The Sun's latest outburst arrived ahead of schedule! A powerful X1.9 solar flare and massive CME triggered severe G4 geomagnetic storms on January 19th, bringing spectacular auroras as far south as Alabama. Hosts Anna and Avery break down what happened and what to expect.
Also in today's episode: China successfully tests the Long March 12B reusable rocket, giving us a preview of their next-gen launch capabilities. We get an exclusive look at the Xuntian space telescope set to launch in 2027, which could rival Hubble with 300x the field of view. Plus, stunning new Hubble images reveal how baby stars carve out cosmic homes in the Orion Molecular Cloud.
We'll run through this week's packed launch schedule featuring SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, and China, and explore groundbreaking research showing how hidden magma oceans might protect rocky exoplanets from deadly radiation.
**Episode Highlights:**
• BREAKING: Severe G4 solar storm strikes Earth early - aurora forecast through Jan 20
• China's Long March 12B reusable rocket passes critical static fire test
• Xuntian telescope preview: China's answer to Hubble launches 2027
• Hubble reveals protostar jets and cavities in Orion Molecular Cloud
• 7 launches from 6 sites this week: Your complete guide
• Basal magma oceans could generate protective magnetic fields on super-Earths
**Topics Covered:**
Space Weather, Solar Flares, CMEs, Geomagnetic Storms, Auroras, Reusable Rockets, Chinese Space Program, Space Telescopes, Star Formation, Orbital Launches, Exoplanets, Planetary Magnetism, Astrobiology
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily
00:00:02 --> 00:00:05 dose of space and astronomy news. I'm
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 Anna.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 >> And I'm Avery. Today is Tuesday, January
00:00:08 --> 00:00:12 20th, 2026, and we've got a fantastic
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 lineup of stories covering everything
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 from solar storms to Chinese space
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 technology and some fascinating
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 discoveries about how young stars shape
00:00:20 --> 00:00:22 their cosmic neighborhoods.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 >> That's right. We're going to dive into
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 some breaking news about the sun's
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 latest outburst. There's been quite a
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 development there that Aurora chasers
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 definitely need to hear about.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 >> Plus, China continues to make impressive
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 strides in reusable rocket technology
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 with the Long March 12b. And we'll get a
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 sneak peek at their upcoming Shunen
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 Space Telescope that's set to rival some
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 of the best observatories in orbit.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 We'll also journey into the Orion
00:00:48 --> 00:00:51 Molecular Cloud to see how baby stars
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 are literally carving out their homes in
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 space. Check out this week's busy launch
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 schedule and explore a fascinating new
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 theory about how some exoplanets might
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 protect themselves from deadly
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 radiation.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 >> So, grab your coffee, settle in, and
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 let's get started with today's Astronomy
00:01:08 --> 00:01:08 Daily.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 >> All right, Avery, let's jump right into
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 our top story, and this one's developing
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 even as we speak. The sun threw a
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 massive tantrum this weekend, and Earth
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 is already feeling the effects.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 >> That's right, Anna. On Sunday, January
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 18th, the sun unleashed a powerful
00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 X.1.9cl
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 class solar flare from sunspot region
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 AR4341.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 For our listeners who might not be
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 familiar, X-class flares are the most
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 powerful category of solar eruptions.
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 And this one came with a particularly
00:01:40 --> 00:01:41 energetic friend,
00:01:41 --> 00:01:45 >> a coronal mass ejection or a CME. Right.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 >> Exactly. This CME was what forecasters
00:01:48 --> 00:01:50 call a full halo event, meaning it was
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 aimed directly at Earth. The interesting
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 twist here is that it arrived much
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 sooner than predicted. Space weather
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 forecasters initially expected it to hit
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 sometime within 24 hours of the flare,
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 but it actually slammed into Earth's
00:02:04 --> 00:02:06 magnetosphere yesterday, January 19th,
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 at 2:38 p.m. Eastern time.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 >> And I'm guessing from the reports I've
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 been seeing, this wasn't a gentle
00:02:13 --> 00:02:14 arrival.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 >> Not at all. The CME triggered severe G4
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 geomagnetic storms. According to Noah's
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 Space Weather Prediction Center, this is
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 actually a pretty rare event. We're also
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 dealing with an S4 severe solar
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 radiation storm that's ongoing.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 >> Now, for those wondering why this
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 matters, let's talk about what makes a
00:02:33 --> 00:02:37 CME geo effective or not. It's all about
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 magnetic field orientation, isn't it?
