WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:02.720 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your regular dose 1 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:04.880 of cosmic insights with your host, Anna. 2 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:07.280 Today, we're diving into how a massive 3 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:09.440 ancient impact shaped our planet for life, 4 00:00:09.680 --> 00:00:11.840 uncovering new secrets about ice and space, 5 00:00:12.160 --> 00:00:14.120 and getting the latest on exciting space 6 00:00:14.120 --> 00:00:16.440 missions and rocket launches. Plus, we'll 7 00:00:16.440 --> 00:00:17.960 guide you through observing, uh, July's 8 00:00:17.960 --> 00:00:20.120 beautiful Buck Moon and commemorating a 9 00:00:20.120 --> 00:00:23.120 historic lunar anniversary. Let's get started 10 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:24.960 with a story about our home planet. 11 00:00:26.410 --> 00:00:28.770 Earth, alone among the rocky planets in our 12 00:00:28.770 --> 00:00:31.450 solar system, is a vibrant home for life. 13 00:00:31.850 --> 00:00:34.850 It's warm, hospitable and teeming with 14 00:00:34.850 --> 00:00:37.530 activity, a stark contrast to the frigid 15 00:00:37.530 --> 00:00:40.210 lifelessness of its neighbours. How did our 16 00:00:40.210 --> 00:00:42.490 planet become so uniquely suited for life? 17 00:00:42.970 --> 00:00:45.410 The answer is incredibly complex. But a 18 00:00:45.410 --> 00:00:46.690 significant part of it lies in the 19 00:00:46.690 --> 00:00:48.970 fascinating field of cosmochemistry, which 20 00:00:48.970 --> 00:00:50.610 explores how chemical elements are 21 00:00:50.610 --> 00:00:53.550 distributed across the cosmos. Imagine 22 00:00:53.550 --> 00:00:56.070 our solar system. 4.5 billion years ago, 23 00:00:56.390 --> 00:00:58.630 it was a far more chaotic place than it is 24 00:00:58.630 --> 00:01:01.150 today, with planets still in their infancy 25 00:01:01.150 --> 00:01:03.470 and countless planetesimals and planetary 26 00:01:03.470 --> 00:01:05.790 embryos whizzing around constantly crashing 27 00:01:05.790 --> 00:01:08.349 into each other. Amidst this 28 00:01:08.349 --> 00:01:10.670 cosmic demolition derby, something 29 00:01:10.670 --> 00:01:13.310 extraordinary happened. Earth somehow 30 00:01:13.310 --> 00:01:15.750 received an exceptionally generous delivery 31 00:01:15.750 --> 00:01:18.520 of carbonaceous chondrites. These 32 00:01:18.520 --> 00:01:21.040 aren't just any space rocks. They're packed 33 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:23.000 with amino acids and other essential 34 00:01:23.000 --> 00:01:25.240 chemicals, the very building blocks that 35 00:01:25.240 --> 00:01:28.200 enable life. Cosmochemistry studies have 36 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:31.080 revealed that between 5 and 10% of Earth's 37 00:01:31.080 --> 00:01:33.360 entire mass originated from these 38 00:01:33.360 --> 00:01:35.400 carbonaceous chondrites that collided with 39 00:01:35.400 --> 00:01:38.320 our young planet. What's even more astounding 40 00:01:38.320 --> 00:01:40.600 is that a substantial portion of this life 41 00:01:40.600 --> 00:01:43.440 enabling material is believed to have arrived 42 00:01:43.440 --> 00:01:45.840 during the colossal impact, eventually that 43 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:47.880 formed our moon. The THEIA impact. 44 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:51.600 To rigorously test this profound idea, a 45 00:01:51.600 --> 00:01:54.520 team of researchers led by Duarte Branco 46 00:01:54.520 --> 00:01:56.640 from the Institute of Astrophysics and Space 47 00:01:56.640 --> 00:01:59.440 Sciences in Portugal, utilised sophisticated 48 00:01:59.440 --> 00:02:02.080 dynamical simulations of the solar 49 00:02:02.080 --> 00:02:04.320 system's formation. Their groundbreaking 50 00:02:04.320 --> 00:02:07.080 work, titled Dynamical Origin of Theia uh, 51 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:09.960 the Last Giant Impactor on Earth, is set to 52 00:02:09.960 --> 00:02:12.010 be published in the journal IT icarus. 53 00:02:12.730 --> 00:02:15.170 In cosmochemistry, a critical distinction is 54 00:02:15.170 --> 00:02:18.170 made between carbonaceous chondrites, or ccs, 55 00:02:18.250 --> 00:02:20.330 and non carbonaceous meteorites. 