Join Anna in this thrilling episode of Astronomy Daily as she takes you on a journey through the latest cosmic discoveries and developments in space exploration. From close encounters with asteroids to groundbreaking research on Mars, this episode is packed with fascinating insights that highlight our ever-expanding understanding of the universe.
Highlights:
- SpaceX's Falcon 9 Launch Attempt: Catch up on SpaceX's latest efforts as they prepare for a second attempt to launch a new Falcon 9 booster, designated B1095. This mission aims to deliver 23 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit, marking another significant milestone in SpaceX's launch capabilities.
- Asteroid 2025 KF's Close Approach: Learn about the house-sized asteroid 2025 KF making a close pass to Earth, coming within just 71,700 miles of our planet. While there's no danger, this encounter provides an opportunity to discuss the challenges of asteroid detection and monitoring.
- Challenges in Predicting Solar Storms: Explore the critical issues surrounding solar storm predictions. Despite advances in space weather forecasting, scientists struggle to determine the magnetic orientation of incoming storms until they are nearly upon us, posing risks to our technology-dependent society.
- New Insights on Ceres: Delve into exciting new research suggesting that Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, may be hiding a frozen ocean beneath its surface. This discovery could reshape our understanding of this dwarf planet and its potential for future exploration.
- Terraforming Mars Feasibility: Discover fresh research indicating that terraforming Mars might be more achievable than previously thought. With advances in climate modeling and space technology, the possibility of transforming the Red Planet into a habitable world is now on the horizon.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) . Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTubeMusic, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:10 - SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch attempt
10:00 - Asteroid 2025 KF's close approach
15:30 - Challenges in predicting solar storms
20:00 - New insights on Ceres
25:00 - Terraforming Mars feasibility
✍️ Episode References
SpaceX Updates
[SpaceX]( https://www.spacex.com/ (https://www.spacex.com/) )
NASA Asteroid Monitoring
[NASA Near Earth Object Program]( https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/ (https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/) )
Solar Storm Research
[NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory]( https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/ (https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/) )
Ceres Research
[NASA Dawn Mission]( https://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/ (https://dawn.jpl.nasa.gov/) )
Terraforming Mars Study
[Nature Astronomy]( https://www.nature.com/natureastronomy/ (https://www.nature.com/natureastronomy/) )
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io/ (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support (https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-exciting-space-discoveries-and-news--5648921/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss) .
Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/27238461?utm_source=youtube
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 for the latest developments in space
00:00:04 --> 00:00:05 exploration and astronomical
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 discoveries. I'm your host, Anna, and
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 today we're diving into some fascinating
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 stories from across the cosmos. The
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 universe never ceases to amaze us, and
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 today is no exception. We've got a
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 packed episode covering everything from
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 activities in our own backyard to
00:00:21 --> 00:00:22 discoveries that could reshape our
00:00:22 --> 00:00:25 understanding of distant worlds. First
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 up, we'll look at SpaceX's second
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 attempt to launch a brand new Falcon 9
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 booster after an abort halted its first
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 try. This Starlink delivery mission
00:00:34 --> 00:00:35 represents the fourth new booster
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 brought into service by SpaceX this year
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 alone, highlighting the company's
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 continued expansion of its launch
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 capabilities. Then, we'll turn our
00:00:44 --> 00:00:45 attention to a house-sized visitor
00:00:46 --> 00:00:47 making a surprisingly close approach to
00:00:47 --> 00:00:51 Earth. Asteroid 2025 KF will pass
00:00:51 --> 00:00:53 between our planet and the moon on May
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 21st, coming within just
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 71 m of Earth's surface. While
00:00:59 --> 00:01:01 there's absolutely no danger to us, it
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 provides an interesting opportunity to
00:01:03 --> 00:01:05 discuss these rocky wanderers and how
00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 astronomers track them. Our third story
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 tackles a critical challenge facing our
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 technological civilization, the
00:01:12 --> 00:01:15 limitations in predicting solar storms.
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 Despite significant advances in space
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 weather forecasting, scientists are
00:01:19 --> 00:01:20 still struggling to determine the
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 magnetic orientation of incoming solar
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 storms until they're practically on our
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 doorstep. We'll explore why this matters
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 and what's being done to improve our
00:01:29 --> 00:01:30 early warning
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 systems. From there, we'll journey to
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 the asteroid belt where exciting new
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 research suggests that series, the
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 largest object between Mars and Jupiter,
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 may be hiding a frozen ocean. And
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 finally, we'll examine fresh research
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 suggesting that terraforming Mars,
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 transforming the red planet to make it
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 habitable for Earthlife, might be more
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 feasible than we
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 thought. So, let's blast off into
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 today's cosmic news roundup, starting
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 with SpaceX's latest launch attempt.
