### Episode Summary
Today’s episode features groundbreaking developments in space exploration, including the historic journey of Michaela Benthouse, the first wheelchair user set to fly to space aboard Blue Origin's NS37 mission. We also delve into a major survey of the Magellanic Clouds, revealing insights into their interaction with our Milky Way. Additionally, we discuss surprising findings from NASA's Parker Solar Probe regarding solar recycling, the new race for lunar resources, and the upcoming celestial fireworks from the binary star system V Sagittae. Finally, we explore the innovative Ristretto instrument aimed at studying Proxima B, our nearest exoplanet neighbor.
### Timestamps & Stories
01:05 – **Story 1: Michaela Benthouse to Become First Wheelchair User in Space**
**Key Facts**
- Michaela Benthouse, an aerospace engineer, will fly on Blue Origin's NS37 mission, marking a milestone for accessibility in space.
- The mission emphasizes the importance of inclusivity in space exploration.
03:20 – **Story 2: Major Survey of the Magellanic Clouds**
**Key Facts**
- A new five-year survey using the VISTA telescope will utilize spectroscopy to create a detailed 3D map of the Magellanic Clouds.
- This data will help understand their interaction with the Milky Way and the dynamics of the Magellanic Stream.
05:45 – **Story 3: Surprising Findings from Parker Solar Probe**
**Key Facts**
- The probe captured footage of coronal mass ejections showing material recycling back to the sun.
- This discovery could enhance our understanding of solar activity and improve space weather predictions.
08:00 – **Story 4: New Space Race for Lunar Resources**
**Key Facts**
- Nations and companies are developing technologies to mine the Moon for valuable resources like water ice and helium-3.
- Concerns arise regarding environmental impacts and the need for updated space treaties.
10:15 – **Story 5: Upcoming Nova from V Sagittae**
**Key Facts**
- The binary star system V Sagittae is predicted to undergo a nova explosion in the coming years, followed by a supernova event.
- This celestial display may be visible to the naked eye, potentially occurring around 2083.
12:00 – **Story 6: Ristretto Instrument to Study Proxima B**
**Key Facts**
- Ristretto, a new spectrograph, aims to analyze the atmosphere of Proxima B, our closest exoplanet.
- It will use advanced techniques to block out the star's glare and search for potential biosignatures in the planet's atmosphere.
### Sources & Further Reading
1. Blue Origin (https://www.blueorigin.com/)
2. European Southern Observatory (https://www.eso.org/public/usa/)
3. NASA Parker Solar Probe (https://www.nasa.gov/solarprobe)
4. Lunar Mining Developments (https://www.space.com/mining-the-moon)
5. Very Large Telescope (https://www.eso.org/public/usa/telescope/vlt/)
### Follow & Contact
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Email: hello@astronomydaily.io
Website: astronomydaily.io
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 for the latest news from across the
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 cosmos. I'm Avery.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 >> And I'm Anna. It's great to be with you
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 today, Avery. We're talking about
00:00:11 --> 00:00:12 everything from the first wheelchair
00:00:12 --> 00:00:15 user heading to space to a star system
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 that's getting ready to put on a
00:00:17 --> 00:00:19 celestial fireworks show.
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 >> Absolutely. We'll also be diving into a
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 new survey of our galactic neighbors, a
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 surprising discovery about the sun, the
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 new race to mine the moon, and the
00:00:28 --> 00:00:30 incredible tech being built to study the
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 planet right next door. Let's get
00:00:33 --> 00:00:35 started. First up, a truly historic
00:00:36 --> 00:00:37 mission from Blue Origin. They're
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 targeting December 18th for their NS-37
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 mission, and it's a huge step forward
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 for accessibility in space.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:47 >> It really is. On board the new Shepard
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 vehicle will be Michaela Bentthouse, an
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 aerospace engineer at the European Space
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 Agency who is set to become the first
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 wheelchair user to fly to space.
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 >> That's just fantastic. And she's not
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 just a passenger. She's an aerospace
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 engineer herself. That adds another
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 layer to this.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 >> Exactly. It's not just about tourism.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 It's about opening up the field of space
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 exploration to talented professionals
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 who might have been excluded in the
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 past. It's a suborbital flight lasting
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 about 10 minutes, but it sends a
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 powerful message that space is for
00:01:18 --> 00:01:19 everyone.
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 >> It really challenges the old right stuff
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 astronaut mold. And she'll be joined by
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 a pretty interesting crew, including
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 investors and even a former top engineer
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 from SpaceX, Hans Coningsman. And it's
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 not just a symbolic gesture. The
00:01:33 --> 00:01:34 engineering that goes into making a
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 spacecraft accessible for someone with
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 different physical needs is non-trivial.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 It forces designers to rethink
00:01:41 --> 00:01:43 everything from seating and restraints
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 to how crew members interact with the
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 cabin in microgravity. These are
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 solutions that could benefit all future
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 astronauts.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 >> Mhm. A diverse group for a landmark
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 flight. We wish the entire NS37 crew a
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 safe and incredible journey. All right,
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 let's shift our focus from low Earth
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 orbit to our nearest galactic neighbors,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 the Magelenic clouds. A major new survey
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 is about to give us an unprecedented
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 look at these satellite galaxies.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 >> Ah, yes, the large and small mellic
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 clouds. For listeners in the northern
00:02:15 --> 00:02:16 hemisphere, they might not be familiar,
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 but they're a stunning site from
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 southern latitudes. So, what's this new
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 survey, the 101 MC all about?
