WEBVTT 0 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.760 Anna: Hello and welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm 1 00:00:02.760 --> 00:00:05.360 Anna, your host and I'm thrilled to have you 2 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:07.000 join us for another journey through the 3 00:00:07.000 --> 00:00:09.240 latest and most captivating stories from the 4 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:12.040 cosmos. Today we're delving 5 00:00:12.040 --> 00:00:14.400 into some truly fascinating developments that 6 00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:17.040 span from the challenges faced by astronauts 7 00:00:17.040 --> 00:00:20.000 in space to humanity's ambitious future on 8 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:22.920 the Moon and beyond. We'll start by 9 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:25.520 exploring an unexpected side effect of space 10 00:00:25.520 --> 00:00:28.190 travel. How it can permanently change an 11 00:00:28.190 --> 00:00:31.030 astronaut's eyesight. Then we're heading to 12 00:00:31.030 --> 00:00:33.350 the Moon to look at South Korea's bold plans 13 00:00:33.350 --> 00:00:35.710 for a lunar base by 2045, 14 00:00:36.190 --> 00:00:38.550 showcasing the growing global race to return 15 00:00:38.550 --> 00:00:41.150 to our celestial neighbour. Next up, 16 00:00:41.230 --> 00:00:43.550 we'll dive into the incredible potential of 17 00:00:43.550 --> 00:00:46.430 NASA's upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, 18 00:00:46.590 --> 00:00:49.030 which is poised to uncover tens of thousands 19 00:00:49.030 --> 00:00:51.470 of cosmic explosions and shed light on 20 00:00:51.470 --> 00:00:54.260 mysteries like dark energy. Finally, 21 00:00:54.260 --> 00:00:56.180 we'll take a trip back in time to the Apollo 22 00:00:56.180 --> 00:00:58.340 11 mission, revealing the little known 23 00:00:58.340 --> 00:01:00.220 stories of where the Eagle could have landed 24 00:01:00.220 --> 00:01:02.740 if circumstances had been different. Stick 25 00:01:02.740 --> 00:01:05.100 around. It's going to be an exciting episode. 26 00:01:07.740 --> 00:01:09.580 You've spent months aboard the International 27 00:01:09.740 --> 00:01:11.780 Space Station, witnessing Earth from an 28 00:01:11.780 --> 00:01:14.060 unparalleled vantage point, performing 29 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:16.340 groundbreaking science and pushing the 30 00:01:16.340 --> 00:01:19.270 boundaries of human exploration. You return 31 00:01:19.350 --> 00:01:22.310 home a hero, but with an unexpected side 32 00:01:22.310 --> 00:01:25.230 effect. Your eyesight has changed. This 33 00:01:25.230 --> 00:01:28.150 isn't a rare occurrence. It affects about 70% 34 00:01:28.150 --> 00:01:30.710 of astronauts on long duration missions. And 35 00:01:30.710 --> 00:01:33.430 it's got NASA scientists intensely focused on 36 00:01:33.430 --> 00:01:36.030 understanding why weightlessness impacts our 37 00:01:36.030 --> 00:01:38.630 vision so profoundly. One astronaut, Dr. 38 00:01:38.630 --> 00:01:40.750 Sarah Johnson, reported that text perfectly 39 00:01:40.750 --> 00:01:43.030 clear before her six month ISS stay 40 00:01:43.430 --> 00:01:45.770 became blurry. She's far from alone. 