Episode S05E32 - Friday, February 6, 2026
Welcome to Astronomy Daily! Join hosts Anna and Avery as they bring you the latest space and astronomy news from across the cosmos.
Episode Highlights
Lunar Smartphones: NASA Approves Modern Tech for Space
NASA astronauts will finally be allowed to bring their smartphones on missions, starting with Crew-12 to the ISS next week and the Artemis II lunar flyby in March. After years of using decade-old cameras, astronauts can now spontaneously capture and share moments with iPhones and Android devices, promising unprecedented behind-the-scenes documentation of historic missions.
Comet MAPS: A Potential Daylight Spectacle
Newly discovered Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) could become visible to the naked eye—possibly even in broad daylight—when it passes within 120,000 km of the sun in early April. This Kreutz sungrazer was spotted farther from the sun than any previous sungrazer, suggesting it might survive its close solar encounter and put on a spectacular show.
Mercury's Best Evening Show of 2026
The elusive planet Mercury is currently offering its best evening viewing opportunity of the year! Shining brightly at magnitude -1.1, Mercury will reach greatest elongation on February 19th, appearing 17 degrees above the western horizon after sunset. Don't miss the stunning pairing with a crescent moon on February 18th!
China Joins Space Data Center Race
China's state-owned aerospace corporation announced ambitious plans for space-based data centers as part of their five-year expansion program. This puts China in competition with SpaceX, Axiom Space, and Google in the race to build orbital computing infrastructure powered by abundant solar energy.
Dark Matter vs Black Hole: What Powers the Milky Way?
Groundbreaking research suggests the Milky Way's core might be powered by a dense clump of fermionic dark matter rather than the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. This controversial model explains both central star orbits and the galaxy's rotation curve while mimicking the black hole "shadow" captured by the Event Horizon Telescope.
Jetty McJetface: The Star-Shredding Phenomenon
A supermassive black hole nicknamed "Jetty McJetface" continues to astound scientists four years after shredding a star. The black hole's relativistic jet has grown 50 times brighter since 2019 and is predicted to peak in 2027, making it one of the most energetic events ever observed in the universe—over 100 trillion times more powerful than Star Wars' Death Star!
Resources & Links
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman on X (social media)
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society journal
Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration
Astrophysical Journal
Star Walk 2 app for comet tracking
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Credits
Hosted by Anna & Avery
Produced by the Astronomy Daily team
Season 5, Episode 32
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 for the latest space and astronomy news.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:07 I'm Anna.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 >> And I'm Avery. We're coming to you on
00:00:09 --> 00:00:13 Friday, February 6, 2026. And today's
00:00:13 --> 00:00:14 show is packed with some truly
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 incredible stories from across the
00:00:16 --> 00:00:17 cosmos.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 >> We've got everything from lunar
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 smartphones to daytime visible comets.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 Let's dive into today's headlines. We're
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 looking at NASA's new policy that lets
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 astronauts bring their phones to the
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 moon. A newly discovered comet that
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 might become visible in broad daylight.
00:00:35 --> 00:00:38 The best viewing opportunity for Mercury
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 all year. China's ambitious plans for
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 space-based data centers. New theories
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 about what really powers the Milky Ways
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 core. And a star shredding black hole
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 with an absolutely unforgettable
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 nickname. That nickname is pure gold,
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 Anna. But first, let's talk about
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 something that might seem mundane, but
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 is actually pretty revolutionary for
00:01:01 --> 00:01:02 space exploration.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 >> Avery, I have to admit, when I first saw
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 this story, my first thought was, wait,
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 they couldn't do that before?
