WEBVTT

0
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.400
Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to

1
00:00:02.400 --> 00:00:04.320
podcast for the latest and most fascinating

2
00:00:04.320 --> 00:00:06.440
updates from the vast expanse of space and

3
00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:08.720
the cutting edge of astronomy. I'm your host

4
00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:11.080
Anna, and I'm thrilled to have you join me

5
00:00:11.080 --> 00:00:13.560
today as we dive into some truly exciting

6
00:00:13.560 --> 00:00:16.239
developments from the ongoing saga of

7
00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:18.720
bringing Martian samples home to satellites

8
00:00:18.720 --> 00:00:21.000
with digital brains and even the possibility

9
00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:22.880
of our own signals reaching alien

10
00:00:22.880 --> 00:00:25.280
civilizations. We've got a lot to explore,

11
00:00:25.680 --> 00:00:27.770
plus we're take, uh, a stunning look at how

12
00:00:27.770 --> 00:00:29.930
Hubble is helping us unravel the mysteries of

13
00:00:29.930 --> 00:00:32.330
dark matter. So buckle up because we're about

14
00:00:32.330 --> 00:00:34.210
to embark on another cosmic journey.

15
00:00:35.490 --> 00:00:37.290
Let's kick things off today by turning our

16
00:00:37.290 --> 00:00:39.690
attention to Mars, specifically to NASA's

17
00:00:39.690 --> 00:00:42.370
Mars Sample Return Mission, or MSR,

18
00:00:42.690 --> 00:00:44.290
which has been facing some significant

19
00:00:44.370 --> 00:00:47.250
hurdles. The Perseverance rover, which

20
00:00:47.250 --> 00:00:50.170
landed on the red planet in 2021, has

21
00:00:50.170 --> 00:00:52.090
been diligently collecting intriguing

22
00:00:52.090 --> 00:00:54.700
samples, all in preparation for this follow

23
00:00:54.700 --> 00:00:56.860
up mission to bring them back to Earth for

24
00:00:56.860 --> 00:00:59.300
analysis. However, recent

25
00:00:59.300 --> 00:01:01.940
independent reviews have cast a shadow over

26
00:01:01.940 --> 00:01:04.340
these plans, indicating that the costs for

27
00:01:04.340 --> 00:01:07.112
MSR could balloon to an astounding $11

28
00:01:07.248 --> 00:01:10.220
billion. This steep price tag has

29
00:01:10.220 --> 00:01:11.860
led to the mission facing potential

30
00:01:11.860 --> 00:01:13.980
cancellation in the upcoming Trump

31
00:01:13.980 --> 00:01:16.140
administration budget proposals for

32
00:01:16.140 --> 00:01:19.110
2026. But there might be

33
00:01:19.110 --> 00:01:20.990
a lifeline for this crucial scientific

34
00:01:20.990 --> 00:01:23.830
endeavour. Aerospace giant Lockheed

35
00:01:23.830 --> 00:01:26.190
Martin, a company with deep roots in Mars

36
00:01:26.190 --> 00:01:29.190
exploration, having built 11 of NASA's

37
00:01:29.190 --> 00:01:31.790
22 Mars spacecraft over the years, is

38
00:01:31.790 --> 00:01:34.230
stepping forward with a new proposal. They're

39
00:01:34.230 --> 00:01:36.870
offering a streamlined, more cost effective

40
00:01:36.870 --> 00:01:39.670
mission architecture, aiming to execute the

41
00:01:39.670 --> 00:01:42.630
Mars sample return as a firm fixed price

42
00:01:42.630 --> 00:01:45.630
solution for under $3 billion. That's a

43
00:01:45.630 --> 00:01:47.510
significant reduction compared to the current

44
00:01:47.510 --> 00:01:50.350
estimates of 7 billion. Their approach

45
00:01:50.350 --> 00:01:52.430
involves utilising existing designs and

46
00:01:52.430 --> 00:01:54.470
streamlining operations for the primary

47
00:01:54.470 --> 00:01:56.790
spacecraft and systems, while carefully

48
00:01:56.790 --> 00:01:59.350
managing risk and reducing oversight. This

49
00:01:59.350 --> 00:02:01.430
would include a smaller lander, a smaller

50
00:02:01.430 --> 00:02:03.710
Mars Ascent Vehicle, and a smaller Earth

51
00:02:03.710 --> 00:02:06.350
Entry system. The lander, for instance, would

52
00:02:06.350 --> 00:02:08.310
build on the successful heritage of NASA's

53
00:02:08.310 --> 00:02:10.790
InSight lander, which had a smooth touchdown

54
00:02:10.790 --> 00:02:13.740
on Mars in 2018. Lockheed

55
00:02:13.740 --> 00:02:15.420
Martin also highlights its extensive

56
00:02:15.420 --> 00:02:17.300
experience with sample return missions,

57
00:02:17.620 --> 00:02:19.700
having designed and built the spacecraft and

58
00:02:19.700 --> 00:02:22.060
return capsules for all three of NASA's

59
00:02:22.060 --> 00:02:24.860
robotic sample return missions, including the

60
00:02:24.860 --> 00:02:27.460
recent Osiris Rex Asteroid Sample Return

61
00:02:27.460 --> 00:02:29.820
Mission, which brought samples from Asteroid

62
00:02:29.820 --> 00:02:31.940
Bennu back to Earth in 2023.

63
00:02:32.740 --> 00:02:34.780
Lockheed Martin believes that by taking a

64
00:02:34.780 --> 00:02:37.580
commercial industry approach, focusing on key

65
00:02:37.580 --> 00:02:40.060
requirements, leveraging flight proven

66
00:02:40.060 --> 00:02:43.020
elements and limiting new designs, they can

67
00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:44.740
bring back the samples that hold the