56 00:02:21.450 --> 00:02:23.570 This effectively divides the solar system's 57 00:02:23.570 --> 00:02:25.610 meteorite population into two distinct 58 00:02:25.610 --> 00:02:28.490 material reservoirs. Ccs formed much 59 00:02:28.490 --> 00:02:30.970 farther from the sun, likely beyond Jupiter, 60 00:02:31.210 --> 00:02:33.450 and are rich in volatiles like water and 61 00:02:33.450 --> 00:02:36.210 organic compounds. Ncs, on the other 62 00:02:36.210 --> 00:02:39.080 hand, include things like iron meteorites and 63 00:02:39.080 --> 00:02:41.880 contain far fewer volatile elements. The 64 00:02:41.880 --> 00:02:43.720 core question for the researchers was whether 65 00:02:43.720 --> 00:02:45.360 Theia uh, could have delivered these crucial 66 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:47.360 CCS and volatiles to early Earth. 67 00:02:48.160 --> 00:02:51.120 To investigate this, the team ran detailed N 68 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.640 body simulations focusing on the later stages 69 00:02:53.640 --> 00:02:56.280 of terrestrial planet growth, specifically 70 00:02:56.280 --> 00:02:58.400 after the solar system's gaseous disc had 71 00:02:58.400 --> 00:03:00.840 dissipated. These simulations included 72 00:03:00.840 --> 00:03:03.680 CCs that were scattered inward as gas giants 73 00:03:03.680 --> 00:03:05.600 like Jupiter and Saturn were still growing. 74 00:03:06.170 --> 00:03:07.890 The researchers explored three main 75 00:03:07.890 --> 00:03:10.450 scenarios, one with only small CC 76 00:03:10.450 --> 00:03:13.290 objects or planetesimals, another with only 77 00:03:13.290 --> 00:03:16.250 large CC objects or planetary embryos, and 78 00:03:16.250 --> 00:03:18.650 a mixed scenario that included both. 79 00:03:19.050 --> 00:03:21.410 A subset of these simulations also factored 80 00:03:21.410 --> 00:03:23.770 in the giant planet dynamical instability, 81 00:03:24.410 --> 00:03:26.810 better known as the NICE model in astronomy. 82 00:03:27.290 --> 00:03:29.770 This model describes how the giant planets 83 00:03:29.770 --> 00:03:31.610 shifted their orbits from their initial 84 00:03:31.610 --> 00:03:34.240 formation positions. The goal was 85 00:03:34.240 --> 00:03:37.080 multifaceted to understand how ccs and 86 00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:40.040 ncs were distributed, why Earth ended up with 87 00:03:40.040 --> 00:03:42.400 significantly more ccs than other rocky 88 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:45.360 planets, particularly Mars, and whether the 89 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:47.440 Theia impact was indeed responsible for 90 00:03:47.440 --> 00:03:49.920 delivering a large amount of Earth's C C 91 00:03:49.920 --> 00:03:52.800 material. One of the most striking results 92 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:55.040 showed that the giant planet instability, 93 00:03:55.440 --> 00:03:57.880 especially Jupiter's orbital shift, had a 94 00:03:57.880 --> 00:04:00.360 profound effect on Earth's accretion of C C 95 00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:03.120 material. As the giant planets moved, 96 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:05.320 they caused a strong pulse of eccentricity 97 00:04:05.320 --> 00:04:07.480 excitement, leading to a wave of collisions 98 00:04:07.480 --> 00:04:10.400 and ejections, effectively flinging CC rich 99 00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:12.040 material into the inner solar system. 100 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:15.160 Crucially, the simulations strongly supported 101 00:04:15.160 --> 00:04:17.520 the idea that THEIA itself was a carbonaceous 102 00:04:17.520 --> 00:04:20.480 object. In the mixed scenario simulations 103 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:23.120 without giant planet instability, Earth's 104 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:25.360 final impactor, Theia, included a 105 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:27.520 carbonaceous component in more than half of 106 00:04:27.520 --> 00:04:30.380 all simulations. In 38.5% 107 00:04:30.380 --> 00:04:33.100 of cases, Theia was a pure carbonaceous 108 00:04:33.100 --> 00:04:36.060 embryo, and in another 13.5%, 109 00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:38.420 it was an NC embryo that had previously 110 00:04:38.420 --> 00:04:41.140 accreted a C C embryo. This paints a 111 00:04:41.140 --> 00:04:43.900 vivid picture of the early solar system. Two 112 00:04:43.900 --> 00:04:46.740 distinct rings of planetesimals, an inner 113 00:04:46.740 --> 00:04:49.260 ring of rocky material and an outer ring of 114 00:04:49.260 --> 00:04:51.820 carbonaceous chondrites. As uh, the ice 115 00:04:51.820 --> 00:04:54.380 giants migrated inward, they propelled this 116 00:04:54.380 --> 00:04:57.180 CC material into the inner solar system, with 117 00:04:57.180 --> 00:04:59.540 more massive ones preferentially scattered 118 00:04:59.540 --> 00:05:02.280 into the orbits of rocky planets. This 119 00:05:02.280 --> 00:05:04.760 