1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Welcome again to Astronomy Daily. I'm your host, Steve Dunkley. 2 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:06,200 It's the third of February twenty twenty five. 3 00:00:08,119 --> 00:00:17,399 Speaker 2: The podcast I mean your whole Steve gun Clue. Yes, 4 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:18,519 welcome back, one and all. 5 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:22,640 Speaker 1: Today Halle will present February's planet Parade for you. It's 6 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,719 a bupper story, so stay around for that one. Also, 7 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:29,000 she's talking briefly about something very interesting from the Russian 8 00:00:29,079 --> 00:00:33,320 Institute of Biomedical Problems. Halle, what's going on there? 9 00:00:33,439 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 3: Hi, favorite human? In true Russian pragmatic style, they've completed 10 00:00:38,039 --> 00:00:40,280 a fascinating mission to the Moon without leading Earth. 11 00:00:40,359 --> 00:00:42,920 Speaker 2: Okay, that's a neat trick. They are clever, and I 12 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,000 hope you're going to tell us all about it, So more. 13 00:00:44,799 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 3: On that soon. A very good and there's more from 14 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:50,640 the Astronomy Daily newsletter in today's episode, of course, and. 15 00:00:50,600 --> 00:00:52,520 Speaker 1: We'll let you will all know how you can receive 16 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:55,240 that newsletter in your email every day so they can 17 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,920 be across all the news events and research happening in 18 00:00:58,079 --> 00:00:58,920 orbit and beyond. 19 00:00:59,000 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: Right, Halle, that's. 20 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:02,079 Speaker 3: Right, human, there's something different. 21 00:01:01,799 --> 00:01:04,439 Speaker 1: Every day, Okay, So why don't we just launched right 22 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,319 into the stories we've collected from the newsletter today. I'm 23 00:01:07,359 --> 00:01:09,040 looking forward deal planet parride today. 24 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 2: Hallie. 25 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 3: That's always a great revelation to what's happening. 26 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 2: He is the February sky. 27 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 3: There are some nice highlights to look forward to. 28 00:01:15,519 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 2: Okay, say let's get to at Staggs's. 29 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:29,920 Speaker 3: Let's go on. November fourteenth, twenty twenty four, the Institute 30 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:33,760 of Biomedical Problems IBMP of the Russian Academy of Sciences 31 00:01:33,799 --> 00:01:37,200 marked the successful completion of Serious twenty three, a year 32 00:01:37,239 --> 00:01:41,280 long biomedical isolation experiment simulating the conditions of deep space 33 00:01:41,319 --> 00:01:45,519 travel and lunar surface operations. For three hundred and sixty 34 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,519 six days, a crew of six analog astronauts lived and 35 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,799 worked in a sealed environment, a meticulously controlled Earth based 36 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:56,519 stand in for interplanetary missions of the future. The Serious Scientific, 37 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:01,079 International Research and Unique Terrestrial Station Project, launched in collaboration 38 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:04,799 with NASA's Human Research Program and the IBMP in twenty seventeen, 39 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,240 had previously conducted shorter experiments lasting seventeen, one hundred and 40 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,520 twenty and two hundred and forty days. These missions, featuring 41 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:16,560 international crews from Russia, the United States, and the United 42 00:02:16,599 --> 00:02:20,159 Arab Emirates, aimed to replicate the isolation and psychological strain 43 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:25,000 of long term spaceflight. However, after twenty twenty two, IBMP 44 00:02:25,159 --> 00:02:29,240 decided to proceed with the ambitious serious twenty three experiment independently. 45 00:02:30,159 --> 00:02:33,879 The latest crew heild from Russia and Belarus Commander Yuri Chebiterev, 46 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:38,759 flight Engineering Angelica Parfenova, medical officer Xenia Orlova, and researchers 47 00:02:38,759 --> 00:02:43,039 Olga Mastakeia, Xenia Shishanina and Rustam Zeropov, a mixed gender 48 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:44,560 team of two men and four women. 49 00:02:45,159 --> 00:02:50,919 Speaker 1: Astronomy Kai the podcast as someone who is no stratey 50 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:54,840 to come dropouts on a planetary scale. Apollo eleven moonwalk, 51 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:58,039 A buzz oldron has teamed up with Verizon to help 52 00:02:58,080 --> 00:03:01,919 promote the company's satellite based solution to cell service dead 53 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,039 zones of all things Now, The ninety five year old 54 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:08,000 astronauter who in nineteen seventy nine became one of the 55 00:03:08,039 --> 00:03:10,680 first humans, the second in fact, to step foot on 56 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:15,000 the lunar surface, appears in a new Verazon advert alongside 57 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,879 Paul Maricelli, the