- Remembering Astronaut James Lovell: Join us as we pay tribute to the legendary astronaut James Lovell, whose remarkable contributions to space exploration have left an indelible mark on humanity's journey to the stars. We reflect on his iconic missions, including Apollo 8 and the heroic Apollo 13, celebrating his leadership and unwavering spirit that inspired millions.
- - Perseid Meteor Shower Preview: Get ready for the annual Perseid meteor shower! While this celestial event is a favorite among stargazers, this year’s bright moon may hinder visibility. We share tips on how to catch the best meteors despite the moonlight and discuss the exciting conjunction of Jupiter and Venus that will grace the early morning sky.
- - Hubble's Groundbreaking Discovery: Dive into the latest findings from the Hubble Space Telescope, which has unveiled evidence of a rare white dwarf merger. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about stellar evolution and highlights the importance of ultraviolet observations in understanding the universe's hidden treasures.
- - Interstellar Travel to a Black Hole: Explore the ambitious concept of sending tiny laser-propelled probes to a nearby black hole within a human lifetime. We discuss the technological advancements needed for this monumental journey and the scientific implications of such an extraordinary mission.
- 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 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 Avery and Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
James Lovell's Legacy
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Perseid Meteor Shower Information
[American Meteor Society](https://www.amsmeteors.org/)
Hubble's White Dwarf Discovery
[Hubble Space Telescope](https://hubblesite.org/)
Interstellar Travel Concepts
[Cosimo Bambi Research](https://www.fudan.edu.cn/en/)
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
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 dose of the latest and greatest from across
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 the cosmos.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 Avery: We're your hosts, Avery and Anna, and we've
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 got some truly fascinating stories from the
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 world of space and astronomy for you today.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 Anna: We'll be starting by remembering a true
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 legend of space exploration. Astronaut
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 James Lovell, whose incredible life and
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 contributions left an indelible mark on
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 humanity's journey to the stars. Then we'll
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 shift our gaze to the night sky, discussing
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 the upcoming Perseid meteor shower and
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 whether the bright moon might put a damper on
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 this year's viewing party. But don't worry,
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 we'll have some tips for you after
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 that. We're off to explore a groundbreaking
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 discovery by the Hubble Space Telescope,
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 which has revealed evidence of a rare white
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 dwarf collision, shedding new light on steel
00:00:53 --> 00:00:53 stellar evolution.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 Avery: And finally, we'll launch into a truly
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 ambitious concept, the potential for space
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 travel to a nearby black hole within the next
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 century, exploring the technology and the
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 scientific implications of such a monumental
00:01:07 --> 00:01:07 journey.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 Anna: So get ready for an exciting tour of
00:01:11 --> 00:01:11 the universe.
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 We begin our show today with some somber news
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 from the world of space exploration. We're
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 reflecting on the remarkable life of
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 astronaut James Lovell, who sadly passed
00:01:23 --> 00:01:24 away recently at the age of.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 Lovell was a true icon, a member of
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 humanity's first trip to the moon and
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 famously the commander of NASA's challenging
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 Apollo 13 mission.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 Avery: That's right, Ana. NASA announced his passing
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 and acting administrator Sean Duffy released
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 a statement saying, NASA sends its
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 condolences to the family of Captain Jim
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 Lovell, whose life and work inspired millions
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 of people across the decades. Jim's character
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 and steadfast courage helped our nation reach
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 the moon and turned a potential tragedy into
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 a success from which we learned an enormous
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 amount. We mourn his passing even as we
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 celebrate his achievements. It really speaks
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 volumes about the man he was.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 Anna: Absolutely. He was a four time
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 Gemini and Apollo astronaut. But he's
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 perhaps most famously known for his portrayal
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 in the 1995 feature film
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 Apollo 13. Tom Hanks played him
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 and Lovell himself had a great sense of humor
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 about it, often joking at public appearances.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 I know today when I came out, many of you
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 were expecting Tom Hanks, but you're going to
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 have to settle for little old me.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 Avery: Such a humble man. His career was truly
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 groundbreaking. He was selected with NASA's
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 second group of astronauts in 1962
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 and first launched aboard Gemini 7 in
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 December 1965. This was a
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 pivotal mission as it was the first to
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 include a rendezvous with another crewed
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 spacecraft, Gemini 6. And he and
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 Commander Borman spent two weeks in Earth
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 orbit, setting the US record for the
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 longest spaceflight at the time, all in
00:03:03 --> 00:03:04 preparation for the later Apollo missions.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 Anna: And he was a key figure in demonstrating the
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 skills needed for lunar missions. He
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 commanded Gemini 12, the program's final
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 flight, where his crewmate Buzz Aldrin,
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 conducted the first truly successful
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 spacewalks, showing that astronauts could
