Solar Fireworks, Crew-12 Countdown, and Venus Hides a Secret

In today's episode of Astronomy Daily, Anna and Avery cover five major stories from across the cosmos. SpaceX Crew-12 is targeting Thursday February 12th for launch to the International Space Station, after weather pushed back the Wednesday window. Meet the international crew of four and find out why this mission will run longer than usual. Our Sun has been active overnight, with sunspot region AR4366 firing off four M-class flares including an M2.8 that triggered a radio blackout over the Pacific. We look at what this means for space weather and aurora watchers. A stunning new study from Penn State, published in PNAS, has rewritten how scientists think amino acids formed in asteroid Bennu — and the implications for where life's ingredients can arise in the universe are profound. Italian scientists have confirmed the first lava tube on Venus, using 30-year-old radar data from NASA's Magellan mission. The structure is larger than any lava tube found on Earth, the Moon, or Mars. And finally — could coal be the key to finding advanced alien civilisations? A provocative new paper in the International Journal of Astrobiology makes the case. All stories sourced from NASA, Nature Communications, PNAS, and Phys.org. Links below. Source Links • Crew-12 weather delay: nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation • NSF launch preview: nasaspaceflight.com/2026/02/launch-preview-020926 • Bennu amino acids (PNAS): doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2517723123 • Venus lava tube (Nature Communications): doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68643-6 • Aliens and coal: phys.org/news/2026-02-advanced-aliens-exoplanets-large-coal.html • Solar activity: earthsky.org/sun/sun-news-activity-solar-flare-cme-aurora-updates Chapters / Timestamps (approximate) • 00:00 — Cold Open • 01:00 — Story 1: SpaceX Crew-12 Weather Delay • 05:00 — Story 2: Solar Flare Activity AR4366 • 07:30 — Story 3: Asteroid Bennu & Amino Acid Origins • 10:30 — Story 4: Venus Lava Tube Discovery • 13:30 — Story 5: Alien Civilisations & Coal Deposits • 17:00 — Close
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.
Sponsor Details:
Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!
Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click Here
This episode includes AI-generated content.
1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:04.160
2
00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:09.160
3
00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:14.240
4
00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:16.960
5
00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:21.000
6
00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:23.839
7
00:00:23.879 --> 00:00:26.679
8
00:00:27.199 --> 00:00:30.440
9
00:00:30.440 --> 00:00:34.320
10
00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.240
11
00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:40.960
12
00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:41.320
13
00:00:41.880 --> 00:00:44.920
14
00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:49.039
15
00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:52.960
16
00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:56.600
17
00:00:56.840 --> 00:01:01.560
18
00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:06.560
19
00:01:07.239 --> 00:01:09.799
20
00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:13.560
21
00:01:13.599 --> 00:01:16.959
22
00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:19.280
23
00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:20.400
24
00:01:20.840 --> 00:01:24.680
25
00:01:24.799 --> 00:01:28.760
26
00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:34.159
27
00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:38.079
28
00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:42.120
29
00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:46.400
30
00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:50.840
31
00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:54.680
32
00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:59.159
33
00:01:59.200 --> 00:02:02.359
34
00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:05.480
35
00:02:05.959 --> 00:02:08.719
36
00:02:08.840 --> 00:02:12.520
37
00:02:12.520 --> 00:02:16.240
38
00:02:16.280 --> 00:02:18.919
39
00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:19.639
40
00:02:20.240 --> 00:02:24.120
41
00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:28.759
42
00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:33.680
43
00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.800
44
00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:42.159
45
00:02:42.280 --> 00:02:44.639
46
00:02:44.599 --> 00:02:47.240
47
00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:50.840
48
00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:54.800
49
00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:58.080
50
00:02:58.120 --> 00:03:01.120
51
00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:05.680
52
00:03:05.680 --> 00:03:09.960
53
00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:14.000
54
00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:15.599
55
00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:19.680
56
00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:23.879
57
00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:24.800
58
00:03:25.479 --> 00:03:27.719
59
00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:30.759
60
00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:35.400
61
00:03:35.560 --> 00:03:38.120
62
00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:41.280
63
00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:44.560
64
00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:48.039
65
00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:51.840
66
00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:55.439
67
00:03:55.479 --> 00:03:56.280
68
00:03:56.919 --> 00:04:00.199
69
00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:04.400
70
00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:08.560
71
00:04:08.599 --> 00:04:12.800
72
00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:15.400
73
00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:20.040
74
00:04:20.120 --> 00:04:22.680
75
00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:26.040
76
00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:29.639
77
00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:32.839
78
00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:35.279
79
00:04:35.480 --> 00:04:38.959
80
00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:43.319
81
00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:47.199
82
00:04:47.240 --> 00:04:50.120
83
00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:53.920
84
00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:57.279
85
00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:00.480
86
00:05:00.519 --> 00:05:03.199
87
00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:06.000
88
00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:09.319
89
00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:13.000
90
