Journey to Mars: Musk’s Vision, Atmospheric Breakthroughs, and the Mystery of Teleios

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Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source


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for the latest developments in space


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exploration and astronomical


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discoveries. I'm your host, Anna, and


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today we'll be exploring Elon Musk's


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ambitious timeline for reaching the red


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planet. A groundbreaking discovery about


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Mars' atmosphere that's been a decade in


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the making and unprecedented views of


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our sun's outer atmosphere that are


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revolutionizing solar science. Then


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we'll journey to Jupiter's icy moon


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Europa, where recent observations reveal


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a surprisingly dynamic surface before


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examining a mysteriously perfect sphere


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discovered deep within our Milky Way


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galaxy. So settle in as we embark on


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this cosmic journey through the latest


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and most fascinating developments in our


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quest to understand the universe around


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us. Let's start with Elon's latest plan.


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SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed


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ambitious plans to send an uncrrewed


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Starship to Mars by the end of 2026.


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This timeline would coincide with a


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crucial astronomical window that occurs


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only once every 2 years when Earth and


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Mars align in their orbits around the


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sun to create the most efficient path


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between the two planets. This alignment


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would minimize both travel time and fuel


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consumption with the journey to Mars


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expected to take between 7 and 9 months.


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Despite the optimistic timeline, Musk


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himself acknowledges the challenges,


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giving the mission only a 50/50 chance


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of meeting this deadline. If Starship


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isn't ready by then, SpaceX would need


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to wait another 2 years for the next


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optimal launch window. What makes this


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proposed mission particularly


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fascinating is the planned cargo rather


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than traditional scientific equipment.


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Musk intends to send one or more Tesla


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built humanoid Optimus robots as a


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simulated crew. These robots would serve


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as stand-ins for human astronauts,


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potentially testing various systems and


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protocols that would eventually be used


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by actual people. According to Musk's


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vision, human crews would follow on the


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second or third Mars landings. His


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long-term ambition is staggeringly bold,


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eventually launching between 1,000 to


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2,000 ships to Mars every 2 years to


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rapidly establish a self-sustaining


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permanent human settlement on the red


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planet. This timeline represents a


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significant shift from NASA's more


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conservative approach, which aims to


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return humans to the moon first, using


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Starship as the landing vehicle before


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attempting Mars missions sometime in the


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2030s. Musk has long advocated for a


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more Mars focused human spaceflight


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program. previously targeting 2024 for a


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first crude mission to the red planet.


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It's worth noting that Musk has a


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history of setting ambitious timelines


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that later get revised. He had


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previously mentioned sending an unmanned


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SpaceX vehicle to Mars as early as 2018,


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a goal that wasn't realized. The recent


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setback with Starship's 9inth test


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flight, which ended with the vehicle


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spinning out of control and


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disintegrating, highlights the


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significant technical challenges that


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remain before any Mars mission becomes


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reality. Nevertheless, Musk appeared


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undeterred by the failure, describing it


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as providing good data to review and


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promising a faster launch cadence for


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upcoming test flights. As Spac X


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continues to refine its massive Starship


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vehicle, the race to put humans on Mars


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intensifies with significant


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implications for the future of space


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exploration and potentially human


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civilization


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itself. While we're talking about Mars,


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in a breakthrough discovery, NASA's


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Maven mission has finally observed a


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long theorized atmospheric escape


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process at Mars. After a decade of


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searching, scientists have directly


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detected a phenomenon called atmospheric


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sputtering, which works similar to a


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cannonball splash in a swimming pool,


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but on a planetary scale. When energetic


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charged particles from the sun crash


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into Mars's atmosphere, they essentially


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knock atoms out into space, gradually


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eroding the planet's atmosphere over


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billions of years. Dr. Dr. Shannon


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Curry, Maven's principal investigator at


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the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space


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Physics, explains that previous evidence


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of sputtering was like finding ashes


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from a campfire. Scientists knew it


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happened, but had never directly


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observed the process until now. This


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discovery is crucial to understanding


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Mars's dramatic climate evolution.