68
00:02:44.740 --> 00:02:47.460
potential to unlock Mars's mysteries and

69
00:02:47.460 --> 00:02:49.540
lay crucial groundwork for future human

70
00:02:49.540 --> 00:02:52.060
missions to The Red Planet. However,

71
00:02:52.140 --> 00:02:54.780
Lockheed's plan isn't the only alternative on

72
00:02:54.780 --> 00:02:57.420
the table. Private space company Rocket Lab

73
00:02:57.420 --> 00:02:59.740
also put forward its own cut price proposal

74
00:02:59.740 --> 00:03:02.220
last year, responding to NASA's call for

75
00:03:02.220 --> 00:03:04.820
ideas to bring these precious samples home in

76
00:03:04.820 --> 00:03:07.430
a faster and more economical way. And it's

77
00:03:07.430 --> 00:03:09.470
not just American companies vying for this

78
00:03:09.470 --> 00:03:12.470
challenge. China is also actively working on

79
00:03:12.470 --> 00:03:14.590
its own robotic campaign to collect and

80
00:03:14.590 --> 00:03:17.350
return Mars samples. Their Tianwen 3

81
00:03:17.350 --> 00:03:20.070
mission is set for launch in late 2028

82
00:03:20.230 --> 00:03:22.910
and if successful, could make China the first

83
00:03:22.910 --> 00:03:25.510
to acquire historic Red Planet samples

84
00:03:25.990 --> 00:03:28.590
potentially holding evidence of life beyond

85
00:03:28.590 --> 00:03:31.590
Earth. Interestingly, the US approach

86
00:03:31.590 --> 00:03:33.630
to Mars seems to be undergoing a broader

87
00:03:33.630 --> 00:03:36.150
shift, moving away from purely robotic

88
00:03:36.150 --> 00:03:37.950
missions and more towards putting astronauts

89
00:03:37.950 --> 00:03:40.810
on the Red plan. This direction is reflected

90
00:03:40.810 --> 00:03:42.490
in the current administration's budget

91
00:03:42.490 --> 00:03:44.930
proposals, likely leveraging advancements

92
00:03:44.930 --> 00:03:47.570
like SpaceX's in development. Starship Mega

93
00:03:47.570 --> 00:03:50.570
Rocket. While landing humans on Mars is a

94
00:03:50.570 --> 00:03:53.090
far more complex and challenging undertaking,

95
00:03:53.410 --> 00:03:55.690
if realised, it would also bring invaluable

96
00:03:55.690 --> 00:03:58.610
martian rock dust and atmospheric samples

97
00:03:58.610 --> 00:04:00.730
directly to Earth, potentially even more

98
00:04:00.730 --> 00:04:03.530
comprehensively than a robotic mission. It's

99
00:04:03.530 --> 00:04:06.250
a fascinating time for Mars exploration with

100
00:04:06.250 --> 00:04:08.370
multiple pathways being explored to unlock

101
00:04:08.370 --> 00:04:11.330
its secrets from the red dust

102
00:04:11.330 --> 00:04:13.490
of Mars, let's now pivot to something truly

103
00:04:13.490 --> 00:04:15.690
innovative happening much closer to home,

104
00:04:15.930 --> 00:04:17.530
right here in Earth's orbit.

105
00:04:18.010 --> 00:04:20.570
