In this episode of Astronomy Daily, join host Anna as she uncovers a wealth of groundbreaking discoveries that are reshaping our understanding of the universe. From the potential tripling of known satellite galaxies to exciting lunar water revelations, this episode is filled with cosmic insights that will spark your imagination.
Highlights:
- Vera Rubin Observatory's Galactic Expansion: Dive into the findings from the Vera Rubin Observatory, which could soon triple the known satellite galaxies orbiting our Milky Way. Learn how sophisticated simulations predict the detection of up to 119 new galactic companions, providing crucial insights into galaxy formation and evolution.
- Lunar Water Creation: Explore NASA's groundbreaking research suggesting that the Sun may be creating water on the Moon's surface. This revelation could significantly impact future lunar missions, making water a more accessible resource for astronauts.
- Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space: Discover the latest milestone in precision timekeeping as the Atomic Clock Ensemble is successfully installed on the International Space Station. This advanced facility promises to redefine our understanding of time and test Einstein's theory of general relativity.
- Viewing Sirius: Get tips on how to observe Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, as it dazzles spring stargazers with its spectacular light show. Learn about the unique scintillation effect that creates a prismatic display of colors.
- The Mystery of Meteor Showers: Unravel the enigma of unpredictable meteor showers as new research reveals how the Sun's subtle wobble affects meteoroid streams. Understand why some showers appear suddenly and vanish for decades, all due to cosmic choreography.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) . Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, 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.
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:05 - Vera Rubin Observatory's satellite galaxy discoveries
10:30 - Lunar water creation by the Sun
17:00 - Installation of the Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space
22:15 - Viewing tips for Sirius
27:30 - The mystery of meteor shower unpredictability
✍️ Episode References
Vera Rubin Observatory
[Vera Rubin Observatory]( https://www.vera-rubin-observatory.org (https://www.vera-rubin-observatory.org/) )
Lunar Water Research
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
Atomic Clock Ensemble
[European Space Agency]( https://www.esa.int (https://www.esa.int/) )
Sirius Viewing Tips
[Astronomy Magazine]( https://www.astronomy.com (https://www.astronomy.com/) )
Meteor Shower Research
[SETI Institute]( https://www.seti.org (https://www.seti.org/) )
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/26806645?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 [Music]
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to Astronomy Daily your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 for the latest developments in space and
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 astronomy news i'm Anna and today we're
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 exploring a universe of fascinating
00:00:09 --> 00:00:10 discoveries that are reshaping our
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 understanding of the cosmos on today's
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 journey through the stars we'll discover
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 how the Vera Rubin Observatory might
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 soon triple the number of known
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 satellite galaxies orbiting our Milky
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 Way potentially revealing hundreds of
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 previously hidden cosmic neighbors we'll
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 also examine surprising evidence that
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 suggests the sun itself may be creating
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 water on the lunar surface making this
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 vital resource more accessible for
00:00:36 --> 00:00:37 future moon missions than we ever
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 thought possible then we'll look at the
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 most precise time pieces ever launched
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 into space as the Atomic Clock Ensemble
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 finds its new home aboard the
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 International Space Station for
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 stargazers we have tips on viewing the
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 dazzling Sirius this spring as it puts
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 on a spectacular light show with
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 prismatic colors near the horizon and
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 finally we'll uncover why meteor showers
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 can be so unpredictable with new
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 research suggesting our sun's wobble
00:01:03 --> 00:01:05 plays a crucial role in how these
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 celestial light shows appear in our
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 night sky let's get things
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 underway our galaxy the Milky Way is
00:01:12 --> 00:01:13 surrounded by a family of smaller
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 satellite galaxies with the large and
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 small melanic clouds being the most
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 famous members of this cosmic entourage
00:01:20 --> 00:01:21 currently astronomers have identified
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 about 30 of these satellite galaxies but
00:01:24 --> 00:01:25 exciting new research suggests we're
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 just seeing the tip of the celestial
00:01:27 --> 00:01:30 iceberg the Vera Rubin Observatory with
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 its powerful Legacy Survey of Space and
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 Time LSST is poised to dramatically
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 expand our catalog of these galactic
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 companions according to a recent study
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 this observatory could potentially
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 detect between 89 and 119 satellite
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 galaxies when it begins its survey
00:01:47 --> 00:01:50 operations in a few months effectively
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 tripling our current census researchers
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 reached this conclusion by creating
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 sophisticated simulations based on data
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 from the LSST Dark Energy Science
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 Collaboration they injected stellar
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 population data into simulated surveys
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 and tested the observatory's ability to
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 recover and identify these faint
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 galactic structures these satellite
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 galaxies are far more than just
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 interesting cosmic neighbors they're
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 crucial to understanding how galaxies
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 form and evolve in the standard
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 cosmological model featuring cold dark
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 matter galaxies form as dark matter
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 halos merge over time the smallest and
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 dimst of these structures are ultra