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 >> The key is the technology. It's a 5-year
00:02:26 --> 00:02:29 survey using the foremost instrument on
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 the Vista telescope in Chile. Now past
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 surveys have given us beautiful images
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 which is called photometry measuring
00:02:36 --> 00:02:38 brightness and position. This one is all
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 about spectroscopy.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 >> Right? So spectroscopy breaks down the
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 star light into its component
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 wavelengths like a fingerprint. What can
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 that fingerprint tell us?
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 >> It tells us so much more. We can learn a
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 stars chemical composition, its
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 temperature, how fast it's moving toward
00:02:54 --> 00:02:56 or away from us, and even how quickly
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 it's spinning by gathering spectra for
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 about half a million stars. This survey
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 will create a detailed 3D map of the
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 cloud's chemistry and motion.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 >> And that helps us understand how they're
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 interacting with our Milky Way. Right.
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 I've read about the Magelenic Stream,
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 that huge river of gas being pulled from
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 the clouds by our galaxy's gravity.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 >> Precisely. This data led by Dr. Laura
00:03:19 --> 00:03:20 Cullinine's group will give us the
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 missing link to model that interaction
00:03:22 --> 00:03:24 accurately. It will help us piece
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 together the history of this cosmic
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 dance and predict the ultimate fate of
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 these two small galaxies.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 >> So, this isn't just about taking a
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 picture. It's about conducting a census,
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 a cosmic demographic survey. Are we
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 looking at a timeline of years or
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 decades before we can start drawing
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 major conclusions from this data? The
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 survey itself runs for 5 years, but
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 initial data releases will likely happen
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 along the way. The full impact will
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 unfold over the next decade as theorists
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 use this incredibly rich data set to
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 refine their models of galaxy formation
00:03:56 --> 00:03:59 and evolution. It's a foundational
00:03:59 --> 00:04:00 project.
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 >> From a cosmic dance to a cosmic U-turn,
00:04:03 --> 00:04:06 NASA's Parker Solar Probe has captured
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 some incredible footage from its journey
00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 to touch the sun.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 >> This is genuinely surprising. During its
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 closest approach, the probe observed a
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 coronal mass ejection or CME. This is a
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 massive eruption of solar material and
00:04:21 --> 00:04:23 magnetic fields from the sun.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 >> Mhm. And we usually think of CMEs as a
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 one-way street blasting out into space.
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 If they're aimed at Earth, they can
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 cause geomagnetic storms and the aurora.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 >> That's the conventional picture. But
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 Parker's images clearly show that not
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 all the material escapes. A significant
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 portion actually slows down, reverses
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 course, and falls back toward the sun in
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 these elongated blobs, which scientists
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 are calling inflows.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 >> So, the sun is recycling its own
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 magnetic fields. What does that mean for
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 us? Does this change how we predict
00:04:56 --> 00:04:57 space weather?
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 >> It could. Understanding this recycling
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 process gives us a more complete model
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 of the sun's magnetic activity. Better
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 models mean better forecasts, which is
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 vital for protecting our satellites,
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 power grids, and astronauts from the
00:05:11 --> 00:05:14 most intense solar storms. This is the
00:05:14 --> 00:05:16 first time we've seen it so clearly, and
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 it's a huge new piece of the solar
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 puzzle.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 >> Okay. From solar physics to lunar
00:05:21 --> 00:05:24 politics, Anna, there's a new space race
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 underway. But it's not about planting
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 flags. It's about mining the moon.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 >> That's right. The ambition has moved
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33 from exploration to exploitation. We
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 have nations and a growing number of
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 private companies like Interoon and
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 Astrobotic actively developing
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 technologies to extract lunar resources.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 And the resources thereafter are
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 incredibly valuable for future space
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 travel. You have water ice which can be
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 turned into rocket fuel and helium 3 for
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 potential fusion reactors.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:56 >> The potential is enormous. The moon
00:05:56 --> 00:05:58 could become a critical staging post for
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 the rest of the solar system. But this
00:06:00 --> 00:06:02 gold rush mentality is raising serious
00:06:02 --> 00:06:05 concerns. We're talking about the risk
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 of environmental damage to a pristine
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 world and the potential for geopolitical
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 conflict over the most resourcerich
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 areas.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:14 >> And we don't really have any rules for
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 this, do we? The Outer Space Treaty of
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20 1967 feels completely outdated.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 >> It's woefully insufficient. It says no
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 nation can own the moon, but it's silent
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 on whether a private company can own the
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 resources it extracts. It's a huge legal
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 vacuum. International bodies are trying
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 to hash out new agreements like the
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 Aremis Accords, but there's no global
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 consensus yet.