41 00:01:45.850 --> 00:01:48.050 Astronauts frequently report difficulty 42 00:01:48.050 --> 00:01:50.490 reading blurred distance vision and other 43 00:01:50.490 --> 00:01:52.970 visual changes that can persist for years 44 00:01:52.970 --> 00:01:55.530 after returning to Earth. This condition has 45 00:01:55.530 --> 00:01:58.010 been given a spaceflight associated 46 00:01:58.170 --> 00:02:00.410 neuro ocular syndrome, or 47 00:02:00.650 --> 00:02:03.570 sans. It has rapidly become one of the most 48 00:02:03.570 --> 00:02:06.210 pressing health concerns for extended space 49 00:02:06.210 --> 00:02:08.890 missions. Unlike other temporary issues like 50 00:02:08.890 --> 00:02:11.540 motion sickness or or muscle weakness, which 51 00:02:11.540 --> 00:02:13.980 quickly resolve, on Earth, sans related 52 00:02:13.980 --> 00:02:16.500 vision changes can unfortunately be 53 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:19.420 permanent. The primary culprit appears to be 54 00:02:19.420 --> 00:02:22.260 microgravity itself. Here on Earth, gravity 55 00:02:22.260 --> 00:02:24.300 consistently pulls fluids downwards through 56 00:02:24.300 --> 00:02:26.740 our bodies. In the microgravity environment 57 00:02:26.740 --> 00:02:29.300 of space, these fluids redistribute. This 58 00:02:29.300 --> 00:02:31.020 leads to facial puffiness and more 59 00:02:31.020 --> 00:02:32.860 critically, increased pressure inside the 60 00:02:32.860 --> 00:02:35.580 skull. This elevated intracranial pressure 61 00:02:35.580 --> 00:02:37.620 can flatten the back of the eyeball and cause 62 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:39.990 swelling of the optic nerve, directly 63 00:02:39.990 --> 00:02:42.870 impacting vision. These findings carry 64 00:02:42.870 --> 00:02:45.110 significant implications for future missions 65 00:02:45.110 --> 00:02:48.030 to Mars, which could realistically last two 66 00:02:48.030 --> 00:02:50.750 to three years. As Dr. Michael Roberts, 67 00:02:50.910 --> 00:02:53.750 NASA's Vision Research Lead, put it, we need 68 00:02:53.750 --> 00:02:55.990 to understand whether these changes stabilise 69 00:02:55.990 --> 00:02:58.870 or continue worsening over time. An astronaut 70 00:02:58.870 --> 00:03:00.510 with severely compromised vision could 71 00:03:00.510 --> 00:03:03.470 jeopardise an entire Mars mission. To 72 00:03:03.470 --> 00:03:06.160 combat SANS, Dr. Roberts and his team at 73 00:03:06.160 --> 00:03:08.320 NASA are actively developing various 74 00:03:08.320 --> 00:03:10.960 countermeasures. These include specialised 75 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:13.600 contact lenses, medications designed to 76 00:03:13.600 --> 00:03:16.280 reduce fluid pressure, and specific exercise 77 00:03:16.280 --> 00:03:18.240 protocols that might help maintain normal 78 00:03:18.240 --> 00:03:20.840 circulation. They are also testing an 79 00:03:20.840 --> 00:03:22.560 innovative device called the Visual 80 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:24.920 Impairment Intracranial pressure, or 81 00:03:24.920 --> 00:03:27.760 viip chamber, which could simulate 82 00:03:27.760 --> 00:03:29.480 Earth like pressure conditions for the eyes 83 00:03:29.480 --> 00:03:32.340 while in space. While SANS presents a 84 00:03:32.340 --> 00:03:34.540 serious challenge for space exploration, this 85 00:03:34.540 --> 00:03:36.420 research offers a broader benefit for 86 00:03:36.420 --> 00:03:38.980 everyone on Earth. Scientists are gaining 87 00:03:38.980 --> 00:03:41.140 invaluable new insights into how pressure 88 00:03:41.140 --> 00:03:43.540 affects vision, which could potentially lead 89 00:03:43.540 --> 00:03:45.340 to improved treatments for conditions like 90 00:03:45.340 --> 00:03:48.100 glaucoma and intracranial hypertension. Here 91 