Deep Astronomy

I know you guys like videos, but I didn't have time to turn today's podcast into a video. I may be able to get to it next week. In the meantime, please check out today's episode here:
exoplanetradio.com/exoplanets/osiris-exoplanet-cha…

1 year ago | [YT] | 39

Deep Astronomy

Without realizing it, I created a drinking game with today's episode of Exoplanet Radio. How many times does Tony say "Thick Atmosphere'? Take a drink every time you hear it! Honestly, I need to edit these scripts better

1 year ago | [YT] | 2

Deep Astronomy

Another question! In this video, I used a spaceship view screen as an experiment to see if it made the video more interesting. The fact that not many watched this video may provide the answer I think I know, but I want to get your take. Is the viewscreen worth keeping or not?

1 year ago | [YT] | 8

Deep Astronomy

Hi Everyone, thanks for responding to my poll. After being away from YouTube for a while, I'm trying to figure out what people want to see. I created Exoplanet Radio as an audio podcast, and am using YT to promote it. I realize this isn't the best medium for an audio podcast, but I'm using all avenues available to me and I have tried to add interesting visual content solely for YT viewers..

I do have a question for you and it won't fit nicely in a poll so please leave a comment: For those who are NOT enjoying Exoplanet Radio, what about it do you NOT like?

Another question: what sort of astronomy content would you most like to see?

Thanks for helping me make this channel better!

1 year ago (edited) | [YT] | 38

Deep Astronomy

Are You Enjoying Exoplanet Radio Podcast?

1 year ago | [YT] | 10

Deep Astronomy

First Episode is up! Welcome to Exoplanet Radio

1 year ago | [YT] | 2

Deep Astronomy

Hi all,

Many of you who have been active readers on the Deep Astronomy Discord Server have read about my struggles with content creation in all it's many forms this last year. I've struggled mightily with the downsides of social media: the effect is has on well-being, the overall point of making content at all, and its larger-scale effect on society.

I've been at a crossroads. On the one hand, it would have been nice to make a living creating content for others online. Sadly, the requirement necessary to do that are overseen by algorithms that want a brutal work schedule that requires you essentially do nothing else with your life. That was a price I wasn't willing to pay. That commitment, coupled with the rampant toxicity of comment-space, it's made deciding against content creation as a business model easy.

On the other hand, I was also struggling with my motivations for creating content in the first place. It seemed rather ego-driven, my desire to create content. I didn't like that, but a part of me felt that I really didn't need nor want the attention, so it couldn't be that I was an attention hound. I was fine not get getting immediate feedback and accolades for everything I posted and I was especially happy not to have to read comments on my work.

So why was I driven to make content? As I've take a hiatus from being so much online, I've noticed two things: I DON'T miss the attention and I DO miss making content.

OK three things: I also miss talking with you guys live about astronomy.

It was with no small amount of relief that I realized why I enjoyed creating online content, but to understand this, you need to know something more about me. All my life, I've been a teacher in some form, I started in planetaria when I was young, ran my own non-profit science center that did school presentations using a portable planetarium, and when YouTube hit, I used those skills to create videos online that did what I did under the dome.

I love teaching astronomy. I love providing perspective (which is where the brand Deep Astronomy came from). I've done this at no small personal expense (of time and money) regardless of what I was doing professionally.

I've also been very lucky. I've lived a great life doing exactly what I've always wanted to do and had plenty of money so I've never struggled as so many do. Things have fallen into place for me time and again, through no actions of my own. I've just been given things and the coin-flip worked in my favor more times than not.

This has instilled in me a need to give back. To provide something to my community and creating content is something I can do.

I think there was a time (during the Space Fan News era) when I was trying to make everything a personality-cult. All content creators are being drilled that this is necessary to create an audience and I fell for it like everyone else.

It was intensely unsatisfying. I found myself compelled to post even when I had nothing to say. Not a good sign. A lot of bad actors also showed up in my life. This, coupled with the required workload to make something out a Deep Astronomy online business, heavily influenced my decision not to make a business out it.

Having a good answer now as to WHY I am doing this, I'm ready to make more. I will never follow the social media best practices to build an audience, but that's no longer the goal. The goal is to give back, with no expectation of making money. To share my knowledge, skills and experience I have in astronomy and in providing perspective about the universe.

Let's keep this space open for topics, content ideas and scheduling. I think I'll schedule my next live stream for December 1st, but that may change. Videos and other posts will follow.

1 year ago (edited) | [YT] | 52

Deep Astronomy

Early release of latest video "The Closest Known Black Hole" is now live on DeepAstronomy.com! No ads, no watermark!

deepastronomy.com/video/the-closest-known-black-ho…

2 years ago | [YT] | 14

Deep Astronomy

I'm still getting used to the fact that I can make these community posts. I wanted you all to know that there is a live stream every Tuesday and Thursday at 3pm ET and I hope you can all make it. Today's live stream is on the topic of habitability and exoplanets:

2 years ago | [YT] | 10

Deep Astronomy

In just a few minutes, Live Stream on JWST

3 years ago | [YT] | 6