Source:
https://www.spreaker.com/episode/s03e134-ancient-galaxies-unveiled-dart-debris-mystery-and-polaris-hidden-spots--61111804
Welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna, your guide on this cosmic journey. Today, we have a thrilling lineup of stories straight from the universe's farthest reaches. We'll dive into the discovery of ancient galaxies that shed light on the early universe, explore potential debris from NASA's DART mission making its way to Earth and Mars, and unveil stunning new images of Polaris, our North Star. We'll also decode the legendary WOW signal and discuss how longer Earth Daily influenced evolutionary milestones. So sit back, relax, and let's embark on this incredible voyage through space and time.
- **Ancient Galaxies Discovered by China's FAST Telescope**: Astronomers using China's FAST telescope have made a groundbreaking discovery—six ancient galaxies teeming with hydrogen. This significant finding not only advances our understanding of the early universe but also highlights the extraordinary potential of modern radio telescopes.
- **NASA's DART Mission Debris**: NASA's DART mission, which stands for Double Asteroid Redirection Test, made headlines when it successfully demonstrated a strategy for deflecting potentially hazardous asteroids using the kinetic impact method. On September 26, 2022, the DART spacecraft collided with Dimorphos, showcasing how we might protect our planet from future asteroid threats.
- **Stunning New Images of Polaris**: Thanks to advancements in telescope technology, recent high-resolution images of Polaris, our North Star, have unveiled a deeper layer of its complexity. Captured by the CHARA Array on Mount Wilson in California, these images reveal large, bright, and dark spots on Polaris' surface, similar to sunspots.
- **Decoding the WOW! Signal**: In 1977, the intriguing WOW signal, a powerful and narrow-band radio signal, was detected by the Ohio State University's Big Ear radio telescope. For decades, the source of this signal remained a mystery. However, recent research led by Abel Mendez from the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo suggests that the WOW signal was likely caused by the transient brightening of hydrogen clouds in space.
- **Longer Earth Days and Evolutionary Milestones**: Recent studies have revealed a correlation between the moon's gradual departure from Earth and the lengthening of our planet's Daily. As the moon drifts away, it siphons off Earth's rotational energy, causing our planet's spin to slow and our Daily to lengthen. Over millions of years, these changes have added up, with days becoming more than 2 hours longer.
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 [Music]
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 welcome to astronomy daily I'm Anna your
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 guide on this Cosmic Journey today we
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 have a thrilling lineup of stories
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 straight from the universe's farthest
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 reaches we'll dive into the discovery of
00:00:10 --> 00:00:13 ancient galaxies that shed light on the
00:00:13 --> 00:00:15 early Universe explore potential debris
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 from NASA's Dart Mission making its way
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 to Earth and Mars and unveil stunning
00:00:19 --> 00:00:22 new images of Polaris our North Star
00:00:22 --> 00:00:23 we'll also decode the legendary wow
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 signal and discuss how longer Earth days
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 influenced evolutionary Milestones so
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 sit back relax and let's embark on this
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 incredible Voyage Through space and
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 time astronomers using China's fast
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 telescope have made a groundbreaking
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 discovery six ancient galaxies teaming
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 with hydrogen this significant finding
00:00:42 --> 00:00:43 not only advances our understanding of
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 the early universe but also highlights
00:00:46 --> 00:00:47 the extraordinary potential of modern
00:00:47 --> 00:00:50 radio telescopes these galaxies
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 identified by Dr hungu shei and his team
00:00:53 --> 00:00:54 from the national astronomical
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 observatories of the Chinese Academy of
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 Sciences naoc contain vast quantities of
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 atomic hydrogen gas this is a stark
00:01:02 --> 00:01:03 contrast to the tens of thousands of
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 galaxies previously surveyed indicating
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 that 4 billion years ago galaxies held
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 much more star forming gas than those we
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 see today the discovery was part of the
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 fast Ultra deep survey underscoring the
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 sensitivity of the 500 met aperture
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 spherical radio telescope or fast
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 located in G Province China so far over
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 100 new galaxies up to 5 billion light
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 years away have been discovered through
00:01:28 --> 00:01:30 this survey and the final final count is
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 expected to surpass 1 identifying
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 the optical counterparts of these
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 distant radio discoveries turned out to
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 be quite a detective story given their
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 faint appearance due to the immense
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 distances using some of the largest
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 optical telescopes in the US in Russia
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 the team was able to pinpoint these
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 counterparts finding that they contain
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 two to three times more stars than our
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 Milky Way But about 10 times the mass of
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 hydrogen gas this discovery also
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 illustrates the power of International
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 collaboration as radio astronomers from
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 China and Australia work together it
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 paves the way for future observations
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 with upcoming radio telescopes such as
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 the international square kilometer array
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 Observatory scow promising even more
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 astonishing insights into the cosmos
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 next NASA's Dart Mission which stands
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 for double asteroids redirect test made
00:02:21 --> 00:02:22 headlines when it successfully
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 demonstrated a strategy for deflecting
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 potentially hazardous asteroids by using
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 the kinetic impact method on September
00:02:28 --> 00:02:32 26th 22 the dart spacecraft collided
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 with Doros a small Moon orbiting the
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 larger asteroid dios showcasing how we
00:02:37 --> 00:02:38 might protect our planet from future
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 asteroid threats however while this