Imagine a satellite no bigger than a mini

106
00:04:20.570 --> 00:04:22.490
fridge that's about to change space

107
00:04:22.490 --> 00:04:24.890
technology as we know it. And it's happening

108
00:04:24.890 --> 00:04:27.650
at an almost unheard of pace. Researchers

109
00:04:27.650 --> 00:04:30.450
from UC Davis have developed a groundbreaking

110
00:04:30.450 --> 00:04:33.140
satellite system that can monitor and predict

111
00:04:33.140 --> 00:04:35.820
its own condition in real time. All thanks to

112
00:04:35.820 --> 00:04:38.260
artificial intelligence. This marks a

113
00:04:38.260 --> 00:04:40.620
significant milestone. The first time a

114
00:04:40.620 --> 00:04:42.860
digital brain has been built directly into a

115
00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:45.380
spacecraft to operate independently in orbit.

116
00:04:45.940 --> 00:04:48.580
What makes this even more astonishing is the

117
00:04:48.580 --> 00:04:51.540
speed at which it's come to fruition. The

118
00:04:51.540 --> 00:04:53.660
entire project, from initial planning to its

119
00:04:53.660 --> 00:04:56.620
upcoming launch in October 2025, will

120
00:04:56.620 --> 00:04:59.210
be completed in a mere 13 months. This

121
00:04:59.210 --> 00:05:01.130
shatters the typical multi year development

122
00:05:01.210 --> 00:05:03.970
cycles for satellite missions, largely due to

123
00:05:03.970 --> 00:05:05.610
a unique partnership between university

124
00:05:05.770 --> 00:05:08.090
scientists and engineers in Proteus space,

125
00:05:08.570 --> 00:05:10.650
creating what they call the first rapid

126
00:05:10.650 --> 00:05:12.970
design to deployment satellite system of its

127
00:05:12.970 --> 00:05:15.930
kind. The real star of this mission is its

128
00:05:15.930 --> 00:05:18.450
custom payload. A special package inside the

129
00:05:18.450 --> 00:05:21.410
satellite that houses a digital twin. Now you

130
00:05:21.410 --> 00:05:23.290
might have heard of digital twins before, but

131
00:05:23.290 --> 00:05:25.980
typically these computer models of spacecraft

132
00:05:25.980 --> 00:05:28.660
systems reside on Earth and receive updates

133
00:05:28.660 --> 00:05:31.060
from space. This new innovation is different.

134
00:05:31.540 --> 00:05:33.740
This M digital twin lives and works inside

135
00:05:33.740 --> 00:05:35.900
the satellite itself. This means the

136
00:05:35.900 --> 00:05:37.780
satellite doesn't need to constantly phone

137
00:05:37.780 --> 00:05:39.940
home to understand its own health.

138
00:05:40.420 --> 00:05:42.580
Instead, it uses its Built in sensors and

139
00:05:42.580 --> 00:05:44.860
software to continuously check the status of

140
00:05:44.860 --> 00:05:47.700
its batteries, monitor power levels, and even

141
00:05:47.700 --> 00:05:49.540
anticipate potential future issues.

