Jay Shaffer

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 027 Dark Energy This week's Starcast dives deep into groundbreaking research suggesting the universe's expansion is actually slowing down, prompting a major reconsideration of the nature and evolution of dark energy away from the standard cosmological model. Episode Links:

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 027

Dark Energy This week's Starcast dives deep into groundbreaking research suggesting the universe's expansion is actually slowing down, prompting a major reconsideration of the nature and evolution of dark energy away from the standard cosmological model. Episode…

Bolide meteor from last night

"We Live in the Sky" Skyscapes by photographer Jay Shaffer www.taosnews.com/events/#!/de...

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 026 Dark Mass Mike and Jay discuss recent astronomical observations, including the departure of Comet 3I/Atlas and Taurid meteor activity, before diving into a detailed overview of dark matter, its historical discovery, observational evidence through gravity, and its inferred distribution in the universe as a cosmic web. Episode Links: Taurid threat: Dark Matter:

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 026

Dark Mass Mike and Jay discuss recent astronomical observations, including the departure of Comet 3I/Atlas and Taurid meteor activity, before diving into a detailed overview of dark matter, its historical discovery, observational evidence through gravity, and…

The 2026 "We Live in the Sky" Calendars Are Here!
Featuring a collection of my favorite skyscapes from the past year. From dramatic sunsets to cloud-swept horizons, these photos capture the beauty and majesty we often miss.
$20 Free shipping in the Lower 48 DM me directly to Order

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 025 Candle Stars The podcast episode discusses how the pioneering work of Henrietta Swan Leavitt on Cepheid variables—giant pulsating stars whose period of pulsation directly relates to their true luminosity—provided the first reliable standard candle for astronomers like Edwin Hubble to measure vast cosmic distances and understand the expansion of the universe.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 025

Candle Stars The podcast episode discusses how the pioneering work of Henrietta Swan Leavitt on Cepheid variables—giant pulsating stars whose period of pulsation directly relates to their true luminosity—provided the first reliable standard candle for…

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 024 Wayback Machine This week Mike and Jay discuss a new study about the early, warmer-than-expected universe, which leads to a deep dive into the properties of cosmic microwave background radiation and listening to the Big Bang. Also, a launch of Kuiper satellites, and an update on space weather and the night sky.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 024

Wayback Machine This week Mike and Jay discuss a new study about the early, warmer-than-expected universe, which leads to a deep dive into the properties of cosmic microwave background radiation and listening to the Big Bang. Also, a launch of Kuiper satellites,…

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 023 KEEP IT REAL! Mike and Jay discuss the profound importance of direct observation in astronomy. The hosts share personal anecdotes, emphasizing how witnessing phenomena like the Orion Nebula or space launches firsthand provides an undeniable, grounding connection to the reality of the universe. The episode also explores the week's celestial events, including a Super Harvest Moon and a close asteroid flyby. Episode Links: NMPBS ¡COLORES!: Thomas Ashcraft

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 023

KEEP IT REAL! Mike and Jay discuss the profound importance of direct observation in astronomy. The hosts share personal anecdotes, emphasizing how witnessing phenomena like the Orion Nebula or space launches firsthand provides an undeniable, grounding connection…

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 022 This episode of StarCast discusses the intersection of astronomy and wildlife, revealing how migrating birds, sea turtles, and even dung beetles use stellar navigation—like the North Star and the Milky Way—to find their way at night. The hosts also cover current space weather, celestial events like the Zodiacal Light, and issue a call to action for "lights out" to protect these migrating species from the dangers of increasing light pollution. EPISODE LINKS:    

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 022

This episode of StarCast discusses the intersection of astronomy and wildlife, revealing how migrating birds, sea turtles, and even dung beetles use stellar navigation—like the North Star and the Milky Way—to find their way at night. The hosts also cover current…

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 021 Balloons in Space! This week, hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski discuss the potential for a G1-class solar storm and what's visible in the night sky. The episode also delves into astronomical balloons, their scientific applications, and the citizen science projects that use them for research. Episode Links: Younger Dryad Impact Hypothesis articles - ASTHROS - Fort Sumner launches - …

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 021

Balloons in Space! This week, hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski discuss the potential for a G1-class solar storm and what's visible in the night sky. The episode also delves into astronomical balloons, their scientific applications, and the citizen science…

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 020 Fun with Comets! On this week's StarCast, join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski as they discuss comets!. They'll also review the week's best celestial viewing,  including a potential G1 or G2 class geomagnetic storm that may produce aurorae, and a newly discovered comet named SWAN25B. Then, they'll dive deep into the world of comets, explaining what they are, where they come from, how they're named, and how to best observe them.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 020

Fun with Comets! On this week's StarCast, join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski as they discuss comets!. They'll also review the week's best celestial viewing,  including a potential G1 or G2 class geomagnetic storm that may produce aurorae, and a newly…

Yes, yes he is!

