- NASA's New Interim Administrator: In a surprising turn of events, President Trump has appointed Sean Duffy as NASA’s interim administrator. With a background in transportation and a stint on reality television, Duffy's unconventional path raises questions about the future direction of the agency amidst significant budget cuts proposed by the administration.
- - Discovery of Comet 3i Atlas: Astronomers have traced the origin of the newly discovered interstellar comet 3i Atlas back to the Milky Way's thick disc, revealing it to be between 7.6 and 14 billion years old. This groundbreaking finding offers invaluable insights into the history of our galaxy and the processes of planetesimal formation.
- - Insights from NASA's DART Mission: We delve into the complexities revealed by NASA’s DART mission, which successfully altered the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos. The aftermath of the impact has unveiled new physics regarding asteroid composition and debris movement, crucial for future planetary defence strategies.
- - Saturn's Return to the Night Sky: Stargazers rejoice! Saturn is making its return to the late night sky, providing an excellent opportunity for observation. With tips on timing and viewing conditions, we encourage listeners to grab their telescopes and enjoy the stunning sight of this magnificent gas giant.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
NASA Interim Administrator
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Comet 3i Atlas Discovery
[University of Oxford](https://www.ox.ac.uk/)
DART Mission Insights
[NASA DART](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/dart/main/index.html)
Saturn Viewing Tips
[In The Sky](https://www.inthesky.org/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your regular dose
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 of the cosmos. I'm Anna, and today we've got
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 an exciting lineup of stories for you. First
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 up, we'll dive into the surprising news from
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 Washington, D.C. where NASA has just received
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 a new interim administrator with a rather
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 unconventional background. Then we'll journey
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 beyond our solar system to uncover a
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 groundbreaking discovery about the origin of
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 a recently spotted interstellar comet. It's a
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 first of its kind. We'll also get the Latest
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 insights from NASA's DART mission, learning
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 how deflecting asteroids isn't quite as
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 straightforward as once thought. And finally,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 for all you stargazers out there, I'll share
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 some tips on how to spot the magnificent
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 ringed planet Saturn as it makes its grand
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 return to the late night sky this week.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 Let's get started. Our first
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 big story takes us to the political landscape
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 of space, as President Trump has appointed a
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 new interim administrator for NASA, Sean
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 Duffy. This comes six weeks after the
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 termination of Jared Isaacman's nomination.
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 What makes this appointment particularly
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 noteworthy is that Duffy currently serves as
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 the Secretary of transportation, a massive
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 role overseeing 55 employees and
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 13 agencies, including the FAA.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 President Trump announced the news on his
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 social media, praising Duffy's tremendous
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 job in transportation and calling him a
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 fantastic leader for the space agency, even
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 if only for a short time. Duffy himself took
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 to X, stating he was honoured to accept this
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 mission. Time to take over space. Let's
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 launch. This choice might seem
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 unconventional considering Duffy's
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 background, which includes starring on the
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 Real world Boston in 1997,
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 working as an ESPN commentator and serving as
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 a Republican in the US House of
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 Representatives. He doesn't have a
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 traditional space career, although he has
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 recently shown interest in spaceflight as FAA
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 administrator, even watching the Crew 9
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 missions splash down. This appointment
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 apparently caught NASA officials off guard,
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 as they had anticipated the current acting
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 administrator, Janet Petro, would remain.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 However, sources suggest President Trump
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 wanted someone he personally liked and
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 trusted at NASA's helm. This could actually
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 be a significant advantage for the agency,
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 providing a direct line to the president.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 Duffy could, for instance, text Trump
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 directly if NASA needs something or faces
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 unfairness during the budgeting process,
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 offering a level of political sway Petro
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 lacked. On the flip side, there are
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 genuine concerns about NASA's future under
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 Duffy's leadership. Given his political
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 background, his primary mission might be to
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 implement the president's budget request,
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 which proposes significant cuts to NASA's
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 science funding and changes to its deep space
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 exploration plans. He's expected to
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 align with Russ Vaught, who leads the White
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 House Office of Management and Budget and
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 holds strong views on presidential authority
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 over federal spending. This could mean a more
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 aggressive push to enforce budget cuts,
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 potentially impacting NASA's workforce and
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 ongoing projects. While NASA now has
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 a trusted and politically savvy leader for
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 the next few months, the path forward is
