The Nature of Nantucket

Geoff Clayton is the Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . This week Geoff discusses comets. There is a new bright comet which should appear in Nantucket's skies this weekend. Look in the west after sunset for the beautiful comet tail.

This week on the show, host Joanna Roche sits down with Dr. Geoffrey Clayton , Interim Director of Astronomy at the Maria Mitchell Association . Dr. Clayton shares his deep connection to Nantucket, where he now resides full-time, and how his early visits to the island and the MMA sparked his lifelong passion for astronomy. He reflects on his educational journey, past projects, and career highlight...

Celia Mulcahey a former astronomy research fellow at the at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses Venus. This week the second planet in our solar system, Venus, which will be visible in the southwest sky after sunset. Tune in to learn about Venus' composition, atmosphere, and what you can expect to see if you observe this planet with a telescope or binoculars.

This week on the show, host Joanna Roche chats with Dr. Rich Blundell from the Maria Mitchell Association . As the MMA’s visiting scientist for the past few years, Dr. Blundell dives into the " Healthy Harbor Project "—featuring their newly installed, custom-designed buoy that’s been actively monitoring Nantucket Harbor since August. They’ll explore the latest data collected and share in...

Celia Mulcahey a former astronomy research fellow at the at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses Mars. This week Mars is visible in the early morning just below the crescent Moon.  Mars is a seemingly lifeless planet compared to Earth, but has unique geological and atmospheric features that captivate our curiosity. 

Join Joanna Roche and Dan Drake , former MMA Board President and current president of The Linda Loring Foundation as they talk about Dan’s relationship to Maria Mitchell and his thoughts about Nantucket. 

Celia Mulcahey a former astronomy research fellow at the at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses Saturn. This week, Saturn is visible in the southeastern part of sky shortly after sunset and is visible all night until dawn. Saturn is the second largest gas giant in our solar system, and is famous for its rings made of rock and ice. The planet has 53 identified moons, one of which may support...

This week, host Joanna Roche sits down with Sarah Johnson. Sarah is the founder of White Feather Farm , an organic educational research farm in Saugerties, NY. She is on the board of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in Woods Hole MA, as well as a Board Member for the Woodstock Film Festival .   Her commitment to the environment and environmental advocacy began more than three decades ago when sh...

Celia Mulcahey a former astronomy research fellow at the at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses a partial lunar eclipse. This upcoming partial lunar eclipse occurring on the night of September 17th, coinciding with the Harvest Supermoon. Listeners will learn how to observe the Moon as it appears larger and brighter than usual, while also passing through Earth’s shadow.

This week host Joanna Roche talks with Blue Balliett.   Blue Balliett’s seven young adult mysteries -- Chasing Vermeer, The Wright 3, The Calder Game, The Danger Box, Hold Fast, Pieces and Players , and Out of the Wild Night -- have been New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, USA Today, Book Sense and Indie Bound bestsellers. Blue won the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Juvenile Novel, the Agatha Awar...

This week, host Joanna Roche sits down with John Shulan , founder and President of the Summit County Astronomy Club in Ohio. John shares his journey of falling in love with Nantucket’s breathtaking night skies, which he first began exploring in 2004. His passion for stargazing on the island eventually inspired him to establish the astronomy club. In this episode, John recounts some of his memorabl...

Anne Blackwell a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses Satellites in the sky. An artificial satellite is a man-made object in orbit around a planetary body, like the Earth. There are over 10,000 in orbit around the Earth right now with one of the most famous being the International Space Station. You can see the satellites and the ISS all o...

Anne Blackwell a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses Saturn which is the 6th planet in our solar system and has begun rising in the Eastern part of our sky around 9pm in the constellation Aquarius. You will be able to observe Saturn, its rings, and potentially some moons with your own binoculars and steady hands.

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes Nancy Dubuc who was president and chief executive officer of the American media company A&E Networks and served five years as CEO of the digital media and entertainment company Vice . Nancy goes over her time at Boston University and her very established career in communications! She also tells Joanna about how she came to Nantucket. They also go over her...

Nick Mazzioti a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses the recent findings from NASA’s Mars InSight lander that suggest there may be an ocean’s worth of water hidden inside rocks beneath the surface of Mars. 

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes Shawn Sneddon a system engineer with Yellow Springs Instruments or YSI which specializes in water quality equipment. Shawn is now one of the lead engineers for all things autonomous: Performing hydrographic surveys, trainings, customer/sales support, and demos for customer applications. Shawn started his career as a service and calibration engineer for Aandera...

Fiona Lopez a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses the Perseid meteor shower which is considered the best meteor shower of the year, will peak around August 11-12, offering an amazing display with up to 100 meteors visible per hour.

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes Paul Collins , the President of the Great Harbor Yacht Club Foundation and a member for the past 20 years. He tells us what brought him to Nantucket, his passion for sailing and discuss all of the work that the Great Harbor Yacht Club Foundation for our island and our surrounding waters. To learn more about the Maria Mitchell Association visit https://www.mari...

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes the six NSF REU Interns for the summer of 2024 who have all been interning for the Maria Mitchell Association this summer right here on Nantucket. Jillian Epstein, Sophia Chan Davis, Naija Bruckner, Nicolas Mazziotti, Fiona Lopez and Gada Tefera all talk about how they got interested in the field of Astronomy, the projects they each have worked on and what the...

Sophia Davis a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses Draco and the Naga Connection. Discover Draco, the constellation known as Naga in Cambodian culture, where it symbolizes protection and enlightenment and is linked to the mythic origins of the Khmer people. The segment highlights Draco’s alignment with the Angkor Wat complex, showcasing t...

Naija Bruckner a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses the recently discovered exoplanet TIC 241249530 b has a highly eccentric orbit. Scientists think that it is on its way to becoming a “hot Jupiter” exoplanet.

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes Clara Bingham , a journalist and writer. Clara tells us about her new book which is coming out on July 30th called " The Movement - How Women's Liberation Transformed America 1963 - 1973" . Joanna also asks Clara to talk about where she grew up and how she came to Nantucket. From NYC as a child to spending summers growing up here on island. Clar...

Gada Tefera a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association, discusses the possibility of life on Venus. Astronomers found a gas in Venus' upper atmosphere that suggests there is a possibility for microbial life. This discovery has led to new missions aimed at investigating Venus further.

This week, host Joanna Roche welcomes Caroline Collatos , a dedicated shark researcher based on Nantucket. Caroline is currently pursuing her PhD with UMass Boston and the New England Aquarium . Her research focuses on the Sandbar Shark, meticulously tracking their movements within their natural habitat and local environment. She also monitors their vital signs, striving to understand why these sh...

Gada Tefera a NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates fellow at the Maria Mitchell Association discusses Mizar and Alcor which are a double star system in the handle of the Big Dipper that have been used to test eyesight for hundreds of years.