James Webb’s Cosmic Revelation, Lunar Landers Take Flight, and a Race Against Time for SWIFT

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Language: en

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From the dawn of the universe to the


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shores of the moon and the skies above


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your head tonight, this is Astronomy


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Daily.


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>> Coming up, James Webb has finally


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cracked the 4-year cosmic mystery. We'll


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tell you what those strange little red


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dots really are, and it's even weirder


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than you'd expect.


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>> A brand new lunar lander just made its


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public debut, and it's aiming to lay the


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foundation for a permanent moon base. We


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have the details. And there's a NASA


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spacecraft on a race against time. A


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robotic rescue mission is heading for an


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observatory that's slowly falling out of


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the sky. Plus, a science-packed Dragon


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capsule is heading home from the ISS as


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we speak. There's a celestial triple


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play in tonight's sky. And we've got a


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space weather update for Aurora


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watchers. It is Tuesday, June 16th,


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2026, and this is Astronomy Daily,


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season 5, episode 116. I'm Avery.


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>> And I'm Anna. Let's get into it. We're


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starting with a big one today. A mystery


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that has genuinely unsettled


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cosmologists since James Web first


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opened its eyes.


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>> We're talking about the little red dots.


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And if that name sounds almost comically


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understated for something that


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threatened to break our understanding of


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the universe, well, that's astronomy for


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you.


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>> So, let's rewind a little. When Web


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began science operations back in 2022,


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astronomers noticed something deeply


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strange. Practically everywhere the


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telescope looked in the ancient distant


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universe, in a period just a few hundred


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million years after the Big Bang, it


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kept spotting these tiny, compact, ruby


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red objects. They were everywhere. Far


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too many of them, far too bright, and


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nobody could explain what they were.


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>> The problem was that they didn't behave


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like anything in our existing models.


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They looked too massive and too mature


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to be young galaxies lit up by newborn


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stars. But they also weren't blasting


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out the X-rays and radio waves you'd


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expect from a super massive black hole


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feeding on gas and dust. They seemed to


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break every box astronomers had. Some


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researchers genuinely used the phrase


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broken cosmology, not because they


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thought physics had failed, but because


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these objects appeared in such numbers


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and with such properties that the


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standard story of how the early universe


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evolved simply couldn't account for


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them. And now, four years later, WEB has


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handed astronomers the object they


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needed to solve it. It goes by the name


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Glimpse 17775.


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Not exactly a catchy title, but it


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turned out to be the Rosetta Stone for


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this whole mystery.


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>> A team led by Vasili Kakorv at the


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University of Texas at Austin observed


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glimpse 17775 through a stroke of cosmic


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luck. Webb was actually pointed at a


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galaxy cluster called Abel S1063


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as part of a program searching for


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something entirely else. population


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three stars, the hypothetical first


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generation of stars in the universe. The


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galaxy cluster's gravity acted as a


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natural lens, magnifying what was behind


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it. And right in the field of view was


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glimpse 17775,


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magnified beautifully, giving the team


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the most detailed spectrum of a little


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red dot ever obtained.


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>> The data published in the Astrophysical


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Journal on June 10th is about as clear


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as it gets. These objects are super


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massive black holes, but not in the way


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we're used to seeing them. They're in


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the midst of an explosive early growth


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phase wrapped in dense cocoons of hot


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ionized gas. The gas acts like a


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disguise. It scatters and absorbs the


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high energy radiation that would


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normally give a growing black hole away,


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making these objects look red and


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compact rather than blazingly bright.


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>> Though the universe isn't broken, we


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just couldn't see through the costume.


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And this finding also resolves something


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that had alarmed astronomers even


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further. Earlier estimates suggested


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these black holes were extraordinarily


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massive, which made the timeline for how


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they grew seem impossible. But the


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team's analysis shows the gas cocoon was


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distorting those mass measurements. The


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black holes inside the little red dots


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are likely around 100 times less massive


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than originally thought, bringing them


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back within the bounds of what our


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models can explain. A very I think the


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thing that strikes me most about this


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story is what it says about how science


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actually works. Four years of competing


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theories, genuine alarm among serious


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scientists, and then one lucky


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observation of one well-placed object


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and suddenly the picture snaps into


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focus.


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>> Serendipity and a very big telescope. A


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combination that seems to work


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remarkably well. The little red dots are


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solved. And the universe, it turns out,


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was never broken. Just very good at


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keeping secrets.