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 >> That's the crucial factor. When a CME
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 arrives, if its magnetic field is
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 oriented southward, what scientists call
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 a negative BZ component, it can connect
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 with Earth's northward pointing magnetic
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 field. Think of it like opening a door.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 The southward orientation essentially
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 allows solar wind energy to pour into
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 our magnetosphere, triggering
00:03:00 --> 00:03:01 geomagnetic storms.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 >> And in this case, that door was wide
00:03:04 --> 00:03:05 open.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 >> Exactly. Data from the DSCOVR and a
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 spacecraft which monitor the solar wind
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 upstream of Earth confirmed that
00:03:12 --> 00:03:15 southward BZ component. That's what made
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 the storm so potent.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 >> So what does this mean for people on the
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 ground? Obviously there's the
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 spectacular side with auroras, but there
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 are practical concerns, too.
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 >> Right. The good news is that this storm
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 could push the northern lights much
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 further south than usual. According to
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 Noah's scales, GeForce storms can make
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 auroras visible as far south as Alabama
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 and Northern California. But there are
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 some downsides. These storms can disrupt
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 GPS navigation, affect satellite
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 operations, increase atmospheric drag on
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 spacecraft, and potentially impact power
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 grids and highfrequency radio
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 communications.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 >> And the flare itself caused immediate
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 problems when it erupted. Correct.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 >> Yes. The X do 1.9 flare triggered strong
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 R3 level radio blackouts across the
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 sunlit side of Earth with the Americas
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 taking the biggest hit. Radio blackouts
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 happen because the intense X-rays and
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 extreme ultraviolet radiation from the
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 flare ionize the upper atmosphere
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 disrupting radio signals.
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 >> For our aurora chasers out there, what's
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 the forecast looking like? Well,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 geomagnetic storm conditions are
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 expected to continue through at least
00:04:24 --> 00:04:27 today, January 20th. The best viewing
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 times are typically between 1000 p.m.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 and 4:00 a.m. local time. Of course,
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 you'll want to get away from city lights
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 and find the darkest location possible.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 And keep in mind, you need clear skies
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 to see them.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 >> The tining is interesting, too, isn't
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 it? We're well into solar maximum.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 >> We are. Solar cycle 25 has been
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 particularly active and we're seeing the
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 effects. The sun has been consistently
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 active throughout late 2025 and into
00:04:54 --> 00:04:58 2026 with multiple X-class flares and
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 CMEs. This is exactly the kind of
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 activity we expect during Solar Maximum.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 It's yet another reminder that our star
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 is a dynamic, powerful force. What's
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 fascinating to me is how much we've
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 learned about predicting these events,
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 even if this one arrived earlier than
00:05:14 --> 00:05:15 expected.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 >> Absolutely. Space weather forecasting
00:05:17 --> 00:05:21 has come a long way. But CMEs are still
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 notoriously tricky. Their speed,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 direction, and crucially, their magnetic
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 orientation all factor into how they'll
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 interact with Earth. We often don't know
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 the full picture until spacecraft like
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 DSCOVR sample them directly when they're
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 almost at our doorstep. Well, if you're
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 in the northern tier states of the US or
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 Canada, keep your eyes on the sky
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 tonight. This could be a spectacular
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 display. Shifting gears from solar
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 fireworks to human engineering, let's
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 talk about China's latest achievement in
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 reusable rocket technology. The China
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 Aerospace Science and Technology
00:05:56 --> 00:05:59 Corporation has successfully conducted a
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 static fire test of the Long March 12B.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 This is China's followup to the Long
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 March 12A, which we covered when it made
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 its maiden flight back in late December
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 2025. Right.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 >> Exactly. And if you recall, that first
00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 flight was partially successful. The
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 second stage successfully delivered its
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 payload to orbit, but the reusable first
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 stage crashed near the intended recovery
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 area in Gansu Provice. So, there's
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 definitely been some lessons learned.
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 >> Let's talk specs. What can you tell us
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 about the Long March 12B? It's a fairly
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 substantial vehicle. The rocket stands
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 approximately 70 m tall. That's about
00:06:38 --> 00:06:41 230 ft with a diameter of 4 m. Both
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 stages use liquid oxygen and kerosene
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 propellants, which is interesting
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 because it's the same propellant
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 combination that SpaceX uses in their
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 Falcon 9.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 >> And in terms of capability,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 >> in its baseline configuration, the Long
00:06:55 --> 00:06:58 March 12b can lift about 20 metric tons
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 to low Earth orbit. That puts it firmly
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 in the heavy medium lift category. When
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 fully fueled, the entire vehicle has a
00:07:06 --> 00:07:09 liftoff mass of around 700 tons.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 >> So, what exactly did this static fire
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 test accomplish?