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 faint dwarf galaxies which represent the
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 lowest mass dark matter halos that
00:02:32 --> 00:02:33 contain
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 stars finding and studying these elusive
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 objects gives astronomers a unique
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 window into the fundamental processes
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 that shaped our universe many of these
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 satellites are so dim and distant that
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 they have evaded detection with current
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 technology the Vera Rubin Observatory
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 with its 8.4 m primary mirror and
00:02:53 --> 00:02:57 revolutionary 3.2 gapixel camera will
00:02:57 --> 00:02:58 have the sensitivity to spot these
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 cosmic light weights what makes this
00:03:01 --> 00:03:02 potential discovery particularly
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 exciting is that the observatory is
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 expected to find satellites at greater
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 distances from the Milky Way with lower
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 luminosities and fainter surface
00:03:11 --> 00:03:12 brightness than we've been able to
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 detect before essentially revealing an
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 entirely new population of galactic
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 companions that have remained hidden in
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 the cosmic shadows the research behind
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 these predictions is fascinating in its
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 methodology scientists employed a clever
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 technique where they injected simulated
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 stars with specific properties into
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 existing catalog data essentially
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 creating a controlled test environment
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 this scientific slight of hand allowed
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 them to precisely measure how well the
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 Vera Rubin Observatory will be able to
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 detect individual stars within these
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 distant satellite galaxies one of the
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 key challenges in this detection process
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 is something astronomers call star
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 galaxy separation when observing such
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 distant objects it becomes increasingly
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 difficult to distinguish between
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 individual stars within satellite
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 galaxies and the light from distant
00:04:04 --> 00:04:05 background galaxies that might
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 contaminate the data the researchers had
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 to develop sophisticated techniques to
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 address this critical issue their
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 findings revealed that detection
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 capability strongly depends on both the
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 magnitude of the stars being observed
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 and the half-llight radius of their
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 parent galaxy for moderately compact
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 stellar systems their detection method
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 proved 50% efficient at successfully
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 identifying dwarf galaxies out to
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 approximately 800 lightyear from the
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 sun what's particularly exciting about
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 these upcoming discoveries is that
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 they'll help resolve several important
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 questions in cosmology current
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 observations of satellite galaxies match
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 well with predictions from cold dark
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 matter models but theorists have long
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 suspected our census is woefully
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 incomplete the new observations will put
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 these models to the test moreover many
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 of the ultra faint compact stellar
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 systems already discovered have unclear
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 origins are they star clusters that
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 formed in dwarf galaxies that were later
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 disrupted or do they represent an
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 extension of the dwarf galaxy population
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 into an even smaller and fainter regime
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 the wealth of new data from the LSST
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 will help astronomers definitively
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 answer these questions as one researcher
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 noted in the study each newly discovered
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 system increases our understanding of
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 the Milky Way satellite population
00:05:27 --> 00:05:28 providing opportunities for unique
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 fortuitous discoveries among the most
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 extreme stellar systems these findings
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 will advance our understanding of galaxy
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 formation thresholds reunionization
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 processes heavy element production and
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 even dark matter
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 physics turning our attention to the
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 moon now future moon astronauts may have
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 access to more water than previously
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 believed according to groundbreaking
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 research from NASA suggesting the sun
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 itself might be continuously
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 replenishing water on the lunar surface
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 this remarkable finding could
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 significantly impact future lunar
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 exploration and potential
00:06:03 --> 00:06:06 habitation the moon unlike Earth lacks a
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 protective magnetic field leaving its
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 barren surface constantly bombarded by
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 energetic particles from the sun
