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Looking Up
New episodes released every other Friday!
Hosted by Dean Regas

Join Dean Regas, astronomer, author, and space expert on a journey through the stars! Guests from all over the globe bring their knowledge and passion about today’s latest scientific discoveries and advancements. From eclipses to supernovas, from rockets to rovers; there’s a whole universe to explore! Dean is the author of “How to Teach Grown-Ups About Pluto” and “100 Things to See in the Night Sky” and was the longtime host of PBS' Stargazers television program. Looking Up is a production of Cincinnati Public Radio.

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  • Speakers and attendees during the 386: STScI Town Hall at the American Astronomical Society's (AAS) 247th meeting at the Phoenix Convention Center, Wednesday January 7, 2026. Edited to include Looking Up logo.
    3000 Astronomers, One Thrilling Event
    What happens when 3000 astronomers gather in one place? The annual American Astronomical Society meeting puts this question to the test. In this episode, Dean Regas shares what makes a gathering like this so special, reflecting on conversations he had with like-minded astronomers at his first AAS meeting. Special thanks this episode to Diana Hannikainen, Christina Williams, Kevin Legore, Aaron Yung, Allyn Smith and Alex Thomas.Leave us a voicemail by calling (513) 352-9188 and you might hear yourself in a future episode!You can also send us your thoughts on this episode at lookingup@wvxu.org or post them on social media using #lookinguppodcastFind Us Online: Twitter: @lookinguppod @deanregas, Instagram: @917wvxu @deanregas, Tiktok: @cincinnatipublicradio @astronomerdean, Episode transcript: www.wvxu.org/podcast/looking-up More from Dean: www.astrodean.com#lookingup #lookinguppod #deanregast #astronomy #cincinnatipublicradio #NPR #lookinguppodcast
  • FROM THE ARCHIVE: Can Elon Musk Even Go to Mars? (with Oliver Morton)
    With Artemis II's recent launch, we are revisiting this conversation. Dean gets to the root of this question with guest Oliver Morton, Senior Editor for The Economist and author of the book The Moon: A History for the Future. They discuss Musk's likelihood for a Mars landing, and what the future of private space travel could mean for present Earthlings.
  • FROM THE ARCHIVE: Problem Solving in Space (with Andy Weir)
    With the recent release of the "Project Hail Mary" film adaptation, we are revisiting a favorite episode of "Looking Up." Dean chats with science fiction novelist Andy Weir about what it takes to solve problems in the cosmos or as a stay-at-home dad. The acclaimed author of "The Martian" (which itself became an acclaimed film) also updates listeners on the eagerly anticipated film adaptation of another of Andy's books: "Project Hail Mary."
  • Ancient Martian microbes left behind a chemical "fingerprint" (with Dr. Katie Stack Morgan)
    Last fall, NASA announced that it found something incredible in a rock on Mars. A core sample obtained by the Mars Perseverance rover discovered a potential biosignature. In other words, a potential sign of ancient life on Mars. Dean Regas chats with Kathryn Stack Morgan, Perseverance project scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, about this chemical "fingerprint."
  • NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image using its onboard Left Navigation Camera (Navcam). The camera is located high on the rover's mast and aids in driving. This image was acquired on Oct. 2, 2022 (Sol 575) at the local mean solar time of 15:37:40.
    Searching for Life in Mars' Watery Past (with Dr. Andy Czaja)
    What was the planet Mars like in the past? Was it a dry desolate world like the one we see today, or was it a watery oasis filled with oceans, lakes, and rushing rivers? Was it Earthlike? Dean Regas chats with University of Cincinnati Professor of Geosciences, and NASA Advisory Board Member, Dr. Andy Czaja, to find out more.
  • Upper Yosemite Falls Moonbow
    Somewhere Over the Moonbow (with Jeff Pfaller)
    What is a moonbow, and what does it take to get a picture of one? And do rare events in the night sky lose their appeal after you've seen a bunch of them? Dean chats with Jeff Pfaller, astro-photographer and author of "Dark Skies: Rare Phenomena in America’s Public Lands" to learn more.
  • The USS Shenandoah was the navy's first rigid airship. It crashed into Noble County, Ohio 100 years ago. This color in this image was edited and enhanced for the purpose of this cover.
    How a 1925 Airship Crash Shaped an Ohio Town (with Kendall Crawford)
    What might it be like to watch an alien spacecraft fall from the sky? Residents of Ava, Ohio, in 1925 experienced something close to this, when the USS Shenandoah, a naval airship, crashed down on rural farmland. Dean Regas chats with Ohio News Room journalist, Kendall Crawford, after her visit to Ava's mobile museum. We want to hear from you!Send us your thoughts on this episode at lookingup@wvxu.org or post them on social media using #lookinguppodcast
  • Eating Like an Astronaut (with Mark Borison)
    How do you eat in space? Simple everyday chores like sleeping or going to the bathroom take on all new challenges when you're weightless and floating in mid-air. Dean is joined by Mark Borison, Host of The Jungle Jims Podcast to do a space food taste test.
  • A view of the full moon, shown against a dark background.
    Early Astrophotography was Controversial (with Anika Burgess)
    The question seems completely absurd to us in the 21st century: should we use cameras to help with astronomical research? Well, of course. Why wouldn’t we? But in the early 20th century, this was a heated debate that echoed in the domes of many established observatories around the world. So when did the camera really outshine the eye for documenting things in space? Dean Regas chats with Anika Burgess, author of Flashes of Brilliance: The Genius of Early Photography and How it Transformed Art, Science, and History, to learn more.
  • This artist's concept shows what the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system may look like, based on available data about the planets' diameters, masses and distances from the host star, as of February 2018.
    Trappist-1 is Not Like Our Sun (with Dr. Néstor Espinoza)
    The universe is enormous and time to observe it is limited. This means planet-hunters have to be extra picky in their search for habitable worlds. Dean chats with Dr. Néstor Espinoza, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute who has his eye on one specific star system, Trappist-1.