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 >> The test, which took place Friday at the
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 Guan Satellite launch center in
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 northwest China, was all about
00:07:19 --> 00:07:22 validation. Ground teams ignited the
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 first stage engines and sustained
00:07:23 --> 00:07:26 combustion for a period while monitoring
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 performance and control parameters. They
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 were verifying fueling procedures,
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 ignition sequences, and making sure all
00:07:33 --> 00:07:34 the propulsion and support systems
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 worked smoothly under planned
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 conditions.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 >> And the reusability aspect, how does
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 that work?
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 >> This is where it gets really
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 interesting. The first stage is designed
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 to separate from the second stage during
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 flight, then flip itself around for
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 re-entry using aerodynamic grid fins for
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 guidance. Picture those waffle-like fins
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 you see on Falcon 9 boosters. Then it
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 uses deployable landing legs to touch
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 down vertically at a designated landing
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 zone.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 >> So it's very much following the SpaceX
00:08:04 --> 00:08:05 playbook.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 >> It is though China has been developing
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 this technology independently. The goal
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 is the same though reusability to cut
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 mission costs and increase launch
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 cadence. This is especially important
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 for China's commercial space sector and
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 their growing satellite constellation
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 projects.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 >> And you mentioned the long march 12A's
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 landing attempt failed. Are they
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 incorporating what they learned from
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 that into the 12b?
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 >> Absolutely. Engineering teams are still
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 investigating what went wrong with that
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 December landing attempt. And the
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 lessons from that mission are being fed
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 directly into refinements for the Long
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 March 12b's re-entry and landing
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 systems. That's actually a really
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 important part of the development
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 process.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 >> So, when might we see an actual launch
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 of the Long March 12B? Based on this
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 successful static fire test, we're
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 probably looking at flight tests in the
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 near future. They still need to do more
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 ground testing and verification, but
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 successful engine testing is a major
00:09:03 --> 00:09:06 milestone on the path to orbital flight.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 >> It's interesting to watch multiple
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 countries and companies working on
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 reusable rocket technology. It really
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 does seem to be the future of space
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 flight.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 >> No question. When you can land and reuse
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 your first stage, which is the most
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 expensive part of the rocket, the
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 economics of space access changed
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 dramatically. China positioning
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 themselves with both the 12A and 12B
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 shows they're committed to competing in
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 this arena.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 >> Staying with China's space program,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 let's look ahead to what could be one of
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 the most capable space telescopes ever
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 launched. The Chinese space station
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 telescope known as Shunan is gearing up
00:09:44 --> 00:09:47 for launch as soon as early 2027.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 >> And scientists just completed something
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 pretty important, a full endto-end
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 observation simulation to test how the
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 telescope will perform once it's in
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 orbit.
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 >> Let's start with the basics. How big is
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 this thing?
00:10:00 --> 00:10:04 >> Chunen features a 2 m primary mirror.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 That's about 6.6 ft across. For
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 comparison, that's slightly smaller than
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 Hubble's 2.4 meter mirror. But here's
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 where it gets interesting. Junien is
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 designed specifically as a survey
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 instrument. And in that role, it's going
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 to be far more capable than Hubble.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 >> How so?
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 >> It's all about field of view. Junien's
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 field of view is about 300 times larger
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 than Hubble's. That means it can survey
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 the sky much more efficiently. Combine
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 that with a 2.5 billion pixel camera and
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 the ability to observe from near
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 ultraviolet to near infrared wavelengths
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 and you've got yourself an extremely
00:10:43 --> 00:10:46 powerful sky surveying machine.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 >> That's impressive. What will it be
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 looking for?
