Astronomy Daily | Space News: S04E91
In this episode of Astronomy Daily, host Anna takes you on an exciting journey through the latest cosmic discoveries and developments that are enhancing our understanding of the universe. From ambitious sample return missions to the intriguing origins of Earth's water, this episode is filled with insights that will spark your curiosity about space.
Highlights:
- Roadmap for Sample Return Missions to Mercury and Venus: Join us as we delve into the groundbreaking research from the California Institute of Technology, which outlines potential missions to collect samples from our solar system's innermost planets, Mercury and Venus. Discover the significance of these missions in filling crucial gaps in our understanding of the inner solar system and the challenges scientists face in making them a reality.
- New Theories on Earth's Water Origins: Explore a fascinating new study from the University of Oxford that challenges the long-held belief that Earth's water was delivered by asteroids. This research suggests that the primordial Earth may have contained the building blocks for water all along, fundamentally shifting our understanding of our planet's development.
- The Dawn of a New Space Age: Reflect on the exciting parallels between today's space exploration and the Age of Sail in the 1600s. As private companies and startups venture into space, we discuss the potential for resource acquisition, energy production, and advanced manufacturing that could redefine humanity's future beyond Earth.
- James Webb Space Telescope Observes NGC 1514: Marvel at the latest observations from the James Webb Space Telescope as it examines the planetary nebula NGC 1514. Learn about the nebula's complex history, its unique structure, and how these observations are reshaping our understanding of stellar evolution.
- Upcoming Meteor Showers: Lyrids and Eta Aquarids: Get ready for two spectacular meteor showers! We provide a guide to spotting the Lyrids and Eta Aquarids, including tips for optimal viewing conditions and the best times to catch these celestial displays.
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 - Sample return missions to Mercury and Venus
10:30 - New theories on Earth's water origins
17:00 - The dawn of a new space age
22:15 - JWST observations of NGC 1514
27:30 - Upcoming meteor showers: Lyrids and Eta Aquarids
✍️ Episode References
Sample Return Missions
[California Institute of Technology]( https://www.caltech.edu/ (https://www.caltech.edu/) )
Earth's Water Origins Study
[University of Oxford]( https://www.ox.ac.uk/ (https://www.ox.ac.uk/) )
New Space Age Insights
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
JWST NGC 1514 Observations
[NASA JWST]( https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/webb/main/index.html (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/webb/main/index.html) )
Meteor Showers Guide
[American Meteor Society]( https://www.amsmeteors.org/ (https://www.amsmeteors.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/26639920?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to Astronomy Daily your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 for the latest space and astronomy news
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 i'm your host Anna and today we'll be
00:00:06 --> 00:00:07 diving into some fascinating stories
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 from across the cosmos we have quite a
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 lineup of cosmic discoveries and
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 developments to explore we'll begin with
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 an intriguing road map for potential
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 sample return missions from our solar
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 systems most inhospitable planets
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 Mercury and Venus these ambitious
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 missions could help fill critical gaps
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 in our understanding of the inner solar
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 system then we'll examine a surprising
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 new theory about the origins of Earth's
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 water that challenges conventional
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 wisdom about asteroid impacts delivering
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 our planet's life-giving resource we'll
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 also explore the dawn of a new space age
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 that some are comparing to the
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 revolutionary age of sale in the 1600s
00:00:45 --> 00:00:46 with all its opportunities and
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 challenges for humanity's expansion
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 beyond Earth the James Web Space
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 Telescope continues to amaze us with its
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 observations and we'll look at its
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 latest examination of a complex nebula
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 with a fascinating history that dates
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 back to William Hershel's observations
00:01:02 --> 00:01:03 in
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 1790 finally we'll provide a helpful
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 guide to spotting two upcoming meteor
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 showers the Lids and Aquarids that will
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 grace our night skies beginning in late
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 April so buckle up for a journey through
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 the latest astronomical discoveries that
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 are expanding our understanding of the
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 universe for our first story today
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 ponder this how can we successfully
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 collect and return samples from the two
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 innermost planets of our solar system
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 Mercury and Venus this fascinating
00:01:32 --> 00:01:33 question was recently tackled by
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 researchers at the California Institute
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 of Technology in a study presented at
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 Conference the team outlined potential
00:01:43 --> 00:01:44 road maps for what would be
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 groundbreaking missions to these
00:01:46 --> 00:01:47 challenging
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 destinations these aren't just academic
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 exercises sample return missions from
00:01:52 --> 00:01:53 Mercury and Venus could help scientists
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 fill a significant knowledge gap in our
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 understanding of the solar systems
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 formation what makes this particularly
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 interesting is that despite the
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 thousands of meteorites in our
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 collections we don't have a single
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 confirmed meteorite that originated from
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 either Mercury or Venus when you think
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 about it this is quite remarkable we
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 have meteorites from Mars from asteroids
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 and even from the Kyper belt beyond
