Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E242
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, where we delve into the latest celestial discoveries and festive celebrations in space. I'm your host, Anna, and today's episode promises a stellar journey through our cosmic neighborhood.
Highlights:
- Milky Way's Twin Uncovered : Discover the "firefly sparkle," a galaxy mirroring our Milky Way's early days, found by astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope. This remarkable find offers a glimpse into the universe's infancy, with star clusters forming just 600 million years after the Big Bang.
- Festive Spirit on the ISS : Join the crew of Expedition 72 as they celebrate Christmas aboard the International Space Station. From floating candy canes to a snowman made of storage bags, see how astronauts maintain holiday cheer in orbit.
- Mars' Winter Wonderland : Explore the Martian South Pole's icy landscape, where a layer of frozen carbon dioxide creates a stunning, though frigid, scene. Learn about the dynamic weather patterns shaping Mars' unique environment.
- Parker Solar Probe's Record-Breaking Dive: On Christmas Eve, NASA's Parker Solar Probe ventured closer to the sun than ever before, breaking speed records while investigating the mysterious coronal heating problem.
- The Mystery of JuMBOS : Unravel the enigma of Jupiter mass binary objects found in the Orion Nebula. Researchers propose these are stellar cores stripped by massive neighbors, offering a new understanding of these puzzling entities.
- Jupiter's Colossal Storms : Witness the massive thunderstorms on Jupiter, so large they could engulf Earth. These rare storms, with their ethereal green lightning, have the potential to alter the planet's iconic appearance.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Sign up for our free Daily newsletter to stay informed on all things space. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, Tumblr, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok. Share your thoughts and connect with fellow space enthusiasts.
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 - This episode features fascinating stories from across our cosmic neighborhood
00:52 - Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have discovered a new galaxy
02:57 - The International Space Station crew is celebrating Christmas in their unique way
04:53 - Recent images show frozen carbon dioxide dry ice blanketing the Martian polar regions
07:01 - NASA's Parker Solar Probe made history on Christmas Eve with unprecedented close approach
08:53 - Scientists propose that Jupiter mass binary objects are stripped down by their massive neighbors
11:14 - New observations reveal massive white storms churning within Jupiter's equatorial belt
✍️ Episode References
James Webb Space Telescope
[NASA James Webb Space Telescope](https://www.jwst.nasa.gov/)
International Space Station
[NASA International Space Station](https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html)
Mars Express Orbiter
[ESA Mars Express](https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Mars_Express)
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
[NASA Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter](https://mars.nasa.gov/mro/)
Parker Solar Probe
[NASA Parker Solar Probe](https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/parker-solar-probe)
University of Sheffield
[University of Sheffield](https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/)
Orion Nebula
[Orion Nebula](https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/orion-nebula)
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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/24801204?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to astronomy daily we've got an
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 incredible lineup of space discoveries
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 and Celestial wonders to share with you
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 today from groundbreaking observations
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 by the James Webb Space Telescope to
00:00:10 --> 00:00:11 Festive Celebrations aboard the
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 International Space Station this episode
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 is packed with fascinating stories from
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 across our Cosmic neighborhood we'll
00:00:19 --> 00:00:20 Journey from the earliest days of our
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 universe where we've discovered a
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 remarkable Galaxy that looks
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 surprisingly like our own Milky Way in
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 its youth to The Frigid Landscapes of
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 Mars where something that looks like
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 snow but isn't has caught our
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 attention we'll also check in with our
00:00:36 --> 00:00:37 astronauts who are spreading holiday
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 cheer from orbit witness record-breaking
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 achievements as we touch the sun and
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 explore massive storms on Jupiter that
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 are literally bigger than Earth stay
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 with us as we unravel these Cosmic
00:00:48 --> 00:00:49 Mysteries and celebrate The Wonder of
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 space exploration during this festive
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 season time to get
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 started in an extraordinary breakthrough
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 astronomers at Welsley College have
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 captured stunning new images of a galaxy
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 that appears to be a mirror image of our
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 own Milky Way in its infancy using the
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 James web Space Telescope they've
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 discovered what they're calling the
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 Firefly Sparkle a Galaxy that began
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 forming just 600 million years after the
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 big bang what makes this discovery
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 particularly exciting is that we're
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 seeing this galaxy at roughly the same
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 mass our Milky Way would have had at
00:01:23 --> 00:01:27 that age the images reveal 10 distinct
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 star clusters each formed at different
00:01:29 --> 00:01:30 times
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 creating a structure that closely
00:01:32 --> 00:01:33 mirrors what we believe our galaxy
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 looked like in its early
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 stages like fireflies scattered across a
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 summer night sky these clusters are
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 surrounded by a faint shimmering Arc
00:01:43 --> 00:01:44 this marks the first time we've been
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 able to resolve a galaxy from such an
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 early period of the universe into so
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 many distinct components it's giving us
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 an unprecedented window into our Cosmic
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 past showing us exactly how galaxies
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 like our own came together the discovery
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 is particularly remk remble because most
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 galaxies we've observed from this era
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 are significantly more
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 massive finding one that so closely
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 matches our Milky Way's early Mass
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 provides astronomers with a unique
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 opportunity to study our Galaxy's
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 formation in detail it's like finding a