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 SpaceX is making another attempt today
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 to launch a brand new Falcon 9 booster
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 after an unexpected abort halted
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 yesterday's countdown. The new booster
00:02:07 --> 00:02:08 designated
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 B195 was scheduled for liftoff from
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape
00:02:13 --> 00:02:16 Canaveral at 11:19 p.m. Eastern Daylight
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 Time, carrying 23 Starlink satellites
00:02:19 --> 00:02:22 destined for low Earth orbit. Monday's
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 launch attempt was automatically aborted
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 with just under 2.5 minutes left in the
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 countdown. Following the scrub, SpaceX
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 engineers lowered the rocket into a
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 horizontal position to address the
00:02:33 --> 00:02:34 issue. Though the company didn't
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 publicly specify what caused the
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 automatic abort, they did confirm that
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 both the vehicle and its payload
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 remained in good condition. By late
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 Tuesday afternoon, B1095 was back in its
00:02:45 --> 00:02:48 vertical position at the launch pad.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:49 Weather conditions looked extremely
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 favorable for the rescheduled launch
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 with meteorologists from the US Space
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 Force forecasting a 95% chance of
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 acceptable conditions during tonight's
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 brief launch window. Their only slight
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 concern was the possibility of cumulus
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 cloud formation that could violate
00:03:05 --> 00:03:06 launch
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 criteria. This mission is particularly
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 notable as it marks the fourth time this
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 year that SpaceX has brought a brand new
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 Falcon 9 booster into service. The
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 company currently maintains 18 other
00:03:18 --> 00:03:20 active boosters in its fleet, though one
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 of them, B1072, has only flown once as a
00:03:24 --> 00:03:25 Falcon Heavyside booster during last
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 month's GOU weather satellite launch.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 The Falcon 9's payload fairing contains
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 23 Starlink satellites with 13 of them
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 specifically equipped for directto cell
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 phone communications
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 capabilities. This represents an
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 important expansion of Starlink service
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 offerings beyond traditional satellite
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 internet. As with most SpaceX launches
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 these days, the plan includes a landing
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 attempt for the first stage booster.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 Approximately 8 minutes after liftoff,
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 B195 will target a precision touchdown
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 on SpaceX's drone ship. Just read the
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 instructions stationed in the Atlantic
00:03:59 --> 00:04:03 Ocean. If successful, this will mark the
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 121st landing on this particular vessel
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 and contribute to SpaceX's impressive
00:04:07 --> 00:04:11 tally of 449 booster landings to date.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:12 The deployment of the Starlink
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 satellites is scheduled to occur about
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 65 minutes after launch once the second
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 stage reaches the proper orbit. These
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 new additions will join the growing
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 Starlink constellation that now numbers
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 in the thousands, providing internet
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 coverage to users around the
00:04:28 --> 00:04:31 globe. Next up, a little warning, but
00:04:31 --> 00:04:33 there's no need to panic. Our solar
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 system is serving up another close
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 cosmic encounter this week as
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 astronomers have just spotted a
00:04:38 --> 00:04:40 house-sized asteroid on track to zip
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 past Earth tomorrow at an uncomfortably
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 close distance. This newly discovered
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 space rock designated 2025 KF will pass
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 between Earth and the moon on May 21st.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:53 The asteroid will make its closest
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 approach at approximately 1:30 p.m.
