NASA’s Parker Solar Probe and SphereX Milestones, Plus Space Tornado Insights: S04E70

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Language: en

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[Music]


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welcome to Astronomy Daily i'm your host


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Anna and today we're embarking on a


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cosmic journey through the latest


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breakthroughs and discoveries in our


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vast universe it's an exciting time for


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space exploration with NASA's Parker


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Solar Probe about to make another record


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equaling close approach to our sun


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zooming through the corona at an


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astonishing 430,000 mph we'll dive into


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what scientists hope to learn from this


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daring mission also on our radar is the


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recently launched Spherex Space


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Observatory that has just opened its


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eyes to the cosmos after ejecting its


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protective dust cover this innovative


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telescope is set to map the entire


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celestial sky in unprecedented detail


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revealing secrets about the history of


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our universe we'll check in on NASA's


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easy satellite mission which is now


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operating smoothly in orbit and


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preparing to study the mysterious


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electrojets that flow through our


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planet's upper atmosphere in more


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distant news astronomers have discovered


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what they're calling space tornadoes


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swirling around the core of our Milky


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Way galaxy these fascinating structures


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are changing how we understand the


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turbulent environment surrounding our


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galaxy's super massive black hole we'll


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also explore groundbreaking research


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from China's Chong 6 mission which has


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finally determined the age of the moon's


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largest impact crater giving us new


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insights into the early history of our


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solar system looking ahead to next month


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we'll preview NASA's Lucy spacecraft as


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it prepares for a flyby of an asteroid


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with a fascinating 150 million-year


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history and we'll end with some


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reassuring news about a binary star


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system nicknamed the Death Star spoiler


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alert Earth is not in its line of fire


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after all so settle in as we navigate


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through these cosmic wonders and the


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latest advancements in our understanding


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of the universe around us let's kick


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things off with some NASA mission


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updates nasa's Parker Solar Probe is


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making headlines once again as it speeds


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toward another record-breaking encounter


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with our sun the spacecraft is currently


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on its 23rd science gathering solar


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mission and is set to equal its previous


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record of coming within just 3.8 million


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miles of the sun's surface this Saturday


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to put that distance in perspective


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that's about 4% of the distance between


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Earth and the Sun while that might sound


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like a safe distance the probe will be


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deep within the sun's corona the


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outermost part of the solar atmosphere


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where temperatures soar to millions of


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degrees Fahrenheit what makes this


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achievement even more remarkable is the


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velocity at which Parker Solar Probe is


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traveling the spacecraft will match its


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previous record speed of 430,000 mph


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that's fast enough to circle Earth in


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just 3.5 minutes or travel from New York


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to Los Angeles in about 25 seconds this


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makes it the fastest human-made object


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ever created by far during its closest


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approach this weekend the probe will be


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completely out of contact with Earth it


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will be operating autonomously as it


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collects unique observations and


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measurements from inside the sun's


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corona mission operators at the John's


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Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in


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Maryland where the spacecraft was


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designed and built won't know its status


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until it transmits data back to Earth on


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Tuesday the spacecraft's four scientific


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instruments are primed to gather


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invaluable data that simply can't be


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collected from Earth this is the second


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of several flybys that will occur at


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this distance and speed allowing


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scientists to conduct unrivaled


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measurements of the solar wind and


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related activity meanwhile researchers


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are still analyzing the wealth of data


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streaming back from Parker's previous


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closest approach in December these


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consecutive close passes are creating an


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unprecedented data set that helps


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scientists understand the complex


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dynamics of our star the mission is


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teaching us about fundamental processes


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like how the sun generates the solar


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wind the constant stream of charged


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particles that flows outward through our


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solar system and can affect everything


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from satellite operations to power grids


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on Earth when solar storms occur by


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flying repeatedly through the sun's


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corona Parker Solar Probe is helping


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unlock mysteries about our star that


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have puzzled scientists for decades


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including why the corona is hundreds of


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times hotter than the sun's surface


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despite being farther away from the core


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the data gathered will help improve our


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ability to forecast space weather and


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protect our technology dependent society


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from its potential impacts


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next on our update


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schedule NASA's recently launched


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Spherex Space Observatory has reached an


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important milestone in its mission by


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opening its eyes to the


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cosmos on March 18th just a week after