explains not only the masses and orbits of 120 00:05:04.760 --> 00:05:07.120 the terrestrial planets and the distribution 121 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:10.040 of asteroids, but also why Earth has a higher 122 00:05:10.040 --> 00:05:12.440 CC mass fraction compared to Mars. The work 123 00:05:12.440 --> 00:05:14.880 strongly suggests that Earth's final giant 124 00:05:14.880 --> 00:05:17.560 impact was indeed with Theia, and that this 125 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:19.400 object had a higher concentration of 126 00:05:19.400 --> 00:05:22.200 carbonaceous material directly contributing 127 00:05:22.200 --> 00:05:24.800 to our planet's habitability. The 128 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:26.760 simulations indicate this last impact 129 00:05:26.760 --> 00:05:29.720 occurred between 5 and 150-million years 130 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.360 after the gas disc dispersed, with a large 131 00:05:32.660 --> 00:05:35.060 fraction happening within 20 to 70 million 132 00:05:35.060 --> 00:05:37.580 years, timings consistent with current 133 00:05:37.580 --> 00:05:40.500 understanding of the Theia impact. Moreover, 134 00:05:40.740 --> 00:05:43.140 the research emphasises Jupiter's pivotal 135 00:05:43.140 --> 00:05:44.780 role in shaping the solar system's 136 00:05:44.780 --> 00:05:47.100 Architecture not just by truncating the 137 00:05:47.100 --> 00:05:49.740 asteroid belt, but also by scattering crucial 138 00:05:49.740 --> 00:05:51.740 carbonaceous material from the outer solar 139 00:05:51.740 --> 00:05:54.180 system into the path of the rocky planets, 140 00:05:54.180 --> 00:05:57.140 especially Earth. Ultimately, the 141 00:05:57.140 --> 00:05:59.140 formation of a life sustaining world like 142 00:05:59.140 --> 00:06:01.500 Earth required an astonishing number of 143 00:06:01.500 --> 00:06:04.360 variables to align perfectly. This research 144 00:06:04.440 --> 00:06:06.520 highlights that it may take more than simply 145 00:06:06.520 --> 00:06:09.160 being in a habitable zone for an exoplanet to 146 00:06:09.160 --> 00:06:12.000 support life. The complex dance of outer 147 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:14.320 giant planets migrating and delivering carbon 148 00:06:14.320 --> 00:06:16.000 to inner rocky worlds might be another 149 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:18.560 critical, often overlooked ingredient in the 150 00:06:18.560 --> 00:06:20.200 recipe for life in the universe. 151 00:06:21.640 --> 00:06:23.880 Alright, moving on. Prepare to have your 152 00:06:23.880 --> 00:06:25.880 perceptions of space ice completely 153 00:06:25.880 --> 00:06:28.440 shattered. For decades, scientists have 154 00:06:28.440 --> 00:06:30.480 largely viewed water frozen in the depths of 155 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:33.460 space as a shapeless, amorphous fog. Too 156 00:06:33.460 --> 00:06:36.100 cold and still to ever form orderly crystals, 157 00:06:36.340 --> 00:06:38.300 it was believed to simply freeze straight 158 00:06:38.300 --> 00:06:40.420 from vapour onto cold surfaces like dust 159 00:06:40.420 --> 00:06:43.380 grains and comets or icy moons without any 160 00:06:43.380 --> 00:06:45.580 structured shape whatsoever. But a 161 00:06:45.580 --> 00:06:47.659 groundbreaking new study by researchers from 162 00:06:47.659 --> 00:06:49.420 University College London and the University 163 00:06:49.420 --> 00:06:51.740 of Cambridge is challenging that long held 164 00:06:51.740 --> 00:06:54.460 belief. By combining incredibly detailed 165 00:06:54.460 --> 00:06:56.300 computer simulations with carefully 166 00:06:56.300 --> 00:06:58.900 controlled lab experiments, this team has 167 00:06:58.900 --> 00:07:00.980 discovered that space ice is not entirely 168 00:07:00.980 --> 00:07:03.580 amorphous after all. Instead, it holds 169 00:07:03.580 --> 00:07:05.980 tiny hidden crystal structures within its 170 00:07:05.980 --> 00:07:08.900 disordered form. These small organised 171 00:07:08.900 --> 00:07:11.420 patterns could fundamentally shift what we 172 00:07:11.420 --> 00:07:13.819 know about ice, water and even the very 173 00:07:13.819 --> 00:07:16.620 origins of life in the universe. On Earth, 174 00:07:16.620 --> 00:07:19.020 ice typically forms a neat crystalline 175 00:07:19.020 --> 00:07:21.620 pattern visible in the intricate symmetry of 176 00:07:21.620 --> 00:07:24.460 a snowflake. But in the extreme cold and 177 00:07:24.460 --> 00:07:26.170 vacuum of interstellar space, we where 178 00:07:26.170 --> 00:07:28.570 temperatures plummet far below freezing. It 179 00:07:28.570 --> 00:07:30.450 was thought that ice formed without any 180 00:07:30.450 --> 00:07:33.410 order. This form of water was known as low 181 00:07:33.410 --> 00:07:36.370 density amorphous ice, and the prevailing 182 00:07:36.370 --> 00:07:38.650 view was that it lacked any internal 183 00:07:38.650 --> 00:07:41.250 structure. However, that view is now 184 00:07:41.250 --> 00:07:44.170 rapidly changing. The researchers began 185 00:07:44.170 --> 00:07:46.530 by freezing virtual boxes of water molecules 186 00:07:46.530 --> 00:07:49.050 down to an incredibly chilly negative 187 00:07:49.050 --> 00:07:51.970 120 degrees Celsius. This allowed them 188 00:07:51.970 --> 00:07:54.530 to simulate how ice forms at various rates. 