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Welcome to Astronomy Daily, the podcast. I'm your host, bringing you the

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freshest insights from the final frontier.
In this episode, we're probing the celestial

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secrets that have astronomers a buzz.
We'll peer into a new view on the

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Sun, as revealed by the groundbreaking
findings from the twenty twenty four total solar

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eclipse. Then we'll embark on a
cosmic voyage with the Essay's here emission,

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taking an unexpected detour by Mars on
its path to investigate a potentially dangerous asteroid

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system. As our horizons expand,
we'll delve into the fascinating hunt for water

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on other worlds, a mission at
the heart of our search for extraterrestrial life.

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We're not just looking towards the future, We're also celebrating the ingenuity and

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bravery of the past with a nod
to the Mercury seven astronauts as we unveil

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a unique blend of space memorabilia and
scholarships for aspiring space explorers. And finally,

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we'll explore China's invitation to international astronauts, signaling a collaborative leap forward and

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human spaceflight. So strap in and
prepare for liftoff. Today's Astronomy Daily is

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taking you on an interstellar journey like
no other. Exit the Astronomy Dani podcast.

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The twenty twenty four Total solar eclipse
cast a shadow of curiosity from Texas

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to Maine, providing a stunning celestial
spectacle that brought to light significant scientific discoveries.

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Teams led by Southwest Research Institute seized
this rare opportunity to deploy two groundbreaking

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experiments, one land based and one
airborne, to gather unprecedented data about our

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shining star on the ground. The
Citizen Continental America Telescopic Eclipse or KATE twenty

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twenty four experiment was a collaborative feat
that involved more than two hundred community participants

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representing a significant chapter in citizen science. Together, they created a continuous,

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sixty minute high resolution movie of the
solar eclipse, a task that demanded precision,

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coordination and a shared sense of purpose
among people from all walks of life.

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While the land teams captured the solar
event, a high altitude research project

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took to the skies. Installed in
NASA's WB fifty seven f research aircraft,

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unique equipment chased the eclipse shadow at
fifty thousand feet to make observations unattainable from

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the Earth's surface. These lofty heights
allowed scientists to bypass any potential weather disruptions

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and gather crucial data free from the
atmospheric interference that often plagues ground based observations.

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Doctor Emir Caspy, the principal investigator
of both initiatives, underscored the significance

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of these experiments not just for science, but for community spirit. As they

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measured the polarization of the Corona's light
from angles not dissimilar to the filters on

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a pair of sunglasses, they unveiled
a wealth of information about the oscillating waves

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of light unseen by the naked eye. These efforts are not mere stargazing,

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They have practical implications. The Sun's
hot atmosphere is a source of geomagnetic storms,

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which can wreak havoc on satellites,
communications, and even power grids on

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Earth. Understanding the corona's dynamics helps
us protect our technological infrastructure, crucial for

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daily life in an increasingly connected world. With the fascinating data from the Kate

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twenty twenty four and the Airborne Project
set to be combined, the picture that

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emerges will bring us closer to unveiling
the veiled mysteries of the Sun's corona.

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The exceptional teamwork across communities underscores the
mission's success, reminding us that our quest

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to understand the Sun truly unites us
under its light. Space exploration continues to

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yield incredible feats of engineering and innovation, and the European Space Agency here emission

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is no exception. This avant garde
spacecraft is embarking on a journey that's not

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just about reaching a destination the Ditamos
binary asteroid system, but also about the

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voyage itself. In an intricate cosmic
ballet, the heir emission will elegantly sweep

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by Mars in what's known as a
gravity assist maneuver or swing by scheduled for

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next March. This passage enables HERA
to borrow velocity from the red planet,

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accelerating towards its target with the finesse
of an astrophysical catapult. But this interaction

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with Mars is more than a mere
pit stop for speed, as HERA skims

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just six thousand kilometers from the Martian
surface, venturing closer than either of Mars's

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two moons, scientists sees a golden
opportunity to put the state of the art

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instruments aboard to the test. Within
arm's reach of Mars. So to speak,

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HERA will treat us to novel observations
of Dimos, the red planet's enigmatic

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asteroid like small moon. This close
approach brings us within a striking distance of

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one thousand kilometers from Demos, ushering
in a prospect of gleaning new insights about

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its origin, character, and structure. This mission within a mission, underscores

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the ethos of leveraging every opportunity.
Hearer's sensors, primed for its core mission,

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will also indulge in a bit of
cosmic opportunism by observing Dimos upclose.

