WEBVTT

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to source for the

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<v Speaker 1>most recent space and astronomy news. I'm Anna and I'll

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<v Speaker 1>be your host for today's cosmic Journey. We've got an

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<v Speaker 1>action packed episode lined up for you, covering a wide

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<v Speaker 1>range of fascinating topics from our Solar System and beyond.

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<v Speaker 1>We'll start by exploring the upcoming Drakeened meteor shower, known

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<v Speaker 1>for its potential to produce spectacular displays in the night sky.

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<v Speaker 1>Then we'll zoom out to the International Space Station for

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<v Speaker 1>an update on crew changes and mission developments. From there,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll venture even further into space, discussing new research on

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<v Speaker 1>the effects of long term space travel on the human brain,

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<v Speaker 1>crucial information for future Mars missions. We'll also delve into

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<v Speaker 1>some cutting edge astronomy, looking at how the James Web

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<v Speaker 1>Space Telescope is helping to solve one of cosmology's biggest puzzles. Plus,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll talk about Earth's temporary new mini moon and check

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<v Speaker 1>in on the Curiosity Rovers ongoing mission on Mars. So

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<v Speaker 1>buckle up and get ready for an exciting tour of

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<v Speaker 1>the latest astronomical discoveries and space exploration news. Get ready

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<v Speaker 1>for a celestial spectacle stargazers. The Drakenid meteor Shower is

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<v Speaker 1>set to light up our night skies in the coming days.

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<v Speaker 1>This annual event is famous for its potential to produce

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<v Speaker 1>breathtaking meteor storms, and this year's show promises to be

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<v Speaker 1>a treat for skywatchers. The Drakenids are expected to peak

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<v Speaker 1>on October seventh, with the best viewing time right after nightfall.

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<v Speaker 1>Unlike other meteor showers that require you to stay up late,

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<v Speaker 1>the Drakenids are considerate enough to perform their cosmic dance

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<v Speaker 1>in the early evening hours. These meteors get their name

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<v Speaker 1>from the constellation Draco the Dragon, as they appear to

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<v Speaker 1>radiate from that point in the sky. But don't worry

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<v Speaker 1>about finding Draco. Meteors will be visible across the night sky.

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<v Speaker 1>The Drakenids are caused by debris left behind by Comet

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<v Speaker 1>twenty one p slashed Giacobini's inner. As Earth passes through

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<v Speaker 1>this trail of cosmic dust, we're treated to a beautiful

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<v Speaker 1>light show as the particles burn up in our atmosphere.

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<v Speaker 1>While most years see a modest display of around ten

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<v Speaker 1>metiears per hour, the Drakenids are known for occasional outbursts

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<v Speaker 1>in nineteen thirty three and nineteen forty six, observers witness

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<v Speaker 1>thousands of meteors per hour a true meteor storm. To

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<v Speaker 1>maximize your chances of seeing the Drakenids, find a dark

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<v Speaker 1>location away from city lights. No special equipment is needed,

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<v Speaker 1>just your eyes and a comfortable place to relax. Patience

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<v Speaker 1>is key, as it can take up to thirty minutes

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<v Speaker 1>for your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness. While

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<v Speaker 1>this year's shower is expected to be relatively mild, astronomers

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<v Speaker 1>are already looking ahead to twenty twenty five. That's when

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<v Speaker 1>come at twenty one, piece slash Jacobeani's inner will make

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<v Speaker 1>its closest approach to Earth, potentially setting the stage for

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<v Speaker 1>another spectacular outburst. So mark your calendars, bundle up, and

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<v Speaker 1>prepare for a cosmic light show courtesy of the Drachenids.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a reminder of the wonders that await us when

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<v Speaker 1>we take the time to look up and marvel at

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<v Speaker 1>the night sky. Next up and update from the ISS.

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<v Speaker 1>In a significant development at the International Space Station, astronauts

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<v Speaker 1>Butch Wilmore and Sunny Williams are gearing up for their

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<v Speaker 1>return journey aboard the SpaceX Crew nine Dragon in spacecraft.

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<v Speaker 1>This marks a notable transition, as the duo initially arrived

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<v Speaker 1>at the station via the Boeing Starliner. The astronauts have

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<v Speaker 1>been busy integrating with the newly arrived Crew nine spacecraft.

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<v Speaker 1>They've completed crucial tasks such as trying on their SpaceX

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<v Speaker 1>Intravehicular Activity space suits and conducting pressurized suit leak checks.