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its March 11th launch into low Earth


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orbit mission controllers commanded the


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spacecraft to eject the protective dust


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cover that had been shielding its


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telescope this crucial maneuver involved


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activating two mechanical release


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mechanisms on the protective lid with


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springs helping to push the cover away


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from the observatory the cover measuring


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about 25 in x 16 in had been protecting


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three critical telescope mirrors from


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particles and moisture during launch


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once released the cover began floating


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away and will eventually burn up in


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Earth's atmosphere since the


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spacecraft's camera won't be powered on


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until it reaches its extremely cold


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operating temperature of below minus300


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degrees Fahrenheit engineers confirmed


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the successful cover removal by


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detecting slight movements in the


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observatory's orientation these little


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jiggles occurred after each mechanism


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release and shortly afterward the


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telescope's temperature began dropping


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clear evidence that it was now exposed


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to the cold vacuum of space as intended


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spherex which stands for


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spectrophotometer for the history of the


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universe epic of reanization and ISIS


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explorer is surprisingly compact for


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such an ambitious mission while the


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entire spacecraft is roughly the size of


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a subcompact car the telescope itself is


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only about as large as a washing machine


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it sits nestled inside three cone-shaped


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photon shields that protect the


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sensitive instrument from heat and light


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coming from the sun and Earth once


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science operations begin in the coming


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weeks Spherex will embark on its


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two-year primary mission using a


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technique called spectroscopy to create


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something truly extraordinary four


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complete maps of the entire celestial


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sky each featuring 102 distinct


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wavelengths or colors of infrared light


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this spectroscopic data will give


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astronomers unprecedented insights into


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the universe the detailed information


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will help scientists precisely measure


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distances to faraway galaxies identify


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specific chemicals and molecules present


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in cosmic gas clouds and potentially


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answer fundamental questions about the


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early universe and how it evolved over


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billions of years by observing in the


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infrared portion of the spectrum Spherex


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can see through cosmic dust that


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obscures visible light revealing details


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about star formation and the composition


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of interstellar space that would


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otherwise remain hidden this


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comprehensive sky survey will create a


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valuable data set that astronomers will


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analyze for years to come potentially


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leading to discoveries we can't yet


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imagine and another NASA mission update


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in some exciting news for NASA's space


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weather research mission controllers


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have now confirmed that all three


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satellites from the easy mission are


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healthy and functioning normally


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following their March 15th launch aboard


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a Space X Falcon 9 rocket from


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Vandenberg easy which stands for


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Electrojet Zean imaging explorer


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represents an important step forward in


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our understanding of Earth's complex


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relationship with our sun the mission


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team at John's Hopkins Applied Physics


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Laboratory in Maryland received signals


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from all three spacecraft confirming


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they survived the launch and deployment


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phase without issues over the next two


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months these satellites will undergo


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thorough science and instrument


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checkouts a critical commissioning phase


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that ensures all systems are fully


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operational before beginning their


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primary mission once this process is


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complete easy will turn its attention to


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studying one of the most spectacular yet


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mysterious phenomena in our upper


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atmosphere the mission focuses


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specifically on electrojets powerful


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electrical currents that flow high above


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us in the polar regions where auroras


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illuminate the night sky these


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electrojets are essentially rivers of


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electricity that surge through the


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ionosphere created by the complex


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interaction between our planet's


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magnetic field and charged particles


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from the sun what makes easy


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particularly groundbreaking is its


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ability to map these electrojets with


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unprecedented detail the mission employs


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a specialized technique to measure the


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Zemen effect a phenomenon where magnetic


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fields split spectral lines allowing


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scientists to precisely track and


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analyze these powerful currents from


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space understanding electrojets isn't


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just scientifically fascinating it has


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practical implications for our


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increasingly technology dependent


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society these currents are key


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components of space weather which can


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disrupt satellite operations navigation


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systems power grids and communications


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networks by creating detailed maps of


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electrojet behavior easy will help


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scientists develop more accurate models


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to predict when and how space weather


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events might affect our technological


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infrastructure the trio of satellites


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will work in concert to provide multiple


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measurement points giving researchers a


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comprehensive view of these dynamic


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electrical systems as they respond to


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solar activity this coordinated approach


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should reveal new insights into how


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energy from the sun propagates through