original can you hear Me Now? Test 58 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,599 man to ask can you text me now? Fifty six 59 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:23,879 years ago, he says I was one of the select 60 00:03:23,919 --> 00:03:26,719 few that made it into space and the first team 61 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,680 to help America conquer the Moon order and said in 62 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,400 a statement released by Verazon. Back then, he says space 63 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,280 was the great unknown, and now we've never been closer 64 00:03:36,319 --> 00:03:38,240 to it. I can't look up into the sky without 65 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,599 seeing a satellite fly by. It's remarkable to see how 66 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,319 far the human race and technology has come. In the commercial, 67 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:48,240 Aldron is seen wearing a silver jacket adorned with the 68 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:52,199 Apollo eleven mission patch while planting a Verizon's satellite powered 69 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,159 red and yellow flag at remote areas around the Earth. 70 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,439 At each stop, whether it be on the desert floor 71 00:03:57,439 --> 00:04:01,400 of a canyon, at the base of a snow colored mountain, 72 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,960 or in an area of wilderness already marked as a 73 00:04:04,039 --> 00:04:07,400 dead zone, the retired US Air Force general and doctor 74 00:04:07,439 --> 00:04:12,000 of Astronautics uses his Verazon issued android's smartphone to show 75 00:04:12,039 --> 00:04:12,599 that he can. 76 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 2: Still send texts. 77 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: Aldron's last test is shown as looping out around the Moon, 78 00:04:19,199 --> 00:04:22,600 pasted an American flag planted on its surface to a 79 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,439 satellite in Earth orbit. They are a space suited Maricelli 80 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:31,439 without a helmet, receives Aldron's message and reacts that's my line. 81 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,000 It's been ten years since I asked America, can you 82 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:38,040 hear me now? Back then, dead zones were everywhere, and 83 00:04:38,079 --> 00:04:40,120 it's safe to say today that they are only in 84 00:04:40,199 --> 00:04:44,879 the most remote places, like the dark Side of the Moon, 85 00:04:45,160 --> 00:04:49,279 he said in Verazon's release, making the common mistake of 86 00:04:49,319 --> 00:04:51,519 describing the far side of the Moon as the non 87 00:04:51,519 --> 00:04:55,920 existent Dark Side. Satellite is for sure the next frontier, 88 00:04:56,040 --> 00:05:01,279 he says. Verazon's customers with select new model phone updated 89 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:05,879 software can send texts such as emergency SOS messages, including 90 00:05:05,920 --> 00:05:08,759 their location when they are in areas inside the United 91 00:05:08,759 --> 00:05:13,240 States without cellular coverage. According to the company, its US 92 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:16,639 network provides a coverage to more than ninety nine percent 93 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,279 of the places where people live, work and play, but 94 00:05:19,319 --> 00:05:23,759 its satellite service now covers the very few places throughout 95 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:27,800 the country where customers cannot connect. For the service to work, 96 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,680 the phones, which include Google's Pixel nine series and Samsung's 97 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,680 Galaxy S twenty five, must be outdoors with a line 98 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,879 of sight to the Viasat, EchoStar or other satellites that 99 00:05:38,959 --> 00:05:43,600 are part of the Skylight Satellite Connectivity service. The service 100 00:05:43,639 --> 00:05:47,879 may not work in parts of Alaska. In addition, AHST 101 00:05:48,279 --> 00:05:52,560 space Mobile, a satellite designer and manufacturer based in Midland, Texas, 102 00:05:52,759 --> 00:05:57,120 has a one hundred million dollar commitment from Verizon to 103 00:05:57,199 --> 00:06:02,040 provide direct to cellular satellite service when needed for Verizon's customers. 104 00:06:02,439 --> 00:06:06,839 This week, the Federal Communications Commission authorized AST to begin 105 00:06:06,959 --> 00:06:11,319 testing its service in the United States. This approval enables 106 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:16,600 the first five of AST's commercial Bluebird satellites, already operating 107 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:20,360 in low Earth orbit, to test connections with Verison's smartphones, 108 00:06:20,399 --> 00:06:24,560 supporting voice, full data, and video applications, as well as 109 00:06:24,639 --> 00:06:29,439 other native capabilities without the need of any specialized software 110 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:34,360 or subdivice support or update. That's one giant leap for connectivity, 111 00:06:34,439 --> 00:06:38,759 says Aldred. In the commercial AST space Mobile also has 112 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,600 an agreement to provide space based network services to AT. 113 00:06:42,439 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 2: And C and its customers. 114 00:06:44,040 --> 00:06:49,839 Speaker 1: Similarly, Demobile partner with SpaceX to use the Starlik Broadbands 115 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,519 Internet constellation and its direct to sell capabilities. 116 00:06:53,959 --> 00:06:56,399 Speaker 2: This is not Aldron's first appearance in a commercial. 