00:01:09 --> 00:01:13 >> Right? It seems so obvious in 2026. But
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 here's the thing. Getting any new
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 technology approved for spaceflight is
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 incredibly difficult. Everything has to
00:01:19 --> 00:01:20 be tested to make sure it won't
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 interfere with critical systems or cause
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 problems in the extreme environment of
00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 space.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 >> And NASA just announced that starting
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 with the crew 12 mission to the
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 International Space Station next week.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 And more importantly, with the highly
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 anticipated Aremis 2 lunar flyby mission
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 in March, astronauts will be allowed to
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 bring their smartphones.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 >> This is actually a pretty big deal from
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 a documentation perspective. NASA
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 administrator Jared Isaacman wrote on
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 social media that they're giving crews
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 the tools to capture special moments for
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 their families and share inspiring
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 images and video with the world.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 >> The timing is perfect, too. Until now,
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 the newest cameras approved for these
00:02:01 --> 00:02:05 missions were decade old Nikon DSLRs and
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 GoPros. Those are great cameras, but
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 there's something more spontaneous and
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 accessible about using a smartphone.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 >> Absolutely. Think about it. With iPhones
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 and Android devices at hand, astronauts
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 can be much more spontaneous with image
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 and video gathering. We might see more
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 behindthe-scenes moments, more realtime
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 documentation of their experiences.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 >> I'm already imagining the Tik Toks from
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 zero gravity. Though, I have to wonder
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 if that's something NASA is prepared
00:02:32 --> 00:02:33 for.
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 Well, Isaacman did mention that what's
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 equally important is that they
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 challenged long-standing processes and
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 qualified modern hardware for space
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 flight on an expedited timeline. That
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 operational urgency, he says, will serve
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 NASA well as they pursue high value
00:02:49 --> 00:02:50 science and research.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 >> Now, I should mention this isn't
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 technically the first time smartphones
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 have gone to space. SpaceX allowed them
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 for their private astronaut missions,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 but this is the first time NASA is
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 officially approving them for their own
00:03:03 --> 00:03:04 crude flights.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 >> And for Artemis 2, this is huge. We're
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 talking about the first time humans will
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 orbit the moon since the Apollo era.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:13 Having modern smartphones to document
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 that historic journey, that's going to
00:03:16 --> 00:03:17 give us perspectives we've never had
00:03:17 --> 00:03:18 before.
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 >> Ultra wide angle selfies with the moon
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 in the background. I'm here for it.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 Though I do hope mission control sets up
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 some kind of social media guidelines
00:03:27 --> 00:03:28 first.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 >> No doubt. All right, from lunar
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 smartphones to cosmic visitors, let's
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 talk about something that's got the
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 astronomy community really excited.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 >> Avery, this is the kind of story that
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 makes you want to mark your calendar. A
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 newly discovered comet has the potential
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 to become one of the brightest
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 astronomical events of the year. Comet
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 C/2026A1
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 nicknamed maps after the four
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 astronomers who discovered it my Atard
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 Parrot and Signaret was spotted on
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 January 13th using a remotely operated
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 telescope in Chile's Otakama desert.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 >> And what makes this discovery so
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 exciting is that it's a member of the
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 Cro sungrazing comet family. These are
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 comets that pass extremely close to the
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 sun. And historically, they've been
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 responsible for some of the most
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 spectacular celestial displays ever
00:04:19 --> 00:04:20 witnessed.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 >> We're talking about comets that in the
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 past became bright enough to be seen in
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 broad daylight. The great comet of 1882
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 was reportedly 100 times brighter than
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 the full moon. And the great comet of
00:04:33 --> 00:04:37 1965, Eayaseki, was easily visible with
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 the naked eye during the day.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 >> Now, here's the crucial detail. All
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 CRO's sungrazers are believed to be
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 fragments of a much larger comet that
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 broke apart hundreds or even thousands
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 of years ago. Each time one of these
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 fragments makes its close pass by the
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 sun, there's a chance it could fragment
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 further or even completely disintegrate.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 >> Right? So, there's a big if here. Comet
00:05:03 --> 00:05:07 maps will pass within just 120 km of
00:05:07 --> 00:05:11 the sun's surface in early April 2026.