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near Earth space and ultimately


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influences our atmosphere and


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technologies now moving on to other news


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today astronomers have made a stunning


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discovery in the heart of our galaxy


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revealing what they're calling space


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tornadoes swirling around the Milky


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Way's core using the incredible


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resolution of the Adakama large


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millimeter submillimeter array or ALMA


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an international team has sharpened our


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view of the galactic center by a factor


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of 100 unveiling mysterious new


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structures that have surprised even


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veteran researchers


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the central molecular zone surrounding


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our galaxy's super massive black hole


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has long been known as a turbulent


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region where dust and gas molecules


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constantly cycle through formation and


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destruction but the driving mechanism


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behind this cosmic churn has remained


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elusive until now led by Kayyang from


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Shanghai Jaoong University the research


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team detected previously unknown


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filament structures that don't match any


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known celestial objects these slim


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filaments appear as long narrow


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structures that aren't associated with


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star forming regions or other familiar


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cosmic formations making them a


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genuinely new discovery when we checked


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the ALMA images showing the outflows we


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noticed these long and narrow filaments


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spatially offset from any star forming


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regions unlike any objects we know these


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filaments really surprised us explained


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Yang describing the serendipitous


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finding that emerged while studying


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emission lines of silicon monoxide and


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eight other molecules what makes these


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structures particularly fascinating is


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their behavior the researchers have


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likened them to actual tornadoes in


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space violent streams of gas that


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distribute materials efficiently


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throughout their environment before


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quickly dissipating unlike other


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previously discovered dense gas


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filaments these show no association with


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dust emission and don't appear to be in


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hydrostatic equilibrium the research


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team used silicon monoxide as a primary


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tracer because it exclusively appears in


00:11:46.800 --> 00:11:49.430
regions experiencing shock waves the


00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:51.430
presence of complex organic molecules


00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:53.670
like methanol further confirmed that


00:11:53.680 --> 00:11:55.350
these filaments are likely created


00:11:55.360 --> 00:11:57.430
through powerful shock processes


00:11:57.440 --> 00:12:00.150
rippling through the galactic center


00:12:00.160 --> 00:12:02.550
shinglu a research professor at Shanghai


00:12:02.560 --> 00:12:04.069
Astronomical Observatory and


00:12:04.079 --> 00:12:06.069
corresponding author of the study


00:12:06.079 --> 00:12:08.870
explains the significance our research


00:12:08.880 --> 00:12:10.790
contributes to the fascinating galactic


00:12:10.800 --> 00:12:12.629
center landscape by uncovering these


00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:14.629
slim filaments as an important part of


00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:16.790
material circulation we can envision


00:12:16.800 --> 00:12:18.949
these as space tornadoes they are


00:12:18.959 --> 00:12:20.949
violent streams of gas they dissipate


00:12:20.959 --> 00:12:22.949
shortly and they distribute materials


00:12:22.959 --> 00:12:25.590
into the environment efficiently the


00:12:25.600 --> 00:12:27.590
discovery suggests a cyclical process


00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:29.430
where these shock induced filaments


00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:31.750
release various molecules into the


00:12:31.760 --> 00:12:34.470
interstellar medium before dissipating


00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:36.389
the release materials later freeze back


00:12:36.399 --> 00:12:39.110
onto dust grains creating a continuous


00:12:39.120 --> 00:12:41.670
cycle of depletion and replenishment


00:12:41.680 --> 00:12:44.069
throughout the central molecular zone


00:12:44.079 --> 00:12:46.150
alma's extraordinary sensitivity was


00:12:46.160 --> 00:12:48.230
crucial for this discovery allowing


00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.069
astronomers to detect these structures


00:12:50.079 --> 00:12:53.190
on an extremely fine scale of just 0.01


00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:56.310
01 parseek marking what researchers call


00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:59.030
the working surface of these shocks


00:12:59.040 --> 00:13:00.949
future observations spanning multiple


00:13:00.959 --> 00:13:02.710
transitions and broader regions of the


00:13:02.720 --> 00:13:05.389
galactic center combined with numerical


00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:07.750
simulations may confirm the origin of


