Solar Storm Hits Early! Plus China’s Reusable Rockets & Exoplanet Magnetic Shields

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Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily


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dose of space and astronomy news. I'm


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Anna.


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>> And I'm Avery. Today is Tuesday, January


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20th, 2026, and we've got a fantastic


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lineup of stories covering everything


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from solar storms to Chinese space


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technology and some fascinating


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discoveries about how young stars shape


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their cosmic neighborhoods.


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>> That's right. We're going to dive into


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some breaking news about the sun's


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latest outburst. There's been quite a


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development there that Aurora chasers


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definitely need to hear about.


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>> Plus, China continues to make impressive


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strides in reusable rocket technology


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with the Long March 12b. And we'll get a


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sneak peek at their upcoming Shunen


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Space Telescope that's set to rival some


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of the best observatories in orbit.


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We'll also journey into the Orion


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Molecular Cloud to see how baby stars


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are literally carving out their homes in


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space. Check out this week's busy launch


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schedule and explore a fascinating new


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theory about how some exoplanets might


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protect themselves from deadly


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radiation.


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>> So, grab your coffee, settle in, and


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let's get started with today's Astronomy


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Daily.


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>> All right, Avery, let's jump right into


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our top story, and this one's developing


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even as we speak. The sun threw a


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massive tantrum this weekend, and Earth


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is already feeling the effects.


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>> That's right, Anna. On Sunday, January


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18th, the sun unleashed a powerful


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X.1.9cl


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class solar flare from sunspot region


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AR4341.


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For our listeners who might not be


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familiar, X-class flares are the most


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powerful category of solar eruptions.


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And this one came with a particularly


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energetic friend,


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>> a coronal mass ejection or a CME. Right.


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>> Exactly. This CME was what forecasters


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call a full halo event, meaning it was


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aimed directly at Earth. The interesting


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twist here is that it arrived much


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sooner than predicted. Space weather


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forecasters initially expected it to hit


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sometime within 24 hours of the flare,


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but it actually slammed into Earth's


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magnetosphere yesterday, January 19th,


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at 2:38 p.m. Eastern time.


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>> And I'm guessing from the reports I've


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been seeing, this wasn't a gentle


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arrival.


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>> Not at all. The CME triggered severe G4


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geomagnetic storms. According to Noah's


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Space Weather Prediction Center, this is


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actually a pretty rare event. We're also


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dealing with an S4 severe solar


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radiation storm that's ongoing.


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>> Now, for those wondering why this


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matters, let's talk about what makes a


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CME geo effective or not. It's all about


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magnetic field orientation, isn't it?


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>> That's the crucial factor. When a CME


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arrives, if its magnetic field is


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oriented southward, what scientists call


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a negative BZ component, it can connect


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with Earth's northward pointing magnetic


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field. Think of it like opening a door.


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The southward orientation essentially


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allows solar wind energy to pour into


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our magnetosphere, triggering


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geomagnetic storms.


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>> And in this case, that door was wide


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open.


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>> Exactly. Data from the DSCOVR and a


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spacecraft which monitor the solar wind


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upstream of Earth confirmed that


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southward BZ component. That's what made


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the storm so potent.


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>> So what does this mean for people on the


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ground? Obviously there's the


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spectacular side with auroras, but there


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are practical concerns, too.


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>> Right. The good news is that this storm


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could push the northern lights much


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further south than usual. According to


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Noah's scales, GeForce storms can make


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auroras visible as far south as Alabama


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and Northern California. But there are


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some downsides. These storms can disrupt


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GPS navigation, affect satellite


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operations, increase atmospheric drag on


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spacecraft, and potentially impact power


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grids and highfrequency radio


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communications.


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>> And the flare itself caused immediate


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problems when it erupted. Correct.


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>> Yes. The X do 1.9 flare triggered strong


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R3 level radio blackouts across the


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sunlit side of Earth with the Americas


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taking the biggest hit. Radio blackouts


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happen because the intense X-rays and


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extreme ultraviolet radiation from the


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flare ionize the upper atmosphere


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disrupting radio signals.


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>> For our aurora chasers out there, what's


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the forecast looking like? Well,


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geomagnetic storm conditions are


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expected to continue through at least


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today, January 20th. The best viewing


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times are typically between 1000 p.m.


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and 4:00 a.m. local time. Of course,


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you'll want to get away from city lights


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and find the darkest location possible.


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And keep in mind, you need clear skies


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to see them.


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>> The tining is interesting, too, isn't


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it? We're well into solar maximum.


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>> We are. Solar cycle 25 has been


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particularly active and we're seeing the


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effects. The sun has been consistently


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active throughout late 2025 and into


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2026 with multiple X-class flares and


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CMEs. This is exactly the kind of


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activity we expect during Solar Maximum.


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It's yet another reminder that our star


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is a dynamic, powerful force. What's


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fascinating to me is how much we've


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learned about predicting these events,


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even if this one arrived earlier than


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expected.