142
00:05:50.630 --> 00:05:52.830
As Adam Zufal, a graduate researcher on the

143
00:05:52.830 --> 00:05:55.390
project, explained, the spacecraft itself can

144
00:05:55.390 --> 00:05:57.630
let us know how it's doing, which is all done

145
00:05:57.630 --> 00:06:00.630
by humans. Now, the artificial intelligence

146
00:06:00.630 --> 00:06:02.230
at the heart of this system doesn't just

147
00:06:02.230 --> 00:06:05.150
collect data, it learns from it over

148
00:06:05.150 --> 00:06:07.350
time. The satellite's brain is designed to

149
00:06:07.350 --> 00:06:09.550
get smarter, improving its ability to predict

150
00:06:09.550 --> 00:06:11.310
how its batteries and other systems will

151
00:06:11.310 --> 00:06:14.190
behave. This incredible capability allows the

152
00:06:14.190 --> 00:06:15.830
satellite to adjust its operations

153
00:06:15.910 --> 00:06:18.530
autonomously, proactively heading off

154
00:06:18.530 --> 00:06:20.290
problems even before they fully develop.

155
00:06:21.010 --> 00:06:23.450
Professor Steven Robinson, who directs the

156
00:06:23.450 --> 00:06:25.890
lab that built the payload, highlighted this,

157
00:06:26.130 --> 00:06:28.930
stating it should get smarter as it goes and

158
00:06:28.930 --> 00:06:30.570
be able to predict how it's going to perform

159
00:06:30.570 --> 00:06:33.129
in the near future. Current satellites do not

160
00:06:33.129 --> 00:06:35.930
have this capability. This cutting

161
00:06:35.930 --> 00:06:38.290
edge technology is the result of impressive

162
00:06:38.290 --> 00:06:40.730
teamwork, bringing together experts in

163
00:06:40.730 --> 00:06:43.650
robotics, space systems, computer science

164
00:06:43.650 --> 00:06:46.570
and battery research. Graduate students have

165
00:06:46.570 --> 00:06:48.810
played a major role, contributing to

166
00:06:48.810 --> 00:06:50.690
everything from the spacecraft's software

167
00:06:50.690 --> 00:06:53.210
design to how the AI makes its predictions.

168
00:06:54.090 --> 00:06:56.170
Once launched from Vandenberg Space Force

169
00:06:56.170 --> 00:06:58.570
Base, the satellite will enter low Earth

170
00:06:58.570 --> 00:07:00.850
orbit, where it's designed to remain active

171
00:07:00.850 --> 00:07:03.730
for up to 12 months, rigorously testing its

172
00:07:03.730 --> 00:07:05.690
smart brain in the harsh environment of

173
00:07:05.690 --> 00:07:08.570
space. After its mission, it will safely

174
00:07:08.570 --> 00:07:10.730
deorbit and burn up in the atmosphere,

175
00:07:11.130 --> 00:07:13.650
ensuring a clean space environment. The

176
00:07:13.650 --> 00:07:15.570
implications of this self monitoring

177
00:07:15.570 --> 00:07:18.370
satellite are vast. Currently, ground teams

178
00:07:18.370 --> 00:07:20.810
are constantly managing spacecraft, running

179
00:07:20.810 --> 00:07:23.090
checks and responding to problems, which

180
00:07:23.090 --> 00:07:25.850
leads to delays, increased costs and added

181
00:07:25.850 --> 00:07:28.850
risks. By embedding real time digital twins

182
00:07:28.850 --> 00:07:31.330
on board, future satellites could adjust to

183
00:07:31.330 --> 00:07:33.570
problems on their own. Whether it's shutting

184
00:07:33.570 --> 00:07:36.410
down, failing parts, conserving power, or

185
00:07:36.410 --> 00:07:39.010
warning engineers of impending issues days in

186
00:07:39.010 --> 00:07:41.500
advance, this innovative approach

187
00:07:41.580 --> 00:07:44.100
promises to significantly reduce the workload

188
00:07:44.100 --> 00:07:46.340
for ground teams and vastly improve the life

189
00:07:46.340 --> 00:07:48.740
and safety of space missions. This small

190
00:07:48.740 --> 00:07:50.900
satellite could truly spark a major shift in

191
00:07:50.900 --> 00:07:52.700
how future space systems are built and

192
00:07:52.700 --> 00:07:53.340
operated.

