Looking Up

Five minutes at the end of each week explores the big and the small questions in astronomy, cosmology, and space science. Hosted by Kechil Kirkham, no subject is too big or too small, and experts are regularly brought on board to illuminate and excite. Cape Town is the place to be for astronomy, with some of the largest telescopes in the world housed or being built not too far away. Looking Up takes advantage of the shoals of scientists and engineers working on the planet’s most advanced astronomy projects, who live and work right here in the Mother City. Kechil has recently acquired an MPhil in Space Studies at the University of Cape Town, and works in South Africa’s space industry on the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope.
Weekly English South Africa Places & Travel
385 Episodes
52 – 72

Looking Up - 15 Mar 23 Black holes! What are they?

Black holes! What are they? How many are out there? How do we know they are there? Kechil talks to Dr Chris Pearson who was in Cape Town with the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope project.
15 Mar 2023 5 min

Looking Up - 08 March 23 Kechil talks to Louisa Quartermaine from Perth

There is a big meeting happening right now in Cape Town at the South African Astronomical Observatory, where engineers, technologists and scientists have flown in from the four corners. Kechil talks to Louisa Quartermaine from Perth about the Australian component of the Square Kilometre Array, the biggest telescope being built…
8 Mar 2023 4 min

Looking Up - 30 Nov 22 Great balls of fire!

Great balls of fire! A fireball, or bolide, was seen by many above Kirstenbosch Gardens at the concert last weekend. And other fiery topics: the eruption of Mauna Loa in Hawaii and volcanism on other planets in, and out of, our solar system.
30 Nov 2022 5 min

Looking Up - 09 Nov 22

Five minutes at the end of each week explores the big and the small questions in astronomy, cosmology, and space science. Hosted by Kechil Kirkham, no subject is too big or too small, and experts are regularly brought on board to illuminate and excite. Cape Town is the place to…
9 Nov 2022 5 min

Looking Up - 12 Oct 22 Out in the Karoo in the middle of the Northern Cape

Out in the Karoo in the middle of the Northern Cape is the site of the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, consisting of 64 MeerKAT radio dishes and other strange instruments, designed to capture radio waves from the universe. Turning them into something astronomers can work with requires the biggest…
12 Oct 2022 5 min
52 – 72