Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, where we bring you the latest
and most exciting updates from the cosmos. I'm your host, Anna,
and I'm thrilled to be your guide on this journey
through space. In today's episode, we're diving deep into the
celestial wonders and groundbreaking achievements that keep our eyes fixed
on the stars. We'll start off with the highly anticipated
annular solar eclipse, set to occur on October two, twenty
twenty four, and explore the best spots to catch a
glimpse of this stunning event. Next, we'll take a closer
look at Boeing Starliner Calypso's recent undocking from the International
Space Station and discuss the upcoming crew changes. We'll also
unravel the mystery behind China's space plane, which has just
returned from an impressive two hundred and sixty eight day mission.
But that's not all. We'll delve into humanity's enduring fascination
with aliens, tracing their impact on our culture and imagination
from ancient times to the present. Finally, we'll talk about
NASA's upcoming Roman Space Telescope and how it promises to
revolutionize our understanding of galactic formation and dark matter. So
sit back, relax, and let's embark on this celestial voyage together.
On Astronomy Daily. One of the most exciting upcoming astronomical
events is the annular solar eclipse on October two, twenty
twenty four. This event promises to be a spectacular site
for those fortunate enough to be in the right place
at the right time, now for those who might be
unfamiliar and annular eclipse occurs when the Moon is too
far from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. This
results in a breathtaking ring of fire effect, where the
edges of the Sun remain visible as a luminous ring
around the Moon's silhouette. Think of it as a celestial
penny on top of a nickel. The last time we
experienced such an eclipse was on October fourteenth, twenty twenty three,
when it graced the skies over parts of the western
and southern United States, the Yucatan Peninsula, Central America, and
parts of South America. Millions were thrilled by the sight
of the blazing ring of sunlight. However, if you thought
last year's event was stunning, this year's eclipse presents an
entirely different challenge and opportunity. Why you ask well. The
path of this annular eclipse will mostly traverse open ocean waters,
making landfall in only a few select locations. Approximately ninety
five percent of the eclipses path will be over the
vast expanses of the Pacific. This will make accessing the
prime viewing spots more challenging compared to last year's easily
accessible locations. The eclipse will begin over a remote area
in the Central Pacific, roughly one thousand miles southwest of Honolulu.
From there, it will move eastward and southeastward across the
South Pacific. The path skirts just north of Kurebody, then
continues northeast of French Polynesia and the Pitcairn Islands. The
point of greatest eclipse, where the annular phase will last
in impressive seven minutes and twenty four seconds, occurs over
the open ocean, with the eclipse path approximately one sixty
five miles wide. Yet there's a silver lining for eclipse enthusiasts.
One of the most fascinating and remote locations to witness
this event is the legendary Easter Island, also known as
Rapa Nui. This UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its
enigmatic Moi statues carved from volcanic rock, lies almost directly
in the path of the eclipse. If the weather permits,
both the island's residence and visiting tourists will be treated
to a remarkable display. Easter Island isn't just an archaeological wonder.
It offers a unique vantage point for the eclipse. As
the moon begins its journey across the Sun's disk at
eleven twenty three am Local time, by one oh four pm,
an off centered solar ring will emerge, lasting for about
six minutes and five seconds. Following the peak, the moon
will continue to move away, concluding its celestial dance at
two fifty two PM. While an annular eclipse is undoubtedly
an extraordinary sight, it's crucial to remember that it differs
significantly from a total eclipse. During a total eclipse, the
sky darkens dramatically, resembling twilight, and the Sun's corona becomes visible,
offering a truly awe inspiring view. However, during an annular eclipse,
the sky only dims slightly, and the bright ring of
sunlight still makes direct viewing dangerous to the naked eye. Therefore,
proper eye protection is essential throughout the event. The eclipse
will also be partially visible at sunrise from the Hawaiian
Islands and in the afternoon across southern South America. In Honolulu,
for instance, the eclipse will reach its maximum phase at
six forty five am local time, with fifty eight point
six percent of the Sun's disc covered by the moon.