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 019 Far Out! Join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski as they discuss the week in space, including a geomagnetic storm and a total lunar eclipse. They also explore the vastness of space by explaining astronomical distances, from light seconds to light years and beyond. Episode Links: › wiki › Astronomical_unit     

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 019

Far Out! Join hosts Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski as they discuss the week in space, including a geomagnetic storm and a total lunar eclipse. They also explore the vastness of space by explaining astronomical distances, from light seconds to light years and…

The battle of our day is no longer about Democrats versus Republicans or left versus right. The choice right now is democracy or dictatorship. And we're sliding faster than I ever thought possible into the latter. Everyone must choose which side they’re on. - Robert Reich

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 018 It's All Relative This episode explores the fascinating connections between Albert Einstein's theories of relativity and modern technology, like GPS. The hosts, Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski, explain how both special relativity (which deals with time dilation from speed) and general relativity (which explains how gravity warps spacetime) are essential for the accurate functioning of GPS satellites.  The episode also delves into two recent astronomical discoveries: a new tiny moon orbiting Uranus, named S/2025 U1, and a study suggesting that the dwarf planet Ceres may have once been habitable.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 018

It's All Relative This episode explores the fascinating connections between Albert Einstein's theories of relativity and modern technology, like GPS. The hosts, Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski, explain how both special relativity (which deals with time dilation…

“Holy Grail” Night Time-Lapse Photography Techninques Mike Lewinski and Jay Shaffer discussing the “Holy Grail” of astrophotography, a term used for capturing time-lapses that transition smoothly from day to night.

“Holy Grail” Night Time-Lapse Photography Techninques

Mike Lewinski and Jay Shaffer discussing the “Holy Grail” of astrophotography, a term used for capturing time-lapses that transition smoothly from day to night.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 017 Twilight and the Holy Grail Mike and Jay discuss the "Holy Grail" of astrophotography, a term used for capturing time-lapses that transition smoothly from day to night. They explain the challenges of this type of photography, as it requires continuous adjustment of camera exposure as the light fades. Mike shares his personal experience with both budget-friendly and professional methods, including using a camera's aperture priority mode and more advanced external camera triggers.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 017

Twilight and the Holy Grail Mike and Jay discuss the "Holy Grail" of astrophotography, a term used for capturing time-lapses that transition smoothly from day to night. They explain the challenges of this type of photography, as it requires continuous adjustment…

Monochrome Time-lapse of the Perseid meteor shower August 11-12, 2025 from my North facing meteor camera in Taos county New Mexico, USA.
Music: Colony - Track Tribe YouTube audio library.

It’s somebody’s constitutionally mandated fucking job to stop the Muthafucker! #fucktrump

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 016 This week Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski interview astronomers Prof. Peter Wheatley, Daniel Bayliss , and Toby Rodel from the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) about their work detecting exoplanets and the future of astronomical imaging technology.  Also they discuss a potential solar storm and a planetary conjunction of Venus and Jupiter, as well as the Perseid meteor shower peak. The main news segments cover a plan by the Trump administration to cancel two NASA carbon monitoring missions (OCO2 and OCO3) and the potential discovery of a Saturn-mass exoplanet orbiting Alpha Centauri A by the James Webb Space Telescope. Episode Links:  

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 016

This week Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski interview astronomers Prof. Peter Wheatley, Daniel Bayliss , and Toby Rodel from the Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) about their work detecting exoplanets and the future of astronomical imaging technology.  Also they…

bsky.app/profile/wild...

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 015  Crestone Crater Controversy In this episode, Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski discuss a week of quiet space weather, a rare Saturn-Titan eclipse, and NASA funding. The hosts then delve into the geological controversy surrounding the "Mysterious" Crestone Crater, debating whether its origin is extraterrestrial or terrestrial. Episode Links:

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 015

 Crestone Crater Controversy In this episode, Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinski discuss a week of quiet space weather, a rare Saturn-Titan eclipse, and NASA funding. The hosts then delve into the geological controversy surrounding the "Mysterious" Crestone Crater,…

Thanks Gary for sharing. Love your journal.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 14 STARt Me Up! In this week's Starcast, Jay and Mike talk about the "Big Blob" CME, the Delta Aquarids and Alpha Capicornids meteor showers,  whether 3I/Atlas is an Alien probe, and how to get started in astrophotography.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 14

STARt Me Up! In this week's Starcast, Jay and Mike talk about the "Big Blob" CME, the Delta Aquarids and Alpha Capicornids meteor showers,  whether 3I/Atlas is an Alien probe, and how to get started in astrophotography.

Unfortunately Go Fund Me removed the campaign as a ToS violation and refunded all the donors. Folks can still give through PayPal and Venmo to chililinedepot@gmail.com

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 013 Stars, Parties, and Clubs! Join Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinsky for space weather, astronomical events, and the latest in space news. NOAA funding cuts, Colliding Black Holes and Gravity Waves, and how to spice up your night life with Star Parties, and Astronomy Clubs! Episode Links: On the black hole "mass gap" - Scientists have detected the largest black hole merger yet.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 013

Stars, Parties, and Clubs! Join Jay Shaffer and Mike Lewinsky for space weather, astronomical events, and the latest in space news. NOAA funding cuts, Colliding Black Holes and Gravity Waves, and how to spice up your night life with Star Parties, and Astronomy…

Donate to Remove Barriers! Justice for Gil and The Chili Line Depot , organized by Jay Shaffer Gil Graves, an 80-year-old local icon, is facing an unjust aggr… Jay Shaffer needs your support for Remove Barriers! Justice for Gil and The Chili Line Depot

gofund.me/f69c4739

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 012 Wanted: Citizen Scientists! This week, Mike and Jay dive into the latest space weather updates, including solar activity and geomagnetic storm forecasts, and share details about a spectacular prominence recently caught on video. We'll guide you on when and where to spot Mars, Saturn, and Venus in the night sky, and highlight a special alignment of Saturn with the Moon. Mike describes a stunning photo of a rare red sprite captured from the ISS and introduces us to the exciting world of citizen science in astronomy.

Deep Sage Nine Starcast Episode 012

Wanted: Citizen Scientists! This week, Mike and Jay dive into the latest space weather updates, including solar activity and geomagnetic storm forecasts, and share details about a spectacular prominence recently caught on video. We'll guide you on when and where…

Smokey Thunder moon.