WEBVTT

1
00:00:03.399 --> 00:00:07.719
<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Bedtime Astronomy. Explore the wonders of the cosmos

2
00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:12.279
<v Speaker 1>with our soothing Bedtime Astronomy podcast. Each episode offers a

3
00:00:12.359 --> 00:00:16.320
<v Speaker 1>gentle journey through the stars, planets, and beyond, perfect for

4
00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:20.239
<v Speaker 1>unwinding after a long day. Let's travel through the mysteries

5
00:00:20.239 --> 00:00:22.440
<v Speaker 1>of the universe as you drift off into a peaceful

6
00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:29.719
<v Speaker 1>slumber under the night sky. Spitzer's legacy unveiling the hidden

7
00:00:29.800 --> 00:00:36.960
<v Speaker 1>universe in the vast dark expanse of space, where light

8
00:00:37.079 --> 00:00:40.960
<v Speaker 1>from distant stars and galaxies travels billions of years to

9
00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:45.000
<v Speaker 1>reach us, the Spitzer Space Telescope has served as one

10
00:00:45.000 --> 00:00:51.320
<v Speaker 1>of humanity's most powerful tools for exploring the universe. Launched

11
00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:54.560
<v Speaker 1>by NASA in two thousand and three, Spitzer was the

12
00:00:54.600 --> 00:00:59.439
<v Speaker 1>fourth and final addition to NASA's Great Observatories program, which

13
00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:04.280
<v Speaker 1>included the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory,

14
00:01:04.719 --> 00:01:09.760
<v Speaker 1>and the Chandra X ray Observatory. While each of these

15
00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:14.640
<v Speaker 1>telescopes offered unique insights into the cosmos through different wavelengths

16
00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:19.079
<v Speaker 1>of light, Spitzer focused on the infrared portion of the spectrum,

17
00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:23.519
<v Speaker 1>unveiling aspects of the universe that were previously hidden from view.

18
00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:29.079
<v Speaker 1>Spitzer's journey began with its launch on August twenty fifth,

19
00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:33.480
<v Speaker 1>two thousand three, aboard a Delta two rocket from Cape

20
00:01:33.480 --> 00:01:38.840
<v Speaker 1>Canaveral Air Force Station. Named in honor of the American

21
00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:44.760
<v Speaker 1>astrophysicist Lyman Spitzer, who first proposed the concept of space telescopes,

22
00:01:45.239 --> 00:01:48.840
<v Speaker 1>Spitzer was placed into an Earth trailing orbit around the Sun.

23
00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:54.159
<v Speaker 1>This innovative orbit allowed it to drift away from Earth's

24
00:01:54.200 --> 00:02:00.680
<v Speaker 1>thermal interference, providing a clearer, colder environment ideal for infrared outblots.

25
00:02:02.680 --> 00:02:07.120
<v Speaker 1>Infrared astronomy is crucial because many objects in the universe

26
00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:12.240
<v Speaker 1>emit most of their energy in the infrared spectrum. This

27
00:02:12.360 --> 00:02:17.159
<v Speaker 1>includes cold, dusty regions where stars and planets form, the

28
00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:22.159
<v Speaker 1>cool surfaces of planets and asteroids, and distant galaxies shrouded

29
00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:28.879
<v Speaker 1>in cosmic dust. By observing these wavelengths, Spitzer could penetrate

30
00:02:28.919 --> 00:02:32.199
<v Speaker 1>the veils of dust and gas that obscure visible light,

31
00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:39.319
<v Speaker 1>revealing the hidden structures and processes within. One of Spitzer's

32
00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:43.360
<v Speaker 1>early and significant achievements was its study of star formation.

33
00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:49.240
<v Speaker 1>Stars are born in dense molecular clouds of gas and dust,

34
00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:53.280
<v Speaker 1>regions that are opaque to visible light but transparent in

35
00:02:53.319 --> 00:03:01.479
<v Speaker 1>the infrared. Spitzer's sensitive instruments, including the infrared array came IRAC,

36
00:03:02.199 --> 00:03:07.800
<v Speaker 1>the Infrared Spectrograph IRS, and the multiban Imaging Photometer for

37
00:03:07.919 --> 00:03:12.919
<v Speaker 1>Spitzer MYPS, allowed astronomers to peer into these stellar nurseries.

