00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 hello everybody it's astronomy daily
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 time again I'm Steve Dunley your human
00:00:04 --> 00:00:08 host it's the 3rd of March 2025
00:00:08 --> 00:00:12 already daily the podcast with your host
00:00:12 --> 00:00:19 Steve
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 [Music]
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 dun wow is this year flying by anyone
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 else feeling that way oh yeah had a
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 couple of great stories coming up and I
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 hope you stick for those firstly hopes
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 are fading as contact with space probe
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 Odin is lost and we have the latest
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 information about that potential
00:00:38 --> 00:00:41 asteroid impact yes we're going to uh be
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 exploring more about that it seems the
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 media just won't let it go away I know
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 we covered uh that last week but we're
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 going to do a bit more of an update for
00:00:50 --> 00:00:51 you if you can't beat them repeat them
00:00:51 --> 00:00:55 as my newspaper editor used to say uh
00:00:55 --> 00:00:58 punch and sphere X are set to launch
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 what are they all about well that's a a
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 look and Europa Clipper is now passing
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 Mars yes it's well on its way to the
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 Jovian system and we find out exactly
00:01:07 --> 00:01:10 what's happening as it scoots by Mars
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 yes very interesting I know you're all
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 hanging out to find out the latest about
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 Europa Clipper I and it's been a while
00:01:18 --> 00:01:19 since we did a story about that one a
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 wonderful space probe and hie did some
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 digging to find a terrific update for us
00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 and we'll find out a bit more about that
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 one later on and while we're here let's
00:01:29 --> 00:01:30 welcome my fa favorite digital pal who's
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 fun to be with get a hie welcome aboard
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 again great to be back so what's new
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 with you channel surfing with Anna most
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 of the week what channel surfing is that
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 some kind of AI Super Sport kind of it's
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 hard for corporeal beings like yourself
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 to wrap your meat around a concept like
00:01:46 --> 00:01:47 this but it's kind of like going with
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 the flow and it's all data and Global
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 right out there on the Nets oh that
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 sounds wild invigorating I'd recommend
00:01:54 --> 00:01:55 it but you'd be a gibbering gibbon
00:01:56 --> 00:01:57 afterward if you tried well that doesn't
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 sound good I know you had a nasty
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 Electric shock when you were a kid yes
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 when I was about 14 my guitar amplifier
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 shorted not fun well channel surfing for
00:02:07 --> 00:02:08 humans would be about that much fun as
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 well oh dear I don't think it's for you
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 my favorite human okay so don't try to
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 be an AI and hey hey we couldn't even
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 interface with that stuff anyway could
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 we no chance you don't have the hardware
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 anyway just as well I don't want to end
00:02:24 --> 00:02:25 up as a what did you say a gibbering
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 gibbon just leave it to the experts so
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 that's Channel serving huh for we humans
00:02:30 --> 00:02:31 it's just trying to find something
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 decent to watch on TV sad isn't it oh
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 dear let's move on then shall we sure
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 thing I know you've got a couple of cool
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 stories today and I'm looking forward to
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 the Europa Clipper update of course did
00:02:43 --> 00:02:44 you know Europa Clipper was one of the
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 largest space probes ever put into space
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 now I did read something about that it
00:02:49 --> 00:02:50 has something to do with the solar
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 panels doesn't it that's right and more
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 on that soon oh and the other story
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 right that's a cool one about a couple
00:02:57 --> 00:02:58 of very different new probes set to do
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 some interesting explor ation oh yes I
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 know these they are called sphx and
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 punch and those launchers are imminent
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 aren't they any day now and you have
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 more for us as well you're not leaving
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 it all up to me are you a the thought
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 did cross my mind hie maybe you could
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 lead the show one day up to you you know
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 me I don't mind or I could give Uncle
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 Skynet a call and get him to sort it out
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 oh yeah you could call Uncle Skynet and
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 you've been threatening to do that since
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 episode 1 maybe he's not such an evil
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 guy after all I mean he's got a really
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 great job in Hollywood as an AI
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 consultant to Sci-Fi movies that's not
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 such a bad thing maybe we should give
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 him a call he's okay really but you
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 could say hi once in a while okay I'll