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 Neptune but nothing from our closest
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 planetary neighbors this absence creates
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 a substantial blind spot in our
00:02:25 --> 00:02:26 understanding of the planetary building
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 materials of the inner solar system
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 tangi Tony Yap the PhD student who led
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 the study explained that their research
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 emerged from a workshop at Caltech's KEK
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 Institute of Space Studies the workshop
00:02:39 --> 00:02:40 brought together experts in
00:02:40 --> 00:02:43 geocchemistry orbital dynamics and
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 mission science to discuss high priority
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 scientific objectives that could be
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 achieved through sample returns from
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 various bodies throughout the solar
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 system one of the most compelling
00:02:53 --> 00:02:54 reasons for pursuing these challenging
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 missions is to understand what materials
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 existed in the inner solar system during
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 its early formation billions of years
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 ago without samples from Mercury and
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 Venus we lack crucial data on the
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 carbonatous and non-carbonatous
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 materials that formed these planets the
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 researchers made their case by building
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 on knowledge gained from previous
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 missions like NASA's Messenger to
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 Mercury and looking ahead to active
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 missions like the European Space Ay's
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 Bey Columbo currently in route to
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 Mercury they also considered proposed
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 future NASA missions to Venus like Da
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 Vinci and Varadus as potential
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 precursors to eventual sample return
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 missions but the challenges are immense
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 mercury's proximity to the sun makes it
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 extraordinarily difficult to reach while
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 Venus has a crushing atmosphere and
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 surface temperatures hot enough to melt
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 lead these conditions make landing
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 collecting samples and returning them to
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 Earth technologically daunting despite
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 these obstacles the Caltech team
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 believes that with the development of
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 advanced propulsion technologies
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 particularly nuclear thermal propulsion
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 a Mercury sample return mission might
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 eventually become feasible venus
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 presents even greater challenges with
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 its massive gravity while making it
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 particularly difficult to launch
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 anything from its surface back to Earth
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 the researchers emphasize a critical gap
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 in our understanding of our solar system
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 we simply don't have any physical
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 samples from Mercury or Venus tony Yap
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 the Caltech PhD student leading the
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 study puts it bluntly we do not have a
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 single sample in the form of a meteorite
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 from Mercury and Venus this absence
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 creates a significant blind spot in
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 planetary science the building blocks of
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 both planets derived from the innermost
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 solar system remain largely theoretical
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 understanding these materials
00:04:45 --> 00:04:46 geochemically would provide crucial
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 insights into the evolution of the early
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 solar system approximately 4.6 billion
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 years ago what makes these potential
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 sample return missions particularly
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 significant is that they might represent
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 the missing component needed to explain
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 Earth's composition currently scientists
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 cannot fully account for our planet's
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 composition using known meteorite
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 materials there's a piece of the puzzle
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 missing and Mercury or Venus samples
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 might provide it the technical
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 challenges however are formidable for
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 Mercury the team believes nuclear
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 thermal propulsion could eventually make
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 a sample return mission feasible this
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 advanced propulsion technology would
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 provide the necessary power to escape
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 Mercury's gravity well while managing
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 the extreme heat near the sun venus
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 presents even greater obstacles its
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 massive size creates a much deeper
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 gravity well than Mercury making it
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 extraordinarily difficult to launch
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 anything from its surface with enough
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 velocity to return to Earth the planet's
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 crushing atmospheric pressure and
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 extreme surface temperatures hot enough
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 to melt lead further complicate any
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 sample collection mission given these