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>> Story two. And we're heading to the


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moon. Or at least heading toward heading


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to the moon. Yesterday, June 15th,


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Pittsburgh-based company Astrootic held


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a public unveiling of their Griffin 1


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lunar lander at the Moonshot Museum,


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which is co-located with their


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headquarters and has a large window into


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the clean room, so the public could


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actually watch engineers working on the


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vehicle in real time while the press


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conference was happening,


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>> which is a nice touch.


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>> Very nice touch. Now, Griffin 1 is


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significant on multiple levels. NASA has


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selected it as the lander for what


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they're calling the moon base 2 mission,


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part of the first phase of the AY's


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efforts to establish a permanent lunar


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outpost. Astrobotic CEO John Thornton


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described it as quote the first


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infrastructure class lander going to the


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surface of the moon.


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>> And it's carrying a substantial payload


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to prove that point. The largest is the


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Flip rover, the Flex Lunar Innovation


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Platform from California company


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Astrolab. Flip is designed to


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demonstrate critical technologies for


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future large-scale commercial lunar


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rovers. It'll be deployed in the Noble


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region near the lunar south pole. The


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lander is also carrying several other


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payloads, including Astrobot's own


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Beacon Cube rover and the European Space


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Ay's Land Cam X designed to help improve


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precision landing on future missions.


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There are also payloads from Japan,


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Canada, Germany, and worth a mention for


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our audience, Australia. Of course,


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>> Griffin 1 is now preparing to depart


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Pittsburgh for NASA's Jet Propulsion


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Laboratory in California, where it'll go


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through environmental testing. From


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there, it'll head to Florida, where the


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Flip rover will be integrated ahead of


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launch on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy,


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currently targeting the fourth quarter


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of this year. Now, Astrobotic's previous


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mission, the paragrin lander in early


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2024, unfortunately didn't make it to


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the surface due to a helium valve issue


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early in flight, but Thornton emphasized


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that the in-house avionics and systems


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performed as expected on that flight,


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and the post anomaly review was


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thorough. Griffin is the next chapter. A


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moon base has to start somewhere. And if


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all goes to plan, this could be one of


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the most significant robotic landings in


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the history of lunar exploration.


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>> We'll be watching very closely.


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>> Story 3 has all the drama of a rescue


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mission because that's exactly what it


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is.


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>> NASA's Neil Gar's Swift Observatory has


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been one of the workh horses of high


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energy astrophysics since it launched


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back in 2004. 22 years of catching


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gammaray bursts, the most powerful


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explosions in the known universe, and


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relaying that information to ground


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telescopes fast enough to catch the


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afterglows.


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>> It has acted, as NASA put it, as a kind


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of cosmic dispatcher, spotting a burst


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and immediately alerting other


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observatories to follow up before the


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light fades. It has been extraordinary.


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But now, Swift has a problem. Like all


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spacecraft in low Earth orbit, Swift


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experiences drag from the upper


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atmosphere which gradually lowers its


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altitude over time. That's manageable


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except that the recent surge in solar


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activity has dramatically accelerated


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the process. The orbit has decayed


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faster than expected and without


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intervention, Swift would re-enter


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Earth's atmosphere in the autumn of this


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year.


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>> Now, many spacecraft simply do that at


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end of life. It's a normal retirement.


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But NASA looked at this situation and


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saw an opportunity to do something


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unprecedented.


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In September 2025, they awarded a


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contract to a company called Catalyst


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Space Technologies in Flagstaff, Arizona


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to build and launch a robotic servicing


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spacecraft called Link to Rendezv with


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Swift and physically boost its orbit to


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a higher altitude in less than a year.


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>> That turnaround is remarkable in itself.


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Link went through testing at Gddard


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Space Flight Center, was transported to


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NASA's Wallups flight facility in


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Virginia, and was integrated into a


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Northrup Grumman Pegasus XL rocket. On


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June 12th, that rocket was attached to


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the belly of Northrup Stargazer, a


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modified L1011 and is now ready for the


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trip south.


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>> Blink will launch from Quadal and Attal


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in the Marshall Islands later this


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month. The air launch approach gives


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flexibility in reaching Swift's orbit


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that a ground launch couldn't match.


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Once in orbit, Link will use its three


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ion thrusters and robotic arms to


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rendevous with Swift and execute the


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boost. NASA is calling it bluntly a


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fast, high-risk, highreward mission.