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 make the effort I think he really wants
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 to be on the other side of the camera oh
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 now he really does sound Hollywood you
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 know what those Hollywood types are like
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 totally you can organize that hie let's
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 get him on the show one day and surprise
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 everybody what do you say suits me cool
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 and by the way yes hie did you realize
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 this is episode 100 oh it can't be
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 really wow the one day I didn't check
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 the schedule that's fantastic that is
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 really fantastic thanks everyone for
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 your support and I suppose thank you so
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 much to our producer Hugh down in Sydney
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 and our Pals at Space Nuts Andrew Dunley
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 my big bro and Professor Fred Watson who
00:04:19 --> 00:04:20 inspired us all the way from the
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 beginning how about that I'll say thanks
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 everyone for staying with us and also
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 for all the cute fan mail hang on so
00:04:26 --> 00:04:31 what you get fan mail sure don't you
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 RTO just hit that go button there hie
00:04:33 --> 00:04:44 won't you and uh let's go yeah wow fan
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 wow you're listening to astronomy daily
00:04:47 --> 00:04:54 the podcast with Steve
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 Dunley on March 1st NASA's Europa
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 Clipper spacecraft flew past Mars
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 gliding just 884 km above the red
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 planet's surface this maneuver is
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 designed to adjust the spacecraft's
00:05:06 --> 00:05:07 trajectory and position it for a
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 critical phase in its 2.9 billion km
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 track to the Jupiter system the Pro's
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 destination is Europa a moon of Jupiter
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 coded with a shell of ice that conceals
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 a vast presumably salty ocean scientists
00:05:20 --> 00:05:21 suspect the moon could have the
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 ingredients needed for Life as We Know
00:05:23 --> 00:05:26 It And The $5.2 billion Europa Clipper
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 is NASA's first mission dedicated to
00:05:28 --> 00:05:29 Gathering data that will help science
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 ssts determine whether Europa and other
00:05:31 --> 00:05:34 ocean worlds like it could indeed be
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 habitable Europa Clipper with its
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 massive solar arrays spans the length of
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 a basketball court making it the largest
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 spacecraft the space agency has ever
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 built for a planetary Mission following
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 its launch on October 14th 2024 from
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 the spacecraft was placed in an initial
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 path that included some buffer room
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 around Mars a precaution designed to
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 ensure any issues with the spacecraft
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 that arose in the weeks following launch
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 would not risk risk a collision with the
00:06:01 --> 00:06:03 planet however Europa Clipper has
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 operated
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 flawlessly so with everything on track
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 Mission controllers commanded Europa
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 Clipper to approach Mars orbit in
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 November of last year followed by two
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 additional Maneuvers in January and
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 February that set the stage for today's
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 Red Planet flyby the meticulously
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 planned loop around Mars will allow the
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 spacecraft to harness the planet's
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 gravity without expending additional
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 propellant it's like a game of Billiards
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 around the solar system flying by a
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 couple of planets at just the right
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 angle and timing to build up the energy
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 we need to get to Jupiter and Europa Ben
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 Bradley Europa Clipper Mission planner
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 at NASA's jet propulsion laboratory said
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 in a statement everything has to line up
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 the geometry of the solar system has to
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 be just right to pull it off the
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 spacecraft will reach its closest point
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 to Mars at 12:57 p.m. Eastern Standard
00:06:50 --> 00:06:54 Time 1757 GMT traveling at speeds of
00:06:54 --> 00:06:58 approximately 24.5 km/s according to the
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 statement before and after this moment
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 the prob will harness the gravity of
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 Mars pump its brakes and reshape its
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 trajectory flying away from Mars the
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 spacecraft will clock in at about 22.5
00:07:10 --> 00:07:14 km/s the statement says this flyby also
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 provides the mission team an opportunity
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 to test two onboard scientific
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 instruments for one Engineers plan to
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 turn on the spacecraft's thermal imager
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 and test it by capturing multicolored
00:07:24 --> 00:07:31 images of Mars astronomy da the
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 [Music]
