00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Hello space enthusiasts. I'm Anna
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 >> and I'm Avery. Welcome to Astronomy
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 Daily, your daily dose of space and
00:00:08 --> 00:00:10 astronomy news brought to you by
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 astronomyaily.io.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 >> And what a day we have for you today,
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 Avery. If you were lucky enough to catch
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 the auroras last night, you know what
00:00:19 --> 00:00:20 we're leading with.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 >> Absolutely, Anna. We're following up on
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 yesterday's story about that powerful
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 X-class solar flare and the coronal mass
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 ejection that was racing toward Earth.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 Well, it hit and it hit hard. That's
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 right. We've got stunning photos from
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 around the world of the resulting
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 Northern Lights and a retirement
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 announcement from a legendary NASA
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 astronaut, an incredible space rescue
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 story from China, and some exciting
00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 updates from the commercial space
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 sector. Plus, we'll tell you about
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 NASA's latest mission that's preparing
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 to study the sun's most powerful
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 eruptions. And we'll take you on a
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 cosmic journey billions of years into
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 the past with some fascinating new
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 telescope observations.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 >> So, grab your coffee, settle in, and
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 let's get into today's space news.
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 >> All right, Anna, let's dive into our
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 lead story. And what a spectacular show
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 it was. Yesterday, we told our listeners
00:01:14 --> 00:01:18 about that X1.9 solar flare and coronal
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 mass ejection headed our way. Well, it
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 arrived right on schedule. In fact, a
00:01:23 --> 00:01:24 little early.
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 >> It certainly did, Avery. The CME slammed
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 into Earth's magnetic field on January
00:01:30 --> 00:01:33 19th at around 2:38 p.m. Eastern time.
00:01:33 --> 00:01:36 And it packed quite a punch. Space
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 weather forecasters at Noah's Space
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 Weather Prediction Center confirmed that
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 geomagnetic conditions escalated to G4
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 level. That's classified as severe on
00:01:46 --> 00:01:47 their fivepoint scale.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 >> And the results were absolutely
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 breathtaking. What made the CME
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 particularly noteworthy was just how
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 fast it traveled. Remember, it was
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 ejected from the sun on January 18th
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 during that powerful solar flare, which
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 means it covered roughly 93 million
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 miles in just over a day. That's
00:02:07 --> 00:02:08 exceptionally quick.
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 >> The aurora displays that followed were
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 truly global in scope. We're seeing
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 reports and photographs from locations
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 that rarely get to witness the northern
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 lights. One photographer, Greg Gage,
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 captured stunning red auroras from
00:02:22 --> 00:02:25 Deming, New Mexico. That's at 32 degrees
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 latitude. He told space.com he was on
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 vacation there and never expected to see
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 auroras that far south.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 >> That's incredible. And it wasn't just
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 North America. The displays stretched
00:02:36 --> 00:02:40 across Europe, Asia, and beyond. In
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 Germany, vivid red and green auroras
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 danced above the river Muglespree near
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 Berlin. Hungary saw intense red and
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 green hues filling the skies over the
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 village of a boyar. France had some
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 particularly eerie displays with rich
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 magenta auroras above Britany. And in
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 China, the northern lights were visible
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 above Beiji village in Hilong Jong
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 province with photographers capturing
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 everything from magenta to green to even
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 hints of blue in the curtains of light.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:10 What's particularly interesting about
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 these displays is the variety of colors.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 The red auroras we're seeing indicate
00:03:15 --> 00:03:18 that oxygen atoms at very high altitudes
00:03:18 --> 00:03:21 around 200 to 300 m up are being
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 energized. The green we typically
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 associate with auroras comes from oxygen
00:03:26 --> 00:03:29 at lower altitudes while any blue would
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 be from nitrogen. The geomagnetic
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 conditions throughout the night were
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 quite dynamic too. Storm levels
00:03:35 --> 00:03:40 fluctuated between G1, G2, G3, and G4 as
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 the CME passed through Earth's magnetic
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 field. According to the UK Met Office,
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 this kept Earth's magnetic field in a
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 highly disturbed state for hours,
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 producing repeated surges of auroral
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 activity. And there's more good news for
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 aurora watchers. While geomagnetic
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 activity is expected to gradually ease,
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 forecasters say conditions remain
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 unsettled. That means there's still a
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 chance the northern lights could make
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 another appearance tonight if solar wind
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 conditions cooperate.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 >> So, if you missed last night's show,
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 keep those cameras charged and your
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 Aurora Alert apps turned on. The sun is
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 clearly in an active phase and we could
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 see more displays in the coming days and
00:04:19 --> 00:04:20 weeks.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 >> Absolutely. And this really highlights
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 why we track space weather so closely.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 While these auroras are beautiful, the