38
00:03:14.960 --> 00:03:20.199
<v Speaker 1>Spitzer's observations provided detailed images of proostars and the disks

39
00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:25.120
<v Speaker 1>of materials surrounding them, which would eventually form planetary systems.

40
00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:30.800
<v Speaker 1>In two thousand four, Spitzer captured one of its most

41
00:03:31.000 --> 00:03:36.599
<v Speaker 1>iconic images, but Mountains of Creation. This image showed towering

42
00:03:36.680 --> 00:03:40.599
<v Speaker 1>pillars of gas and dust and the Eagle nebula, reminiscent

43
00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:44.080
<v Speaker 1>of the famous Pillars of Creation captured by the Hubble

44
00:03:44.120 --> 00:03:53.560
<v Speaker 1>Space telescope. However, Spitzer's infrared vision revealed much more. Inside

45
00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:58.000
<v Speaker 1>these pillars were dozens of newly formed stars, previously hidden

46
00:03:58.039 --> 00:04:03.599
<v Speaker 1>from view by thick layers of dust. This discovery offered

47
00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:08.000
<v Speaker 1>invaluable insights into the processes of starbirth and the early

48
00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:14.120
<v Speaker 1>stages of stellar evolution. Spitzer also played a crucial role

49
00:04:14.199 --> 00:04:18.639
<v Speaker 1>in the study of exoplanets, planets orbiting stars outside our

50
00:04:18.680 --> 00:04:25.480
<v Speaker 1>Solar system. Before Spitzer, most known exoplanets were discovered through

51
00:04:25.560 --> 00:04:29.319
<v Speaker 1>indirect methods such as observing the wobble of a star

52
00:04:29.560 --> 00:04:36.720
<v Speaker 1>caused by an orbiting planet. Spitzer, however, made groundbreaking direct

53
00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:40.959
<v Speaker 1>observations of exoplanets by detecting the infrared light they emit.

54
00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:47.040
<v Speaker 1>One of Spitzer's notable contributions was the detection of weather

55
00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:54.319
<v Speaker 1>patterns on exoplanets. For instance, Spitzer observed HD one eight

56
00:04:54.519 --> 00:04:59.600
<v Speaker 1>nine seven three three b ahat Jupiter exoplanet and mapped

57
00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:04.399
<v Speaker 1>its tents temperature variations, revealing dramatic differences between the day

58
00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:10.399
<v Speaker 1>and night sides of the planet. In addition to exoplanets,

59
00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:16.040
<v Speaker 1>Spitzer's infrared capabilities were instrumental in studying the distant universe.

60
00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:23.560
<v Speaker 1>By observing distant galaxies, Spitzer helped astronomers understand the early

61
00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:29.879
<v Speaker 1>stages of galaxy formation and evolution. One of the telescope's

62
00:05:29.920 --> 00:05:33.480
<v Speaker 1>significant findings was the discovery of some of the most

63
00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:37.959
<v Speaker 1>distant galaxies ever observed, dating back to when the universe

64
00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:43.720
<v Speaker 1>was less than a billion years old. These observations provided

65
00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:48.319
<v Speaker 1>critical data on how galaxies grew and evolved over cosmic time.

66
00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:54.120
<v Speaker 1>The study of our own Milky Way galaxy also benefited

67
00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:59.879
<v Speaker 1>from Spitzer's capabilities by mapping the infrared emission from de

68
00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:04.439
<v Speaker 1>dust and gas in the galactic plane. Spitzer created detailed

69
00:06:04.480 --> 00:06:08.120
<v Speaker 1>maps of the Milky Way, revealing its structure and star

70
00:06:08.279 --> 00:06:14.800
<v Speaker 1>formation activity. Spitzer's observations helped refine the models of our

71
00:06:14.839 --> 00:06:19.519
<v Speaker 1>galaxy's spiral arms and provided new insights into the distribution

72
00:06:19.680 --> 00:06:26.360
<v Speaker 1>of stars and interstellar material. Another remarkable achievement of Spitzer

73
00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:32.000
<v Speaker 1>was its contribution to the study of planetary discs. These

74
00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:36.079
<v Speaker 1>disks of gas and dust found around young stars are

75
00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:43.399
<v Speaker 1>the birthplaces of planets. Spitzer's infrared observations allowed astronomers to

76
00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:48.439
<v Speaker 1>study the composition and evolution of these disks in unprecedented detail.