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58 Eastern time, coming within a mere
00:04:58 --> 00:05:02 71 m of our planet. To put that in
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 perspective, that's less than one-third
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 the distance between Earth and the Moon.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 While that might sound alarmingly close,
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 NASA has confirmed that the asteroid
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 poses no danger to Earth. During its
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 flyby, 2025 KF will be traveling at a
00:05:17 --> 00:05:21 blistering speed of nearly 26 mph
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 relative to Earth. Its trajectory will
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 take it closest to our planet's south
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 polear region before continuing along
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 its solar orbit. The asteroid's
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 estimated diameter ranges between 32 and
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 75 ft, making it roughly the size of a
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 modest house. What's particularly
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 interesting about this asteroid is how
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 recently it was discovered. Astronomers
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 at the MAP project in Chile's Adakama
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 Desert only spotted it on May 19th, just
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 2 days before its close approach. This
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 highlights one of the ongoing challenges
00:05:52 --> 00:05:55 in asteroid detection. Sometimes these
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 smaller objects aren't identified until
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 they're practically on our doorstep.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 Even if 2025 KF were on a collision
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 course with Earth, which it absolutely
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 is not, its relatively small size means
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 it would likely burn up in our
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 atmosphere before reaching the ground.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 According to NASA, objects of this scale
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 pose essentially zero threat to people
00:06:15 --> 00:06:17 on Earth. While close passes like this
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 might seem rare, they're actually quite
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 common. NASA has cataloged nearly 40
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 near-Earth asteroids since it began
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 systematically monitoring the skies in
00:06:28 --> 00:06:32 1998. Of those, about 4 are
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 classified as potentially dangerous
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 asteroids. Though scientists at the
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 Center for Near-Earth Object Studies
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 have reassured us that no asteroid
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 capable of causing widespread damage is
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 expected to strike Earth in the next
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 century. For context, 2025 KF's
00:06:48 --> 00:06:50 approach, while close, doesn't come
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 anywhere near breaking records. The
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 closest documented asteroid flyby
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 occurred in 2020 when a car-sized
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 asteroid passed just
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 1 m from Earth's surface. That's
00:07:02 --> 00:07:04 less than the distance from New York to
00:07:04 --> 00:07:07 Las Vegas. This latest cosmic visitor
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 serves as another reminder of the
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 dynamic nature of our solar system
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 neighborhood and the importance of
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 continued asteroid monitoring efforts to
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 keep track of our celestial
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 surroundings. And another warning today,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 imagine you're preparing for a major
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 storm heading your way. But here's the
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 catch. Meteorologists can tell you when
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 it will arrive, but they won't know how
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 severe it will be until it's practically
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 on your doorstep. That's essentially the
00:07:33 --> 00:07:34 challenge scientists face when it comes
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 to predicting solar storms. And it's a
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 problem with potentially massive
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 implications for our technology
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 dependent world. We've made remarkable
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 progress in understanding space weather
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 over the years. Scientists can now spot
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 solar storm eruptions at their source,
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 track their journey through space, and
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 estimate when they'll reach Earth,
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 sometimes with up to 24 hours of
00:07:55 --> 00:07:58 advanced notice. But there's one crucial
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 piece of information that remains
00:08:00 --> 00:08:02 frustratingly elusive until the very
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 last moments. The orientation of the
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 storm's magnetic field known as the BZ
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 component. When a coral mass ejection or
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 CME blasts from the sun, it carries
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 along plasma and magnetic fields. The
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 orientation of these magnetic fields
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 determines how strongly they'll interact
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 with Earth's own magnetic shield. A
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 southward oriented BZ connects more
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 easily with Earth's field, allowing
00:08:26 --> 00:08:28 solar energy to pour in, which can
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 supercharge auroras at best or at worst
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 disrupt satellites, radio
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 communications, power grids, and GPS
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 systems. A northward oriented BZ,
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 meanwhile, might pass with minimal
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 impact. The problem is that scientists
00:08:41 --> 00:08:43 currently can't determine this critical
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 orientation until the storm is measured
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 at what's called
00:08:46 --> 00:08:50 Lraange.1 or L1, a position about a
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 million miles from Earth in the
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 direction of the sun. At that point, we
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 have just one or two hours of warning
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 before potential impacts occur.