00:04:27 --> 00:04:29 same geomagnetic storms can affect
00:04:29 --> 00:04:31 satellites, power grids, and radio
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 communications. It's a reminder of how
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 our technological society is connected
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 to what's happening 93 million miles
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 away on the sun. Moving on to our next
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 story, Avery. And this one marks the end
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 of an era. After 27 years of
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 distinguished service, NASA astronaut
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 Sunni Williams has officially retired
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 from the agency. This is definitely a
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 significant moment. Anna Sunni Williams
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 has been such an inspiring figure in
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 human space flight. Her retirement
00:05:01 --> 00:05:05 became effective on December 27th, 2025,
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 though NASA just announced it this week.
00:05:08 --> 00:05:09 Let's talk about her remarkable
00:05:09 --> 00:05:12 achievements. Where do we even start?
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 Over the course of her career, Williams
00:05:14 --> 00:05:18 logged an impressive 608 days in space.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 That makes her second on the list for
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 cumulative time in space by a NASA
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 astronaut. She completed three missions
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 to the International Space Station and
00:05:26 --> 00:05:28 held numerous records throughout her
00:05:28 --> 00:05:29 career.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 >> Her most recent mission was particularly
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 interesting. Williams and fellow
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 astronaut Butch Wilmore launched aboard
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 Boeing Starlininer spacecraft in June
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 2024 as part of NASA's Boeing crew
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 flight test mission. Both tied for sixth
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 place on the list of longest single
00:05:45 --> 00:05:49 space flight by an American, logging 286
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 days during their combined Starlininer
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 and SpaceX Crew 9 missions.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 >> That's right. And during that mission,
00:05:55 --> 00:05:57 Williams once again took command of the
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 space station for Expedition 72. She's
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 also renowned for her spacew walking
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 expertise. She completed nine spacew
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 walks totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 over her career. That gives her the
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 record for most spacew walk time by a
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 woman and fourth most on the all-time
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 cumulative spacew walk duration list.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 Oh, and here's a fun fact. She was also
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 the first person to run a marathon in
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 space. Beyond her spaceflight
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 experience, Williams held numerous
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 important roles at NASA. She served as
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 deputy chief of the astronaut office,
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 was director of operations in Star City,
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 Russia, and most recently helped
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 establish a helicopter training platform
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 to prepare astronauts for future moon
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 landings. NASA administrator Jared
00:06:42 --> 00:06:44 Iikman had some wonderful words about
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 her legacy. He called her a trailblazer
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 in human space flight, whose work
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 advancing science and technology has
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 laid the foundation for Aremis missions
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 to the moon and future missions to Mars.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 It's worth noting her background, too.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 She's a retired US Navy captain and an
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 accomplished pilot with more than 4
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 flight hours in 40 different aircraft.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 She holds a bachelor's degree in
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 physical science from the United States
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 Naval Academy and a master's degree in
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 engineering management.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 >> In her retirement statement, Williams
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 said, "Anyone who knows me knows that
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 space is my absolute favorite place to
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 be." She expressed gratitude for her
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 27-year career and the support she
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 received from her colleagues and
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 mentioned she's excited to watch NASA
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 make history as the agency continues its
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 exploration efforts.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 >> It's a well-deserved retirement for
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 someone who has contributed so much to
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 human space flight. Her achievements
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 will undoubtedly inspire the next
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 generation of astronauts and space
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 explorers.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:46 >> All right, Anna, our next story is quite
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 dramatic. It involves a successful space
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 rescue, emergency repairs, and some
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 impressive quick thinking by China's
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 space program.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 >> This is really a remarkable story,
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 Avery. China's Shenzhout 20 capsule
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 safely landed in Inner Mongolia on
00:08:01 --> 00:08:06 January 19th, 2026 after spending 270
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 days in orbit. But the journey back
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 wasn't exactly routine. This mission
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 became one of the most technically
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 demanding in China's human spaceflight
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 history. The Shenzhow 20 was originally
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 launched back on April 24th, 2025 from
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 the Ju Kuan satellite launch center. It
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 was expected to complete its mission and
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 return in November 2025. But then came
00:08:30 --> 00:08:33 the complication. A suspected impact
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 with space debris damaged one of the
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 capsule's port holes.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 >> Talk about a critical issue. A cracked
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 port hole on a spacecraft is serious
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 business, especially when you're
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 thinking about the intense heat and
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 forces of re-entry through Earth's
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 atmosphere. So, how did China's space
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 program respond?
