Speaker 1: Welcome to Bedtime Astronomy. Explore the wonders of the cosmos
Speaker 1: with our soothing Bedtime Astronomy podcast. Each episode offers a
Speaker 1: gentle journey through the stars, planets, and beyond, perfect for
Speaker 1: unwinding after a long day. Let's travel through the mysteries
Speaker 1: of the universe as you drift off into a peaceful
Speaker 1: slumber under the night sky. Spitzer's legacy unveiling the hidden
Speaker 1: universe in the vast dark expanse of space, where light
Speaker 1: from distant stars and galaxies travels billions of years to
Speaker 1: reach us, the Spitzer Space Telescope has served as one
Speaker 1: of humanity's most powerful tools for exploring the universe. Launched
Speaker 1: by NASA in two thousand and three, Spitzer was the
Speaker 1: fourth and final addition to NASA's Great Observatories program, which
Speaker 1: included the Hubble Space Telescope, the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory,
Speaker 1: and the Chandra X ray Observatory. While each of these
Speaker 1: telescopes offered unique insights into the cosmos through different wavelengths
Speaker 1: of light, Spitzer focused on the infrared portion of the spectrum,
Speaker 1: unveiling aspects of the universe that were previously hidden from view.
Speaker 1: Spitzer's journey began with its launch on August twenty fifth,
Speaker 1: two thousand three, aboard a Delta two rocket from Cape
Speaker 1: Canaveral Air Force Station. Named in honor of the American
Speaker 1: astrophysicist Lyman Spitzer, who first proposed the concept of space telescopes,
Speaker 1: Spitzer was placed into an Earth trailing orbit around the Sun.
Speaker 1: This innovative orbit allowed it to drift away from Earth's
Speaker 1: thermal interference, providing a clearer, colder environment ideal for infrared outblots.
Speaker 1: Infrared astronomy is crucial because many objects in the universe
Speaker 1: emit most of their energy in the infrared spectrum. This
Speaker 1: includes cold, dusty regions where stars and planets form, the
Speaker 1: cool surfaces of planets and asteroids, and distant galaxies shrouded
Speaker 1: in cosmic dust. By observing these wavelengths, Spitzer could penetrate
Speaker 1: the veils of dust and gas that obscure visible light,
Speaker 1: revealing the hidden structures and processes within. One of Spitzer's
Speaker 1: early and significant achievements was its study of star formation.
Speaker 1: Stars are born in dense molecular clouds of gas and dust,
Speaker 1: regions that are opaque to visible light but transparent in
Speaker 1: the infrared. Spitzer's sensitive instruments, including the infrared array came IRAC,
Speaker 1: the Infrared Spectrograph IRS, and the multiban Imaging Photometer for
Speaker 1: Spitzer MYPS, allowed astronomers to peer into these stellar nurseries.
Speaker 1: Spitzer's observations provided detailed images of proostars and the disks
Speaker 1: of materials surrounding them, which would eventually form planetary systems.
Speaker 1: In two thousand four, Spitzer captured one of its most
Speaker 1: iconic images, but Mountains of Creation. This image showed towering
Speaker 1: pillars of gas and dust and the Eagle nebula, reminiscent
Speaker 1: of the famous Pillars of Creation captured by the Hubble
Speaker 1: Space telescope. However, Spitzer's infrared vision revealed much more. Inside
Speaker 1: these pillars were dozens of newly formed stars, previously hidden
Speaker 1: from view by thick layers of dust. This discovery offered
Speaker 1: invaluable insights into the processes of starbirth and the early
Speaker 1: stages of stellar evolution. Spitzer also played a crucial role
Speaker 1: in the study of exoplanets, planets orbiting stars outside our
Speaker 1: Solar system. Before Spitzer, most known exoplanets were discovered through
Speaker 1: indirect methods such as observing the wobble of a star
Speaker 1: caused by an orbiting planet. Spitzer, however, made groundbreaking direct
Speaker 1: observations of exoplanets by detecting the infrared light they emit.
Speaker 1: One of Spitzer's notable contributions was the detection of weather
Speaker 1: patterns on exoplanets. For instance, Spitzer observed HD one eight
Speaker 1: nine seven three three b ahat Jupiter exoplanet and mapped
Speaker 1: its tents temperature variations, revealing dramatic differences between the day
Speaker 1: and night sides of the planet. In addition to exoplanets,
Speaker 1: Spitzer's infrared capabilities were instrumental in studying the distant universe.
Speaker 1: By observing distant galaxies, Spitzer helped astronomers understand the early
Speaker 1: stages of galaxy formation and evolution. One of the telescope's
Speaker 1: significant findings was the discovery of some of the most
Speaker 1: distant galaxies ever observed, dating back to when the universe
Speaker 1: was less than a billion years old. These observations provided
Speaker 1: critical data on how galaxies grew and evolved over cosmic time.
Speaker 1: The study of our own Milky Way galaxy also benefited
Speaker 1: from Spitzer's capabilities by mapping the infrared emission from de
Speaker 1: dust and gas in the galactic plane. Spitzer created detailed
Speaker 1: maps of the Milky Way, revealing its structure and star
Speaker 1: formation activity. Spitzer's observations helped refine the models of our
Speaker 1: galaxy's spiral arms and provided new insights into the distribution
Speaker 1: of stars and interstellar material. Another remarkable achievement of Spitzer
Speaker 1: was its contribution to the study of planetary discs. These
Speaker 1: disks of gas and dust found around young stars are
Speaker 1: the birthplaces of planets. Spitzer's infrared observations allowed astronomers to
Speaker 1: study the composition and evolution of these disks in unprecedented detail.