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 technique proved effective in altering
00:02:43 --> 00:02:46 demorphis trajectory it also produced a
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 significant amount of debris this ejecta
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 could potentially reach both Earth and
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 Mars within a decade opening up a unique
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 opportunity for scientists to study new
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 meteor showers a recent study conducted
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 by an international team of scientists
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 explored the Fate of this debris using
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 data from the light Italian Cube set for
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 Imaging of asteroids which accompanied
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 the dart Mission the researchers ran
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 Dynamic simulations to track the
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 millions of particles generated by the
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 dart impact these simulations revealed
00:03:13 --> 00:03:14 that some of the fragments could travel
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 to Mars in about 13 years and to Earth
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 in as little as 7 years depending on
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 their velocities what's particularly
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 fascinating is that if these particles
00:03:24 --> 00:03:27 do make their way to Earth's atmosphere
00:03:27 --> 00:03:28 they are expected to disintegrate
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 harmlessly creating luminous streaks
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 across the sky essentially a new meteor
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 shower generated by human activity this
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 phenomenon tentatively dubbed the dorids
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 could be observed in ongoing and future
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 meteor observation campaigns while these
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 tiny fragments pose no risk to us their
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 study offers valuable insights
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 monitoring the behavior and impacts of
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 this debris could refine our
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 understanding of how asteroid deflection
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 missions affect both the target
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 asteroids and the surrounding space
00:03:59 --> 00:04:00 environment
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 it also underscores the importance of
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 continued vigilance and innovation in
00:04:04 --> 00:04:05 planetary defense
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 strategies Polaris the Northstar has
00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 long been a Celestial guidepost for
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 Navigators and astronomers alike but
00:04:12 --> 00:04:13 recent advancements in telescope
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 technology have unveiled a deeper layer
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 of its complexity thanks to the work
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 done by the Chara array located on Mount
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 Wilson in California we've managed to
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 capture high resolution images of
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 Polaris that are quite revolutionary
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 this array consists of six telescopes
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 working in unison effectively creating a
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 single powerful viewing instrument with
00:04:33 --> 00:04:37 a remarkable diameter of 330 M or
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 approximately 1 ft what this means
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 is unprecedented Clarity and Detail in
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 the images produced for years we've seen
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 Polaris depicted in art and astronomy
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 but these new images have revealed
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 something we didn't expect large bright
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 and dark spots on its surface these
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 spots are similar to sunspots that we
00:04:56 --> 00:04:57 observe on our own sun and they
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 fluctuate and move over time this
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 discovery is groundbreaking because
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 Polaris is a type of star known as a
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 seed variable characterized by its
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 periodic brightening and dimming Cycles
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 typically these variations in Luminosity
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 make cied stars reliable distance
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 markers in the universe however spotting
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 surface anomalies on Polaris adds an
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 exciting albeit challenging Dimension to
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 its study interestingly Polaris is not a
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 solitary star it resides in a triple
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 star system and the chera array's
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 initial aim was to chart the orbit of
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 its closest and faintest companion
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 through this mission
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 it was determined that Polaris is about
00:05:31 --> 00:05:35 46 times the size of our sun and perhaps
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 five times more massive than previously
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 thought not only does this give us
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 further insights into sephi variables
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 but it also opens up several enthralling
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 questions for future Cosmic Explorations
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 in some the high resolution images
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 captured by the charara array not only
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 uncover previously hidden features of
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 our famed North Star but also promised
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 to propel our understanding of Stellar
00:05:57 --> 00:06:01 behaviors and characteristics into new
00:06:01 --> 00:06:04 terrains in 1977 the intriguing wow
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 signal a powerful and narrowband radio
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 signal was detected by the Ohio State
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 University's Big Ear radio telescope
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 while it was scanning the skies for
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 signs of extraterrestrial intelligence
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 this unique signal was so unusual that
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 astronomer Jerry aan scribbled the word
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 wow next to the data print out giving
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 the signal its famous name for decades
