Idaho Skies Transcript for May 17th and 18th

PAUL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for May 17th and 18th. We’re your hosts, Paul…

RACHEL
…and Rachel.

BRING DOWN MUSIC

PAUL
British astronomer Sir Joseph Norman Lockyer was born on May 17th, 1836.

RACHEL
Isn’t he the astronomer who discovered helium?

PAUL
Yes he is.

RACHEL
Here’s the funny thing though, helium wasn’t originally discovered on Earth.

PAUL
Wait, how could Lockyer discover helium if it wasn’t first known on Earth.

RACHEL
Well, He was analyzing the spectrum of the sun when he came across a yellow line.

PAUL
The line was in a location in the spectrum where no known element emitted a yellow line.

RACHEL
So he and another astronomer decided to name the element after the sun god, Helios.

PAUL
Hence the name Helium.

RACHEL
Did you know that all the initial helium in the universe was made over a 20 minute period after the Big Bang?

PAUL
And that it makes up 24% of the universe?

RACHEL
Even though it’s plentiful in the universe, it’s difficult to find on Earth.

PAUL
That’s because Earth’s gravity is too weak to hold on to its supply of helium.

RACHEL
So the largest source of helium on Earth has been the radioactive decay of elements like uranium.

PAUL
The gas gets trapped inside of rock layers beneath the surface.

RACHEL
And when oil drills release gas and oil, the helium escapes to the surface.

PAUL
Where oil companies separate it from the natural gas.

RACHEL
So celebrate the discovery of helium this week.

FADE IN MUSIC

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 17th and 18th of May.

RACHEL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter at Idaho Skies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.

For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…

PAUL
…and Paul.

RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.