Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S04E10
Welcome to another thrilling episode of Astronomy Daily, your daily source for the latest updates in space exploration and astronomical discoveries. I'm Anna, and today we have an exciting lineup of stories that highlight the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of our universe.
Highlights :
- SpaceX's Starship Test Flight Preparations: SpaceX is gearing up for a groundbreaking test flight with its next Starship, featuring crucial upgrades and a planned recovery attempt of the Super Heavy Booster. This mission marks a significant step towards operational capabilities, with up to 25 launches planned this year.
- NASA JPL's Challenges Amid Wildfires: The Eaton Fire near Los Angeles has severely impacted the JPL community, with over 150 employees losing their homes. Despite these challenges, essential operations continue, showcasing the resilience of our space exploration infrastructure.
- Mars at Its Brightest: Stargazers can look forward to a spectacular view of Mars this weekend as it makes its closest approach to Earth. This rare event offers a prime opportunity for observation, coinciding with Mars's opposition.
- World's First Wooden Satellite: Lignosat, the first wooden satellite, has been deployed from the ISS. This innovative experiment in sustainable space technology could pave the way for environmentally friendly spacecraft construction.
- Double Flash Event from a Black Hole : Astronomers have observed a rare double flare event from a supermassive black hole, providing new insights into these cosmic giants. This celestial performance offers a unique opportunity to study black hole interactions with stars.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (https://www.spacex.com/)
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
[NASA JPL](https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/)
International Space Station
[ISS](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html)
Kyoto University
[Kyoto University](https://www.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en)
Sumitomo Forestry
[Sumitomo Forestry](https://sfc.jp/english/)
Mars opposition
[Mars Opposition](https://mars.nasa.gov/all-about-mars/night-sky/opposition/)
Artemis program
[NASA Artemis](https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/)
Sagittarius A
[Sagittarius A](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/sagittariusA.html)
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-the-podcast--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/25025132?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 [Music]
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to astronomy daily your daily
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 dose of space and astronomy news I'm
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 Anna and we've got a packed show for you
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 today filled with some incredible
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 developments in the world of space
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 exploration and astronomy we'll be
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 diving into spacex's latest preparations
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 for their next Starship test flight
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 which promises to push the boundaries of
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 what's possible with the world's largest
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 rocket we'll also check in on NASA's jet
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 propulsion laboratory as it faces
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 challenges from the Los Angeles
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 wildfires and I'll tell you about a
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 special opportunity to see Mars at its
00:00:31 --> 00:00:32 brightest this
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 weekend plus we've got fascinating
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 stories about the world's first wooden
00:00:37 --> 00:00:38 satellite just deployed from the
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 International Space Station and a rare
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 double flash event observed from a super
00:00:43 --> 00:00:44 massive black hole that's got
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 astronomers excited let's get
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 started SpaceX has just reached another
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 milestone in their ambitious Starship
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 program successfully stacking their next
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 vehicle for flight 7 at their star base
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 facility in south Texas the fully
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 assembled rocket now stands an
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 impressive 400 ft tall maintaining its
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 status as the largest and most powerful
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 launch vehicle ever built this upcoming
00:01:09 --> 00:01:11 Mission scheduled for Monday at 5:00
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 p.m. eastern time isn't just another
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 test flight it represents a significant
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 Leap Forward in starship's development
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 the new vehicle features several crucial
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 upgrades including improvements to its
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 flight computer avionic systems and heat
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 shield design one particularly
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 interesting modification is the
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 reposition iing of the forward flaps
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 which have been moved away from the heat
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 shield to better handle the intense
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 temperatures during
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 re-entry for the first time SpaceX will
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 attempt to deploy simulated starlink
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 satellites during the 66 minute flight
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 marking an important step towards
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 starship's operational capabilities
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 they're also breaking new ground by
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 reusing an engine on the super heavy
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 booster the massive first stage powered
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 by 33 Raptor engines perhaps most
00:01:58 --> 00:01:59 exciting is the planned recovery ATT
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 attempt of the super heavy booster if
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 conditions are right SpaceX will try to
00:02:04 --> 00:02:05 catch the massive rocket using the
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 launch Tower's mechanical arms nicknamed
00:02:08 --> 00:02:09 the
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 Chopsticks while they've demonstrated
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 this capability before during flight 5
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 they're taking no Chances The Catch will
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 only proceed if all safety criteria are
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 met otherwise the booster will make a
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 controlled splash down in the Gulf of
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 Mexico this Mission could be the first
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 of up to 25 Starship launches planned
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 for this year showcas ing spacex's
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 accelerating pace of development these
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 tests are crucial not just for spacex's
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 Mars Ambitions but also for NASA's
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 Artemis program as Starship has been
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 selected to land astronauts on the lunar
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 surface in
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 2027 next up an update for you
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 concerning the wildfires around Los
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 Angeles in some concerning news from
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 California NASA's jet propulsion
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 laboratory has found itself
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 uncomfortably close to the Raging eaten
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 fire that's been devast ating
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 neighborhoods north of Los Angeles
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 thanks to the incredible efforts of
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 firefighters JPL itself remains
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 Untouched by the Flames but the impact
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 on the JPL Community has been severe
00:03:11 --> 00:03:15 more than 150 JPL employees have lost
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 their homes completely in This Disaster