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 That's incredibly close. If it survives
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 that encounter, it could become a
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 spectacular site.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 >> What's particularly promising is that
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 MAPS was discovered much farther from
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 the sun than any previously discovered
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 sunrazer. It was spotted at about 38
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 million km out. The previous record
00:05:30 --> 00:05:33 holder for farthest discovery was comet
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 Ikyaski, which turned out to be the
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 brightest comet of the 20th century.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 >> That said, technology has advanced
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 significantly since 1965. So, we're
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 better at detecting fainter objects
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 earlier. That means maps probably isn't
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 as large as Ekaski, so it's unlikely to
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 be quite as bright.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 >> But the fact that we caught it so early
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 is still a good sign. It suggests maps
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 is either a reasonably large fragment or
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 it's currently an outburst. Recent
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 observations show it steadily
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 brightening, which points toward it
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 being a larger fragment rather than
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 already falling apart.
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14 >> So, what can sky watchers expect? Well,
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 the best viewing will be in early April
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 as the comet approaches the sun. If it
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 survives its close pass, it could become
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 visible to the naked eye, possibly even
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 during daylight hours as it swings
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 closest to the sun.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 >> Observers in the southern hemisphere
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 will have better viewing opportunities
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 with the comet appearing higher in the
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 sky during morning twilight. Northern
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 hemisphere observers will have a more
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 challenging view with the comet staying
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 very close to the sun and low on the
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 horizon. I love that the astronomy
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 community is already tempering
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 expectations while still allowing for
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 optimism. This could be amazing or it
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 could fizzle out. That's the
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 unpredictable nature of comets.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 >> And that unpredictability is part of
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 what makes them so exciting. We'll
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 definitely be keeping our eyes on comet
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 maps as April approaches.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 >> Speaking of things to watch in the sky,
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 there's another elusive celestial object
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 that's putting on its best show right
00:07:08 --> 00:07:12 now. You know, Avery, Mercury gets a bad
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 reputation as the elusive planet, but I
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 think that's a bit unfair.
00:07:17 --> 00:07:20 >> I completely agree. Most astronomy books
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 make it sound like Mercury is almost
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 impossible to see, but the truth is you
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 just need to know when and where to
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 look.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 >> Exactly. And right now, we're entering
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 the best evening viewing window for
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 Mercury in all of 2026 for observers in
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 the northern hemisphere. observers.
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 Mercury began its best evening
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 apparition of the year today, February
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 6th. Even though it was only 12° from
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 the sun initially, it was shining at a
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 bright minus1.1,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 nearly as bright as Sirius, the
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 brightest star in the night sky. What's
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 great is that on each of the next 13
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 evenings, Mercury gets progressively
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 higher in the sky and sets a bit later.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 By February 19th, it reaches what's
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 called greatest elongation. its maximum
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 angular separation from the sun at 18
00:08:10 --> 00:08:10 degrees.
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 >> And here's what makes this appearance so
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 special for mid-n northern latitude
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 observers. Almost all of that separation
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 is vertical. Mercury will stand nearly
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 17° above the horizon at sunset, and it
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 won't set until after astronomical
00:08:25 --> 00:08:28 twilight ends. So, we're talking about
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 being able to see Mercury in a truly
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 dark night sky, more than an hour and a
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 half after sunset, shining at magnitude
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 -0.4.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 That's brighter than the star Arct
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 Turus. Now, there's a really nice
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 celestial alignment coming up on
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 February 18th. A slender waxing crescent
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 moon, only about 2% illuminated, will
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 appear very close to Mercury. The moon
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 will be this beautiful smile in the
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 western sky with Mercury hovering right
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 above it like a brilliant star.
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 >> And here's something special. If you
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 live in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana,
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, or
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 Florida, you might actually see the moon
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 pass directly in front of Mercury around
00:09:12 --> 00:09:16 7:37 p.m. Eastern time and 7:30 p.m.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 Central time.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 >> That's called an occultation, and it's
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 quite rare. Even if you're not in those
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 states, the close pairing of the
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 crescent moon and bright Mercury will
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 make for a stunning view about 45
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 minutes after sunset.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 >> Now, after its peak on February 19th,
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 Mercury fades rapidly. Remember, we
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 talked about how Mercury shows phases
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 like the moon. Well, at the beginning of
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 February, Mercury's disc was 97%
00:09:44 --> 00:09:47 illuminated. By the time it reaches
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 greatest elongation, it's only 50%
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 illuminated. like a half moon.