00:10:49 --> 00:10:52 >> The science goals are pretty ambitious.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 According to the National Astronomical
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 Observatories under the Chinese Academy
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 of Sciences, Chunen should make major
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01 contributions across multiple fields.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:03 cosmology, galaxy formation and
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 evolution, the structure and evolution
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 of our own Milky Way, and studies of
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 stars and planets.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 >> I've also heard it might help us
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 understand dark matter and dark energy.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 >> Exactly. Those are two of the biggest
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 mysteries in astrophysics, and a wide
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 field survey telescope like Shunien is
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 perfectly suited to contribute to that
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 research. By mapping large areas of the
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 sky and observing how galaxies cluster
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 and move, scientists can gather evidence
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 about the nature of dark matter and dark
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 energy.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 >> Now, what makes Shunian really unique is
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 how it will operate in relation to
00:11:39 --> 00:11:42 China's Tangong space station. Right?
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 >> That's one of the coolest aspects. Shun
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 will fly independently in low Earth
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 orbit, co-orbiting with Tangong, but
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 doing its own thing. However, and this
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 is the really neat part, it's designed
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 to dock with the space station when
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 needed.
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 >> So, astronauts can service it.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 >> Exactly. Just like NASA astronauts
00:12:01 --> 00:12:04 serviced Hubble five times between 1993
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 and 2009. According to recent video from
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 China Central Television, astronauts
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 will be able to conduct spacew walks to
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 maintain, repair, or even upgrade the
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 observatory. This is a huge advantage
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 because it extends the operational life
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 of the telescope and allows for
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 technology upgrades over time.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 >> That's actually brilliant. Hubble's
00:12:25 --> 00:12:27 servicing missions turned it from a
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 disappointment into one of the most
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 productive scientific instruments ever
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 built.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:35 >> Absolutely. And China clearly learned
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 from that example. Being able to service
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40 a space telescope in orbit is enormously
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 valuable.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 >> Tell us about these simulations they
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 just completed. The research team built
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 what they call an end-to-end simulation
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 suite. Basically, they created mock
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 observations that replicate the expected
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 instrumental and observational
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 conditions. They tested both the optical
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 systems and other observation systems to
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 evaluate the telescope's overall
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 performance before it ever leaves the
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 ground.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 >> That makes sense. Better to find
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 problems in simulation than after
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 launch. The results were published in
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 the journal research in astronomy and
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15 astrophysics in early January. This kind
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 of validation work is crucial for a
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 mission of this scale and complexity.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 >> When you say early 2027, how firm is
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 that timeline?
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 >> It's a no earlier than timeline. These
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 large space telescopes are complex
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 beasts and schedules can slip. But if
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 everything stays on track, we could see
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 Shunen launching on a Long March 5B
00:13:36 --> 00:13:39 rocket sometime in the first half of
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 2027.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 >> It's going to be really interesting to
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 see what Chunian discovers once it's
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 operational. Having another major space
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 telescope conducting surveys will be
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 fantastic for astronomy.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 >> Next, let's head out to one of the most
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 famous star forming regions in our
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 cosmic neighborhood, the Orion Molecular
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 Cloud Complex. The Hubble Space
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 Telescope has captured some stunning new
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 images that reveal how baby stars are
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 literally carving out space for
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 themselves in the surrounding gas and
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 dust.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 >> This is such a beautiful topic. These
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 are protostars, right? Stars that
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 haven't quite grown up yet.
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 >> That's right. Protoars are young stellar
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 objects that are still in the process of
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 accumulating mass from the molecular
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 clouds they're forming in. They haven't
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 started fusing hydrogen into helium yet,
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 which is what defines a main sequence
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 star like our sun. But even though
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 they're not doing fusion, they're far
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 from quiet.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 >> They're quite energetic, actually.
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 >> Incredibly so. Protoars generate
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 powerful winds and jets that shape their
00:14:40 --> 00:14:43 surroundings in dramatic ways. These
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 jets and winds carve out bubbles and
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 caverns in the surrounding gas. And
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 astrophysicists have been trying to
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 better understand this feedback process.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 What's driving these jets?
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 >> It's a fascinating process. Material
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 from the molecular cloud first forms a
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 disc around the protoar. Not all of that
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 material makes it onto the star itself.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 Some gets accelerated to high speeds
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 along the stars magnetic field lines and
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 shot out from the poles as focus beams
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 of mostly hydrogen.
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 >> So, they're like cosmic fire hoses.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 >> That's a good analogy. And in addition
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 to these focused jets, protostars also
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 produce wide angle stellar winds that
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 flow in all directions. These winds from
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 young stars are actually far more
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 powerful than the solar wind from our
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 sun or other main sequence stars.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 >> What did the Hubble images reveal?
