1
00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:04,839
Speaker 1: Hello space enthusiasts. Today on Astronomy Daily, we're exploring an

2
00:00:04,839 --> 00:00:09,439
incredible array of astronomical discoveries and developments that are pushing

3
00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,119
the boundaries of our understanding of the cosmos. We'll dive

4
00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:17,800
into groundbreaking research that's bringing us closer to interstellar travel,

5
00:00:18,359 --> 00:00:22,280
as scientists make significant progress with ultra thin light sales

6
00:00:22,679 --> 00:00:26,879
that could one day propel spacecraft to distant stars. We'll

7
00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,000
also take a look at NASA's exciting new SPHEREx telescope,

8
00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,759
set to launch this month, which promises to reveal aspects

9
00:00:33,759 --> 00:00:36,679
of our universe that even the James Web Space Telescope

10
00:00:36,719 --> 00:00:40,640
can't see. From there, we'll journey to Jupiter's moon Io,

11
00:00:40,759 --> 00:00:44,520
where NASA's Juno spacecraft has witnessed the most powerful volcanic

12
00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:48,600
event ever recorded in our solar system. We'll also catch

13
00:00:48,679 --> 00:00:51,679
up with Comet Atlas as it makes its fiery journey

14
00:00:51,679 --> 00:00:55,960
past our Sun, and explore fascinating new findings about geological

15
00:00:55,960 --> 00:00:59,159
activity on the Moon that's challenging our understanding of our

16
00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,880
celestial neighbors. Stay with me, Anna, as we explore these

17
00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:07,719
fascinating developments in space science and discovery. Scientists are making

18
00:01:07,799 --> 00:01:11,280
remarkable progress in turning the science fiction dream of interstellar

19
00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:15,599
travel into reality through the development of ultra thin light sales.

20
00:01:16,359 --> 00:01:20,280
The Breakthrough Starshot Initiative, a program started in twenty sixteen

21
00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,480
by theoretical physicists Stephen Hawking and scientist Yuri Milner at

22
00:01:24,519 --> 00:01:28,480
the California Institute of Technology, has recently achieved a significant

23
00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,719
milestone in this ambitious endeavor. The research team, led by

24
00:01:32,719 --> 00:01:37,480
Starshot Lightsale Research Director Harry Atwater, has developed an innovative

25
00:01:37,519 --> 00:01:41,879
platform for testing materials that could potentially form these revolutionary

26
00:01:41,959 --> 00:01:46,400
light sales. These spacecraft propulsion devices would harness the power

27
00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:51,200
of laser beams to achieve unprecedented speeds, potentially opening up

28
00:01:51,239 --> 00:01:55,239
interstellar distances to direct exploration that we can currently only

29
00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:59,480
study through remote observation. One of the most challenging aspects

30
00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,480
of developing these light sALS is creating a membrane that

31
00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:06,120
can withstand intense heat while maintaining its shape under pressure

32
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,680
and staying stable along a laser beam's axis. The team

33
00:02:09,719 --> 00:02:12,960
has ingeniously engineered a test to measure the precise force

34
00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:16,479
that lasers exert on ultra thin membranes of different materials,

35
00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,800
turning what was once a technical obstacle into a scientific advantage.

36
00:02:21,840 --> 00:02:25,439
Their research has revealed fascinating insights into how these miniature

37
00:02:25,479 --> 00:02:28,800
light sales interact with laser beams. When struck by light,

38
00:02:29,159 --> 00:02:32,520
these mechanical resonators vibrate in response to both heat and

39
00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:36,520
radiation pressure. The team discovered that by studying these vibrations,

40
00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,479
they could accurately measure the force being exerted on the membrane,

41
00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:45,759
providing crucial data for future designs. Perhaps most intriguingly, the

42
00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:48,400
researchers found that when laser beams strike the light sale

43
00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:51,840
at angles, as would happen in real space conditions, the

44
00:02:51,919 --> 00:02:56,639
force is actually lower than theoretical predictions. This discovery, attributed

45
00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,520
to light scattering off the sale's edges, has led to

46
00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:04,599
promising new research directions involving nanomaterials and meta materials that

47
00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,639
could help control the sideways, movement and rotation of these

48
00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,599
future spacecraft. This breakthrough represents a crucial stepping stone toward

49
00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:16,599
developing freely accelerating light sales that could one day carry

50
00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:21,000
tiny probes to our nearest star systems, potentially revolutionizing our

51
00:03:21,039 --> 00:03:25,360
ability to explore the Cosmos firsthand. The team's work continues

52
00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,520
to focus on creating surfaces that can automatically correct their

53
00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:31,719
position if they drift off course, bringing us ever closer