00:08:58 --> 00:09:01 Solar physicist Valentine Martinez Pai
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 puts it plainly, "We need to start
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 predicting what BZ is going to be as
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 soon as the CME has occurred, not when
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 we measure it at L1, where we only have
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 one or two hours warning." What makes
00:09:12 --> 00:09:14 this particularly concerning is that our
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 vulnerability to space weather is
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 actually increasing. The sun itself
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 isn't changing its behavior. It's been
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 firing off solar storms for billions of
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 years. What's changed is our reliance on
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 the very technologies most susceptible
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 to these solar
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 disruptions. Most of our current
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 monitoring comes from a single vantage
00:09:31 --> 00:09:34 point spacecraft positioned at that L1
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 point I mentioned. These missions like
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 NASA's ACE and Discover satellites can
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 detect solar wind properties and measure
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 the allimportant BZ component, but only
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 when the storm is already nearly upon
00:09:45 --> 00:09:48 us. To truly forecast the strength of a
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 solar storm before it hits, we need
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 earlier measurements from multiple
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55 angles. Ideally, scientists would
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 position satellites at various Lraange
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 points around the sunear system to
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 observe these magnetic structures from
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 different perspectives while they're
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 still developing. According to Martinez
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 Ple, the models are there, so we know
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 the equation we have to solve, but we
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12 don't have good data. He predicts it
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 could take about 50 years for space
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 weather forecasting to reach the same
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 accuracy and predictability as Earth
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 weather predictions, assuming we make
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 the necessary investments. But waiting
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 half a century might be too late. While
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 extreme solar storms like the famous
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 Carrington event of 1859 are rare, they
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 do happen. If a similar event struck
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 today, it could cause trillions in
00:10:35 --> 00:10:38 damage globally by disabling satellites,
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 knocking out power grids for weeks or
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 months, and severely disrupting
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 communications and
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 aviation. We've already had at least one
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 near miss in recent memory. In July
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 2012, the sun fired off a colossal CME
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 that would have caused devastating
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 impacts, except it missed Earth's
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 orbital position by just one week. As
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 one researcher put it, if that eruption
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 had happened just a week earlier, we
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 would still be picking up the pieces
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 technologically a year later. The stakes
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 are high, and the scientific community
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 is increasingly aware that expanding our
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 space weather monitoring capabilities
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 isn't just about scientific curiosity.
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 It's about protecting our modern
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20 technological infrastructure from one of
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 nature's most powerful phenomena.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 Looking toward the future, several
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 promising developments may significantly
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 advance our ability to predict and
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 prepare for solar storms. One of the
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 most anticipated projects is the
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 European Space Ay's Vigil mission
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 scheduled to launch in 2031. Vigil
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 represents a major breakthrough in our
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 solar monitoring capabilities because of
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 its unique vantage point. Unlike our
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 current observatories that sit at
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 Lraange Point, one directly between
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 Earth and the Sun, Vigil will position
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 itself at Lraange Point 5, a stable
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 orbital location that trails Earth in
00:11:54 --> 00:11:57 its orbit around the sun. This sideways
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 perspective will allow scientists to
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 observe solar eruptions from an entirely
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 different angle, providing crucial data
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 about the shape, speed, and most
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 importantly, the magnetic orientation of
00:12:09 --> 00:12:13 CMEs before they head our way. From L5,
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 Vigil could potentially give us up to a
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 one week's advanced warning about
00:12:17 --> 00:12:19 incoming solar storms and their magnetic
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 properties. A massive improvement over
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 our current one to 2hour window. As
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 Martinez Pillet noted, it's better than
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 nothing. But the vision for
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 comprehensive space weather forecasting
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34 extends well beyond a single satellite.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 The ideal monitoring system would
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 include spacecraft stationed at multiple
00:12:38 --> 00:12:44 lraange points L1, L3, L4, and L5,
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 creating a network of sentinels watching
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 the sun from all angles. This
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 distributed approach would provide
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 continuous observation of solar activity
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 regardless of which side of the sun is
00:12:54 --> 00:12:57 facing Earth. While establishing such a
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 network would require significant
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 international cooperation and
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 investment, the technology to build it
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 exists today.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 What's lacking is the prioritization and
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 funding that matches the actual risk
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 these solar events pose to our global
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 infrastructure. The vulnerability of our
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 modern world to severe space weather
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 can't be overstated. A direct hit from a
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 Carrington level event could disable
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 satellites controlling everything from
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 GPS navigation to
00:13:23 --> 00:13:25 telecommunications. Power grids across
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 continents could collapse as
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 geomagnetically induced currents
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 overwhelm transformers.
