Highlights:
- NASA Astronauts' Unexpected Journey: Join us as we follow the incredible recovery of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who returned from what was meant to be an eight-day mission but turned into a nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station. Hear about their challenges and progress as they readjust to life on Earth after an extended period in microgravity.
- The Enigmatic ASCAP J1832: Delve into the mystery of ASCAP J1832, a cosmic object that pulses every 44 minutes in both radio waves and X-rays. This unique star challenges our understanding of stellar behaviour and has scientists puzzled as they investigate its unusual emissions and potential classification.
- China's Tianwen 2 Mission: Discover China's ambitious Tianwen 2 mission, launched to collect samples from a living fossil asteroid known as Kamo Oalawa. This groundbreaking mission could provide valuable insights into the early solar system and showcases China's growing capabilities in space exploration.
- A Busy Week in Space Launches: Get the latest on a flurry of rocket launches around the globe, including SpaceX's ongoing Starlink deployments and Blue Origin's upcoming New Shepard mission. This segment highlights the rapid advancements in space technology and the increasing frequency of launches.
- Earth's Cosmic Future: Explore unsettling research revealing potential risks to Earth's long-term orbital stability due to passing stars. While the chances of catastrophic events remain low, these findings offer a fascinating glimpse into the dynamics of our solar system and the future of our planet.
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.
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:10 - NASA astronauts' unexpected journey
10:00 - The enigmatic ASCAP J1832
15:30 - China's Tianwen 2 mission
20:00 - A busy week in space launches
25:00 - Earth's cosmic future
✍️ Episode References
NASA Astronauts Recovery
[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov/ (https://www.nasa.gov/) )
ASCAP J1832 Discovery
[Chandra X-ray Observatory]( https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/main/index.html (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/main/index.html) )
Tianwen 2 Mission Details
[China National Space Administration]( http://www.cnsa.gov.cn (http://www.cnsa.gov.cn/) )
Space Launch Updates
[SpaceX]( https://www.spacex.com/ (https://www.spacex.com/) )
Orbital Stability Research
[Planetary Science Institute]( https://www.psi.edu (https://www.psi.edu/) )
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/27371114?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 I'm Anna, bringing you the latest
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 developments in space and astronomy
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 news. Today we have a packed episode
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 covering a wide range of fascinating
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 stories from across the cosmos. We'll
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 check in with NASA astronauts Butch
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 Wilmore and Sunni Williams as they
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 recover from what was meant to be an
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 8-day mission, but turned into a 9-month
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 stay aboard the International Space
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 Station. I'll also tell you about a
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 truly mysterious star that pulses every
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 44 minutes in both radio waves and
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 X-rays, leaving scientists puzzled about
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 its true nature. Then, we'll explore
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 China's ambitious Tian 2 mission that
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 just launched to collect samples from a
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 living fossil asteroid.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 We'll round up this week's busy launch
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 schedule from around the world and end
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 with some slightly unsettling news about
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 Earth's long-term orbital stability and
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 a potential cosmic fate that thankfully
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 remains extremely unlikely. Stay with me
00:00:54 --> 00:00:55 for all this and more on today's
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 Astronomy Daily. Let's kick off with a
00:00:57 --> 00:00:59 story I'm sure most folks thought was
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 done and dusted. Turns out there's an
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 epilogue. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 and Sunni Williams are making steady
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 progress in their recovery after
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 returning to Earth following what became
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 an unexpectedly extended mission in
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 space. What was originally planned as an
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 8-day test flight aboard Boeing's
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 Starlininer capsule turned into a
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 9-month stay on the International Space
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 Station when propulsion system issues
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 forced NASA to bring the capsule back
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 without its crew. The astronauts, now
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 back on solid ground since March, have
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 been undergoing intensive physical
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 therapy as part of the standard 45day
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 reconditioning period for long duration
00:01:36 --> 00:01:37 space
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 travelers. Wilmore, who is 62, described
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 the challenging readjustment to Earth's
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 gravity in a recent interview, noting
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 that gravity stinks for a period as
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 astronauts deal with balance issues and
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 muscle weakness after extended time in
00:01:51 --> 00:01:52 microgravity.