Looking ahead, there's more celestial excitement on the horizon. On
March twenty ninth, twenty twenty five, a partial solar eclipse
will be visible across much of Europe, Northwest Africa, Greenland, Iceland,
and parts of Atlantic Canada and New England. And mark
your calendars for August twelfth, twenty twenty six, when the
next total eclipse will sweep through eastern Greenland, western Iceland
and northern Spain. For those of you planning to view
the eclipse this October, whether from mainland South America or
the mystical Easter Island, be sure to secure your protective
eyewear and prepare for one of nature's most mesmerizing displays. Now,
let's take a look at today's major event. The Boeing
starliner Calypso has returned to Earth after its highly anticipated
undocking from the International Space Station. This event marks a
significant milestone in modern space exploration. Originally launched to the
ISS on June fifth with two veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore
and Sunny Williams, Calypso is now set to complete its
mission back on Earth while Wilmore and Williams remain on
the ISS for an additional six months. The autonomous undocking
went smoothly at six oh four pm EDT on September sixth,
right on schedule. Landing was slated for later that evening
at White Sands in New Mexico, a familiar site for
the Starliner's previous uncrude landings. White Sands Missile Range, known
for its remarkable gypsum sand dunes, serves as one of
the primary landing spots for the Starliner, alongside other options
like Dugway Proving Ground in Utah and Wilcox Plane in Arizona.
There's even a contingency site at Edward's Air Force Base
in California. For this mission, the White Sands Harbor was
the designated landing site, a location historical for hosting the
landing of Space Shuttle Columbia in nineteen eighty two. Starliner
Calypso has landed here before, notably following the orbital flight
test mission in December twenty nineteen and the second uncrewed
off two mission in May twenty twenty two. However, the
landscape of the mission this time was different in a
major way. It was uncrewed during this return. This landmark
event has set the stage for what lies ahead in
the tapestry of space missions. Just a week before undocking,
on August twenty ninth, NASA completed part two of its
readiness review, giving the green light for Calypso's uncrewed undocking
from the MISS seven data loads were updated and the
CFT software had shown excellent results during testing. Final checks
wrapped up on September fifth with a readiness poll, and
by one thirty pm EDT, the hatch was closed by
Wilmore and Williams. Weather conditions were favorable, with winds clocked
at seven to ten knots, a crucial element for ensuring
a safe landing if the weather had not cooperated. Backup
dates were lined up for the undocking on a four
day cadence through September. The undocking started by releasing Calypso
from the forward docking port on the ISS's harmony module.
Unique to this procedure, a breakout burn using twelve thruster
firings quickly pushed the spacecraft away from the ISS. This
maneuver took about ninety seconds, helping to minimize stress on
the thrusters. Once free of the station, additional tests on
Calypso's thrusters were carried out to collect valuable data for
NASA and Boeing aimed at solving the propulsion issues that
have shadowed previous crude returns. Calypso's deorbit burn was conducted
over the Pacific Ocean at eleven seventeen pm EDT on
September sixth, setting it on a trajectory for White Sands.
Communication blackout occurred due to ionized air around the spacecraft
during re entry. Calypso flew over Baja California and Western
Mexico before making its final approach to New Mexico. Upon
nearing White Sands, the spacecraft jettisoned its forward heat shield
and parachutes deployed in succession. Air bags inflated at about
one kilometer above the ground, ensuring a soft nighttime touchdown.
Following touchdown, the cargo was unloaded and preparations began to
safely transport the spacecraft back to Boeing for future missions. Meanwhile,
NASA and Boeing scientists scrutinized telemetry data to further understand
the spacecraft's performance and refine future missions. The space community's
eyes now turn to upcoming crew changes. Soyu's MS twenty
six will launch on September eleventh, bringing a fresh team
to the ISS and prompting a crew handover. This prompts
the return of Soyu's MS twenty five on September twenty fourth. Additionally,
the revised Crew nine mission using Crew Dragon Freedom will begin,
adding yet another layer to the complex staffing of the ISS.
The future looks bright for the Starliner, which is anticipated
to take on its first operational mission, star Liner one,
in February twenty twenty five. There are still some hurdles
to clear, particularly with the spacecraft's propulsion system, but the
ambition remains clear to continue pushing the frontiers of what's
possible in space travel. In other notable space news today,
China's mysterious space plane has captured global attention once again,
having just completed an impressive two hundred and sixty eight
day mission in orbit. This reusable spacecraft touched down at
the Juquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on September sixth,
marking yet another significant milestone in the realm of space exploration.
