00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 bringing you the latest astronomical
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 wonders and space news from across the
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 universe. Today we have a stellar lineup
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 of fascinating stories that showcase
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 just how dynamic our universe truly is.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 We'll explore the surprising discovery
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 of many moons lurking near Earth that
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 might hint at a hidden population of
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 lunar fragments in our neighborhood.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 Then we'll look at a remarkable
00:00:24 --> 00:00:25 telescope that's literally shooting
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 lasers into space to create artificial
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 stars. I'll also share details about the
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 James Webb Space Telescope's
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 groundbreaking discovery of the coldest
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 exoplanet ever found and it's orbiting a
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 dead star. Plus, get ready for the
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 upcoming Eta Aquarid meteor shower. Your
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 chance to witness the cosmic debris from
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 Halie's comet lighting up our night
00:00:45 --> 00:00:48 skies. And finally, we'll update you on
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 that Soviet Venus lander that's been
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 stranded in Earth orbit for over 5
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 decades and is now making its way back
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 home. So, let's journey together through
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 these cosmic tales that remind us just
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 how wondrous our universe truly
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 is. First up today, Earth's moon might
00:01:05 --> 00:01:06 be getting a bit of company in our
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 cosmic neighborhood. Scientists have
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 discovered what appears to be a second
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 mini moon, a small rocky body that
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 travels near Earth's orbit. This new
00:01:15 --> 00:01:19 minimoon, designated 2024 PT5, was first
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 spotted last year by astronomers in
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 South Africa, and the evidence suggests
00:01:23 --> 00:01:24 it may have been blown off our own moon
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 during an ancient impact event. What
00:01:27 --> 00:01:31 makes 2024 PT5 particularly interesting
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 is that it represents the second known
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 lunar fragment traveling near Earth. The
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 first, called Kamo Oalea, was traced to
00:01:38 --> 00:01:41 the moon in 2021. As planetary scientist
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 Teddy Kretta from Lowel Observatory in
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 Arizona puts it, "If there were only one
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 object, that would be interesting, but
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 an outlier. If there's two, we're pretty
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 confident that's a population." This
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 discovery hints at a potentially hidden
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 collection of lunar fragments orbiting
00:01:58 --> 00:02:01 in Earthlike paths around the sun. Think
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 of it as Earth traveling in its highway
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 lane around the sun while these mini
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 moons cruise along in adjacent lanes,
00:02:08 --> 00:02:09 occasionally merging into Earth's path
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 before moving on again. What's
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 fascinating about 2024 PT5 is how
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 researchers identified its lunar origin.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 After its discovery, scientists quickly
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 turned the Lowel Discovery Telescope
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 toward this space rock and studied it
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 using both visible and near infrared
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 data. The composition matched rocks
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 brought back by Apollo missions and the
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 Soviet Union's Luna 24 mission,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 confirming its lunar heritage.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:38 Size-wise, 2024 PT5 is relatively small,
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 estimated at just 26 to 39 ft in
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 diameter. Scientists believe it was
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 likely excavated when an asteroid or
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 other object crashed into the moon,
00:02:47 --> 00:02:48 ejecting material that eventually found
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 its way into an Earthlike orbit. Kretta
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 Aptly compared this discovery to finding
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 a new kind of evidence at a crime scene.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 These lunar fragments offer scientists a
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 unique opportunity to study the effects
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 of massive impacts on the moon. By
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 matching the debris to specific lunar
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 craters, researchers may gain new
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 insights into how cratering events shape
00:03:08 --> 00:03:09 planetary bodies throughout the solar
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 system. The two confirmed minimoons
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 appear quite different from each other.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 Kamoa is larger and shows signs of
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 longer exposure to cosmic rays and solar
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 radiation, suggesting it's been in space
00:03:21 --> 00:03:25 longer than 2024 PT5. Their orbits also
00:03:25 --> 00:03:29 differ slightly. While 2024 PT5
00:03:29 --> 00:03:30 occasionally crosses Earth's orbital
00:03:30 --> 00:03:34 path, Kamoa maintains a more consistent
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 quasi satellite orbit that keeps it in
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 Earth's vicinity for several consecutive
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 orbits. Researchers are now actively
00:03:41 --> 00:03:42 searching for more of these lunar
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 refugees. with Ketta suggesting that
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 some asteroids previously classified as
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 unusual might actually be disguised
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 lunar rocks. As new large-scale survey
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 telescopes like the Vera Rubin
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 Observatory come online, we may soon
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 discover that Earth's mini moon
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 population is much larger than
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 previously
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 thought. Next up, a rather intriguing
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 experiment. At the Paranol Observatory
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 in Chile, astronomers have developed
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 what might be the most dramatic solution
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 to a persistent problem. They're
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 shooting powerful lasers into space. But
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 this isn't science fiction. It's cutting
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 edge astronomy at work. The UT4
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 telescope, one of four 8 meter behemoths
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 that make up the very large telescope
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 array, is equipped with a remarkable
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 system called the four laserg guide star
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 facility. This system allows the
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 telescope to do something extraordinary.