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 with many more being forced to evacuate
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 the facility which serves as NASA's
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 Primary Center for Planetary Exploration
00:03:25 --> 00:03:26 and manages crucial missions like the
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 perseverance and curiosity Mars rovers
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 has had to temporarily close its doors
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 all but essential Personnel have been
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 ordered to work remotely through at
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 least January 17th the eaten fire has
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 already consumed around 14 acres of
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 land and is currently only 3% contained
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 it's just one of several fires causing
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 havoc in the Los Angeles area with the
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 Palisades fire on the western side of
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 the city having burned through more than
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 20 acres and showing similar
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 resistance to containment
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 efforts this situation highlights a
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 growing challenge for major scientific
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 facilities in areas prone to natural
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 disasters jpl's location at the foot of
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 the San gabrial mountains while ideal
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 for many aspects of its operations
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 places it in a vulnerable position
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 during California's increasingly severe
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 fire Seasons despite these challenges
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 the laboratory's essential operations
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 continue demonstrating the resilience of
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 our space exploration infrastructure
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 even in the face of natural
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 disasters the dedication of first First
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 Responders has been crucial in
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 protecting this vital facility which
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 plays such an important role in our
00:04:35 --> 00:04:39 ongoing exploration of the solar system
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 while the laboratory itself remains safe
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 the human impact on the JPL Community
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 serves as a sobering reminder of the
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 increasing challenges posed by natural
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 disasters to our scientific
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 institutions stargazers you're in for a
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 treat this weekend as Mars is about to
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 put on its most spectacular show of the
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 Year this sun January 12th the red
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 planet will make its closest approach to
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 Earth an event astronomers call Pary
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 during this Cosmic closeup Mars will
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 appear larger and brighter in our night
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 sky than at any other time in 2024 if
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 you're planning to catch this Celestial
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 spectacle the best viewing time will be
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 around midnight when Mars reaches its
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 highest point in the southern Sky the
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 planet will be visible for most of the
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 night first appearing in the
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 northeastern sky during early evening
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 and remaining observable until dawn
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 begins to break the next morning during
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 this close approach Mars will come
00:05:34 --> 00:05:37 within just 0.64 astronomical units of
00:05:37 --> 00:05:41 Earth that's about 59.5 million miles
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 while this might sound like quite a
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 distance it's actually quite close in
00:05:44 --> 00:05:48 astronomical terms for perspective Mars
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 usually orbits at an average distance of
00:05:49 --> 00:05:53 1.5 astronomical units from the Sun and
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 can be as far as 2.6 units from Earth at
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 its most distant point this weekend's
00:05:58 --> 00:06:01 close encounter is particularly special
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 as it coincides with Mars's opposition
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 on January 16th when Earth will be
00:06:05 --> 00:06:09 directly between Mars and the sun this
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 alignment means the sun's full glare
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 will illuminate the Martian surface as
00:06:12 --> 00:06:15 seen from Earth making it an ideal time
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 for
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 observation while Mars will be
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 noticeably brighter than usual with a
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 magnitude of -1.4 comma don't expect to
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 see any surface details with your naked
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 eye it will still appear as a bright
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 reddish point of light in the sky
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 however if you have access to binoculars
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 or a telescope this is an excellent
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 opportunity to try spotting some of the
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 red planet's famous surface features
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 this is the closest Mars has been to
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 Earth since 2022 so make sure to take
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 advantage of this rare viewing
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 opportunity the next time Mars will
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 appear this large and bright in our
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 skies won't be for quite some time
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 making this weekend a must-watch event
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 for astronomy
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 enthusiasts in a groundbreaking
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 development for sustainable space
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 technology ology the world's first
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 wooden satellite has been successfully
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 deployed from the International Space
00:07:04 --> 00:07:08 Station this Innovative spacecraft named
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 lignos represents a fascinating
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 experiment in using renewable materials
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 for space
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 exploration developed through a
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 collaboration between Kyoto University
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 and Japanese wood Processing Company
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 Sumitomo forestry this tiny Cube
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 satellite measures Just 4 in on each
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 side and is constructed primarily from
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 Magnolia wood over the next 6 months it
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 will put this natural material to the
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 ultimate test in the harsh conditions of
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 Earth orbit the extreme environment of
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 space presents some remarkable
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 challenges for any material during each
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 90-minute orbit the satellite will
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 experience dramatic temperature swings
00:07:46 --> 00:07:50 from a scorching 250° fah when facing
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 the sun to a frigidus 250° in Earth