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 >> And in the following days, that rapidly
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 decreasing phase results in a dramatic
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 loss in brightness. By February 24th,
00:09:59 --> 00:10:03 it'll have faded from magnitude minus0.4
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 to magnitude plus 0.6, losing more than
00:10:06 --> 00:10:09 a full magnitude in brightness. By
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 February 26th, it'll be down to
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 magnitude plus 1.3, just slightly
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 brighter than the star Regulus, and
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 appearing as a slender crescent, only
00:10:20 --> 00:10:23 17% illuminated. That's probably going
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 to be the last good chance to spot it
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 before it disappears into the sunset
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 glow.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 >> So, the message is clear. If you want to
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 see Mercury at its best, don't wait. The
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 next two weeks offer the best viewing
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 opportunity of the entire year. Find a
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 clear western horizon. Look about 45
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 minutes after sunset, and you'll be
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 rewarded with a bright star that's
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 actually our solar system's innermost
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 planet. And honestly, once you see it,
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 you'll wonder why people ever called it
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 elusive. All right, shifting gears now
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 to some developments in space technology
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 and infrastructure. The race to build
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 data centers in space is heating up, and
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 China just announced they're joining the
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 competition in a big way.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 >> The stateowned China Aerospace Science
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 and Technology Corporation has announced
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 that space-based data centers will be
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 part of their new 5-year plan for
00:11:16 --> 00:11:19 expanding China's presence in space.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 >> This is part of a larger initiative that
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 also includes asteroid mining, space
00:11:24 --> 00:11:27 debris monitoring, and even space
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 tourism. But the data center component
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 is particularly interesting because it
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 puts China in direct competition with
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 several US companies already working on
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 this concept.
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 >> According to the China Global Television
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 Network, the plan will target an
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 integrated space system architecture
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 combining cloud, edge, and terminal
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 technologies. The goal is to enable
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 computing power, storage, and
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 transmission capabilities from space.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 Now, why are so many countries and
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 companies suddenly interested in putting
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 data centers in orbit? Well, it comes
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 down to resources. Data centers,
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 especially those powering AI systems,
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 require enormous amounts of energy and
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 real estate,
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 >> and both of those are becoming more
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 expensive and limited on Earth. In
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 space, solar power is abundant and
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 reliable. The sun is always shining.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 Plus, there's no shortage of real estate
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 in orbit.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 >> Several US companies are already working
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 on this. SpaceX plans to launch
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 space-based data centers, initially
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 using modified Starlink satellites. Elon
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 Musk's long-term plans even include
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 building AI satellite factories on the
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 moon that would launch satellites via
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 rail guns.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 >> That's very Elon. Meanwhile,
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 Houstonbased Axiom Space already
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 launched the first components for its
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 orbiting data center last year, and
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 Google is looking into launching data
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 centers to support its own AI
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 infrastructure. The concept was even
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 discussed at the World Economic Forum
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 and Davos. Last month, a panel including
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 European Space Agency Director General
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 Joseph Ashbacher talked about ensuring
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 that fast-moving technological
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 developments like internet
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 infrastructure are properly protected.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:18 There is one significant concern that
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 was raised though. With so many
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 satellites and data centers being
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 planned for orbit, we're looking at a
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 dramatic increase in the number of
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 objects in space. That raises questions
00:13:28 --> 00:13:30 about orbital debris, satellite
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 collisions, and the long-term
00:13:31 --> 00:13:34 sustainability of the space environment.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 >> Right? We already have issues with space
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 debris. Adding thousands more satellites
00:13:39 --> 00:13:42 for data centers could exacerbate that
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 problem. It's going to require careful
00:13:44 --> 00:13:47 planning and international cooperation
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 to make sure we don't create an
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 unsustainable situation in orbit.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 >> The next 5 years are going to be really
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 interesting as we see how this unfolds.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 Will space-based data centers become the
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 norm? Or will we find that the
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 challenges outweigh the benefits? Time
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 will tell.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 >> From the future of computing to the very
00:14:06 --> 00:14:09 heart of our galaxy, our next story
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 challenges something we thought we knew
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 for certain. Avery, this story is
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 fascinating because it challenges one of
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 the fundamental assumptions about our
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 galaxy. For decades, the astronomical
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 community has accepted that there's a
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 super massive black hole called
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 Sagittarius A star at the center of our
00:14:27 --> 00:14:30 Milky Way. This black hole with a mass
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33 of about 4 million suns was thought to
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36 govern the orbits of nearby stars and
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 shape the gravitational environment of
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 our galactic core.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 >> But now, a new study published in
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 monthly notices of the Royal
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 Astronomical Society is proposing
00:14:46 --> 00:14:49 something radical. What if it's not a
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 black hole at all? What if it's actually
00:14:51 --> 00:14:54 an enormous dense core of dark matter?