193
00:07:54.700 --> 00:07:56.980
Now, from cutting edge satellites, let's turn

194
00:07:56.980 --> 00:07:59.180
our gaze outward, far beyond Earth's

195
00:07:59.180 --> 00:08:01.660
immediate vicinity to a fascinating and

196
00:08:01.660 --> 00:08:04.500
perhaps slightly unsettling. Are we

197
00:08:04.500 --> 00:08:06.700
inadvertently broadcasting our presence to

198
00:08:06.700 --> 00:08:09.260
intelligent alien life? New research

199
00:08:09.340 --> 00:08:11.500
suggests we might already be doing just that,

200
00:08:11.820 --> 00:08:13.860
sending out signals that could inadvertently

201
00:08:13.860 --> 00:08:15.980
scream, we're here. Come find us.

202
00:08:16.700 --> 00:08:19.180
According to this new study, military and

203
00:08:19.180 --> 00:08:21.300
civilian radar signals emanating from Earth

204
00:08:21.300 --> 00:08:23.740
could serve as a beacon for advanced alien

205
00:08:23.740 --> 00:08:26.260
civilizations, indicating the presence of

206
00:08:26.260 --> 00:08:28.820
intelligent life on our planet. These

207
00:08:28.820 --> 00:08:31.500
hidden electromagnetic leakages could

208
00:08:31.500 --> 00:08:34.140
potentially be visible to aliens up to 200

209
00:08:34.140 --> 00:08:37.049
light years away, provided they possess state

210
00:08:37.049 --> 00:08:39.329
of the art radio telescopes comparable to our

211
00:08:39.329 --> 00:08:42.129
own. This concept, of course, works both

212
00:08:42.129 --> 00:08:45.009
ways, offering clues on how far out in the

213
00:08:45.009 --> 00:08:46.969
cosmos we might be able to detect similar

214
00:08:46.969 --> 00:08:49.209
signals from other advanced civilizations.

215
00:08:49.849 --> 00:08:52.569
Ramiro K. Said, the team leader and a

216
00:08:52.569 --> 00:08:54.489
researcher from the University of Manchester

217
00:08:54.969 --> 00:08:57.209
explained that their findings suggest radar

218
00:08:57.209 --> 00:08:59.369
signals produced unintentionally by any

219
00:08:59.369 --> 00:09:01.569
planet with advanced technology and complex

220
00:09:01.569 --> 00:09:04.480
aviation systems could act as a universal

221
00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:07.200
sign of intelligent life. This research

222
00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:09.560
supports both the scientific quest to answer

223
00:09:09.560 --> 00:09:11.920
the perennial question are we alone?

224
00:09:12.400 --> 00:09:14.320
And our practical efforts to manage the

225
00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:16.160
influence of technology on our world and

226
00:09:16.160 --> 00:09:18.600
beyond. The team specifically

227
00:09:18.600 --> 00:09:21.560
highlighted major global aviation hubs such

228
00:09:21.560 --> 00:09:23.920
as o' Hare International Airport in Chicago,

229
00:09:24.240 --> 00:09:26.360
John F. Kennedy International Airport in New

230
00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:28.640
York, and Heathrow Airport in London.

231
00:09:29.420 --> 00:09:31.420
Their simulations revealed that the combined

232
00:09:31.420 --> 00:09:33.580
radio signals from these airport radar

233
00:09:33.580 --> 00:09:36.340
systems, which constantly sweep the skies for

234
00:09:36.340 --> 00:09:38.820
aircraft, are strong enough to be picked up

235
00:09:38.820 --> 00:09:41.620
by powerful telescopes located as far

236
00:09:41.620 --> 00:09:44.500
as 200 light years away. This means that

237
00:09:44.500 --> 00:09:47.060
if intelligent life exists on a potentially

238
00:09:47.060 --> 00:09:49.740
habitable world like Proxima Centauri B,

239
00:09:50.060 --> 00:09:52.460
which is a ah, mere four light years away,

240
00:09:52.940 --> 00:09:55.020
their radio telescopes could already be

241
00:09:55.020 --> 00:09:56.620
detecting our leaked signals.