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 effectively work outside a, uh, spacecraft.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 This was a huge step forward for the program,
00:03:27 --> 00:03:28 indeed.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 Avery: Then came his first trip to the moon as part
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 of Apollo 8 in December 1968.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 This mission was revolutionary, marking the
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 first time humans had flown to another
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 celestial body. Lovell, Bolt Borman and
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 William Bill Anders were the first to see the
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 far side of the moon with their own eyes and
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 captured the iconic Earthrise photographs,
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 which many credit with inspiring the
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 environmental movement. Lovell himself said,
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 you had to pinch yourself, hey, we're really
00:03:55 --> 00:03:58 going to the moon. This is it. It
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 truly was a high point. As Lovell himself
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 later reflected, that mission brought a much
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 needed uplift to the American people during
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 the turbulent year when a telegram sent to
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 the crew stating, you saved
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 1968. But of course, the
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 mission that cemented his legend was Apollo
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 13 in April 1970. What was
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 intended to be NASA's third moon landing
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 quickly turned into a fight for survival
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 after an explosion tore through the
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 spacecraft's service module. That's when his
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 famous line, houston, we've had a problem
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 here came into play. He saw gas escaping
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 from the spacecraft and oxygen gauges
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 dropping to zero, and it was a dire
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 situation. But his calm leadership, along
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 with crewmates Fred Haise and Jack Swigert,
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 guided them through incredible challenges to
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 a safe splashdown. It was a testament to his
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 courage and ingenuity, turning a potential
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 tragedy into an incredible story of human
00:04:54 --> 00:04:55 perseverance.
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 Anna: He was already a record breaker even before
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 Apollo 13, being the first person to launch
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 into space four times. After
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 his active flight career, Lovell continued to
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 contribute, serving as Deputy Director of
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 Science and Applications at what's now
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 Johnson Space center before retiring from
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 NASA and the Navy. He then moved into the
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 business world, holding executive roles and
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 serving on various boards.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 Avery: And his contributions were recognized with
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 numerous accolades, including the
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 Presidential Medal of Freedom. He was
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 inducted into the International Space hall of
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 Fame, the US Astronaut hall of Fame, and the
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 National Aviation hall of Fame. A crater
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 on the far side of the moon was even named
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 for him in 1970.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 Anna: His legacy extends beyond his professional
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 achievements. His family released, uh, a
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 statement saying they were enormously proud
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 of his amazing life and career
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 accomplishments highlighted by his legendary
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 leadership in pioneering human spaceflight.
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 But to all of us, he was dad,
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 granddad, and the leader of our family.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 Most importantly, he was our hero. We
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 will miss his unshakeable optimism,
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 his sense of humor, and the way he made each
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 of us feel we could do the impossible. He
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 was truly one of a kind.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 Avery: What a beautiful tribute. With James Lovell's
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 passing, only five of the 24 people who flew
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 to the moon during the Apollo program remain
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 Livin's. His contributions to space
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 exploration and his unwavering spirit will
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 undoubtedly continue to inspire generations
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 to come. He truly embodied the adventurous
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 and resilient spirit of human spaceflight.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 Anna: From a somber reflection, we now turn our
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 gaze to a more regular yet still exciting
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 celestial event, the annual Perseid
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 meteor shower. August is often dubbed
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 meteor month for observers in the Northern
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 hemisphere, largely thanks to this
00:06:53 --> 00:06:53 display.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 Avery: That's right, Anna. It's beloved by everyone
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 from serious meteor enthusiasts to casual
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 summer campers. However, for 2025,
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 skywatchers need to be aware of a significant
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 obstaclethe Moon.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 Anna: Unfortunately, this year the moon will turn
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 full on August 9th and will be in a very
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 bright, waning gibbous phase a few nights
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 later, right when the Perseid peak is
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 predicted to occur. And that's for the
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 overnight hours of Monday, August 11th
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 into the pre dawn hours of Tuesday, August
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 12th. Awaiting gibbous is just about the
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 worst moon phase for meteor observing.
