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Cosmic Tales: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Diana Evans
Cosmic Tales is a show about the stories written into the night sky. Every constellation has a myth behind it, a culture that named it, and a science that explains it — and most of them are stranger and more compelling than you might expect. Host Diana explores one corner of the sky at a time, moving through Greek tragedy, Indigenous oral tradition, Babylonian astronomy, medieval star catalogs, and the genuinely extreme physics of dying stars, all in the same episode. No telescope required. Just curiosity and a willingness to look up.
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- 3 days ago29 min
Episode 16: Cetus vs Arabian Star Lore
Episode 16: Cetus vs. Arabian Star LoreIn Greek mythology, Cetus was a terrifying sea monster sent to destroy a kingdom, until Perseus arrived to save Andromeda.But in traditional Arabian star lore, the same region of the sky told a very different story — one involving an ostrich, a collection of frogs, and some rather unexpected celestial characters.And the astronomy is just as strange. Meet Mira, a star that brightens and fades dramatically, and explore the galaxies hiding within the boundaries of this enormous constellation.One constellation. Very different stories. And a universe that's considerably stranger than it looks.Join us for Episode 16 of Cosmic Tales, where mythology meets astronomy — and the stars have stories to tell.Sources: https://www.planetary.org/articles/whose-stars-arabian-astronomyhttps://ase.exopla.net/index.php/Al-Na%CA%BF%C4%81m%C4%81thttp://www.ianridpath.com/startales/cetus.htmlhttps://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/cetus-constellation/Music: Distant Galaxy by SP MusicSound Engineer: Ian Evans
- 1 weeks ago35 min
Episode 15: Perseus vs Enmesarra
Episode 15: Perseus — A Greek Hero, a Mesopotamian God, and the Demon StarA hero armed with a deadly gift. An ancient god stripped of his power. And a star that appears to blink in the night sky.In Greek mythology, Perseus sets out on a seemingly impossible mission: to kill Medusa, the Gorgon whose gaze turns living creatures to stone. But his adventures don't end there. Along the way, he'll rescue a princess, confront a king, and discover that a severed head can be remarkably useful.Then we travel to ancient Mesopotamia, where we encounter Enmešarra, a primordial deity whose power and fate reveal a very different side of the divine world.In the astronomy portion, we'll explore Algol, the famous Demon Star whose changing brightness has fascinated observers for centuries. We'll also discover the Perseids, one of the best-known annual meteor showers, and the remarkable Double Cluster, two brilliant collections of stars nestled near Perseus.Gods, monsters, ancient rivalries, and a demon that blinks.Cosmic Tales — where mythology meets astronomy.Sources:https://www.eatthefruit.com/the-defeat-of-enmesharra/http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/perseus.htmlhttps://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/perseus-constellation/Music: Distant Galaxy by SP MusicSound Engineer: Ian Evans
- 2 weeks ago31 min
Episode 14: Andromeda vs Kui Mulang
Episode 14: Andromeda — A Princess, a Celestial Demon, and a Galaxy Beyond Our OwnA princess chained to a rock. A celestial being who abandons the heavens for love. And a discovery that forever changed humanity's understanding of the universe.In Greek mythology, Andromeda becomes the unwilling sacrifice for her mother's arrogance, until Perseus arrives to rescue her. In Chinese mythology, we encounter Kui Mulang, a star deity whose complicated romance leads to a kidnapped princess, a transformed monk, and some rather unfortunate consequences.Then we turn from mythology to astronomy to explore one of the most remarkable objects in our night sky: the Andromeda Galaxy. We'll discover how Edwin Hubble helped prove that our Milky Way wasn't the entire universe, examine the interacting galaxies of Arp 65, and consider what the future might hold for our galactic neighbor.Ancient stories, celestial troublemakers, and a universe much larger than anyone once imagined.Sources:http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/contents.htmlhttps://libokang.com/en/classics/zhanbu/the-bird-stars-made-easy-to-seeJourney to the West, Wu Cheng'enhttps://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/andromeda-constellation/Music: Distant Galaxy by SP MusicSound Engineer: Ian Evans
- 3 weeks ago33 min
Episode 13: Cepheus vs Kay Kavus
Two kings. Two very different approaches to ruling. One constellation.In Greek mythology, Cepheus was the king of Ethiopia, caught in a terrible dilemma when his wife's boast brought the wrath of Poseidon down upon his kingdom.But in Persian mythology, another king was associated with this part of the sky.Meet Kay Kavus, the ambitious ruler of the Shahnameh, whose questionable decisions included disastrous adventures, battles with demons, and an attempt to fly to heaven on a throne carried by enormous birds.Because apparently ruling a kingdom wasn't challenging enough. Then we turn to the astronomy of Cepheus, where we'll discover Herschel's Garnet Star, the spectacular Wizard Nebula, and a star whose rhythmic pulsations helped astronomers unlock the distances to other galaxies.Follow Cosmic Tales for mythology, astronomy, and the strange stories we've written across the night sky. ✨#CosmicTales #Cepheus #KayKavus #PersianMythology #GreekMythology #Shahnameh #Astronomy #Constellations #SpaceSources:https://www.theoi.com/Heros/Perseus2.htmlhttp://www.ianridpath.com/startales/cepheus.htmlhttps://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kayanian-v/https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/cepheus-constellation/Music: Distant Galaxy by SP MusicSound Engineer: Ian Evans