00:13:07.760 --> 00:13:09.910
these slim filaments and better explain


00:13:09.920 --> 00:13:11.910
the cyclic processes taking place in


00:13:11.920 --> 00:13:14.509
this extraordinary region of our Milky


00:13:14.519 --> 00:13:17.829
Way next up Chinese researchers seem to


00:13:17.839 --> 00:13:20.629
be on a roll so to speak scientists have


00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:22.949
long sought to determine the precise age


00:13:22.959 --> 00:13:25.910
of the moon's south pole atin basin the


00:13:25.920 --> 00:13:27.910
largest and oldest known impact crater


00:13:27.920 --> 00:13:30.710
on the lunar surface now we finally have


00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:32.949
an answer thanks to the groundbreaking


00:13:32.959 --> 00:13:34.629
work of researchers from the Chinese


00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:37.190
Academy of Sciences who analyzed the


00:13:37.200 --> 00:13:38.790
first ever rock samples returned


00:13:38.800 --> 00:13:40.949
directly from this region by China's


00:13:40.959 --> 00:13:44.389
Changga 6 mission the research team led


00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:46.470
by Professor Chen Yi from the Institute


00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.190
of Geology and Geoysics has dated the


00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:51.269
formation of this massive basin to


00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:55.030
approximately 4.25 billion years ago


00:13:55.040 --> 00:13:57.189
this timeline places the impact event


00:13:57.199 --> 00:14:00.150
roughly 320 million years after the


00:14:00.160 --> 00:14:02.230
birth of our solar system providing


00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:03.990
astronomers with a crucial reference


00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:06.949
point for understanding lunar evolution


00:14:06.959 --> 00:14:09.590
the south pole aten basin is truly a


00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:11.350
remarkable feature of our celestial


00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:13.670
neighbor spanning much of the moon's far


00:14:13.680 --> 00:14:15.990
side this vast impact structure is


00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:17.670
believed to have formed during the early


00:14:17.680 --> 00:14:19.829
period of intense asteroid bombardment


00:14:19.839 --> 00:14:21.670
that shaped many worlds in our solar


00:14:21.680 --> 00:14:24.150
system despite its significance


00:14:24.160 --> 00:14:26.389
pinpointing its exact age has proven


00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:28.389
challenging with previous estimates


00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:31.430
varying widely to crack this cosmic


00:14:31.440 --> 00:14:33.430
mystery the researchers meticulously


00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:36.629
analyzed approximately 1,600 fragments


00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:39.150
from two soil samples returned by the


00:14:39.160 --> 00:14:41.910
Changi six mission their attention


00:14:41.920 --> 00:14:44.550
focused on identifying impact melt rocks


00:14:44.560 --> 00:14:45.910
which would provide the clearest


00:14:45.920 --> 00:14:47.710
evidence of the basin's


00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:50.389
formation among these fragments they


00:14:50.399 --> 00:14:52.710
discovered 20 Norite class with


00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:54.470
distinctive textures and chemical


00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:56.829
signatures consistent with an impact


00:14:56.839 --> 00:14:59.829
origin using lead dating of zirconium


00:14:59.839 --> 00:15:02.310
bearing minerals within these classs the


00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:04.389
team uncovered evidence of two separate


00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:07.590
impact events one dated to 4.25 billion


00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:10.629
years ago and another to 3.87 billion


00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:13.750
years ago the older Norites from 4.25 25


00:15:13.760 --> 00:15:16.069
billion years ago showed structural and


00:15:16.079 --> 00:15:18.310
compositional features suggesting they


00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:20.470
crystallized at different depths within


00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:22.870
a common impact melt sheet produced by


00:15:22.880 --> 00:15:25.829
the South Pole Aken basin forming event


00:15:25.839 --> 00:15:27.990
our geological surveys and comparative


00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:30.790
lithological analyses strongly indicate


00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:33.829
that the 4.25 billionyear age


00:15:33.839 --> 00:15:36.150
corresponds to the formation of the SPA


00:15:36.160 --> 00:15:38.550
basin stated Professor Chen in the


00:15:38.560 --> 00:15:40.230
research paper published in National


00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:43.110
Science Review this discovery provides


00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:45.910
the first direct samplebased evidence


00:15:45.920 --> 00:15:48.269
for the age of the moon's largest impact


00:15:48.279 --> 00:15:51.189
basin the precise dating serves as a


00:15:51.199 --> 00:15:53.030
critical anchor point for refining the


00:15:53.040 --> 00:15:55.350
lunar cratering chronology allowing


00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:57.110
scientists to better reconstruct the