Launched on December fourteenth, twenty twenty three, atop a long
March two F rocket, this was the space plane's third mission,
yet much about its capabilities and objectives remained shrouded in secrecy.
According to Chinese state media outlet Xinhua, the mission was
a stepping stone towards developing more convenient and affordable round
trip methods for peaceful space utilization in the future. During
its extended sojourn in orbit, the space plane reportedly performed
various rendezvous and proximity operations, even releasing a small object
into orbit, activities that could either serve satellite maintenance or
pose potential implications for future orbital defense strategies. Astronomer Jonathan
McDowell noted that this object was likely a sub satellite
deployment or a piece of hardware ejected before mission end,
paralleling the spacecraft's first flight. As enigmatic as its purposes
may be, the space plane's prolonged mission hasn't gone unnoticed.
Its return only two days before the US Space Force's
own reusable vehicle, the X thirty seven B, launched, adds
another layer to the intrigue. The X thirty seven B,
like its Chinese counterpart, holds its mission details close to
the chest, though it's known to be an experimental platform
for new technologies. This endeavor underscores China's commitment to its
space ambitions, positioning itself alongside other spacefaring nations like the
US and India, which is also working on a reusable
orbital vehicle named Pushpack. As these countries push the boundaries
of space travel, the technological advances and strategic capabilities they
achieve and fundamentally alter the future of missions, both civilian
and military, paving the way for an era where the
cost and complexity of space missions are considerably reduced. When
we hear the word aliens, various images might pop into
our heads, little green beings with big eyes, flying saucers,
or perhaps epic battles in space. But this fascination with
extraterrestrial life isn't just a modern phenomenon. It stretches back
thousands of years and has evolved profoundly over time. Interestingly,
the roots of this cosmic curiosity can be traced back
to ancient civilizations. The Greek philosopher Epicurus and the Roman
poet Lucretius both speculated about other worlds. Lucian of Samosada,
writing in the second century CE, took this a step
further with a true story, a satire about inhabitants of
the Sun and Moon fighting over Venus's colonization. Even the
Catholic Church during the Middle Ages entertained the idea of
extraterrestrial life, viewing it as another testament to God's omnipotence.
Fast forward to sixteen eighty six, when French author Bernard
le Bouvier de Fontenelle's Conversations on the Plurality of Worlds
captivated audiences, contemplating the existence of other solar systems and
the potential for other worlds teeming with life. This work
ushered in a new era of scientific inquiry and imagination
about the cosmos. By the eighteenth century, belief in extraterrestrial
life became almost mainstream among the educated. This intellectual curiosity
peaked with HG. Well's War of the Worlds in eighteen
ninety seven, a novel that essentially mirrored the anxieties and
fears of the British colonial era. The idea that martians
could invade Earth tapped into existential concerns and entertained readers simultaneously.
In the twentieth century, advancements in astronomy and space exploration
rejuvenated interest in extraterrestrial life. From the Space Race to
iconic movies like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, the topic of aliens became
a fixture in popular culture. Who can forget the sensation
caused by orson Well's nineteen thirty eight radio broadcast of
War of the Worlds, which supposedly incited panic among listeners
who believed they were hearing real news of an extraterrestrial invasion. Today,
the fascination has mounted exponentially with each scientific discovery and
technological advancement. Films like Alien Star Trek two thousand and one,
A Space Odyssey, and TV shows such as The X
Files continue to capture our imagination. But beyond the silver screen,
serious scientific endeavors like the search for exoplanets and the
study of potential microbial life on Mars keep our eyes
glued to telescopes and space missions. Robert Smith, a space
historian at the University of Alberta, encapsulates this enduring fascination well.
He argues that aliens serve as a mirror reflecting our
own fears, hopes, and curiosities about humanity. By studying how
we conceptualize extraterrestrial life, we gain insight into our perspectives
on existence, power, and what it means to be human. Yes,
aliens have staked a permit claim on our imaginations, conquering
every form of media and igniting an enduring debate both
in academia and around dinner tables. This relentless curiosity is
perhaps best summarized by Arthur C. Clarke's famous quote, two
possibilities exist. Either we are alone in the universe or
we are not. Both are equally terrifying. So as we
gaze at the stars and dream of life beyond Earth,
let's appreciate how this quest both mirrors and molds are civilization.