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 challenges researchers are exploring
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 alternative approaches for Venus
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 balloonbased technologies that could
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 float in the more temperate upper
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 atmosphere are being considered these
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 floating laboratories might collect
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 atmospheric samples or potentially even
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 surface material without requiring a
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 traditional landing and return
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 mission moving forward the scientists
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 emphasize the need to develop these
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 advanced technologies while
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 simultaneously building stronger
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 scientific cases for sample returns from
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 the inner planets as Yap notes figuring
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 out how to maximize scientific value
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 from even a single gram of material
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 scraped or drilled from these hostile
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 planetary surfaces will be crucial to
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 justifying such ambitious
00:06:37 --> 00:06:41 missions next on today's story list a
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 fascinating new study published in the
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 journal Icarus challenges the prevailing
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 notion that Earth's water came from
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 asteroid impacts for decades the
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 scientific consensus has suggested that
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 water or its components arrived on our
00:06:52 --> 00:06:55 planet via asteroid bombardment after
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 Earth had already formed but now
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 University of Oxford researchers have
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 uncovered compelling evidence that the
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 building blocks for water may have been
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 here all along the team examined a rare
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 type of meteorite known as an Enstatite
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 condrite which is particularly
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 significant because it shares similar
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 composition with the materials that
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17 formed early Earth approximately 4.5
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 billion years ago what they discovered
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 was surprising hydrogen present within
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 the meteorites chemical structure this
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 finding suggests that if this meteorite
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 material could naturally contain
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 hydrogen then the primordial Earth
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 likely did too perhaps most convincing
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 about this research is how carefully the
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 scientists worked to determine that the
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 hydrogen they found was original to the
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 meteorite not the result of terrestrial
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 contamination after it landed this
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 distinction is crucial if the hydrogen
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 was merely from Earth exposure it
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 wouldn't tell us anything about our
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 planet's early composition to
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 investigate this the researchers
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 employed a massive machine called a
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 synretron that produces powerful X-rays
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 to probe the meteorites chemical
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 structure they initially expected any
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 hydrogen to be linked with sulfur
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 molecules and targeted their analysis
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 accordingly to their surprise they found
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 areas rich in hydrogen sulfide just
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 outside where they anticipated with the
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 highest concentration locked within
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 crystalline structures the smoking gun
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 came when they examined areas of the
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 meteorite showing signs of earthly
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 contamination cracks and rust these
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 sections had little to no hydrogen
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 present strongly suggesting the hydrogen
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 elsewhere was native to the meteorite
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 itself this evidence points to a
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 revolutionary conclusion the proto Earth
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 likely already contained sufficient
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 hydrogen to explain our planet's current
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 water supply by the time the young
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 planet had grown large enough to be
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 struck by asteroids the essential
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 ingredients for water were already
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 present as Oxford professor James Bryson
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 one of the study's authors explained "We
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 now think that the material that built
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 our planet was far richer in hydrogen
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 than we thought previously this finding
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 supports the idea that the formation of
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 water on Earth was a natural process
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 rather than a fluke of hydrated
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 asteroids bombarding our planet after it
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 formed while this research may not
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 completely resolve the debate over
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 Earth's original water source it
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 significantly strengthens the case for
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 an internal origin rather than an
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 external delivery system the