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 Create artificial stars high in Earth's
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 atmosphere. When we look up at the night
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 sky, we see stars twinkling. While this
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 might be beautiful, it's actually a
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 serious problem for astronomers trying
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 to capture clear images. That twinkling
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 is caused by atmospheric turbulence.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 Essentially, we're looking at space
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 through a constantly shifting layer of
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 air that distorts the light. The UT4
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 solution, it fires four brilliant laser
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 beams about 90 km up into the atmosphere
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 where they excite sodium atoms, causing
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 them to glow brightly. These glowing
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 points effectively create guide stars
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 that the telescope can use as reference
00:05:06 --> 00:05:07 points.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 By observing how these artificial stars
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 are distorted by the Earth's atmosphere
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 in real time, the telescope's adaptive
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 optics system can precisely adjust the
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 shape of its secondary mirror to
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 counteract the blurring effects. It's
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 like wearing glasses that constantly
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 update their prescription to match
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 changing conditions. The results are
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 spectacular. This technology allows UT4
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 to capture images from the ground that
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 are almost as sharp as those taken from
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 space-based telescopes, but at a
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 fraction of the cost and with the
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 ability to upgrade and maintain the
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 equipment
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 regularly. The success of this system
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 has been so impressive that plans are
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 underway to equip the other three
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 telescopes in the VT array with similar
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 laser technology.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 This is part of a series of upgrades to
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 the VT interferometer and its gravity
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 plus instrument which can combine light
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 from multiple telescopes to create what
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 is essentially a huge virtual telescope.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 Not far from Paranol, another ambitious
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 project is taking shape. The extremely
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 large telescope currently under
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 construction will be equipped with at
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 least six lasers to ensure it delivers
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 the sharpest possible images for a
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 groundbased observatory. What makes this
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 technology truly revolutionary is how it
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 transforms the capabilities of
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 earth-based astronomy. Space telescopes
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 like Hubble and James Web provide
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 incredible clarity but are
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 extraordinarily expensive to build,
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 launch, and operate. With laser adaptive
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 optics, groundbased telescopes can now
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 approach that level of precision while
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 remaining accessible for regular
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 upgrades and maintenance.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 This brilliant solution, literally
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 creating stars with lasers to see the
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 real ones better, represents one of the
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 most innovative approaches in modern
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 astronomy. It's allowing us to peer
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 deeper into the cosmos than ever before,
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 all while keeping our feet firmly on the
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 ground. And while on the subject of
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 telescopes, let's get an update from the
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 JWST.
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 The James Webb Space Telescope has made
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 another groundbreaking discovery. This
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 time, finding the first confirmed planet
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 orbiting a dead star. This isn't just
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 any exoplanet. It's also the coldest one
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 ever directly observed, offering
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 astronomers unprecedented insights into
00:07:18 --> 00:07:22 planetary evolution. The planet named
00:07:22 --> 00:07:27 WD1856 + 534b was actually first spotted
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 back in 2020. But scientists weren't
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 entirely sure whether it was truly a
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 planet or possibly a brown dwarf, one of
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 those failed stars that never quite
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 gathered enough mass to ignite fusion in
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 their cores. It took the incredible
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 sensitivity of the James Webb Space
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 Telescope to settle the debate. Located
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 about 80 lighty years from Earth, this
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 Jupiterized world orbits a white dwarf,
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 the dense Earth-sized remnant core left
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 behind after a sunlike star has
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 exhausted its nuclear fuel, expanded
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 into a red giant, and then collapsed.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 What makes this discovery particularly
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 fascinating is that the planet completes
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 an orbit around its dead star every 1.4
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 days, placing it remarkably close to the
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 stellar remnant. This proximity creates
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 what astronomers call a paradox.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 WD1856 + 534b exists in what should be a
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 forbidden zone. A region so close to the
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 white dwarf that any planet there should
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 have been completely destroyed when the
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 star expanded during its red giant
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 phase. Yet somehow this massive world
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 survived or more likely migrated inward
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 after the stars violent death throws had
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 subsided. As Maryanne Limbach, the
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 astronomer who led the study at the
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 University of Michigan, put it, "This is
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 compelling evidence that planets can not
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 only survive the violent death of their
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 star, but also move into orbits where we
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 didn't previously necessarily expect
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 them to exist. The planet is