189 00:07:55.170 --> 00:07:57.170 Some simulations indeed produced nearly 190 00:07:57.170 --> 00:07:59.850 perfect disordered ice. But others revealed 191 00:07:59.850 --> 00:08:02.130 something fascinating. Tiny crystals 192 00:08:02.530 --> 00:08:04.650 roughly 3 nanometers wide that's just 193 00:08:04.650 --> 00:08:07.130 slightly larger than a strand of DNA, began 194 00:08:07.130 --> 00:08:09.650 to form within the chaos. The result that 195 00:08:09.650 --> 00:08:11.530 most accurately matched existing X ray 196 00:08:11.530 --> 00:08:13.810 diffraction data wasn't fully disordered ice. 197 00:08:14.450 --> 00:08:17.210 Instead, it was found to be approximately 20% 198 00:08:17.210 --> 00:08:19.330 crystalline and 80% amorphous. 199 00:08:20.300 --> 00:08:22.300 Dr. Michael B. Davies, the lead author of 200 00:08:22.300 --> 00:08:25.220 this pivotal study, noted, we now have a 201 00:08:25.220 --> 00:08:27.380 good idea of what the most common form of ice 202 00:08:27.380 --> 00:08:29.900 in the universe looks like at an atomic 203 00:08:29.900 --> 00:08:32.700 level. He emphasised the importance of this 204 00:08:32.700 --> 00:08:35.300 finding, explaining that ice is involved in 205 00:08:35.300 --> 00:08:37.700 many cosmological processes, for instance, in 206 00:08:37.700 --> 00:08:40.380 how planets form, how galaxies evolve, 207 00:08:40.380 --> 00:08:42.620 and how Matter moves around the universe. 208 00:08:43.420 --> 00:08:46.060 The team didn't stop at simulations. They 209 00:08:46.060 --> 00:08:48.060 meticulously created real samples of 210 00:08:48.060 --> 00:08:50.020 amorphous ice in their lab using several 211 00:08:50.020 --> 00:08:52.930 methods. One method directly mimicked how 212 00:08:52.930 --> 00:08:55.730 ice forms in space by depositing water 213 00:08:55.730 --> 00:08:57.930 vapour onto a surface chilled far below 214 00:08:57.930 --> 00:09:00.850 freezing. Another involved crushing normal 215 00:09:00.850 --> 00:09:03.050 ice at very low temperatures to produce high 216 00:09:03.050 --> 00:09:05.930 density amorphous ice. After creating 217 00:09:05.930 --> 00:09:08.090 both types, the researchers carefully warmed 218 00:09:08.090 --> 00:09:10.170 the samples, allowing crystals to develop. 219 00:09:10.810 --> 00:09:12.490 Here's where it got even more interesting. 220 00:09:12.810 --> 00:09:15.130 They observed that each sample produced a 221 00:09:15.130 --> 00:09:16.970 different crystal pattern once it warmed. 222 00:09:17.810 --> 00:09:20.690 This was a critical observation. If the ice 223 00:09:20.690 --> 00:09:23.050 had truly been fully amorphous, completely 224 00:09:23.050 --> 00:09:25.330 without any order, it shouldn't have retained 225 00:09:25.410 --> 00:09:28.330 any memory of its earlier form. But 226 00:09:28.330 --> 00:09:30.650 because it did, the scientists concluded that 227 00:09:30.650 --> 00:09:33.289 even space ice, despite its seemingly 228 00:09:33.289 --> 00:09:35.570 shapeless appearance, retains some hidden 229 00:09:35.570 --> 00:09:38.210 structure within. As Professor Christoph 230 00:09:38.210 --> 00:09:40.610 Salzman, a co author of the study, put it, 231 00:09:41.010 --> 00:09:43.600 ice can remember its previous structure. The 232 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:45.560 order of hydrogen atoms in a crystalline 233 00:09:45.560 --> 00:09:47.480 state can be preserved even as conditions 234 00:09:47.480 --> 00:09:50.280 change. This suggests that space ice is far 235 00:09:50.280 --> 00:09:52.000 more complex than previously thought, 236 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:54.360 carrying clues about its origin and the 237 00:09:54.360 --> 00:09:56.880 environment in which it formed. These 238 00:09:56.880 --> 00:09:58.640 findings have significant implications, 239 00:09:58.640 --> 00:10:00.520 particularly for theories regarding the 240 00:10:00.520 --> 00:10:03.320 origin of life beyond Earth. One prominent 241 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:05.560 theory, known as panspermia, suggests that 242 00:10:05.560 --> 00:10:08.200 life's essential ingredients, such as amino 243 00:10:08.200 --> 00:10:10.880 acids, may have arrived on Earth from space, 244 00:10:11.040 --> 00:10:14.000 perhaps carried by comets. This idea 245 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:16.280 relies on space ice being able to effectively 246 00:10:16.280 --> 00:10:19.200 trap and protect complex molecules during 247 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:21.200 their long journeys across the cosmos. 