00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 [Music]
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 welcome to Astronomy Daily I'm Anna
00:00:03 --> 00:00:04 bringing you the latest and most
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 exciting news from across the cosmos
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 Today we've got a stellar lineup of
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 stories that showcase just how dynamic
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 our understanding of space continues to
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 be Coming up in the next 20 minutes
00:00:15 --> 00:00:18 we'll explore a truly rare cosmic event
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 that's unfolding relatively close to
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 home a pair of white dwarf stars on a
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 collision course that will eventually
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 create a supernova explosion brighter
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 than 10 full moons This firstofits-kind
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 discovery is giving astronomers
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 unprecedented insight into these cosmic
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 standard candles We'll also dive into
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 some space policy news as SpaceX steps
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 in to launch a military GPS satellite
00:00:42 --> 00:00:43 that had been waiting in storage due to
00:00:44 --> 00:00:45 delays with United Launch Alliance's
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 Vulcan rocket This satellite shuffle
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 reveals interesting developments in how
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 the space force is adapting to ensure
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 critical missions reach orbit on
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 schedule Then we'll head to the
00:00:56 --> 00:00:57 International Space Station with the
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 Soyu's MS27 mission carrying a
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 fascinating crew including a NASA
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 astronaut with an extraordinary
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 background as both a Navy Seal and a
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 Harvard educated doctor Our planetary
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 exploration takes us to Uranus where new
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 Hubble telescope data has revealed the
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 ice giant's day is actually longer than
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 we've thought for the past four decades
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 Those extra 28 seconds might seem small
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 but they're forcing scientists to
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 recalibrate everything we know about the
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 planet's coordinate system And finally
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 we'll look at an ambitious proposal for
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 a fleet of space telescopes working
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 together to answer one of humanity's
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 most profound questions How common is
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 life in the universe the fascinating
00:01:39 --> 00:01:40 part is that even if this mission finds
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 no signs of extraterrestrial life it
00:01:43 --> 00:01:44 could still tell us volumes about our
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 cosmic neighborhood That's all ahead on
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 today's episode of Astronomy Daily your
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 window to the wonders beyond our world
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 So let's get
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 started Astronomers have just made an
00:01:55 --> 00:01:56 unprecedented discovery that's
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 captivating the scientific community A
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 pair of white dwarf stars locked in a
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 deadly dance just 150 lightyear from
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 Earth This extremely rare binary system
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 consists of two massive white dwarfs
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 that are on a collision course spiraling
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 ever closer to each other in what will
00:02:13 --> 00:02:14 eventually result in one of the most
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 spectacular explosions in the
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 cosmos White dwarfs are essentially the
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 dense cores left behind when stars like
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 our sun die They pack roughly the mass
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 of the sun into a volume about the size
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 of Earth making them incredibly dense
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 Finding two of these stellar remnants
00:02:31 --> 00:02:32 orbiting each other this closely is
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 extraordinary And the implications are
00:02:35 --> 00:02:37 even more fascinating According to
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 research published in Nature Astronomy
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 these two stars are already remarkably
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 close orbiting each other once roughly
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 every 14 hours But this leisurely
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 encircling won't last forever Over the
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 next billion years gravitational wave
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 radiation will cause the stars to spiral
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 even closer together By the time they're
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 about to go supernova they'll be
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 whipping around each other every 30 to
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 40 seconds What makes this discovery
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 truly significant is that it's the first
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 direct observation of what astronomers
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 believe is the most common cause of type
00:03:10 --> 00:03:11 1 a
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 supernovi These cosmic explosions occur
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 when a white dwarf gathers too much mass
00:03:17 --> 00:03:18 In this case the heavier of the pair
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 will likely accumulate material from its
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 partner through gravity leading to one
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 or both stars exploding Lead researcher
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 James Monday from the University of
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 Warwick was understandably excited when
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 he spotted this system noting that for
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 years a local and massive double white
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 dwarf binary has been anticipated His
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 international team quickly used some of
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 the world's largest optical telescopes
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 to determine exactly how compact the
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 system is discovering that the two stars
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 are separated by just 1/60th of the
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 Earth's sun distance Type one a
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 supernovi are crucial tools for
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 astronomers because they serve as
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 standard candles Explosions with known
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 brightness that allow scientists to
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 calculate the distance between Earth and
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 other
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 galaxies They're even used to test
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 theories about the expansion of the