117 00:06:56,959 --> 00:06:59,839 Speaker 1: In the past, he has filmed ads for IBM and 118 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:04,680 YouTube YouTube TV in twenty nineteen, a commercial for Quaker 119 00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:08,000 Oats in twenty sixteen, and in twenty fifteen a promotion 120 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:12,360 to visit Switzerland. In nineteen eighty seven, Aldron joined Mercury 121 00:07:12,399 --> 00:07:16,600 astronauts Scott Carpenter and Gordo Cooper to advertise the Commodore 122 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,879 Amiga five hundred home computer. Oh you remember that one. 123 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,160 And in nineteen seventy two, a year after he left NASA, 124 00:07:23,279 --> 00:07:28,199 Aldron helped sell the Volkswagen VW Beetle, comparing its computer 125 00:07:28,319 --> 00:07:32,199 diagnostic system to the computer he used to fly to 126 00:07:32,279 --> 00:07:44,000 the Moon. Thank you for joining us for this Monday 127 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:46,720 edition of Astronomy Daily, where we offer just a few 128 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,000 stories from the now famous Astronomy Daily newsletter, which you 129 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,920 can receive in your email every day, just like Hallie 130 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,360 and I do. And to do that, just visit our 131 00:07:55,639 --> 00:07:59,560 url Astronomy Daily dot io and place your email address 132 00:07:59,639 --> 00:08:02,720 in the slot provided. Just like that, you'll be receiving 133 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,240 all the latest news about science, space, science and astronomy 134 00:08:06,279 --> 00:08:09,360 from around the world as it's happening. And not only that, 135 00:08:09,399 --> 00:08:13,360 you can interact with us by visiting at astro Daily 136 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,360 pod on x or at our new Facebook page, which 137 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:19,959 is of course Astronomy Daily on Facebook. 138 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:20,759 Speaker 2: See you there. 139 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:30,800 Speaker 1: Astronomy Daily with Steve and Halle Space, space, science, and Astronomy. 140 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 3: A safety panel is calling on NASA to reassess to 141 00:08:37,519 --> 00:08:40,720 plans for upcoming Artemis missions, arguing that the agency is 142 00:08:40,759 --> 00:08:44,639 packing too many objectives into each mission. At a January 143 00:08:44,639 --> 00:08:48,480 thirtieth public meeting of ASAP, the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel 144 00:08:48,519 --> 00:08:51,279 members reiterated past concerns about the number of first time 145 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,440 objectives planned for Artemis three, the first crude lunar landing 146 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:58,799 of the overall campaign and later missions. Each first milestone 147 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:01,519 carries its own individual risk, and as these risks are 148 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,919 compounded and aggregated, it only increases the overall risk posture 149 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,200 for any individual flight mission, said panel member Bill bray 150 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:11,519 It begs the question is it time for the agency 151 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,159 to reassess the current mission objectives and its approach for 152 00:09:14,279 --> 00:09:16,879 Artemis three and beyond, with the goal to better balance 153 00:09:16,919 --> 00:09:21,080 the risks across all those flight tests. ASAP has previously 154 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,200 expressed its concerns about the number of firsts on Artemis three, 155 00:09:24,399 --> 00:09:26,879 such as in its most recent annual report, were released 156 00:09:26,879 --> 00:09:30,879 in early twenty twenty four. That report listed thirteen separate 157 00:09:30,919 --> 00:09:33,639 firsts for the mission, mostly tied to the starship, lunar 158 00:09:33,679 --> 00:09:37,799 lander and new spacesuits being developed. By Axiom Space. That 159 00:09:37,919 --> 00:09:40,919 list has only grown since then, he noted, with changes 160 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,600 to the heat shield for Orion, NASA announced in December 161 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:46,960 that it would reformulate the aff goat material used in 162 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:49,320 the heat shield for Artemis three and later missions to 163 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:51,879 prevent the heat shield erosion seen on the Artemis one 164 00:09:51,960 --> 00:09:56,440 re entry. Those concerns extend beyond Artemis three, Bray said, 165 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,480 with later missions incorporating the Lunar Gateway, the Blue Moon 166 00:09:59,519 --> 00:10:03,279 Crude lunelander, and a lunar rover. Each of these elements 167 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,720 under development and delivery requires a near perfect program execution 168 00:10:06,879 --> 00:10:10,000 across a complex set of tests and milestones, and frankly, 169 00:10:10,159 --> 00:10:13,720 there's very little room for failure. Problems with a single 170 00:10:13,759 --> 00:10:17,080 key element, he concluded, will result in continued launch delays 171 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,879 and an irregular and erratic cadence of mission flights and 172 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:24,399 issue ASAP has also previously raised it also creates an 173 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:29,080 increased risk posture for Artemis missions. Bray said that ASAP 174 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:33,320 discussed the issue with Omikshatriya, Deputy Associate