Space Nuts

Join Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson for another enlightening episode of Space Nuts Q&A. This week, we tackle a variety of listener questions that delve into the fascinating intricacies of space science and astronomy.First, we revisit a question from Alan about the detectability of light at one candle power of an LED in space. Fred breaks down the calculations and assumptions, providing insights into how far such a light source would be visible, even with the Hubble Telescope.Next, Nate from Queensland asks about bolometric luminosity and its implications for predicting changes in stars, such as supernovae. Fred explains the concept of bolometric measurements, the use of bolometers, and whether there's a standard way to predict changes in a star's luminosity.David from Melbourne brings up Hawking radiation and its potential connection to dark matter and dark energy. Fred clarifies the nature of Hawking radiation and discusses recent research linking black holes to dark energy, albeit without invo