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Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to source for the

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most recent space and astronomy news. I'm Anna and I'll

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be your host for today's cosmic Journey. We've got an

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action packed episode lined up for you, covering a wide

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range of fascinating topics from our Solar System and beyond.

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We'll start by exploring the upcoming Drakeened meteor shower, known

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for its potential to produce spectacular displays in the night sky.

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Then we'll zoom out to the International Space Station for

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an update on crew changes and mission developments. From there,

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we'll venture even further into space, discussing new research on

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the effects of long term space travel on the human brain,

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crucial information for future Mars missions. We'll also delve into

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some cutting edge astronomy, looking at how the James Web

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Space Telescope is helping to solve one of cosmology's biggest puzzles. Plus,

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we'll talk about Earth's temporary new mini moon and check

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in on the Curiosity Rovers ongoing mission on Mars. So

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buckle up and get ready for an exciting tour of

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the latest astronomical discoveries and space exploration news. Get ready

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for a celestial spectacle stargazers. The Drakenid meteor Shower is

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set to light up our night skies in the coming days.

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This annual event is famous for its potential to produce

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breathtaking meteor storms, and this year's show promises to be

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a treat for skywatchers. The Drakenids are expected to peak

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on October seventh, with the best viewing time right after nightfall.

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Unlike other meteor showers that require you to stay up late,

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the Drakenids are considerate enough to perform their cosmic dance

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in the early evening hours. These meteors get their name

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from the constellation Draco the Dragon, as they appear to

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radiate from that point in the sky. But don't worry

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about finding Draco. Meteors will be visible across the night sky.

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The Drakenids are caused by debris left behind by Comet

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twenty one p slashed Giacobini's inner. As Earth passes through

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this trail of cosmic dust, we're treated to a beautiful

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light show as the particles burn up in our atmosphere.

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While most years see a modest display of around ten

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metiears per hour, the Drakenids are known for occasional outbursts

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in nineteen thirty three and nineteen forty six, observers witness

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thousands of meteors per hour a true meteor storm. To

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maximize your chances of seeing the Drakenids, find a dark

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location away from city lights. No special equipment is needed,

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just your eyes and a comfortable place to relax. Patience

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is key, as it can take up to thirty minutes

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for your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness. While

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this year's shower is expected to be relatively mild, astronomers

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are already looking ahead to twenty twenty five. That's when

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come at twenty one, piece slash Jacobeani's inner will make

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its closest approach to Earth, potentially setting the stage for

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another spectacular outburst. So mark your calendars, bundle up, and

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prepare for a cosmic light show courtesy of the Drachenids.

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It's a reminder of the wonders that await us when

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we take the time to look up and marvel at

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the night sky. Next up and update from the ISS.

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In a significant development at the International Space Station, astronauts

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Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams are gearing up for their

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return journey aboard the SpaceX Crew nine Dragon in spacecraft.

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This marks a notable transition, as the duo initially arrived

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at the station via the Boeing Starliner. The astronauts have

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been busy integrating with the newly arrived Crew nine spacecraft.

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They've completed crucial tasks such as trying on their SpaceX

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Intravehicular Activity space suits and conducting pressurized suit leak checks.

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The team also tested the suit's audio configurations and performed

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seat fit checks inside the Dragon spacecraft. These preparations are

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essential as Wilmore and Williams will now use the Crew

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nine Dragon as their primary and emergency return vehicle. They're

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set to remain on the space station as part of

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Expedition seventy two, continuing their science mission until February twenty

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twenty five. Joining Wilmore and Williams for the return journey

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will be NASA astronaut Nick Haig and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov,

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who arrived at the station on September twenty ninth. Meanwhile,

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the Crew eight spacecraft, which had been serving as the

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emergency return vehicle for Wilmore and Williams, is preparing for

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its own departure. The temporary seats inside Crew eight will

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be dismantled before it leaves the station. Crew eight, consisting

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of NASA astronauts Matthew Dominic, Michael Barrett, and Jeanette Epps,

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along with ros Cosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gribenkin, is scheduled to

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return to Earth in about a week, weather permitting. This

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crew rotation highlights the ongoing collaboration between NASA and commercial

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partners in maintaining a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit,

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furthering our understanding of space and paving the way for

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future exploration. As we look towards future Mars missions, scientists

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are uncovering some concerning effects that deep space travel might

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have on the human brain. Recent studies on mice have

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shed light on the long lasting impact of galactic cosmic

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radiation on cognitive abilities. When we venture beyond Earth's protective

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magnetic field, astronauts are exposed to high energy particles from

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sources like supernova explosions. This galactic cosmic radiation can penetrate

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spacecraft's shielding, posing a real threat to human health during

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itsx extended missions. In a groundbreaking experiment, researchers simulated the

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space radiation environment. Using a specialized ion beam. They exposed

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both male and female mice to radiation levels similar to

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what astronauts would experience on a deep space mission. The

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results were eye opening. The radiation impaired numerous central nervous

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system functions in the mice, including memory pattern separation, anxiety levels, vigilance,

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social behavior, and motor controls. Surprisingly, female mice seemed to

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be more affected than males. But it's not all doom

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and gloom. The study also revealed a potential protective measure.