Whether through science, philosophy, or popular culture, the search for
extraterrestrial life continues to challenge and inspire us, driving us
to look deeper into the unknown and perhaps find a
bit more about ourselves along the way. Next up groundbreaking
new technology. The universe is ever changing, a grand cosmic
dance occurring on a timeline vastly different from our own.
Yet with every advancement in technology, we're bridging the gap
and gaining a clearer picture of these celestial transformations. One
groundbreaking tool set to revolutionize our unders standing is NASA's
upcoming Roman Space Telescope, set to launch in twenty twenty seven.
The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is named in honor
of Nancy Grace Roman, often hailed as the mother of Hubble.
This state of the art telescope aims to uncover the
secrets of galactic formation history and explore the mysterious substance
known as dark matter. It's equipped with infrared sensors and
a wide field of view that surpass its predecessors, making
it uniquely capable of capturing the dynamic nature of the universe.
A key component of the Roman Space Telescope's mission is
the RINGS Survey, short for Roman Infrared Nearby Galaxy Survey.
This survey will focus on uncovering fossils of galaxy formation,
much like fossils on Earth help us understand ancient life.
These stellar structures reveal the history and evolution of galaxies.
These cosmic fossils include groups of ancient stars that hold
clues to the galaxies past, such as the merger events
that shaped them and the chemistry of the galaxy at
the time of their formation. Robin Sanderson, the DEBT principal
investigator of rings from the University of Pennsylvania, describes this
process as piecing together an ancient puzzle. It's like going
through an excavation, she says, and trying to sort out
bones and put them back together. Roman's high resolution imaging
will make it possible to identify these galactic fossils, including long,
tidle tales and stellar streams, giving us a window into
the galaxy's merger history. But the Roman Space Telescope's contributions
don't stop there. It aims to probe one of the
most enigmatic substances in the universe. Dark matter. This elusive
material makes up about eighty percent of the Universe's mass,
yet it's invisible and largely unobservable. By focusing on ultra
faint dwarf galaxies, which are almost entirely composed of dark
matter with very little normal matter for star formation. ROMAN
will help test various theories about the nature of this
mysterious substance. Raja Guhathakurda from the University of California, Santa
Cruz points out that ultra faint dwarf galaxies are like
pure blobs of dark matter and can serve as excellent
laboratories for study. By observing these galaxies in detail, ROMAN
will provide invaluable data that brings us closer to understanding
dark matter's true nature. Additionally, the Roman Space Telescope could
expand the scope of our galactic studies. While the Milky
Way and Andromeda are currently the only galactic halos we
can study in detail, Roman's expansive field of view will
allow astronomers to examine over one hundred fully resolved galactic halos.
This leap in observational capability means more data, more insights,
and ultimately a more detailed understanding of galaxy formation and
dark matter. With its high resolution imaging and wide field
of view, the Roman Space Telescope promises to fill in
the gaps left by its predecessors. It will allow scientists
to not only observe galaxies as dynamic, evolving entities, but
also understand the intricate processes that govern their formation and evolution.
When the Roman Space Telescope launches to fundamentally alter our
understanding of the universe and our place within it. By
studying galaxies similar in size and age to the Milky Way,
Roman will offer new perspectives on how our own galaxy,
and by extension, our own Solar system and planet came
to be. So set your sits on twenty twenty seven,
when the Roman Space Telescope embarks on its mission to
capture the universe in ways we've never seen before. It's
not just about looking at the stars, It's about peering
into the past to understand the future. The Roman Space
Telescope will help us decode the grand story written across
the Cosmos, one galaxy at a time. That's all For
this episode of Astronomy Daily. We took a journey through
the upcoming annular solar eclipse on October second, explored the
Boeing Starliner Calypso's recent undocking and future crew rotations, and
pondered the mysterious two hundred and sixty eight day mission
of China's space plane. We also examined our enduring fascination
with aliens and looked forward to the groundbreaking research set
to be conducted by NASA's Roman Space Telescope. I've been
your host, Anna, and I hope you enjoyed this episode
as much as I did. Be sure to visit our
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