248 00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:24.200 However, this new discovery complicates that 249 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:26.880 idea slightly. As Dr. Davies 250 00:10:26.880 --> 00:10:29.280 explained, our, uh, findings suggest this ice 251 00:10:29.280 --> 00:10:31.400 would be a less good transport material for 252 00:10:31.400 --> 00:10:34.040 these origin of life molecules. That is 253 00:10:34.040 --> 00:10:36.040 because a partly crystalline structure has 254 00:10:36.040 --> 00:10:38.090 less space space in which these ingredients 255 00:10:38.090 --> 00:10:40.330 could become embedded. While this might 256 00:10:40.330 --> 00:10:42.490 weaken the panspermia argument slightly, it 257 00:10:42.490 --> 00:10:45.410 doesn't rule it out entirely. Davies added 258 00:10:45.410 --> 00:10:48.090 that the theory could still hold true, as 259 00:10:48.090 --> 00:10:50.010 there are amorphous regions in the ice where 260 00:10:50.010 --> 00:10:51.930 life's building blocks could be trapped and 261 00:10:51.930 --> 00:10:54.690 stored. Ultimately, these 262 00:10:54.690 --> 00:10:56.810 results provide a more realistic picture of 263 00:10:56.810 --> 00:10:58.570 the conditions life's precursors might 264 00:10:58.570 --> 00:11:00.370 encounter while travelling through the vast 265 00:11:00.450 --> 00:11:03.420 emptiness of space. The implications of this 266 00:11:03.420 --> 00:11:05.780 research extend far beyond just the origin of 267 00:11:05.780 --> 00:11:08.540 life. Amorphous materials are incredibly 268 00:11:08.540 --> 00:11:11.380 common in modern technology. For example, the 269 00:11:11.380 --> 00:11:13.860 glass used in fibre optic cables, which 270 00:11:13.860 --> 00:11:16.460 transmit data across the globe, must remain 271 00:11:16.460 --> 00:11:18.460 in a disordered state for optimal 272 00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:21.260 performance. If these materials contain tiny 273 00:11:21.260 --> 00:11:22.980 hidden crystals that could affect their 274 00:11:22.980 --> 00:11:25.620 performance, understanding how to remove them 275 00:11:25.620 --> 00:11:27.970 could lead to significant advancements and 276 00:11:27.970 --> 00:11:30.770 better technology. Professor Saltzman 277 00:11:30.770 --> 00:11:32.890 also highlighted this, stating, 278 00:11:33.530 --> 00:11:35.610 our results also raise questions about 279 00:11:35.690 --> 00:11:38.130 amorphous materials. In general, these 280 00:11:38.130 --> 00:11:40.290 materials have important uses in much 281 00:11:40.290 --> 00:11:43.250 advanced technology. If they do contain tiny 282 00:11:43.250 --> 00:11:45.410 crystals and we can remove them, this will 283 00:11:45.410 --> 00:11:48.330 improve their performance. Furthermore, 284 00:11:48.330 --> 00:11:50.250 this knowledge could help space agencies 285 00:11:50.250 --> 00:11:53.090 design more effective spacecraft. Ice in 286 00:11:53.090 --> 00:11:55.630 space isn't just a passive substance. It has 287 00:11:55.630 --> 00:11:57.750 the potential to serve as radiation shielding 288 00:11:57.750 --> 00:12:00.030 or even as a source of fuel. If broken down 289 00:12:00.030 --> 00:12:02.670 into hydrogen and oxygen. Knowing more about 290 00:12:02.670 --> 00:12:04.830 its various forms and structural properties 291 00:12:04.830 --> 00:12:06.910 could lead to smarter and more efficient uses 292 00:12:06.910 --> 00:12:09.910 for this vital cosmic resource. As Dr. 293 00:12:09.910 --> 00:12:12.630 Davies noted, ice is potentially a high 294 00:12:12.630 --> 00:12:15.030 performance material in space. It could 295 00:12:15.030 --> 00:12:17.950 shield spacecraft from radiation or provide 296 00:12:17.950 --> 00:12:20.920 fuel in the form of hydrogen and oxygen. So 297 00:12:20.920 --> 00:12:23.000 we need to know about its various forms and 298 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:23.600 properties. 