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 anything but clear. It remains to be seen
00:03:08 --> 00:03:09 whether Duffy will heed the concerns of
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 NASA's Scientific and Engineering leadership,
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 or if his mandate will be to streamline the
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 agency according to the proposed budgetary
00:03:17 --> 00:03:18 directives.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 It's a development we'll be watching closely
00:03:20 --> 00:03:21 here at Astronomy Daily,
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 Shifting gears from earthbound space politics
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 to incredible cosmic journeys Astronomers
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 have just made a groundbreaking discovery
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 about the third known object to visit our
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 solar system from M interstellar space. This
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 new visitor, Comet 3i Atlas, has a
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 truly unique origin that sets it apart from
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 its predecessors Oumuamua and 2i
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 Borisov. A team led by astrophysicist Matthew
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 Hopkins of the University of Oxford has
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 traced Comet 3I Atlas back to the thick disc
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 of the Milky Way. This isn't just any region
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 of our galaxy it's a vastly different and
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 much older environment than the thin disc
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 where our sun currently resides. This
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 unprecedented finding suggests that Comet 3i
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 Atlas is significantly older than our own
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 solar system, with researchers estimating its
00:04:08 --> 00:04:11 age to be between 7.6 and 14 billion
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 years old compared to our Sun's mere
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 4.6 billion years. The
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 comet, discovered on July 1, 2025,
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 was found travelling at an astonishing
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 velocity of 57 kilometres per second.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 To pinpoint its origin, Hopkins and his
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 colleagues employed a sophisticated protocol
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 known as the Otautahi Oxford Interstellar
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 Object Population Model. This model,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 developed by astronomers from New Zealand and
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 the uk, combines Gaia satellite data with
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 models of galactic chemistry and object
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 movement to map out populations of
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 interstellar objects. Their analysis
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 revealed that the comet's velocity is
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 perfectly consistent with an origin in the
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 Milky Way's thick disc. This region
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 contains about 10% of the galaxy's stars,
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 most of which are over 10 billion years old.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 This discovery not only makes 3i Atlas the
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 first known interstellar interloper from this
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 ancient part of our galaxy, but also makes it
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 highly unlikely that all three known
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 interstellar visitors came from the same
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 source. Comet 3I Atlas
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 is estimated to be between 10 to 20
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 kilometres across, with a bluer surface hue
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 and a redder coma than most comets native to
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 our solar system. Its closest approach to the
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 sun will occur in October 2025,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 bringing it just inside the orbit of Mars
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 before it continues its journey back out of
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 our solar system. While it's currently
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 impossible to Trace these interstellar
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36 objects back to a single specific star. The
00:05:36 --> 00:05:39 fact that 3i Atlas hails from the thick
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 disc provides invaluable insights. These
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 interstellar objects offer a rare opportunity
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 to study the process of planetesimal
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 formation and evolution from diverse galactic
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 environments, expanding our understanding
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 beyond just our own cosmic neighbourhood.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 It's a remarkable glimpse into the broader
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 history of our galaxy. From
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 ancient interstellar travellers, we now turn
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 our attention to how we're preparing to
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 defend our own cosmic neighbourhood from
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 asteroids right here in the solar system.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 NASA's DART mission, a real world test of
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 asteroid deflection, made history by
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 purposefully colliding with Dimorphos, a
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 small asteroid moon, in late 2022.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 The mission successfully changed the moon's
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 orbital period by a remarkable 33 minutes.
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 However, what unfolded after the collision
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 has opened a complex new chapter in asteroid
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 science. As DART slammed into
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 Dimorphos, it launched a significant swarm of
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 boulders into space. These rocks,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:40 some as large as 3.6 metres, were propelled
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 at high speeds, carrying over three times
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 the momentum of the DART spacecraft itself.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 This surprising revelation came from images
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 captured by Lichicube, a tiny Italian
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 spacecraft that flew alongside dart. A
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 team led by Tony Farnham at the University of
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 Maryland analysed these ejected boulders,
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 finding they weren't randomly scattered.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 Instead, they formed two distinct clusters.