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 universe Having a front row seat to the
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 formation of such an event is
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 unprecedented When these stars
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 eventually merge the resulting explosion
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 will be truly cataclysmic about a
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 thousand trillion trillion times more
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 powerful than the most powerful nuclear
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 bomb ever created And while that sounds
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 alarming especially considering how
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 close the system is to our solar system
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 we don't need to worry The team's
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 calculations indicate this cosmic
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 spectacle won't happen for about 23
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 billion years
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 Co-author Ingred Pelisi points out that
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 finding such a system relatively nearby
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 suggests these binary white dwarf pairs
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 must be fairly common throughout the
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 galaxy If they were rare astronomers
00:04:48 --> 00:04:49 would have needed to look much further
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 away to find one She adds that this is
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 just the beginning as their survey
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 searching for type 1A supernova
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 progenitors is ongoing with more
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 exciting discoveries likely on the
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 horizon This rare glimpse into the life
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 cycle of stars provides a valuable piece
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 in our understanding of cosmic evolution
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 By watching these white dwarfs over time
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 astronomers can refine their models of
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 how these standard candles form and
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 behave ultimately improving our ability
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 to measure the vast distances of space
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 and understand the fundamental nature of
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 our expanding universe
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 Next today in a significant shift for
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 the US military's launch plans Space
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 Systems Command announced Monday that
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 SpaceX will now deploy a global
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 positioning system satellite originally
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 scheduled to fly on United Launch
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 Alliance's Vulcan rocket This is no
00:05:38 --> 00:05:39 small matter It represents the second
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 time in just 6 months that the Space
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 Force has had to reassign a military
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 satellite to SpaceX due to continued
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 delays with ULA's new Vulcan launch
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 vehicle The satellite in question
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 designated GPS
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 3SV08 is the eighth in a series of 10
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 advanced navigation satellites that
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 provide critical positioning and timing
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 signals for both military and civilian
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 users worldwide It had been sitting in
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 storage at Loheed Martin's factory in
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 Colorado essentially ready to go but
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 waiting for its ride to space Thanks to
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 this launch vehicle trade as the Space
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 Force calls it the GPS satellite could
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 reach orbit as early as the end of May A
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 dramatic acceleration compared to its
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 uncertain timeline with ULA What makes
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 this particularly remarkable is how
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 quickly the military can pivot when
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 necessary Colonel Jim Horn senior
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 material leader of launch execution
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 pointed out that this showcases the
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 Space Force's ability to complete high
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 priority launches with just 3 months of
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 preparation compared to the typical
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 planning cycle of 2 years This rapid
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 response capability isn't just a
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 convenience it's increasingly viewed as
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 a strategic necessity Frank Calvelli the
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 Pentagon's chief of space acquisition
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 had previously expressed significant
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 concerns about ULA's manufacturing
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 capabilities writing in a letter to
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 ULA's owners Boeing and Loheed Martin
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 that currently there is military
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 satellite capability sitting on the
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 ground due to Vulcan delays The Vulcan
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 rocket which ULA hopes will eventually
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 launch twice monthly has only flown on
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 two demonstration missions so far While
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 the Space Force did certify the rocket
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 for military launches last month ULA
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 faces the daunting task of working
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 through its massive backlog of 89
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 missions a number that grew even larger
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 after the Space Force awarded the
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 company 19 additional launches just last
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 week This isn't the first time the
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 military has had to pull this kind of
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 maneuver Last year teams from the Space
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 Force Spac X and Loheed Martin
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 successfully executed what they called a
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 rapid response trailblazer mission
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 preparing a GPS satellite for launch on
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 a Falcon 9 in less than 5 months rather
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 than waiting for its ULA slot That
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 mission launched successfully in
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 December To maintain balance in its
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 launch portfolio the Space Force is
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 making adjustments across its manifest
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 They'll be moving a future GPS payload
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 from SpaceX's Falcon Heavy back to ULA's
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 Vulcan ensuring that the next three GPS
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 satellites after this one will still fly