299 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:26.920 Next up today, let's take a look at launch 300 00:12:26.920 --> 00:12:29.520 plans. As you well know, we're 301 00:12:29.520 --> 00:12:31.440 constantly looking to the future in space, 302 00:12:31.760 --> 00:12:33.960 and some truly ambitious plans are on the 303 00:12:33.960 --> 00:12:36.480 horizon. Chinese scientists have put forward 304 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:39.000 a fascinating proposal for the country's very 305 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:41.800 first ice giant mission. Their goal is to 306 00:12:41.800 --> 00:12:44.440 launch a radioisotope powered spacecraft by 307 00:12:44.440 --> 00:12:47.170 2033, destined to orbit 308 00:12:47.170 --> 00:12:50.010 Neptune and conduct an in depth study of its 309 00:12:50.010 --> 00:12:52.810 mysterious moon Triton. This 310 00:12:52.810 --> 00:12:55.050 mission promises to shed new light on one of 311 00:12:55.050 --> 00:12:57.210 the most distant and least understood worlds 312 00:12:57.210 --> 00:13:00.010 in our solar system. Closer to home, it's 313 00:13:00.010 --> 00:13:01.930 been a bustling period for rocket launches. 314 00:13:02.170 --> 00:13:04.130 Even in what was described as a quiet week 315 00:13:04.130 --> 00:13:06.810 for orbital flights, SpaceX 316 00:13:06.890 --> 00:13:09.370 recently achieved a monumental milestone, 317 00:13:09.370 --> 00:13:12.010 completing the 500th orbital flight of its 318 00:13:12.010 --> 00:13:14.340 workhorse Falcon 9 rocket launchers. This 319 00:13:14.340 --> 00:13:16.340 incredible feat was part of their Starlink 320 00:13:16.340 --> 00:13:19.260 Group 1028 mission, which lifted off from 321 00:13:19.260 --> 00:13:22.020 Cape Canaveral Space force station. The 322 00:13:22.020 --> 00:13:24.380 Falcon 9 has certainly earned its reputation, 323 00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:27.300 celebrating over 15 years since its 324 00:13:27.300 --> 00:13:29.500 inaugural flight in June 2010. 325 00:13:30.300 --> 00:13:32.100 This 500th launch saw Booster 326 00:13:32.100 --> 00:13:34.820 B1077 make its 22nd 327 00:13:34.820 --> 00:13:36.940 flight, a testament to the reusability 328 00:13:37.020 --> 00:13:39.740 pioneered by SpaceX. With the Booster aiming 329 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:42.660 for its 490th recovery attempt on the drone 330 00:13:42.660 --> 00:13:45.380 ship, a shortfall of gravitas in late 331 00:13:45.380 --> 00:13:48.220 June, SpaceX also set new records with back 332 00:13:48.220 --> 00:13:50.420 to back launches from Florida and California, 333 00:13:50.660 --> 00:13:53.020 marking their 80th and 81st Falcon missions 334 00:13:53.020 --> 00:13:55.460 of the year. They even achieved a new pad 335 00:13:55.460 --> 00:13:58.060 turnaround record of just over 56 hours at 336 00:13:58.060 --> 00:14:00.660 Space Launch Complex 40. This 337 00:14:00.660 --> 00:14:02.540 relentless pace has contributed to a 338 00:14:02.540 --> 00:14:04.220 significant increase in global launch 339 00:14:04.220 --> 00:14:07.140 cadence, with 142 orbital launches 340 00:14:07.140 --> 00:14:09.660 worldwide in the first half of the year, a 341 00:14:09.660 --> 00:14:11.980 16% jump compared to 2024. 342 00:14:12.460 --> 00:14:15.460 Keep an eye out as another Falcon 9 launch is 343 00:14:15.460 --> 00:14:17.860 anticipated soon, possibly carrying the 344 00:14:17.860 --> 00:14:20.380 Israeli Dror 1 communications satellite into 345 00:14:20.380 --> 00:14:22.220 geostationary transfer orbit. 346 00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:24.540 Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, 347 00:14:24.700 --> 00:14:27.100 Australia is gearing up for a historic moment 348 00:14:27.100 --> 00:14:29.860 in its space programme. Gilmour Space 349 00:14:29.860 --> 00:14:31.980 is preparing for the highly anticipated 350 00:14:31.980 --> 00:14:34.740 maiden launch of its Eris small satellite 351 00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:37.260 rocket. This will be their second attempt 352 00:14:37.420 --> 00:14:39.740 after the previous one in May was postponed 353 00:14:40.220 --> 00:14:42.580 due to a power surge that prematurely 354 00:14:42.580 --> 00:14:45.300 triggered the fairing separation system, an 355 00:14:45.300 --> 00:14:47.340 issue that has since been successfully 356 00:14:47.340 --> 00:14:50.260 mitigated. The Eris rocket is set 357 00:14:50.260 --> 00:14:52.740 to lift off from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport 358 00:14:52.740 --> 00:14:55.580 at Abbott Point, making it the first orbital 359 00:14:55.580 --> 00:14:57.860 launch from Australian soil performed by a 360 00:14:57.860 --> 00:15:00.580 sovereign built vehicle. Standing at 25 361 00:15:00.580 --> 00:15:02.980 metres tall and boasting a payload capacity 362 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:05.860 of up to 215 kilogrammes to a 500 363 00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:08.720 kilometre sun synchron orbit, Eris is 364 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:10.880 comparable in size and capability to Rocket 365 00:15:10.880 --> 00:15:13.680 Lab's Electron. Its first stage is propelled 366 00:15:13.680 --> 00:15:16.200 by four proprietary Sirius Hybrid engines 367 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:19.200 which use a unique 3D printed solid fuel 368 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:21.520 grain and hydrogen peroxide as the 369 00:15:21.520 --> 00:15:24.520 oxidizer. A successful orbital launch would 370 00:15:24.520 --> 00:15:26.720 also mark a significant first for a hybrid 371 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:29.320 rocket design showcasing a new frontier in 372 00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:30.200 propulsion technology. 