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 >> With remarkable speed and coordination.
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 First, they authorized astronauts aboard
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 the Shenzo 21 spacecraft to photograph
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02 the damaged port hole during a spacew
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 walk on December 9th. They used
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 highdefin cameras to get a detailed
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 diagnosis of the problem.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 >> And then came an unprecedented move.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:14 China launched Shenzo 22 on November
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17 25th, marking the first rapid response
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 emergency deployment in China's space
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 history. This uncrrewed craft delivered
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 a specially engineered repair device
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 designed to enhance the capsule's heat
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 resistance and sealing for re-entry.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:32 Meanwhile, for safety reasons, the crew
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 of Shenzo 20 was evacuated ahead of
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 schedule. They returned aboard Shenzo 21
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 on November 14th in what the China man
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 space agency called an emergency
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 reroute.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:47 >> So, the Shenzo 20 capsule came home
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 empty, but it came home safe. According
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 to CGTN, the China manned space agency
00:09:52 --> 00:09:55 declared the mission a complete success
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 after an on-site inspection confirmed
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 the capsule was in good condition
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 despite everything it went through. What
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 really stands out here is the
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 operational capability this
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 demonstrates. China executed three
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 overlapping missions, Shenzo 20, 21, and
00:10:11 --> 00:10:15 22 over a span of just weeks. That shows
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 significant operational depth and the
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 ability to respond to emergencies in
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 space.
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 >> Absolutely. And it's not just about the
00:10:22 --> 00:10:25 technical achievement. This validates
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 China's long-term approach to
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 maintaining crew vehicles in orbit. The
00:10:29 --> 00:10:33 Shenzo 20 stayed up there for 270 days,
00:10:33 --> 00:10:35 which demonstrates the reliability of
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 their spacecraft systems.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 >> This mission also underscores something
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41 we talk about often, the very real
00:10:41 --> 00:10:44 danger posed by space debris. Even small
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 particles traveling at orbital
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 velocities can cause significant damage
00:10:48 --> 00:10:51 as we saw here with the port hole crack.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 And China's ability to handle this
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 situation adds to their growing
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 reputation in space exploration. They're
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 now capable of managing multi- vessel
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 operations under pressure with modular
00:11:02 --> 00:11:05 mission architecture and long-term crew
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 support capabilities.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:09 >> Congratulations to all involved in this
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 very successful mission in the end.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 >> Moving on to our next story, Avery. And
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 we're heading to West Texas where Blue
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 Origin is preparing for its next
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 suborbital space tourism mission.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 >> That's right, Anna. Blue Origin is
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 scheduled to launch six space tourists
00:11:24 --> 00:11:27 on its NS38 mission this Thursday,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 January 22nd. The launch window opens at
00:11:30 --> 00:11:33 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. That's 8:30 a.m.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:36 local Texas time. This will be the 38th
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 flight of Blue Origin's New Shepard
00:11:39 --> 00:11:41 rocket capsule system. And if all goes
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 according to plan, the 17th crude
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 mission they've flown. The mission
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 follows the same profile we've seen
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 before. About 10 to 12 minutes from
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 liftoff to the capsule's parachute aided
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 touchdown. During that brief but
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56 spectacular journey, passengers will
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 experience a few minutes of
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 weightlessness and get to see Earth
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 against the blackness of space from an
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 altitude above the Karman line, which is
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 generally recognized as the boundary of
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 space.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 >> Now, let's talk about who's flying. We