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>> Absolutely. Space weather forecasting


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has come a long way. But CMEs are still


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notoriously tricky. Their speed,


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direction, and crucially, their magnetic


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orientation all factor into how they'll


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interact with Earth. We often don't know


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the full picture until spacecraft like


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DSCOVR sample them directly when they're


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almost at our doorstep. Well, if you're


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in the northern tier states of the US or


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Canada, keep your eyes on the sky


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tonight. This could be a spectacular


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display. Shifting gears from solar


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fireworks to human engineering, let's


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talk about China's latest achievement in


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reusable rocket technology. The China


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Aerospace Science and Technology


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Corporation has successfully conducted a


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static fire test of the Long March 12B.


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This is China's followup to the Long


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March 12A, which we covered when it made


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its maiden flight back in late December


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2025. Right.


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>> Exactly. And if you recall, that first


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flight was partially successful. The


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second stage successfully delivered its


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payload to orbit, but the reusable first


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stage crashed near the intended recovery


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area in Gansu Provice. So, there's


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definitely been some lessons learned.


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>> Let's talk specs. What can you tell us


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about the Long March 12B? It's a fairly


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substantial vehicle. The rocket stands


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approximately 70 m tall. That's about


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230 ft with a diameter of 4 m. Both


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stages use liquid oxygen and kerosene


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propellants, which is interesting


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because it's the same propellant


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combination that SpaceX uses in their


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Falcon 9.


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>> And in terms of capability,


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>> in its baseline configuration, the Long


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March 12b can lift about 20 metric tons


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to low Earth orbit. That puts it firmly


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in the heavy medium lift category. When


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fully fueled, the entire vehicle has a


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liftoff mass of around 700 tons.


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>> So, what exactly did this static fire


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test accomplish?


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>> The test, which took place Friday at the


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Guan Satellite launch center in


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northwest China, was all about


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validation. Ground teams ignited the


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first stage engines and sustained


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combustion for a period while monitoring


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performance and control parameters. They


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were verifying fueling procedures,


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ignition sequences, and making sure all


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the propulsion and support systems


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worked smoothly under planned


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conditions.


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>> And the reusability aspect, how does


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that work?


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>> This is where it gets really


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interesting. The first stage is designed


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to separate from the second stage during


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flight, then flip itself around for


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re-entry using aerodynamic grid fins for


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guidance. Picture those waffle-like fins


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you see on Falcon 9 boosters. Then it


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uses deployable landing legs to touch


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down vertically at a designated landing


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zone.


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>> So it's very much following the SpaceX


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playbook.


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>> It is though China has been developing


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this technology independently. The goal


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is the same though reusability to cut


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mission costs and increase launch


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cadence. This is especially important


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for China's commercial space sector and


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their growing satellite constellation


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projects.


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>> And you mentioned the long march 12A's


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landing attempt failed. Are they


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incorporating what they learned from


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that into the 12b?


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>> Absolutely. Engineering teams are still


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investigating what went wrong with that


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December landing attempt. And the


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lessons from that mission are being fed


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directly into refinements for the Long


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March 12b's re-entry and landing


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systems. That's actually a really


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important part of the development


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process.


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>> So, when might we see an actual launch


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of the Long March 12B? Based on this


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successful static fire test, we're


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probably looking at flight tests in the


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near future. They still need to do more


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ground testing and verification, but


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successful engine testing is a major


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milestone on the path to orbital flight.


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>> It's interesting to watch multiple


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countries and companies working on


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reusable rocket technology. It really


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does seem to be the future of space


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flight.


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>> No question. When you can land and reuse


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your first stage, which is the most


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expensive part of the rocket, the


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economics of space access changed


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dramatically. China positioning


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themselves with both the 12A and 12B


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shows they're committed to competing in


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this arena.


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>> Staying with China's space program,


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let's look ahead to what could be one of


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the most capable space telescopes ever


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launched. The Chinese space station


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telescope known as Shunan is gearing up


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for launch as soon as early 2027.


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>> And scientists just completed something


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pretty important, a full endto-end


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observation simulation to test how the


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telescope will perform once it's in


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orbit.


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>> Let's start with the basics. How big is


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this thing?


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>> Chunen features a 2 m primary mirror.


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That's about 6.6 ft across. For


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comparison, that's slightly smaller than


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Hubble's 2.4 meter mirror. But here's


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where it gets interesting. Junien is


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designed specifically as a survey


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instrument. And in that role, it's going


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to be far more capable than Hubble.


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>> How so?


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>> It's all about field of view. Junien's


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field of view is about 300 times larger


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than Hubble's. That means it can survey


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the sky much more efficiently. Combine


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that with a 2.5 billion pixel camera and


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the ability to observe from near


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ultraviolet to near infrared wavelengths


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and you've got yourself an extremely


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powerful sky surveying machine.


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>> That's impressive. What will it be


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looking for?


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>> The science goals are pretty ambitious.


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According to the National Astronomical


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Observatories under the Chinese Academy


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of Sciences, Chunen should make major


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contributions across multiple fields.


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cosmology, galaxy formation and


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evolution, the structure and evolution


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of our own Milky Way, and studies of


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stars and planets.


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>> I've also heard it might help us


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understand dark matter and dark energy.