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 collectively known as the solar wind
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 scientists have long theorized based on
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 computer models that this solar wind
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 might be creating the ingredients for
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 water right on the lunar surface but the
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 actual process remained poorly
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 understood to investigate this
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 phenomenon NASA researchers led by
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 planetary scientist Lee Sia Yo at the
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 Gddard Space Flight Center conducted a
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 meticulous laboratory experiment using
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 authentic lunar material the team worked
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42 with two regalith samples brought back
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 to Earth by the Apollo 17 mission one
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 from a trench called Wessex Cleft and
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 another from the rim of a young crater
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 in South Mass the research team first
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 prepared these 50-year-old samples by
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 baking them overnight in a vacuum
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 furnace to remove any terrestrial water
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 they might have absorbed since arriving
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 on Earth they then constructed a
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 specialized apparatus that included a
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 vacuum chamber and a tiny particle
00:07:07 --> 00:07:11 accelerator to recreate lunar conditions
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 this allowed them to bombard the samples
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 with hydrogen ions for several days
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 precisely mimicking how the solar wind
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 interacts with the moon's surface it
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 took a long time and many iterations to
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 design the apparatus components and get
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 them all to fit inside explained Jason
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 Mlan a research scientist who co-led the
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 experiment but it was worth it because
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 once we eliminated all possible sources
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 of contamination we learned that this
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 decades old idea about the solar wind
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 turns out to be true
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 the results were definitive when
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 analyzing how the sample's chemical
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 composition changed over time the
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 researchers observed a clear drop in
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 light signal at exactly the wavelength
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 where water absorbs energy near 3
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 microns in the infrared spectrum this
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 confirmed the formation of hydroxal and
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 water molecules directly resulting from
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 the simulated solar wind interaction
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 what makes this discovery particularly
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 exciting is that the process appears to
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 be renewable the solar wind continuously
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 supplies hydrogen ions that upon
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 striking the lunar surface capture
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 electrons from lunar materials to become
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 hydrogen atoms these newly formed atoms
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 then migrate through the dusty regalith
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 and bond with oxygen creating both
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 hydroxil and water molecules that can
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 accumulate across the lunar surface
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 especially in permanently shadowed
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 regions near the poles
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 the experiment revealed a fascinating
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 cycle of water formation on the lunar
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 surface when the researchers heated
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 their lunar samples to approximately
00:08:39 --> 00:08:43 260° F
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 126° temperatures typical of the moon's
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 dayside when exposed to direct sunlight
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 they observed a significant decrease in
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 the water related molecules that had
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 formed this wasn't surprising as intense
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 heat would naturally cause these
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 volatile compounds to break down or
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 evaporate but what happened next was
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 truly remarkable after heating the
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 samples for 24 hours and then allowing
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 them to cool for another day the team
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 once again exposed them to their
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 simulated solar wind the water related
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 signatures promptly reappeared in the
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 lunar material this cycle of depletion
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 and replenishment suggests that the
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 solar wind continuously renews small
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 amounts of water on the moon's surface
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 in an ongoing natural process the
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 findings published in JGR Planets
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 earlier this year represent a
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 significant advancement in our
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 understanding of lunar chemistry and
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 provide valuable insights for assessing
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 the sustainability of water resources on
00:09:40 --> 00:09:42 our celestial
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 neighbor the atomic clock ensemble in
00:09:44 --> 00:09:47 space known by its acronym ACES has just
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 reached a major milestone in space-based
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 precision science this cuttingedge
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 timekeeping facility developed by the
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 European Space Agency has been
