IRrelevant Astronomy
Summary: It's the series Aint-It-Cool-News calls ''the most (intentionally) hilarious series of educational films you'll find...the pieces carry a Muppets-esque charm.'' Alan Dyer at Discovery.com says it's ''a lot of fun, and breaks the mold for NASA videos.'' Recently a top-10 finalist for ''Best Science/Technology Podcast'' at the 2008 Podcast Awards, IRrelevant Astronomy is packed with CG animation and snarky humor, all wrapped around the latest astronomy news and science from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. It's infrared-relevant! Also available in HD.
- Visit Website
- RSS
- Artist: NASA's Spitzer Science Center and Infrared Processing and Analysis Center
- Copyright: © 2010 NASA. Commercial use prohibited. All other users must give proper credit.
Podcasts:
Hoping for his birthday to come around sooner, innocent alien M51 moves the Earth into a closer, faster orbit around the sun, and learns an important lesson about life in the Universe.
During a tense face-off with a sinister (but extremely slow-moving) alien race, Dr. Michelle shows IR-1 how scientists can determine what extrasolar planets are made of, even when the planets are too far away to see.
IR-2 opens diplomatic relations with the Earth, as a first step toward ruling over all humans on the planet.
Does the Helix Nebula look like a human eye? Why do we think we see well-known objects in nebulous images from space? An astronomer and his therapist clash over the issue in this comedic but educational animated short.
IR-2 and his crew learn about PAHs, which may be the building blocks of all life in the Universe, and decide to put them to good use.
While the robots are away, a sad and lonely man calls in with a beautiful image of the Omega Centauri globular cluster.
Where do stars come from? IR-2 analyzes recent Spitzer imagery to find out, while an imposing Ratings-bot oversees the broadcast.
Are tiny diamonds really common in the Universe? Join the intrepid Mountie Martin as he endeavors to find out, while on the trail of the sinister Sammy the Smuggler!
Astronomers have discovered huge amounts of water around baby stars; IR-2 and his crew plan to make use of it.
Will an asteroid strike the Earth and wipe out all life as we know it? IR-2 and his robotic crew make random phone calls to find out.
Viewing liquids in extreme temperatures in both visible and infrared light, this episode of the Skinfrared series gives viewers a perspective on how infrared observatories like the Spitzer Space Telescope view the Universe.
While in battle around the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy, Dr. Michelle teaches IR-1 the science behind these giant singularities.
What is infrared light? The Skinfrared series contrasts the world around us in both visible and infrared light, giving the viewer a perspective on how infrared observatories like the Spitzer Space Telescope view the Universe.