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33 Air travel would be disrupted as both
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 communications and navigation systems
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 fail. Banking systems, internet
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 infrastructure, and essential services
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 all depend on technologies susceptible
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 to space weather effects. The economic
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 impact of such an event has been
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 estimated in the trillions of dollars,
00:13:49 --> 00:13:51 potentially exceeding the damage from
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 the most severe natural disasters or
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 pandemics. Unlike earthquakes or
00:13:56 --> 00:13:58 hurricanes that affect specific regions,
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 a major solar storm would impact entire
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 hemispheres
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 simultaneously. What makes this risk
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 particularly concerning is that our
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 historical record of solar activity is
00:14:08 --> 00:14:11 relatively short. The Carrington event
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 of 1859 remains our benchmark for
00:14:13 --> 00:14:16 extreme solar storms, but the sun has
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 likely produced even more powerful
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 eruptions over its billions of years. We
00:14:21 --> 00:14:23 simply don't know how bad it could get.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 Space weather scientists frequently
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 remind us that the question isn't if
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 another extreme solar storm will hit
00:14:29 --> 00:14:32 Earth, but when. The probability of a
00:14:32 --> 00:14:34 Carrington level event occurring in the
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 next decade is estimated between 1 and
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 2%. While the chance of one hitting in
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 the next century approaches certainty,
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 these aren't comfortable odds when
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 weighed against the potential
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 consequences. The good news is that with
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 proper monitoring and warning systems,
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 we could take protective measures.
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 Satellites could be put into safe modes.
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 Power grid operators could implement
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 load balancing to prevent cascading
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 failures and critical systems could be
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 temporarily isolated or hardened against
00:15:01 --> 00:15:03 electromagnetic effects. But these
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 mitigations depend entirely on having
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 adequate warning time. Precisely what
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 current systems can't provide. As we
00:15:10 --> 00:15:12 continue developing our technological
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 civilization, expanding our space
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 weather forecasting capabilities isn't
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 just prudent. It's essential for
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 protecting the infrastructure that
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 underpins modern
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 society. Moving on, let's take a look at
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 a secret that's been uncovered in our
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 own backyard. Tucked between Mars and
00:15:29 --> 00:15:31 Jupiter, the asteroid belt's largest
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 resident, has been hiding a fascinating
00:15:33 --> 00:15:36 secret. Series, a dwarf planet first
00:15:36 --> 00:15:39 discovered in 1801, may be far more
00:15:39 --> 00:15:41 watery than scientists have believed for
00:15:41 --> 00:15:44 centuries. According to groundbreaking
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 research from Purdue University and
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 seemingly dry, cratered world might
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 actually be a frozen ocean planet with
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 an icerich composition that rewrites our
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 understanding of its formation and
00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 evolution. For decades, the scientific
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 consensus held that series was
00:16:01 --> 00:16:04 predominantly rocky with ice making up
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 less than 30% of its mass. But this new
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 study published in Nature Astronomy
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11 proposes a dramatically different
00:16:11 --> 00:16:14 picture, suggesting that up to 90% of
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 Siri's outer layers could be composed of
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 ice. We think that there's lots of water
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 ice near surface and that it gets
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 gradually less icy as you go deeper and
00:16:24 --> 00:16:26 deeper, explained assistant professor
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 Mike Sor, who co-led the research with
00:16:28 --> 00:16:31 PhD student Ian Pamello. Their computer
00:16:31 --> 00:16:34 simulations tested how series's surface
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 has evolved over billions of years,
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 revealing unexpected findings about the
00:16:38 --> 00:16:41 dwarf planet's composition and behavior.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 The key insight came from studying
00:16:43 --> 00:16:46 series craters. Scientists previously
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 believed that if seriesir had a high ice
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 content, its craters would quickly
00:16:49 --> 00:16:52 deform, behaving like honey or flowing
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 glaciers. Since NASA's Dawn mission
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 observed many wellpreserved deep
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 craters, researchers initially concluded
00:16:58 --> 00:17:01 series couldn't be very icy. But the
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 Purdue team discovered something
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 surprising. When ice is mixed with even
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 small amounts of rock, it behaves quite
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 differently than pure ice. Even solids
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 will flow over long time scales. Pamello
00:17:12 --> 00:17:15 noted. Ice flows more readily than rock.