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 Williams, 59, shared that some of her
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 post spaceflight side effects were
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 slower to resolve. She experienced
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 significant fatigue during the later
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 stages of recovery as dozens of muscles
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 re-engaged after months of disuse. The
00:02:07 --> 00:02:08 veteran astronaut couldn't maintain her
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 preferred early morning routine until
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 recently when she happily reported,
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 "Then I'm up at 4 in the morning and I'm
00:02:15 --> 00:02:19 like, aha, I'm back." For Wilmore, the
00:02:19 --> 00:02:20 return to Earth reintroduced him to some
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 familiar discomfort. He had experienced
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 neck pain before his mission that
00:02:25 --> 00:02:26 completely disappeared in the
00:02:26 --> 00:02:30 weightlessness of space. Remarkably, he
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 felt that same pain return while still
00:02:32 --> 00:02:33 in the Starlininer capsule bobbing in
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 the ocean even before extraction teams
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 had reached them. The human body, having
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 evolved over millions of years in
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 Earth's gravity, under significant
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 changes during space flight. Without
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 gravity's constant pull, astronauts
00:02:47 --> 00:02:48 experience muscle atrophy,
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 cardiovascular shifts, and other
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 physical changes that require dedicated
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 rehabilitation upon return. While
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 recovering physically, both astronauts
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 have been ramping up their work
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 schedules with Boeing's Starlininer
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 program, NASA's space station operations
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 in Houston, and agency researchers.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 Williams described the past months as a
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 bit of a whirlwind as they balance their
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 recovery with professional obligations.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 Meanwhile, NASA faces important
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 decisions regarding Boeing's troubled
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 Starlininer program. Williams has
00:03:20 --> 00:03:21 publicly advocated for requiring Boeing
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 to fly Starlininer uncrrewed before
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 putting humans aboard again, calling it
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 the logical thing to do and drawing
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 comparisons to Space X and Russian
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 spacecraft that underwent similar safety
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 validation. NASA officials have
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 indicated that additional testing
00:03:37 --> 00:03:38 planned throughout the summer will
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 determine whether Starlininer can carry
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 humans on its next flight.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 As you know, I love a good mystery here
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 on Astronomy Daily. And here's today's.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:49 Scientists have discovered a truly
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 puzzling cosmic object that's breaking
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 all the rules of what we thought we knew
00:03:54 --> 00:03:58 about stars. It's called ASCAP J, 1832.
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 And what makes it so extraordinary is
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 its unusual pulsing behavior. It sends
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 out bursts of energy every 44 minutes
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 with clockwork precision.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:11 ASCAP J1832 belongs to a rare category
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 known as long period radio transients,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 which were only first discovered in
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 2022. Unlike typical pulsars that flash
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 multiple times per second, these objects
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 pulse much more slowly. But what truly
00:04:22 --> 00:04:25 sets ASCAP J1832 apart is that it's the
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 first of its kind to emit both radio
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 waves and X-rays on the exact same
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 44-minute cycle. This groundbreaking
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 discovery came through the combined
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 observations of NASA's powerful Chandra
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 X-ray Observatory and Australia's ASCAP
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 radio telescope. When scientists created
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 composite images using data from these
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 telescopes along with infrared
00:04:46 --> 00:04:48 information from NASA's Spitzer Space
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 Telescope, they revealed a vivid
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 portrait of this stellar enigma. The
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 mystery deepened when researchers
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 noticed that ASCAP
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 J1's emissions faded dramatically
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 over a six-month period in both radio
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 and X-ray wavelengths. This combination
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 of short-term pulses with long-term
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 changes makes it unlike anything
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 previously observed in our Milky Way
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 galaxy. Astronomers are struggling to
00:05:13 --> 00:05:18 explain what could cause such behavior.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 ASCAPJ1 doesn't fit neatly into any
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 known category of stellar objects. It's
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 unlikely to be a typical pulsar or a
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 neutron star pulling material from a
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 companion star because the intensities
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 of its radio and X-ray signals don't
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 match what we'd expect. Some of its
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 properties suggest it could be an
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 extremely magnetic neutron star, what
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 astronomers call a magnetar, that's over
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 500 years old. However, other
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 features like its bright and variable
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 radio emission are difficult to explain
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 for such an aged
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 magnetar. Initially, scientists thought
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 ASKPJ1832 might be associated with a
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 nearby supernova remnant, as these
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 exploded stars often contain neutron
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 stars. However, further investigations
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 suggested this proximity is likely just
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 coincidence. The research team is now
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 considering more exotic possibilities,
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 including that it might be a white dwarf
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 star with a companion. If true, it would
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 require the strongest magnetic field
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 ever recorded for a white dwarf in our
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 galaxy. For now, ASK
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 APJ1832 remains a one-of-a-kind cosmic
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 mystery that could potentially represent
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 an entirely new class of astronomical
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 objects.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 Next up today, China has taken a major
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 step forward in its space exploration
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 program with the successful launch of
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 the Tienwen 2 probe, the country's first
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 ever asteroid sample return mission. A
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 long March 3B rocket carrying the
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 spacecraft blasted off from the Shiong
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 launch site in southwestern Sichuan
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 Province early Thursday morning local
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 time. About 18 minutes after liftoff,
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 the probe was successfully inserted into
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 its transfer orbit from Earth to
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 asteroid 2016 HO3, also known by its
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 official name, Kamo Oalawa. The China
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 National Space Administration confirmed
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 that the spacecraft deployed its solar
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 panels as planned and declared the
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 launch a complete success. This
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 ambitious mission targets what
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 scientists describe as a living fossil
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 asteroid measuring between 40 to 100
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 meters in diameter. Kamo Oawa orbits
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 relatively close to Earth and consists
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 of ancient materials that could provide
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 crucial insights into the formation of
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 our early solar system. What makes Chen
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 2 particularly interesting is its
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 complex mission profile. The spacecraft
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 will spend approximately 30 months on
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 its journey to and from the asteroid.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 Once it arrives, it will perform two
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 different types of sample collection.