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 successfully installed on the
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 International Space Station marking the
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 beginning of an exciting new scientific
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 mission aces made its journey to the ISS
00:10:04 --> 00:10:08 on April 21st 2025 launching aboard a
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 Kennedy Space Center in Florida the
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 payload was part of SpaceX's 32nd
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 commercial resupply mission just 4 days
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 later the station's Canadian robotic arm
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 carefully installed the facility on the
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 Earth-facing side of ESA's Columbus
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 Laboratory where it's set to operate for
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 the next 30 months what makes ASES truly
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 remarkable is the precision of its
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 timekeeping instruments it carries the
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 most accurate atomic clocks ever sent
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 into space the primary time pieces
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 include Pharaoh a cesium based fountain
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 clock developed by the French space
00:10:42 --> 00:10:46 agency CNS and the space hydrogen mer
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 built by saffron timing technologies in
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 Switzerland these extraordinary clocks
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 don't work in isolation they operate
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 alongside sophisticated microwave and
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 laser link systems that will deliver
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 time measurements from orbit with
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 unprecedented accuracy this
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 configuration allows ACES to establish
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 what scientists call a network of clocks
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 comparing the most precise time pieces
00:11:08 --> 00:11:11 both on Earth and in space the system
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 was developed through a collaborative
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 effort between ESA and European industry
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 partners led by Airbus this
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 international cooperation has created a
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 platform that will not only explore the
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 fundamental nature of time but also test
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 Einstein's theory of general relativity
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 and potentially help redefine the
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 scientific standard of the second using
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 next generation optical clocks
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 the next major step for ASES is its
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 first activation which will establish
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 communications with ground control this
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 will enable telemetry data to flow from
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 ASES to Earth and allow engineers to
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 send instructions back to the orbiting
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 time piece while stabilizing its thermal
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 systems in preparation for full clock
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 operations
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 i'm so excited and proud that our
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 incredibly complex and hugely important
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 project is now in space after many years
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 of hard work said Simon Weinberg ASUS
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 project scientist at ESA this is a major
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 achievement for ESA and the science
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 community and I look forward to seeing
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 the results this is ISA's jewel in the
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 crown on the International Space Station
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 with installation complete ASES now
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 faces a six-month commissioning phase
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 during which engineers and scientists
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 will calibrate the instruments
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 thoroughly test the time transfer links
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 and characterize the performance of the
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 atomic clocks this meticulous setup
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 period is crucial to ensure the facility
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 can deliver the extraordinary precision
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 it was designed for during this
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 commissioning period ACES will connect
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 with atomic clocks at selected ground
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 stations several times daily as it
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 orbits Earth on the International Space
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 Station the systems capabilities are
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 truly remarkable when multiple
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 groundbased clocks fall within the same
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 field of view for the station such as
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 two located within Europe ACES can
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 achieve a precision of one part in 10 to
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 the power of -17 or about 10 quintilion
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00 of a second within just a few days this
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 level of precision significantly
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 outperforms today's systems using
00:13:04 --> 00:13:07 navigation satellites like GPS by
00:13:07 --> 00:13:10 between one and two orders of magnitude
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 even more impressive is ACS's ability to
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 compare distant clocks across continents
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 something never directly accomplished at
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 this level of accuracy before these
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 intercontinental comparisons will take
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 approximately a week to complete once
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 the commissioning phase concludes and
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 the optimal operating parameters for
00:13:27 --> 00:13:30 Pharaoh are defined ACES will transition
00:13:30 --> 00:13:33 into its two-year science phase this
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 phase consists of 10 planned sessions
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 each spanning 25 days of intensive data
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 collection the AC science team will