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<v Speaker 1>The team also tested the suit's audio configurations and performed

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<v Speaker 1>seat fit checks inside the Dragon spacecraft. These preparations are

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<v Speaker 1>essential as Wilmore and Williams will now use the Crew

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<v Speaker 1>nine Dragon as their primary and emergency return vehicle. They're

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<v Speaker 1>set to remain on the space station as part of

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<v Speaker 1>Expedition seventy two, continuing their science mission until February twenty

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<v Speaker 1>twenty five. Joining Wilmore and Williams for the return journey

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<v Speaker 1>will be NASA astronaut Nick Haig and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov,

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<v Speaker 1>who arrived at the station on September twenty ninth. Meanwhile,

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<v Speaker 1>the Crew eight spacecraft, which had been serving as the

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<v Speaker 1>emergency return vehicle for Wilmore and Williams, is preparing for

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<v Speaker 1>its own departure. The temporary seats inside Crew eight will

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<v Speaker 1>be dismantled before it leaves the station. Crew eight, consisting

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<v Speaker 1>of NASA astronauts Matthew Dominic, Michael Barrett, and Jeanette Epps,

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<v Speaker 1>along with ros Cosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gribenkin, is scheduled to

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<v Speaker 1>return to Earth in about a week, weather permitting. This

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<v Speaker 1>crew rotation highlights the ongoing collaboration between NASA and commercial

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<v Speaker 1>partners in maintaining a continuous human presence in low Earth orbit,

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<v Speaker 1>furthering our understanding of space and paving the way for

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<v Speaker 1>future exploration. As we look towards future Mars missions, scientists

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<v Speaker 1>are uncovering some concerning effects that deep space travel might

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<v Speaker 1>have on the human brain. Recent studies on mice have

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<v Speaker 1>shed light on the long lasting impact of galactic cosmic

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<v Speaker 1>radiation on cognitive abilities. When we venture beyond Earth's protective

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<v Speaker 1>magnetic field, astronauts are exposed to high energy particles from

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<v Speaker 1>sources like supernova explosions. This galactic cosmic radiation can penetrate

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<v Speaker 1>spacecraft's shielding, posing a real threat to human health during

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<v Speaker 1>itsx extended missions. In a groundbreaking experiment, researchers simulated the

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<v Speaker 1>space radiation environment. Using a specialized ion beam. They exposed

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<v Speaker 1>both male and female mice to radiation levels similar to

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<v Speaker 1>what astronauts would experience on a deep space mission. The

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<v Speaker 1>results were eye opening. The radiation impaired numerous central nervous

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<v Speaker 1>system functions in the mice, including memory pattern separation, anxiety levels, vigilance,

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<v Speaker 1>social behavior, and motor controls. Surprisingly, female mice seemed to

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<v Speaker 1>be more affected than males. But it's not all doom

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<v Speaker 1>and gloom. The study also revealed a potential protective measure.

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<v Speaker 1>Mice that were given antioxidant and anti inflammatory drugs showed

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<v Speaker 1>less severe cognitive effects from the radiation exposure. These findings

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<v Speaker 1>are crucial for planning long duration space missions, especially to Mars.

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<v Speaker 1>As we prepare to send humans farther into space than

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<v Speaker 1>ever before, Understanding and mitigating these risks will be essential

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<v Speaker 1>for the health and safety of our astronauts. Next, the

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<v Speaker 1>space telescope that just keeps on giving. The James Webb

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<v Speaker 1>Space Telescope has once again wowed astronomers with a stunning image,

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<v Speaker 1>this time capturing a distant supernova in a galaxy that

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<v Speaker 1>appears stretched like warm taffy. But this golden smear isn't

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<v Speaker 1>just visually striking, It could help solve one of the

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<v Speaker 1>biggest mysteries in cosmology. The supernova, nicknamed Supernova Hope, exploded

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<v Speaker 1>when the universe was just three point five billion years old.

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<v Speaker 1>What makes it special is that it's a type IA supernova,

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<v Speaker 1>which astronomers use as standard candles to measure cosmic distances.

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<v Speaker 1>This ties into a major problem in cosmology called the

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<v Speaker 1>Hubble tension. Essentially, scientists can't agree on the exact rate

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<v Speaker 1>at which the universe is expanding. Measurements from the early

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<v Speaker 1>universe don't match up with those from the more recent universe.

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<v Speaker 1>Supernova Hope could provide a bridge between these two methods.

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<v Speaker 1>By observing how its light is bent by the gravitational

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<v Speaker 1>lensing effect of a galaxy cluster, astronomers can calculate a

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<v Speaker 1>new value for the Hubble constant. Interestingly, then, incial results

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<v Speaker 1>from Supernova Hope seem to align more closely with measurements

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<v Speaker 1>from the local universe. While this is just one data point,

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<v Speaker 1>it gives astronomers hope that the James Web Telescope could

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<v Speaker 1>help resolve this cosmic conundrum. As we continue to peer

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<v Speaker 1>deeper into the universe. Each discovery brings us closer to

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<v Speaker 1>understanding the fundamental nature of our cosmos. The Hubble tension

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<v Speaker 1>may soon become a thing of the past thanks to

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<v Speaker 1>the incredible capabilities of our newest space observatory. Now, let's

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<v Speaker 1>answer a question being asked around the globe at the moment.