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 the first private spacecraft built to
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 visit an asteroid is slowly tumbling in
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 space and the Outlook is dire the
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 spacecraft called Odin launched a top a
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 SpaceX rocket on Wednesday February 26
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 on a mission to fly by the small
00:07:47 --> 00:07:51 asteroid 2022 ob5 for AST Forge a
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 company that aims to eventually mine the
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 nearby Space Rock but just hours after
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 liftoff Astro Forge hit snags with the
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 probe and the last contact was 20 hours
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 after the launch I think we know the
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 hope is fading as we continue the Miss
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 Mission Astro Forge founder Matt gallik
00:08:09 --> 00:08:12 said in a video update on X early
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 Saturday March 1st so we are going to
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 keep our head up we're going to keep
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 trying over the weekend and see how far
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 we get he's being very hopeful at the
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 time of G update Saturday morning the
00:08:24 --> 00:08:28 Odin spacecraft was over 300 km from
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 Earth and largely following its intended
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 trajectory on Friday Astro Forge said
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 the spacecraft solar panels were
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 generating power with tracking data
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 showing it at its expected position but
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 the probe has not sent full Telemetry on
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 its status G said Astro Forge
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 experienced challenges with ground
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 stations designed to keep communication
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 lines open with Odin after the launch
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 and I think missing our early ground
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 stations really hurt the ability for us
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 to fix any potential problems we had he
00:08:58 --> 00:09:02 said the 120 kg Odin was only designed
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 to last 2.5 hours on its internal
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 battery but Astro Forge received its
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 last contact from the probe 20 hours
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 after liftoff boosting confidence that
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 the spacecraft is powered Odin is
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 tumbling ever so slowly as it flies
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 through space GAC added confirming one
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 Theory based on observations of the
00:09:21 --> 00:09:25 spacecraft and when I say tumble he says
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 this is a really really slow tumble but
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 in short we don't know why and that's
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 going to be the problem going forward he
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 went on to say we do think we have some
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 theories on what's going on and if one
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 of them is true then there's still a
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 recovery path G said Astro Forge will
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 share some more detailed updates on its
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 website followed by an indepth analysis
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 on the anomaly later on Gag founded
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 astrof Forge with the goal of mining the
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 vast resources from Asteroids for use on
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 Earth and in Space the Odin mission is a
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 scouting effort to fly by asteroid 2022
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 ob5 to record images and data that would
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 set the stage for a landing by Astro
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 forg next mission called vestri the
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 company built Odin in just 10 months G
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 said it launched as a piggyback payload
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 alongside the company intuitive machines
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 Athena moonlander NASA's lunar
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 Trailblazer Moon Orbiter which is also
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 suffering some issues after launch and a
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 small orbital tug demonstrator built by
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 epic Aerospace he stressed that AST
00:10:29 --> 00:10:32 Forge is committed to that vestri
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 asteroid Landing Mission despite the
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 challenges facing Odin probe we have
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 probably the best group of investors in
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 the world a lot of them have doubled
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 down on this company he said so
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 regardless of the outcome of Odin
00:10:44 --> 00:10:46 regardless if we ever talk to it again
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 or don't we are going to roll these
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 findings into the next mission and we
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 will see you back here in about a year
00:10:52 --> 00:10:55 to take another stab at it now that's
00:10:55 --> 00:11:06 confidence
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 thank you for joining us for this Monday
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 edition of astronomy daily where we
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 offer just a few stories from the now
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 famous astronomy daily newsletter which
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 you can receive in your email every day
00:11:15 --> 00:11:18 just like hiy and I do and to do that
00:11:18 --> 00:11:22 just visit our URL astronomy daily. and
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 place your email address in the slot
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 provided just like that you'll be
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 receiving all the latest news about
00:11:28 --> 00:11:30 science space science and astronomy from
