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