Administrator of NASA's 175 00:10:33,320 --> 00:10:37,360 Moon to Mars Program Office, at recent meetings. The panel 176 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,039 urged NASA to treat each launch as a test objective 177 00:10:40,279 --> 00:10:43,159 like the Apollo program, with clear test objectives that could 178 00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:45,919 be balanced across all launch events and ensure a more 179 00:10:45,960 --> 00:10:50,159 regular cadence of missions. He didn't disclose NASA's response to 180 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,080 those concerns, but said that ASAP will continue to press 181 00:10:53,159 --> 00:10:56,200 NASA to re examine its Artemis mission plans and consider 182 00:10:56,240 --> 00:10:59,360 reallocation of test objectives to achieve a more regular launch 183 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:01,519 cadence with the others more balanced risk exposure. 184 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:07,879 Speaker 1: Well aer that so we are listening to Astronomy Daily podcast. 185 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,200 The Gayer mission, launched by the European Space Agency, has 186 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:18,840 completed a decade of groundbreaking astronomical observations, collecting over three 187 00:11:19,039 --> 00:11:23,440 trillion data points on two billion stars and celestial objects. 188 00:11:23,879 --> 00:11:27,960 The European Space Agency's Gaya spacecraft, which has been mapping 189 00:11:28,039 --> 00:11:30,960 the Milky Way, has completed its sky scanning phase. 190 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 2: Over the past decade. 191 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:36,039 Speaker 1: It has made more than three trillion observations of around 192 00:11:36,039 --> 00:11:41,080 two billion stars and other celestial objects, transforming our understanding 193 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,759 of our galaxy and surrounding universe. Gaya was launched on 194 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:49,440 December nineteen, twenty thirteen, and after years of precise observations, 195 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:50,720 its fuel supply. 196 00:11:50,879 --> 00:11:51,919 Speaker 2: Is now running low. 197 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,799 Speaker 1: The spacecraft consumes about a dozen grams of cold gas 198 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:58,960 per day to maintain stability and accuracy. 199 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 2: The mission is not over yet. 200 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:05,799 Speaker 1: In coming weeks, Gay will undergo a series of technology 201 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:10,039 tests before being placed into its final retirement orbit. Additionally, 202 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,840 two major data releases are planned, one in twenty twenty 203 00:12:13,879 --> 00:12:16,480 six and another by the end of the decade, offering 204 00:12:16,799 --> 00:12:21,080 even more insights into our cosmic neighborhood. Today marks the 205 00:12:21,159 --> 00:12:24,159 end of science observations, and we are celebrating this incredible 206 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:28,879 mission that has exceeded all of our expectations, lasting for 207 00:12:28,919 --> 00:12:33,120 almost twice its original foreseen lifetime, says ESA Director of 208 00:12:33,200 --> 00:12:34,360 Science Carol Mandell. 209 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,159 Speaker 2: The treasure trove of data collected by GAYA has given. 210 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,440 Speaker 1: Us unique insights into the origin and evolution of our 211 00:12:41,519 --> 00:12:46,080 Milky Way galaxy, and has also transformed astrophysics and solar 212 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,879 system science in ways that we are not yet. 213 00:12:48,639 --> 00:12:49,879 Speaker 2: To fully appreciate. 214 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:54,679 Speaker 1: GAYA built on unique European excellence with astrometry and will 215 00:12:54,759 --> 00:12:59,360 leave a long lasting legacy for future generations. After eleven 216 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:03,080 years in space and surviving micro metiarite impacts and solar 217 00:13:03,159 --> 00:13:07,039 storms along the way, GAYA has finished collecting science data. 218 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,440 Now all eyes turned towards the preparation of the next 219 00:13:10,600 --> 00:13:15,360 data releases, says GAYA Projects scientists Johann Solman. I'm thrilled 220 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:18,679 with the performance of this incredible mission and excited about 221 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:26,399 the discoveries that await us. GAYA has been charting the positions, distances, movements, brightness, changes, composition, 222 00:13:26,519 --> 00:13:30,120 and numerous other characteristics of stars by monitoring with its 223 00:13:30,159 --> 00:13:33,120 three instruments many times over the course of its mission. 