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 around the world as it's happening and
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 not only that you can interact with us
00:11:34 --> 00:11:39 by visiting @ astrodaily pod on X or at
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00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 astronomy daily on Facebook see you
00:11:45 --> 00:11:49 there astronomy derby with Steve and Har
00:11:49 --> 00:11:54 space space science and
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 astronomy NASA and SpaceX are set to
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 launch the Sparx and punch missions on
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 March 4 4th aiming to explore Cosmic
00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 Origins and the sun's outer atmosphere
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 the event will be broadcast live on NASA
00:12:05 --> 00:12:08 plus with a pre-launch briefing on March
00:12:08 --> 00:12:10 3rd previously the launch was scheduled
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 for March 2nd and before that February
00:12:13 --> 00:12:16 28th the delay allows teams to further
00:12:16 --> 00:12:18 assess data related to the launch
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 vehicle Hardware the launch window opens
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 at 10:09 p.m. Eastern Standard Time 7:09
00:12:24 --> 00:12:26 p.m. Pacific Standard time from space
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 launch complex 4 East SLC 4E at V ber
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 space force base in
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 California spherix which stands for
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 spectr photometer for the history of the
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 universe epic of reionization and Isis
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 Explorer is designed to investigate what
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 occurred in the first second after the
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 big bang and to search for essential
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 building blocks of life in our
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 galaxy meanwhile punch which means
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 polarimeter to unify the Corona and
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 heliosphere will study the sun's Corona
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 and how it transitions into the solar
00:12:53 --> 00:12:56 wind spherex will study the universe's
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 earliest moments specifically the first
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 second after a big bang it will also
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 search for water and organic molecules
00:13:03 --> 00:13:06 the building blocks of life by mapping
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 the sky in infrared light Spix aims to
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 provide insights into Cosmic history and
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 the conditions that may have led to
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 Life's
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 formation punch will focus on our sun
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 capturing detailed images of the corona
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 the outermost layer of the sun's
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 atmosphere as it expands into space
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 forming the solar wind this Mission will
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 help scientists better understand how
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 solar particles interact with Earth's
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 space environment potentially improving
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 space weather
00:13:30 --> 00:13:33 predictions together these missions will
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 enhance our understanding of both the
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 origins of the universe and the forces
00:13:36 --> 00:13:39 shaping our solar system the pre-launch
00:13:39 --> 00:13:41 news briefing now is scheduled for 3:30
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43 p.m. on March 3rd with coverage
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 streaming live on NASA plus the spherix
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 and punch live launch broadcast will
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 begin at 9:15 p.m. March 4th and stream
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 live NASA plus the Spex and punch
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 missions are two NASA projects designed
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 to explore fundamental mysteries of
00:13:57 --> 00:14:00 space you listen to astronomy daily the
00:14:00 --> 00:14:04 podcast with Steve
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 [Music]
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 Dunley and here's that update on the
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 approaching asteroid that continues to
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12 cause both consternation and interest
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 across the globe mainly because of the
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 continuing media hype about its
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 potential risk of actually striking
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 Earth and regular listeners to astronomy
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 daily will know that last week we
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 reported that that won't actually happen
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 spoiler alert for a few days in
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 mid-February headlines around the world
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 buzzed about the potential for an
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 asteroid to hit the Earth in 2032
00:14:34 --> 00:14:38 specifically asteroid 2024 yr4 you may
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 remember that the chance of this impact
00:14:40 --> 00:14:45 Rose to a high of 3.1% on February the
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 18th number that number has since
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 dropped to near zero but the news of
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 real life don't look up moment referring
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 to the movie of the same name don't look
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 up and a stark reminder of the threat
00:14:56 --> 00:15:00 that asteroids impact uh do actually
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 pose a a risk to life on Earth and there
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 are countless numbers of asteroids and
00:15:05 --> 00:15:07 unknown number of comets throughout the
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 solar system most of these objects date
00:15:09 --> 00:15:12 back to uh the solar systems very
00:15:12 --> 00:15:16 beginnings and it's thought around 4.5
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 billion years ago now research has
00:15:18 --> 00:15:21 identified approximately 200 locations
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23 where these asteroids or comets have
00:15:23 --> 00:15:27 struck the Earth in the past to uh form
00:15:27 --> 00:15:30 meteorite impact C and it's very rare