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 on Vulcan once the rocket is ready A
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 similar compensation occurred after last
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 year's reassignment These advanced GPS3
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 satellites represent a significant
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 upgrade to the navigation constellation
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 They broadcast more accurate signals
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 that are harder for adversaries to jam
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 and they include a new channel
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 compatible with Europe's Galileo
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 navigation network This allows users to
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 merge signals from both constellations
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 to achieve even better position
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 estimates A capability that both
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 military strategists and civilian
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 applications are eager to utilize With
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 two more completed GPS3 satellites
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 already in storage and waiting for
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 launch plus an upgraded GPS 3F design
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 set to begin launching in 2027 the
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 pressure to get these capabilities into
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 orbit remains high This satellite swap
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 demonstrates not just the space force's
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 flexibility but the growing importance
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 of having redundant launch options to
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 ensure national security assets can
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 reach space when
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 needed The fourth crude space launch of
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 2025 is now in the history books as
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 Soyu's MS-27 successfully lifted off
00:09:13 --> 00:09:17 from the Biconer Cosmo in Kazakhstan The
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 launch occurred right on schedule at
00:09:19 --> 00:09:23 5:47 UTC on Tuesday April 8th carrying
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 three crew members bound for the
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 International Space Station Leading the
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 mission is veteran cosminaut Sergey
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 Rajikov who's no stranger to space
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 travel This marks his third journey
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 beyond Earth's atmosphere following
00:09:35 --> 00:09:39 previous missions in 2016 and 2020
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 During his second flight Riakov even
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 served as the commander of the
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 International Space Station during
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 Expedition 64 gaining valuable
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 leadership experience that will serve
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 him well on this new mission Joining
00:09:50 --> 00:09:53 Riakov are two firsttime space travelers
00:09:53 --> 00:09:56 Russian cosminaut Alexi Zubritzky a
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 senior lieutenant in the Russian Air
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 Force is serving as one of the flight
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 engineers Born in Ukraine's Zaparia
00:10:02 --> 00:10:05 region in 1992 Zubritzky was selected
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 for the cosminot program in 2018 after
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 graduating from the Ivan Kojaub National
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 University of the Air Force The second
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 flight engineer position is filled by
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 NASA astronaut Johnny Kim whose
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 background reads like an action movie
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 script Before becoming an astronaut Kim
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 served as a Navy Seal seeing combat in
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 the Middle East where he earned a silver
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 star Not content with just military
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 achievements he went on to earn a
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 mathematics degree sumakum laad and a
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 medical degree from Harvard becoming
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 both a physician and a naval aviator
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 before NASA selected him in
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 2017 The Soyuse spacecraft reached the
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 station in just over 3 hours docking to
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 the PCL module on the Russian segment at
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 903 UTC This precise orbital ballet
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 demonstrates the reliability of the
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 Soyuse program which continues to serve
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 as a crucial transportation system for
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 the international space community With
00:10:58 --> 00:11:02 the arrival of Soyuse MS-27 the space
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 station is temporarily home to 10
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 astronauts and cosminauts The new
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 arrivals will join the existing crew 10
00:11:08 --> 00:11:12 and Soyu's MS26 teams already aboard
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 This larger crew will work together
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 during a handover period until Soyuse
00:11:16 --> 00:11:20 MS26 undocks on April 20th marking the
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 end of Expedition 72 and the beginning
00:11:22 --> 00:11:26 of Expedition 73 Unlike typical Soyuse
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 missions which last about 6 months this
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 crew is scheduled for an extended stay
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 of approximately 8 months They won't
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 return to Earth until December 8th
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 giving them ample time to conduct
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 experiments and perform essential
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 maintenance on the orbital outpost Among
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 their potential tasks is at least one
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 spacew walk planned for the US segment
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 of the station Johnny Kim with his
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 extensive training in EVA operations is
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 expected to participate in this critical
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 work outside the protective shell of the
00:11:55 --> 00:11:59 ISS The Soyuse MS27 mission represents
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 the continuity of international
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 cooperation in space despite
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 geopolitical tensions on Earth It's also
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 the second Soyuse rocket launch of 2025
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 and the first of two planned crude
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 flights from Biconor this year The
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 backup crew for this mission already
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 named as the prime crew for Soyuse MS28
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 is scheduled to launch no earlier than
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 November 27th As these three explorers
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 settle into their home for the next
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 eight months they become part of the
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 ongoing human presence in low Earth