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The spacecraft's instruments, including its asteroid
framing camera, hyperscout H and thermal infrared

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imager, will provide us with a
high resolution glimpse into the Martian Moon's composition

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and thermal dynamics. This operation will
help refine our knowledge about asteroid like bodies.

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While HERA proceeds on her voyage to
test the defensibility of Earth from potential

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asteroid impact hazards with the Kinetic Impact
to method validated by NASA's Dart mission.

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Thanks to this swing buy, the
trajectory calculators back at the Essay's European Space

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Operation Center ensure that HERA will arrive
at Ditamos fasta conserving fuel for an extended

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research engagement. The insights gleaned from
Hera's side trip to Mars will not only

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enrich our understanding of Martian moons,
but also aid in the preparation of other

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ambitious missions like the Japanese led Martian
Moon's Exploration, which intends to land on

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Phobos and return samples to Earth.
Indeed, this side trip to Mars represents

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a convergence of efficiency, ingenuity,
and serendipity in space exploration. As HERA

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advances on its odyssey, it carries
on its shoulders the potential to transform our

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approach to planetary defense, turning science
fiction into science fact. Embarking on an

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interplanetary quest, we turn our gaze
to one of the most pivotal requisites for

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life as we know it. Water, the moons of Mighty Jupiter and the

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rings of Satin Cradle. Beneath their
icy facades, what is believed to be

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vast oceans, realms unseen yet poised
with potential for habitability. The enigmatic icy

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crusts of Ensiladis, Ganymede, Europa
and Callisto tease us with the tantalizing possibility

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of liquid water, an essential ingredient
for life's cosmic recipe. To confirm its

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existence, we lean on the sophisticated
gaze of ice penetrating radar technology, a

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trail blazing geophysical tool with an illustrious
track record on Earth and our Martian neighbour.

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Imagine the anticipation as we edge closer
to unwrapping the frigid mysteries of these

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distant moons. The Juice spacecraft,
launched on a path to Jupiter's Ganymede,

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joins the ranks of pioneering endeavors.
Its onboard ice penetrating radar aims to pierce

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through the Moon's frosty shell. Similarly, this year's slated launch of the Europa

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Clipper mission promises to advance our cosmic
cranage with the very same technology. The

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profound insights gleaned from these ambitious missions
can potentially redefine our understanding of where water

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and perhaps life might hide beyond Earth. Doctor Elina Peterinelli with her considerable expertise

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in planetary exploration using ice penetrating radar
ponders the possibilities she enlightens us on how

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the salinity of ice could be revealed
by observing the radar wave behavior. This

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nuanced data, combined with meticulous laboratory
experiments, allows scientists a glimpse into the

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composition and distribution of these subsurface extraterrestrial
seas. As we grasp the prospect of

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this technology revealing more than ever thought
possible about the existence of water in our

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Solar system, we inch closer to
king open the doors to its most profound

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secrets. Delving deep into the icy
crusts of other worlds, we seek to

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quench our thirst for knowledge about life's
potential spread across the stars. Stay with

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us as this thrilling chapter in space
exploration unfolds, heralding a profound chatter in

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our cosmic odyssey. The Astronomy Daily
podcasts. As we navigate the intricate tapestry

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of space history and its unfolding future, it's essential that we honor the pioneers

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who paved the celestial paths we now
traverse with keen curiosity. The Mercury seven

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astronauts, those trailblazers of the American
space Program are being celebrated in a unique

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way that marries the nostalgia of the
past with the promise of the future.