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 baby picture of our Cosmic home the
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 images show an incredible amount of
00:02:21 --> 00:02:22 activity within this relatively small
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 Galaxy with different phases of star
00:02:25 --> 00:02:26 formation happening
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 simultaneously this Dynamic process of
00:02:29 --> 00:02:30 Galaxy building is teaching us new
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 things about how the first stars and
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 star clusters formed in the infant
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 universe and how they evolved over time
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 to create the cosmic structures we see
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 today this discovery isn't just a
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 snapshot of a distant Galaxy it's a
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 window into our own Cosmic Origins
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 showing us exactly how our Galactic home
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 may have looked billions of years ago
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 it's a reminder that the story of our
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 Milky Way is written in the light of
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 distant galaxies waiting for us to
00:02:56 --> 00:02:57 decode
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 it looks like it's party time on on the
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 ISS the holiday spirit has made its way
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 to the International Space Station where
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 our astronauts are celebrating Christmas
00:03:07 --> 00:03:11 in their unique way 260 Mi above Earth
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 the crew of expedition 72 has
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 transformed their orbital home into a
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 festive Wonderland complete with
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 floating candy canes and a creative
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 snowman crafted from storage bags
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 Commander Sunita Williams sporting
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 festive reindeer antlers joined her
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 fellow crew members to share their
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 holiday celebrations the station's
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 current residents include NASA
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 astronauts Barry Wilmore Don Pettit and
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 Nick hag along with their Russian
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 colleagues Alexi tinin Ivan Vagner and
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 Alexander goranov making for a truly
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 International Celebration In Space the
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 crew has found innovative ways to bring
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 holiday cheer to their orbital Outpost
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 they've set up a small artificial
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 Christmas tree and decorated it with
00:03:55 --> 00:03:56 ornaments featuring photos of their
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 families back on Earth the ground teams
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 have also made sure our Space Explorers
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 won't miss out on holiday traditions
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 preparing special festive meals for them
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 to enjoy while being away from loved
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 ones during the holidays isn't easy the
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 crew acknowledges they're not alone in
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 this sacrifice Mission Control teams
00:04:15 --> 00:04:16 around the world are also working
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 through the season to keep the station
00:04:19 --> 00:04:22 running smoothly it's a reminder of the
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 dedication required to maintain our
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 continuous presence in space even during
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 the festive season despite the distance
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 from Earth the spirit of togetherness
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 remains strong aboard the station as
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 Commander Williams notes they've created
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 their own space family finding joy in
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 celebrating together while floating
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 Among the Stars it's a unique
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 perspective on holiday celebrations
00:04:47 --> 00:04:48 reminding us that the spirit of the
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 Season truly knows no bounds not even
00:04:51 --> 00:04:52 Earth's
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 atmosphere if you're dreaming of a white
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 Christmas Mars might have you covered
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 though not quite in the way you'd expect
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 recent images from the red planet's
00:05:01 --> 00:05:04 austral scopuli region captured by both
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 the European space agency's Mars Express
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 Orbiter and NASA's Mars reconnaissance
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 Orbiter show what appears to be a
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 stunning Winter Wonderland near the
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 Martian South Pole but this isn't your
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 typical snowy scene what we're seeing is
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 actually a 26t thick layer of Frozen
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 carbon dioxide dry ice that blankets the
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 polar region year round even more
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 fascinating is that these images were
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 taken during Mars's summer solstice
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 highlighting just how perpetually frigid
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 these polar regions are with
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 temperatures dropping to a bone chilling
00:05:35 --> 00:05:39 negative 193° Fahrenheit the landscape's
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 appearance is even more intriguing when
00:05:41 --> 00:05:44 you understand what's actually happening
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 those darker patches that look like
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 exposed ground through snow are actually
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 dust layers that have made their way to
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 the surface through a remarkable process
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 as sunlight warms the Frozen carbon
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 dioxide during the Martian summer it
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 doesn't melt instead it transforms
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 directly from solid to gas in a process
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 called
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 sublimation this sublimation creates
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 pockets of trapped gas beneath the
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 surface as pressure builds up these
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 Pockets eventually burst shooting plumes
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 of dark dust from below the ice into the
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 Martian atmosphere when this dust
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 settles back down the planet's winds