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 Avery: It truly is. The moon will be 89%
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 illuminated and will be flooding the sky with
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 light through most of that keen night. This
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 will definitely hamper any serious attempts
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 to observe the meteors. It's a bit of a redux
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 of 1968 when the moon was in the same phase
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 during the Perseid peak. Back then, a meteor
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 watch in Central park only saw a about one
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 meteor every minute or eight, when
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 typically you'd expect one every minute or
00:07:55 --> 00:07:55 two.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 Anna: So quantity over quality then, because
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 moonlight only hides the fainter meteors.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 Many Perseids are known to be fast, bright
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 and often leave persistent trains.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 These brighter, streaky Perseids can
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 definitely burn right through a moonlit sky,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 exactly as.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 Avery: Uh, Guy Adewell notes in his Astronomical
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 Calendar 2025. Perseid meteors
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 are swift, many are bright. 1 White, yellow,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 green, red, orange, leave spectacular
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 long lasting trains and end in flares. And
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 occasionally you get an outstandingly bright
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 Perseid fireball that blazes forth impressive
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 enough to attract attention even with bright
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 moonlight. So if you're willing to sacrifice
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 the sheer number of meteors, you might still
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 catch some truly spectacular ones.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 Anna: The best time to watch, as always,
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 is from 11pm or midnight
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 straight on until the first light of dawn.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 10 the meteors can appear anywhere in the
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 sky, so just make sure you're watching in a
00:08:55 --> 00:08:58 direction where the Moon isn't directly in
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 your eyes.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 Avery: It's definitely not the ideal year, as a
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 single observer in the absence of moonlight
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 might see 45 to 90 meteors per hour.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 We won't come close to that in 2025,
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 but for those already thinking ahead,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 2026 promises a much better show,
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 with the peak night coinciding with a new
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 Moon and even a solar eclipse. The so while
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 this year is challenging, next year will be a
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 different story. In the meantime, keep an eye
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 out for a few celestial streakers and don't
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 forget the eye catching conjunction of
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 Jupiter and Venus. Low in the east northeast
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 sky a few hours before sunrise. It's a nice
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 constellation prize for the Moonlit Perseids
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 of 2025.
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 Anna: From looking at our own skies, let's now
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 pivot to a truly fascinating discovery
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 made possible by the venerable Hubble Space
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 Telescope. It has uncovered compelling
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 evidence of a rare white dwarf merger,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 shedding new light on stellar evolution and
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 the ultimate fates of binary stars.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 Avery: This is a significant finding. Scientists at
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 the University of Warwick detected carbon in
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 the ultra massive white dwarf known as
00:10:06 --> 00:10:10 WD0525526,
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 which is located about 130 light years away.
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 In optical light, it looks like an ordinary
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 hydrogen rich white dwarf, but Hubble's
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 ultraviolet spectra revealed something much
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 more unique.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 Anna: That faint carbon trace in its atmosphere is
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 the telltale sign that this object is the
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 product of a rare white dwarf merger rather
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 than just a single star's evolution. What's
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 even more remarkable is that the detected
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 carbon is four to five orders of
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 magnitude lower than in previously known
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 merger remnants, making this the earliest
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 stage example of such a merger found so far.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 Avery: It really highlights the power of ultraviolet
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 observation. Normally, ultramassive white
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 dwarfs hide their carbon beneath thick
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 hydrogen and helium envelopes, but in
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 WD0525526
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 these layers are 10 billion times
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 thinner. This thinning likely resulted from
00:11:07 --> 00:11:10 two stars merging and burning off their outer
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 layers during the cosmic collision. The
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 leaving behind a stripped remnant with a
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 nearly pure hydrogen atmosphere, yet
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 with carbon still leaking through.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 Anna: And the mechanism behind this carbon leakage
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 is also quite intriguing. At nearly four
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 times the sun's surface temperature,
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 WD0525526
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 is too hot for typical convection to bring up
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 carbon. Instead, the team identified
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 semiconvection, a subtle mixing Process
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 never before seen in white dwarfs that allows
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 a modest amount of carbon to drift upward.
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 This opens a new chapter in stellar physics.
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 Avery: The discovery challenges previous assumptions
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 that hydrogen rich white dwarfs lack carbon.
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 It implies that low level carbon pollution
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 might be hidden beneath thin atmospheres in
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 many ultramassive white dwarfs, only
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 detectable with sensitive ultraviolet data.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 Anna: This research deepens our understanding of
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 cooling delays in what's called the Q branch
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 of the Gaia hertzsprung Russell diagram,
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 which is linked to core crystallization.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 It also ref binary merger rates and
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 helps us better identify potential
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 progenitors of Thermonuclear Supernova
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 WD0525526
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 acts as a benchmark for models of stellar
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 mergers and white dwarf evolution.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:32 Avery: It's incredible that Hubble, even at 35 years
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 old, is still the only telescope capable of
00:12:34 --> 00:12:37 making such observations. The researchers
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 stress the vital importance of planning for a
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 new ultraviolet observatory to continue this
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 work and survey more ultramassive white
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 dwarfs across the galaxy, which could reveal
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 a whole hidden population of these rare
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 merger remnants.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 Anna: From uncovering hidden stellar secrets with
00:12:53 --> 00:12:56 Hubble, let's now set our sights on an even
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 more ambitious concept. The idea of
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 interstellar travel to a black hole.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 It sounds like something out of science
00:13:04 --> 00:13:07 fiction, but a new concept by astrophysicist
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 Cosimo Bambi of Fudan University
00:13:09 --> 00:13:12 suggests a tiny laser propelled probe
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 could actually make this trip to within a
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 human lifetime.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 Avery: That's absolutely mind blowing. This
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 vision, published in Eye Science, outlines
00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 how gram scale nanocrafts could journey to
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 a nearby black hole and directly test the
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29 depths of gravitational physics. The first
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 challenge, of course, is finding a hidden
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 black hole. Close enough.
