Quasi Moons, Black Hole Jets, and a Leap Toward Interstellar Travel: S04E20

WEBVTT
Kind: captions
Language: en

00:00:00.199 --> 00:00:02.389
welcome to astronomy daily your daily


00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:04.110
fix of the latest space news and


00:00:04.120 --> 00:00:06.670
discoveries I'm Anna and today we have a


00:00:06.680 --> 00:00:08.430
fascinating lineup of stories to share


00:00:08.440 --> 00:00:10.430
with you we'll explore Earth's newly


00:00:10.440 --> 00:00:12.789
named quasi Moon witness breakthrough


00:00:12.799 --> 00:00:14.709
observations of black hole Jets forming


00:00:14.719 --> 00:00:17.230
in real time and discover an Innovative


00:00:17.240 --> 00:00:19.070
concept that could revolutionize


00:00:19.080 --> 00:00:21.590
Interstellar travel we'll also look at


00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:23.550
Europe's ambitious plans for Mars


00:00:23.560 --> 00:00:25.349
exploration and catch up with an


00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:27.470
exciting lunar Mission currently making


00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:29.990
its way to the moon plus we'll preview


00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:31.669
an upcoming partial solar eclipse that


00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:33.190
many of you will be able to witness in


00:00:33.200 --> 00:00:35.030
March so let's get started on our


00:00:35.040 --> 00:00:36.790
eclectic mix of


00:00:36.800 --> 00:00:39.470
stories in a delightful blend of ancient


00:00:39.480 --> 00:00:41.790
mythology and modern astronomy one of


00:00:41.800 --> 00:00:43.869
Earth's mysterious quasi moons has


00:00:43.879 --> 00:00:45.990
finally received its official


00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:48.229
name previously known by its rather


00:00:48.239 --> 00:00:51.510
clinical designation 2004 gu9 this


00:00:51.520 --> 00:00:53.389
celestial object has been christened


00:00:53.399 --> 00:00:55.709
carda after the ancient goddess of door


00:00:55.719 --> 00:00:58.349
hinges really the name was chosen


00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:00.229
through a contest organized by the


00:01:00.239 --> 00:01:02.910
international astronomical Union and the


00:01:02.920 --> 00:01:06.190
popular science podcast Radio Lab clay


00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:08.149
chil cut a student at the University of


00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:10.109
Georgia submitted the winning name as


00:01:10.119 --> 00:01:11.710
part of an extra credit assignment for


00:01:11.720 --> 00:01:14.510
his astronomy class his choice perfectly


00:01:14.520 --> 00:01:16.350
captures the unique nature of Quasi


00:01:16.360 --> 00:01:19.070
moons which exist in a fascinating State


00:01:19.080 --> 00:01:21.030
between being true moons and independent


00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:23.270
asteroids unlike regular moons that


00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:25.910
orbit planets directly quasi moons


00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:27.950
actually orbit the sun while appearing


00:01:27.960 --> 00:01:30.429
to Circle Earth from our perspective


00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:32.550
the name karda is particularly fitting


00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:34.190
because like a door hinge that connects


00:01:34.200 --> 00:01:36.950
two spaces these quasi moons occupy a


00:01:36.960 --> 00:01:38.830
transitional space in our Cosmic


00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:41.350
neighborhood they're not quite moons not


00:01:41.360 --> 00:01:44.550
quite asteroids but something in between


00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:47.069
cardia as the goddess who presided over


00:01:47.079 --> 00:01:48.870
thresholds and transitions in Roman


00:01:48.880 --> 00:01:51.230
mythology beautifully symbolizes this


00:01:51.240 --> 00:01:53.510
Celestial Gateway between Earth and


00:01:53.520 --> 00:01:55.749
space the contest featured other


00:01:55.759 --> 00:01:57.630
compelling entries drawing from various


00:01:57.640 --> 00:02:00.510
mythologies worldwide including akawa


00:02:00.520 --> 00:02:03.310
from Filipino mythology and T auk from


00:02:03.320 --> 00:02:06.230
innuit tradition but it was karda that


00:02:06.240 --> 00:02:07.910
captured the imagination of the


00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:10.109
distinguished panel of Judges which


00:02:10.119 --> 00:02:12.070
included theoretical physicist sha


00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:15.630
Carroll astrophysicist Wanda Diaz mered


00:02:15.640 --> 00:02:18.670
and even Bill Nye the Science Guy this


00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:20.790
naming marks another fascinating chapter


