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
Moon and Planets
The atmosphere of Mars is quite different from Earth’s. It’s colder, thinner, and it’s made mainly of carbon dioxide. In one way, though, the skies of the two planets are similar: both of them have clouds. And for the most part, the clouds themselves are alike as well.
Because Mars is so cold, the clouds are made entirely of ice — frozen water or carbon dioxide. There’s not much water in the Martian atmosphere, so the clouds are thin. And they’re usually much higher than even the highest clouds of Earth.
But Mars also has some clouds that are a bit different from those on Earth. That includes “dots” and some long, skinny ribbons.
An orbiting spacecraft has seen the dots in a specific region of Mars, south of the equator. The clouds are almost perfectly round. They’re up to 60 miles in diameter, a few miles thick, and they top out at altitudes of 30 to 50 miles. Some are seen at dawn, while others are seen in clumps in the dawn or evening twilight. The clouds could form as the atmosphere interacts with some odd spots in the Martian magnetic field.
The elongated clouds are seen in volcanic regions. The longest span about 1500 miles, and are up to a hundred miles wide. They may be sculpted by winds flowing over volcanic peaks — some odd clouds for the Red Planet.
Mars stands close to the lower left of the Moon at dawn tomorrow. The planet Saturn is about the same distance to the upper right of the Moon.
Script by Damond Benningfield
Upcoming Topics
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May 6-12: “The Butting Ones”
One of the horns of the bull is marked by the star “Elnath” — a name that means “the butting one.” The name has a special significance for Star Date and its fans, and we’ll explain why.
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April 29-May 5: Planet Parade
The Moon will pass by a parade of planets in the dawn sky late this week, and we’ll have details. We’ll also talk about a protective “blanket” around Earth, a small discovery, and more.
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April 22-28: Taking a Trip
A trip around the world would take a while, even in a passenger jet. But it’s the blink of an eye compared to the time it would take to go around a supergiant star.