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 >> The three new images show protoars at
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 different stages, all in the Orion
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 molecular complex. You can actually see
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 the cavernous shapes these young stars
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43 have carved out from the surrounding
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 gas. It's quite striking visually. these
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 dark, sometimes intricate structures
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 against the glowing background of the
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 nebula.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 >> But there was a surprising finding in
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 the research, wasn't there?
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 >> Yes, and it challenges some assumptions.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 Researchers found that the cavities
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 carved by these jets and winds didn't
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 grow larger as the stars move through
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 their later formation stages. You might
00:16:04 --> 00:16:06 expect the cavities to keep expanding
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 over time, but that's not what they
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 observed.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 >> So, what does that tell us? Well, the
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13 Orion molecular cloud has been
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 experiencing a declining star formation
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 rate, and these protostars also have
00:16:17 --> 00:16:20 lower rates of mass accretion over time.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:22 Scientists initially thought maybe this
00:16:22 --> 00:16:24 could be attributed to the jets and
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 winds carving out all the available gas,
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 but the new findings suggest that's not
00:16:28 --> 00:16:31 the case. The cavity sizes weren't the
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 limiting factor.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 >> So, something else is controlling the
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 star formation rate.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 >> Exactly. There must be other factors at
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 play in regulating how quickly stars
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 form and grow in this region. It's a
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 reminder that even in wellstudied
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 regions like Orion, we're still learning
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 the details of how star formation works.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 >> I love that these images aren't just
00:16:50 --> 00:16:52 pretty pictures. They're revealing
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 actual physics.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 >> That's what makes astronomy so exciting.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 Every observation adds a piece of the
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 puzzle. In this case, we're learning
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 that the feedback from young stars
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 through their jets and winds, while
00:17:03 --> 00:17:06 dramatic and visually spectacular, might
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 not be the main factor controlling star
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 formation in the region.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 >> It's also interesting to think about our
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 own sun going through this phase
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 billions of years ago.
00:17:14 --> 00:17:16 >> Absolutely. When the sun was young, it
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 was in a cluster with its siblings,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 probably in a molecular cloud much like
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 Orion. It would have had these same
00:17:22 --> 00:17:25 powerful jets and winds shaping the gas
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 and dust around it. Eventually, the
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 molecular cloud dispersed, the star
00:17:29 --> 00:17:31 cluster broke up, and the sun ended up
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 as the solitary star we know today.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 >> Orion is close enough that we can study
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 these processes in detail, which is
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 really lucky for astronomers.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:43 >> Very lucky. At about 1350 light-years
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 away, it's one of the nearest large star
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 forming regions. We can resolve
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 individual protoars and their
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 surrounding structures, which gives us
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 insights we can apply to understanding
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 star formation throughout the galaxy and
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 beyond. All right, let's shift from
00:17:57 --> 00:18:00 natural cosmic phenomena to humanmade
00:18:00 --> 00:18:02 space activities. We've got a busy week
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 of launches coming up, Avery.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 >> We do indeed. Seven launches from six
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 different sites across the globe. Let's
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 run through them.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:11 >> The week actually started this morning
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 with a Chinese launch. Correct.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:15 >> That's right. A Changang 12 rocket, also
00:18:15 --> 00:18:18 known as Long March 12, lifted off from
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 commercial launch complex 2 at WCang
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 Space Launch Site in Hainan, China. This
00:18:23 --> 00:18:27 was at 748 UTC carrying nine satnet
00:18:27 --> 00:18:30 satellites to low Earth orbit. The CZ12
00:18:30 --> 00:18:33 can lift about 12 kg to LEO. And
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 this was a demonstration of China's
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 commercial launch capabilities.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 >> Moving on to tomorrow, what do we have
00:18:39 --> 00:18:42 >> tomorrow, January 21st, we have Rocket
00:18:42 --> 00:18:45 Lab launching from New Zealand. Their
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 Electron rocket will be carrying two
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 satellites for Open Cosmos as part of a
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 secure broadband constellation being
00:18:51 --> 00:18:54 built in the UK. The mission is called
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 the cosmos will see you now and liftoff
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59 is scheduled for 11:09 UTC from their
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 facility on the Maha Peninsula.
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 >> Rocket Lab has really established a
00:19:04 --> 00:19:06 solid cadence with Electron.
