This week we kick things off with a deceptively simple listener question: What exactly is mass? From beach balls to black holes, we explore how mass shapes the universe, and our understanding of gravity.

Then we turn our eyes to the night sky, where the Full Buck Moon rises low on the horizon, showing off the inspiring Moon Illusion. We’ll cover what planets are visible, what to look for in the coming nights, and keep in mind, meteor shower season is right around the corner.

Finally, we journey to the outermost reaches of the solar system, to the Kuiper Belt and the distant, mysterious Oort Cloud. These frozen zones may hold the keys to our cosmic past and are home to icy relics like Comet Bernardinelli–Bernstein, one of the largest comets ever discovered.

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own. Highlights include a close encounter between the Moon and Mars, a subtle meteor shower, and a dazzling pre-dawn lineup of planets.

In the second half of the show, we check out some of the most fascinating space news of the season, including:

• An asteroid that could impact the Moon in 2028
• The largest comet ever discovered, already active far beyond Saturn
• A distant spiral galaxy challenging our ideas about how galaxies form
• And a breakthrough in the decades-long search for the universe’s missing matter

Then, we zoom in on the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which just released its first images from the largest astronomical camera ever built. From new asteroids to deep galaxy clusters, Rubin is poised to change everything we know about the dynamic sky.

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This week we explore one of the darkest, and most dynamic, weeks of the season for stargazing. With a New Moon on June 25th, we get a prime window to explore the deep sky, from the glowing heart of the Milky Way to the subtle shimmer of noctilucent clouds and the unpredictable June Bootids meteor shower.

There’s also a stunning series of planetary pairings, including Venus and the Moon at dawn, and a twilight dance featuring Mercury, Mars, and Regulus. Plus, we preview a lunar occultation of Mars and offer tips for timing the event in your local sky.

Later we venture far beyond the Solar System to investigate blazars: relativistic jets from feeding black holes in distant galaxies. We break down how these dynamic cosmic particle accelerators are helping scientists unlock secrets of the universe, one ghost particle at a time.

For more episodes and resources for backyard astronomers, visit www.startrails.show. Share the wonder of the stars with friends and continue your cosmic journey with us. Also, connect with us on Bluesky @startrails.bsky.social, or YouTube @TheStarTrailsPodcast.

If you're enjoying the show, consider sharing it with a friend! Want to help? Buy us a coffee!

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.