00:14:54 --> 00:14:57 >> This is a pretty bold claim. The
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 research was conducted by an
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 international team from Argentina,
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 Italy, and other institutions. They're
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 suggesting that what we've been calling
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 a super massive black hole could
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 actually be an exotic structure composed
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 of firmianic dark matter.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 >> Let me explain what that means.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 Firmionic dark matter is composed of
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 light particles called firmians that
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 follow the polyexclusion principle. This
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 type of dark matter could form a highly
00:15:24 --> 00:15:27 dense but non-s singular structure. In
00:15:27 --> 00:15:30 other words, incredibly compact, but not
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 technically a black hole. What's clever
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 about this model is that it proposes a
00:15:34 --> 00:15:37 dual component system. There would be a
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 dense inner core at the galactic center,
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 but it would transition smoothly into an
00:15:41 --> 00:15:44 extended diffuse halo that envelops the
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 entire galaxy.
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 >> And this is where it gets really
00:15:47 --> 00:15:50 interesting. This same dark matter
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 structure could explain both the violent
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 orbits of stars very close to the
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 galactic center and the gentle rotation
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 of stars in the outer regions of the
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 galaxy, all without needing a black
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 hole.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 >> The team looked at the SARS. These are
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 stars that orbit the galactic center at
00:16:06 --> 00:16:09 incredible speeds up to thousands of
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 kilometers/s.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:12 The traditional explanation is that
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 they're orbiting a super massive black
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 hole.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 >> But the firmionic dark matter model can
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 also explain these orbits. The dense
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 core would be compact and massive enough
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 to create the same gravitational pull
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 that we've been attributing to a black
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 hole.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 >> Now, here's a crucial point. In 2022,
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 the Event Horizon Telescope captured the
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 first image of what we've been calling
00:16:34 --> 00:16:37 the shadow of Sagittarius A star. You'd
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 think that would prove it's a black
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 hole, right?