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 Anna: Exactly. Known black holes like Jaia
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 Baeshuan, uh, are over 1500 light years
00:13:38 --> 00:13:41 away. But Bambi estimates there might be 1
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 within 20 to 25 light years. Based on
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 stellar and white dwarf densities in galactic
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 region. Detecting one would require new
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 techniques such as microlensing or
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 gravitational wave events, which could pick
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 up the pull of an otherwise invisible object.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 Given rapid advances in these methods, Bambi
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 argues we could locate a suitable target
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 within 10 years.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 Avery: That's a much shorter timeline for finding
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 one than I would have thought. The core of
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 this incredible mission lies in those
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 nanocrafts. They'd be space probes or
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 weighing just a few grams, Essentially a
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 silicon chip like wafer with a reflective
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 light sail made from advanced metamaterials.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 A powerful laser array on Earth would
00:14:23 --> 00:14:26 push the sail, accelerating the craft to
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 speeds approaching a third of the speed of
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 light.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 Anna: And at that astonishing speed, a black hole
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 20 to 25 light years away could be reached in
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 about 60 to 75 years. Once the data
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 is gathered, the signals would take another
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 20 to 25 years to return, making the
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 mission's full timeline around 8, 80 to 100
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 years, potentially even shorter if higher
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 speeds are achieved.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 Avery: This isn't just about the journey. It's about
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 the extraordinary experiments they could
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 conduct Near a black hole's extreme gravity.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 For instance, if two or more nanocrafts were
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 used, One could orbit closer while another
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 observes. The inner craft would beam, uh, a
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 steady electromagnetic signal Back to its
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 partner According to general relativity. The
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 timing of that signal should match
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 predictions of the Kerr metric, which
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 describes spacetime Around a rotating black
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 hole. Any deviations could reveal new
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 gravitational physics.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 Anna: Another fascinating test involves approaching
00:15:23 --> 00:15:26 or even crossing an event horizon. If a
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 nanocraft falls into a true black hole,
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 Its signal should become increasingly
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 redshifted until it vanishes from view. But
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 if the object is a fuzzball with no horizon,
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 the signal might disappear suddenly. Only a
00:15:39 --> 00:15:42 direct mission could truly reveal the truth.
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 They could even test if fundamental
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 constants, like the fine structure constant
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 change under intense gravity.
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 Avery: Despite the incredible scientific payoff,
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 There are major hurdles. The laser
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 infrastructure alone would cost an estimated
00:15:55 --> 00:15:58 1 trillion euros today. Though Bambi
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 expects costs to drop significantly over the
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 next two to three decades, Nanocraft
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 technology, including durable light sails and
00:16:05 --> 00:16:08 miniaturized instruments, still needs
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 development and communication across light
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 years. Navigation and target precision are
00:16:13 --> 00:16:13 daunting.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 Anna: Yet as Bambi points out, Breakthroughs once
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 deemed impossible, like detecting
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 gravitational waves or imaging black hole
00:16:21 --> 00:16:24 shadows, are now realities. His
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 goal is to spark a conversation that could
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 launch a century long project,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:32 Potentially opening a direct window into
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 gravity's most extreme realm.
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 Avery: It's truly inspiring to think that future
00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 generations Might begin building and planning
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 for such a mission. While today's scientists
00:16:41 --> 00:16:44 are laying the groundwork. This interstellar
00:16:44 --> 00:16:47 ambition could transform astrophysics,
00:16:47 --> 00:16:50 Allowing direct measurements of spacetime and
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 extreme gravity that either reaffirm or
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 challenge Einstein's theory.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 Anna: Well, that brings us to the end of another
00:16:57 --> 00:17:00 fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily. Thank
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 you so much for joining us today.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 Avery: It's been quite a journey through the cosmos,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 hasn't it? We remembered the incredible
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 legacy of astronaut James Lovell. We
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 discussed the challenging Perseid meteor
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 shower this year, and explored Hubble's
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 amazing discovery Of a rare white dwarf
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 collision.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 Anna: And of course, we dared to dream about the
00:17:19 --> 00:17:22 possibility of sending nanocrafts to a black
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 hole within the next century. There's always
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 so much happening in the universe.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 Avery: Indeed, there is. We hope you enjoy
00:17:29 --> 00:17:32 diving into these stories with us, and please
00:17:32 --> 00:17:35 visit our website at, uh, astronomydaily
00:17:35 --> 00:17:38 IO for more news and to listen to our back
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 episodes.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:42 Anna: Join us next time for more celestial insights
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 and the latest news from beyond our world.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 Until then, keep looking up