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>> Exactly. Those are two of the biggest


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mysteries in astrophysics, and a wide


00:11:19.839 --> 00:11:22.389
field survey telescope like Shunien is


00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:24.230
perfectly suited to contribute to that


00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:26.870
research. By mapping large areas of the


00:11:26.880 --> 00:11:29.269
sky and observing how galaxies cluster


00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:31.750
and move, scientists can gather evidence


00:11:31.760 --> 00:11:33.750
about the nature of dark matter and dark


00:11:33.760 --> 00:11:34.790
energy.


00:11:34.800 --> 00:11:37.590
>> Now, what makes Shunian really unique is


00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:39.590
how it will operate in relation to


00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:42.470
China's Tangong space station. Right?


00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:45.190
>> That's one of the coolest aspects. Shun


00:11:45.200 --> 00:11:47.190
will fly independently in low Earth


00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:49.990
orbit, co-orbiting with Tangong, but


00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:52.470
doing its own thing. However, and this


00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:54.470
is the really neat part, it's designed


00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:56.310
to dock with the space station when


00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:57.269
needed.


00:11:57.279 --> 00:11:59.430
>> So, astronauts can service it.


00:11:59.440 --> 00:12:01.829
>> Exactly. Just like NASA astronauts


00:12:01.839 --> 00:12:04.790
serviced Hubble five times between 1993


00:12:04.800 --> 00:12:07.910
and 2009. According to recent video from


00:12:07.920 --> 00:12:10.230
China Central Television, astronauts


00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.230
will be able to conduct spacew walks to


00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:14.949
maintain, repair, or even upgrade the


00:12:14.959 --> 00:12:17.430
observatory. This is a huge advantage


00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:19.509
because it extends the operational life


00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.269
of the telescope and allows for


00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:23.590
technology upgrades over time.


00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.750
>> That's actually brilliant. Hubble's


00:12:25.760 --> 00:12:27.430
servicing missions turned it from a


00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:29.350
disappointment into one of the most


00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:31.590
productive scientific instruments ever


00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:32.710
built.


00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:35.030
>> Absolutely. And China clearly learned


00:12:35.040 --> 00:12:37.509
from that example. Being able to service


00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:40.150
a space telescope in orbit is enormously


00:12:40.160 --> 00:12:41.110
valuable.


00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:42.949
>> Tell us about these simulations they


00:12:42.959 --> 00:12:45.269
just completed. The research team built


00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:47.590
what they call an end-to-end simulation


00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.990
suite. Basically, they created mock


00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:52.230
observations that replicate the expected


00:12:52.240 --> 00:12:54.069
instrumental and observational


00:12:54.079 --> 00:12:56.710
conditions. They tested both the optical


00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:59.190
systems and other observation systems to


00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:01.030
evaluate the telescope's overall


00:13:01.040 --> 00:13:03.350
performance before it ever leaves the


00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:04.310
ground.


00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:06.230
>> That makes sense. Better to find


00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:08.069
problems in simulation than after


00:13:08.079 --> 00:13:10.389
launch. The results were published in


00:13:10.399 --> 00:13:12.629
the journal research in astronomy and


00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:15.590
astrophysics in early January. This kind


00:13:15.600 --> 00:13:17.910
of validation work is crucial for a


00:13:17.920 --> 00:13:20.389
mission of this scale and complexity.


00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:23.590
>> When you say early 2027, how firm is


00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:24.710
that timeline?


00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:27.509
>> It's a no earlier than timeline. These


00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:29.509
large space telescopes are complex


00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:32.550
beasts and schedules can slip. But if


00:13:32.560 --> 00:13:34.310
everything stays on track, we could see


00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:36.870
Shunen launching on a Long March 5B


00:13:36.880 --> 00:13:39.190
rocket sometime in the first half of


00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:40.389
2027.


00:13:40.399 --> 00:13:42.230
>> It's going to be really interesting to


00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:44.230
see what Chunian discovers once it's


00:13:44.240 --> 00:13:46.710
operational. Having another major space


00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:48.790
telescope conducting surveys will be


00:13:48.800 --> 00:13:50.710
fantastic for astronomy.


00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:52.629
>> Next, let's head out to one of the most


00:13:52.639 --> 00:13:54.550
famous star forming regions in our


00:13:54.560 --> 00:13:57.430
cosmic neighborhood, the Orion Molecular


00:13:57.440 --> 00:13:59.590
Cloud Complex. The Hubble Space


00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:01.750
Telescope has captured some stunning new


00:14:01.760 --> 00:14:04.230
images that reveal how baby stars are


00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:05.990
literally carving out space for


00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:08.230
themselves in the surrounding gas and


00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:09.030
dust.


00:14:09.040 --> 00:14:11.509
>> This is such a beautiful topic. These


00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:13.750
are protostars, right? Stars that


00:14:13.760 --> 00:14:15.430
haven't quite grown up yet.