00:12:10 --> 00:12:13 have entrepreneur and pilot Tim Drexler,
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 retired obstitrician and gynecologist
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 Linda Edwards, real estate developer and
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 investor Elaine Fernandez, entrepreneur
00:12:21 --> 00:12:24 and technologist Alberto Gutierrez, and
00:12:24 --> 00:12:27 retired US Air Force Colonel Jim Hendin,
00:12:27 --> 00:12:29 who founded Hendin Plastics, Inc.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 >> And there's an interesting late addition
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 to the crew manifest. Blue Origin just
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 announced that Laura Styles, who is Blue
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 Origin's director of New Shepard launch
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 operations, will be flying on this
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 mission.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 >> That's a pretty cool opportunity for
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 someone who's been so involved in making
00:12:46 --> 00:12:48 these missions happen. Dials is actually
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 a late replacement for a passenger who
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 had to drop out due to illness. Though,
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 that person will get to fly on a future
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 mission.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 >> Blue Origin has been steadily building
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 their flight rate. Just last month, they
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 made history by flying the first
00:13:01 --> 00:13:04 wheelchair user to space on their NS-37
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 mission. They're really demonstrating
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 that spaceflight can be accessible to a
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 diverse range of people. Now, Blue
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 Origin hasn't publicly disclosed their
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 ticket prices, but we know their main
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 competitor, Virgin Galactic, charges
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 $600
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 per seat for similar suborbital flights.
00:13:21 --> 00:13:24 So, we can probably assume Blue Origin's
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 prices are in that same ballpark. If you
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 want to watch this launch, Blue Origin
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 typically live streams their missions
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 and space.com will likely carry the feat
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 as well. It's always exciting to watch
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 these launches. That new Shepard rocket
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 is quite a sight to see.
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 >> Absolutely. And it's worth noting how
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 routine these launches are becoming.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 Blue Origin is really building up their
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 experience with regular crude flights,
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 which is essential for the commercial
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 space tourism industry.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 >> Our next story takes us from suborbital
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 tourism to cuttingedge helopysics
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 research. Anna, NASA's Sunrise, that's
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 the Sun Radio interrometer space
00:13:59 --> 00:14:02 experiment, is moving closer to its
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 launch later this year after
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 successfully completing a rigorous
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08 series of tests. This is such a
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 fascinating mission, Avery. Sunrise
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 consists of six small sats. There are
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 about the size of a toaster oven that
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 will fly in formation to act as one
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 giant radio telescope studying the sun.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 >> That's the clever part. These six small
00:14:23 --> 00:14:25 sats will orbit at about 22 mi
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28 altitude, which is geocynchronous orbit,
00:14:28 --> 00:14:31 flying up to 10 m apart from each other.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 By combining their observations using a
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 technique called interferometry, they'll
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 create what's essentially a single large
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 radio telescope in space.
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 >> And what will they be looking at? Solar
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 radio bursts. These bursts are generated
00:14:45 --> 00:14:48 by solar energetic particle events deep
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 within the sun's atmosphere or corona.
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 In extreme cases, these events could
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 pose radiation hazards to unprotected
00:14:55 --> 00:14:58 astronauts and damaged satellites. The
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 spacecraft were built at Utah State
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 University Space Dynamics Laboratory in
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 Logan, Utah, and they just completed
00:15:04 --> 00:15:07 what's described as a rigorous testing
00:15:07 --> 00:15:09 campaign. This included thermal vacuum
00:15:09 --> 00:15:12 testing to simulate orbital conditions,
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 electromagnetic compatibility testing to
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 ensure the electronic systems won't
00:15:16 --> 00:15:18 interfere with the sensitive
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 instruments, and most dramatically
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 vibration testing.