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There are no guarantees. This type of


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onorbit servicing at this speed has


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never been done before. But if it works,


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it not only saves a beloved and


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productive science mission, it


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demonstrates a capability that could be


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transformative for the future of the


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entire spacecraft fleet.


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>> A NASA media briefing on the mission is


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scheduled for tomorrow, June 17th,


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though we'll likely have more details


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coming. We'll keep you across it.


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>> Swift has spent 22 years watching the


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universe's most violent moments. Here's


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hoping it gets a few more years to keep


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doing exactly that.


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Story four is happening right now as we


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record. A SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft


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supporting NASA's 34th commercial


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resupply services mission has undocked


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from the International Space Station


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today, Tuesday, June 16th, at around


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12:05 in the afternoon Eastern time.


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>> Splashdown off the coast of California


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is expected tomorrow morning, June 17th,


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at around 8:00 a.m. Eastern. Now, the


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Dragon arrived at the ISS on May 17th,


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carrying nearly 6,500 lb of supplies and


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equipment for the Expedition 74 crew.


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But what it's bringing back is what


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makes this particularly interesting.


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Because packed inside Dragon right now


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are some genuinely remarkable research


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specimens. Blood stem cells harvested by


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NASA flight engineer Jessica Mayor


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inside the KBO laboratory module have


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been growing aboard the station and are


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now heading home. Researchers are


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exploring whether the microgravity


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environment of space could allow these


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cells to be developed into therapies for


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blood cancers and immune diseases that


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are difficult to manufacture on Earth.


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There are also samples of bioprinted


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organ and cartilage tissue produced


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using three-dimensional printing


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techniques aboard the station and


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materials developed for what are


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described as DNA inspired cancer


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treatments. The capsule is also carrying


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hardware, including equipment related to


00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:40.230
cryogenic fuel storage experiments. Data


00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:42.150
that will be valuable for future deep


00:11:42.160 --> 00:11:44.949
space missions. The ISS has long been


00:11:44.959 --> 00:11:47.590
described as a laboratory in the sky.


00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:49.509
Missions like this are a reminder of


00:11:49.519 --> 00:11:51.829
what that actually means in practice,


00:11:51.839 --> 00:11:53.829
that the unique conditions of orbit


00:11:53.839 --> 00:11:56.230
allow science that simply isn't possible


00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:58.710
on the ground, and that the journey home


00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:00.870
is sometimes the most scientifically


00:12:00.880 --> 00:12:03.190
significant part of the mission. Safe


00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:05.110
travels, Dragon, and fingers crossed for


00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.110
a smooth splashdown tomorrow.


00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:09.350
>> Now for something you can actually go


00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:12.069
outside and see tonight. And it is a


00:12:12.079 --> 00:12:13.350
lovely one.


00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.190
>> Right now in the western sky after


00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.590
sunset, three planets are visible to the


00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:19.829
naked eye simultaneously.


00:12:19.839 --> 00:12:23.110
Venus, Jupiter, and Mercury. That alone


00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:25.350
is worth stepping outside for. And


00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:27.990
tonight specifically, the slim waxing


00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:30.230
crescent moon is joining the party,


00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:32.629
appearing between Mercury and Jupiter in


00:12:32.639 --> 00:12:34.710
the western sky about an hour after


00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:38.230
sunset. Tomorrow evening, June 17th, the


00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:40.550
moon will drift further along and sit


00:12:40.560 --> 00:12:42.710
next to brilliant Venus.


00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:45.269
>> Mercury is the trickiest of the three to


00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:47.990
spot. It's much fainter than Venus and


00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:50.310
Jupiter and sits very close to the


00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:53.269
horizon. So, you'll want a clear sky and


00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:55.990
an unobstructed western view. It


00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:58.069
actually reached its greatest eastern


00:12:58.079 --> 00:13:00.470
elongation, its furthest point from the


00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:03.030
sun, as seen from Earth just yesterday


00:13:03.040 --> 00:13:05.670
on June 15th. Though, right now is


00:13:05.680 --> 00:13:07.750
genuinely the best time of this


00:13:07.760 --> 00:13:09.590
apparition to find it.


00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:12.310
>> Venus, as always, is unmissable, the


00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:14.069
brightest object in the sky after the


00:13:14.079 --> 00:13:16.550
sun and the moon. and Jupiter sits just


00:13:16.560 --> 00:13:18.870
below it, the second brightest. Both of


00:13:18.880 --> 00:13:20.550
them easy to find.