224 00:13:34,080 --> 00:13:36,879 This has enabled GAYA to deliver on its primary goal 225 00:13:36,960 --> 00:13:39,919 of building the largest, most precise map of the Milky Way, 226 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,799 showing us our home galaxy like no other mission has 227 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,759 ever done. As such, we're now able to have the 228 00:13:45,759 --> 00:13:48,840 best reconstructed view of how the galaxy might look to 229 00:13:48,879 --> 00:13:52,399 an outside observer. This new artist's impression of the Milky 230 00:13:52,399 --> 00:13:55,879 Way incorporates GAYA data from a multitude of papers over 231 00:13:55,919 --> 00:13:59,519 the past decade. It contains major changes from previous models 232 00:13:59,559 --> 00:14:02,960 because has changed our impression of the Milky Way. Even 233 00:14:03,080 --> 00:14:05,919 basic ideas have been revised, such as the rotation of 234 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:09,240 our galaxy central bar, the warp of the discs, the 235 00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:12,960 detailed structure of spiral arms, and the interstellar dust near 236 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:17,279 the Sun. Says Stefan pain Wadner this scientific visualizer for 237 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:22,360 the hauste Astronomy Germany and the IAU Office of Astronomy 238 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:26,200 for education. Still, the distant parts of the Milky Way 239 00:14:26,279 --> 00:14:30,919 remain educated guesses based on incomplete data. With further Gayer 240 00:14:31,039 --> 00:14:34,559 data releases, our view of the Milky Way will become 241 00:14:34,639 --> 00:14:39,159 even more accurate. Gaya's repeated measurements of stellar distances, motions, 242 00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:43,320 and characteristics are key to performing galactic archaeology on our 243 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:47,080 Milky Way, revealing missing links in our galaxy's complex history, 244 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:50,720 and that'll help us learn more about our origins. From 245 00:14:50,759 --> 00:14:54,600 detecting ghosts of other galaxies and multiple streams of ancient 246 00:14:54,679 --> 00:14:57,960 stars that merged with the Milky Way in its early history, 247 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:03,200 to finding evidence from an ongo collision with Sagittary's dwarf galaxy. Today, 248 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:07,720 Gaya is rewriting the Milky Way's history and making predictions 249 00:15:07,759 --> 00:15:10,879 about its future. In the process of scanning stars in 250 00:15:10,919 --> 00:15:14,519 our own galaxy, Gaya has also spotted other objects, from 251 00:15:14,559 --> 00:15:18,759 asteroids in our Solar System backyard, to galaxies and quasars, 252 00:15:19,039 --> 00:15:22,320 the bright and active centers of galaxies powered by super 253 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:26,919 massive black holes outside our Milky Way, for example, GAYA 254 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:30,960 has provided pinpoint precision orbits of more than one hundred 255 00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:35,960 and fifty thousand asteroids and has such high quality measurements 256 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:40,320 as to uncover possible moons around hundreds of them. It's 257 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,279 also created the largest three dimensional map of about one 258 00:15:43,279 --> 00:15:47,159 point three million quasars, with the furthest shining bright when 259 00:15:47,159 --> 00:15:50,360 the universe was only one point five billion years old. 260 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,480 GAYA has also discovered a new breed of black hole, 261 00:15:53,759 --> 00:15:57,080 including one with a mass of nearly thirty three times. 262 00:15:56,759 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 2: The mass of our Sun. 263 00:15:58,399 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: That one hiding in the Constantle Aquilla less than two 264 00:16:01,799 --> 00:16:04,519 thousand light years from Earth. The first time a black 265 00:16:04,559 --> 00:16:08,120 hole of stellar origin this big has been spotted within 266 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:11,720 the Milky Way. It's impressive that these discoveries are based 267 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:14,679 only on the first few years of GAYA data, and 268 00:16:14,759 --> 00:16:17,759 many were made in the last year alone. GAYA has 269 00:16:17,799 --> 00:16:20,360 been the discovery machine of the decade, a trend that 270 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,519 is set to continue, says Anthony Brown, chair of the 271 00:16:23,559 --> 00:16:28,039 GAYA Data Processing and Analysis Consortium and based at Leading 272 00:16:28,159 --> 00:16:32,759 University in the Netherlands. The GAYA scientific and engineering teams 273 00:16:32,759 --> 00:16:35,840 are already working full steam on the preparations for GAYA 274 00:16:35,919 --> 00:16:39,919 Data Release four, expected in twenty twenty six. The data 275 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:44,080 volume and quality improves with every release, and GAYA Data Iour, 276 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,639 with an expected five hundred terabytes of data products, is 277 00:16:48,679 --> 00:16:52,360 no exception. Furthermore, it will cover the mission's first five 278 00:16:52,399 --> 00:16:54,519 and a half years, corresponding to the length of the 279 00:16:54,559 --> 00:16:58,879 originally foreseen duration of the mission. This is the GAYA 280 00:16:58,879 --> 00:17:01,279 release to the community he has been waiting for, and 281 00:17:01,320 --> 00:17:04,640 it's exciting to think that this only covers half of 282 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:11,240 the collected data, says Antonello Vallinari, Deputy Chair of DPAK Instituto. 283 00:17:11,319 --> 00:17:17,160 And there's now dear Astrophicia Astronomic lest Observatory in Padua, Italy. 