373 00:15:31.800 --> 00:15:33.880 Now let's turn our gaze to the night sky, 374 00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:37.000 because July 2025 promises a spectacular 375 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:39.670 lunar event. The Full Moon, affectionately 376 00:15:39.670 --> 00:15:42.190 known as the Buck Moon, is set to rise on 377 00:15:42.190 --> 00:15:45.110 Wednesday, July 10. This celestial display is 378 00:15:45.110 --> 00:15:47.110 perfect for both seasoned stargazers and 379 00:15:47.110 --> 00:15:49.910 budding astrophotographers. A full 380 00:15:49.910 --> 00:15:52.430 moon occurs when our moon is perfectly 381 00:15:52.430 --> 00:15:54.790 positioned opposite the sun in the sky, 382 00:15:55.190 --> 00:15:57.510 allowing it to appear completely 383 00:15:57.510 --> 00:15:59.590 illuminated from our perspective here on 384 00:15:59.590 --> 00:16:02.470 Earth. The Buck Moon gets its 385 00:16:02.470 --> 00:16:04.870 evocative name from the time of year in North 386 00:16:04.870 --> 00:16:07.480 America when male deer or bucks 387 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:09.600 are actively growing out their impressive 388 00:16:09.600 --> 00:16:12.240 antlers. It's also sometimes referred to as 389 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:14.600 the Thunder Moon, a nod to the frequent 390 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:16.640 summer storms that rumble across parts of the 391 00:16:16.640 --> 00:16:19.560 US In July this year. The Buck 392 00:16:19.560 --> 00:16:21.719 Moon holds another distinction. It arrives 393 00:16:21.719 --> 00:16:23.440 less than a week after Earth reaches 394 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.240 aphelion, its farthest point from the sun in 395 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.600 its orbit, making it the most distant Full 396 00:16:28.600 --> 00:16:31.530 Moon from the sun in 2025. While the 397 00:16:31.530 --> 00:16:33.730 Moon technically reaches its fullest phase at 398 00:16:33.730 --> 00:16:36.210 4:36pm Eastern Daylight Time 399 00:16:36.610 --> 00:16:39.570 or 20:36 GMT on July 10, 400 00:16:39.730 --> 00:16:41.930 it won't be visible to us until it rises 401 00:16:41.930 --> 00:16:44.330 above the southern horizon at sunset in your 402 00:16:44.330 --> 00:16:47.089 local time zone. For instance, if 403 00:16:47.089 --> 00:16:48.570 you're in New York City, you can expect 404 00:16:48.570 --> 00:16:51.330 moonrise around 8:53pm local time. 405 00:16:51.890 --> 00:16:54.210 Remember that exact timings for moon phases 406 00:16:54.210 --> 00:16:56.850 can vary depending on your location, so it's 407 00:16:56.850 --> 00:16:58.770 always a good idea to check a trusted website 408 00:16:58.770 --> 00:17:01.490 like in the sky.org or timeanddate.com for 409 00:17:01.490 --> 00:17:04.400 precise local timings. You might notice 410 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:06.320 something particularly striking about July's 411 00:17:06.320 --> 00:17:09.040 Full moon. It will appear exceptionally low 412 00:17:09.040 --> 00:17:11.960 in the sky after sunset. This phenomenon is 413 00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:13.920 largely due to its proximity to the summer 414 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.200 solstice, the time when the sun is at its 415 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:17.960 highest point in the daytime sky. 416 00:17:19.080 --> 00:17:20.760 Consequently, the Moon tracks a 417 00:17:20.760 --> 00:17:23.000 correspondingly low path through the night. 