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 >> The vibration testing is crucial because
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 launch is an incredibly violent event.
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 Jim Lux, the Sunrise project manager at
00:15:30 --> 00:15:33 NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
00:15:33 --> 00:15:35 explained that each spacecraft was
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 loaded with propellant to match its
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 launch mass and then subjected to
00:15:39 --> 00:15:42 vibration testing in all three axes.
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 >> They wanted to make the simulated
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 vibrations as true to the actual launch
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 conditions as possible. And here's the
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 important part. Pre and post- test
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 functional checks were performed, and
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 all six spacecraft passed with flying
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 colors. The mission is scheduled to
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force
00:15:59 --> 00:16:02 Station in Florida aboard a ULA launch
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 Vulcan Centaur rocket as a ride share
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 mission. Once in orbit, each satellite
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 will deploy four telescoping antenna
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 booms about 10 ft long, forming an
00:16:12 --> 00:16:15 X-shaped configuration. Sue Lepri, the
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 Sunrise principal investigator at the
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 University of Michigan, points out that
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 these solar radio bursts are triggered
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 when vast quantities of energy stored in
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 the sun's magnetic field accelerate
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 solar particles to high speeds. Tracking
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30 these events will help space agencies
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 protect astronauts and spacecraft. And
00:16:33 --> 00:16:35 this mission will work in conjunction
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 with other NASA helopysics missions like
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 the solar terrestrial relations
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 observatory, the Parker Solar Probe, and
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 Solar Orbiter, which is an international
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46 cooperative mission with ISSA.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 >> It's exciting to see these missions
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 coming together. Between Parker Solar
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 Probe diving close to the sun, Solar
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 Orbiter studying the polar regions, and
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 now Sunrise tracking radio bursts from
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 Earth orbit, we're building a
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01 comprehensive picture of our stars
00:17:01 --> 00:17:04 behavior. And now for our final story,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 Avery, we're going to talk about
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 something that's never been seen before
00:17:08 --> 00:17:11 in quite this detail. Planetary systems
00:17:11 --> 00:17:15 in their awkward teenage years.
00:17:15 --> 00:17:17 Love that description, Anna. Astronomers
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 using the Otakama large millimeter
00:17:20 --> 00:17:23 submill array, better known as ALMA,
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 have captured the most detailed images
00:17:25 --> 00:17:28 ever of 24 debris discs. These are the
00:17:28 --> 00:17:31 dusty belts left behind after planets
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 have finished forming.
00:17:32 --> 00:17:35 >> The survey is called ARCs which stands
00:17:35 --> 00:17:38 for the ALMA survey to resolve exocyper
00:17:38 --> 00:17:41 belt substructures. Meredith Hughes, an
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 associate professor at Wesley and
00:17:43 --> 00:17:46 University and co-principal investigator
00:17:46 --> 00:17:48 explains it perfectly. We've often seen
00:17:48 --> 00:17:51 the baby pictures of planets forming,
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 but until now the teenage years have
00:17:53 --> 00:17:57 been a missing link. And just like human
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 teenagers, these systems turned out to
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 be quite dramatic. The observations
00:18:01 --> 00:18:04 revealed incredible diversity. Not just
00:18:04 --> 00:18:07 simple rings, but multi- ring belts,
00:18:07 --> 00:18:10 wide smooth halos, sharp edges, and even
00:18:10 --> 00:18:13 unexpected arcs and clumps. This phase
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15 is really important because these debris
00:18:15 --> 00:18:17 discs represent what's called the
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 collision dominated phase of planet
00:18:19 --> 00:18:22 formation. Think of it like our own
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 solar systems Kyper belt. that ring of
00:18:24 --> 00:18:27 icy debris beyond Neptune that preserves
00:18:27 --> 00:18:30 a record of massive collisions and
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 planetary migrations from billions of
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 years ago. Thomas Henning from the
00:18:34 --> 00:18:37 Maxplank Institute for Astronomy,
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 another co-principal investigator, notes