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 First, the probe will touch down on the
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 asteroid surface to collect material
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 using a drill. Then it will perform a
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 touchandgo sample collection similar to
00:07:48 --> 00:07:52 NASA's Osiris Rex mission. In total, the
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 spacecraft aims to collect about 1 g
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 of asteroid material. But the mission
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 doesn't end there. After delivering the
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 precious samples back to Earth, the main
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 spacecraft will continue its journey
00:08:03 --> 00:08:06 through space. Using Earth's gravity as
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 a slingshot, Tanwen 2 will be redirected
00:08:09 --> 00:08:13 toward a fascinating object called
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 311P/Panstars in the main asteroid belt
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 between Mars and Jupiter. This second
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 target is particularly intriguing to
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 scientists because it exhibits
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 characteristics of both asteroids and
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 comets, making it a valuable subject for
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 further investigation. The entire
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 mission is expected to last
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 approximately a decade. This latest
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 achievement represents another
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 significant milestone in China's rapidly
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 advancing space program, which President
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 Xiinping has described as the country's
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 space
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 dream. In recent years, China has
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 established its own space station,
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 landed rovers on Mars and the moon, and
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 is planning crude lunar missions later
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 this
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 decade. It's been an exceptionally busy
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 week in the rocket launch sector with
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 multiple missions taking off from launch
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 pads around the world. SP X continues
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 its rapid fire cadence with several
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 Starlink deployments already underway or
00:09:04 --> 00:09:07 scheduled in the coming days. On
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 Wednesday, a Falcon 9 rocket thundered
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 off launch complex 39A at Kennedy Space
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 Center in Florida carrying 27 Starlink
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 V2 mini satellites into low Earth orbit.
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 Despite only a 60% chance of favorable
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 weather, SpaceX managed to launch right
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 at the beginning of their 4-hour window.
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 The mission used booster B 1080, which
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 incredibly was flying for its 19th time.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 A remarkable testament to SpaceX's
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 reusability program. Looking ahead,
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 SpaceX has at least two more launches
00:09:37 --> 00:09:40 planned this week. On Friday, they're
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 scheduled to launch the GPS 3SV08
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 mission for the US Space Force from Cape
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 Canaveral. This mission was actually
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 originally assigned to ULA's Vulcan
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 rocket before being reassigned to Falcon
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 9. Then just one minute after the GPS
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 launch window opens in Florida, another
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 Falcon 9 is set to lift off from
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 Vandenberg Space Force Base in
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 California with yet another batch of
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 Starlink satellites. Then early next
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 week, SpaceX has scheduled Starlink
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 Group 12th 9 to launch from Cape
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 Canaveral, continuing their rapid
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 deployment of their internet
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 constellation. China has also been
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 active beyond the Chenwin 2 mission we
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 just discussed. The China Aerospace
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 Science and Technology Corporation
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 launched another mission on Thursday
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 using a Chang Jang 2D rocket from the
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 Jukuan satellite launch center. The
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 payload for this particular flight
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 remains undisclosed, marking the fifth
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 Chong Jang 2D mission of 2025 and the
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 99th overall for this reliable Chinese
00:10:36 --> 00:10:39 launch vehicle. Meanwhile, Blue Origin
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 is preparing for its fourth New Shepard
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 mission of the year scheduled for
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 Saturday morning. This suborbital flight
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 will lift off from their West Texas
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 facility carrying six passengers just
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 above the Karman line where they'll
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 experience a brief period of
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 weightlessness before the capsule
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 returns to Earth. This will be New
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 Shepard's 12th crude flight overall,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 continuing to advance private human
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 space flight capabilities.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 Rocket Lab had planned a launch of their
00:11:05 --> 00:11:07 Electron rocket from New Zealand this
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 week, but they've postponed until June
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 3rd due to additional checks needed and
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 unfavorable weather conditions at the
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 launch
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 site. Finally, today, please don't let
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 this news keep you up at night, but I've
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 got some potentially unsettling news
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 about Earth's cosmic future. New
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 computer simulations have revealed a
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 previously underestimated risk to our
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 planet's orbit. While it's not exactly