242
00:09:57.720 --> 00:09:59.680
Military radar signals present a slightly

243
00:09:59.680 --> 00:10:02.040
different scenario. These signals are more

244
00:10:02.040 --> 00:10:04.400
focused and directed, creating lighthouse

245
00:10:04.400 --> 00:10:07.400
like beams that sweep across space. As Kes

246
00:10:07.400 --> 00:10:09.760
Said noted, these military signals would

247
00:10:09.760 --> 00:10:12.360
appear clearly artificial to anyone watching

248
00:10:12.360 --> 00:10:14.160
from interstellar distances with powerful

249
00:10:14.160 --> 00:10:16.960
radio telescopes, and can even appear up to a

250
00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:18.800
hundred times stronger from certain vantage

251
00:10:18.800 --> 00:10:21.320
points in space. Beyond the exciting

252
00:10:21.320 --> 00:10:22.720
implications for the Search for

253
00:10:22.720 --> 00:10:25.280
Extraterrestrial Intelligence, or ceti,

254
00:10:25.680 --> 00:10:27.880
this research also offers valuable insights

255
00:10:27.880 --> 00:10:30.240
for perfecting our terrestrial radar systems

256
00:10:30.240 --> 00:10:32.760
and understanding the broader impact of human

257
00:10:32.760 --> 00:10:35.720
technology on our cosmic environment. It

258
00:10:35.720 --> 00:10:37.720
truly makes you wonder who might be listening

259
00:10:37.720 --> 00:10:38.240
out there.

260
00:10:39.520 --> 00:10:41.480
From thinking about who might be listening to

261
00:10:41.480 --> 00:10:44.040
our signals, let's now shift our focus to

262
00:10:44.040 --> 00:10:46.240
what we can observe in the vastness of space,

263
00:10:46.800 --> 00:10:49.760
particularly a new breathtaking image

264
00:10:50.150 --> 00:10:52.870
from the Hubble Space Telescope. This image

265
00:10:52.870 --> 00:10:55.630
zeroes in on Abell 209, a

266
00:10:55.630 --> 00:10:58.070
truly colossal galaxy cluster situated

267
00:10:58.150 --> 00:11:00.870
approximately 2.8 billion light years

268
00:11:00.870 --> 00:11:03.630
away in the constellation Cetus, also known

269
00:11:03.630 --> 00:11:06.070
as the whale. Hubble's latest portrait

270
00:11:06.070 --> 00:11:08.470
reveals more than 100 gleaming galaxies

271
00:11:08.470 --> 00:11:11.190
within this cluster, presenting a mesmerising

272
00:11:11.190 --> 00:11:13.950
sight. However, what we can visually see is

273
00:11:13.950 --> 00:11:16.710
only a fraction of the story. These galaxies

274
00:11:16.710 --> 00:11:19.390
are separated by immense distances stretching

275
00:11:19.390 --> 00:11:21.750
millions of light years apart, and the space

276
00:11:21.750 --> 00:11:24.310
between them is far from empty. It's filled

277
00:11:24.310 --> 00:11:27.070
with scorching diffuse gas, which is only

278
00:11:27.070 --> 00:11:30.030
detectable through X ray observations. And

279
00:11:30.030 --> 00:11:31.550
then there's the most mysterious

280
00:11:32.590 --> 00:11:35.590
dark matter. This invisible

281
00:11:35.590 --> 00:11:37.710
form of matter doesn't interact with light,

282
00:11:37.710 --> 00:11:39.950
yet it makes up a significant portion of the

283
00:11:39.950 --> 00:11:42.710
universe. In fact, scientists estimate that

284
00:11:42.710 --> 00:11:45.680
the cosmos is composed of about 5%

285
00:11:45.760 --> 00:11:48.400
normal matter, 25% dark matter,

286
00:11:48.560 --> 00:11:51.200
and a staggering 70% dark energy.