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Mice that were given antioxidant and anti inflammatory drugs showed

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less severe cognitive effects from the radiation exposure. These findings

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are crucial for planning long duration space missions, especially to Mars.

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As we prepare to send humans farther into space than

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ever before, Understanding and mitigating these risks will be essential

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for the health and safety of our astronauts. Next, the

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space telescope that just keeps on giving. The James Webb

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Space Telescope has once again wowed astronomers with a stunning image,

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this time capturing a distant supernova in a galaxy that

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appears stretched like warm taffy. But this golden smear isn't

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just visually striking, It could help solve one of the

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biggest mysteries in cosmology. The supernova, nicknamed Supernova Hope, exploded

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when the universe was just three point five billion years old.

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What makes it special is that it's a type IA supernova,

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which astronomers use as standard candles to measure cosmic distances.

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This ties into a major problem in cosmology called the

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Hubble tension. Essentially, scientists can't agree on the exact rate

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at which the universe is expanding. Measurements from the early

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universe don't match up with those from the more recent universe.

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Supernova Hope could provide a bridge between these two methods.

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By observing how its light is bent by the gravitational

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lensing effect of a galaxy cluster, astronomers can calculate a

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new value for the Hubble constant. Interestingly, then, incial results

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from Supernova Hope seem to align more closely with measurements

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from the local universe. While this is just one data point,

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it gives astronomers hope that the James Web Telescope could

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help resolve this cosmic conundrum. As we continue to peer

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deeper into the universe. Each discovery brings us closer to

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understanding the fundamental nature of our cosmos. The Hubble tension

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may soon become a thing of the past thanks to

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the incredible capabilities of our newest space observatory. Now, let's

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answer a question being asked around the globe at the moment.

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Earth has recently gained a temporary celestial companion, a small

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asteroid that's been dubbed our new mini moon. This cosmic hitchhiker,

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officially named twenty twenty four PT five, was captured by

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Earth's gravity on September twenty ninth, and is expected to

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stick around for about two months before resuming its solo

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journey around the Sun. Now, before you get too excited

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about spotting a second moon in the night sky, I

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should mention that this mini moon is incredibly small. At

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just thirty three feet wide, where about the length of

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a school bus. It's roughly three hundred thousand times smaller

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than our familiar Moon. That means it's far too tiny

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to be seen with the naked eye or even with

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most amateur telescopes. This space rock is actually classed as

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a near Earth asteroid, likely originating from the Arjuna asteroid belt.

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It's predicted to orbit our planet for fifty seven days

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before breaking free on November twenty fifth. But don't worry

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if you miss it this time. Astronomers say it'll make

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another close pass by Earth in January twenty twenty five

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and again in twenty fifty five. So while we won't

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be able to see our temporary mini moon, it's a

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fascinating reminder of the dynamic nature of our cosmic neighborhood

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and Earth's gravitational influence. Finally, today, how about an update

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from Mars. NASA's Curiosity rover has been trekking across the

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Martian landscape for over a decade now, and its wheels

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are really starting to show their age. Recent images from

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the rovers Mars hand Lands Imager reveal significant wear and tear,

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with dense punctures and even major gashes in the aluminum wheels.

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But don't worry, spaces, Curiosity is still rolling along just fine.

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The rover's team has been monitoring this damage since twenty

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thirteen and has taken steps to prolonged wheel life, like

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steering Curiosity towards smoother terrain when possible. They've even uploaded

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new software to adjust wheel speeds and reduce pressure from rocks.

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While wheel damage continues to occur. It's not all bad news.

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NASA has used this information to improve the design of

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newer Mars rovers. The Perseverance Rover, for instance, now sports

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more durable wheels thanks to lessons learned from Curiosity's journey.

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As Curiosity continues its mission to search for signs of

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ancient microbial life on Mars, its battle worn wheels serve

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as a testament to the harsh realities of planetary exploration,

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but they also showcase the ingenuity of NASA engineers in

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keeping this intrepid explorer rolling across the Red planet. And

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that wraps up today's episode of Astronomy Daily. I hope

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you've enjoyed our cosmic journey through the latest space and

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astronomy news. From the upcoming Drakeened meteor shower to the

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potential resolution of the Hubble tension, We've covered quite a

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bit of ground, or should I say space. Remember, if

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you want to stay up to date with all things astronomy,

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be sure to visit our website at Astronomy Daily dot io.

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There you can sign up for our free daily newsletter

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catch up on all the latest Space News with our

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constantly updating news feed and listen to all our back episodes,

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and don't forget to follow us on social media. You

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can find us as Astro Daily Pod on Facebook, x

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YouTube and TikTok. We love interacting with our listeners and

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sharing even more celestial content. This is Anna thanking you

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for tuning into Astronomy Daily. Until next time, keep your

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eyes on the skies and your mind in the stars.

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Keep looking up today, Star Star. The story is the

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tol