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 >> You'd think, but the researchers point
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 out that the dense dark matter core can
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 also mimic this shadow. It bends light
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 with such intense force that it creates
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 a central darkness surrounded by a
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 bright ring, the same visual signature
00:16:55 --> 00:16:58 we'd expect from a black hole. Lead
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 author Valentina Kresby noted that their
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 model explains the star orbits, the
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 galaxy's rotation, and it's consistent
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 with that famous black hole shadow
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 image. The team's statistical analysis
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 shows that with current data, we can't
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 yet decisively distinguish between the
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 traditional black hole scenario and the
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 firmionic dark matter one. But what
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 makes the dark matter model attractive
00:17:20 --> 00:17:23 is that it provides a unified framework.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 Instead of having the black hole as one
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 thing and dark matter as something
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 separate, this model suggests they could
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 be two manifestations of the same
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 continuous substance. Co-author Dr.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 Carlos Argues made an important point.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 This is the first time a dark matter
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 model has managed to reconcile such
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 vastly different scales. They can
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 explain everything from the central star
00:17:45 --> 00:17:48 orbits to the galaxy's overall rotation
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 curve using the same dark matter
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 structure.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:54 >> So what's next? Well, the team says that
00:17:54 --> 00:17:56 more precise observations will be
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 crucial. Instruments like the gravity
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 interparometer on Chile's very large
00:18:00 --> 00:18:03 telescope could help distinguish between
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 the two scenarios.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 >> They're also looking for the unique
00:18:06 --> 00:18:09 signature of photon rings, a key feature
00:18:09 --> 00:18:11 of black holes that would be absent in
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 the dark matter core scenario. If future
00:18:13 --> 00:18:16 observations don't find these photon
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 rings, that would be strong evidence for
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 the dark matter model. This is such a
00:18:20 --> 00:18:23 great example of how science works. We
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 have this wellestablished theory about
00:18:25 --> 00:18:28 Sagittarius a star being a black hole
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 and it might still be. But it's
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 important that scientists are willing to
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 challenge these assumptions and explore
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 alternative explanations.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:38 >> Absolutely. And regardless of which
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40 model turns out to be correct, we're
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 learning more about dark matter, black
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 holes, and the fundamental nature of
00:18:44 --> 00:18:47 what sits at the heart of our galaxy.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 It's exciting stuff. And speaking of
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 black holes, our final story today
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 features one with an absolutely
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 delightful name that's doing something
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 truly unprecedented.
00:18:57 --> 00:19:00 >> Okay, Avery, I have to start by saying
00:19:00 --> 00:19:03 Jetty McJetface might be the best
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 astronomical object name I've ever
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 heard.
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 >> It's amazing, right? University of
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 Oregon astrophysicist Dr. I bet Kendis
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 coined the nickname as a reference to
00:19:13 --> 00:19:16 Bodie McBoatface, that British research
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 vessel that became internet famous when
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 a public poll chose its name.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 >> But the name might be playful. The
00:19:22 --> 00:19:25 phenomenon is dead serious. We're
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 talking about one of the most energetic
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 and brightest events ever detected in
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 the universe.
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 >> Let's back up and explain what's
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 happening here. In 2018, astronomers
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 detected what's called a title
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38 disruption event. That's when a star
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 gets too close to a black hole and gets
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 torn apart by its immense gravitational
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 forces.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 >> The technical term for what happens to
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 the star is spaghettification.
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 The star literally gets stretched out
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 like spaghetti by the extreme
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 gravitational gradient.
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55 >> Now, tidal disruption events aren't
00:19:55 --> 00:19:58 uncommon. Astronomers have documented
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 plenty of cases where a star gets
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 shredded without actually crossing the
00:20:01 --> 00:20:04 event horizon, the point of no return.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 But what makes this particular event
00:20:06 --> 00:20:10 officially designated AT2018hyz
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 so unusual is what happened after the
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 star was destroyed. For a few years
00:20:15 --> 00:20:19 nothing much happened. Then in 2022 Dr.
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 Kendis noticed something strange. The
00:20:21 --> 00:20:24 black hole was suddenly emitting a huge
00:20:24 --> 00:20:26 amount of energy in radio waves even
00:20:26 --> 00:20:28 though the star had been destroyed years
00:20:28 --> 00:20:31 earlier. That piqued her curiosity and
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 she and her team started monitoring it
00:20:33 --> 00:20:36 closely. What they found is absolutely
00:20:36 --> 00:20:38 remarkable. The radio emissions have
00:20:38 --> 00:20:41 continue to increase exponentially. The
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 black hole is now 50 times brighter in
00:20:43 --> 00:20:45 radio waves than it was when they first
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 detected it in 2019.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 >> To put that energy output in
00:20:48 --> 00:20:51 perspective, the researchers say it's at
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 least a trillion times more powerful
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 than the fictional Death Star from Star
00:20:55 --> 00:20:58 Wars. Some estimates put it closer to
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 100 trillion times more powerful.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:03 >> Dr. Kenda said, "This is really unusual.