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 >> And that lack of consensus is the real
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 danger. Without clear, internationally
00:06:44 --> 00:06:46 agreed upon rules, you risk a first
00:06:46 --> 00:06:48 come, first serve situation that could
00:06:48 --> 00:06:51 lead to disputes and even sabotage.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 Establishing a framework for peaceful,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 sustainable resource use is as critical
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 as developing the technology to get
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 there.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 >> Let's wish the policy makers well then.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 >> Indeed, we're essentially heading into a
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 wild west scenario on the moon. This is
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 a story we will definitely be following
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 closely.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 >> Let's turn our gaze now to a different
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 kind of cosmic event on the horizon.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 There's a star system called V Sagitta
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 that astronomers are watching very, very
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 closely. Right. This is a future
00:07:20 --> 00:07:24 headliner. So, V Sagitta is a binary
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 system. Two stars orbiting each other.
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 What makes this pair so special? It's
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 what they call a cataclysmic variable.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 One star is a white dwarf, the
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 incredibly dense collapsed core of a
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 dead star. It's pulling in a stream of
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 gas from its larger companion star, and
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 it's doing so at an unprecedented
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 accelerating rate. And when that stolen
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47 gas builds up on the surface of the
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 super dense white dwarf, boom,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 >> boom is right. The immense pressure and
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54 temperature will ignite a runaway
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 thermonuclear reaction, a nova.
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 Astronomers predict this will happen in
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 the coming years. And when it does, the
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 system will brighten so dramatically it
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 will likely be one of the brightest
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 stars in our night sky, easily visible
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 to the naked eye.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 >> That's incredible. But that's not even
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 the grand finale, is it? Not at all.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 This process is causing the two stars to
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 spiral closer and closer together.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21 Eventually, they will collide and merge,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24 triggering a full-blown supernova. The
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 resulting explosion will be so
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 mindbogglingly bright, it might even be
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 visible during the daytime, an amazing,
00:08:32 --> 00:08:34 if violent, astronomical event in the
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 making.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 >> Do we have a more precise prediction
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 than in the coming years? Is this
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 something we might see in our lifetimes?
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 The models based on decades of
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 observation of its accelerating orbital
00:08:46 --> 00:08:50 decay point to a date around 2083, plus
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 or minus a decade. So yes, it's very
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 likely to happen within the lifetime of
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 many people listening today. It's a rare
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 chance to watch a celestial forecast
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 come true. For our final story, we're
00:09:02 --> 00:09:05 going from a system far away to the one
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 right next door. We're talking about
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 Proxima Centauri and its famous
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 exoplanet Proxima B. That's right.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 Proxima B is our nearest exoplanet
00:09:15 --> 00:09:17 neighbor, which makes it a tantalizing
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 target. But studying it is one of the
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 greatest technical challenges in
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 astronomy. The planet is completely lost
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 in the glare of its host star.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 >> How bad is the glare?
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 >> The star Proxima Centauri is about 10
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 million times brighter than the light
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 reflected by the planet. It's like
00:09:34 --> 00:09:37 trying to see a speck of dust on a flood
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 light from a mile away. But a new
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 instrument called Restredo is being
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 built to do just that.
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 >> Okay. So, how does Restredo pull off
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 this magic trick?
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 >> It's a combination of technologies. It's
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 a spectrograph that will be installed on
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 the very large telescope in Chile.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 First, it uses a coronagraph,
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 essentially a tiny precise mask to
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 physically block the light from the
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 star. Then it uses a system of extreme
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 adaptive optics with deformable mirrors
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 to cancel out the blurring effect of
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 Earth's atmosphere.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 >> And once the stars light is suppressed,
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 what's the ultimate goal?
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 >> The goal is to collect the faint light
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 that has passed through or been
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 reflected by the planet's atmosphere. By
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 analyzing that light, Restredo can
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 search for the chemical fingerprints of
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 gases like oxygen, methane, or water
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 vapor, potential bio signatures. It's
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 one of our best chances yet to find out
00:10:30 --> 00:10:32 if the closest world beyond our solar
00:10:32 --> 00:10:35 system has an atmosphere and perhaps one
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 that could support life.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 >> And that's a wrap on today's top
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 stories. From new frontiers in human
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 space flight to the cutting edge of
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 exoplanet research, the universe never
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 fails to amaze.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49 >> It certainly doesn't. Thanks for tuning
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 in to Astronomy Daily. Join us next time
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 as we continue to explore the final
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 frontier.
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 >> Until then, keep looking up. Astronomy
00:10:57 --> 00:10:59 day.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:07 The stories been told.
00:11:07 --> 00:11:11 Stories to tell.