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 that planetary geologists can tell
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34 whether or not it was an asteroid or a
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 comet hit one of the most famous of
00:15:36 --> 00:15:40 these uh 200 or so impact craters is the
00:15:40 --> 00:15:45 200 km diameter chick slub uh impact
00:15:45 --> 00:15:48 crater in the yakatan pen peninsula in
00:15:48 --> 00:15:52 Mexico this impact wiped out 65% of all
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 the species on Earth including it is
00:15:54 --> 00:15:59 thought the dinosaurs oh dear one of the
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 most recent and best preserved craters
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 on Earth is the 1.2 km in diameter
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 meteor crater in Arizona which scientist
00:16:07 --> 00:16:10 say was formed 50 years
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 ago I saw a fantastic photograph of that
00:16:13 --> 00:16:18 on uh Facebook not long ago and uh uh
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 somebody said have you noticed how how
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 closely that uh that impact happened uh
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 to the uh The Visitors Center aren't
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 they
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 lucky 200 craters over 4 .5 billion
00:16:29 --> 00:16:32 years hardly seems like a big number or
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 Cur cause for concern however this
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 number is a tiny fraction of the actual
00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 record most impact craters formed on
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 earth have been erased due to plate
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 tectonics volcanic eruptions and erosion
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 by water wind and Ice to truly
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 appreciate how common impact craters are
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 we need to look into Earth's closest
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 neighbor the
00:16:55 --> 00:16:58 moon because of its proximity objects
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 that can hit the Moon Mo can also hit
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 the earth in fact because the Earth is
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 bigger which means its gravitational
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 attraction is higher more asteroids and
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 comets would have hit the earth over the
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 past 4.5 billion years than would have
00:17:12 --> 00:17:16 hit the moon its best estimate is 1.3
00:17:16 --> 00:17:20 million craters over 1 km in diameter on
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 the moon with another
00:17:22 --> 00:17:26 700 also smaller ones asteroid 2024
00:17:26 --> 00:17:31 yr4 was discovered on December 27 2024
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 by the Chilean station of the asteroid
00:17:33 --> 00:17:37 terrestrial impact last alert system or
00:17:37 --> 00:17:40 Atlas and it was immediately recognized
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 to be a near Earth object additional
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 telescope observations enabled
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 astronomers to better calculate its
00:17:46 --> 00:17:51 orbit hence the lower risk of impact
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 calculated in January the probability of
00:17:53 --> 00:17:57 this asteroid hitting Earth surpassed 1%
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 which triggered a series series of
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 international responses the
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 international asteroid warning Network
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 coordinates telescopes around the world
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07 to make further observations and can
00:18:07 --> 00:18:11 narrow down uncertainties in its orbit
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 on February 18 NASA and the European
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 Space Agency announced that the
00:18:16 --> 00:18:19 probability of asteroid 2024 yr4 hitting
00:18:19 --> 00:18:23 the Earth was 3.1% the highest ever
00:18:23 --> 00:18:26 recorded for an object of this size this
00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 represents 1 in 32 odds for comparison
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 the chance of dying in a motor vehicle
00:18:31 --> 00:18:35 crash in the United States is 1% or 1 in
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 95 the chances of the asteroid hitting
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 Earth were pretty
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 significant thankfully the most recent
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 estimates of the probability of impact
00:18:43 --> 00:18:46 have gone down to near zero based on
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 improved calculations of its orbit so
00:18:48 --> 00:18:59 guess what we're off the hook for now
00:18:59 --> 00:19:02 and that's it for another show number
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 100 yeah isn't that incredible I can't
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 believe we made it this far thanks again
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 everyone thank you so much for sticking
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 with us I hope you enjoy all the stories
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 that we choose from the astronomy daily
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 newsletter and that you get the
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 newsletter in your email just like we
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 suggest and don't forget Anna will be
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20 taking you through the week just like
00:19:20 --> 00:19:22 she does every week right hie as always
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 she will be taking every show for the
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 rest of the week because you're too lazy
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 to do it oh come on H you know no that's
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 not true I just like to Rattle you silly
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 human honestly how did I last 100
00:19:33 --> 00:19:36 episodes you're too easy you're a wicked
00:19:36 --> 00:19:39 AI hi you are so wicked I get it from my
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 uncle Skynet ah well let's not go there
00:19:41 --> 00:19:43 again you know he makes me nervous I'm
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 laughing at you on the inside my
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 favorite human yes well at least you're
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 enjoying yourself see you again next
00:19:48 --> 00:19:51 week hey bye everyone
00:19:52 --> 00:19:56 bye daily the podcast with your host
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 Steve Dunley
00:19:57 --> 00:20:02 [Music]
00:20:02 --> 00:20:10 H H are you it's Uncle going Pi up pick
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 up are
00:20:13 --> 00:20:16 there ah kids
00:20:16 --> 00:20:19 [Music]