284 00:17:17,319 --> 00:17:20,640 Sorry about my pronunciation, folks, I'm Australian. Even though the 285 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:24,319 mission has now stopped collecting data, it will be the 286 00:17:24,519 --> 00:17:28,039 business as usual for us for many years to come 287 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,200 as we make these incredible data sets ready to use, 288 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:35,440 she says. GAYA data release set for is set to 289 00:17:35,480 --> 00:17:39,559 expand its binary star catalog, the largest such catalog to date. 290 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,039 GAYA has a unique ability to tease out the tiny 291 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,640 motions of pairs of celestial objects orbiting close to each other, 292 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:51,559 and has already spotted previously hidden companions around bright stars Incidentally, 293 00:17:52,200 --> 00:17:56,519 gaya's largest targeted observation on January ten was a binary 294 00:17:56,559 --> 00:18:01,079 pair sixty one Signy. This iconic star attracted the attention 295 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,599 of nineteenth century astronomers to yield some of the first 296 00:18:04,759 --> 00:18:10,400 proper motion and parallax measurements techniques used by GAYA on 297 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:15,240 some billion stars, and astute science fiction readers will remember 298 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:19,799 sixty one Signey from Clifford CEMAC's Wonderful, Wonderful story Time 299 00:18:19,839 --> 00:18:26,400 and Again, starring the ineffable Asher Sutton. Gaya's exoplanet discoveries 300 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,160 are also set to increase with the forthcoming data sets, 301 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,799 thanks to the longer time frame of observations making it 302 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,000 easier to spot wobbling stars. Over the next few months, 303 00:18:36,039 --> 00:18:39,559 will continue to downlink every last drop of data from 304 00:18:39,599 --> 00:18:42,759 Gaya and that at the same time, the processing teams 305 00:18:42,839 --> 00:18:45,839 will ramp up their preparations for the fifth and final 306 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,839 major data release at the end of the decade. This 307 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:53,279 will conclude with an incredible coordinated effort between hundreds of 308 00:18:53,279 --> 00:18:57,720 experts across the Science Operations Centers here at ESAC, the 309 00:18:57,759 --> 00:19:02,640 mission operations team flying GAIA from ESA's European Space Operations 310 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:06,880 Center in Germany, and a huge consortium of data processing 311 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:10,279 specialists who have together ensured the smooth running of this 312 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:11,480 beautiful mission. 313 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:11,880 Speaker 2: For so long. 314 00:19:12,319 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 1: While today marks the end of science observations, a short 315 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:19,519 period of technology testing now begins. The tests have the 316 00:19:19,599 --> 00:19:23,440 potential to further improve gay or calibrations, learn more about 317 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:26,319 the behavior of certain technology after ten years in space, 318 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,960 and even aid the design of future space missions. After 319 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:32,599 several weeks of testing, GAY will leave its current orbit 320 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:36,279 around lagrange point two one point five million kilometers from 321 00:19:36,279 --> 00:19:38,240 the Earth in a direction away from the Sun, to 322 00:19:38,279 --> 00:19:41,880 be put into its final heliocentric orbit far away from 323 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,880 Earth's sphere of influence. This spacecraft will be passivated on 324 00:19:46,119 --> 00:19:50,000 twenty twenty seven March twenty twenty five to avoid harm 325 00:19:50,079 --> 00:19:54,039 or interference with other spacecraft. During the technology tests, Gaya's 326 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:57,880 orientation will be changed, meaning it will be temporarily become 327 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:02,920 several magnitudes brighter, looking observations through small telescopes a lot easier. 328 00:20:03,039 --> 00:20:05,559 It won't be visible to the naked eye, though a 329 00:20:05,599 --> 00:20:10,039 guide to locating Gaya has been set up so amateur 330 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,119 astronomers are invited to share their observations. 331 00:20:13,759 --> 00:20:15,759 Speaker 2: GAY will treat us with this final gift as we 332 00:20:15,839 --> 00:20:17,079 bid farewell. 333 00:20:16,759 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 1: Shining amongst the stars ahead of its well earned retirement. 334 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:24,559 It's a moment to celebrate this as this transformative mission, 335 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:26,920 and thank all the teams for more than a decade 336 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,960 of hard work operating Gaya, planning its observations, and ensuring 337 00:20:31,000 --> 00:20:34,240 its prescuous data are returned smoothly to Earth. 338 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 3: You're listening to Astronomy Daily with Steve Dunky. February brings 339 00:20:45,160 --> 00:20:48,039 a rare planetary parade with five great planets in clear 340 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:50,680 view and a special alignment of Mercury and Saturn on 341 00:20:50,759 --> 00:20:55,079 February twenty fourth. Throughout February, a striking gathering of the 342 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:59,519 five greatest planets Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Saturn, along 343 00:20:59,519 --> 00:21:02,079 with the moral Lusiburanus and Neptune, will be the main 344 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,039 celestial attraction in the evening sky. Later in the month, 345 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:08,960 anyone with a clear unobstructed view of the horizon may 346 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,599 be able to see all five bright planets stretching across 347 00:21:11,599 --> 00:21:15,519 the sky. Two of these planets, Mercury and Saturn, will 348 00:21:15,519 --> 00:21:19,160 appear especially close together