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 validate all results before sharing them
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 with the global scientific community
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 now is an excellent time to view Sirius
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 the brightest star in our night sky as
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 it puts on a spectacular light show for
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 evening stargazers while most of us
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 associate Sirius with winter skies it's
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 actually during these northern
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 hemisphere spring evenings that this
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 dazzling stellar jewel delivers its most
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 impressive
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 performance sirius outshines all other
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 stars visible from Earth appearing more
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 than twice as bright as Canopus its
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 nearest competitor with a magnitude of
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 negative 1.45 45 sirius is one of only
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 four stars visible from Earth with a
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 negative magnitude making it nine times
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 more brilliant than a standard first
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 magnitude star this exceptional
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 brightness can be attributed to its
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 relative proximity at just 8.6 lighty
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 years away Sirius is the fifth nearest
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 star to our solar system the name Sirius
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 itself appears to derive from the Greek
00:14:36 --> 00:14:39 word for sparkling or scorching a
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 fitting description for this brilliant
00:14:40 --> 00:14:43 white star with its distinctive tinge of
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 blue but what makes Sirius truly
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 remarkable this time of year is its
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 captivating scintillation effect when
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 viewed near the
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 horizon as Sirius sinks toward the west
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 southwest horizon in the early evening
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 its light must travel through a much
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 thicker layer of Earth's atmosphere than
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 when it's higher in the sky our
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 atmosphere especially near the horizon
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 can be particularly turbulent causing
00:15:07 --> 00:15:10 the starlight to refract and disperse
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 for bright stars like Sirius this
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 atmospheric turbulence creates a
00:15:14 --> 00:15:17 mesmerizing display of prismatic colors
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 no star rivals Sirius in this
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 spectacular light show when observed low
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 in the sky Sirius appears to twinkle
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 vigorously seemingly splintering into a
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 dazzling array of colors from ruby red
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 to sapphire blue emerald green to
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 amethyst purple the effect is so
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 pronounced that casual observers might
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 mistake it for a distant aircraft drone
00:15:38 --> 00:15:41 or even a UFO to witness this celestial
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 spectacle at its best find a location
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 with a clear unobstructed view of the
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 west southwest horizon the most dramatic
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 effects occur when Sirius is just 5°
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 above the horizon about half the width
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 of your fist held at arms length using
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 binoculars or a telescope at low power
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 can enhance the view making those
00:16:00 --> 00:16:03 smoldering colors even more striking
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 after early May Sirius will rapidly
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 descend into the sunset glow and
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 disappear from evening visibility around
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 May 11th it will remain out of sight for
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 about 3 months before reappearing in the
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 dawn twilight of mid August heralding
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 the approach of the colder nights that
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 lie
00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 ahead time now to solve a mystery new
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 research has shed light on a cosmic
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 mystery that has long puzzled
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 astronomers why are meteor showers so
00:16:28 --> 00:16:31 unpredictable while casual stargazers
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 might be familiar with reliable annual
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 displays like the Perciads in August or
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 the Geminids in December scientists have
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 actually identified approximately 500
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 distinct meteor showers throughout
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 Earth's year many of these displays seem
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 to appear and disappear with little
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 warning and now we may finally
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 understand why the answer surprisingly
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53 lies with our sun's subtle movements
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 contrary to the simplified models we
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 often see our sun doesn't sit fixed at
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 the center of the solar system instead
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 it wobbles slightly as it orbits around
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 the solar systems bearey center the
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 common center of mass for all objects in
00:17:07 --> 00:17:10 our planetary neighborhood researchers
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 Stuart Polores and Peter Jennis from the
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 SETI Institute discovered that this
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 solar wobble dramatically affects the
00:17:16 --> 00:17:19 paths of meteoroid streams the trails of
00:17:19 --> 00:17:22 dust and debris left behind by comets as
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 they travel through our solar system
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 these streams of material can persist
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 long after their parent comets have
