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PODCAST

The Garden Astronomer Podcast

Wayne & Amy McGraw

Welcome to The Garden Astronomer Podcast, where the wonders of the universe are brought down to Earth. Hosted by Amy McGraw, with amateur astronomer Wayne McGraw joining as co-host, each episode blends narrative storytelling with the science and human history behind comets, meteor showers, and the deep sky. From forgotten great comets to the recurring return of spectacular meteor showers, hear the stories of celestial events that connect us to the night sky. Clean, insightful, and accessible: your

science astronomy

All Episodes

17:48

Wild West Eclipse of 1878

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/09/24

In July 1878, a total solar eclipse plunged the American frontier into darkness for barely three minutes. What followed was a collision of science and frontier chaos!A gunslinger named Texas Jack fires a revolver through a Wyoming hotel window to impress a young Thomas Edison. Edison retreats to a drafty chicken coop to test a sensitive new invention against the solar corona. A world-famous astronomer stakes his entire career on the hunt for “Vulcan”—a phantom planet hiding in the sun’s glare

en-US

19:27

The Carrington Event

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/09/08

On August 28, 1859, a telegraph operator in Washington, D.C., gets knocked to the floor by a spark at his desk. Four days later, two astronomers watch something erupt on the surface of the Sun. Follow the storm as it races across the Atlantic, lights up rooftops from Broadway to San Francisco Bay, and turns a Colorado mining camp into daylight at midnight. Then meet the man who caught it all on paper: Richard Carrington — and the tragedy that followed him for the rest of his life.Written and

en-US

24:13

The Farm Boy Who Discovered Pluto

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/08/25

How did a hardworking Kansas farm boy find his way to Pluto?In this episode, we dive into the true story of Clyde Tombaugh. After Clyde spent months grinding telescope mirrors in an underground root cellar, a June hailstorm ruined his family's crops and his hopes for college. Discover how his salvaged farm parts and late-night planetary sketches earned him a one-way train ride to the Lowell Observatory. There, after endless hours and freezing nights, he came eye-to-eye with the planet

en-US

00:16:34

The Great Comet of 1861

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/08/12

In 1861, as America descended into the Civil War, a great comet appeared, visible even in daylight. For a moment, the world paused to watch.A young Australian farmer named John Tebbutt was the first to recognize it. Armed with a tiny telescope, a sextant, and a determination to understand the heavens, he would go on to identify one of the most spectacular comets of the nineteenth century. As the Great Comet of 1861 swept closer to Earth, its enormous tail stretched overhead. Sailors watched

en-US

00:18:51

An August Night Under the Perseids

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/07/28

A 1980s backyard night of amateur astronomy in Arvada, Colorado gets hijacked by high-school stoners, Iron Maiden, and late-night roof climbers.Host and author Wayne McGraw shares a true Gen X story that begins with watching the Perseid meteor shower, tracking Saturn, finding the Andromeda Galaxy, and ends with teens who would never have crossed paths connecting under an August night. Along the way, Wayne also offers practical insights on how to view the shower yourself and the reasons behind

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00:18:11

The Great Comet of 1882: Shattered by the Sun

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/07/14

We uncover the story of the Great Comet of 1882, so bright it was visible in broad daylight right beside the sun, only to shatter into pieces before the world’s eyes. Step into the backyards, balloons, and observatories of astronomers and everyday witnesses who watched history’s brightest comet crumble in real time.

en-US

00:16:16

The Great 1913 Meteor Procession: The Night the Sky...

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/07/03

In February 1913, thousands of people across the Western Hemisphere witnessed a slow-motion cosmic parade of meteors grazing the atmosphere. In this episode, we dive into eyewitness accounts of that unforgettable night and explore the scientific research that revealed the truth behind the spectacle. It wasn’t just a meteor shower. It was an awe-inspiring disintegrationContinue reading "The Great 1913 Meteor Procession: The Night the Sky Unraveled"

en-US

00:14:30

The Great Comet of 1811: Companion to a Shaking World

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/06/20

Discover the history of the Great Comet of 1811. Visible to the naked eye for nine months, this spectacular comet mystified the globe, coincided with the terrifying New Madrid earthquakes, inspired Tecumseh and Napoleon, and even yielded a legendary wine vintage.

en-US

00:10:57

The Great Daylight Comet of 1910

The Garden Astronomer Podcast ·

2026/06/14

In 1910, the world eagerly awaited the return of Halley’s Comet—but a sudden comet stole the show months earlier. Discover the incredible story of the Great January Comet, a celestial giant so exceptionally bright it could be seen blazing in broad daylight.

en-US

9 results

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