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A line of commemorative pens, crafted
with the precision and elegance synonymous with the

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Retro fifty one brand, has been
unveiled, each a tribute to the indomitable

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spirit of these spacefaring heroes. These
aren't just writing instruments, they're beacons of

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inspiration, urging us to capture the
boldness and vision of their namesakes. Intricately

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designed, the pens resonate with the
fine details and esthetic of the era that

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witnessed humanity's first forays into orbit.
But the tribute does not end with these

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fine collectibles. The legacy is also
perpetuated through scholarships. These educational grants are

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purposefully linked to the pens, fostering
the next generation of thinkers, dreamers,

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and ultimately explorers who will continue to
reach for the stars. It's the perfect

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fusion of remembrance and forward motion,
ensuring that the fire of exploration ignited by

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the Mercury seven continues to burn brightly
in the hearts and minds. Of young

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scholars who are poised to venture into
new frontiers. In a strikingly inclusive move,

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China has broadcast its intentions to the
world, making a bold statement in

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the spirit of global cooperation. International
astronauts and even space tourists may soon be

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welcomed aboard its flourishing space station.
As we orbit around this news, we

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find ourselves at a unique juncture in
space exploration where boundaries are not just being

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crossed, but completely redrawn. The
voice of this ambition, lind Si Kiang,

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the spokesman for the Schenzo eighteen mission, expressed China's aspiration to diversify the

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experiences and skill sets of those joining
the upcoming sorties to its orbital outpost.

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This isn't just an open invitation.
It's a concerted effort to assemble a mosaic

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of intellect and perspective from across the
globe. The program's rigorous selection process is

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testament to the commitment of producing well
rounded spacefarers, proficient in their craft,

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excelling in the physical and mental demands
of their celestial vocation. Already, three

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groups have been trained, with the
recruitment of a fourth well underway. Their

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mission to support not just the orbiting
laboratory's endeavors, but also to underpin China's

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ambitious lunar exploration plans. It's a
captivating prospect imagining these seasoned travelers setting foot

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on the Moon's powdery surface, symbolizing
humanity's collective lunar aspirations. Further forging a

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part of collaboration, the China National
Space Administration has extended the olive branch to

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new international partners for their International Lunar
Research Station Project, an endeavor aimed at

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establishing a fully autonomous research facility.
Countries like Nicaragua and members of the Asia

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Pacific Space Cooperation Organization have joined this
celestial syndicate, which plans to lay the

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foundations of its lunar domain by twenty
thirty. We stand on the edge of

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a renaissance in space cooperation, where
the Cosmos becomes a canvas for international accord.

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China's station may be a mere dot
in the night sky, but its

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impact on the future of space exploration
community and humanity's shared destiny is bound to

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be colossal, as vast and luminous
as the stars themselves. What a journey

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we've charted today through the infinite reaches
of space, tapping into the complex beauty

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and mysteries of our universe. As
our expedition comes to an end, I

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encourage you not to let the wonder
fade. Embark on your own voyage of

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discovery by visiting Astronomy Daily's website at
Astronomy Daily dot io. Here your curiosity

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can continue to flourish with an abundance
of space news and insights. And if

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your appetite for the celestial has only
been wetted, you're in luck. You

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can relive the magic and dive even
deeper into the cosmos by exploring our archive

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of past episodes, each one a
constellation of knowledge and awe. Don't let

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the conversation end here. Stay in
the loop with our latest astronomical updates by

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following us on x formerly known as
Twitter at astro Daily Pod. Connect with

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fellow stargazers, share your thoughts,
and be part of a community that looks

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above and beyond. Thank you for
joining us on Astronomy Daily. The podcast

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the space where the Universe speaks and
we listen until next time. This is

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Charlie saying, keep your eyes to
the skies and your heart filled with wonder.

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Star is the toll. The star
is the toll, star is the