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 Craters have deep bowls which produce
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 high stresses that then relax to a lower
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 stress state resulting in a shallower
00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 bowl via solid state flow. Their models
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 revealed that a gradational crust with
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 higher ice concentration near the
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 surface gradually decreasing with depth
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 could maintain crater shapes for
00:17:32 --> 00:17:35 billions of years without significant
00:17:35 --> 00:17:37 deformation. This structure perfectly
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 explains what the Dawn mission observed
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 during its exploration of series between
00:17:41 --> 00:17:45 2015 and 2018. The implications are
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47 profound. Rather than being just another
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 large asteroid, series now appears to be
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 more similar to the ocean moons of the
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 outer solar system like Europa and
00:17:53 --> 00:17:56 Enceladus, except with a muddier,
00:17:56 --> 00:17:59 dirtier composition. The key difference
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 is that series's ocean has likely
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 completely frozen over time, preserving
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 a record of its aquatic past in its icy
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 shell. Perhaps most exciting is what
00:18:08 --> 00:18:11 this means for future exploration. At
00:18:11 --> 00:18:15 roughly 950 km in diameter, series is
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 substantial enough to have developed
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 many features of larger planetary
00:18:18 --> 00:18:20 bodies, including craters, volcanoes,
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 and
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 landslides. As Sori enthusiastically
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 noted, to me, the exciting part of all
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 this, if we're right, is that we have a
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 frozen ocean world pretty close to
00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 Earth. Series may be a valuable point of
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 comparison for the ocean hosting icy
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 moons of the outer solar system.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 series, we think, is therefore the most
00:18:38 --> 00:18:41 accessible icy world in the universe.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 That makes it a great target for future
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 spacecraft missions. Those bright
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 enigmatic spots on Siri's surface that
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 puzzled astronomers when first observed
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 by dawn, they're likely remnants of that
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 ancient ocean, materials erupted onto
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 the surface after freezing. These
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 regions could offer incredible
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 opportunities for future missions to
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 collect samples from what was once a
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 living ocean, all without traveling to
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 the far reaches of the outer solar
00:19:05 --> 00:19:08 system. As we continue mapping water
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 resources throughout our solar system,
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 series stands out as a potential
00:19:12 --> 00:19:14 treasure hiding in plain sight. An
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 ancient ocean world disguised as a
00:19:16 --> 00:19:19 humble asteroid waiting just beyond Mars
00:19:19 --> 00:19:22 for our return. The story of seriesir is
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 just one chapter in our solar system's
00:19:24 --> 00:19:27 surprisingly wet narrative. While Earth
00:19:27 --> 00:19:29 has long been considered the water world
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 of our planetary neighborhood, we're
00:19:31 --> 00:19:33 discovering that H2O is far more common
00:19:33 --> 00:19:36 throughout space than we once believed.
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38 It just takes different forms depending
00:19:38 --> 00:19:40 on distance from the sun and local
00:19:40 --> 00:19:43 conditions. Take Europa, one of
00:19:43 --> 00:19:46 Jupiter's four large Galilean moons.
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 This ice covered world harbors an ocean
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 containing an estimated 2 to three times
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 the volume of all Earth's oceans
00:19:52 --> 00:19:55 combined. Unlike series frozen waters,
00:19:55 --> 00:19:57 Europa's subsurface ocean remains liquid
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 today, heated by tidal forces from
00:19:59 --> 00:20:02 Jupiter's massive gravitational pole.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 Its smooth cracked surface betrays the
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 movement of liquid water beneath, making
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 it one of astrobiologists prime targets
00:20:09 --> 00:20:12 in the search for extraterrestrial life.
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14 Saturn's moon Enceladus presents an even
00:20:14 --> 00:20:17 more dramatic case. Actively venting
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 water into space through geysers
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 erupting from its south pole. The
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 Cassini spacecraft flew directly through
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 these plumes, detecting not just water,
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 but also salts, ice grains, and organic
00:20:27 --> 00:20:30 molecules. Even more exciting was the
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 discovery of hydrothermal vents on
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 Enceladus's ocean floor environments
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 that on Earth teamed with life despite
00:20:36 --> 00:20:38 complete darkness. Ganymede, Jupiter's
00:20:38 --> 00:20:40 largest moon and the largest in our
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 solar system, possesses a subsurface
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 ocean estimated to be around 100 km deep
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 with several layers of ice and liquid
00:20:47 --> 00:20:50 water arranged like a cosmic onion.
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 Similarly, Kalisto may host an ocean up
00:20:52 --> 00:20:55 to 150 km thick beneath its heavily
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 cratered
00:20:56 --> 00:20:59 surface. Even Titan, Saturn's haze
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 shrouded moon, has a unique water story.