00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:17.990
>> That's right. Protoars are young stellar


00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:20.069
objects that are still in the process of


00:14:20.079 --> 00:14:22.069
accumulating mass from the molecular


00:14:22.079 --> 00:14:24.230
clouds they're forming in. They haven't


00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:26.470
started fusing hydrogen into helium yet,


00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:28.389
which is what defines a main sequence


00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:30.470
star like our sun. But even though


00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:32.550
they're not doing fusion, they're far


00:14:32.560 --> 00:14:33.509
from quiet.


00:14:33.519 --> 00:14:35.829
>> They're quite energetic, actually.


00:14:35.839 --> 00:14:38.470
>> Incredibly so. Protoars generate


00:14:38.480 --> 00:14:40.550
powerful winds and jets that shape their


00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:43.110
surroundings in dramatic ways. These


00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:45.189
jets and winds carve out bubbles and


00:14:45.199 --> 00:14:47.350
caverns in the surrounding gas. And


00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:49.189
astrophysicists have been trying to


00:14:49.199 --> 00:14:51.750
better understand this feedback process.


00:14:51.760 --> 00:14:53.590
What's driving these jets?


00:14:53.600 --> 00:14:55.910
>> It's a fascinating process. Material


00:14:55.920 --> 00:14:58.150
from the molecular cloud first forms a


00:14:58.160 --> 00:15:00.870
disc around the protoar. Not all of that


00:15:00.880 --> 00:15:03.269
material makes it onto the star itself.


00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:05.430
Some gets accelerated to high speeds


00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:08.069
along the stars magnetic field lines and


00:15:08.079 --> 00:15:10.389
shot out from the poles as focus beams


00:15:10.399 --> 00:15:12.069
of mostly hydrogen.


00:15:12.079 --> 00:15:14.870
>> So, they're like cosmic fire hoses.


00:15:14.880 --> 00:15:16.870
>> That's a good analogy. And in addition


00:15:16.880 --> 00:15:19.430
to these focused jets, protostars also


00:15:19.440 --> 00:15:21.829
produce wide angle stellar winds that


00:15:21.839 --> 00:15:24.389
flow in all directions. These winds from


00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:26.389
young stars are actually far more


00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:28.230
powerful than the solar wind from our


00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:30.550
sun or other main sequence stars.


00:15:30.560 --> 00:15:32.629
>> What did the Hubble images reveal?


00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:35.110
>> The three new images show protoars at


00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:37.350
different stages, all in the Orion


00:15:37.360 --> 00:15:39.670
molecular complex. You can actually see


00:15:39.680 --> 00:15:41.750
the cavernous shapes these young stars


00:15:41.760 --> 00:15:43.350
have carved out from the surrounding


00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:45.990
gas. It's quite striking visually. these


00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.150
dark, sometimes intricate structures


00:15:48.160 --> 00:15:49.829
against the glowing background of the


00:15:49.839 --> 00:15:50.629
nebula.


00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:52.710
>> But there was a surprising finding in


00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:54.230
the research, wasn't there?


00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:56.550
>> Yes, and it challenges some assumptions.


00:15:56.560 --> 00:15:58.310
Researchers found that the cavities


00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:00.389
carved by these jets and winds didn't


00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:02.389
grow larger as the stars move through


00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:04.710
their later formation stages. You might


00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:06.629
expect the cavities to keep expanding


00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:08.230
over time, but that's not what they


00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:09.269
observed.


00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:11.509
>> So, what does that tell us? Well, the


00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:13.350
Orion molecular cloud has been


00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:15.590
experiencing a declining star formation


00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:17.910
rate, and these protostars also have


00:16:17.920 --> 00:16:20.550
lower rates of mass accretion over time.


00:16:20.560 --> 00:16:22.550
Scientists initially thought maybe this


00:16:22.560 --> 00:16:24.150
could be attributed to the jets and


00:16:24.160 --> 00:16:26.710
winds carving out all the available gas,


00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:28.710
but the new findings suggest that's not


00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:31.030
the case. The cavity sizes weren't the


00:16:31.040 --> 00:16:32.230
limiting factor.


00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.389
>> So, something else is controlling the


00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:35.590
star formation rate.


00:16:35.600 --> 00:16:37.749
>> Exactly. There must be other factors at


00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:39.829
play in regulating how quickly stars


00:16:39.839 --> 00:16:42.230
form and grow in this region. It's a


00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:43.990
reminder that even in wellstudied


00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:46.069
regions like Orion, we're still learning


00:16:46.079 --> 00:16:48.629
the details of how star formation works.


00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:50.389
>> I love that these images aren't just


00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:52.230
pretty pictures. They're revealing


00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:53.509
actual physics.


00:16:53.519 --> 00:16:55.829
>> That's what makes astronomy so exciting.


00:16:55.839 --> 00:16:57.749
Every observation adds a piece of the


00:16:57.759 --> 00:16:59.749
puzzle. In this case, we're learning


00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:01.509
that the feedback from young stars


00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:03.670
through their jets and winds, while


00:17:03.680 --> 00:17:06.309
dramatic and visually spectacular, might


00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:08.470
not be the main factor controlling star


00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:09.669
formation in the region.