00:03:48.100 --> 00:03:50.740 on our home planet, understanding how our 92 00:03:50.740 --> 00:03:53.420 bodies adapt to and are affected by space 93 00:03:53.420 --> 00:03:55.620 remains crucial as we continue to test the 94 00:03:55.620 --> 00:03:58.300 limits of human endurance and explore further 95 00:03:58.300 --> 00:04:00.980 into the cosmos. The research into 96 00:04:00.980 --> 00:04:03.700 solutions will continue at NASA and onboard 97 00:04:03.700 --> 00:04:06.620 the iss, with the hope that when humanity 98 00:04:06.620 --> 00:04:09.260 finally embarks on a trip to Mars, our vision 99 00:04:09.260 --> 00:04:11.220 will be clear enough to fully appreciate what 100 00:04:11.220 --> 00:04:12.180 we have accomplished. 101 00:04:13.780 --> 00:04:16.140 Shifting our gaze from astronaut health to 102 00:04:16.140 --> 00:04:18.580 ambitious national goals let's talk about 103 00:04:18.580 --> 00:04:21.260 South Korea's burgeoning space ambitions the 104 00:04:21.260 --> 00:04:23.260 nation is making headlines with its bold plan 105 00:04:23.260 --> 00:04:25.380 to establish a moon base by 2045. 106 00:04:26.370 --> 00:04:28.450 This significant goal was revealed in a long 107 00:04:28.450 --> 00:04:31.050 term exploration roadmap laid out by the 108 00:04:31.050 --> 00:04:33.410 Korea aerospace administration, or 109 00:04:33.410 --> 00:04:36.210 CASA, which was established just last year. 110 00:04:37.090 --> 00:04:39.890 CASA's roadmap outlines five core missions 111 00:04:40.210 --> 00:04:42.450 encompassing everything from low Earth orbit 112 00:04:42.450 --> 00:04:44.890 and microgravity exploration to lunar 113 00:04:44.890 --> 00:04:47.570 exploration and even solar and space science 114 00:04:47.570 --> 00:04:50.410 missions. A key focus for CASA is 115 00:04:50.410 --> 00:04:52.530 developing homegrown lunar landing and roving 116 00:04:52.530 --> 00:04:55.170 technology alongside the crucial ability to 117 00:04:55.170 --> 00:04:57.490 extract and utilise moon resources like water 118 00:04:57.490 --> 00:05:00.370 ice. Some of this preparatory work is 119 00:05:00.370 --> 00:05:02.970 already well underway. For instance, the 120 00:05:02.970 --> 00:05:05.250 Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral 121 00:05:05.250 --> 00:05:07.850 Resources has been testing prototype lunar 122 00:05:07.850 --> 00:05:10.490 rovers in an abandoned coal mine, practising 123 00:05:10.490 --> 00:05:12.050 techniques that could be vital for future 124 00:05:12.050 --> 00:05:15.010 space mining operations. South Korea isn't 125 00:05:15.010 --> 00:05:17.130 new to lunar endeavours. In August 126 00:05:17.130 --> 00:05:19.970 2022, the nation successfully launched its 127 00:05:19.970 --> 00:05:22.150 first moon probe, known as the Korea 128 00:05:22.150 --> 00:05:25.030 Pathfinder lunar orbiter, or Dnuri, atop a 129 00:05:25.030 --> 00:05:27.910 SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Dannuri reached 130 00:05:27.910 --> 00:05:30.230 lunar orbit four months later and is still 131 00:05:30.230 --> 00:05:32.310 actively studying the moon with its array of 132 00:05:32.310 --> 00:05:34.550 instruments, proving South Korea's growing 133 00:05:34.550 --> 00:05:37.510 capabilities in space. While South Korea 134 00:05:37.510 --> 00:05:39.510 had already aimed to place a robotic lander 135 00:05:39.510 --> 00:05:42.390 on the moon by 2032, this newly 136 00:05:42.390 --> 00:05:44.910 revealed roadmap significantly ups the 137 00:05:44.910 --> 00:05:47.830 ante. The plan now includes developing a 138 00:05:47.830 --> 00:05:50.030 more capable moon lander by 2040, 139 00:05:50.790 --> 00:05:52.710 all with the ultimate goal of building a 140 00:05:52.710 --> 00:05:54.950 robust lunar economic base by 141 00:05:54.950 --> 00:05:57.790 2045. It's important to note that 142 00:05:57.790 --> 00:05:59.710 South Korea isn't alone in this race to the 143 00:05:59.710 --> 00:06:01.790 moon. The United States, through NASA's 144 00:06:01.790 --> 00:06:04.430 Artemis programme, also plans to build lunar 145 00:06:04.430 --> 00:06:07.230 outposts in the coming decade. China is 146 00:06:07.230 --> 00:06:09.710 pursuing similar goals, often in partnership 147 00:06:09.710 --> 00:06:12.270 with Russia and other nations. And India has 148 00:06:12.270 --> 00:06:15.270 set its sights on a moon base by 2047. 149 00:06:16.080 --> 00:06:17.920 The moon isn't Khasa's only distant 150 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:20.600 destination either. The agency also has its 151 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:22.840 sights set on South Korea's first ever Mars 152 00:06:22.840 --> 00:06:25.200 landing, also by 2045. 153 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:29.280 Now let's shift our focus to a truly exciting 154 00:06:29.280 --> 00:06:32.159 development on the horizon. NASA's next 155 00:06:32.159 --> 00:06:34.560 big space telescope project, the Nancy Grace 156 00:06:34.560 --> 00:06:37.480 Roman Telescope. Astronomers are absolutely 157 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:39.520 buzzing with anticipation for its launch, 158 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:41.920 currently set for no later than May 159 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:44.770 2027. And for good reason. 160 00:06:45.410 --> 00:06:47.610 Recent research suggests that Roman, during 161 00:06:47.610 --> 00:06:49.730 its High Latitude Time Domain Survey 162 00:06:49.730 --> 00:06:52.400 observation programme, could discover an, uh, 163 00:06:52.400 --> 00:06:55.370 astounding 100,000 powerful cosmic 164 00:06:55.370 --> 00:06:57.810 explosions. We're talking about a dazzling 165 00:06:57.810 --> 00:06:59.690 array of violent events, including 166 00:06:59.690 --> 00:07:01.730 supernovas, marking the dramatic deaths of 167 00:07:01.730 --> 00:07:04.570 massive stars, which occur 168 00:07:04.570 --> 00:07:06.930 when two of the universe's most extreme dead 169 00:07:06.930 --> 00:07:09.420 stars or neutron stars, Viking violently 170 00:07:09.420 --> 00:07:12.220 collide and even burps from actively feeding 171 00:07:12.220 --> 00:07:15.220 supermassive black holes. Roman might even 172 00:07:15.220 --> 00:07:17.380 detect the explosive destruction of the very 173 00:07:17.380 --> 00:07:19.420 first generation of stars in our universe. 174 00:07:19.820 --> 00:07:21.980 These cosmic fireworks are more than just 175 00:07:21.980 --> 00:07:24.500 spectacular sights. They're crucial clues 176 00:07:24.500 --> 00:07:26.860 that could help scientists finally crack the 177 00:07:26.860 --> 00:07:29.380 mystery of dark energy. That's the 178 00:07:29.380 --> 00:07:31.900 placeholder name for the strange unseen force 179 00:07:31.900 --> 00:07:34.300 that's causing the expansion of the universe 180 00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:37.150 to accelerate. According to Benjamin Rose, 181 00:07:37.150 --> 00:07:39.030 an assistant professor at Baylor University 182 00:07:39.030 --> 00:07:41.630 and the research leader, this survey will be 183 00:07:41.630 --> 00:07:44.230 