Telescopic Titans, Martian Mirage, and Celestial Chickens: S03E243

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Kind: captions
Language: en

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welcome to astronomy daily your daily


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dose of the most fascinating


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developments in space science and


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astronomical discoveries I'm Anna and


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today we're exploring some incredible


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stories from across the cosmos from the


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ongoing search for water on Mars to a


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cosmic Cloud that looks surprisingly


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like a running


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chicken stay with me as we journey


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through today's biggest astronomy


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headlines and try to make sense of our


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vast and wonderful


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Universe let's kick things off today by


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diving into something huge I'm talking


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telescope so powerful they'll redefine


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how we see the universe let's explore


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the findings of a recent National


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Science Foundation or NSF report on the


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US extremely large telescope program now


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what's this all about well two


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telescopes are in the spotlight the


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giant mellin telescope or GMT and the 30


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m telescope or TMT these aren't just any


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telescopes they're set to be game


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changers in the world of astronomy so


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why are these telescopes such a big deal


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for starters they'll allow scientists to


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tackle some of the biggest questions out


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there how did galaxies form what exactly


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is dark matter and wait for it are we


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really alone in the universe the GMT and


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TMT are designed to work alongside other


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International projects like the European


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Southern observatories elt together


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they'll give us the clearest most


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detailed views of the cosmos we've ever


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had now let's talk about what the NSF


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report revealed the good news is that


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both projects are scientifically superb


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they're uniquely capable of delivering


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insights no other telescopes can but


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there's always a butt they need more


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funding to keep moving forward we're


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talking about $1.6 billion without it


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the projects could face some major


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setbacks and that's not the only


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challenge there are also technical


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hurdles and the tricky task of


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coordinating multiple partners worldwide


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the report says the projects need solid


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risk management plans to make sure


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things stay on track here's another cool


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part these telescopes will do more than


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just look at the stars they'll also help


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train the next generation of astronomers


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picture this a pipeline of early career


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scientists getting hands-on experience


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with some of the most advanced tools in


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the world amazing right and on top of


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that there are plans for public Outreach


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that means more educational programs to


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inspire all of us earthlings to look up


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at the night sky and dream


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big so what's the


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takeaway the NS F report makes it clear


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these telescopes are absolutely critical


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for keeping the us at the Forefront of


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astronomy but their future hinges on


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securing that funding will Congress and


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the scientific Community step up to the


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plate only time will tell but one


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thing's for sure if these telescopes


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come to life they'll take our


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understanding of the universe to


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dazzling New


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Heights next up let's turn our Focus to


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the red planet where the search for


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liquid water continues to challenge


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scientists


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a fascinating newpaper published in the


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proceedings of the National Academy of


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Sciences has cast doubt on our hopes of


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finding liquid water on Mars at least in


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the forms we've been looking for more


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than a century ago astronomer persal LOL


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captivated the world with his theory


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that Mars had canals built by


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intelligent beings to transport water


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from the polar ice caps while better


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telescopes eventually disproved this


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romantic notion the quest to find liquid


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water on Mars has remained one of


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planetary science's most compelling


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Pursuits the challenge lies in Mars's


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harsh environment with its frigid


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temperatures thin atmosphere and minimal


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water vapor any liquid water would


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quickly freeze boil or


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evaporate scientists have been


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particularly interested in features


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called recurring slope linei or rsls


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dark streaks that appear on Martian


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slopes during warmer seasons and fade in


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colder ones while these seemed promising


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new research suggests they're likely


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just flows of sand and dust with no


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water needed to create them some


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researchers have turned their attention


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to brins Solutions with high salt


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concentrations as potential sources of


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liquid water Mars has plenty of salts


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and some like perchlorates can remain


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liquid at incredibly low temperatures


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for instance calcium perorate brine only


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freezes at -75° C given that Mars's


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average equatorial temperature is - 50


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degrees this seemed promising however


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the new study led by Vincent chevrier


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who has spent two decades studying Mars


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concludes that even these brins face


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significant challenges the relatively


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low amounts of promising salts combined


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with water vapor pressure and Ice


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location severely limit the possibility


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of stable brins on or near the surface


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and even if such brins did form they


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would be extremely inhospitable by Earth


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standards despite these sobering


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findings the continues scientists are


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now focusing on developing better


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instruments to detect small amounts of


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brins and identifying more promising


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locations to look for them as chevier


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notes while Mars remains a cold dry


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desert the possibility that some form of


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life could have adapted to these extreme


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conditions keeps the search for water


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alive and


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relevant now a quick China update in


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major developments from China's


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commercial space sector launch startup


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land space has secured an impressive 900


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million yen that's about $123 million in


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funding from China's national


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manufacturing transformation and


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upgrading fund this substantial


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investment is earmarked specifically for


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developing and testing their new line of


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reusable methane powered


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Rockets this funding comes at a crucial


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time for landspace which recently


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achieved a significant Milestone with


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the successful launch of their enhanced


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juk 2 rocket they've also completed


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completed a promising test of their more


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ambitious Jay 3 launcher managing a 10


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km vertical takeoff and landing at the


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Jan Spaceport the jukie 3 is


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particularly interesting we're looking


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at a massive stainless steel rocket that


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stands nearly 77 M tall when it's ready


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it should be able to lift an impressive


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21,000 kg to low earth orbit in its