00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:59.670
timeline of the moon's early evolution


00:15:59.680 --> 00:16:01.749
and providing new insights into the


00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:04.310
dynamic processes that shaped the early


00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:05.470
solar


00:16:05.480 --> 00:16:08.230
system okay let's head back to NASA for


00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:10.389
our next mission update


00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:12.470
next month marks an exciting milestone


00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:14.150
for NASA's Lucy mission as the


00:16:14.160 --> 00:16:16.230
spacecraft prepares for its flyby of


00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:19.189
asteroid Donald Johansson on April 20th


00:16:19.199 --> 00:16:21.189
while this encounter serves primarily as


00:16:21.199 --> 00:16:22.910
a rehearsal for Lucy's ultimate


00:16:22.920 --> 00:16:26.230
destination Jupiter's Trojan asteroids


00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.470
scientists are eagerly anticipating what


00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:30.069
they might learn from this peculiar


00:16:30.079 --> 00:16:32.710
space rock recent research from the


00:16:32.720 --> 00:16:34.710
Southwest Research Institute in Boulder


00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:36.629
Colorado has revealed that Donald


00:16:36.639 --> 00:16:39.509
Johansson is approximately 150 million


00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:41.749
years old having formed when a larger


00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:45.509
asteroid broke apart this 3m wide object


00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:47.509
named after the discoverer of the famous


00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:49.829
Lucy human fossil appears to have


00:16:49.839 --> 00:16:51.910
undergone significant changes since its


00:16:51.920 --> 00:16:54.509
formation based on groundbased


00:16:54.519 --> 00:16:56.870
observations Donald Johansson appears to


00:16:56.880 --> 00:16:59.350
be a peculiar object noted Simone


00:16:59.360 --> 00:17:01.389
Marchie Lucy's deputy principal


00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:03.670
investigator computer modeling suggests


00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:05.669
that both the asteroid's orbit and its


00:17:05.679 --> 00:17:08.309
spin have evolved dramatically over time


00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:10.630
david Vruliki a professor at Charles


00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:12.470
University in Prague and co-author of


00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:14.630
the research explained that data


00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:16.069
indicates that it could be quite


00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:18.870
elongated and a slow rotator possibly


00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:20.789
due to thermal torqus that have slowed


00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:23.909
its spin over time lucy's flyby will


00:17:23.919 --> 00:17:25.590
collect crucial information only


00:17:25.600 --> 00:17:27.909
accessible from close proximity


00:17:27.919 --> 00:17:29.669
including detailed data about the


00:17:29.679 --> 00:17:32.630
asteroid's shape surface geology and


00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:35.510
cratering history this information is


00:17:35.520 --> 00:17:37.270
particularly valuable because Donald


00:17:37.280 --> 00:17:39.190
Johansson appears distinct from other


00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:41.270
recently studied asteroids like Bennu


00:17:41.280 --> 00:17:43.830
and Ryugu which were sampled by NASA's


00:17:43.840 --> 00:17:47.029
Osiris Rex and Jaxa's Hayabusa two


00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:49.909
missions respectively lucy launched in


00:17:49.919 --> 00:17:52.710
October 2021 and is on an ambitious


00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:55.549
12-year journey to visit a total of 11


00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:58.549
asteroids after Donald Johansson the


00:17:58.559 --> 00:18:00.230
spacecraft will continue to Jupiter's


00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:02.789
Trojan asteroids ancient remnants


00:18:02.799 --> 00:18:04.310
trapped in Jupiter's orbit that


00:18:04.320 --> 00:18:07.230
scientists describe as fossils of planet


00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:09.430
formation earth-based observing and


00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:11.270
theoretical models can only take us so


00:18:11.280 --> 00:18:13.830
far explained Keith Null Lucy project


00:18:13.840 --> 00:18:15.870
scientist at NASA's Gddard Space Flight


00:18:15.880 --> 00:18:18.390
Center to validate these models and get


00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:20.150
to the next level of detail we need


00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:22.870
close-up data lucy's upcoming flyby will