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 >> They have. This will be Electron's 80th
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 mission. That's a remarkable achievement
00:19:10 --> 00:19:13 for a small rocket. The vehicle has
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 proven itself reliable and capable,
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 especially for these small satellite
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 constellation deployments. It's
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 Wednesday that gets particularly
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 interesting with the ESAR aerospace
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 launch.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 >> Yes, this is second attempt to launch
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 their Spectrum rocket from the Andoya
00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 rocket range in Norway. The mission is
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 called Onward and Upward, which is
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 fitting given that their first attempt
00:19:34 --> 00:19:37 in March 2025 failed shortly after
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 liftoff due to an engine issue.
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 >> What's different this time?
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 >> Well, they've been investigating what
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 went wrong on that first flight and
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 making refinements. Spectrum is a
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 two-stage rocket powered by Aquilla
00:19:48 --> 00:19:51 engines using propane and liquid oxygen.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 It's designed for the satellite
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55 constellation market and can lift about
00:19:55 --> 00:19:57 a kg to LEO. They're carrying
00:19:57 --> 00:20:00 several cubats for the European Space
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 Ay's boost program.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 >> So fingers crossed for ESAR on
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 Wednesday. What else?
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 >> Wednesday is also when SpaceX has their
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 first Falcon 9 launch of the week.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:11 They're launching 24 Starlink satellites
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 California. Liftoff is currently
00:20:16 --> 00:20:20 targeted for 243 UTC on January 22nd,
00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 which is 6:43 p.m. Pacific time on the
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 21st.
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 >> Vandenberg has been busy lately.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28 >> Very busy. This mission will use booster
00:20:28 --> 00:20:31 B1093 on its 10th flight, landing on the
00:20:32 --> 00:20:34 drone ship, Of course I Still Love You
00:20:34 --> 00:20:36 in the Pacific. It's another example of
00:20:36 --> 00:20:39 SpaceX's routine reuse. This particular
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 booster has previously flown seven
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 Starlink missions and two military
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 missions.
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 >> Do we have a New Shepard launch from
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 Blue Origin this week?
00:20:47 --> 00:20:50 >> Correct. Blue Origin is targeting
00:20:50 --> 00:20:54 Thursday, January 22nd at 14:30 UTC.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 That's 9:30 a.m. Eastern for New
00:20:56 --> 00:20:59 Shepard's 17th crude mission designated
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 NS38.
00:21:01 --> 00:21:03 This will be a suborbital flight from
00:21:03 --> 00:21:06 launch site one in West Texas, carrying
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 six people past the Carmen line and into
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 space for a few minutes of
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 weightlessness. New Shepard has really
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 become a regular operation for them.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 >> It has. The capsule will separate from
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 the booster which will return for a
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 propulsive landing while the capsule
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 lands under parachutes with retro
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 thrusters firing just before touchdown
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 to soften the landing for the crew. And
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 we round out the week with
00:21:28 --> 00:21:31 >> two more launches on Sunday, January
00:21:31 --> 00:21:34 25th. First, China will conduct a sea
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 launch of a Gia Long 3 rocket from the
00:21:36 --> 00:21:39 South China Sea. Details on the payload
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41 are still under wraps. They'll likely
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 release that information after the
00:21:42 --> 00:21:45 launch. Liftoff is scheduled for 6:30
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 UTC.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 >> Sea launches are always interesting.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:51 >> They are. The Geonong 3 is a four- stage
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 solidfueled rocket that launches from a
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 maritime platform. It's an interesting
00:21:55 --> 00:21:57 capability that gives China flexibility
00:21:58 --> 00:22:00 in launch as a myth and location.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 >> And finally,
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 >> Sunday also brings SpaceX's second
00:22:04 --> 00:22:06 Falcon 9 launch of the week, also from
00:22:06 --> 00:22:09 Vandenberg. Another batch of 24 Starling
00:22:09 --> 00:22:12 satellites heading to orbit at 1517 UTC.
00:22:12 --> 00:22:16 This one will use booster B0088
00:22:16 --> 00:22:18 on its 13th flight. Another testament to
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20 booster reusability.
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 >> That's quite a week. Seven launches from
00:22:22 --> 00:22:25 six sites. It really shows how routine
00:22:25 --> 00:22:27 space access has become.
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 >> It does, and it's only going to get
00:22:28 --> 00:22:31 busier as more commercial constellations
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 come online and more providers enter the
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 launch market.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 >> And may we wish them all successful
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 launches.
00:22:37 --> 00:22:40 >> Indeed. Moving along for our final
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 story, let's journey to distant worlds
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 and explore a fascinating new theory
00:22:44 --> 00:22:47 about how some rocky exoplanets might
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 protect themselves from deadly cosmic
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 radiation.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52 >> This involves super Earths, right? Those
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 planets that are larger than our Earth
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 but smaller than ice giants like
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 Neptune.