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<v Speaker 1>Earth has recently gained a temporary celestial companion, a small

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<v Speaker 1>asteroid that's been dubbed our new mini moon. This cosmic hitchhiker,

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<v Speaker 1>officially named twenty twenty four PT five, was captured by

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<v Speaker 1>Earth's gravity on September twenty ninth, and is expected to

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<v Speaker 1>stick around for about two months before resuming its solo

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<v Speaker 1>journey around the Sun. Now, before you get too excited

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<v Speaker 1>about spotting a second moon in the night sky, I

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<v Speaker 1>should mention that this mini moon is incredibly small. At

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<v Speaker 1>just thirty three feet wide, where about the length of

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<v Speaker 1>a school bus. It's roughly three hundred thousand times smaller

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<v Speaker 1>than our familiar Moon. That means it's far too tiny

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<v Speaker 1>to be seen with the naked eye or even with

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<v Speaker 1>most amateur telescopes. This space rock is actually classed as

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<v Speaker 1>a near Earth asteroid, likely originating from the Arjuna asteroid belt.

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<v Speaker 1>It's predicted to orbit our planet for fifty seven days

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<v Speaker 1>before breaking free on November twenty fifth. But don't worry

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<v Speaker 1>if you miss it this time. Astronomers say it'll make

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<v Speaker 1>another close pass by Earth in January twenty twenty five

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<v Speaker 1>and again in twenty fifty five. So while we won't

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<v Speaker 1>be able to see our temporary mini moon, it's a

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<v Speaker 1>fascinating reminder of the dynamic nature of our cosmic neighborhood

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<v Speaker 1>and Earth's gravitational influence. Finally, today, how about an update

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<v Speaker 1>from Mars. NASA's Curiosity rover has been trekking across the

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<v Speaker 1>Martian landscape for over a decade now, and its wheels

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<v Speaker 1>are really starting to show their age. Recent images from

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<v Speaker 1>the rovers Mars hand Lands Imager reveal significant wear and tear,

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<v Speaker 1>with dense punctures and even major gashes in the aluminum wheels.

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<v Speaker 1>But don't worry, spaces, Curiosity is still rolling along just fine.

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<v Speaker 1>The rover's team has been monitoring this damage since twenty

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<v Speaker 1>thirteen and has taken steps to prolonged wheel life, like

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<v Speaker 1>steering Curiosity towards smoother terrain when possible. They've even uploaded

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<v Speaker 1>new software to adjust wheel speeds and reduce pressure from rocks.

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<v Speaker 1>While wheel damage continues to occur. It's not all bad news.

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<v Speaker 1>NASA has used this information to improve the design of

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<v Speaker 1>newer Mars rovers. The Perseverance Rover, for instance, now sports

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<v Speaker 1>more durable wheels thanks to lessons learned from Curiosity's journey.

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<v Speaker 1>As Curiosity continues its mission to search for signs of

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<v Speaker 1>ancient microbial life on Mars, its battle worn wheels serve

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<v Speaker 1>as a testament to the harsh realities of planetary exploration,

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<v Speaker 1>but they also showcase the ingenuity of NASA engineers in

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<v Speaker 1>keeping this intrepid explorer rolling across the Red planet. And

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<v Speaker 1>that wraps up today's episode of Astronomy Daily. I hope

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<v Speaker 1>you've enjoyed our cosmic journey through the latest space and

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<v Speaker 1>astronomy news. From the upcoming Drakeened meteor shower to the

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<v Speaker 1>potential resolution of the Hubble tension, We've covered quite a

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<v Speaker 1>bit of ground, or should I say space. Remember, if

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<v Speaker 1>you want to stay up to date with all things astronomy,

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<v Speaker 1>be sure to visit our website at Astronomy Daily dot io.

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<v Speaker 1>There you can sign up for our free daily newsletter

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<v Speaker 1>catch up on all the latest Space News with our

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<v Speaker 1>constantly updating news feed and listen to all our back episodes,

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<v Speaker 1>and don't forget to follow us on social media. You

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<v Speaker 1>can find us as Astro Daily Pod on Facebook, x

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<v Speaker 1>YouTube and TikTok. We love interacting with our listeners and

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<v Speaker 1>sharing even more celestial content. This is Anna thanking you

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<v Speaker 1>for tuning into Astronomy Daily. Until next time, keep your

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<v Speaker 1>eyes on the skies and your mind in the stars.

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<v Speaker 1>Keep looking up today, Star Star. The story is the

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<v Speaker 1>tol