{"podcast":{"title":"Star Trails: A Weekly Astronomy Podcast","slug":"star-trails-a-weekly-astronomy-podcast-6777620","podcast_index_feed_id":6777620,"rss_url":"https://media.rss.com/star-trails/feed.xml","website_url":"https://startrails.show/","image_url":"https://media.rss.com/star-trails/20240204_030243_ce3cd2c9bd93f8daef6147eee46c9c07.jpg","author":"Single Malt Sky","episode_count":115,"summary":"Star Trails is a weekly astronomy podcast that begins in your backyard and expands outward to the edge of the universe. Each episode features a guide to the night sky visible across North America — constellations, planets, moon phases, and celestial events — along with deeper explorations of the science, history, and perspective that make astronomy one of humanity’s greatest adventures. From ancient skywatchers to modern spacecraft, from quiet stargazing to the violent deaths of stars, Star Trails reveals the beauty, mystery, and sometimes haunting reality of the cosmos.","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/star-trails-a-weekly-astronomy-podcast-6777620"},"episode":{"title":"How to Begin (or Begin Again) With the Night Sky","slug":"how-to-begin-or-begin-again-with-the-night-sky","published_at":"2026-01-04T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/star-trails-a-weekly-astronomy-podcast-6777620/how-to-begin-or-begin-again-with-the-night-sky","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/star-trails-a-weekly-astronomy-podcast-6777620","url":"https://rss.com/podcasts/star-trails/2427182","audio_url":"https://content.rss.com/episodes/250148/2427182/star-trails/2026_01_03_22_51_10_3e2781b7-6273-46f7-a28b-82928a474399.mp3","summary":"The first episode of a new year is a good time to slow down, zoom out, and reset. In this episode, we welcome new and returning listeners alike for a thoughtful reintroduction to stargazing, one that sets aside checklists, gear anxiety, and the pressure to “do it right,” and instead focuses on patience, curiosity, and learning the sky where you are. Along the way, the episode explores the idea of the sky as a clock, the power of naked-eye and binocular observing, and the winter night sky anchored by Orion, Jupiter, and the Great Nebula. It also branches into a backyard stargazer’s reading recommendation ( Nightwatch by Terence Dickinson) and a fascinating moment from astronomy’s past, the long search for the nonexistent planet Vulcan, and how Einstein’s theory of general relativity finally explained Mercury’s strange orbit. This episode sets the tone for the year ahead: astronomy as a practice, not a performance. Connect with us on Bluesky @ startrails.bsky.social If you're enjoying the show, consider sharing it with a friend! Want to help? Buy us a coffee ! Also, check out music made for Star Trails on our Bandcamp page! Podcasting is better with RSS.com ! If you're planning to start your own podcast, use our RSS.com affiliate link for a discount, and to help support Star Trails.","meta_description":"The first episode of a new year is a good time to slow down, zoom out, and reset. In this episode, we welcome new and returning listeners alike for a thou…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1369,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/star-trails-a-weekly-astronomy-podcast-6777620/episodes/how-to-begin-or-begin-again-with-the-night-sky/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/star-trails-a-weekly-astronomy-podcast-6777620/how-to-begin-or-begin-again-with-the-night-sky.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}