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 orbit that has now continued
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 uninterrupted for over two decades
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 furthering our understanding of living
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 and working in the challenging
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 environment of
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 space Up next new findings means new
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 adjustments Time to adjust our calendars
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 for Uranus The ice giant just got a
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 longer day Recent analysis of decadel
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 long observations from the Hubble Space
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 Telescope has revealed that Uranus takes
00:12:51 --> 00:12:55 17 hours 14 minutes and 52 seconds to
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 complete a full rotation on its axis
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 This new measurement adds 28 seconds to
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 the previous estimate established by
00:13:02 --> 00:13:06 NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft back in
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 1986 The original rotation period of 17
00:13:09 --> 00:13:12 hours 14 minutes and 24 seconds was
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 determined during Voyager 2's historic
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 flyby the first and so far only
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 spacecraft visit to the distant planet
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 Scientists based that figure on radio
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 signals from Uranus's auroras and direct
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 measurements of its magnetic field This
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 value became the foundation for all
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 coordinate systems and surface mapping
00:13:30 --> 00:13:33 of the pale turquoise world However this
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 new research suggests astronomers may
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 need to reconsider some of those maps
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 The Voyager 2 estimate contained
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 inherent uncertainties that led to
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 significant problems Within just a
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 couple of years after the spacecraft's
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 brief encounter the orientation of
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 Uranus's magnetic axis became completely
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 lost resulting in a 180° error in the
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 planet's longitude Coordinate systems
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 based on that outdated rotation period
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 quickly became unreliable
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 To resolve this astronomical dilemma a
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 team led by Lauron Lami from the Paris
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 Observatory undertook the painstaking
00:14:07 --> 00:14:10 task of tracking Uranus's auroras using
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 Hubble data collected between 2011 and
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 2022 By monitoring these luminous
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 atmospheric displays over more than a
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 decade the researchers pinpointed the
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 planet's magnetic poles with
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 unprecedented accuracy enabling them to
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 calculate a more precise rotation period
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 The continuous observations from Hubble
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 were crucial Lamey noted Without this
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 wealth of data it would have been
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 impossible to detect the periodic signal
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 with the level of accuracy we achieved
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 This methodical approach offers benefits
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 beyond just updating a planetary factoid
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 The technique can now be applied to
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 determine rotation rates for any
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 celestial body with a magnetic field and
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 auroras not only within our solar system
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 but potentially for exoplanets and other
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 distant worlds as well
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 The updated rotation period provides
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 astronomers with a much more reliable
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 coordinate system for Uranus one
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 expected to remain accurate for decades
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 until future missions can gather even
00:15:07 --> 00:15:10 more precise data This improvement could
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 prove invaluable for planning those
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 future expeditions to Uranus
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 particularly in designing orbital tours
00:15:15 --> 00:15:17 and selecting suitable atmospheric entry
00:15:17 --> 00:15:20 sites for probes While 28 seconds might
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 seem like a minor adjustment in
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 astronomical terms this level of
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 precision represents a significant
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 refinement in our understanding of the
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 seventh planet from the sun The findings
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 published in the journal Nature
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 Astronomy earlier this month demonstrate
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 how continued observations from
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 Earth-based instruments can still
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 enhance our knowledge of even the most
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 distant planets in our solar system
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 Finally today in our search for life
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 beyond Earth scientists are developing
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 increasingly sophisticated tools to
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 answer one of humanity's most profound
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 questions Are we alone a groundbreaking
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 mission concept called life the large
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 interpherometer for exoplanets aims to
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 tackle this question with unprecedented
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 clarity Life proposes deploying a fleet
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 of four space telescopes working in
00:16:05 --> 00:16:08 perfect coordination around a central
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 combiner spacecraft These telescopes
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 would fly in formation tens to hundreds
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 of meters apart collectively functioning
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 as a powerful intererometer that
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 combines their light detections to
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 achieve what no single telescope could
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 What makes life particularly
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 revolutionary is its planned use of
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29 nulling interferometry a clever
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 technique that cancels out the
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 overwhelming glare from stars by
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 combining their light out of phase This
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 creates what scientists call destructive
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 interference effectively dimming the