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Expendable configuration or up to 18,300


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kg when recovering the first stage


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downrange land space is aiming for its


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first orbital launch in 2025 with plans


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to achieve first stage recovery and


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reuse by


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2026 this development is part of a


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broader Trend in China's space sector


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since 2014 when the government opened


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space activities to private investment


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we've seen numerous startups emerge


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other companies like space Pioneer and


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orian space have also secured


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substantial funding this year


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highlighting China's growing commitment


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to commercial space development what's


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particularly noteworthy is that


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landspace has also announced plans to


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begin launching cargo missions to the


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tiangong space station by


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2026 this represents a significant step


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forward in China's efforts to


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commercialize its space operations and


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potentially compete with established


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players in the global launch


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market a fascinating New Image has just


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been released from the European Southern


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observatory's very large telescope in


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Chile giving us an incredible view of


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what's known as the running chicken


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nebula now I know what you're thinking a


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Cosmic chicken but wait until you hear


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about this remarkable Celestial


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formation located about 6,500 light


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years away in the constellation


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Centaurus this emission nebula


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officially goes by the rather less


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colorful name of IC 2872 or gum 40 but


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once you see it you can't help but


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notice its uncanny resemblance to a


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chicken with its head tilted upward as


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if wondering about its place in the


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cosmos what makes this image


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particularly striking is how the nebulus


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feat align to create this Whimsical


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shape in the lower right you can see


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what appears to be the chicken's head


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complete with a bright region of star


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formation that looks just like a glowing


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beak dark clouds extend upward from this


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area forming what looks like a PEC comb


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on top of the chicken's head the science


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behind this Celestial spectacle is just


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as fascinating as its appearance as an


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emission nebula it's essentially a vast


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cloud of ionized gas that produces its


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own light the intense radiation from


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nearby Stars energizes the gas causing


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it to Glow in various colors depending


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on its composition we can spot numerous


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young bright blue stars scattered


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throughout the image including one that


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perfectly marks what appears to be the


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chicken's eye this Cosmic bird has quite


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a history in astronomical cataloges it


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was first documented back in 1888 by


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Danish astronomer John Lewis EML dryer


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and later included in Colin Stanley


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gum's 1955 catalog of a mission nebula


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in the southern Sky it's a remarkable


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reminder that even in the vastness of


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space we can find shapes that feel


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somehow familiar and even


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playful for those of you who received a


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telescope this holiday season sky and


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Telescope have published a list of


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useful tips for getting the most out of


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your shiny new toy so let me share some


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of their essential tips to help you


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start your stargazing Journey on the


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right foot first and foremost resist the


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urge to rush outside immediately take


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time to familiarize yourself with your


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telescope indoors where you can


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comfortably learn how everything works


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from adjusting the mount to changing ey


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pieces once you're comfortable with the


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basics try your telescope during


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daylight hours practice focusing on


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distant objects like Treetops or


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buildings this is also the perfect time


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to align your finder scope which will be


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crucial for locating objects in the


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night sky remember your lowest


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magnification eyepiece will give you the


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brightest sharpest views and the widest


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field of view making it easier to find


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your targets now what should you look at


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first the Moon is an absolutely


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spectacular Target for new observers


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even in a modest telescope you'll see


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incredible detail in its craters


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mountains and


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valleys the best views come when you


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observe areas near the Terminator that's


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the line between the Moon's day and


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night sides where Shadows really bring


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out the surface features the planets are


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also excellent targets right now Jupiter


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is particularly impressive showing its


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Cloud bands and four brightest moons


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even in small telescopes Saturn despite


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its rings being nearly Edge on this year


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still offers an unforgettable sight


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Venus is currently visible as a bright


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Evening Star showing phases similar to


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the moon when viewed through a telescope


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one crucial piece of advice be patient


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many newcomers expect Hubble like views


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but remember that most astronomical


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objects appear subtle and gray to the


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human eye the longer you spend observing


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an object the more detail you'll begin


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to notice also don't feel disappointed


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if things look a bit blurry at first


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atmospheric conditions play a huge role


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in telescope viewing and some nights


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will be better than others keep in mind


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that astronomy is a journey of Discovery


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not a Sprint take your time learning the


00:11:20.040 --> 00:11:22.509
basics and you'll be rewarded with views


00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:24.829
of some of the most amazing objects in


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our universe for these and more tips


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I'll include a link in the show notes to


00:11:29.760 --> 00:11:31.670
the original


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article and that brings us to the end of


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today's Journey Through the cosmos I'm


00:11:36.839 --> 00:11:38.790
Anna and thank you for joining me here


00:11:38.800 --> 00:11:41.030
on astronomy daily if you'd like to


00:11:41.040 --> 00:11:42.949
learn more about any of our stories or


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get the latest updates in astronomy head


00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:47.910
over to our website at astronomy


00:11:47.920 --> 00:11:50.269
daily. you can also be part of our


00:11:50.279 --> 00:11:52.629
growing community of space enthusiasts


00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:55.910
on social media find us as Astro daily


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pod on Facebook X Tumblr YouTube and Tik


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Tok there's always something fascinating


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happening in the universe and we'll be


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here to share those stories with you


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until next time keep looking up and


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wondering about the Mysteries above us


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this has been astronomy daily I'm Anna


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signing off as


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[Music]


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told