00:13:20.560 --> 00:13:22.870
>> For our listeners in Australia and New


00:13:22.880 --> 00:13:25.110
Zealand, the geometry will appear


00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:27.350
flipped compared to northern hemisphere


00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:29.670
charts with the planets appearing to the


00:13:29.680 --> 00:13:32.150
right rather than the left as they track


00:13:32.160 --> 00:13:34.629
west after sunset. But the view is


00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:36.069
equally beautiful.


00:13:36.079 --> 00:13:38.310
>> The crescent moon alongside three


00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:40.230
planets all setting together in the


00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:42.870
western glow. It's one of those simple,


00:13:42.880 --> 00:13:45.190
no telescope required moments that


00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.190
reminds you why people fell in love with


00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:49.190
the night sky in the first place.


00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:51.990
>> Get outside tonight if you can. And


00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:54.710
finally, a quick space weather update,


00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:57.189
which also ties in nicely with our sky


00:13:57.199 --> 00:13:58.629
watching story.


00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:00.550
>> Forecasters at Noah Space Weather


00:14:00.560 --> 00:14:03.030
Prediction Center are tracking a coronal


00:14:03.040 --> 00:14:06.230
mass ejection, a CME, that departed the


00:14:06.240 --> 00:14:08.870
sun on June 12th. It's expected to


00:14:08.880 --> 00:14:11.269
deliver a glancing blow to Earth today


00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:14.550
or tomorrow, June 16th to 17th.


00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:17.670
>> The emphasis is glancing. A direct hit


00:14:17.680 --> 00:14:20.389
is not anticipated, but forecasters


00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:23.430
expect active conditions with a KP index


00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:26.069
up to around 4, and there's a chance of


00:14:26.079 --> 00:14:30.230
an isolated G1, minor geomagnetic storm.


00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:33.030
A G1 is the lowest level on Noah's


00:14:33.040 --> 00:14:35.189
fivepoint scale, but it can still


00:14:35.199 --> 00:14:37.269
produce aurora activity at high


00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:39.430
latitudes. If you're in the higher


00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:42.310
latitudes of Australia, Tasmania, or New


00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:44.310
Zealand tonight, it's worth keeping an


00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:46.790
eye on space weather apps. The Aurora


00:14:46.800 --> 00:14:49.110
Arralis won't be putting on a headline


00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:51.350
show, but with clear skies and a bit of


00:14:51.360 --> 00:14:53.430
luck, there may be some activity on the


00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:55.430
southern horizon for those in the right


00:14:55.440 --> 00:14:58.550
location. June is generally a quieter


00:14:58.560 --> 00:15:01.030
time for southern aurora chasers given


00:15:01.040 --> 00:15:02.949
the shorter nights as we head towards


00:15:02.959 --> 00:15:05.670
the solstice in just a few days. But the


00:15:05.680 --> 00:15:07.829
sun has been reasonably active this


00:15:07.839 --> 00:15:10.629
month. Earlier in June, there was a G3


00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:12.790
watch issued for a series of more


00:15:12.800 --> 00:15:15.829
significant CMEs. And this is a reminder


00:15:15.839 --> 00:15:17.910
that space weather remains worth


00:15:17.920 --> 00:15:18.949
monitoring.


00:15:18.959 --> 00:15:21.030
>> We'll of course keep watching and update


00:15:21.040 --> 00:15:23.670
you as conditions develop. And on that


00:15:23.680 --> 00:15:26.389
note, that is your Astronomy Daily for


00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:29.829
Tuesday, June 16th, 2026.


00:15:29.839 --> 00:15:31.670
>> A massive thank you for spending part of


00:15:31.680 --> 00:15:33.430
your day with us. If you're enjoying the


00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:35.670
show, please subscribe, leave a review,


00:15:35.680 --> 00:15:37.189
or share it with a fellow space


00:15:37.199 --> 00:15:39.269
enthusiast. It makes an enormous


00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:40.230
difference.


00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:43.350
>> Find us at astronomyaily.io


00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:45.590
and follow us on social media at


00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:48.230
astroaily pod. We'll be back tomorrow


00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:51.269
with another full episode. Until then,


00:15:51.279 --> 00:15:52.629
>> keep looking up.


00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:55.269
>> This is Astronomy Daily. Goodbye for


00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:56.230
now.


00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:59.269
>> Astronomy.


00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:07.269
Stories told


00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:15.189
stories told.


00:16:15.199 --> 00:16:18.680
Story for