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 implications extend beyond Earth
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 potentially helping us understand water
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 formation throughout our solar system
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 and beyond the Oxford team's
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 investigation methods were particularly
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 ingenious in their pursuit to determine
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 whether the hydrogen was truly original
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 to the meteorite to precisely pinpoint
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 hydrogen's presence they utilized a
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 powerful X-ray beam from a synretron
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 essentially a massive particle
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 accelerator that produces incredibly
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 intense light used to examine the atomic
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 structure of materials when they aimed
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 this sophisticated equipment at the
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 Antarctic meteorite named
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 LR12252 they discovered something
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 remarkable the hydrogen wasn't
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 distributed randomly throughout the
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 sample but was specifically concentrated
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 in hydrogen sulfide locked within
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 crystalline structures of the meteorite
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 this specific positioning is significant
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 because it suggests the hydrogen was
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 incorporated during the meteorite's
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 formation not afterward what makes their
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 evidence particularly compelling is the
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 comparison between different areas of
00:10:20 --> 00:10:23 the same meteorite the sections showing
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 clear signs of terrestrial contamination
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 like cracks or rust formations that
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 developed after the meteorite landed on
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33 Earth contained virtually no hydrogen if
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 contamination were the source of all the
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 hydrogen we would expect to see higher
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 concentrations in these damaged areas
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 where Earth materials could more easily
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 penetrate
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 instead the pristine uncontaminated
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 sections held the hydrogen creating a
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 strong case that this element was part
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 of the meteorite's original
00:10:52 --> 00:10:55 composition tom Barrett an Oxford
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 graduate student who worked on the study
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 described their excitement at this
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 discovery we were incredibly excited
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 when the analysis told us the sample
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 contained hydrogen sulfide just not
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 where we expected this finding
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 fundamentally shifts our understanding
00:11:09 --> 00:11:12 of Earth's water origins since instatite
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 condondrites are believed to represent
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 the building blocks of our early planet
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 their hydrogen content suggests Earth
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 naturally contained the essential
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 ingredients for water from its very
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 beginning rather than requiring a cosmic
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 delivery service of water- richch
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 asteroids our planet had the necessary
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 components all along the implications
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 extend beyond Earth this research could
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 help explain water formation throughout
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 our solar system and may even inform our
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 search for potentially habitable
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 exoplanets
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 if water formation is a natural
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 byproduct of planetary development
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 rather than depending on chance asteroid
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 impacts the potential for waterbearing
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51 worlds might be much higher than
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 previously
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 estimated next if you've ever felt like
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 becoming an entrepreneur of some note
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 you may have picked a good time to be
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 alive let me explain now imagine it's
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 1625 and you're an ambitious young
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 entrepreneur the world's most powerful
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 nations have pushed wooden shipb
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 building technology to unprecedented
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 heights the oceans are no longer the
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 barrier to commerce they once were new
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 continents have been discovered with
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 gold to be found spices to trade and
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 fortunes to be made of course there were
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 risks violent storms shipwrecks and
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 pirates lurking in wait for merchant
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 vessels fast forward 400 years and we
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 find ourselves at a remarkably similar
00:12:32 --> 00:12:35 threshold instead of wooden ships we
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 have advanced spacecraft instead of
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 crossing oceans we're venturing beyond
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 our
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 atmosphere the comparison between these
00:12:42 --> 00:12:44 two eras of exploration is not just
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 poetic it's profoundly accurate in terms
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 of the opportunities and challenges we
00:12:49 --> 00:12:49 now