00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:22.869
in our understanding of Earth's Cosmic


00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:26.150
companions joining camo oala as one of


00:02:26.160 --> 00:02:28.630
the few named quasi moons in our


00:02:28.640 --> 00:02:30.470
planet's vicinity


00:02:30.480 --> 00:02:32.470
these objects while not true satellites


00:02:32.480 --> 00:02:35.390
of Earth remind us of the complex and


00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:37.990
often surprising ways celestial bodies


00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:39.910
can interact with our


00:02:39.920 --> 00:02:42.830
planet next up you guessed it today's


00:02:42.840 --> 00:02:45.670
black hole Discovery in an extraordinary


00:02:45.680 --> 00:02:47.750
astronomical breakthrough scientists


00:02:47.760 --> 00:02:49.270
have witnessed something never before


00:02:49.280 --> 00:02:51.630
seen in human history the realtime


00:02:51.640 --> 00:02:54.030
formation of plasma jets shooting from a


00:02:54.040 --> 00:02:56.670
super massive black hole this remarkable


00:02:56.680 --> 00:02:59.470
event occurred 270 million light years


00:02:59.480 --> 00:03:02.070
away in the constellation Draco where


00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:05.070
astronomers observed a galaxy known as 1


00:03:05.080 --> 00:03:07.229
es


00:03:07.239 --> 00:03:09.550
1,927 plus


00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:12.630
654 the story began in 2018 when this


00:03:12.640 --> 00:03:14.430
distant black hole started behaving


00:03:14.440 --> 00:03:17.309
unusually its x-ray Corona mysteriously


00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:19.670
vanished followed by a dramatic increase


00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.390
in brightness across multiple


00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:23.830
wavelengths but what happened next left


00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:26.030
astronomers completely stunned the black


00:03:26.040 --> 00:03:27.910
hole's radio emissions suddenly


00:03:27.920 --> 00:03:30.550
increased 60-fold over just a few months


00:03:30.560 --> 00:03:32.390
and researchers watched as massive


00:03:32.400 --> 00:03:34.589
plasma Jets formed at both poles of the


00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:37.190
black hole using the very large array


00:03:37.200 --> 00:03:39.750
and very large Baseline array scientists


00:03:39.760 --> 00:03:41.630
captured high resolution images showing


00:03:41.640 --> 00:03:43.229
these Jets expanding outward between


00:03:43.239 --> 00:03:44.830
2023 and


00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:47.309
2024 these plasma streams are moving at


00:03:47.319 --> 00:03:50.309
roughly 20 to 30% of the speed of light


00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:51.949
an astonishing velocity that


00:03:51.959 --> 00:03:53.869
demonstrates the incredible power of


00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:56.910
these Cosmic phenomena while astronomers


00:03:56.920 --> 00:03:58.670
have observed larger Jets from other


00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:00.309
black holes before


00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:01.949
some extending hundreds of thousands of


00:04:01.959 --> 00:04:04.110
light years this observation is


00:04:04.120 --> 00:04:05.869
particularly special because it's the


00:04:05.879 --> 00:04:07.949
first time we've watched one form in


00:04:07.959 --> 00:04:10.670
real time these smaller shorter-lived


00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:14.270
Jets known as compact symmetric objects


00:04:14.280 --> 00:04:15.949
may actually be more common throughout


00:04:15.959 --> 00:04:18.469
the Universe than their larger


00:04:18.479 --> 00:04:20.550
counterparts the team believes these


00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:22.629
Jets might have formed when the black


00:04:22.639 --> 00:04:25.350
hole consumed a star or gas cloud


00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:27.390
providing valuable insights into how


00:04:27.400 --> 00:04:28.710
black holes interact with their


00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:30.270
surroundings


00:04:30.280 --> 00:04:31.990
while many questions remain about


00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:33.990
exactly how these Jets form and what


00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:36.230
powers them this unprecedented


00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:38.950
observation brings us one step closer to


00:04:38.960 --> 00:04:41.230
understanding these mysterious Cosmic


00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:43.469
processes the discovery opens up


00:04:43.479 --> 00:04:45.670
exciting new possibilities for studying


00:04:45.680 --> 00:04:47.830
how super massive black holes influence


00:04:47.840 --> 00:04:50.749
their galaxies and the broader Universe


00:04:50.759 --> 00:04:52.590
scientists will continue monitoring this


00:04:52.600 --> 00:04:55.110
remarkable system hoping to unlock more


00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:56.950
secrets about one of space's most