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 stars brilliance while preserving the
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 faint light from any orbiting planets
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 Rather than producing direct images life
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 would observe in the mid infrared
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 spectrum allowing it to
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 spectroscopically analyze the light from
00:16:52 --> 00:16:55 exoplanets and reveal the molecular
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 composition of their atmospheres The
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 mission would target dozens of
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 Earth-sized planets residing in the
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 habitable zones of their stars searching
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 for telltale bio signatures atmospheric
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 gases that could indicate the presence
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 of life These bios signatures include
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 the obvious candidates like oxygen and
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 water vapor but also compounds such as
00:17:14 --> 00:17:18 ozone methane nitrous oxide dimethyl
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 sulfide and phosphine The detection of
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 certain combinations of these molecules
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 could provide compelling evidence for
00:17:25 --> 00:17:28 biological activity Currently life
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 remains a concept spearheaded by
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 researchers at ETHZurich in Switzerland
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 It hasn't yet been adopted by a space
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 agency but its scientific potential is
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 already being carefully
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 assessed A fascinating aspect of the
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 life mission is that it could deliver
00:17:43 --> 00:17:46 profound insights even if it fails to
00:17:46 --> 00:17:49 detect any bio signatures at all Using
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 sophisticated statistical models
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 researchers have determined that life
00:17:53 --> 00:17:56 would need to examine only 40 to 80
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 exoplanets without finding any signs of
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 life to conclude with confidence that
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 fewer than 10 to 20% of similar planets
00:18:02 --> 00:18:06 in the universe harbor life A simple
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 positive detection would change
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 everything notes astronomer Daniel
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 Angerhousen of ETHZurich
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 But even if we don't detect life we'll
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 quantify how rare or common planets with
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 detectable bio signatures really might
00:18:19 --> 00:18:23 be The team employed both bizian and
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 frequentist statistical approaches to
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 reach this conclusion ensuring their
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 findings are robust across different
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 mathematical
00:18:31 --> 00:18:34 frameworks As the sample size increases
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 if no bio signatures are detected
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 scientists could place increasingly
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 stringent limits on the prevalence of
00:18:40 --> 00:18:43 life in our galaxy Of course the
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 researchers acknowledge certain
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 challenges Some bio signatures might be
00:18:47 --> 00:18:50 missed due to detection limitations or
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 planets might be mistakenly included in
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 the potentially habitable
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 category It's not just about how many
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 planets we observe Angerhousen explains
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 "It's about asking the right questions
00:19:01 --> 00:19:04 and how confident we can be in seeing or
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 not seeing what we're searching for
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 Whether life ultimately finds inhabited
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 worlds or determines they're exceedingly
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 rare the mission would fundamentally
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 transform our understanding of life's
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 place in the cosmos In either scenario
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 humanity would gain unprecedented
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 insight into our cosmic significance
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 either as one among many living worlds
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 or as something far more unique than we
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 previously
00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 imagined Well that's all for today's
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 cosmic journey What an incredible set of
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 discoveries we've explored together From
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 those doomed white dwarf stars destined
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 for a spectacular collision billions of
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 years from now to the space force's
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 agile satellite launch maneuvers to the
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 successful Soyuse mission carrying
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 international crew members to the
00:19:48 --> 00:19:51 ISS We've also learned that Uranus turns
00:19:51 --> 00:19:54 a bit more slowly than we thought Those
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 extra 28 seconds might seem trivial to
00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 us but they represent a significant
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 refinement in our understanding of the
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 ice giant and the proposed life
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 telescope array could finally help us
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 determine whether habitable worlds are
00:20:07 --> 00:20:10 cosmic rarities or scattered abundantly
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 throughout our galaxy What links all
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 these stories is humanity's relentless
00:20:14 --> 00:20:17 curiosity about the universe we inhabit
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 Each discovery each mission each new
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 measurement brings us closer to
00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 understanding our cosmic neighborhood
00:20:22 --> 00:20:25 and our place within it I'm Anna and
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 I've been delighted to share these
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 fascinating space developments with you
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 on Astronomy Daily If you're hungry for
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 more space news remember to visit our
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 website at
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 astronomydaily.io where our news feed is
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 constantly updating with the latest
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 discoveries and developments from across
00:20:40 --> 00:20:43 the cosmos You'll also find all our
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 previous episodes there if you'd like to
00:20:44 --> 00:20:47 catch up on anything you've missed And
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00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 join the conversation about our amazing
00:21:01 --> 00:21:04 universe Until next time keep looking up
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 There's always something incredible
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 happening in the cosmos and we'll be
00:21:07 --> 00:21:09 here to tell you all about it Thanks for
00:21:10 --> 00:21:17 listening to Astronomy Daily
00:21:17 --> 00:21:32 [Music]