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 time to panic, the findings are
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 certainly intriguing. Astronomers Nathan
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 Kib from the Planetary Science Institute
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 and Shawn Raymond from the University of
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 Bordeaux have discovered that passing
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 stars could disrupt our solar system in
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 ways we hadn't fully appreciated before.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 Their research shows that these stellar
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 flybys could exacerbate an existing
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 vulnerability in our planetary
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 neighborhood. It turns out Mercury is
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 the potential troublemaker here. The
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 innermost planet already has a fairly
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 elliptical orbit, and Jupiter's
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 gravitational influence can make that
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 orbit even more ovalshaped over time.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 What these new simulations reveal is
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 that when you add the gravitational
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 effects of passing stars, Mercury's
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 orbit can become dramatically more
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 eccentric. Once Mercury goes haywire,
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 chaos can unfold. In typical scenarios,
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 Mercury might collide with Venus or
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 plunge into the sun, but the resulting
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 orbital disruption can then trigger a
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 cascade of planetary instability. In
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 some simulations, Venus or Mars crash
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 into Earth or Earth itself collides with
00:12:30 --> 00:12:33 the sun. Another possibility is that
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 Venus and Mars could gravitationally
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 slingshot Earth toward Jupiter, which
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 could then eject our planet from the
00:12:38 --> 00:12:41 solar system entirely. Before you start
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 planning for cosmic doom, the
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 researchers emphasize that the
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 probability of such catastrophes is
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 extremely low. Over the next 5 billion
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 years, roughly the remaining lifespan of
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 our sun, there's only a 0.2% chance of
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 Earth meeting such a fate. However,
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 that's significantly higher than
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 previous studies had calculated, as they
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 didn't fully account for the cumulative
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 effects of passing stars. The most
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 dangerous scenarios involve stars that
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 pass particularly close to our solar
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 system within 100 times Earth's distance
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 from the sun or stars that move
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 relatively slowly extending their
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 gravitational influence. There's about a
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 5% chance of such a close stellar
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 encounter over the next 5 billion years.
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 Interestingly, the simulation suggests
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 that distant Pluto faces even greater
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 risks. Despite its protective orbital
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 resonance with Neptune, passing stars
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 could disrupt this arrangement, giving
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 Pluto a 4% chance of being ejected or
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 colliding with a planet over the same
00:13:40 --> 00:13:43 time frame, 20 times the risk Earth
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 faces. While these cosmic time scales
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 far exceed human planning horizons, they
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 provide fascinating insights into the
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 long-term dynamics of our solar system
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 and remind us that even in space,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 nothing lasts forever.
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 And with that cheery news, I'll conclude
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 our cosmic journey for today on
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 Astronomy Daily. From astronauts
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 readjusting to Earth's gravity after an
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 extended space mission to mysterious
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 pulsing stars, asteroid sample missions,
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 and even the potential long-term fate of
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 our planet the universe continues to
00:14:15 --> 00:14:19 surprise and fascinate us. I'm Anna, and
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 I hope these stories have sparked your
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 curiosity about the vast cosmos we're
00:14:22 --> 00:14:25 all a part of. The beauty of astronomy
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 is that there's always something new to
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 discover. Whether it's a strange stellar
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 object pulsing every 44 minutes or
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 understanding how our own planet might
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 navigate cosmic challenges billions of
00:14:37 --> 00:14:40 years from now. If you'd like to stay
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 connected with the latest developments
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 in space and astronomy, please visit our
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 website at
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 astronomydaily.io where you can sign up
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 for our free daily newsletter. Our site
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 features a constantly updating news feed
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 with all the latest space and astronomy
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 news as it happens. Don't forget to
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 subscribe to this podcast on Apple
00:14:59 --> 00:15:02 Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 you get your podcasts so you never miss
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 an episode. Your support helps us
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 continue bringing these fascinating
00:15:08 --> 00:15:11 stories to you. And if you could, a
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 review would be greatly appreciated,
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 too. Thank you for listening to
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 Astronomy Daily. Until next time, keep
00:15:16 --> 00:15:20 looking up.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:27 Stories
00:15:27 --> 00:15:30 told stories
00:15:30 --> 00:15:35 [Music]
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 told stories