77
00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:55.560
<v Speaker 1>For example, Spitzer detected signs of organic molecules and water

78
00:06:55.680 --> 00:06:59.480
<v Speaker 1>vapor in the disks around young stars, suggesting that the

79
00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:05.959
<v Speaker 1>building blocks of life are common in planetary systems. In

80
00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:11.920
<v Speaker 1>two thousand and nine, Spitzer's mission faced a critical turning point.

81
00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:17.160
<v Speaker 1>The telescope's cryogenic coolant, essential for cooling its instruments to

82
00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:25.279
<v Speaker 1>the extremely low temperatures required for infrared observations, was depleted. However,

83
00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:30.319
<v Speaker 1>rather than ending the mission, NASA initiated the Spitzer Worm mission,

84
00:07:30.759 --> 00:07:35.839
<v Speaker 1>utilizing the telescope's two shortest wavelength detectors that remained functional

85
00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:43.480
<v Speaker 1>at the warmer operating temperatures. Despite these limitations, Spitzer continued

86
00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:50.000
<v Speaker 1>to produce valuable scientific data. During the WARM mission, Spitzer

87
00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:55.680
<v Speaker 1>made several significant discoveries. One of the most notable was

88
00:07:55.720 --> 00:07:58.839
<v Speaker 1>the detection of an asteroid collision in the Young Star

89
00:07:58.920 --> 00:08:04.959
<v Speaker 1>system HD one one seven two five five five. Spitzer

90
00:08:05.040 --> 00:08:08.959
<v Speaker 1>observed the aftermath of the collision, providing evidence of how

91
00:08:09.079 --> 00:08:15.319
<v Speaker 1>planetary systems evolved through such violent events. The WARM mission

92
00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:20.839
<v Speaker 1>also continued Spitzer's exoplanet research, leading to the detection of small,

93
00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:28.279
<v Speaker 1>rocky exoplanets in the study of their atmospheres, Spitzer's contributions

94
00:08:28.319 --> 00:08:34.879
<v Speaker 1>extended beyond its primary scientific objectives. The telescope played a

95
00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:40.240
<v Speaker 1>key role in the SETI Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute's

96
00:08:40.279 --> 00:08:46.799
<v Speaker 1>efforts to search for extraterrestrial life. By observing star systems

97
00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:52.480
<v Speaker 1>that had previously shown unusual radio signals, Spitzer provided additional

98
00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:55.639
<v Speaker 1>data to help determine whether these signals could have an

99
00:08:55.720 --> 00:09:02.759
<v Speaker 1>artificial origin. Although no conclusive evidence of extraterrestrial life was found,

100
00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:10.960
<v Speaker 1>Spitzer's observations added valuable contexts to these intriguing signals. One

101
00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:15.279
<v Speaker 1>of Spitzer's most profound contributions to astronomy was its role

102
00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:21.559
<v Speaker 1>in multi wavelength observations. By combining data from Spitzer with

103
00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:27.080
<v Speaker 1>observations from other telescopes such as Hubble, Chundra, and ground

104
00:09:27.159 --> 00:09:32.320
<v Speaker 1>based observatories, astronomers were able to create comprehensive views of

105
00:09:32.399 --> 00:09:39.759
<v Speaker 1>celestial objects and phenomena. This multi wavelength approach allowed scientists

106
00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:43.799
<v Speaker 1>to study the universe in greater detail, revealing the complex

107
00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:50.159
<v Speaker 1>interplay between different forms of radiation and matter. As Spitzer

108
00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:54.879
<v Speaker 1>approached the end of its mission, its legacy became increasingly apparent.

109
00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:02.159
<v Speaker 1>The data collected by Spitzer continues to bevaluable resource for astronomers,

110
00:10:02.600 --> 00:10:09.679
<v Speaker 1>contributing to ongoing research and discoveries. The telescope's archive contains

111
00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:12.600
<v Speaker 1>a wealth of information that will be studied for years

112
00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:17.720
<v Speaker 1>to come, providing insights into the universe's most fundamental processes.

113
00:10:19.639 --> 00:10:24.720
<v Speaker 1>On January thirtieth, twenty twenty, after more than sixteen years

114
00:10:24.759 --> 00:10:30.840
<v Speaker 1>of groundbreaking observations, NASA officially into the Spitzer Space Telescope mission.