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Billions of years ago, Mars had a thick


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atmosphere and liquid water flowing on


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its surface. However, when the planet


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lost its protective magnetic field early


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in its history, the atmosphere became


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directly exposed to the solar wind and


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solar storms, making it vulnerable to


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processes like sputtering. To make this


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observation, Maven scientists needed


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precise simultaneous measurements from


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three different instruments aboard the


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spacecraft, capturing data from both the


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dayside and night side of Mars at low


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altitudes, a process that took years to


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achieve. The result was a new kind of


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map showing sputtered argon in relation


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to the solar wind, revealing argon at


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high altitudes exactly where energetic


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particles had collided with the


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atmosphere. Perhaps most surprising,


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researchers discovered that this


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atmospheric erosion is happening at a


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rate four times higher than previously


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predicted, and the rate increases even


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further during solar storms. This


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confirms that sputtering was likely a


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primary driver of atmospheric loss in


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Mars' early history when the sun's


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activity was much more intense. The


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findings published in Science Advances


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provide critical insights into the


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conditions that once allowed liquid


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water to exist on Mars's surface and the


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implications for potential ancient


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habitability.


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By understanding how Mars lost its


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atmosphere, scientists gain valuable


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knowledge about planetary evolution and


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the fragility of conditions needed to


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support life as we know


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it. Next up today, the sun's outer


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atmosphere, known as the corona, has


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long been a source of fascination and


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frustration for scientists. Its extreme


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temperatures, violent eruptions, and


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towering prominences have been difficult


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to study in detail until now. Thanks to


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a revolutionary adaptive optic system


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called Kona installed at the 1.6 meter


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good solar telescope at Big Bear Solar


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Observatory in California, we now have


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unprecedented views of the sun's most


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elusive layer. These new observations


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provide the sharpest images ever


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captured of the corona, revealing


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details that have never been seen


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before. One of the most striking


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discoveries is an incredibly detailed


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view of coronal rain. delicate threads


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of cooling plasma cascading back down to


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the solar surface. Some of these plasma


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threads are astonishingly narrow, less


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than 12 miles across. Unlike rain on


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Earth, this solar precipitation doesn't


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fall straight down, but follows the


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sun's magnetic field lines, creating


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beautiful arching and looping patterns


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as it returns to the surface. Perhaps


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even more exciting is the first ever


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observation of what scientists are


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calling a plasmoid, a finely structured


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plasma that forms and collapses rapidly.


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This snake- like feature moves at speeds


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approaching 62 m/s across the solar


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surface. Dr. Vassel Jrushin, who


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co-authored the study, notes that these


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features have never been observed


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before, and scientists aren't entirely


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sure what they are. The new imaging


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technology has also captured stunning


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views of solar prominences. Those


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massive loops of plasma that extend from


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the sun's surface far into the corona.


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These detailed observations show these


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structures dancing and twisting in


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response to the sun's magnetic field


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with unprecedented clarity. These


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sharper views aren't just visually


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spectacular. They're scientifically


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invaluable. They may help solve one of


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solar physics mysteries. Why the corona


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blazes millions of degrees hotter than


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the solar surface itself. The technology


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also provides crucial insights into


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filament eruptions and coronal mass


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ejections. powerful blasts that can


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impact space weather and create


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spectacular auroras on Earth. Dr. Thomas


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Rimmel, National Solar Observatory Chief


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Technologist, explains that this new


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system finally closes a decades old gap


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in our observational capabilities,


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delivering images of coronal features at


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63 km resolution, the theoretical limit


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of the telescope. Scientists hope to


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bring this groundbreaking technology to


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even larger telescopes, including the 4


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meter Daniel K. Inuier Solar Telescope


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in Hawaii, promising an even closer look


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at our stars most dynamic


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regions. Next, some mythbreaking. You


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might think that icy worlds are frozen


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in time and space. After all, they're


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covered in ice. But Jupiter's moon


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Europa is proving to be far more dynamic


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than previously imagined. Recent


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observations by the James Webb Space


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Telescope have revealed fascinating


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changes happening on this distant frigid


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world. Europa's surface is showing


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evidence of both amorphous and


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crystalline ice. Two different


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structural forms of frozen water. This


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distinction is significant because on


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Europa the natural state should be


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amorphous ice. As the moon orbits


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Jupiter, its surface is bombarded by


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charged particles trapped in Jupiter's


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powerful magnetic field. This radiation


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bombardment disrupts the crystal


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structure of ice, converting it to an


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amorphous form. So why are scientists


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finding crystalline ice on the surface?