Speaker 1: For example, Spitzer detected signs of organic molecules and water
Speaker 1: vapor in the disks around young stars, suggesting that the
Speaker 1: building blocks of life are common in planetary systems. In
Speaker 1: two thousand and nine, Spitzer's mission faced a critical turning point.
Speaker 1: The telescope's cryogenic coolant, essential for cooling its instruments to
Speaker 1: the extremely low temperatures required for infrared observations, was depleted. However,
Speaker 1: rather than ending the mission, NASA initiated the Spitzer Worm mission,
Speaker 1: utilizing the telescope's two shortest wavelength detectors that remained functional
Speaker 1: at the warmer operating temperatures. Despite these limitations, Spitzer continued
Speaker 1: to produce valuable scientific data. During the WARM mission, Spitzer
Speaker 1: made several significant discoveries. One of the most notable was
Speaker 1: the detection of an asteroid collision in the Young Star
Speaker 1: system HD one one seven two five five five. Spitzer
Speaker 1: observed the aftermath of the collision, providing evidence of how
Speaker 1: planetary systems evolved through such violent events. The WARM mission
Speaker 1: also continued Spitzer's exoplanet research, leading to the detection of small,
Speaker 1: rocky exoplanets in the study of their atmospheres, Spitzer's contributions
Speaker 1: extended beyond its primary scientific objectives. The telescope played a
Speaker 1: key role in the SETI Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute's
Speaker 1: efforts to search for extraterrestrial life. By observing star systems
Speaker 1: that had previously shown unusual radio signals, Spitzer provided additional
Speaker 1: data to help determine whether these signals could have an
Speaker 1: artificial origin. Although no conclusive evidence of extraterrestrial life was found,
Speaker 1: Spitzer's observations added valuable contexts to these intriguing signals. One
Speaker 1: of Spitzer's most profound contributions to astronomy was its role
Speaker 1: in multi wavelength observations. By combining data from Spitzer with
Speaker 1: observations from other telescopes such as Hubble, Chundra, and ground
Speaker 1: based observatories, astronomers were able to create comprehensive views of
Speaker 1: celestial objects and phenomena. This multi wavelength approach allowed scientists
Speaker 1: to study the universe in greater detail, revealing the complex
Speaker 1: interplay between different forms of radiation and matter. As Spitzer
Speaker 1: approached the end of its mission, its legacy became increasingly apparent.
Speaker 1: The data collected by Spitzer continues to bevaluable resource for astronomers,
Speaker 1: contributing to ongoing research and discoveries. The telescope's archive contains
Speaker 1: a wealth of information that will be studied for years
Speaker 1: to come, providing insights into the universe's most fundamental processes.
Speaker 1: On January thirtieth, twenty twenty, after more than sixteen years
Speaker 1: of groundbreaking observations, NASA officially into the Spitzer Space Telescope mission.
Speaker 1: The decision was made as the telescope's orbit around the
Speaker 1: Sun had drifted too far from Earth, making communication and
Speaker 1: operations increasingly challenging. The mission's end was marked by a
Speaker 1: final command from NASA's Deep Space Network, placing Spitzer into
Speaker 1: a safe mode. The Spitzer Space Telescope's legacy is one
Speaker 1: of remarkable achievements in transfer formative discoveries. It expanded our
Speaker 1: understanding of the universe, revealing the hidden beauty and complexity
Speaker 1: of the cosmos. In the infrared spectrum, Spitzer's observations provided
Speaker 1: critical insights into star formation, exoplanets, distant galaxies, in the
Speaker 1: structure of our own Milky Way. The telescope's contributions have
Speaker 1: paved the way for new infrared observatories, such as the
Speaker 1: James Web Space Telescope. One of Spitzer's most enduring legacies
Speaker 1: is its impact on the study of exoplanets. The telescope's
Speaker 1: infrared capabilities allowed astronomers to study the atmospheres of exoplanets,
Speaker 1: detect their thermal emissions, and map their temperature distributions. These
Speaker 1: observations have provided valuable data on the physical property and
Speaker 1: compositions of exoplanets, contributing to our understanding of their diversity
Speaker 1: and potential habitability. Spitzer's infrared observations also provided critical data
Speaker 1: on the processes of star and planet formation by studying
Speaker 1: the disks of gas and dust around young stars. Spitzer
Speaker 1: revealed the conditions and mechanisms that lead to the formation
Speaker 1: of planetary systems. The detection of organic molecules and water
Speaker 1: vapor in these discs has important implications for the search
Speaker 1: for life beyond Earth, suggesting that the building blocks of
Speaker 1: life may be common in the universe. The Spitzer Space
Speaker 1: Telescope's mission may have ended, but its impact on the
Speaker 1: field of astronomy will endure for generations. The data and
Speaker 1: discoveries made by Spitzer continue to shape our under standing
Speaker 1: of the universe and inspire new questions and avenues of research.
Speaker 1: In conclusion, the Spitzer Space Telescope has left an indelible
Speaker 1: mark on the field of astronomy. Its infrared observations have
Speaker 1: unveiled the hidden beauty and complexity of the universe, revealing
Speaker 1: the processes of star and planet formation, the diversity of
Speaker 1: exoplanets in the early stages of galaxy evolution. Spitzer's contributions
Speaker 1: have expanded our understanding of the cosmos and paved the
Speaker 1: way for future explorations. As we continue to study the
Speaker 1: data collected by Spitzer and build on its discoveries, we
Speaker 1: honor the legacy of this remarkable observatory and the insights
Speaker 1: it has provided into the wonders of the universe. S M.