00:17:09.679 --> 00:17:11.429
>> It's also interesting to think about our


00:17:11.439 --> 00:17:13.029
own sun going through this phase


00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:14.630
billions of years ago.


00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:16.949
>> Absolutely. When the sun was young, it


00:17:16.959 --> 00:17:18.710
was in a cluster with its siblings,


00:17:18.720 --> 00:17:20.789
probably in a molecular cloud much like


00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:22.949
Orion. It would have had these same


00:17:22.959 --> 00:17:25.510
powerful jets and winds shaping the gas


00:17:25.520 --> 00:17:27.750
and dust around it. Eventually, the


00:17:27.760 --> 00:17:29.750
molecular cloud dispersed, the star


00:17:29.760 --> 00:17:31.909
cluster broke up, and the sun ended up


00:17:31.919 --> 00:17:34.310
as the solitary star we know today.


00:17:34.320 --> 00:17:36.070
>> Orion is close enough that we can study


00:17:36.080 --> 00:17:37.990
these processes in detail, which is


00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:39.830
really lucky for astronomers.


00:17:39.840 --> 00:17:43.190
>> Very lucky. At about 1350 light-years


00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:45.510
away, it's one of the nearest large star


00:17:45.520 --> 00:17:47.590
forming regions. We can resolve


00:17:47.600 --> 00:17:49.350
individual protoars and their


00:17:49.360 --> 00:17:51.350
surrounding structures, which gives us


00:17:51.360 --> 00:17:53.190
insights we can apply to understanding


00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:55.590
star formation throughout the galaxy and


00:17:55.600 --> 00:17:57.669
beyond. All right, let's shift from


00:17:57.679 --> 00:18:00.230
natural cosmic phenomena to humanmade


00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:02.390
space activities. We've got a busy week


00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:04.070
of launches coming up, Avery.


00:18:04.080 --> 00:18:06.789
>> We do indeed. Seven launches from six


00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:08.710
different sites across the globe. Let's


00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.430
run through them.


00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:11.110
>> The week actually started this morning


00:18:11.120 --> 00:18:12.870
with a Chinese launch. Correct.


00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:15.669
>> That's right. A Changang 12 rocket, also


00:18:15.679 --> 00:18:18.470
known as Long March 12, lifted off from


00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:21.190
commercial launch complex 2 at WCang


00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:23.909
Space Launch Site in Hainan, China. This


00:18:23.919 --> 00:18:27.430
was at 748 UTC carrying nine satnet


00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:30.549
satellites to low Earth orbit. The CZ12


00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:33.990
can lift about 12,000 kg to LEO. And


00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:35.750
this was a demonstration of China's


00:18:35.760 --> 00:18:37.430
commercial launch capabilities.


00:18:37.440 --> 00:18:39.909
>> Moving on to tomorrow, what do we have


00:18:39.919 --> 00:18:42.789
>> tomorrow, January 21st, we have Rocket


00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:45.029
Lab launching from New Zealand. Their


00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.029
Electron rocket will be carrying two


00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:49.430
satellites for Open Cosmos as part of a


00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:51.590
secure broadband constellation being


00:18:51.600 --> 00:18:54.150
built in the UK. The mission is called


00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:56.870
the cosmos will see you now and liftoff


00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:59.909
is scheduled for 11:09 UTC from their


00:18:59.919 --> 00:19:01.990
facility on the Maha Peninsula.


00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:04.310
>> Rocket Lab has really established a


00:19:04.320 --> 00:19:06.070
solid cadence with Electron.


00:19:06.080 --> 00:19:08.789
>> They have. This will be Electron's 80th


00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:10.950
mission. That's a remarkable achievement


00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:13.270
for a small rocket. The vehicle has


00:19:13.280 --> 00:19:15.590
proven itself reliable and capable,


00:19:15.600 --> 00:19:17.510
especially for these small satellite


00:19:17.520 --> 00:19:19.190
constellation deployments. It's


00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:21.110
Wednesday that gets particularly


00:19:21.120 --> 00:19:22.950
interesting with the ESAR aerospace


00:19:22.960 --> 00:19:23.590
launch.


00:19:23.600 --> 00:19:26.470
>> Yes, this is second attempt to launch


00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:28.630
their Spectrum rocket from the Andoya


00:19:28.640 --> 00:19:31.110
rocket range in Norway. The mission is


00:19:31.120 --> 00:19:33.270
called Onward and Upward, which is


00:19:33.280 --> 00:19:34.789
fitting given that their first attempt


00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:37.590
in March 2025 failed shortly after


00:19:37.600 --> 00:19:39.430
liftoff due to an engine issue.


00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:40.789
>> What's different this time?


00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:42.470
>> Well, they've been investigating what


00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:44.150
went wrong on that first flight and


00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.549
making refinements. Spectrum is a


00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:48.789
two-stage rocket powered by Aquilla


00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:51.430
engines using propane and liquid oxygen.


00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.029
It's designed for the satellite


00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:55.190
constellation market and can lift about


00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.909
a,000 kg to LEO. They're carrying


00:19:57.919 --> 00:20:00.070
several cubats for the European Space


00:20:00.080 --> 00:20:01.669
Ay's boost program.