a goldmine. Whether you're exploring dark 184 00:07:44.230 --> 00:07:46.750 energy, dying stars, galactic 185 00:07:46.750 --> 00:07:49.750 powerhouses, or even entirely new phenomena 186 00:07:49.750 --> 00:07:52.630 we've never encountered before, Roman will 187 00:07:52.630 --> 00:07:54.430 achieve these explosive results by 188 00:07:54.430 --> 00:07:56.790 systematically scanning the same vast region 189 00:07:56.790 --> 00:07:59.750 of space every five days for a period of two 190 00:07:59.750 --> 00:08:02.320 years. These observations will then be 191 00:08:02.320 --> 00:08:04.200 meticulously stitched together to create 192 00:08:04.200 --> 00:08:07.120 incredible cosmic movies, revealing a wealth 193 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:09.600 of these dynamic events. Many of the 194 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:11.880 explosions Roman detects will be type 1A 195 00:08:11.880 --> 00:08:14.320 supernovas. These particular cosmic 196 00:08:14.320 --> 00:08:17.200 blasts happen when a dead star known as a 197 00:08:17.200 --> 00:08:20.000 white dwarf greedily syphons material from a 198 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:22.720 companion star until it becomes unstable and 199 00:08:22.720 --> 00:08:25.720 erupts. Type 1a supernovas 200 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:27.640 are incredibly valuable to astronomers 201 00:08:27.640 --> 00:08:29.810 because their light output is and peak 202 00:08:29.810 --> 00:08:31.690 brightness are so consistent from one event 203 00:08:31.690 --> 00:08:34.450 to the next. This makes them what astronomers 204 00:08:34.450 --> 00:08:36.330 affectionately call standard candles, 205 00:08:36.650 --> 00:08:38.890 allowing them to accurately measure cosmic 206 00:08:38.890 --> 00:08:41.850 distances. The new research, which 207 00:08:41.850 --> 00:08:44.250 simulated Roman's entire High Latitude Time 208 00:08:44.250 --> 00:08:46.890 Domain Survey indicates the telescope could 209 00:08:46.890 --> 00:08:49.770 uncover up to 27,000 new Type 1A 210 00:08:49.770 --> 00:08:52.130 supernovas. That's about 10 times the 211 00:08:52.130 --> 00:08:55.100 combined total from all previous surveys. By 212 00:08:55.100 --> 00:08:56.780 observing these standard candles across 213 00:08:56.780 --> 00:08:58.500 immense and varying distances, 214 00:08:59.060 --> 00:09:01.100 astronomers are essentially looking back in 215 00:09:01.100 --> 00:09:03.660 time, enabling them to pinpoint how fast the 216 00:09:03.660 --> 00:09:05.700 universe was expanding at different points in 217 00:09:05.700 --> 00:09:08.540 cosmic history. This unprecedented 218 00:09:08.540 --> 00:09:11.180 wealth of type 1A supernovas should offer 219 00:09:11.180 --> 00:09:13.300 significant hints about the secrets of dark 220 00:09:13.300 --> 00:09:16.020 energy. It could even help confirm recent 221 00:09:16.020 --> 00:09:18.140 findings from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic 222 00:09:18.140 --> 00:09:20.940 Instrument, or dece, which suggests that this 223 00:09:20.940 --> 00:09:23.180 mysterious force might actually be weakening 224 00:09:23.180 --> 00:09:26.100 over time. As Rose explained, filling 225 00:09:26.100 --> 00:09:28.060 these data gaps could also fill in gaps in 226 00:09:28.060 --> 00:09:30.780 our understanding of dark energy. Evidence is 227 00:09:30.780 --> 00:09:32.820 mounting that dark energy has changed over 228 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:35.060 time, and Roman will help us