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 departed sometimes lingering for
00:17:29 --> 00:17:32 centuries when comets approach the sun
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 they warm up and release gas and dust
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 particles that spread out into space
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 these particles form streams that orbit
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 through the solar system occasionally
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 intersecting with Earth's path but these
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 intersections aren't constant or
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 predictable without accounting for the
00:17:46 --> 00:17:49 sun's movement the researchers found
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 that the gravitational influence of the
00:17:51 --> 00:17:54 wobbling sun can either boost or break
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 these meteoroid streams as they pass
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 near it similar to how spacecraft use
00:17:58 --> 00:18:01 gravitational slingshots around planets
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 this subtle gravitational dance causes
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 the meteoroid streams to weave in and
00:18:05 --> 00:18:08 out of Earth's orbit over time computer
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 simulations consistently failed to
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 explain the movement of these streams
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 until the researchers incorporated the
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 sun's wobble into their calculations
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 once they included this factor the
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 patterns of meteor shower appearances
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 and disappearances finally made sense
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 the discovery explains why some meteor
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 showers appear suddenly dazzle observers
00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 for a brief period and then vanish for
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 decades before appearing again
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 it's all a cosmic choreography directed
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 by the subtle gravitational influence of
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 our wobbling sun the most fascinating
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 part of this discovery is the dramatic
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 shift in orbital dynamics that occurs
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 depending on a meteoroid's distance from
00:18:43 --> 00:18:46 the sun when meteoroids are traveling
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 beyond Jupiter's orbit they're actually
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 orbiting the solar systems barry center
00:18:50 --> 00:18:53 rather than the sun itself this berry
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 center essentially the center of mass
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 for our entire solar system doesn't
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 coincide with the center of the sun but
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 instead lies just outside it however
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 once these meteoroid streams cross the
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 threshold of Jupiter's orbit and move
00:19:06 --> 00:19:09 inward the sun's immense gravitational
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 pole takes over shifting them from
00:19:11 --> 00:19:14 barentric orbits to heliocentric ones
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 meaning they now orbit the sun directly
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 this transition creates what researchers
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 describe as a step change in the motion
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 of these streams
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 pillars explained that this shift occurs
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 twice during a comet's journey first
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 when approaching the inner solar system
00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 and the sun takes control and again when
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 departing as control returns to the
00:19:32 --> 00:19:35 berry center each transition kicks the
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38 inclination and orbital node by a small
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 but significant amount altering the
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 stream's path in ways that wouldn't be
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 apparent if we incorrectly assumed the
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 sun remained fixed at the center jupiter
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 and Saturn play particularly important
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 roles in this dance because their
00:19:50 --> 00:19:53 massive gravitational influence
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55 primarily determines the location of the
00:19:55 --> 00:19:58 solar systems bear center as these gas
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00 giants orbit Jupiter completing a
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 circuit every 12 years and Saturn every
00:20:02 --> 00:20:05 29 they pull the berry center in
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 different directions causing the sun to
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 wobble in
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 response this celestial mechanism
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 explains why some meteor showers appear
00:20:12 --> 00:20:15 only at specific intervals one shower
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 that Jennis predicted and later observed
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 in Spain occurs only every 60 years
00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 precisely when Jupiter and Saturn align
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 in positions that nudge a particular
00:20:23 --> 00:20:26 meteoroid stream across Earth's orbital
00:20:26 --> 00:20:29 path the entire display lasted just 40
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 minutes but produced a bright meteor
00:20:30 --> 00:20:33 every minute at its peak over longer
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 time frames of millennia or more these
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 initially narrow streams gradually
00:20:38 --> 00:20:40 disperse this happens because the stream
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 stretches around the sun with different
00:20:42 --> 00:20:44 meteoroids receiving gravitational kicks
00:20:44 --> 00:20:47 at slightly different times creating a
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49 wider range of orbital motions within
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 the stream and eventually resulting in
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 the more predictable annual meteor
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 showers we're familiar with
00:20:55 --> 00:20:57 today and that concludes today's episode
00:20:57 --> 00:21:01 of Astronomy Daily i'm Anna your host
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 and I want to thank you for joining me
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 on this cosmic journey through the
00:21:05 --> 00:21:08 latest discoveries in our universe as I
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 like to say the cosmos never ceases to
00:21:10 --> 00:21:13 amaze us i'd like to invite you to visit
00:21:13 --> 00:21:15 our website at
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00:21:40 --> 00:21:44 time on Astronomy Daily astronomy
00:21:44 --> 00:21:47 Day stories told
00:21:47 --> 00:22:02 [Music]