00:04:56.960 --> 00:04:58.629
enigmatic


00:04:58.639 --> 00:05:00.909
phenomena now let's take a trip into the


00:05:00.919 --> 00:05:02.550
realm of what many would have considered


00:05:02.560 --> 00:05:05.070
science fiction a short time ago in what


00:05:05.080 --> 00:05:06.870
could be a game-changing development for


00:05:06.880 --> 00:05:09.189
space exploration researchers have


00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:11.070
proposed an Innovative new method of


00:05:11.080 --> 00:05:12.830
interstellar travel that could


00:05:12.840 --> 00:05:15.150
dramatically reduce Journey times to


00:05:15.160 --> 00:05:18.430
other star systems the concept revolves


00:05:18.440 --> 00:05:21.230
around using relativistic electron beams


00:05:21.240 --> 00:05:23.189
streams of electrons accelerated to


00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:25.629
nearly the speed of light to propel


00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:28.309
spacecraft across the vast distances of


00:05:28.319 --> 00:05:30.510
space the fundamental challenge of


00:05:30.520 --> 00:05:32.590
interstellar travel has always been


00:05:32.600 --> 00:05:34.150
generating and transferring enough


00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:36.309
energy to spacecraft efficiently and


00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:39.230
affordably current chemical Rockets even


00:05:39.240 --> 00:05:41.029
with gravitational assists from planets


00:05:41.039 --> 00:05:43.189
and the Sun simply can't achieve the


00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:44.830
speeds necessary for practical


00:05:44.840 --> 00:05:47.270
Interstellar missions but this new


00:05:47.280 --> 00:05:49.990
approach could change everything the


00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:51.909
proposed system would use a beam


00:05:51.919 --> 00:05:53.909
generating spacecraft positioned near


00:05:53.919 --> 00:05:56.150
the sun taking advantage of intense


00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:58.390
solar energy to power an electron beam


00:05:58.400 --> 00:06:00.590
accelerator these high-speed electrons


00:06:00.600 --> 00:06:02.469
would then be directed at the spacecraft


00:06:02.479 --> 00:06:04.469
providing continuous propulsion over


00:06:04.479 --> 00:06:05.790
vast


00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:07.870
distances what makes this concept


00:06:07.880 --> 00:06:09.870
particularly fascinating is how it


00:06:09.880 --> 00:06:12.309
handles one of the biggest challenges


00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:14.469
keeping the Electron Beam focused over


00:06:14.479 --> 00:06:15.790
such enormous


00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:18.950
distances at relativistic speeds time


00:06:18.960 --> 00:06:21.390
dilation actually works in our favor


00:06:21.400 --> 00:06:24.150
giving the beam less time to spread out


00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:26.270
additionally the natural plasma present


00:06:26.280 --> 00:06:28.510
in space creates a magnetic field effect


00:06:28.520 --> 00:06:30.589
that helps keep the beam concentrated


00:06:30.599 --> 00:06:32.390
similar to what we observe in Jets from


00:06:32.400 --> 00:06:35.150
black holes this relativistic pinch


00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:37.469
effect could maintain beam coherence for


00:06:37.479 --> 00:06:39.150
thousands of times the distance from


00:06:39.160 --> 00:06:41.230
Earth to the Sun the numbers are


00:06:41.240 --> 00:06:43.749
incredibly promising calculations


00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:46.189
suggest this system could accelerate a


00:06:46.199 --> 00:06:49.550
2,200 lb probe about the size of Voyager


00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:53.150
1 to 10% of the speed of light at that


00:06:53.160 --> 00:06:55.710
velocity we could reach Alpha centor in


00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:57.950
just 40 years compared to the current


00:06:57.960 --> 00:07:00.230
70,000 year Journey time


00:07:00.240 --> 00:07:02.270
even more encouraging this approach


00:07:02.280 --> 00:07:03.830
could be significantly more cost


00:07:03.840 --> 00:07:05.589
effective than Alternatives like laser


00:07:05.599 --> 00:07:08.150
propulsion while capable of moving much


00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:09.270
larger


00:07:09.280 --> 00:07:11.629
spacecraft while significant engineering


00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:14.070
challenges remain particularly in


00:07:14.080 --> 00:07:15.869
converting the beam's energy into


00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:17.950
propulsion without melting the