understand that 229 00:09:35.060 --> 00:09:37.300 change by exploring cosmic history in ways 230 00:09:37.300 --> 00:09:40.059 other telescopes can't. Beyond dark 231 00:09:40.059 --> 00:09:42.060 energy, Roman will also shed light on the 232 00:09:42.060 --> 00:09:44.860 life cycles of stars. The team estimates that 233 00:09:44.860 --> 00:09:47.300 as many as 60,000 of the 100,000 234 00:09:47.300 --> 00:09:50.220 cosmic explosions detected could be core 235 00:09:50.220 --> 00:09:53.170 collapse supernovas. These occur when massive 236 00:09:53.170 --> 00:09:55.530 stars at least eight times heavier than our 237 00:09:55.530 --> 00:09:58.530 sun exhaust their nuclear fuel and can 238 00:09:58.530 --> 00:10:00.090 no longer support themselves against 239 00:10:00.090 --> 00:10:02.850 gravitational collapse. As their cores 240 00:10:02.850 --> 00:10:05.330 rapidly implode, their outer layers are 241 00:10:05.330 --> 00:10:07.849 violently blasted away. This process 242 00:10:07.850 --> 00:10:10.730 disperses elements forged within these stars 243 00:10:10.730 --> 00:10:13.210 throughout the cosmos, providing the building 244 00:10:13.210 --> 00:10:15.530 blocks for the next generations of stars, 245 00:10:15.930 --> 00:10:18.740 their planets, and perhaps even life itself. 246 00:10:19.300 --> 00:10:21.460 While not directly linked to dark energy, 247 00:10:21.780 --> 00:10:23.740 these events are crucial for understanding 248 00:10:23.740 --> 00:10:26.220 stellar evolution and the chemical enrichment 249 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:29.100 of the universe. Rebecca Hounsell, a 250 00:10:29.100 --> 00:10:30.940 member of the research team from NASA's 251 00:10:30.940 --> 00:10:33.460 Goddard Space Flight Centre, highlighted how 252 00:10:33.460 --> 00:10:35.420 Roman's data will allow scientists to 253 00:10:35.420 --> 00:10:37.540 distinguish between different types of cosmic 254 00:10:37.540 --> 00:10:40.180 flashes. She noted that while searching for 255 00:10:40.180 --> 00:10:43.140 type 1A supernovas, Roman will collect a 256 00:10:43.140 --> 00:10:46.090 lot of cosmic bycatch, other phenomena that 257 00:10:46.090 --> 00:10:48.290 may not be useful for some scientists, but 258 00:10:48.290 --> 00:10:51.170 will be invaluable to others. Among these 259 00:10:51.170 --> 00:10:54.170 rarer cosmic gems, Roman could detect tidal 260 00:10:54.170 --> 00:10:57.010 disruption events, or TDEs, where black 261 00:10:57.010 --> 00:10:59.530 holes ruthlessly devour stars that wander too 262 00:10:59.530 --> 00:11:02.490 close. As the star is torn apart by immense 263 00:11:02.490 --> 00:11:05.490 tidal forces, much of its material is spewed 264 00:11:05.490 --> 00:11:07.850 out at near light speed, creating powerful 265 00:11:07.850 --> 00:11:10.780 emissions that Roman will hunt for. The team 266 00:11:10.780 --> 00:11:12.780 predicts around 40 such star destroying 267 00:11:12.780 --> 00:11:15.620 events could be found. Even more elusive are 268 00:11:15.620 --> 00:11:17.740 kilonovas, those explosive bursts of light 269 00:11:17.740 --> 00:11:19.740 that happen when two neutron stars smash 270 00:11:19.740 --> 00:11:22.340 together and merge. The team estimates Roman 271 00:11:22.340 --> 00:11:24.620 could uncover around five new kilonovas. 