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 sculpt it into the mesmerizing swirling
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 patterns we see in these
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 images NASA's Mars reconnaissance
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 Orbiter has also spotted winter frost
00:06:28 --> 00:06:31 decorating the sides of mar Dunes this
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 Frost actually serves an important
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 purpose helping to prevent erosion by
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 keeping the dust particles that make up
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 these Dunes firmly in place until the
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 spring thaw arrives it's a delicate
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 dance of seasonal changes that helps
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 shape and maintain Mars unique landscape
00:06:47 --> 00:06:48 what appears at first glance to be a
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 Serene winter scene is actually a
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 dynamic display of Martian weather
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 patterns at work showing us once again
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 that Mars though familiar in some ways
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 remains wonderfully alien and
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 others next let's move on to the
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 complete opposite of The Last Story on
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 Christmas Eve NASA's Parker solar probe
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 made history by venturing closer to the
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 Sun than any human-made object ever has
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 before the spacecraft swooped to within
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 just 3.8 million miles of our star
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 surface braving the intense heat of the
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 solar Corona during its 202nd close
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 approach this wasn't just a
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 record-breaking achievement in terms of
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 distance during this daring Christmas
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 flyby Parker reached mind boggling
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 speeds of 430 mph that's about 300
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 times faster than a fighter jet and a
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 new speed record for any human-made
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 object this incredible velocity was made
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 possible by seven gravity assists from
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 Venus with the final boost occurring
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 just last month while breaking records
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 is impressive Parker's true mission is
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 far more important by diving into the
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 sun's outer atmosphere where
00:07:53 --> 00:07:57 temperatures soar to 1, 1800° F the
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 probe is gathering crucial data about
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 one Our Stars most perplexing Mysteries
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 the coronal heating problem you see
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 something strange happens in the sun's
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 atmosphere according to everything we
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10 know about stars temperature should
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 decrease as you move away from the core
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 but the sun's Corona defies this logic
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 while the Sun's visible surface sits at
00:08:19 --> 00:08:23 a toasty 7 de F the corona reaches a
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 blistering 2 million de it's like
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 finding out that your oven gets hotter
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 the further away you get from it it
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 simply shouldn't work that way the
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 Christmas Eve approach was particularly
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 nail-biting because NASA had to
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 temporarily lose contact with Parker
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 during its closest approach we won't
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 know for certain that the spacecraft
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 survived its holiday Adventure until
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 December 27th when it's expected to
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 phone home but Parker isn't done yet it
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 has two more Close Encounters planned
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 for 2025 where it will once again Brave
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 the solar furnace in pursuit of
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 unlocking the sun's
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 Mysteries scientists have received an
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 unexpected holiday gift this year a
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 potential solution to one of astronomy's
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 latest puzzles the mystery of jumbos
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 these peculiar objects whose name stands
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 for Jupiter Mass binary objects have
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 been baffling researchers since their
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 Discovery in the Orion Nebula earlier
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 this year when the James web Space
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 Telescope first spotted 42 pairs of
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 these objects astronomers were stumped
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 here were objects with masses similar to
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 Jupiter but they weren't behaving like
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 planets or Stars should they weren't
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 orbiting any parent Stars yet somehow
00:09:31 --> 00:09:34 they managed to stay together in pairs
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 something that shouldn't be possible if
00:09:36 --> 00:09:40 they were just ejected planets but now
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 researchers from the University of
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 Sheffield might have unwrapped the
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 answer they propos that jumbos are
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 actually Stellar cores that have been
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 stripped down by their more massive
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 Stellar neighbors think of it like a
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 cosmic version of unwrapping a present
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 except in this case it's powerful
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 radiation from massive stars doing the
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 unwrapping stripping away the outer
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 layers of smaller
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 Stars this process known as photo
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 erosion occurs when the intense
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 radiation from large hot Stars known as
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 O type or B type Stars blasts away at
00:10:13 --> 00:10:16 their smaller neighbors the Orion Nebula
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 where these jumbos were found happens to
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 be full of these Cosmic bullies the