00:07:17.960 --> 00:07:20.350
spacecraft this concept represents one


00:07:20.360 --> 00:07:22.749
of our most promising paths toward


00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:25.029
making Interstellar exploration a


00:07:25.039 --> 00:07:27.589
reality within a human


00:07:27.599 --> 00:07:30.110
lifetime the European space agency is


00:07:30.120 --> 00:07:32.110
setting its sights on an ambitious new


00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:34.790
chapter in Mars Exploration with plans


00:07:34.800 --> 00:07:36.830
to develop Advanced Landing Technologies


00:07:36.840 --> 00:07:39.070
for a mission targeted to launch in


00:07:39.080 --> 00:07:41.629
2035 while the agency is currently


00:07:41.639 --> 00:07:43.589
focused on sending the rosin Franklin


00:07:43.599 --> 00:07:46.550
Rover to Mars in 2028 they're already


00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:48.830
looking ahead to tackle even greater


00:07:48.840 --> 00:07:51.110
challenges the new initiative calls for


00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.589
the development of guided entry Landers


00:07:53.599 --> 00:07:55.390
with high Precision Landing


00:07:55.400 --> 00:07:57.749
capabilities Esa is getting an early


00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:00.350
start on this project recognizing that


00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:02.990
2035 presents the most favorable launch


00:08:03.000 --> 00:08:04.909
window of the decade for reaching the


00:08:04.919 --> 00:08:06.830
red planet the timing of this


00:08:06.840 --> 00:08:08.909
development is crucial with key


00:08:08.919 --> 00:08:10.830
decisions expected at an upcoming


00:08:10.840 --> 00:08:12.869
ministerial meeting in Breman later this


00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:15.390
year meanwhile in current lunar


00:08:15.400 --> 00:08:18.110
exploration news fireflies Blue Ghost


00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:20.390
lunar lander is making excellent


00:08:20.400 --> 00:08:22.629
progress on its 45-day Journey To The


00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:26.390
Moon the spacecraft carrying 10 NASA


00:08:26.400 --> 00:08:28.830
scientific instruments has successfully


00:08:28.840 --> 00:08:31.309
completed its first main engine burn


00:08:31.319 --> 00:08:33.670
marking a crucial milestone in its


00:08:33.680 --> 00:08:36.589
Mission the journey plan is quite


00:08:36.599 --> 00:08:39.509
intricate Blue Ghost will spend 25 days


00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:41.829
orbiting Earth before embarking on a


00:08:41.839 --> 00:08:44.670
4-day transit to lunar orbit followed by


00:08:44.680 --> 00:08:46.949
16 days circling the moon before


00:08:46.959 --> 00:08:49.350
attempting its Landing one of the


00:08:49.360 --> 00:08:50.990
mission's most impressive achievements


00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:53.710
so far comes from the lunar gnss


00:08:53.720 --> 00:08:56.470
receiver experiment or lugra which has


00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.829
already set a new record the system


00:08:58.839 --> 00:09:00.710
successfully calculated its position


00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:03.230
using earth-based navigation signals at


00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:05.670
a distance of more than 205,000 mi from


00:09:05.680 --> 00:09:08.110
Earth that's about 90% of the way to the


00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:10.509
moon this breakthrough suggests that


00:09:10.519 --> 00:09:13.030
conventional GPS style navigation could


00:09:13.040 --> 00:09:15.949
be viable for future deep space missions


00:09:15.959 --> 00:09:17.670
the spacecraft has also captured some


00:09:17.680 --> 00:09:19.990
breathtaking footage during its Journey


00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:21.910
including spectacular views of earth


00:09:21.920 --> 00:09:24.670
eclipsing the sun these early successes


00:09:24.680 --> 00:09:26.190
boded well for both the immediate


00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:28.630
mission objectives and our broader


00:09:28.640 --> 00:09:30.190
understanding of lunar navigation and


00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:31.870
Landing


00:09:31.880 --> 00:09:34.069
Technologies mark your calendars for


00:09:34.079 --> 00:09:37.150
March 29th 2025 when skywatchers across


00:09:37.160 --> 00:09:38.870
the Northern Hemisphere will be treated


00:09:38.880 --> 00:09:42.069
to a remarkable partial solar eclipse


00:09:42.079 --> 00:09:43.590
while we won't see a total blackout of


00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:45.949
the sun this event promises to be quite