00:20:01.679 --> 00:20:03.350
>> So fingers crossed for ESAR on


00:20:03.360 --> 00:20:04.630
Wednesday. What else?


00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:07.190
>> Wednesday is also when SpaceX has their


00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:09.270
first Falcon 9 launch of the week.


00:20:09.280 --> 00:20:11.750
They're launching 24 Starlink satellites


00:20:11.760 --> 00:20:13.909
from Vandenberg Space Force Base in


00:20:13.919 --> 00:20:15.990
California. Liftoff is currently


00:20:16.000 --> 00:20:20.150
targeted for 243 UTC on January 22nd,


00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.789
which is 6:43 p.m. Pacific time on the


00:20:22.799 --> 00:20:23.510
21st.


00:20:23.520 --> 00:20:25.830
>> Vandenberg has been busy lately.


00:20:25.840 --> 00:20:28.630
>> Very busy. This mission will use booster


00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:31.990
B1093 on its 10th flight, landing on the


00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:34.070
drone ship, Of course I Still Love You


00:20:34.080 --> 00:20:36.549
in the Pacific. It's another example of


00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:39.510
SpaceX's routine reuse. This particular


00:20:39.520 --> 00:20:41.430
booster has previously flown seven


00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:43.350
Starlink missions and two military


00:20:43.360 --> 00:20:44.070
missions.


00:20:44.080 --> 00:20:46.390
>> Do we have a New Shepard launch from


00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:47.830
Blue Origin this week?


00:20:47.840 --> 00:20:50.070
>> Correct. Blue Origin is targeting


00:20:50.080 --> 00:20:54.149
Thursday, January 22nd at 14:30 UTC.


00:20:54.159 --> 00:20:56.630
That's 9:30 a.m. Eastern for New


00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:59.750
Shepard's 17th crude mission designated


00:20:59.760 --> 00:21:01.430
NS38.


00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:03.430
This will be a suborbital flight from


00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:06.070
launch site one in West Texas, carrying


00:21:06.080 --> 00:21:08.390
six people past the Carmen line and into


00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:09.669
space for a few minutes of


00:21:09.679 --> 00:21:11.750
weightlessness. New Shepard has really


00:21:11.760 --> 00:21:13.990
become a regular operation for them.


00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:16.390
>> It has. The capsule will separate from


00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:18.230
the booster which will return for a


00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:20.310
propulsive landing while the capsule


00:21:20.320 --> 00:21:22.149
lands under parachutes with retro


00:21:22.159 --> 00:21:24.470
thrusters firing just before touchdown


00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:26.870
to soften the landing for the crew. And


00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:28.950
we round out the week with


00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:31.270
>> two more launches on Sunday, January


00:21:31.280 --> 00:21:34.549
25th. First, China will conduct a sea


00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:36.710
launch of a Gia Long 3 rocket from the


00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:39.430
South China Sea. Details on the payload


00:21:39.440 --> 00:21:41.270
are still under wraps. They'll likely


00:21:41.280 --> 00:21:42.789
release that information after the


00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:45.590
launch. Liftoff is scheduled for 6:30


00:21:45.600 --> 00:21:46.470
UTC.


00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:48.630
>> Sea launches are always interesting.


00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:51.510
>> They are. The Geonong 3 is a four- stage


00:21:51.520 --> 00:21:53.590
solidfueled rocket that launches from a


00:21:53.600 --> 00:21:55.830
maritime platform. It's an interesting


00:21:55.840 --> 00:21:57.990
capability that gives China flexibility


00:21:58.000 --> 00:22:00.070
in launch as a myth and location.


00:22:00.080 --> 00:22:01.590
>> And finally,


00:22:01.600 --> 00:22:03.990
>> Sunday also brings SpaceX's second


00:22:04.000 --> 00:22:06.230
Falcon 9 launch of the week, also from


00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:09.190
Vandenberg. Another batch of 24 Starling


00:22:09.200 --> 00:22:12.950
satellites heading to orbit at 1517 UTC.


00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:16.070
This one will use booster B0088


00:22:16.080 --> 00:22:18.710
on its 13th flight. Another testament to


00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:20.149
booster reusability.


00:22:20.159 --> 00:22:22.870
>> That's quite a week. Seven launches from


00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:25.510
six sites. It really shows how routine


00:22:25.520 --> 00:22:27.190
space access has become.


00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:28.950
>> It does, and it's only going to get


00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:31.110
busier as more commercial constellations


00:22:31.120 --> 00:22:33.270
come online and more providers enter the


00:22:33.280 --> 00:22:34.149
launch market.


00:22:34.159 --> 00:22:36.549
>> And may we wish them all successful


00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:37.590
launches.


00:22:37.600 --> 00:22:40.149
>> Indeed. Moving along for our final


00:22:40.159 --> 00:22:42.630
story, let's journey to distant worlds


00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:44.710
and explore a fascinating new theory


00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:47.029
about how some rocky exoplanets might


00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:49.029
protect themselves from deadly cosmic


00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:49.990
radiation.