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 extraordinarily cold with a temperature
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 of about 125°
00:08:57 --> 00:09:01 F, 87°.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 This makes it significantly colder than
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 the previous record holder, epsilon
00:09:05 --> 00:09:09 indieab, which is a relatively balmy 35°
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 F. The extreme cold, combined with its
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 orbit around a white dwarf, offers
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 astronomers a unique laboratory for
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 studying planetary atmospheres and
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 evolution. This discovery has
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 wide-ranging implications for our
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 understanding of cosmic evolution. It
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 suggests that the migration of planets
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 after stellar death might be a key
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 mechanism for positioning worlds in the
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 potentially habitable zones around white
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 dwarfs, regions where liquid water and
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 potentially life could exist. While this
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 particular gas giant wouldn't be
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 habitable, the principle applies to
00:09:42 --> 00:09:45 smaller rocky worlds as well. The James
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 Webb Space Telescope hasn't yet reached
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 its theoretical limits for detecting
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 cold objects. Future observation
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 programs aim to push those boundaries,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 potentially allowing astronomers to
00:09:55 --> 00:09:59 detect planets as cold as negative 324°
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 F. Such capabilities would accelerate
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 our understanding of exoplanets similar
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 to our own Jupiter and Saturn, placing
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 our solar system in a broader galactic
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 context. The research team isn't
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 finished with this fascinating system
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 either. They plan to conduct a second
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18 JWST observation this July, hoping to
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 spot any additional planets that might
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 be gravitationally bound to the star.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 Finding another planet could help
00:10:24 --> 00:10:28 explain how WD1 1856 plus 534b managed
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 to migrate to its current close orbit
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 around the white dwarf without being
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 destroyed in the process.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 Whether or not they find additional
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 planets, these observations represent a
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 crucial step forward in understanding
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 how planetary systems evolve through the
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 dramatic final stages of a stars life
00:10:44 --> 00:10:47 cycle. Knowledge that may one day help
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 us predict the ultimate fate of our own
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 solar
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 system. Okay, it's time to get outside
00:10:52 --> 00:10:55 and look up. Get ready for a spectacular
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 celestial light show as the ITA aquarid
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 meteor shower is set to peak on the
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 morning of Tuesday, May 6.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 That's this coming Tuesday. This
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 dazzling display occurs when Earth
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 passes through the debris trail left
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 behind by perhaps the most famous cosmic
00:11:09 --> 00:11:13 wanderer of all, Hal's comet. During the
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 peak nights of May 5, and 6, well
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 observers could witness up to 50 meteors
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 per hour streaking across the night sky.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 These shooting stars are actually tiny
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 particles of primordial comet dust, some
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 no bigger than grains of sand, that slam
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 into Earth's atmosphere at the
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 astonishing speed of 40 m/s. That's
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 about 144
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 mph. The shower takes its name from its
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 radiant point, which appears to be near
00:11:39 --> 00:11:43 the star Eta Aquari in the constellation
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 Aquarius. This makes the southern
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 hemisphere the prime viewing location
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 for this particular meteor shower. as
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 Aquarius rises much higher in their
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 night sky this time of year, allowing
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 observers there to catch the greatest
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 number of meteors. For those of us in
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 the northern hemisphere, don't despair.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 We can still enjoy the show, though with
00:12:02 --> 00:12:05 somewhat reduced numbers. The best
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 viewing time will be during the pre-dawn
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 hours when Aquarius rises in the eastern
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 sky. Observers in places like New York
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 might expect to see around 10 meteors
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 per hour. While fewer than our southern
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 neighbors, it's still a respectable
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 showing for a meteor shower. What makes
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 the ITA aquarids particularly special is
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 the nature of the meteors themselves.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 They're known for leaving glowing debris
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 trails that can persist in the night sky
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 for several seconds after the meteor
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 itself has disappeared. These luminous
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 trails are sometimes called persistent
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 trains and add an ethereal quality to
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 the shower. For the best viewing
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 experience, experts recommend finding a
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 spot 40° away from the radiant in the
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 direction of your zenith. That's the
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 point directly overhead. Allow at least
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 30 minutes for your eyes to fully adapt
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 to the darkness. And remember,
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 binoculars or telescopes aren't
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 necessary or even recommended for meteor
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 watching. Your naked eyes with their
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 wide field of view are the perfect
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 instruments for taking in these fleeting
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 celestial visitors. While the shower
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 peaks on May 56, the ETA aquarids have
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 actually been active since April 20. So,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 keep watching the skies in the coming
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 days as activity ramps up. There's
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 always the chance of catching an
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 especially dramatic fireball, a meteor
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 that burns exceptionally bright as a