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 Shadow add to that the constant
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 bombardment of charged particles from
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 solar wind and you've got quite the
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 endurance test for our wooden Pioneer
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 but why would well it turns out this
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 isn't just about proving we can build
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 satellites from trees there's a serious
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 environmental concern driving this
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 Innovation traditional satellites built
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 primarily from aluminum Alloys create
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 potentially harmful metallic dust when
00:08:18 --> 00:08:21 they burn up during re-entry this debris
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 can linger in our upper atmosphere
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 potentially affecting our climate wood
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 being a natural material could offer a
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 more environmentally friendly
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 alternative that simply Burns away
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 cleanly the mission will carefully
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 monitor how the wooden structure holds
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 up against these space hazards including
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 whether Earth's magnetic field can
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 penetrate the wooden body and interfere
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 with its operations if successful this
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 experiment could pave the way for a new
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 generation of environmentally conscious
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 satellites potentially transforming how
00:08:51 --> 00:08:53 we approach spacecraft Construction in
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 an era of increasing orbital traffic the
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 timing couldn't be more crucial as
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 research suggests that the growing
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 number of satellites in orbit could lead
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 to concerning levels of aluminum oxide
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 and other potentially harmful compounds
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 in our upper atmosphere this wooden
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 satellite might just represent our first
00:09:11 --> 00:09:14 step toward a more sustainable future in
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 space seems like a day doesn't go by
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 without a black hole story and today is
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 no exception astronomers have recently
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 witnessed a fascinating Cosmic spectacle
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 a super massive black hole that appears
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 to be having seconds of its Stellar meal
00:09:29 --> 00:09:32 this rare event known as assassin 22 C
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 has displayed two distinct flares of
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 light as it consumes its unfortunate
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 victim located about 48 million light
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 years away from Earth what makes this
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 double flash event particularly
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 intriguing is how normal it appears
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 compared to other similar
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 phenomena the black hole at the center
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 of this Cosmic Feast weighs in at around
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 3 million times the mass of our sun
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 making it comparable to our own Galaxy's
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 Central black hole sagitt ious a star
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 the unfortunate star being consumed
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 appears to be similar in size to our sun
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 the current theory suggests this unusual
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 double flare might be the result of what
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 astronomers call a Hill's capture
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 picture this a pair of binary Stars
00:10:14 --> 00:10:17 wandering to close to the black hole as
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 they approach the immense gravitational
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 forces separate the pair flinging one
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 star away to Freedom while the other
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 becomes trapped in an elliptical orbit
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 around the black hole like a cosmic
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30 dance partner it can escape Escape each
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 time this trap star swings close to the
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 black hole it under goes partial
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 destruction in a process colorfully
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 known as
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 spaghettification the star gets
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 stretched and squeezed losing some of
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 its material to the black hole's
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 accretion dis creating these brilliant
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 flares we observe the consistency
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 between the two flares separated by 720
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 days suggests we're watching the same
00:10:52 --> 00:10:55 star being repeatedly torn apart the
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 best part astronomers believe they know
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 when the next Act of this CA drama might
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 occur if their calculations are correct
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 we should see a third flare in early
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 2026 this predictability is incredibly
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 rare and valuable giving scientists an
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 unprecedented opportunity to prepare
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 their observations in advance rather
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 than catching these events by chance
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 this Celestial performance isn't just
00:11:18 --> 00:11:21 spectacular it's helping us understand
00:11:21 --> 00:11:23 how super massive black holes interact
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 with stars and providing new insights
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 into these mysterious Cosmic Giants and
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 who knows when 2026 rolls around this
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 persistent Stellar Survivor might have
00:11:33 --> 00:11:36 even more surprises in store for
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 us well that's all for today's episode
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 of astronomy daily I'm Anna and I want
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 to thank you for joining me on this
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 journey through the latest developments
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 in space and astronomy news whether it's
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 massive Rockets being stacked wooden
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 satellites orbiting Earth or black holes
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 putting on light shows there's never a
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 dull moment in space exploration and
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 we're here every day to bring you these
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 fascinating
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 stories if you want to stay up to dat
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 with all things space and astronomy head
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 over to our website at astronomy
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 daily. there you can sign up for our
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 free daily newsletter and access our
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 constantly updating Newsfeed you'll also
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 find all our previous episodes available
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 for streaming and don't forget to join
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00:12:28 --> 00:12:36 amazing stories from the cosmos
00:12:36 --> 00:12:51 [Music]