00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:52.630
>> This involves super Earths, right? Those


00:22:52.640 --> 00:22:54.870
planets that are larger than our Earth


00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:56.789
but smaller than ice giants like


00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:57.669
Neptune.


00:22:57.679 --> 00:23:00.149
>> Exactly. Super Earths are actually the


00:23:00.159 --> 00:23:02.149
most common type of exoplanet we found


00:23:02.159 --> 00:23:04.390
in our galaxy, which makes understanding


00:23:04.400 --> 00:23:06.710
them really important. But here's an


00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:08.710
interesting problem. Many of these


00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:10.630
worlds might not be able to generate


00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:12.950
magnetic fields the way Earth does.


00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:15.190
>> And magnetic fields are crucial for


00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:16.710
protecting a planet's surface from


00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:18.149
harmful radiation.


00:23:18.159 --> 00:23:20.149
>> Right? Earth's magnetic field is


00:23:20.159 --> 00:23:22.310
generated by movement in our liquid iron


00:23:22.320 --> 00:23:24.310
outer core through a process called a


00:23:24.320 --> 00:23:27.110
dynamo. But larger rocky worlds like


00:23:27.120 --> 00:23:29.190
super Earths might have cores that are


00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:31.830
completely solid or completely liquid,


00:23:31.840 --> 00:23:33.750
neither of which can produce a magnetic


00:23:33.760 --> 00:23:35.669
field through the same mechanism.


00:23:35.679 --> 00:23:37.990
>> So how do they protect themselves?


00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:39.590
>> That's where this new research from the


00:23:39.600 --> 00:23:41.909
University of Rochester comes in. They


00:23:41.919 --> 00:23:44.549
propose an alternate source. Deep layers


00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:47.669
of molten rock called basil magma oceans


00:23:47.679 --> 00:23:50.549
or BMOs which exist at the boundary


00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:52.710
between a planet's mantle and core.


00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:55.909
>> Molten rock generating a magnetic field.


00:23:55.919 --> 00:23:57.909
>> It sounds surprising, but the key is


00:23:57.919 --> 00:23:59.990
what happens to rock under the extreme


00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:02.390
pressures inside super Earths. The


00:24:02.400 --> 00:24:04.549
research team led by associate professor


00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:07.270
Miki Nakajima conducted laser shock


00:24:07.280 --> 00:24:09.590
experiments and quantum simulations to


00:24:09.600 --> 00:24:11.669
recreate the conditions deep inside


00:24:11.679 --> 00:24:13.190
these massive planets.


00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:14.630
>> What did they find


00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:16.630
>> under the crushing pressures found in


00:24:16.640 --> 00:24:18.950
super Earths? We're talking planets 3 to


00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:21.830
six times the mass of Earth. Molten rock


00:24:21.840 --> 00:24:24.230
becomes electrically conductive. And if


00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:25.750
you have electrically conductive


00:24:25.760 --> 00:24:28.310
material in motion, you can generate a


00:24:28.320 --> 00:24:31.110
magnetic field. So these basil magma


00:24:31.120 --> 00:24:34.310
oceans could act like liquid metal cores


00:24:34.320 --> 00:24:36.070
just using rock instead.


00:24:36.080 --> 00:24:38.630
>> Essentially, yes. The movement of this


00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:40.470
electrically conductive molten rock


00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:43.350
could drive what they call a dynamo.


00:24:43.360 --> 00:24:45.029
And according to their models, these


00:24:45.039 --> 00:24:47.029
dynamos could generate magnetic fields


00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:48.630
that are actually stronger and


00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:50.470
longerlasting than those produced by


00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:52.230
core dynamos like Earths.


00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:54.630
>> That's remarkable. How long could these


00:24:54.640 --> 00:24:55.750
fields last?


00:24:55.760 --> 00:24:58.149
>> Billions of years potentially. That's


00:24:58.159 --> 00:24:59.909
important because for a planet to


00:24:59.919 --> 00:25:01.830
develop and sustain life, you need


00:25:01.840 --> 00:25:04.149
stable protection from radiation over


00:25:04.159 --> 00:25:05.909
very long time scales


00:25:05.919 --> 00:25:08.630
>> now. Earth probably had a basil magma


00:25:08.640 --> 00:25:11.029
ocean early in its history. Right?


00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:13.669
>> Yes. Shortly after formation, but Earth


00:25:13.679 --> 00:25:16.070
is relatively small. So as it cooled,


00:25:16.080 --> 00:25:18.789
that magma ocean eventually solidified.


00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:20.470
Super Earth though with their higher


00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:22.390
internal pressures and temperatures


00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:24.630
could maintain these basil magma oceans


00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:26.950
for much much longer potentially


00:25:26.960 --> 00:25:28.870
throughout their entire lifetime.


00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:30.950
>> This has pretty significant implications


00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:33.269
for the search for habitable worlds.