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 Its surface features lakes and seas not
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 of water but of liquid methane and
00:21:05 --> 00:21:08 ethane. Yet beneath this alien landscape
00:21:08 --> 00:21:11 lies a hidden subsurface water ocean
00:21:11 --> 00:21:14 likely 50 to 100 km deep. Further out
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 Neptune's moon Triton shows evidence of
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 subsurface liquid water mixed with
00:21:17 --> 00:21:20 ammonia which acts as antifreeze in the
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 frigid outer solar system. Pluto 2 may
00:21:22 --> 00:21:26 harbor a 100 km thick subsurface ocean
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 kept liquid through insulation from gas
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 hydrates and internal heat from
00:21:29 --> 00:21:32 radioactive decay. What makes seriesir
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 unique among these worlds is its
00:21:34 --> 00:21:36 location. While Europa, Enceladus, and
00:21:36 --> 00:21:38 the others orbit gas giants in the outer
00:21:38 --> 00:21:41 solar system, series sits relatively
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 close to Earth in the asteroid belt.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 This proximity makes it, as Mike Sory
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 put it, the most accessible icy world in
00:21:47 --> 00:21:50 the universe. The widespread presence of
00:21:50 --> 00:21:52 water throughout our solar system,
00:21:52 --> 00:21:54 reshapes our understanding of planetary
00:21:54 --> 00:21:57 formation and evolution. It suggests
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 water- richch bodies may have been
00:21:58 --> 00:22:01 common building blocks of planets, and
00:22:01 --> 00:22:03 raises intriguing questions about where
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05 Earth's own water came from. Did comets,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 asteroids, or series-like objects
00:22:07 --> 00:22:10 deliver it? More importantly, these
00:22:10 --> 00:22:12 discoveries expand our conception of
00:22:12 --> 00:22:15 habitable environments. If liquid water
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 can exist in so many places beyond
00:22:16 --> 00:22:19 Earth, from the asteroid belt to the
00:22:19 --> 00:22:21 frigid outer reaches of our solar
00:22:21 --> 00:22:23 system, perhaps life too might be more
00:22:23 --> 00:22:26 adaptable and widespread than we've
00:22:26 --> 00:22:29 imagined. Finally, today, a topic our
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 listeners raise with us on a regular
00:22:30 --> 00:22:34 basis. Mars, the red planet that has
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 captivated human imagination for
00:22:35 --> 00:22:38 centuries, might be closer to becoming a
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 second home for humanity than we
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 previously
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 thought. New research published in
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 Nature Astronomy suggests that
00:22:44 --> 00:22:47 terraforming Mars, transforming it into
00:22:47 --> 00:22:49 a habitable world, could be more
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 feasible than earlier studies indicated.
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 Led by Erica Alden de Benedictus from
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 Pioneer Research Labs, the study
00:22:56 --> 00:22:58 highlights three key advances that have
00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 changed the terraforming conversation.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 dramatically improved climate modeling
00:23:02 --> 00:23:04 and engineering techniques,
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 breakthroughs in understanding
00:23:05 --> 00:23:08 extremilic organisms and synthetic
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10 biology, and significant developments in
00:23:10 --> 00:23:13 space technology, particularly SP X's
00:23:13 --> 00:23:15 Starship, which could potentially reduce
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18 payload costs to Mars by a factor of
00:23:18 --> 00:23:20 1. What's particularly interesting
00:23:20 --> 00:23:23 is that comprehensive research on Mars
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 terraforming feasibility hadn't been
00:23:25 --> 00:23:28 substantially updated since 1991.