- Oct 5, 202632 min
Episode 12: Cassiopeia - Cassiopeia vs Makeda
A queen who boasted once too often. A legendary ruler who traveled to test the wisdom of a king.In Episode 12 of Cosmic Tales, we explore Cassiopeia — the unmistakable W-shaped constellation of the northern sky. We follow the Greek queen whose pride put an entire kingdom in danger, then travel to Ethiopia for the story of Makeda, the Queen of Sheba, and her famous encounter with King Solomon.Then we turn to the science: a star named backward for an Apollo astronaut, one of the most luminous stars in the Milky Way, and a collection of deep-sky objects that apparently couldn't settle on just one name.Same stars. Different queens. Completely different stories.Sources:https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Mortals/Cassiopeia/cassiopeia.htmlhttp://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/Mythology/BoastOfCassiopeia.htmlhttps://mythworld.fandom.com/wiki/Cassiopeia_(mythology)https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/literature-and-writing/queen-shebahttps://www.thecollector.com/ethiopian-rulers-descendant-king-solomon/https://www.universeguide.com/star/3179/schedarhttps://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/S/Shedar.htmlhttps://www.space.com/26883-cosmic-dolphin-constellation-star-names.htmlhttps://astronomynow.com/2022/09/12/home-in-on-ngc-457-cassiopeias-superb-et-cluster/Music: Distant Galaxy by SP MusicSound Engineer: Ian Evans
- Sep 28, 202632 min
Bonus Episode 3: Centaurus, Lupus, Ara, Sagittarius
The constellations may be finished. The stories aren't.In this bonus episode of Cosmic Tales, we return to Centaurus, Lupus, Ara and Sagittarius for three stories that didn't quite fit the stars — but were far too good to leave behind.First, Šullat and Haniš run ahead of the great Mesopotamian Flood as divine heralds of the coming storm.Then we turn to Norse mythology and Fenrir, the monstrous wolf the gods tried to bind before he could fulfill the fate they feared.And finally, we meet Arjuna, the legendary archer of the Mahabharata, whose search for a divine weapon leads to an unexpected confrontation with Shiva.A flood. A wolf. A divine weapon.Apparently, this particular corner of the sky wasn't finished causing trouble.This is Bonus Episode 3 of Cosmic Tales.Music: Ethereal Galaxy by Konstantin Pazuzu StudioSound Engineer: Ian Evans
- Sep 21, 202628 min
Episode 11: Sagittarius - Crotus vs Nergal
Who is the archer in Sagittarius?In Greek tradition, one answer was Crotus — a satyr, hunter and companion of the Muses who found his place among the stars. But long before the Greeks told their stories about this part of the sky, Mesopotamian tradition connected it with Pabilsag, a strange composite figure closely associated with the god Nergal.In Episode 11 of Cosmic Tales, we follow Sagittarius from Greek mythology into ancient Mesopotamia before turning to the astronomy hidden inside one of the richest regions of the Milky Way.We'll find the familiar Teapot asterism, explore the Lagoon Nebula and its newborn stars, and look toward the center of our galaxy — where Sagittarius A*, a supermassive black hole, waits roughly 26,000 light-years away.Two very different figures. One crowded patch of sky.Crotus vs Nergal.This is Sagittarius.Apologies as always for any bad pronunciations.Sources: https://www.mythosjourney.com/encyclopedia/pages/pabilsa%c4%9d/https://www.astronomytrek.com/deep-sky-objects-in-sagittarius/https://astrologyk.com/zodiac/constellations/sagittariushttps://mythlok.com/pabilsag/https://oracc.museum.upenn.edu/amgg/listofdeities/pabilsag/index.htmlhttps://nineplanets.org/nunki/Music: Distant Galaxy by SP MusicSound Engineer: Ian Evans
- Sep 14, 202624 min
Episode 10: Ara - Greek Altar vs Babylonian Altar
What happens when two ancient cultures look toward the same stars—and both see an altar?In Greek mythology, Ara was connected to the great war between the Olympians and the Titans. In ancient Mesopotamia, the stars carried an altar tradition of their own, with a very different story behind it.In Episode 10 of Cosmic Tales, we explore both traditions before turning from mythology to the remarkable astronomy hidden within Ara—including massive star clusters, glowing nebulae, the Fighting Dragons molecular clouds, and some of the most extreme stars in our galaxy.Same stars. Two ancient altars. And a small southern constellation packed with considerably more than you might expect.Sources:https://www.britannica.com/topic/Enlilhttps://www.historyandmyths.com/2024/11/enlil-lord-anunnaki-gods-sumerian-mythology.htmlhttps://aratta.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/the-constellation-ara-in-astrology/https://babylonian.mythologyworldwide.com/exploring-the-temples-of-enlil-in-ancient-mesopotamia/https://www.universetoday.com/articles/super-star-cluster-discovered-in-our-own-milky-wayhttps://www.theoi.com/Heros/Lykaon.htmlhttp://www.ianridpath.com/startales/canismajor.htmlMusic: Distant Galaxy by SP MusicSound Engineer: Ian Evans
About Cosmic Tales
Cosmic Tales is a show about the stories written into the night sky. Every constellation has a myth behind it, a culture that named it, and a science that explains it — and most of them are stranger and more compelling than you might expect. Host Diana explores one corner of the sky at a time, moving through Greek tragedy, Indigenous oral tradition, Babylonian astronomy, medieval star catalogs, and the genuinely extreme physics of dying stars, all in the same episode. No telescope required. Just curiosity and a willingness to look up.
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