54
00:03:31,759 --> 00:03:36,680
to making interstellar travel a reality. Next up today, NASA

55
00:03:36,719 --> 00:03:39,560
is preparing to launch an extraordinary new space telescope that

56
00:03:39,639 --> 00:03:44,159
promises to revolutionize our view of the cosmos. Named SPHEREx,

57
00:03:44,479 --> 00:03:47,840
this innovative observatory is scheduled for launch in late February

58
00:03:48,120 --> 00:03:51,879
aboard a SpaceX Falcon nine rocket, marking another milestone in

59
00:03:51,919 --> 00:03:55,319
our journey to understand the universe. What makes SPHEREx truly

60
00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:58,560
special is its unprecedented ability to map the entire sky

61
00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:01,879
in one hundred and two different infrared colors, something that's

62
00:04:01,960 --> 00:04:04,719
never been done before in human history. While the James

63
00:04:04,719 --> 00:04:08,479
Webb Space Telescope excels at studying specific celestial objects in

64
00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:12,199
great detail, SPHEREx will take a broader approach, creating a

65
00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,600
comprehensive panorama of the entire sky visible from Earth. This

66
00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,120
eggshell white conical probe might look modest compared to some

67
00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,199
of its predecessors, but don't let its appearance fool you.

68
00:04:23,879 --> 00:04:26,199
Weighing about as much as a grand piano and using

69
00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,079
less power than your home refrigerator, SPHEREx has been engineered

70
00:04:30,079 --> 00:04:34,519
to perform its mission with remarkable efficiency. To protect its

71
00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:39,040
sensitive instruments from heat interference, the spacecraft features an ingenious

72
00:04:39,079 --> 00:04:44,040
design with three concentric cone shaped photon shields and specialized

73
00:04:44,120 --> 00:04:48,199
radiator plates. These work together to keep the telescope cool

74
00:04:48,319 --> 00:04:51,879
enough to detect the faintest infrared signals from space. The

75
00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,680
mission's goals are ambitious. Scientists hope to use SPHEREx to

76
00:04:55,720 --> 00:04:59,759
study hundreds of millions of galaxies, potentially unlocking secrets about

77
00:04:59,759 --> 00:05:03,720
cause inflation, that mind bending moment just after the Big Bang,

78
00:05:03,959 --> 00:05:06,839
when the universe expanded faster than the speed of light.

79
00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:11,800
They're also planning to search for icy organic molecules floating

80
00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:15,720
between stars, which could help explain how life on Earth began.

81
00:05:16,759 --> 00:05:20,000
What's particularly exciting is how SPHEREx will work in tandem

82
00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:23,959
with other observatories. Its all sky infrared map will be

83
00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,879
an invaluable resource for James Webb Telescope scientists, helping them

84
00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:32,519
identify the most promising targets for detailed observation. Every six months,

85
00:05:32,639 --> 00:05:35,639
SPHEREx will complete a new map of the sky, building

86
00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,399
up an unprecedented view of our cosmic neighborhood. Over its

87
00:05:38,439 --> 00:05:41,360
two year primary mission at a modest cost of around

88
00:05:41,399 --> 00:05:45,160
four hundred and eighty eight million dollars. SPHEREx demonstrates that

89
00:05:45,279 --> 00:05:50,199
groundbreaking science doesn't always require the most expensive instruments. Instead,

90
00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:52,879
it's about having the right tool for the right job,

91
00:05:53,519 --> 00:05:56,639
and in this case, that means creating the most detailed

92
00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,839
infrared map of our universe ever attempted. Let's head over

93
00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:03,560
to Jupiter now. Jupiter's moon Io has just set a

94
00:06:03,639 --> 00:06:07,560
new record for volcanic activity, and what NASA's Juno spacecraft

95
00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,920
recently witnessed there is nothing short of spectacular. During its

96
00:06:11,959 --> 00:06:15,839
December twenty twenty three flyby, Juno observed a volcanic event

97
00:06:15,959 --> 00:06:19,399
so massive it makes Earth's most powerful eruptions look like

98
00:06:19,439 --> 00:06:23,800
campfires in comparison. The newly discovered hotspot region on Io's

99
00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,720
surface spans an area larger than Lake Superior, and the

100
00:06:26,879 --> 00:06:30,560
energy its releasing is truly mind boggling, equivalent to six

101
00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:34,360
times the combined output of all Earth's power plants. This

102
00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,720
isn't just another eruption on Io. It's the most powerful

103
00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,600
volcanic event ever recorded on what was already known as

104
00:06:40,639 --> 00:06:44,199
the most volcanic world in our Solar system. The discovery

105
00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:47,399
came during Juno's close approach to Io, when it passed

106
00:06:47,399 --> 00:06:50,319
within about nine hundred and thirty miles of the Moon's surface.