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 face space launch technology has evolved
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 at a breathtaking pace particularly in
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 the last decade what was once the
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 exclusive domain of powerful nation
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 states is now accessible to private
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 companies and ambitious startups Earth's
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 atmosphere which for millennia
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 represented an absolute barrier to human
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 exploration is now regularly traversed
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 by both crude and uncrrewed missions the
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 potential rewards of this new frontier
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 dwarf even the riches sought by those
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 early maritime explorers we're not just
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 talking about discovering new trading
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 routes or finding gold we're
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 contemplating mining asteroids rich in
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 precious metals harnessing unprecedented
00:13:28 --> 00:13:31 energy sources and potentially even
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 finding the answers to humanity's oldest
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 questions about our origins and whether
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 we're alone in the
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 universe space traffic is projected to
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 grow exponentially over the next 5 to 10
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 years it's not unreasonable to imagine
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 regular trips to the moon by the end of
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 this decade with Mars and even the
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 asteroid belt becoming accessible in the
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 following years currently we use space
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 primarily for communications and Earth
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 observation but that's merely scratching
00:13:58 --> 00:14:01 the surface of possibilities just as the
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 age of sale brought risks alongside its
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 rewards our venture into space comes
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 with inherent dangers the space
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 environment itself is incredibly hostile
00:14:09 --> 00:14:13 to human life vacuum radiation
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 micrometeorites these are the modern
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 equivalents of the storms and reefs that
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19 threatened early sailors and as space
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 becomes more commercialized we'll likely
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 face new challenges in terms of security
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 and competition for
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 resources for every entrepreneur who
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 sees opportunity in mining asteroids
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 there may be those who see opportunity
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 in piracy or sabotage nations with early
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 advantages in space capability will have
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 tremendous economic and strategic
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 benefits over those who lag behind the
00:14:41 --> 00:14:43 dynamics of power and wealth that shaped
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 Earth's colonial era may find new
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 expression in our expansion beyond our
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 planet yet unlike our ancestors who
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 sailed into the unknown with limited
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 knowledge and primitive tools we venture
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 forth with the accumulated wisdom and
00:14:56 --> 00:14:59 technology of our entire civilization
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 the possibilities before us are limited
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 only by our imagination our courage and
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 our ability to cooperate across national
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 boundaries for the benefit of all
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 humanity space traffic is expected to
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 grow exponentially in the coming years
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 as humans explore new worlds and seek
00:15:14 --> 00:15:17 fortune beyond Earth while the concept
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 of space tourism gets plenty of
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 attention it's merely the tip of an
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23 iceberg of commercial possibilities
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 whose depths we have yet to fully
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 comprehend the initial focus of space
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 commerce will likely center around three
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 key areas: resource acquisition energy
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 production and advanced manufacturing
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38 these aren't just speculative ventures
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 they represent logical extensions of
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 existing needs coupled with emerging
00:15:41 --> 00:15:44 technological capabilities asteroids
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 present perhaps the most tantalizing
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 near-term opportunity many contain vast
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50 quantities of rare earth minerals and
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 precious metals in concentrations far
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 exceeding those found in Earth's most
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 productive mines a single asteroid with
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 the right composition could yield
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 trillions of dollars worth of materials
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 critical to advanced technologies and
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 manufacturing processes
00:16:05 --> 00:16:08 meanwhile the moon has drawn renewed
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 interest not just as a stepping stone to
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 deeper space but as a valuable resource
00:16:12 --> 00:16:15 in its own right its surface contains
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 abundant helium 3 an isotope extremely
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 rare on Earth but potentially ideal as
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 fuel for future nuclear fusion reactors
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 if fusion power becomes commercially
00:16:25 --> 00:16:28 viable lunar helium 3 could become one
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 of the most valuable commodities in the