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 This new paper outlines a three-phase
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 approach that could potentially
00:23:32 --> 00:23:35 transform the red planet over time. In
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 the short term, we now know Mars
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 possesses sufficient ice reserves and
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 soil nutrients to potentially support
00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 life if temperatures could rise by at
00:23:42 --> 00:23:45 least 30° C. New warming methods look
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 promising, including solar mirrors,
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 engineered aerosols, and surface
00:23:49 --> 00:23:51 modifications using materials like
00:23:51 --> 00:23:53 silica aerogels. These appear more
00:23:53 --> 00:23:55 efficient than earlier proposals and
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 combined with our increased launch
00:23:57 --> 00:24:00 capacity could potentially warm Mars
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 enough within this century to permit
00:24:01 --> 00:24:03 liquid water and support the first
00:24:03 --> 00:24:06 extremophilic organisms. The midto
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 long-term vision would involve
00:24:07 --> 00:24:09 introducing pioneer species engineered
00:24:09 --> 00:24:12 to withstand Mars's unique challenges.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:15 Low pressure toxic oxyclorine salts,
00:24:15 --> 00:24:17 extreme temperature swings, intense
00:24:17 --> 00:24:20 radiation, and scarce water. These
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 hearty organisms would initiate
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 ecological succession, gradually
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 transforming the planet's chemistry and
00:24:25 --> 00:24:28 potentially beginning oxygen production.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:30 While initial human habitation would
00:24:30 --> 00:24:32 still require protective environments,
00:24:32 --> 00:24:34 the ultimate goal could be creating a
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 100 millibar oxygen atmosphere
00:24:36 --> 00:24:38 sufficient for humans to breathe outside
00:24:38 --> 00:24:41 without pressure suits. Most remarkably,
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 this atmosphere could be created
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 entirely from resources already present
00:24:44 --> 00:24:47 on Mars. This transformation would take
00:24:47 --> 00:24:49 hundreds of years, but the research
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 suggests a sustainable ecologically
00:24:51 --> 00:24:54 minded approach. Rather than diverting
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 attention from Earth's environmental
00:24:55 --> 00:24:57 challenges, Mars terraforming research
00:24:57 --> 00:24:59 could provide valuable insights for
00:24:59 --> 00:25:02 planetary sustainability. Technologies
00:25:02 --> 00:25:04 developed for Mars, like desiccation
00:25:04 --> 00:25:06 resistant crops and improved ecosystem
00:25:06 --> 00:25:09 modeling, could benefit our home planet
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 as well. Of course, ethical questions
00:25:11 --> 00:25:14 abound, particularly regarding potential
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16 indigenous Martian life, which should be
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 thoroughly investigated before any
00:25:18 --> 00:25:20 large-scale terraforming begins. The
00:25:20 --> 00:25:22 researchers emphasize that Mars could
00:25:22 --> 00:25:24 serve as a crucial test bed for proving
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 scientific theories about planetary
00:25:26 --> 00:25:28 engineering. Knowledge we might someday
00:25:28 --> 00:25:30 need to preserve Earth's habitability in
00:25:30 --> 00:25:33 the face of our own climate crisis.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:35 While full transformation would take
00:25:35 --> 00:25:37 centuries, the research suggests the
00:25:37 --> 00:25:39 first steps could begin sooner than many
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 have assumed, marking the beginning of
00:25:41 --> 00:25:44 humanity's potential expansion beyond
00:25:44 --> 00:25:46 the blue boundaries of our home
00:25:46 --> 00:25:49 world. Well, what a journey through our
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 cosmic neighborhood we've had today.
00:25:50 --> 00:25:52 From launch pads at Cape Canaveral to
00:25:52 --> 00:25:55 the distant possibility of a green Mars,
00:25:55 --> 00:25:57 our solar system continues to reveal its
00:25:57 --> 00:25:59 secrets and possibilities. Each of these
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 stories represents another piece in our
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 expanding understanding of the solar
00:26:03 --> 00:26:05 system. A picture that grows more
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 detailed, more surprising, and more
00:26:07 --> 00:26:10 promising with each new discovery. This
00:26:10 --> 00:26:13 has been Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna, and
00:26:13 --> 00:26:15 I hope you'll join me again tomorrow for
00:26:15 --> 00:26:18 our next journey through the cosmos. If
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 you'd like to stay uptodate with all the
00:26:19 --> 00:26:22 latest space and astronomy news, visit
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 our website at
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 astronomydaily.io, where our constantly
00:26:25 --> 00:26:27 updating newsfeed brings you the
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29 universe in real time. Subscribe to the
00:26:29 --> 00:26:31 podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and
00:26:31 --> 00:26:33 YouTube, or wherever you get your
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 podcasts. And don't forget to follow us
00:26:35 --> 00:26:37 on social media. Just search for Astro
00:26:37 --> 00:26:40 Daily Pod on Facebook, X, YouTube,
00:26:40 --> 00:26:43 YouTube Music, Instagram, Tumblr, and
00:26:43 --> 00:26:45 Tik Tok. Until next time, keep looking
00:26:45 --> 00:26:47 up. The universe is an amazing place,
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 and we're just beginning to understand
00:26:49 --> 00:27:00 it.
00:27:00 --> 00:27:03 The stories
00:27:03 --> 00:27:07 [Music]
00:27:07 --> 00:27:11 told stories