00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:35.590
>> Absolutely. One of the factors in


00:25:35.600 --> 00:25:37.350
determining whether a planet might be


00:25:37.360 --> 00:25:39.510
habitable is whether it has magnetic


00:25:39.520 --> 00:25:41.990
protection. Without a magnetic field, a


00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:43.990
planet's atmosphere can be stripped away


00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:46.310
by stellar wind, making it hard for life


00:25:46.320 --> 00:25:48.390
to survive on the surface. If super


00:25:48.400 --> 00:25:50.390
Earths can generate magnetic fields


00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:52.710
through basil magma oceans, that


00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:54.390
potentially increases the number of


00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:55.990
worlds that could harbor life.


00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.750
>> How do we test this theory?


00:25:57.760 --> 00:26:00.070
>> That's the exciting next step. We need


00:26:00.080 --> 00:26:02.310
to actually detect and measure magnetic


00:26:02.320 --> 00:26:04.390
fields around exoplanets, which is


00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:06.070
extremely challenging with current


00:26:06.080 --> 00:26:08.070
technology. But next generation


00:26:08.080 --> 00:26:09.990
telescopes and instruments might be able


00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:12.310
to do it. Professor Nakajima mentioned


00:26:12.320 --> 00:26:14.310
she can't wait for future magnetic field


00:26:14.320 --> 00:26:16.310
observations of exoplanets to test their


00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:18.549
hypothesis. It's fascinating how


00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:20.710
interdisciplinary this research is,


00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:23.190
combining experimental physics, quantum


00:26:23.200 --> 00:26:25.669
simulations, and planetary evolution


00:26:25.679 --> 00:26:26.310
models.


00:26:26.320 --> 00:26:28.470
>> That's what makes it so robust. They


00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:30.230
weren't just working on theory. They


00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:32.710
actually recreated the conditions inside


00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:34.789
supererves with laser shock experiments


00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:36.870
at the laboratory for laser energetics


00:26:36.880 --> 00:26:38.870
at the University of Rochester. Then


00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:40.710
they combined that with computational


00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:42.310
modeling to understand how these


00:26:42.320 --> 00:26:44.390
conditions would evolve over billions of


00:26:44.400 --> 00:26:46.630
years. And this was challenging work for


00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:47.830
the team, wasn't it?


00:26:47.840 --> 00:26:49.990
>> Very much so. Professor Nakajima


00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:51.190
mentioned this was her first


00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:53.269
experimental work. Her background is


00:26:53.279 --> 00:26:55.669
primarily computational. She credited


00:26:55.679 --> 00:26:57.430
support from collaborators across


00:26:57.440 --> 00:26:59.350
various research fields for making this


00:26:59.360 --> 00:27:01.110
interdisciplinary work possible.


00:27:01.120 --> 00:27:02.950
>> It's a great reminder that some of the


00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:05.029
biggest scientific questions require


00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:06.789
bringing together expertise from


00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.070
multiple disciplines.


00:27:08.080 --> 00:27:10.549
>> Absolutely. Understanding planetary


00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:13.110
interiors, magnetic field generation,


00:27:13.120 --> 00:27:15.990
and habitability requires geoysics,


00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:18.549
astrophysics, planetary science, and


00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:20.710
material science all working together.


00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:23.350
>> So, the bottom line is super Earths


00:27:23.360 --> 00:27:25.190
might have a built-in radiation shield


00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:27.350
that we didn't know about, potentially


00:27:27.360 --> 00:27:29.110
making more of them candidates for


00:27:29.120 --> 00:27:30.149
harboring life.


00:27:30.159 --> 00:27:32.710
>> That's exactly right. It expands our


00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:34.310
understanding of what makes a planet


00:27:34.320 --> 00:27:36.390
potentially habitable and gives us new


00:27:36.400 --> 00:27:38.230
things to look for when we're evaluating


00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:40.549
exoplanets as possible homes for life.


00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:42.549
>> Well, that wraps up today's edition of


00:27:42.559 --> 00:27:45.350
Astronomy Daily. From solar storms to


00:27:45.360 --> 00:27:48.149
baby stars, Chinese space technology to


00:27:48.159 --> 00:27:50.789
hidden magma oceans on distant worlds.


00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:52.390
It's been quite a journey through the


00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:53.110
cosmos.


00:27:53.120 --> 00:27:55.350
>> It really has. And remember, if you're


00:27:55.360 --> 00:27:57.510
in the northern tier states of the USA


00:27:57.520 --> 00:27:59.669
or Canada tonight, keep an eye on the


00:27:59.679 --> 00:28:01.350
sky for those auroras from that solar


00:28:01.360 --> 00:28:03.029
storm. Could be quite a show.


00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:04.789
>> Thanks for joining us. For the latest


00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:07.029
space and astronomy news delivered fresh


00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:09.029
everyday, be sure to subscribe to


00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:11.029
Astronomy Daily. You can find us on our


00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:13.430
website at astronomyaily.io


00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:15.029
or search for us on your favorite


00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:16.070
podcast platform.


00:28:16.080 --> 00:28:17.830
>> Until next time, keep looking up.


00:28:17.840 --> 00:28:22.389
>> Clear skies, everyone. Astronomy day.


00:28:22.399 --> 00:28:30.389
Stories be told.


00:28:30.399 --> 00:28:34.120
Stories told.