107
00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,439
Using its infrared instrument, the spacecraft detected an enormous hot

108
00:06:55,439 --> 00:06:58,800
spot in Io's southern hemisphere that was so intense it

109
00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:03,519
actually saturated. The scientists believe what they're seeing isn't just

110
00:07:03,639 --> 00:07:09,279
one massive eruption, but several closely spaced hotspots, all erupting simultaneously,

111
00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:13,399
suggesting the presence of a vast underground magma chamber system.

112
00:07:13,759 --> 00:07:17,319
What makes Io such a volcanic powerhouse. The answer lies

113
00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,160
in its relationship with Jupiter. As the Moon orbits the

114
00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:23,439
gas giant every forty two point five hours, Jupiter's immense

115
00:07:23,439 --> 00:07:27,560
gravitational pull creates powerful tidal forces that literally squeeze and

116
00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:32,319
stretch Io. This constant needing generates tremendous heat inside the Moon,

117
00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:36,720
leading to the spectacular volcanic activity we're witnessing. The Moon's

118
00:07:36,720 --> 00:07:39,879
surface is already home to about four hundred active volcanoes,

119
00:07:40,279 --> 00:07:44,920
all spewing lava, gas, and ash into Io's atmosphere. This

120
00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:49,360
new eruption, however, stands apart in its sheer scale and intensity.

121
00:07:49,879 --> 00:07:53,600
The affected region covers roughly forty thousand square miles, and

122
00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:56,639
scientists are eagerly awaiting Juno's next fly by in March

123
00:07:56,680 --> 00:07:59,600
to see how this remarkable event has reshaped Io's surface.

124
00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:05,399
These observations aren't just spectacular, they're providing valuable insights into

125
00:08:05,480 --> 00:08:09,519
volcanic processes, not just on Io, but potentially on other

126
00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:13,959
worlds throughout our Solar System. As scientists continue to study

127
00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:18,160
this unprecedented event, we're gaining new understanding of how planetary

128
00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:22,759
bodies evolve and interact with their environments. Okay, how did

129
00:08:22,759 --> 00:08:25,079
you go at photographing Comet atlass when it's sped by

130
00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:27,839
us last month? Not as well as this, I would think.

131
00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,480
A remarkable celestial spectacle unfolded in our cosmic neighborhood as

132
00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:35,759
Comet C twenty twenty four G three, also known as

133
00:08:35,799 --> 00:08:39,919
Comet Atlas, made its dramatic journey past the Sun between

134
00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,200
January eleventh and fifteenth. The comet treated astronomers to an

135
00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,240
extraordinary show as it blazed through the inner Solar System,

136
00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,519
coming within just eight million miles of our star. That's

137
00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:51,720
a mere nine percent of the distance between Earth and

138
00:08:51,759 --> 00:08:56,480
the Sun. The ESA and NASA's Soho spacecraft captured stunning

139
00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:00,759
images of this cosmic wanderer using its Lasco instrument. By

140
00:09:00,799 --> 00:09:03,879
cleverly blocking out the Sun's intense light with a special disc,

141
00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,399
LASCO revealed intricate details of the comet's tail as it

142
00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:11,440
responded to the solar wind. These observations are providing scientists

143
00:09:11,519 --> 00:09:14,480
with valuable insights into how the Sun's constant stream of

144
00:09:14,519 --> 00:09:19,240
particles and energy influences objects passing through our solar neighborhood.

145
00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:22,080
The images processed by Carl Badams at the US Naval

146
00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:25,279
Research Lab brought out remarkable fine details in the comet's tail,

147
00:09:25,759 --> 00:09:29,120
showcasing how it twisted and turned in response to fluctuations

148
00:09:29,159 --> 00:09:32,840
in the solar wind. This interaction between comet and solar

149
00:09:32,879 --> 00:09:37,080
wind is helping heliophysicists better understand the Sun's influence on

150
00:09:37,120 --> 00:09:41,960
its surrounding environment. While the comet briefly graced Northern Hemisphere

151
00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,440
skies during its closest approach to the Sun, it has

152
00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:49,919
since moved into southern skies. However, there are indications that

153
00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,960
this cosmic visitor may have paid a price for its

154
00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:57,279
close encounter with our star. Scientists have observed signs suggesting

155
00:09:57,320 --> 00:10:00,080
the comet might be breaking apart, which could lead to

156
00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,279
it rapidly fading from view in the coming days. Next,

157
00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:07,919
let's turn our attention to some fascinating lunar developments that

158
00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:13,320
are reshaping our understanding of Earth's closest celestial neighbor. Firefly's

159
00:10:13,360 --> 00:10:16,960
Blue Ghost mission has reached a significant milestone in its

160
00:10:16,960 --> 00:10:20,399
forty five day journey to the Moon, with NASA's specialized

161
00:10:20,399 --> 00:10:24,720
camera system SCALPS one point one successfully completing its first

162
00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,720
round of tests. All six of its high resolution cameras

163
00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:32,440
are functioning perfectly, ready to document every crucial moment of

164
00:10:32,480 --> 00:10:35,960
the spacecraft's eventual descent and touchdown on the lunar surface.