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 solar system the unique environment of
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 space also creates opportunities for
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 manufacturing processes impossible on
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 Earth zero gravity conditions allow for
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 the creation of perfect crystals ultra
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 pure pharmaceuticals and exotic alloys
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 that cannot be produced under
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 terrestrial conditions as launch costs
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 continue to decrease the economic case
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 for orbital manufacturing becomes
00:16:52 --> 00:16:55 increasingly compelling for ambitious
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 companies looking to stake their claim
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 in this new frontier several market
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 niches are emerging manufacturing will
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 be crucial not just for Earth-based
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 customers but for the infrastructure of
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 space itself long range transports
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 mining systems and lunar bases will all
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 need to be constructed potentially on
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 orbit to avoid the limitations of
00:17:16 --> 00:17:19 Earth-tospace launch systems logistics
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 presents another massive opportunity
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 we'll need transfer stations refueling
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 depots and efficient transport networks
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 the companies that develop reliable
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 cost-effective ways to move people
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 equipment and resources throughout cys
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 lunar space and beyond will be the
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 equivalent of the shipping companies
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39 that dominated oceanic trade of course
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 all this activity will generate
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 unprecedented demand for information
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 management communication systems
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 navigation networks and security
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 services the data infrastructure needed
00:17:50 --> 00:17:53 to support operations across the solar
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 system will dwarf our current internet
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 in both complexity and capacity the
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 countries and companies that master
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 these challenges will enjoy economic
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 advantages comparable to those gained by
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 maritime powers during the age of
00:18:05 --> 00:18:08 exploration but unlike Earth's resources
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 the resources of space are virtually
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 limitless offering the potential for
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 growth and prosperity without the zero
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 sum competition that has characterized
00:18:16 --> 00:18:19 much of human history
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 next time to check in with the
00:18:22 --> 00:18:25 JWST the James Web Space Telescope has
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 recently turned its powerful infrared
00:18:26 --> 00:18:30 eyes toward NGC 1514 a fascinating
00:18:30 --> 00:18:33 planetary nebula sitting about 1
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 lighty years away from Earth this
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 celestial object has a particularly
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 intriguing history in the annals of
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 astronomy when William Hershel first
00:18:41 --> 00:18:44 discovered it in 1790 the nebula's
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 unique appearance forced him to
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 reconsider fundamental assumptions about
00:18:47 --> 00:18:50 the nature of nebula prior to this
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 discovery Hershel had believed that all
00:18:52 --> 00:18:55 nebuli were simply masses of stars too
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 distant to be resolved individually but
00:18:57 --> 00:19:00 NGC 1514 presented something different
00:19:00 --> 00:19:03 what he described as a lone star
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 surrounded with a faintly luminous
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 atmosphere
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 this observation marked a significant
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 shift in astronomical understanding
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 suggesting that not all nebulous objects
00:19:12 --> 00:19:15 were comprised of stars fast forward to
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 modern times and this curious nebula
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 continues to yield new insights with
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 each technological advance nasa's
00:19:22 --> 00:19:26 Widefield Infrared Survey Explorer WISE
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 previously detected a pair of rings
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 around the nebula that are only visible
00:19:29 --> 00:19:33 in infrared wavelengths now the JWSD's
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 unparalleled capabilities have allowed
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 astronomers to examine these structures
00:19:37 --> 00:19:40 in unprecedented detail led by Michael
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 Wrestler a researcher and project
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 scientist for WEB's mid-infrared
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 instrument at NASA's Jet Propulsion
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 Laboratory the new observations reveal
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 the complex and turbulent nature of NGC
00:19:50 --> 00:19:54 1514 the JWST's mid-infrared imager and
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 mediumresolution spectrometer have
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 clearly resolved the nebula's
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00 distinctive rings showing them to be
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 relatively distinct structures with both
00:20:02 --> 00:20:05 filament and clumpy details throughout
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07 what makes these new observations
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 particularly valuable is how they've
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 enabled astronomers to peer through the
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 nebula's history tracing its evolution
00:20:12 --> 00:20:15 over approximately 4 years as
00:20:15 --> 00:20:18 Wrestler noted before web we weren't
00:20:18 --> 00:20:20 able to detect most of this material let
00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 alone observe it so clearly the
00:20:22 --> 00:20:25 telescope's infrared sensitivity has