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 radiation not only strips away material
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 but also compresses what remains
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 creating these unique objects that seem
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 to exist somewhere between stars and
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 Brown dwarfs what makes this Theory
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 particularly elegant is that it solves
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 several problems at once it explains why
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 jumbos are found in pairs as many stars
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 naturally form as binaries it also
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 explains their unusual Mass which is too
00:10:44 --> 00:10:47 small for normal stars but appears in
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 quantities that would be impossibly
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 coincidental for ejected planets the
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 researchers suggest we can test this
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 Theory by looking for jumbos in other
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 star forming regions if they're right we
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 should find smaller jumbos in area with
00:10:59 --> 00:11:02 more intense Stellar radiation while
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 regions without massive stars shouldn't
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 have any jumbos at all it's a prediction
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 that future observations can verify
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 potentially confirming this Cosmic
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 unwrapping Theory once and for
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 all finally today Jupiter has been
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 putting on quite a spectacular show
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 lately with new observations revealing a
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 pair of colossal thunderstorms churning
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 within its Southern equatorial belt
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 these aren't your average storms we're
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 talking about Tempest so massive they
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 could swallow Earth whole with room to
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 spare these ghostly white storms were
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 captured by astrophotographer Michael
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 carer using an 8in telescope in Austria
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 showing up as striking bright patches
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 against Jupiter's characteristic Rusty
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 brown belt what makes these storms
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 particularly noteworthy is their Rarity
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 we haven't seen anything quite like them
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 since 2016 but what's really capturing
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 astronomer's attention is these storms
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 potential to dramatically alter
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 Jupiter's appearance as these massive
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 systems get pulled apart by Jupiter's
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 powerful winds their white clouds are
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 beginning to mix with the surrounding
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 atmosphere this process could actually
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 dilute The Familiar reddish brown color
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 of Jupiter's Southern equatorial belt
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 potentially causing it to fade or even
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 seemingly disappear something that's
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 happened before most notably between
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 1973 and
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 1991 deep within these storms something
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 even more spectacular is happening while
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 Earth's thunderstorms produce blue
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 Lightning due to water vapor Jupiter's
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 storms create ethereal green lightning
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 bolts thanks to the ammonia in its
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 atmosphere these electrical displays are
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 occurring about 60 mil beneath the
00:12:40 --> 00:12:43 planet's swirling surface adding another
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 layer of Wonder to these already
00:12:44 --> 00:12:48 impressive meteorological phenomena for
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 Sky Watchers this couldn't have come at
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 a better time Jupiter has just passed
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 its opposition meaning it's at its
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 closest point to Earth and particularly
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 bright in our night sky if you have a
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 telescope or even a good pair of
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 binoculars you can spot the gas giant
00:13:02 --> 00:13:05 yourself in the constellation Taurus
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 though you'll need more sophisticated
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 equipment to see these remarkable storms
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 in
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 detail what an incredible journey
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 through space we've had today from
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 witnessing the birth of our Galaxy's
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 twin in the early Universe to exploring
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 the winter wonderlands of Mars and from
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 following Parker solar probe's daring
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 Christmas mission to uncovering the
00:13:25 --> 00:13:28 secrets of mysterious jumbo these
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 discoveries remind us just just how
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 Dynamic and full of surprises our Cosmic
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 neighborhood truly is whether it's the
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 holiday celebrations aboard the
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 International Space Station or the
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 massive thunderstorms raging on Jupiter
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 each story adds another piece to our
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 understanding of the universe we call
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 home the dedication of astronomers
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 scientists and Space Explorers continues
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 to push the boundaries of human
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 knowledge bringing us closer to
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 understanding our place Among the Stars
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 this is Anna and you've been listening
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 to astronomy daily for more detailed
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 coverage of these stories including
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 images and additional content visit our
00:14:03 --> 00:14:06 website at astronomy
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 daily. until tomorrow keep looking up
00:14:08 --> 00:14:16 and stay curious about the cosmos
00:14:16 --> 00:14:29 [Music]
00:14:29 --> 00:14:33 stories told