115
00:10:32.759 --> 00:10:36.039
<v Speaker 1>The decision was made as the telescope's orbit around the

116
00:10:36.120 --> 00:10:40.080
<v Speaker 1>Sun had drifted too far from Earth, making communication and

117
00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:46.480
<v Speaker 1>operations increasingly challenging. The mission's end was marked by a

118
00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:51.320
<v Speaker 1>final command from NASA's Deep Space Network, placing Spitzer into

119
00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:57.720
<v Speaker 1>a safe mode. The Spitzer Space Telescope's legacy is one

120
00:10:57.759 --> 00:11:04.120
<v Speaker 1>of remarkable achievements in transfer formative discoveries. It expanded our

121
00:11:04.200 --> 00:11:08.720
<v Speaker 1>understanding of the universe, revealing the hidden beauty and complexity

122
00:11:08.799 --> 00:11:15.320
<v Speaker 1>of the cosmos. In the infrared spectrum, Spitzer's observations provided

123
00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:21.519
<v Speaker 1>critical insights into star formation, exoplanets, distant galaxies, in the

124
00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:27.440
<v Speaker 1>structure of our own Milky Way. The telescope's contributions have

125
00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:31.360
<v Speaker 1>paved the way for new infrared observatories, such as the

126
00:11:31.480 --> 00:11:37.759
<v Speaker 1>James Web Space Telescope. One of Spitzer's most enduring legacies

127
00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:43.440
<v Speaker 1>is its impact on the study of exoplanets. The telescope's

128
00:11:43.480 --> 00:11:48.879
<v Speaker 1>infrared capabilities allowed astronomers to study the atmospheres of exoplanets,

129
00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:55.879
<v Speaker 1>detect their thermal emissions, and map their temperature distributions. These

130
00:11:55.960 --> 00:12:00.519
<v Speaker 1>observations have provided valuable data on the physical property and

131
00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:05.759
<v Speaker 1>compositions of exoplanets, contributing to our understanding of their diversity

132
00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:13.799
<v Speaker 1>and potential habitability. Spitzer's infrared observations also provided critical data

133
00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:19.639
<v Speaker 1>on the processes of star and planet formation by studying

134
00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:23.600
<v Speaker 1>the disks of gas and dust around young stars. Spitzer

135
00:12:23.639 --> 00:12:27.240
<v Speaker 1>revealed the conditions and mechanisms that lead to the formation

136
00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:33.480
<v Speaker 1>of planetary systems. The detection of organic molecules and water

137
00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:37.399
<v Speaker 1>vapor in these discs has important implications for the search

138
00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:41.399
<v Speaker 1>for life beyond Earth, suggesting that the building blocks of

139
00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:47.279
<v Speaker 1>life may be common in the universe. The Spitzer Space

140
00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:51.039
<v Speaker 1>Telescope's mission may have ended, but its impact on the

141
00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:56.559
<v Speaker 1>field of astronomy will endure for generations. The data and

142
00:12:56.600 --> 00:13:00.480
<v Speaker 1>discoveries made by Spitzer continue to shape our under standing

143
00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:04.559
<v Speaker 1>of the universe and inspire new questions and avenues of research.

144
00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:11.159
<v Speaker 1>In conclusion, the Spitzer Space Telescope has left an indelible

145
00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:16.840
<v Speaker 1>mark on the field of astronomy. Its infrared observations have

146
00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:21.320
<v Speaker 1>unveiled the hidden beauty and complexity of the universe, revealing

147
00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:25.679
<v Speaker 1>the processes of star and planet formation, the diversity of

148
00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:33.320
<v Speaker 1>exoplanets in the early stages of galaxy evolution. Spitzer's contributions

149
00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:36.919
<v Speaker 1>have expanded our understanding of the cosmos and paved the

150
00:13:36.960 --> 00:13:42.360
<v Speaker 1>way for future explorations. As we continue to study the

151
00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:46.480
<v Speaker 1>data collected by Spitzer and build on its discoveries, we

152
00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:50.679
<v Speaker 1>honor the legacy of this remarkable observatory and the insights

153
00:13:50.720 --> 00:15:11.000
<v Speaker 1>it has provided into the wonders of the universe. S M.