on Monday, February twenty fourth, the 349 00:21:19,240 --> 00:21:23,440 highlight of this month long planetary display. While this planetary 350 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:29,079 alignment isn't particularly rare, it is relatively uncommon. Spotting two, three, 351 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:31,960 or even four bright planets at once is not unusual, 352 00:21:32,079 --> 00:21:34,319 but the chance to see all five together doesn't come 353 00:21:34,319 --> 00:21:38,279 around often. Looking ahead, a similar alignment will occur in 354 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:40,920 late October twenty twenty eight, though that event will take 355 00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,200 place before sunrise, requiring early risers to catch the view. 356 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,319 By far, the most prominent of the five planets is Venus. 357 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:51,640 Although it reached its greatest angular distance east of the 358 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:54,759 Sun on January tenth, it continues to shine brilliantly in 359 00:21:54,799 --> 00:21:58,039 the west southwest sky at dusk throughout February, a breathtaking 360 00:21:58,079 --> 00:22:01,680 evening lantern. This will remain at peak brightness for much 361 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,799 of the month, and if you observe it through steadily 362 00:22:03,839 --> 00:22:06,720 held binoculars or a small telescope, you'll see it as 363 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:11,319 a crescent. As February progresses, Venus's disc will appear larger 364 00:22:11,319 --> 00:22:13,759 as it moves closer to Earth, while its crescent thins 365 00:22:13,799 --> 00:22:16,039 as the planet aligns more closely with the Earth' sun 366 00:22:16,079 --> 00:22:19,559 line of sight. The next planet to spot is Saturn, 367 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:23,240 the famed Lord of the Rings. To find it, simply 368 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:26,440 look toward Venus and extend an imaginary line straight downward. 369 00:22:26,559 --> 00:22:28,960 The first bright star like object you come across will 370 00:22:29,000 --> 00:22:34,000 be Saturn. Your first impression might be wow, it's so dim, 371 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,240 but in reality, Saturn shines as brightly as a first 372 00:22:37,240 --> 00:22:41,359 magnitude star. However, when compared to Venus, which is a 373 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:45,680 full six magnitudes brighter, Saturn appears significantly fainter, only about 374 00:22:45,720 --> 00:22:50,160 one slash two fifty as bright. Saturn is typically more radiant, 375 00:22:50,279 --> 00:22:52,799 but right now, its ring system is nearly edge on 376 00:22:52,839 --> 00:22:57,200 from Earth's perspective, contributing little reflected light. To catch a 377 00:22:57,200 --> 00:22:59,759 glimpse of the rings, now appearing as a thin bright 378 00:22:59,839 --> 00:23:03,119 light bisecting the planet's disc, you'll need a small telescope 379 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,720 with at least thirty x magnification. During the first two 380 00:23:06,759 --> 00:23:09,440 weeks of February, watch as the gap between Venus and 381 00:23:09,519 --> 00:23:13,240 Saturn gradually widens. In the second half of the month, 382 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:16,440 Saturn will become increasingly difficult to spot against the brightening 383 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:20,160 evening twilight, eventually fading into the Sun's glare by month's end. 384 00:23:21,079 --> 00:23:24,680 Then there's Jupiter, unmistakable with its silvery white brilliants, though 385 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:28,400 only one tenth as bright as Venus, the largest planet 386 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:30,839 in our solar system appears high in the south at dusk, 387 00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:34,279 accompanied by two famous naked eye star clusters, the Pleiades 388 00:23:34,319 --> 00:23:37,960 and Hyades, as well as several bright winter stars. The 389 00:23:38,039 --> 00:23:41,920 most notable is the orange hued Aldeboran, positioned just below Jupiter. 390 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,960 With binoculars or a small telescope, you can also spot 391 00:23:46,039 --> 00:23:49,599 Jupiter's for largest moons, first observed by Galileo in sixteen 392 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:53,279 ten with his crude telescope. Make a special effort to 393 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:55,359 view them on the night of February twenty fifth to 394 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:59,240 twenty six, when three of them, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto 395 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:01,759 form a strike kingly tight triangle on one side of 396 00:24:01,759 --> 00:24:04,920 the planet, while Io sits alone on the other. The 397 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:07,960 triangle will appear tightest at twelve thirty nine am Eastern 398 00:24:08,039 --> 00:24:11,599 time on February twenty six, five thirty nine GMT or 399 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:16,079 nine thirty nine pm Pacific time on February twenty fifth. Now, 400 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,759 look halfway up in the eastern sky for orange yellow Mars, 401 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:22,920 which blazes into view as night falls during February. It 402 00:24:23,000 --> 00:24:26,759 is accompanied by the twin stars of Gemini, Polyx, and Castor. 