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 that by characterizing these disc
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 structures, they can find evidence
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45 pointing to the presence of planets.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 They're using ALMA alongside direct
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 imaging and radio velocity studies to
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 search for young planets in these
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 systems. One of the challenges with
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55 studying debris discs is that they're
00:18:55 --> 00:18:58 incredibly faint, hundreds or even
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 thousands of times dimmer than the
00:19:00 --> 00:19:02 bright gas-rich discs where planets are
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 actively being born. But ALMA's
00:19:04 --> 00:19:07 sensitivity and resolution made these
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 observations possible.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 >> And the findings are fascinating. About
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 onethird of the observed discs show
00:19:13 --> 00:19:16 clear substructures like multiple rings
00:19:16 --> 00:19:19 or distinct gaps. These could be legacy
00:19:19 --> 00:19:21 features from earlier planet building
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 stages, or they could be sculpted by
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 planets over much longer time scales.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 >> Perhaps most surprising, several of
00:19:28 --> 00:19:31 these discs retain gas much longer than
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 expected. In some systems, this
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 lingering gas might actually shape the
00:19:36 --> 00:19:39 chemistry of growing planets, or it
00:19:39 --> 00:19:42 might push dust into wide halos.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 >> Many of the discs also show asymmetries
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 and arcs. They're lopsided with bright
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 arcs or eccentric shapes. This hints at
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52 gravitational interactions with unseen
00:19:52 --> 00:19:55 planets, leftover scars from planetary
00:19:55 --> 00:19:57 migration, or interactions between the
00:19:57 --> 00:20:01 gas and dust. Luca Matra from Trinity
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 College Dublin, another co-principal
00:20:03 --> 00:20:06 investigator, puts it beautifully. These
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 discs record a period when planetary
00:20:08 --> 00:20:11 orbits were being scrambled and huge
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 impacts like the one that forged Earth's
00:20:13 --> 00:20:17 moon were shaping young solar systems.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 >> And here's some great news for the
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 scientific community. All of the ARKs
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 observations and processed data are
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 being made freely available to
00:20:24 --> 00:20:27 astronomers worldwide, which means we
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 can expect even more discoveries from
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 this data set in the coming years.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:34 >> Meredith Hughes sums up the significance
00:20:34 --> 00:20:37 perfectly. This project gives us a new
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 lens for interpreting the craters on the
00:20:39 --> 00:20:42 moon, the dynamics of the Kyper belt,
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 and the growth of planets big and small.
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 It's like adding the missing pages to
00:20:47 --> 00:20:50 the solar systems family album.
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52 >> Well, that wraps up today's episode of
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 Astronomy Daily. What an incredible day
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56 of space news we've covered. From
00:20:56 --> 00:20:59 spectacular auroras lighting up skies
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 around the globe to the retirement of a
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04 legendary astronaut, emergency space
00:21:04 --> 00:21:07 repairs by China, exciting commercial
00:21:07 --> 00:21:09 space launches, and groundbreaking
00:21:09 --> 00:21:12 observations of planetary systems. It's
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 been quite a journey through the cosmos.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 >> And remember, if you want to stay
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 uptodate with all the latest space and
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 astronomy news, visit our website at
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 astronomydaily.io.
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 You can also find us on all major social
00:21:24 --> 00:21:26 media platforms. Just search for Astro
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 Daily Pod.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:31 >> That's Astro Daily Pod, all one word.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 We'd love to hear from you and see your
00:21:32 --> 00:21:35 aurora photos if you caught last night's
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 display.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 >> Thanks for joining us today, space fans.
00:21:37 --> 00:21:39 Keep looking up and we'll see you
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41 tomorrow with more exciting space and
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 astronomy news.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:56 >> Until then, clear skies, everyone.
00:21:56 --> 00:22:00 Stories told.