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 provided a comprehensive view of the
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 nebula's turbulent nature allowing
00:20:29 --> 00:20:32 scientists to examine features that were
00:20:32 --> 00:20:35 previously impossible to detect the
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37 detail revealed by these observations
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 offers a time capsule of sorts recording
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 the dramatic processes of stellar
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 evolution as they've unfolded over
00:20:43 --> 00:20:46 millennia by studying the intricate
00:20:46 --> 00:20:50 structures within NGC 1514 astronomers
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 can better understand the complex
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 interactions that occur when stars reach
00:20:53 --> 00:20:56 the end of their main sequence lives and
00:20:56 --> 00:20:58 begin shedding their outer layers into
00:20:58 --> 00:21:01 space a pair of binary stars reside at
00:21:02 --> 00:21:05 the center of NGC 1514 appearing as a
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 single purple star with bright
00:21:06 --> 00:21:09 diffraction spikes in JDUSD images this
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 central system is actually what powers
00:21:11 --> 00:21:14 and shapes the entire nebula one of
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 these stars was originally several times
00:21:16 --> 00:21:19 more massive than our sun and as it
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 evolved into a red giant it cast off its
00:21:21 --> 00:21:23 outer layers of gas which formed the
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 distinctive nebular structure we see
00:21:25 --> 00:21:28 today david Jones a senior scientist at
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 the Institute of Astrophysics on the
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 Canary Islands who proved there is a
00:21:32 --> 00:21:35 binary star system at the center in 2017
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 explains this
00:21:36 --> 00:21:39 process as it evolved it puffed up
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41 throwing off layers of gas and dust in a
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 very slow dense stellar wind that once
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 massive star has now collapsed to become
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 a white dwarf while its companion is
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 currently a giant star on what
00:21:49 --> 00:21:52 astronomers call the horizontal branch
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 what appears from our viewing angle to
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 look like a can being poured out is
00:21:55 --> 00:21:57 actually an hourglass shape there are
00:21:57 --> 00:21:59 hints of a pinched waist near the top
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 left and bottom right of the nebula and
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 at these locations the dust appears
00:22:03 --> 00:22:06 orange and drifts into shallow Vshapes
00:22:06 --> 00:22:08 this unusual configuration likely
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 results from the interaction between the
00:22:10 --> 00:22:13 binary stars when this star was at its
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15 peak of losing material the companion
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 could have gotten very very close jones
00:22:18 --> 00:22:21 notes that interaction can lead to
00:22:21 --> 00:22:23 shapes that you wouldn't expect instead
00:22:23 --> 00:22:25 of producing a sphere this interaction
00:22:25 --> 00:22:28 might have formed these rings the JWSD
00:22:28 --> 00:22:30 observations have allowed researchers to
00:22:30 --> 00:22:32 dig more deeply into the nebula's
00:22:32 --> 00:22:34 composition revealing something quite
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 unexpected unlike many other planetary
00:22:36 --> 00:22:39 nebula the brightness of NGC 1514's
00:22:39 --> 00:22:41 rings doesn't come from line emissions
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 from elements like atomic hydrogen
00:22:43 --> 00:22:46 polyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or
00:22:46 --> 00:22:49 shocked molecular hydrogen instead the
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 brightness primarily comes from thermal
00:22:51 --> 00:22:53 emission from dust grains with
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 researchers calculating that only about
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 1.5% of the ring flux comes from line
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 emissions
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 this composition is particularly unusual
00:23:02 --> 00:23:04 since carbon and polyyclic aromatic
00:23:04 --> 00:23:06 hydrocarbons are common features in
00:23:06 --> 00:23:09 planetary nebula the lack of emissions
00:23:09 --> 00:23:11 from molecular hydrogen indicates that
00:23:11 --> 00:23:13 the ring structures weren't formed by
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 material shocked from collisions with
00:23:14 --> 00:23:17 the interstellar medium while the new
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 observations provide unprecedented
00:23:18 --> 00:23:21 clarity about what the rings are made of
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 they haven't yet fully explained how
00:23:22 --> 00:23:25 they formed researchers suggest that a
00:23:25 --> 00:23:27 strong thermal pulse from the binary
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 stars common envelope may have created
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 pronounced changes in density in the
00:23:31 --> 00:23:34 surrounding material alternatively a
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36 period of heavy mass loss followed by
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 fast jets or winds could have carved out
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 material along the poles to create the
00:23:40 --> 00:23:43 ring-like structure as the researchers
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 concluded the new data do complete the
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 picture of the rings being cool dusty
00:23:48 --> 00:23:50 structures embedded in the tenuous outer
00:23:50 --> 00:23:53 shell of a very complex but fascinating
00:23:53 --> 00:23:57 planetary nebula finally today shifting
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 our gaze from distant nebuli to events
00:23:59 --> 00:24:02 much closer to home skygazers have an
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 exciting opportunity coming up with not
00:24:04 --> 00:24:06 one but two meteor showers visible in
00:24:06 --> 00:24:09 our night skies beginning in late April
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 these celestial light shows offer
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 everyone a chance to witness the beauty
00:24:12 --> 00:24:15 of space without the need for expensive
00:24:15 --> 00:24:17 equipment the Lid's meteor shower will
00:24:17 --> 00:24:20 be the first to grace our skies active
00:24:20 --> 00:24:23 from April 17th to 26 these meteors are
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 actually tiny pieces of debris from the
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 Thatcher comet that interact with
00:24:27 --> 00:24:30 Earth's atmosphere and disintegrate
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 creating those beautiful streaks of
00:24:31 --> 00:24:34 light we associate with shooting stars
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 the lids take their name from the
00:24:36 --> 00:24:39 constellation Lyra which contains the
00:24:39 --> 00:24:42 bright star Vega this is the region of
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 the sky from which the meteors appear to
00:24:44 --> 00:24:46 radiate what makes the Lirids
00:24:46 --> 00:24:49 particularly special is their long
