conversation about their Nantucket origin stories, what inspired them to make the island home, and the work they do preserving Nantucket’s rich maritime history. The discussion dives into Egan Maritime’s new Andrea Doria exhib...

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about what’s going on with the Mars Rovers.

Host Joanna Roche of the Maria Mitchell Association sits down with Larry Tsai , Co-Founder and Proprietor of Moon Tsai Winery , ahead of the winery’s special visit to Nantucket for an upcoming wine dinner celebrating the winery’s 20th anniversary. Larry shares the story behind launching the family-owned winery, the passion and perseverance that helped shape its success, and the fascinating science...

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about asteroids that might crash into the Earth.

This week on the podcast, host Joanna Roche of the Maria Mitchell Association sits down with Heather Packard from Mass Audubon  for an important conversation about the growing movement to ban anticoagulant rodenticides across Massachusetts. They discuss the devastating impact these poisons have on wildlife and ecosystems, why immediate action is needed, and how local voices can help create statewi...

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about UFOs and what they might really be.

This week on the podcast, host Joanna Roche sits down with Jascin Finger , Deputy Director of the Maria Mitchell Association and Curator of the Mitchell House archives and special collections, for a fascinating conversation about everything new and exciting happening at the MMA this year. From newly acquired historic properties and the stories behind them, to the important environmental work being...

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about the alien comet and how it got here.

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about why Pluto should be a planet again.

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about the difference between how the sky looks when you are in Australia rather than Nantucket.

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about the difference between the far side of the Moon and the dark side of the Moon.

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about Nantucket’s Dark Skies.

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff talks about NASA’s return to the Moon and the movie Project Hail Mary.