287
00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:54.480
Clusters like a Bell 209 are incredibly

288
00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.320
massive, so much so that they actually warp

289
00:11:57.320 --> 00:12:00.080
the very fabric of space around them. This

290
00:12:00.080 --> 00:12:02.280
distortion bends the light coming from even

291
00:12:02.280 --> 00:12:04.440
more distant galaxies located behind the

292
00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:07.000
cluster, a phenomenon known as gravitational

293
00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:09.600
lensing. This acts like a natural

294
00:12:09.600 --> 00:12:12.130
cosmic magnifying glass, enabling

295
00:12:12.130 --> 00:12:14.130
scientists to study galaxies that would

296
00:12:14.130 --> 00:12:16.370
otherwise be too faint or simply too far away

297
00:12:16.370 --> 00:12:19.170
to observe. While this particular image of

298
00:12:19.170 --> 00:12:21.970
Abel 209 doesn't display the dramatic

299
00:12:21.970 --> 00:12:24.090
rings often associated with gravitational

300
00:12:24.090 --> 00:12:26.930
lensing, it still shows subtle

301
00:12:26.930 --> 00:12:29.530
signs of this effect. You can spot

302
00:12:29.530 --> 00:12:32.010
streaky, slightly curved galaxies nestled

303
00:12:32.010 --> 00:12:34.450
within the cluster's golden glow. By

304
00:12:34.450 --> 00:12:36.690
meticulously measuring the distortion of

305
00:12:36.690 --> 00:12:39.540
these background galaxies, astronomers can

306
00:12:39.540 --> 00:12:41.860
precisely map the distribution of mass within

307
00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:44.460
the cluster, effectively illuminating the

308
00:12:44.460 --> 00:12:46.900
underlying invisible cloud of dark matter.

309
00:12:47.540 --> 00:12:49.700
This vital information, which Hubble's

310
00:12:49.700 --> 00:12:51.380
exquisite resolution and sensitive

311
00:12:51.380 --> 00:12:53.940
instruments help to provide, is absolutely

312
00:12:53.940 --> 00:12:56.020
critical for testing our theories about how

313
00:12:56.020 --> 00:12:58.420
our universe has evolved over cosmic time.

314
00:13:00.260 --> 00:13:01.780
That brings us to the end of another

315
00:13:01.780 --> 00:13:03.740
fascinating journey through the cosmos. On

316
00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:06.720
Astronomy Daily Today, we've covered the

317
00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:08.960
ambitious plans to rescue the Mars Sample

318
00:13:08.960 --> 00:13:11.800
Return mission, the groundbreaking AI powered

319
00:13:11.800 --> 00:13:14.360
satellite poised to revolutionise space tech,

320
00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:16.600
the intriguing possibility of our airport

321
00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:19.080
radar signals reaching alien civilizations,

322
00:13:19.160 --> 00:13:21.560
and Hubble's incredible work in unmasking

323
00:13:21.560 --> 00:13:24.200
dark matter in the distant Abell 209

324
00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:27.080
galaxy cluster. Thank you for tuning in

325
00:13:27.080 --> 00:13:29.120
and exploring these cosmic wonders with me,

326
00:13:29.120 --> 00:13:31.200
Anna. You, uh, can catch up on all the latest

327
00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:33.280
space and astronomy news with our constantly

328
00:13:33.280 --> 00:13:35.660
updating news feedback and listen to all our

329
00:13:35.660 --> 00:13:37.500
back episodes by visiting our

330
00:13:37.500 --> 00:13:39.900
website@astronomydaily.IO.

331
00:13:40.300 --> 00:13:42.500
don't forget to subscribe to Astronomy Daily

332
00:13:42.500 --> 00:13:45.220
on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or

333
00:13:45.220 --> 00:13:47.460
wherever you get your podcasts. To ensure you

334
00:13:47.460 --> 00:13:49.500
never miss an episode. Until tomorrow, keep

335
00:13:49.500 --> 00:13:50.060
looking up