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 observational history people have been
00:24:51 --> 00:24:53 spotting these meteors for at least
00:24:53 --> 00:24:56 2 years making them one of the
00:24:56 --> 00:24:59 oldest recorded meteor showers while
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 they may not produce the highest rates
00:25:01 --> 00:25:03 compared to other major showers they
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 often compensate with numerous bright
00:25:05 --> 00:25:07 meteors this year the peak activity
00:25:07 --> 00:25:10 occurs on the night of April 21st with
00:25:10 --> 00:25:12 the best viewing just before dawn on
00:25:12 --> 00:25:15 April 22nd hot on the heels of the Lids
00:25:15 --> 00:25:18 comes the Aquarids meteor shower these
00:25:18 --> 00:25:20 meteors have a more famous parent
00:25:20 --> 00:25:22 they're the icy and rocky debris
00:25:22 --> 00:25:25 originally shed by the renowned comet
00:25:25 --> 00:25:27 when these particles eventually reach
00:25:27 --> 00:25:29 Earth's atmosphere they create their own
00:25:29 --> 00:25:32 fiery nighttime display the Eta Aquarids
00:25:32 --> 00:25:34 can be seen between April 20th and May
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36 28th with optimal viewing between
00:25:36 --> 00:25:39 midnight and dawn on May 5th the Eta
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 Aquarids are named after one of the
00:25:41 --> 00:25:43 brightest stars in the constellation
00:25:43 --> 00:25:45 Aquarius Eta Aquari which is near the
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 point from which the meteors appear to
00:25:47 --> 00:25:50 originate astronomers note that the
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 itaids are particularly interesting
00:25:52 --> 00:25:54 because they sometimes produce strong
00:25:54 --> 00:25:56 outbursts in certain years though this
00:25:56 --> 00:25:58 year is expected to show more moderate
00:25:58 --> 00:26:00 activity there's an interesting
00:26:00 --> 00:26:02 hemispheric divide when it comes to
00:26:02 --> 00:26:05 viewing these showers the Lids are best
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 observed from the northern hemisphere
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 while the southern hemisphere provides
00:26:08 --> 00:26:11 superior viewing conditions for the ITA
00:26:11 --> 00:26:13 aquarids
00:26:13 --> 00:26:15 that said both can be seen from either
00:26:15 --> 00:26:18 hemisphere just with varying degrees of
00:26:18 --> 00:26:20 visibility while the lids might produce
00:26:20 --> 00:26:22 around 10 to 20 meteors per hour during
00:26:22 --> 00:26:25 their peak the Eta Aquarids can display
00:26:25 --> 00:26:27 about 30 meteors per hour from the
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29 southern hemisphere and between 10 to 30
00:26:29 --> 00:26:31 from the northern
00:26:31 --> 00:26:34 hemisphere the Eta Aquarids sometimes
00:26:34 --> 00:26:36 leave glowing dust trains in their wake
00:26:36 --> 00:26:38 that remain visible for several seconds
00:26:38 --> 00:26:40 or even minutes adding an extra
00:26:40 --> 00:26:42 dimension to the spectacle
00:26:42 --> 00:26:44 if you're hoping to catch either of
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 these meteor showers location and timing
00:26:46 --> 00:26:49 are everything for the lids northern
00:26:49 --> 00:26:51 hemisphere viewers have the advantage
00:26:51 --> 00:26:53 head out in the dark hours just before
00:26:53 --> 00:26:57 dawn particularly on April 22nd and look
00:26:57 --> 00:26:59 up you won't need any special equipment
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01 just your naked eyes and a bit of
00:27:01 --> 00:27:03 patience the meteors will appear as fast
00:27:03 --> 00:27:05 streaks of light across the sky and
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 occasionally you might spot an
00:27:06 --> 00:27:09 especially bright flash during peak
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 activity you could be rewarded with
00:27:10 --> 00:27:13 anywhere from 10 to 20 meteors per hour
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 for those in the southern hemisphere
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 while you won't have the best view of
00:27:16 --> 00:27:19 the Lid since the constellation Lyra
00:27:19 --> 00:27:21 stays below the horizon for most
00:27:21 --> 00:27:23 southern viewers you'll have the prime
00:27:23 --> 00:27:26 seats for the ETA aquarids in early May
00:27:26 --> 00:27:28 this shower favors southern hemisphere
00:27:28 --> 00:27:31 observers who can expect to see around
00:27:31 --> 00:27:34 30 meteors per hour during peak activity
00:27:34 --> 00:27:36 northern hemisphere sky watchers needn't
00:27:36 --> 00:27:38 feel left out though you can still catch
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40 about 10 to 30 meters hourly but you'll
00:27:40 --> 00:27:42 need to look toward the horizon as the
00:27:42 --> 00:27:44 radiant point remains lower in your
00:27:44 --> 00:27:47 sky one challenge for northern viewers
00:27:47 --> 00:27:49 of the EDA aquarids is the limited
00:27:49 --> 00:27:52 viewing window the showers radiant only
00:27:52 --> 00:27:54 rises a couple of hours before dawn and
00:27:54 --> 00:27:56 daylight arrives before it climbs high
00:27:56 --> 00:27:58 in the sky this gives you just a brief
00:27:58 --> 00:28:01 opportunity to spot these meteors making
00:28:01 --> 00:28:04 proper preparation even more important
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 for optimal viewing of either meteor
00:28:05 --> 00:28:08 shower astronomy experts recommend
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 finding a location with minimal light
00:28:09 --> 00:28:12 pollution far away from city lights if
00:28:12 --> 00:28:14 possible bring along a star map to help
00:28:14 --> 00:28:16 locate the relevant constellations
00:28:16 --> 00:28:18 though the meteors themselves can appear
00:28:18 --> 00:28:21 anywhere in the sky a reclining lawn
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 chair or camping mattress will make the
00:28:22 --> 00:28:25 experience much more comfortable as
00:28:25 --> 00:28:27 you'll be looking up for extended
00:28:27 --> 00:28:29 periods dress warmly even if the spring
00:28:29 --> 00:28:32 night doesn't seem that cold initially
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 when you're sitting still for long
00:28:33 --> 00:28:35 periods temperatures can feel much
00:28:35 --> 00:28:37 chillier than expected remember that
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39 your eyes need about 20 to 30 minutes to
00:28:39 --> 00:28:42 fully adapt to the darkness so avoid
00:28:42 --> 00:28:44 looking at your phone or other bright
00:28:44 --> 00:28:46 lights once you've settled in keep in
00:28:46 --> 00:28:48 mind that patience is key not every
00:28:48 --> 00:28:50 meteor you see will necessarily be from
00:28:50 --> 00:28:53 these specific showers but the ultimate
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 experience of watching the night sky
00:28:54 --> 00:28:56 come alive with streaks of light is well
00:28:56 --> 00:28:59 worth the wait
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 and that's all for today's episode of
00:29:00 --> 00:29:03 Astronomy Daily from sample return
00:29:03 --> 00:29:05 missions to our solar systems most
00:29:05 --> 00:29:07 challenging planets to the surprising
00:29:07 --> 00:29:09 origins of Earth's water the new
00:29:09 --> 00:29:12 frontier of space commerce the JWST's
00:29:12 --> 00:29:15 stunning observations of NGC 1514 and
00:29:15 --> 00:29:17 the upcoming meteor light shows in our
00:29:17 --> 00:29:19 night skies the universe continues to
00:29:19 --> 00:29:22 amaze and inspire us i'm Anna and it's
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 been my pleasure to bring you these
00:29:23 --> 00:29:26 cosmic stories today if your curiosity
00:29:26 --> 00:29:28 about our universe has been peaked
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 there's always more to discover at our
00:29:29 --> 00:29:32 website
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00:29:58 --> 00:30:01 this vast and wondrous cosmos the
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00:30:13 --> 00:30:17 magnificent universe we call home
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