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 Farnham noted something unknown is at work
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 here, with one large cluster flung towards
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 the south, possibly breaking off from two
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 massive surface boulders. This analysis
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 highlights, uh, a crucial difference from
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 previous missions. Jessica Sunshine, a, uh,
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 co author, explained that unlike earlier
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 impacts on uniform surfaces, DART hit a
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 rocky asteroid. This created chaotic
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 ejecta, proving that an asteroid's
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 composition and surface structure
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 significantly influence impact results, a
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 critical lesson for future planetary defence.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 The ejecta's shape and direction are vital
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 for understanding momentum transfer. The
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 plume formed a tilted cone, meaning the force
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 wasn't just straight back. It also moves
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 sideways. This lateral force could
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 potentially tilt the asteroid's orbit or
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 change its spin. Researchers estimate this
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 recoil might have shifted Dimorphos orbital
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 plane by up to one degree, which is
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 significant in spaceflight. The DART mission
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 aimed to measure momentum enhancement, the
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 extra push from kicked up material. The
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 momentum from these ejected boulders was
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 directed almost perpendicular to Dart's path
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 and adding a significant twist to the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 expected outcome. Farnham emphasised
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 while the direct impact of the DART
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 spacecraft caused this change, the boulders
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 ejected gave an additional kick that was
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 almost as big. That additional factor
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 changes the physics we need to consider when
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 planning these types of missions. As
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 Jessica Sunshine vividly put it, you can
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 think of it as a cosmic pool game. We might
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 miss the pocket if we don't consider all the
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 variables. This underscores why tracking
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 debris movement is so essential.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 Lichicube's detailed images analysed with
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 parallax, made a, uh, 3D map possible,
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 helping scientists understand velocities and
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 ejecta evolution. Looking ahead, this
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 analysis will be crucial for Europe's HERA
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 mission, scheduled to arrive at the Didymos
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 system in 2026. HERA
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 will closely examine the aftermath of the
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 DART impact, using this study as a vital
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 roadmap. Ultimately, dart's success
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 wasn't just about moving an asteroid. It was
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 about revealing the complex physics involved
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 when an asteroid breaks apart and ejects
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 material. It's a powerful reminder that when
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 trying to protect Earth, we truly need to
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 account for every single rock.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 And now, shifting our gaze from potential
00:09:22 --> 00:09:25 threats to a celestial beauty, we have some
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 exciting news for stargazers. The
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 magnificent ringed gas giant Saturn is
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 making its long awaited return to the late
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 night sky for observers in the Northern
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 Hemisphere this coming week, offering a prime
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 opportunity for some breathtaking views. For
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 the past few months, Saturn has been putting
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 on a spectacular show for early risers.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 Appearing as a morning star just before
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 or during dawn each day,
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 it's been rising a little earlier, steadily
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 moving away from the light of the sunrise.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 Now, for those in the Northern hemisphere,
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 Saturn will be making its triumphant return
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 to the late night sky. For instance,
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 New Yorkers can expect to see Saturn rise
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 alongside the stars of the Constellation
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 Pisces at 11:57pm
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 EDT on July 9th. Remember
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 that the exact times a planet rises and sets
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 will vary based on your specific location,
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 so it's always a good idea to check a trusted
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 website like inthesky.org for timings
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 tailored to where you are. Each successive
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 night, Saturn will rise a few minutes
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 earlier, becoming increasingly visible in the
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 evening sky by the time it reaches
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 opposition, which is when Earth is positioned
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 directly between the ringed giant and the
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 sun. On, uh, September 21st, it will
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 rise just a few minutes after sunset and be
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 observable throughout the entire night.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 Saturn will remain a consistent fixture in
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 the evening sky until the middle of March
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 2026, when it will pass close to the
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 sun from our perspective, temporarily
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 disappearing from view before its cycle
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 begins anew in the predawn sky. While
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 Saturn is absolutely spectacular to view with
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 the naked eye alone, if you have a 6 inch
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 telescope, you'll be able to resolve its
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 iconic ring system and perhaps even some of
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 its larger moons. For those with a larger 8
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 inch scope, you might even be able to make
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 out the 2mile gap in the
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 iconic ring system known as the Cassini
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 Division. Especially under good seeing
00:11:23 --> 00:11:26 conditions and dark skies, it's a truly awe
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 inspiring sight. So if you have the chance,
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 definitely take a look.
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 That's all the cosmic news we have for you
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 today on Astronomy Daily. Thank you for
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 tuning in and joining me Anna, as we explore
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 the universe together. If you want to catch
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 up on all the latest space and astronomy news
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 with our constantly updating news feed or
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 listen to all our back episodes, be sure to
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 visit our website@astronomydaily.IO.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 you can also subscribe to the podcast on
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube,
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00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 sure you never miss an episode. Until next
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 time, keep looking up.