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Dr. Udual Route of the Southwest


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Research Institute believes this points


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to active processes bringing fresh water


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from below. Our data showed strong


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indications that what we are seeing must


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be sourced from the interior, perhaps


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from a subsurface ocean nearly 20 m


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beneath Europa's thick icy shell. route


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explains, "The most compelling evidence


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comes from an area known as Tara Reio, a


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chaotic terrain region where scientists


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have detected not only crystallin ice,


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but also sodium chloride, essentially


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table salt, along with carbon dioxide


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and hydrogen peroxide. The presence of


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these compounds strongly suggest they


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originated from Europa's subsurface


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ocean. What's particularly remarkable is


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how quickly these changes occur. In some


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regions, the ice is recristallizing in


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cycles as short as two weeks. This rapid


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transformation indicates that Europa's


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surface is likely porous and warm enough


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in certain areas to allow for quick


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recristallization despite the constant


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radiation


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bombardment. Scientists believe two main


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heat sources are at work beneath


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Europa's icy shell. Tidal heating from


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Jupiter's gravitational pole and


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radioactive decay in the moon's core.


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These processes warm the subsurface


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ocean and force water upward through


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cracks and fissures. This water may


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reach the surface through various


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mechanisms, including diapers,


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essentially stove pipes that convey


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warmer water and slush upward or through


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geyser-like plumes that shower the


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surface with ice grains. The discovery


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of these dynamic processes adds to the


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mounting evidence for a liquid ocean


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beneath Europa's icy shell, making this


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moon one of the most promising places in


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our solar system to search for


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conditions that could support life. The


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upcoming Europa Clipper mission will


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study these regions in much greater


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detail during its close passes of this


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fascinating moon, potentially revealing


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even more about Europa's hidden ocean


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and its constant cycle of surface


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renewal.


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Finally, today, a puzzling discovery in


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our own backyard, so to speak. In the


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vast universe of spherical objects,


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planets, moons, and stars, astronomers


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have recently discovered something that


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stands out for its extraordinary


00:11:19.160 --> 00:11:21.430
perfection. Deep within our Milky Way


00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:23.509
galaxy lies a mysteriously circular


00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:25.269
object that has left researchers both


00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:27.829
fascinated and puzzled. This celestial


00:11:27.839 --> 00:11:29.430
bubble accidentally discovered by


00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:31.670
astrophysicist Miruslav Filipovich of


00:11:31.680 --> 00:11:34.310
Western Sydney University has been named


00:11:34.320 --> 00:11:37.269
Tleos after the Greek word for perfect


00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:39.829
and for good reason. While scientists


00:11:39.839 --> 00:11:42.150
believe it's a supernova remnant, the


00:11:42.160 --> 00:11:44.069
expanding shell of gas and dust left


00:11:44.079 --> 00:11:46.110
behind after a massive stellar


00:11:46.120 --> 00:11:48.790
explosion. To exhibits an almost


00:11:48.800 --> 00:11:51.190
unnaturally perfect form. What makes


00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:53.190
this discovery so remarkable is its


00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:55.750
astonishing symmetry. Tleos has been


00:11:55.760 --> 00:11:58.750
measured with a circularity score of


00:11:58.760 --> 00:12:01.190
95.4%. Placing it among the most


00:12:01.200 --> 00:12:03.430
geometrically perfect supernova remnants


00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:05.990
ever observed. As Philipovich explains,


00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:08.110
this level of symmetry is extremely


00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:10.470
unusual. Typical supernova remnant


00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:12.550
shapes vary dramatically, he notes,


00:12:12.560 --> 00:12:14.430
either from asymmetries in the initial


00:12:14.440 --> 00:12:16.629
explosion, disruption from expanding


00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:18.710
into an imperfect environment, or


00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:21.350
various other interfering factors. Yet


00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:23.470
To displays none of these common


00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:25.430
irregularities. Instead, it appears to


00:12:25.440 --> 00:12:27.030
have expanded with almost textbook


00:12:27.040 --> 00:12:29.030
perfection, as if created in an


00:12:29.040 --> 00:12:30.790
idealized simulation rather than the


00:12:30.800 --> 00:12:33.590
chaotic reality of space. The secret to


00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:36.110
Toleos's perfect form may lie in its


00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:39.110
location. Situated 2.2° below the


00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:41.430
galactic plane, it exists in a region


00:12:41.440 --> 00:12:43.509
with significantly less interstellar gas


00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:45.110
and dust.


