RN wrote:
A few questions from an ignorant layman:

I've heard of terms such as 'galactic noise', 'solar noise', and 'cosmic
microwave background'. From what I've been told, CMB can be heard as the
static between stations. What about the other two? In fact, what are
they? Do they affect reception? Are they easily identifiable?

Also, what other 'extra terrestrial' phenonema can be heard on the
average receiver? (Besides ET calling home!) Can the aurora
borealis or meteorites be heard?

You can hear Jupiter sometimes on HF. A little above 20 MHz as I recall.