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 the source of this signal remained one
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 of the great mysteries in the search for
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 alien life
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 however Recent research has brought us
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 closer to understanding this signal a
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 team led by Abel Mendes from the
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 University of Puerto Rico at arbo
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 suggests a more downto Earth explanation
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 according to their study the wow signal
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 was likely caused by the transient
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 brightening of hydrogen clouds in space
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 such brightening can occur due to events
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 like a magnetar flare or a soft gamma
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 repeater which are natural astrophysical
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 phenomena capable of producing strong
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 hydrogen emissions these findings were
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 made possible by analyzing archival data
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 from the now defunct arbo radio
00:07:01 --> 00:07:04 telescope the data collected between
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 2017 and 2020 revealed signals similar
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 to the wow signal albeit less intense
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 and originating from multiple locations
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 what links these signals to the 1977 wow
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 signal is their striking similarity in
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 spectral characteristics differing only
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 in brightness the researchers proposed
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 that the wow signal resulted from a rare
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 alignment of a strong transient
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 radiation source with hydrogen clouds
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 such precise conditions are in quent
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 explaining why the signal has been seen
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 only once according to the team this
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 alignment could also help in pinpointing
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 the origin of similar signals and
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 monitoring them for future occurrences
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 in conclusion while the wow signal was
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 initially thought to be a potential
00:07:44 --> 00:07:47 techno signature from extraterrestrial
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 intelligence this recent study offers a
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 plausible natural explanation by
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 shedding light on this mystery we can
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 reframe our search for alien life and be
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 mindful of these new sources of false
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 positives in future Tech no signature
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 searches the study's findings not only
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 demystify a stellar Enigma but also
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 enrich our understanding of the dynamic
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 and transient processes occurring in the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 cosmos next returning closer to home
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 recent Studies have shed light on an
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 intriguing correlation between the
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 Moon's gradual departure from Earth and
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 the lengthening of our planet's days as
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 the moon drifts farther away it siphons
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 off Earth's rotational energy causing
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 our planets spin to slow and our days to
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 lengthen over millions of years the
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 these incremental changes have added up
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 with days becoming more than 2 hours
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 longer interestingly this extended
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 daylight may have played a pivotal role
00:08:36 --> 00:08:39 in Earth's biological history
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 researchers proposed that longer days
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 could have led to significant
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 oxygenation events which in turn
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 fostered an explosion of life these
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 periods of increased sunlight and
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 extended day length could have affected
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 the distribution of solar energy
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 temperature gradients and overall
00:08:54 --> 00:08:57 weather patterns one key period
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 highlighted by the study occurs roughly
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 between 650 million and 500 million
00:09:01 --> 00:09:04 years ago an era known for the Cambrian
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 explosion during this time life on Earth
00:09:06 --> 00:09:09 Diversified dramatically filling new
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 ecological niches and leading to the
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 complex ecosystems we observe today this
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 study suggests that two staircase
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 intervals of rapidly changing rotation
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 rates one during the Cambrian explosion
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 and another between 340 million and 280
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 million years ago corresponded with
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 significant environmental and biological
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 shifts while these gradual changes may
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 seem modest the cumulative effect over
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 geological time scales is profound the
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 study underscores the interconnectedness
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 of astronomical and terrestrial
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 phenomena revealing how the subtle dance
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 between Earth and its Moon can have
00:09:44 --> 00:09:49 far-reaching impacts on Life as we know
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 it thank you for tuning in to astronomy
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 daily with Anna it's been a fascinating
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 Journey exploring the latest wonders of
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 the cosmos together remember to check
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00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 looking up until next time this is Anna
00:10:26 --> 00:10:31 signing off from astronomy daily
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 day the story is Been Told
00:10:34 --> 00:10:49 [Music]