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 larger chunk of cometary debris meets
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 its fiery end in our atmosphere. This
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 celestial light show is just one of two
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 annual meteor showers produced by Hal's
00:13:30 --> 00:13:33 comet. will cross its debris field again
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 in October, creating the Orioned meteor
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 shower. So, even though Halley itself
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 won't return to the inner solar system
00:13:39 --> 00:13:42 until 2061, we get to enjoy its cosmic
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 calling cards twice each
00:13:44 --> 00:13:47 year. Finally, today, an update to a
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 story we covered yesterday. There's new
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 information. After more than half a
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 century silently orbiting Earth, a relic
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 of the space race is finally coming
00:13:55 --> 00:13:59 home. The Soviet Union's Cosmos 482, a
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 failed Venus probe launched back in
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 1972, is expected to re-enter Earth's
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 atmosphere around May 10, give or take
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 about 2 days, according to satellite
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 tracker Marco Langbrook. This isn't your
00:14:11 --> 00:14:15 typical space debris. Cosmos 482 was
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 meant to be a sister mission to the
00:14:16 --> 00:14:19 successful Venera 8, which successfully
00:14:19 --> 00:14:22 landed on Venus and transmitted data for
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 50 minutes before succumbing to the
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 planet's crushing atmosphere and
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 scorching temperatures. Unfortunately,
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 Cosmos 482's upper stage rocket
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 malfunctioned after reaching Earth
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 orbit, stranding the Venusbound
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 spacecraft in our planet's gravitational
00:14:37 --> 00:14:40 embrace. What makes this re-entry
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 particularly fascinating is that the
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 surviving component appears to be the
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 actual lander module, a reinforced
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 capsule specifically designed to
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 withstand the extreme conditions of
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 Venus. This robust engineering means it
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 might actually survive the plunge
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 through Earth's atmosphere intact and
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 reach the surface without
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 disintegrating.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 Recent images captured by satellite
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 tracker Ralph Vanderberg in the
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 Netherlands reveal intriguing details
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 about the Wayward spacecraft. His
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 highresolution photography shows what
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 appears to be a clear compact ball,
00:15:14 --> 00:15:17 presumably the lander itself. Even more
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 interesting, several frames seem to show
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 a weak elongated structure extending
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 from one side of the spherical object.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 This has led to speculation that the
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 lander's parachute may have prematurely
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 deployed during its decades in orbit.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 Vanderberg notes that the object might
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 be tumbling, which would explain why
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 this potential parachute is only visible
00:15:36 --> 00:15:39 in certain frames. If confirmed, this
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 would be an extraordinary development. A
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 spacecraft that not only survived 53
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 years in space, but actually initiated
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 part of its landing sequence while still
00:15:47 --> 00:15:50 in orbit. The re-entry is expected to be
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 a long shallow trajectory through the
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 atmosphere due to the spacecraft's
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 current orbit. This combined with the
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 age and condition of the object
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 introduces numerous uncertainties about
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 exactly when and where it might return
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 to Earth. However, the fact that this
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 capsule was engineered to withstand
00:16:08 --> 00:16:11 Venus's atmosphere, which is far denser
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 and hotter than Earth's, gives it a
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 fighting chance to reach the surface
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 relatively intact. This unexpected
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 return of Cosmos 482 offers a rare
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 opportunity to examine early Soviet
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 planetary exploration technology that
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 has endured more than five decades in
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 the harsh environment of space. For
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 scientists and space enthusiasts alike,
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 this visitor from the early days of
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 interplanetary exploration provides a
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 tangible connection to the ambitious
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 dreams of the first space
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 age. Well, that brings us to the end of
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 today's cosmic journey. And what an
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 extraordinary collection of discoveries
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 we've explored together. From the hidden
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 population of mini moons that may be
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 scattered throughout our orbital
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 neighborhood to giant telescopes
00:16:53 --> 00:16:56 shooting lasers into space, the universe
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 continues to surprise and captivate us.
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 The James Web Space Telescope's
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 discovery of a planet orbiting a dead
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 star challenges our understanding of
00:17:04 --> 00:17:07 planetary survival, while the upcoming
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 Eta Aquarid meteor shower promises to
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 paint our skies with celestial
00:17:11 --> 00:17:14 fireworks. and the imminent return of a
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 Soviet Venus lander after 53 years in
00:17:16 --> 00:17:19 orbit reminds us of humanity's long
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 history of reaching toward other worlds.
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 If you've enjoyed today's episode, I'd
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 love for you to visit our website at
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 astronomyaily.io where you can sign up
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 for our free daily newsletter and catch
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 up on all the latest space and astronomy
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 news with our constantly updating
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 newsfeed. You can subscribe to Astronomy
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 Daily on all podcast apps, including
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 iHeart Radio, or wherever you get your
00:17:43 --> 00:17:46 podcasts from. I'm Anna, and I'll be
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 back soon with more fascinating stories
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 from the cosmos. Until then, keep
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 looking up. There's a lot going on if
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 only you look. Astronomy
00:17:54 --> 00:17:58 day. Stories be told.
00:17:58 --> 00:18:12 [Music]