Jonathan McDowell: Astronomer and owner of Jonathan's Space Report

In this week's episode of The Astro Ben Podcast (sponsored by SkyFi), we dive into the cosmos with the legendary Jonathan McDowell, an astronomer known for his extensive work in cataloging space objects and his invaluable contributions to the space community. Ben and Jonathan discuss his journey, the importance of space tracking, and his monumental effort to transition his private space library to the UK, for which he's currently seeking support through a GoFundMe campaign (link below). Tune in to learn about the significance of his work, the future of space cataloging, and how you can contribute to preserving space history!

This weeks episode is sponsored by Sky Fi.

Check them out: https://skyfi.com/

OUTLINE:

Here’s approximate timestamps for the episode.

00:00 Intro and thanks SkyFi!

00:52 Intro to Jonathan Mc Dowell and journey to Jonathan's Space Report

02:48 Educational foundation

04:57 Chandra X-ray Center (X-ray cousin of the Hubble!)

07:10 AI and effect on Astrophysics

08:45 Space tracking

10:58 UFO Misinterpretations

13:15 Most unusual item catalogued

15:16 Space Junk

17:09 Public Engagement

18:16 Favourite era of space history

22:14 Jonathans library

26:48 Moving the library!

27:47 Book recommendations

30:30 Space culture

33:10 Final thoughts

34:44 Wrap Up and Socials

Follow Jonathan on Socials:

Website: https://planet4589.org/

X: https://x.com/planet4589

Fundraiser: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-jonathans-space-report-library-transition

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