418 00:17:23.320 --> 00:17:26.080 This effect is even more pronounced in 2025 419 00:17:26.080 --> 00:17:28.480 thanks to a fascinating occurrence known as a 420 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:31.110 major lunar standstill. This happens 421 00:17:31.110 --> 00:17:34.110 approximately every 18.6 years when the 422 00:17:34.110 --> 00:17:36.590 Sun's gravity influences the Moon's tilted 423 00:17:36.590 --> 00:17:38.790 orbit, pushing it to its most extreme 424 00:17:38.790 --> 00:17:41.110 inclination relative to Earth's celestial 425 00:17:41.110 --> 00:17:44.030 equator. This orbital dance causes the Moon 426 00:17:44.030 --> 00:17:46.670 to appear either exceptionally high or, as in 427 00:17:46.670 --> 00:17:49.230 this case, notably low in our sky, depending 428 00:17:49.230 --> 00:17:51.950 on the time of year. As you observe the 429 00:17:51.950 --> 00:17:54.270 Buck Moon, especially in the hours following 430 00:17:54.270 --> 00:17:57.270 moonrise on July 10, you might experience a 431 00:17:57.270 --> 00:17:59.830 common optical illusion, the Moon 432 00:17:59.830 --> 00:18:02.470 illusion. This is when the lunar disc 433 00:18:02.470 --> 00:18:04.950 appears larger than it actually is when it's 434 00:18:04.950 --> 00:18:07.750 positioned close to the horizon. Our 435 00:18:07.750 --> 00:18:09.710 brains, for reasons still debated by 436 00:18:09.710 --> 00:18:12.070 scientists, trick us into thinking it's 437 00:18:12.070 --> 00:18:13.670 bigger than it appears when directly 438 00:18:13.670 --> 00:18:16.390 overhead, even though its actual size in the 439 00:18:16.390 --> 00:18:19.230 night sky remains constant. You might also 440 00:18:19.230 --> 00:18:21.150 notice the Buck Moon take on a beautiful 441 00:18:21.150 --> 00:18:23.790 golden or reddish hue shortly after it rises. 442 00:18:24.350 --> 00:18:26.510 This warm coloration is caused by Rayleigh 443 00:18:26.510 --> 00:18:28.870 scattering, the very same atmospheric effect 444 00:18:28.870 --> 00:18:31.030 that paints our sunsets and sunrises with 445 00:18:31.030 --> 00:18:33.590 vibrant colours. When the moonlight reflected 446 00:18:33.590 --> 00:18:35.590 off the Moon's surface travels through more 447 00:18:35.590 --> 00:18:37.590 of Earth's atmosphere to reach us at the 448 00:18:37.590 --> 00:18:40.590 horizon, the shorter, bluer wavelengths 449 00:18:40.590 --> 00:18:42.910 of light are scattered away, allowing the 450 00:18:42.910 --> 00:18:45.030 longer, redder wavelengths to pass through 451 00:18:45.030 --> 00:18:47.750 more directly beyond the enchanting 452 00:18:47.750 --> 00:18:50.280 display of the Buck Moon. The this month also 453 00:18:50.280 --> 00:18:52.760 marks a significant anniversary in human 454 00:18:52.760 --> 00:18:55.160 spaceflight history. The 56th 455 00:18:55.160 --> 00:18:57.960 anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. 456 00:18:58.600 --> 00:19:01.480 On July 20, 1969, Neil 457 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:03.640 Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first 458 00:19:03.640 --> 00:19:06.080 humans to walk on the Moon, while Michael 459 00:19:06.080 --> 00:19:08.800 Collins expertly orbited above. To 460 00:19:08.800 --> 00:19:11.000 commemorate this incredible achievement, we 461 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:13.400 invite you to try and locate the six historic 462 00:19:13.400 --> 00:19:15.770 Apollo era landing sites on on the lunar 463 00:19:15.770 --> 00:19:18.530 surface. With the naked eye, you can 464 00:19:18.530 --> 00:19:21.010 often spot the general region visited by each 465 00:19:21.010 --> 00:19:23.970 Apollo mission, but if you have access to a 6 466 00:19:23.970 --> 00:19:26.570 inch telescope, it will greatly enhance your 467 00:19:26.570 --> 00:19:29.530 viewing experience, helping to reveal finer 468 00:19:29.530 --> 00:19:31.970 details in the rugged moonscapes and smooth 469 00:19:31.970 --> 00:19:34.290 lunar seas surrounding each of these historic 470 00:19:34.290 --> 00:19:36.850 zones. It's a wonderful way to connect with a 471 00:19:36.850 --> 00:19:38.890 pivotal moment in our shared human journey of 472 00:19:38.890 --> 00:19:39.570 exploration. 473 00:19:41.410 --> 00:19:43.450 That's all for this episode of Astronomy 474 00:19:43.450 --> 00:19:45.370 Daily. We hope you enjoyed our journey 475 00:19:45.370 --> 00:19:47.890 through cosmic origins, the secrets of space 476 00:19:47.890 --> 00:19:50.730 ice, and the latest in space exploration and 477 00:19:50.730 --> 00:19:53.330 sky watching. A quick reminder before I log 478 00:19:53.330 --> 00:19:56.250 off Visit Astronomy Daily IO to sign 479 00:19:56.250 --> 00:19:58.530 up for our free daily newsletter and explore 480 00:19:58.530 --> 00:20:01.210 all our back episodes. Remember to subscribe 481 00:20:01.210 --> 00:20:03.370 to Astronomy Daily on Apple Podcasts, 482 00:20:03.370 --> 00:20:05.850 Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your 483 00:20:05.850 --> 00:20:08.250 podcasts. Until tomorrow, this is Anna 484 00:20:08.250 --> 00:20:10.330 reminding you to keep looking up and 485 00:20:10.330 --> 00:20:12.250 marvelling at our wonderful universe.