00:18:22.880 --> 00:18:25.510
give us that this encounter follows


00:18:25.520 --> 00:18:28.190
Lucy's previous flyby of asteroid


00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:30.870
Dinkesh which surprised scientists with


00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:32.870
unexpected features including its own


00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:33.950
tiny


00:18:33.960 --> 00:18:36.230
satellite researchers are hopeful that


00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:38.110
Donald Johansson might hold similar


00:18:38.120 --> 00:18:40.470
surprises potentially revealing new


00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:42.150
connections between different types of


00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:44.710
asteroids in our solar system


00:18:44.720 --> 00:18:46.549
the data gathered will further enhance


00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:48.230
our understanding of the early solar


00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:50.710
systems formation and evolution adding


00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:52.470
another critical piece to the cosmic


00:18:52.480 --> 00:18:54.909
puzzle that Lucy was designed to help


00:18:54.919 --> 00:18:57.430
solve and let's finish today's episode


00:18:57.440 --> 00:19:00.070
on a positive note good news for Earth


00:19:00.080 --> 00:19:01.590
astronomers have recently determined


00:19:01.600 --> 00:19:04.150
that the ominously nicknamed Death Star


00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:06.870
isn't actually pointed at us the binary


00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:10.070
star system known as WR 10004 located


00:19:10.080 --> 00:19:11.990
about 8,000 lighty years away in the


00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:14.310
constellation Sagittarius has long


00:19:14.320 --> 00:19:16.390
concerned scientists due to its


00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:18.150
potential to unleash a devastating


00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:20.630
gammaray burst in our direction when its


00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:22.270
stars eventually


00:19:22.280 --> 00:19:26.549
collide wur 104 contains a Wolf Ray


00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:28.310
class star with a scorching surface


00:19:28.320 --> 00:19:31.029
temperature of around 44,000 Kelvin


00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:33.830
nearly 8 times hotter than our sun this


00:19:33.840 --> 00:19:35.750
extreme star is locked in orbit with a


00:19:35.760 --> 00:19:37.990
more massive companion creating a


00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:39.909
spectacular spiral dust pattern that


00:19:39.919 --> 00:19:42.630
resembles a pin wheel the system earned


00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:44.310
its sinister nickname because early


00:19:44.320 --> 00:19:46.710
studies suggested its rotational poles


00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:49.110
might be pointing toward Earth raising


00:19:49.120 --> 00:19:50.630
concerns about a potential future


00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.630
gammaray burst aimed directly at our


00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:55.270
planet however new research led by KEK


00:19:55.280 --> 00:19:56.950
Observatory instrument scientist Grant


00:19:56.960 --> 00:19:59.669
Hill has put these fears to rest using


00:19:59.679 --> 00:20:01.270
three sophisticated instruments at the


00:20:01.280 --> 00:20:05.669
KEK Observatory LRIS ESI and Nurse Hills


00:20:05.679 --> 00:20:07.510
team made spectroscopic observations


00:20:07.520 --> 00:20:09.350
that revealed a surprising twist in the


00:20:09.360 --> 00:20:10.270
systems


00:20:10.280 --> 00:20:12.950
geometry while the pinwheel dust spiral


00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:14.630
appears to be face on from Earth's


00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:16.870
perspective velocity measurements of the


00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:19.510
two stars showed that the actual orbital


00:20:19.520 --> 00:20:22.710
plane is tilted at least 30 40° from


00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:25.350
previous estimates this significant tilt


00:20:25.360 --> 00:20:27.430
means any future gammaray burst would


00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:29.710
miss Earth eliminating the supposed


00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:32.310
threat interestingly this discovery has


00:20:32.320 --> 00:20:34.710
created a new scientific puzzle how can


00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:37.110
the dust spiral appear face on while the


00:20:37.120 --> 00:20:39.909
stars orbit is tilted this contradiction


00:20:39.919 --> 00:20:41.590
challenges existing models of dust


00:20:41.600 --> 00:20:43.830
formation in colliding wind systems and


00:20:43.840 --> 00:20:45.830
suggests unknown physical processes may


00:20:45.840 --> 00:20:47.510
be influencing the formation of the dust


00:20:47.520 --> 00:20:50.870
plume as Hill explained this is such a


00:20:50.880 --> 00:20:52.950
great example of how with astronomy we


00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:55.110
often begin a study and the universe