00:09:45.959 --> 00:09:48.750
spectacular with up to 94% of the sun's


00:09:48.760 --> 00:09:51.069
disc being blocked by the moon in some


00:09:51.079 --> 00:09:53.389
locations the eclipse will be visible


00:09:53.399 --> 00:09:57.230
from 850 to 12:43 UTC with the best


00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:59.389
views coming from eastern North America


00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:01.829
and parts of Europe if you're in Far


00:10:01.839 --> 00:10:03.269
Northern Quebec you'll be among the


00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:05.389
lucky few just about


00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:08.190
44,800 people who will witness the moon


00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:11.310
covering 90% or more of the Sun for


00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:13.470
viewers in New Brunswick and Maine the


00:10:13.480 --> 00:10:15.949
show will be particularly dramatic with


00:10:15.959 --> 00:10:18.230
the partially eclipsed sun rising as two


00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:20.470
distinct horns on the Eastern


00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:23.110
Horizon across the Atlantic Europe will


00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:25.069
get varying views of this Celestial


00:10:25.079 --> 00:10:27.470
spectacle the British Isles will see a


00:10:27.480 --> 00:10:29.590
fairly deep Eclipse with double


00:10:29.600 --> 00:10:32.230
experiencing 41% coverage and London


00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:35.030
about 30% as you move Eastward the


00:10:35.040 --> 00:10:37.269
eclipse becomes progressively smaller


00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:41.269
with Paris seeing 23% Berlin 15% and


00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:43.389
Moscow just catching a glimpse with 2%


00:10:43.399 --> 00:10:45.990
coverage northwest Africa will also get


00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:47.910
to participate in this event though to a


00:10:47.920 --> 00:10:50.389
lesser extent the best views will be


00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:52.590
from Morocco's coastal regions where


00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:55.670
cities like eljadida will see about 18%


00:10:55.680 --> 00:10:58.190
of the sun covered remember no matter


00:10:58.200 --> 00:11:00.150
where you're viewing from proper eye


00:11:00.160 --> 00:11:02.949
protection is absolutely essential never


00:11:02.959 --> 00:11:04.389
look directly at the Sun during an


00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:07.030
eclipse without certified solar eclipse


00:11:07.040 --> 00:11:09.230
glasses this event will kick off a


00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:11.269
series of partial solar eclipses


00:11:11.279 --> 00:11:12.670
stretching through the rest of the


00:11:12.680 --> 00:11:14.790
decade with the next one visible from


00:11:14.800 --> 00:11:17.350
Tasmania and New Zealand in September


00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:19.829
2025 it's a reminder of the constant


00:11:19.839 --> 00:11:22.269
dance between the Sun Moon and Earth


00:11:22.279 --> 00:11:23.949
that brings us these fascinating


00:11:23.959 --> 00:11:26.110
astronomical


00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:29.430
events this has been astronomy daily I'm


00:11:29.440 --> 00:11:31.509
Anna and thank you for joining me on


00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:33.110
this Cosmic journey through today's


00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:35.750
space news whether it's quasi moons


00:11:35.760 --> 00:11:37.670
black hole Jets or the promise of faster


00:11:37.680 --> 00:11:39.829
Interstellar travel there's always


00:11:39.839 --> 00:11:41.550
something fascinating happening in our


00:11:41.560 --> 00:11:43.590
universe if you'd like to catch up on


00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:45.350
any of our previous episodes or dive


00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:46.910
deeper into the stories we've covered


00:11:46.920 --> 00:11:49.790
today head over to astronomy


00:11:49.800 --> 00:11:52.269
daily. you'll find our complete Archive


00:11:52.279 --> 00:11:54.389
of episodes there along with additional


00:11:54.399 --> 00:11:56.509
resources links and information about


00:11:56.519 --> 00:11:59.069
all the topics we discuss stay connected


00:11:59.079 --> 00:12:00.389
with with us on social media by


00:12:00.399 --> 00:12:02.670
following Astro daily pod on Facebook X


00:12:02.680 --> 00:12:05.629
Tumblr YouTube YouTube music and Tik Tok


00:12:05.639 --> 00:12:07.389
we're always sharing the latest updates


00:12:07.399 --> 00:12:09.509
and engaging with our community of space


00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:11.829
enthusiasts until tomorrow keep looking


00:12:11.839 --> 00:12:13.350
up and wondering about the Mysteries


00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:20.600
that await Us in the cosmos


00:12:20.610 --> 00:12:34.710
[Music]


00:12:34.720 --> 00:12:37.720
told