Radio’s Guide to the Universe

StarDate host Billy Henry

StarDate debuted in 1978, making it the longest-running national radio science feature in the country. It airs on more than 300 radio stations. It has been hosted by Billy Henry since July 2019.

StarDate tells listeners what to look for in the night sky, and explains the science, history, and skylore behind these objects. It also keeps listeners up to date on the latest research findings and space missions. And it offers tidbits on astronomy in the arts and popular culture, providing ways for people with diverse interests to keep up with the universe.

StarDate is a production of The University of Texas McDonald Observatory, which also produces the bi-monthly StarDate magazine.

The Voice of StarDate

Billy Henry, a voice talent, musician, composer, and college lecturer in Austin is the third narrator of the StarDate radio program. Read more »

The Music of StarDate

The StarDate background music was written by Bill Harwell and Patterson Barrett specifically for StarDate.

More Than 40 Years and Counting!

StarDate is radio’s longest-running nationally aired science program. It began in 1977 as a daily telephone message service by McDonald Observatory. It was picked up by Austin radio station KLBJ-FM, and aired as “Have You Seen the Stars Tonight?” beginning in June 1977. With a grant from the National Science Foundation, the program became “Star Date,” and began airing nationally, seven days per week, on October 1, 1978. It quickly reached more than 1,000 stations across the country. Read more »

Today’s Episode

Franz Gruithuisen

When he was just 14 years old, Franz von Paula Gruithuisen found himself in the middle of the Austro-Turkish War. He wasn’t a prisoner or a refugee. Instead, he was a field surgeon. But just a year later, he was using a small telescope to observe the Moon. Those episodes marked the beginning of a diverse career in science. It featured both important contributions and false starts.

Gruithuisen was born 250 years ago tomorrow, in a castle in Bavaria. His father was a servant, so his early education was limited. But the youngster was so bright that he quickly earned new opportunities. He taught medical students topics from A to Z — anthropology to zoology. And he devised new medical procedures and instruments. But in 1826, he became a professor of astronomy.

He was especially interested in the Moon, which he thought was inhabited. He even saw what appeared to be a city, which he named Wallwerk.

His main contribution to lunar science, though, was his idea about lunar craters. He was the first astronomer to suggest they were carved by collisions with space rocks. His idea didn’t gain a lot of early support. In fact, it was disputed until the 1960s. Today, though, there’s no doubt about it — the Moon’s craters are the result of giant impacts.

You can see some of the craters tonight. The Moon is high in the sky at sunset, and stays in view most of the night. It’s near the twin stars of Gemini.

Script by Damond Benningfield

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Upcoming Topics

  • March 25-31: Mars on Earth

    Scientists are trying to understand more about Mars — and plan for human missions to the Red Planet — by studying Mars-like spots on Earth — and by making their own bits of Mars.

  • March 18-24: Going Small

    So far, the search for heavy particles that might make up dark matter have come up empty. So scientists are starting to search for tiny particles as well, and we’ll have details.

  • March 11-17: Rhythm and Blues

    A planetary science conference features haiku, limericks, and other rhythms this week, and we’ll have details. We’ll also talk about colorful stars, including bright blue Rigel, and much more.

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