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 I'd be hardressed to think of anything
00:21:05 --> 00:21:07 rising like this over such a long period
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 of time."
00:21:08 --> 00:21:11 >> So, what's creating all this energy?
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 Well, the black hole is producing what's
00:21:13 --> 00:21:16 called a relativistic jet, a stream of
00:21:16 --> 00:21:19 charged particles moving at nearly the
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21 speed of light, all shooting out in one
00:21:21 --> 00:21:24 direction. The leading theory is that
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 after the star was shredded, it took
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 some time for that stellar material to
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 form an accretion disc around the black
00:21:30 --> 00:21:33 hole. Once that disc formed, magnetic
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 fields began channeling some of that
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 material away from the black hole as
00:21:37 --> 00:21:39 this incredibly powerful jet.
00:21:39 --> 00:21:42 >> And here's the crazy part. The team has
00:21:42 --> 00:21:44 collected enough data now to predict
00:21:44 --> 00:21:46 that the jet will keep increasing in
00:21:46 --> 00:21:49 brightness before peaking sometime in
00:21:49 --> 00:21:53 2027. The energy output is comparable to
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 gammaray bursts which are generally
00:21:55 --> 00:21:57 considered among the most energetic
00:21:57 --> 00:21:59 events in the universe. But what makes
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 jetty mcjet face special is that it's
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 been building for years rather than
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 being a brief flash.
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 >> Dr. Kendes made an interesting point
00:22:08 --> 00:22:10 about why this might be the first time
00:22:10 --> 00:22:12 we're seeing something like this. She
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 noted that securing time on
00:22:13 --> 00:22:16 international telescopes is extremely
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 competitive. If you observe an
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 explosion, why would you expect there to
00:22:20 --> 00:22:23 be something years after it happened?
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 >> Right? So, there could be other black
00:22:24 --> 00:22:27 holes exhibiting similar behavior, but
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 astronomers haven't been looking for
00:22:28 --> 00:22:31 long-term effects from tidal disruption
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 events because they had no reason to
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 expect them.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 >> Now, Dr. Kendes is on the hunt for other
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 examples. She wants to know if Jetty
00:22:38 --> 00:22:42 McJetface is truly unique or if this is
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 actually a common phenomenon that we've
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 just been missing. The good news for
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 Earth is that we're in no danger from
00:22:48 --> 00:22:50 this particular cosmic event. Daddy
00:22:50 --> 00:22:53 McJet face is far enough away that its
00:22:53 --> 00:22:55 incredible energy output poses no threat
00:22:55 --> 00:22:58 to us. We just get to observe one of the
00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 universe's most spectacular shows from a
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 safe distance.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 >> It's discoveries like this that remind
00:23:03 --> 00:23:06 us how much we still have to learn about
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 the universe. Black holes continue to
00:23:08 --> 00:23:11 surprise us even after decades of study.
00:23:11 --> 00:23:14 >> Absolutely. And I love that Dr. Kendes
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 gave it such a memorable name. Jetty
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18 McJetface is going to be in astronomy
00:23:18 --> 00:23:20 textbooks for years to come.
00:23:20 --> 00:23:23 >> And that wraps up another incredible day
00:23:23 --> 00:23:26 of space and astronomy news. From
00:23:26 --> 00:23:29 smartphones going to the moon to star
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 shredding black holes with unforgettable
00:23:31 --> 00:23:34 nicknames. It's been quite a journey.
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 >> Don't forget to mark your calendars for
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 Mercury viewing over the next two weeks.
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 And keep an eye on the sky in April for
00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 what could be a spectacular daytime
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44 comet. Thanks for joining us on
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna.
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 >> And I'm Avery. Keep looking up and we'll
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 see you next time.
00:23:49 --> 00:23:54 >> Clear skies, everyone. Astronomy day.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:58 Stories told.