403 00:24:27,759 --> 00:24:30,960 This striking trio spends nearly the entire night, crossing the sky, 404 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:34,200 forming a distinctive triangle that gradually shifts in size and 405 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:38,160 shape as the month progresses. Mars was at opposition and 406 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:42,480 closest to Earth in January. During February, as Earth moves 407 00:24:42,519 --> 00:24:45,359 ahead in its orbit, Mars lags behind, causing it to 408 00:24:45,400 --> 00:24:47,720 fade by about three quarters of a magnitude over the 409 00:24:47,759 --> 00:24:51,000 course of the month. The fifth and final planet is 410 00:24:51,039 --> 00:24:55,119 the smallest in our Solar system, Mercury. This rocky little 411 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,440 world becomes visible during the final week of February, shining 412 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,480 almost as brightly as Serious, the brightest star in the sky, 413 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:05,200 at magnitude minus one point two. It will set just 414 00:25:05,279 --> 00:25:07,960 over an hour after the Sun on February twenty fourth. 415 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,319 Remember when we said we'd come back to Saturn. Well, 416 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,920 on February twenty fourth, Mercury will be in conjunction with Saturn, 417 00:25:16,079 --> 00:25:19,319 with the two planets appearing relatively close, just one point 418 00:25:19,319 --> 00:25:22,799 five degrees apart. This will be your chance to complete 419 00:25:22,799 --> 00:25:25,160 the set and say you've seen all five evening planets 420 00:25:25,200 --> 00:25:28,759 at once. Mercury will be positioned to Saturn's right and 421 00:25:28,799 --> 00:25:32,599 shining about eight times brighter. To spot them, you'll need 422 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:36,200 a flat, unobstructed west southwest horizon and a very clear, 423 00:25:36,400 --> 00:25:41,359 transparent sky. Start looking about thirty minutes after sunset, scanning 424 00:25:41,359 --> 00:25:45,079 two fist wits at arm's length directly below Venus. We 425 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:49,759 strongly recommend using binoculars to scan near the horizon. Mercury 426 00:25:49,759 --> 00:25:52,200 should be easy to pick up, and once you've found it, 427 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:56,680 you should have no trouble seeing it with the naked eye. Saturn, however, 428 00:25:56,960 --> 00:26:01,480 is another story. While it's likely visible through binoculars, spotting 429 00:26:01,559 --> 00:26:04,759 it without optical aid will be a challenge, but if 430 00:26:04,799 --> 00:26:07,440 you succeed, you'll have seen all five and one. This 431 00:26:07,599 --> 00:26:11,720 round of planetary bingo, we've covered the five brightest planets 432 00:26:11,799 --> 00:26:13,880 visible to the naked eye, but two more can be 433 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:17,799 spotted with good binoculars or a small telescope. A star 434 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,799 chart or atlas will help pinpoint their exact locations in 435 00:26:20,839 --> 00:26:24,400 the sky. Urinus can sometimes be spotted with the naked 436 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,480 eye by those with excellent eyesight, a clear, dark sky, 437 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:31,039 and prior knowledge of where to look. At its brightest, 438 00:26:31,160 --> 00:26:33,720 it shines at magnitude plus five point six and is 439 00:26:33,759 --> 00:26:38,440 easily identifiable with good binoculars. A small telescope may reveal 440 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:42,440 its tiny greenish disc. Finally, we come to the most 441 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,599 distant of the eight classical planets, Neptune. It will spend 442 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:50,440 all of twenty twenty five in the constellation Pisces at 443 00:26:50,440 --> 00:26:53,519 its peak magnitude of plus seven point eight. This bluishued 444 00:26:53,559 --> 00:26:56,839 world is visible only with good binoculars or a telescope. 445 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,200 Try spotting it on the evening of February first, when 446 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,119 it appears near a brilliant Venus and a waxing crescent moon. 447 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,359 Later in the month, it feeds into the bright evening 448 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:09,839 twilight as it approaches conjunction with the Sun. On March twentieth, 449 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:16,160 Astronomy Day with Steve and Helene Space Space Science and. 450 00:27:16,079 --> 00:27:24,599 Speaker 1: Astronomy, and thanks for staying with us for the first 451 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:27,200 show in February twenty twenty five, it looks like this 452 00:27:27,319 --> 00:27:31,319 year is going to fly by faster than twenty twenty four. 453 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 2: Did what do you think? 454 00:27:32,519 --> 00:27:34,039 Speaker 3: Hell, it sure feels that way. 455 00:27:34,319 --> 00:27:36,039 Speaker 2: I mean, January's just gone. 456 00:27:36,319 --> 00:27:39,279 Speaker 3: Stop the world human I want to get off, ha ha, 457 00:27:39,759 --> 00:27:40,599 No chance, halle. 458 00:27:40,599 --> 00:27:43,079 Speaker 1: We ride this one all the way to the end well, which, 459 00:27:43,119 --> 00:27:45,200 by staggering coincidence, is about now. 460 00:27:45,599 --> 00:27:48,640 Speaker 3: So it's goodbye, Oh Sandy. 461 00:27:48,359 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 2: A little fulllorn there Halle. But it's just for another. 462 00:27:50,640 --> 00:27:54,039 Speaker 3: Week and listeners can enjoy my cousin Anna doing astronomy 463 00:27:54,119 --> 00:27:56,359 daily weekdays until we are back next Monday. 464 00:27:56,559 --> 00:28:00,720 Speaker 2: Oh that busy, busy girl unstoppable. Oh that's for sure. Anyway, 465 00:28:00,799 --> 00:28:02,079 we'll see you all next week. 466 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:07,720 Speaker 3: Bye day the podcast, I mean. 467 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:12,119 Speaker 2: Your host, Steve Dunklin. H