00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:46.949
This relatively empty environment has


00:12:46.959 --> 00:12:48.629
allowed the remnant to expand


00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:51.030
undisturbed for thousands of years,


00:12:51.040 --> 00:12:53.670
maintaining its symmetrical shape. But


00:12:53.680 --> 00:12:55.750
the mysteries of Toleos don't end with


00:12:55.760 --> 00:12:58.310
its shape. Unlike most supernova


00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:00.310
remnants, which emit radiation across


00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:02.790
multiple wavelengths, toos is only


00:13:02.800 --> 00:13:05.030
detectable in radio frequencies with


00:13:05.040 --> 00:13:07.750
just a hint of hydrogen alpha emissions.


00:13:07.760 --> 00:13:09.910
This peculiar characteristic has made it


00:13:09.920 --> 00:13:11.750
difficult for astronomers to determine


00:13:11.760 --> 00:13:13.990
exactly what type of stellar explosion


00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:16.470
created it. The most likely explanation


00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:19.069
is that Toleos resulted from a type 1A


00:13:19.079 --> 00:13:21.590
supernova, the spectacular death of a


00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:23.509
white dwarf star that consumed too much


00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:26.069
material from a companion star.


00:13:26.079 --> 00:13:27.990
Alternatively, it might be the result of


00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.949
a type 1 ax supernova, a similar but


00:13:30.959 --> 00:13:32.949
less common event that leaves behind a


00:13:32.959 --> 00:13:35.670
zombie star. However, the observable


00:13:35.680 --> 00:13:37.629
data doesn't perfectly match either


00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:40.069
model. Using data from the Australian


00:13:40.079 --> 00:13:42.069
Square Kome Array Pathfinder and the


00:13:42.079 --> 00:13:44.389
Merchesen Widefield Array, researchers


00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:46.310
estimate that TEO spans somewhere


00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:50.310
between 46 and 157 lighty years across


00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:52.150
depending on its exact distance from


00:13:52.160 --> 00:13:55.110
Earth, which is still being determined.


00:13:55.120 --> 00:13:56.870
As researchers continue to study this


00:13:56.880 --> 00:13:59.590
celestial oddity, Toleos stands as a


00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.350
reminder that the universe still has


00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:03.030
plenty of perfectly formed mysteries


00:14:03.040 --> 00:14:04.870
waiting to be unraveled by our


00:14:04.880 --> 00:14:08.430
increasingly sophisticated astronomical


00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:10.550
instruments. That wraps up today's


00:14:10.560 --> 00:14:12.710
journey through our cosmic neighborhood.


00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:14.790
From Elon Musk's ambitious plans to


00:14:14.800 --> 00:14:16.710
reach Mars to the groundbreaking


00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.550
discoveries about atmospheric loss on


00:14:18.560 --> 00:14:21.030
the red planet to unprecedented views of


00:14:21.040 --> 00:14:23.910
our sun's fiery corona to Europa's


00:14:23.920 --> 00:14:26.949
surprisingly dynamic icy surface and


00:14:26.959 --> 00:14:29.110
finally to the mysteriously perfect


00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:31.030
sphere called Toleos. We've covered


00:14:31.040 --> 00:14:33.150
quite a bit of astronomical territory


00:14:33.160 --> 00:14:35.750
today. These stories remind us that our


00:14:35.760 --> 00:14:37.590
understanding of the universe continues


00:14:37.600 --> 00:14:39.829
to evolve with each new observation and


00:14:39.839 --> 00:14:42.470
technological advancement. Whether it's


00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:44.629
solving ancient planetary mysteries or


00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:46.470
capturing never-before-seen solar


00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:48.629
phenomena, the field of astronomy


00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.230
remains as exciting and full of


00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:52.790
discovery as ever. I'm Anna, your host


00:14:52.800 --> 00:14:54.710
for Astronomy Daily. If you enjoyed


00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:56.230
today's episode, please visit our


00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:57.550
website at


00:14:57.560 --> 00:14:59.430
astronomydaily.io where you can listen


00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:01.509
to all our back episodes and find more


00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:02.949
information about the stories we've


00:15:02.959 --> 00:15:05.509
covered today. Don't forget to follow us


00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:07.910
on social media as well. Just search for


00:15:07.920 --> 00:15:11.110
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Tik Tok to stay updated with our latest


00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:17.389
content and join our community of space


00:15:17.399 --> 00:15:19.509
enthusiasts. Until next time, keep


00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:30.870
looking up.


00:15:30.880 --> 00:15:33.370
Stories told.


00:15:33.380 --> 00:15:39.759
[Music]