165
00:10:36,759 --> 00:10:39,559
Four of these cameras are specifically designed to capture the

166
00:10:39,600 --> 00:10:43,559
interaction between Blue Ghosts, rocket plumes, and the Moon's surface,

167
00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,519
while two additional cameras will record detailed before and after

168
00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:52,080
images of the landing site. This documentation is becoming increasingly

169
00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,799
important as we prepare for more frequent lunar missions, helping

170
00:10:55,840 --> 00:11:01,519
scientists better understand how spacecraft landings affect the lunar environment. Meanwhile,

171
00:11:01,759 --> 00:11:05,240
a groundbreaking discovery on the Moon's far side is challenging

172
00:11:05,279 --> 00:11:09,200
our long held assumptions about lunar geology. Researchers from the

173
00:11:09,279 --> 00:11:12,440
National Air and Space Museum and the University of Maryland

174
00:11:12,759 --> 00:11:16,360
have identified two hundred and sixty six previously unknown small

175
00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,320
ridges that tell an unexpected story of recent geological activity.

176
00:11:20,840 --> 00:11:23,679
These ridges, typically found in groups of ten to forty,

177
00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,480
appear to be surprisingly young, possibly forming within the last

178
00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:31,360
two hundred million years. This is remarkably recent in geological terms,

179
00:11:31,639 --> 00:11:34,120
especially for a body that many scientists believed had been

180
00:11:34,159 --> 00:11:37,919
geologically dormant for billions of years. The research team used

181
00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:41,200
crater counting techniques to date these features, finding that some

182
00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:45,240
ridges even cut through existing impact craters, providing clear evidence

183
00:11:45,240 --> 00:11:49,919
of their relatively recent formation. The structures bear striking similarities

184
00:11:49,919 --> 00:11:53,120
to features found on the Moon's near side, suggesting they

185
00:11:53,159 --> 00:11:57,120
were created by the same forces, possibly shallow moonquakes first

186
00:11:57,120 --> 00:12:01,320
detected during the Apollo missions. Movements are likely caused by

187
00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:03,519
a combination of shifts in the Moon's orbit and its

188
00:12:03,519 --> 00:12:07,480
gradual shrinking, a process that continues to influence lunar surface

189
00:12:07,559 --> 00:12:12,120
dynamics today. These findings have significant implications for future lunar

190
00:12:12,159 --> 00:12:16,320
exploration and infrastructure planning, Understanding that the Moon is still

191
00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:20,360
geologically active will be crucial for determining safe locations for

192
00:12:20,440 --> 00:12:25,600
future astronaut missions, equipment placement, and potential permanent installations on

193
00:12:25,639 --> 00:12:30,039
the lunar surface. And that brings us to the end

194
00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:34,759
of another fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily. From breakthrough developments

195
00:12:34,799 --> 00:12:39,120
in interstellar travel technology to record breaking volcanic activity on

196
00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:43,720
Jupiter's moon Io, from NASA's ambitious news sphere X telescope

197
00:12:43,879 --> 00:12:46,799
to surprising discoveries about lunar geology. It's been an exciting

198
00:12:46,879 --> 00:12:49,960
day in space news. I'm Anna, and I want to

199
00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,799
thank you for joining me on this cosmic journey. If

200
00:12:52,799 --> 00:12:55,960
you're hungry for more space and astronomy news, head over

201
00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:59,559
to Astronomy Daily dot io, where you'll find our constantly

202
00:12:59,639 --> 00:13:03,080
update newsfeed and all our past episodes ready for your

203
00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:06,600
listening pleasure. Don't forget to join our growing community across

204
00:13:06,639 --> 00:13:09,679
social media. You can find us as astro Daily Pod

205
00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:14,639
on Facebook, x YouTube, YouTube, music, Tumblr, and TikTok. Stay curious,

206
00:13:14,840 --> 00:13:17,120
keep looking up, and we'll see you Monday for another

207
00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:18,519
edition of Astronomy.

208
00:13:18,080 --> 00:13:37,639
Speaker 2: Dailyday Star starz Star