00:20:55.120 --> 00:20:57.029
surprises us with mysteries we didn't


00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:59.669
expect we may answer some questions but


00:20:59.679 --> 00:21:03.029
create more despite solving one mystery


00:21:03.039 --> 00:21:04.710
confirming Earth isn't in the Death


00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:07.510
Stars line of fire astronomers now have


00:21:07.520 --> 00:21:09.350
new questions about this fascinating


00:21:09.360 --> 00:21:11.909
stellar system the research not only


00:21:11.919 --> 00:21:13.430
provides reassurance about Earth's


00:21:13.440 --> 00:21:16.070
safety but also offers valuable insights


00:21:16.080 --> 00:21:18.630
into the complex dynamics of binary star


00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:20.870
systems and their evolutionary paths


00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:23.950
toward eventual supernova


00:21:23.960 --> 00:21:26.149
explosions what an incredible journey


00:21:26.159 --> 00:21:28.390
through the cosmos we've had today from


00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:30.390
the daring exploits of Parker Solar


00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:32.070
Probe matching its record-breaking


00:21:32.080 --> 00:21:34.149
approach to our star at a blistering


00:21:34.159 --> 00:21:37.350
430,000 mph to the newly launched


00:21:37.360 --> 00:21:39.590
Spherex telescope opening its eyes to


00:21:39.600 --> 00:21:42.230
the infrared universe we've explored how


00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:44.310
EZ's trio of satellites will help us


00:21:44.320 --> 00:21:46.230
understand those mysterious electrical


00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:47.590
currents flowing through our upper


00:21:47.600 --> 00:21:50.070
atmosphere giving us new insights into


00:21:50.080 --> 00:21:52.789
space weather perhaps most fascinating


00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:54.310
were those newly discovered space


00:21:54.320 --> 00:21:56.870
tornadoes swirling around our galaxy's


00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.110
core violent streams of gas distributing


00:21:59.120 --> 00:22:01.270
materials throughout the galactic center


00:22:01.280 --> 00:22:03.590
in a cosmic recycling program of truly


00:22:03.600 --> 00:22:06.470
universal proportions and how incredible


00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:08.149
that Chinese scientists have finally


00:22:08.159 --> 00:22:10.230
pinpointed the age of the moon's massive


00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:13.510
south pole akin basin to 4.25 billion


00:22:13.520 --> 00:22:15.590
years ago using samples from Chang


00:22:15.600 --> 00:22:18.230
Hior's 6 giving us a crucial anchor


00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:20.549
point in lunar chronology we also looked


00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:22.470
ahead to NASA's Lucy spacecraft


00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:24.310
preparing for its April flyby of


00:22:24.320 --> 00:22:26.630
asteroid Donald Johansson as a dress


00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:28.310
rehearsal for its ultimate mission to


00:22:28.320 --> 00:22:30.950
Jupiter's Trojan asteroids and I don't


00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:32.710
know about you but I'm personally


00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:35.470
relieved that the binary star system WR


00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:38.549
10004 the so-called Death Star isn't


00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:40.549
pointing its potential gammaray burst in


00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:43.110
our direction after all i've been your


00:22:43.120 --> 00:22:45.029
host Anna and I want to thank you for


00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:47.029
joining me for this edition of Astronomy


00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:49.430
Daily if you're hungry for more cosmic


00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:52.350
content please visit our website at


00:22:52.360 --> 00:22:54.310
astronomyaily.io where we keep our news


00:22:54.320 --> 00:22:56.710
feed constantly updated with the latest


00:22:56.720 --> 00:22:59.110
space and astronomy news you'll also


00:22:59.120 --> 00:23:01.029
find all our previous episodes available


00:23:01.039 --> 00:23:02.950
for streaming don't forget to connect


00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:05.110
with us across social media just search


00:23:05.120 --> 00:23:07.830
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00:23:07.840 --> 00:23:10.710
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00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:12.630
Instagram the universe is always


00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:14.630
changing and we'll be here to keep you


00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:16.590
informed about every fascinating


00:23:16.600 --> 00:23:19.110
development until next time keep looking


00:23:19.120 --> 00:23:21.710
up


00:23:21.720 --> 00:23:25.190
day stories told


00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:39.579
[Music]