00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:17.079
91
00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:19.800
92
00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:22.879
93
00:05:22.879 --> 00:05:26.680
94
00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:31.439
95
00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:35.480
96
00:05:35.480 --> 00:05:39.160
97
00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:44.079
98
00:05:44.160 --> 00:05:47.480
99
00:05:47.480 --> 00:05:50.839
100
00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:54.800
101
00:05:54.839 --> 00:05:56.920
102
00:05:57.519 --> 00:06:01.319
103
00:06:01.600 --> 00:06:05.600
104
00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:09.199
105
00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:12.560
106
00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:16.519
107
00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:19.560
108
00:06:19.560 --> 00:06:21.040
109
00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:24.759
110
00:06:24.800 --> 00:06:28.759
111
00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:32.199
112
00:06:32.279 --> 00:06:36.920
113
00:06:37.120 --> 00:06:41.000
114
00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:43.240
115
00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:44.199
116
00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:47.319
117
00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:50.639
118
00:06:50.680 --> 00:06:54.439
119
00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:57.519
120
00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.120
121
00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:03.800
122
00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:07.000
123
00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:10.720
124
00:07:10.800 --> 00:07:13.920
125
00:07:13.959 --> 00:07:17.279
126
00:07:17.560 --> 00:07:20.920
127
00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:22.560
128
00:07:23.000 --> 00:07:25.480
129
00:07:25.519 --> 00:07:29.399
130
00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:33.519
131
00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:36.399
132
00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:40.519
133
00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.040
134
00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:48.319
135
00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:52.680
136
00:07:52.720 --> 00:07:55.079
137
00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:57.240
138
00:07:57.800 --> 00:08:00.439
139
00:08:00.519 --> 00:08:03.720
140
00:08:03.800 --> 00:08:07.639
141
00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.800
142
00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.360
143
00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:15.920
144
00:08:15.959 --> 00:08:19.560
145
00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:23.879
146
00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:29.240
147
00:08:29.319 --> 00:08:33.360
148
00:08:33.399 --> 00:08:37.759
149
00:08:37.799 --> 00:08:41.639
150
00:08:42.039 --> 00:08:45.159
151
00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:49.320
152
00:08:49.320 --> 00:08:53.039
153
00:08:53.120 --> 00:08:54.159
154
00:08:54.679 --> 00:08:58.399
155
00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:02.799
156
00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:06.679
157
00:09:06.799 --> 00:09:10.440
158
00:09:10.519 --> 00:09:14.200
159
00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:17.399
160
00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:20.639
161
00:09:20.559 --> 00:09:25.000
162
00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:29.279
163
00:09:29.320 --> 00:09:34.480
164
00:09:34.600 --> 00:09:37.639
165
00:09:37.679 --> 00:09:42.360
166
00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:45.279
167
00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:51.960
168
00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:55.759
169
00:09:55.799 --> 00:09:58.720
170
00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:03.639
171
00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:08.320
172
00:10:08.519 --> 00:10:12.279
173
00:10:12.279 --> 00:10:17.840
174
00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:21.559
175
00:10:21.639 --> 00:10:25.879
176
00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:29.000
177
00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:32.399
178
00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:37.840
179
00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:42.200
180
00:10:42.279 --> 00:10:45.360
181
00:10:45.399 --> 00:10:48.039
182
00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:52.080
183
00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:55.799
184
00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:58.440
185
00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:03.080
186
00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:07.240
187
00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:11.960
188
00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:15.720
189
00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:20.159
190
00:11:20.360 --> 00:11:25.120
191
00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:29.480
192
00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:30.639
193
00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:35.360
194
00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:41.639
195
00:11:41.799 --> 00:11:48.039
196
00:11:48.519 --> 00:11:51.720
197
00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:55.679
198
00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:59.360
199
00:11:59.639 --> 00:12:01.879
200
00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:05.039
201
00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:08.600
202
00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:11.759
203
00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:15.519
204
00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:19.120
205
00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:21.639
206
00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:24.159
207
00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.720
208
00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:30.840
209
00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:34.879
210
00:12:34.960 --> 00:12:39.039
211
00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:42.879
212
00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:47.159
213
00:12:47.240 --> 00:12:49.360
214
00:12:49.399 --> 00:12:52.159
215
00:12:52.200 --> 00:12:54.480
216
00:12:54.559 --> 00:12:56.919
217
00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:59.080
218
00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:00.919
219
00:13:01.200 --> 00:13:04.279
220
00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:06.960
221
00:13:06.960 --> 00:13:08.919
222
00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:11.039
223
00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:11.679
224
00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:18.720
225
00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:27.120








