It's time for some accidental astronomy this week on planetary radio.

I'm Sarah Alachmed of the Planetary Society, with more of the human adventure across our

solar system and beyond.

Astronomical and planetary science discoveries often unfold in strange and serendipitous ways.

This week we dive into the delightfully unpredictable nature of our field with Chris Lintott,

the author of the upcoming book accidental astronomy.

Then Bruce Betts, our chief scientist, gives us a new way to think about the scale of our solar

system in what's up.

If you love planetary radio and want to stay informed about the latest space discoveries,

make sure you hit that subscribe button on your favorite podcasting platform.

By subscribing, you'll never miss an episode filled with new and awe-inspiring ways to know the Cosmos and our place within it.

Before we jump into our interview, I want to send a congratulations to my colleague Casey Dreyer, our chief of space policy.

This Friday's upcoming space policy addition of planetary radio marks nine years of his monthly

reporting on the state of space advocacy and policy.

Casey's show on the complex human interactions that shape the progress of space exploration

are always super insightful. And I cannot believe it's been nine years. Our monthly space policy

edition of Planetary Radio comes out on the first Friday of every month so you should definitely check it out

And now for some accidental astronomy

From chance observations to fortunate circumstances,

breakthroughs in astronomy and planetary science frequently emerge from the

intersection of curiosity and coincidence.

But that's part of the fun. It's a field where any

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