00:22:57 --> 00:23:00 >> Exactly. Super Earths are actually the
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 most common type of exoplanet we found
00:23:02 --> 00:23:04 in our galaxy, which makes understanding
00:23:04 --> 00:23:06 them really important. But here's an
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 interesting problem. Many of these
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10 worlds might not be able to generate
00:23:10 --> 00:23:12 magnetic fields the way Earth does.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:15 >> And magnetic fields are crucial for
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 protecting a planet's surface from
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18 harmful radiation.
00:23:18 --> 00:23:20 >> Right? Earth's magnetic field is
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 generated by movement in our liquid iron
00:23:22 --> 00:23:24 outer core through a process called a
00:23:24 --> 00:23:27 dynamo. But larger rocky worlds like
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 super Earths might have cores that are
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31 completely solid or completely liquid,
00:23:31 --> 00:23:33 neither of which can produce a magnetic
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 field through the same mechanism.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:37 >> So how do they protect themselves?
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 >> That's where this new research from the
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41 University of Rochester comes in. They
00:23:41 --> 00:23:44 propose an alternate source. Deep layers
00:23:44 --> 00:23:47 of molten rock called basil magma oceans
00:23:47 --> 00:23:50 or BMOs which exist at the boundary
00:23:50 --> 00:23:52 between a planet's mantle and core.
00:23:52 --> 00:23:55 >> Molten rock generating a magnetic field.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:57 >> It sounds surprising, but the key is
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59 what happens to rock under the extreme
00:24:00 --> 00:24:02 pressures inside super Earths. The
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 research team led by associate professor
00:24:04 --> 00:24:07 Miki Nakajima conducted laser shock
00:24:07 --> 00:24:09 experiments and quantum simulations to
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 recreate the conditions deep inside
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13 these massive planets.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 >> What did they find
00:24:14 --> 00:24:16 >> under the crushing pressures found in
00:24:16 --> 00:24:18 super Earths? We're talking planets 3 to
00:24:18 --> 00:24:21 six times the mass of Earth. Molten rock
00:24:21 --> 00:24:24 becomes electrically conductive. And if
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 you have electrically conductive
00:24:25 --> 00:24:28 material in motion, you can generate a
00:24:28 --> 00:24:31 magnetic field. So these basil magma
00:24:31 --> 00:24:34 oceans could act like liquid metal cores
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 just using rock instead.
00:24:36 --> 00:24:38 >> Essentially, yes. The movement of this
00:24:38 --> 00:24:40 electrically conductive molten rock
00:24:40 --> 00:24:43 could drive what they call a dynamo.
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 And according to their models, these
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 dynamos could generate magnetic fields
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 that are actually stronger and
00:24:48 --> 00:24:50 longerlasting than those produced by
00:24:50 --> 00:24:52 core dynamos like Earths.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 >> That's remarkable. How long could these
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 fields last?
00:24:55 --> 00:24:58 >> Billions of years potentially. That's
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 important because for a planet to
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 develop and sustain life, you need
00:25:01 --> 00:25:04 stable protection from radiation over
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 very long time scales
00:25:05 --> 00:25:08 >> now. Earth probably had a basil magma
00:25:08 --> 00:25:11 ocean early in its history. Right?
00:25:11 --> 00:25:13 >> Yes. Shortly after formation, but Earth
00:25:13 --> 00:25:16 is relatively small. So as it cooled,
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 that magma ocean eventually solidified.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:20 Super Earth though with their higher
00:25:20 --> 00:25:22 internal pressures and temperatures
00:25:22 --> 00:25:24 could maintain these basil magma oceans
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 for much much longer potentially
00:25:26 --> 00:25:28 throughout their entire lifetime.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:30 >> This has pretty significant implications
00:25:30 --> 00:25:33 for the search for habitable worlds.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:35 >> Absolutely. One of the factors in
00:25:35 --> 00:25:37 determining whether a planet might be
00:25:37 --> 00:25:39 habitable is whether it has magnetic
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 protection. Without a magnetic field, a
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 planet's atmosphere can be stripped away
00:25:44 --> 00:25:46 by stellar wind, making it hard for life
00:25:46 --> 00:25:48 to survive on the surface. If super
00:25:48 --> 00:25:50 Earths can generate magnetic fields
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 through basil magma oceans, that
00:25:52 --> 00:25:54 potentially increases the number of
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 worlds that could harbor life.
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 >> How do we test this theory?
00:25:57 --> 00:26:00 >> That's the exciting next step. We need
00:26:00 --> 00:26:02 to actually detect and measure magnetic
00:26:02 --> 00:26:04 fields around exoplanets, which is
00:26:04 --> 00:26:06 extremely challenging with current
00:26:06 --> 00:26:08 technology. But next generation
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 telescopes and instruments might be able
00:26:10 --> 00:26:12 to do it. Professor Nakajima mentioned
00:26:12 --> 00:26:14 she can't wait for future magnetic field
00:26:14 --> 00:26:16 observations of exoplanets to test their
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 hypothesis. It's fascinating how
00:26:18 --> 00:26:20 interdisciplinary this research is,
00:26:20 --> 00:26:23 combining experimental physics, quantum
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 simulations, and planetary evolution
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 models.
00:26:26 --> 00:26:28 >> That's what makes it so robust. They
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 weren't just working on theory. They
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 actually recreated the conditions inside
00:26:32 --> 00:26:34 supererves with laser shock experiments
00:26:34 --> 00:26:36 at the laboratory for laser energetics
00:26:36 --> 00:26:38 at the University of Rochester. Then
00:26:38 --> 00:26:40 they combined that with computational
00:26:40 --> 00:26:42 modeling to understand how these
00:26:42 --> 00:26:44 conditions would evolve over billions of
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 years. And this was challenging work for
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 the team, wasn't it?
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 >> Very much so. Professor Nakajima
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 mentioned this was her first
00:26:51 --> 00:26:53 experimental work. Her background is
00:26:53 --> 00:26:55 primarily computational. She credited
00:26:55 --> 00:26:57 support from collaborators across
00:26:57 --> 00:26:59 various research fields for making this
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01 interdisciplinary work possible.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 >> It's a great reminder that some of the
00:27:02 --> 00:27:05 biggest scientific questions require
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 bringing together expertise from
00:27:06 --> 00:27:08 multiple disciplines.
00:27:08 --> 00:27:10 >> Absolutely. Understanding planetary
00:27:10 --> 00:27:13 interiors, magnetic field generation,
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 and habitability requires geoysics,
00:27:16 --> 00:27:18 astrophysics, planetary science, and
00:27:18 --> 00:27:20 material science all working together.
00:27:20 --> 00:27:23 >> So, the bottom line is super Earths
00:27:23 --> 00:27:25 might have a built-in radiation shield
00:27:25 --> 00:27:27 that we didn't know about, potentially
00:27:27 --> 00:27:29 making more of them candidates for
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 harboring life.
00:27:30 --> 00:27:32 >> That's exactly right. It expands our
00:27:32 --> 00:27:34 understanding of what makes a planet
00:27:34 --> 00:27:36 potentially habitable and gives us new
00:27:36 --> 00:27:38 things to look for when we're evaluating
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40 exoplanets as possible homes for life.
00:27:40 --> 00:27:42 >> Well, that wraps up today's edition of
00:27:42 --> 00:27:45 Astronomy Daily. From solar storms to
00:27:45 --> 00:27:48 baby stars, Chinese space technology to
00:27:48 --> 00:27:50 hidden magma oceans on distant worlds.
00:27:50 --> 00:27:52 It's been quite a journey through the
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 cosmos.
00:27:53 --> 00:27:55 >> It really has. And remember, if you're
00:27:55 --> 00:27:57 in the northern tier states of the USA
00:27:57 --> 00:27:59 or Canada tonight, keep an eye on the
00:27:59 --> 00:28:01 sky for those auroras from that solar
00:28:01 --> 00:28:03 storm. Could be quite a show.
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 >> Thanks for joining us. For the latest
00:28:04 --> 00:28:07 space and astronomy news delivered fresh
00:28:07 --> 00:28:09 everyday, be sure to subscribe to
00:28:09 --> 00:28:11 Astronomy Daily. You can find us on our
00:28:11 --> 00:28:13 website at astronomyaily.io
00:28:13 --> 00:28:15 or search for us on your favorite
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 podcast platform.
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 >> Until next time, keep looking up.
00:28:17 --> 00:28:22 >> Clear skies, everyone. Astronomy day.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:30 Stories be told.
00:28:30 --> 00:28:34 Stories told.