272 00:11:24.860 --> 00:11:26.860 While that number seems small, it's a huge 273 00:11:26.860 --> 00:11:29.060 deal, as only one kilonova has been 274 00:11:29.060 --> 00:11:31.900 definitively confirmed to date. These 275 00:11:31.900 --> 00:11:33.940 observations are vital for understanding the 276 00:11:33.940 --> 00:11:36.340 origins of precious metals like gold and 277 00:11:36.340 --> 00:11:39.290 silver. While most elements are forged in the 278 00:11:39.290 --> 00:11:41.890 hearts of stars, the extreme conditions of 279 00:11:41.890 --> 00:11:43.930 neutron star collisions are thought to be the 280 00:11:43.930 --> 00:11:46.250 only cosmic furnaces powerful enough to 281 00:11:46.250 --> 00:11:48.690 create elements heavier than iron, like gold 282 00:11:48.690 --> 00:11:51.290 and plutonium. Studying the light from these 283 00:11:51.290 --> 00:11:53.249 kilonovas helps us understand this 284 00:11:53.249 --> 00:11:56.170 fundamental process. Kilonova studies could 285 00:11:56.170 --> 00:11:58.370 also reveal what types of celestial bodies 286 00:11:58.370 --> 00:12:01.130 are formed when neutron stars merge. Perhaps 287 00:12:01.130 --> 00:12:03.330 an even larger neutron star, an immediate 288 00:12:03.330 --> 00:12:05.250 black hole, or something entirely new. 289 00:12:06.200 --> 00:12:07.960 Perhaps the most thrilling, uh, potential 290 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:10.280 discovery Roman could make is the observation 291 00:12:10.280 --> 00:12:12.800 of the strange explosive deaths of the 292 00:12:12.800 --> 00:12:15.800 universe's very first stars. Current 293 00:12:15.800 --> 00:12:18.240 theories suggest these early massive stars 294 00:12:18.240 --> 00:12:20.520 may have died differently than modern stars 295 00:12:20.760 --> 00:12:23.240 undergoing what's called a pair instability 296 00:12:23.400 --> 00:12:25.840 supernova. In these colossal 297 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:28.520 blasts, gamma rays within the star could have 298 00:12:28.520 --> 00:12:31.410 generated matter antimatter pairs, leading 299 00:12:31.410 --> 00:12:34.210 to a self detonation so powerful it theorised 300 00:12:34.210 --> 00:12:36.130 to leave nothing behind but the elemental 301 00:12:36.130 --> 00:12:38.370 fingerprint of its lifetime. While 302 00:12:38.370 --> 00:12:40.170 astronomers have dozens of candidates for 303 00:12:40.170 --> 00:12:42.370 these events, none have been confirmed. 304 00:12:42.930 --> 00:12:45.450 The simulation suggests Roman could turn up 305 00:12:45.450 --> 00:12:47.730 as many as 10 confirmed pair instability 306 00:12:47.730 --> 00:12:50.730 supernovas. As Rose put it, they're 307 00:12:50.730 --> 00:12:53.450 incredibly far away and very rare. So you 308 00:12:53.450 --> 00:12:55.570 need a telescope that can survey a lot of the 309 00:12:55.570 --> 00:12:58.030 sky at a deep exposure level and in near 310 00:12:58.030 --> 00:13:00.150 infrared light, and that's Roman. 311 00:13:00.950 --> 00:13:03.430 The team plans further simulations to explore 312 00:13:03.430 --> 00:13:06.030 Roman's full capabilities, which might even 313 00:13:06.030 --> 00:13:07.950 include detecting phenomena not yet 314 00:13:07.950 --> 00:13:10.870 theorised. As Rebecca Hounsel aptly 315 00:13:10.870 --> 00:13:13.310 summarised, Roman's going to find a whole 316 00:13:13.310 --> 00:13:15.310 bunch of weird and wonderful things out in 317 00:13:15.310 --> 00:13:17.310 space, including some we haven't even thought 318 00:13:17.310 --> 00:13:19.470 of yet. We're definitely expecting the 319 00:13:19.470 --> 00:13:22.390 unexpected. This groundbreaking research, 320 00:13:22.470 --> 00:13:25.150 by the way, was published on July 15 in the 321 00:13:25.150 --> 00:13:26.230 Astrophysical Journal. 322 00:13:27.430 --> 00:13:29.510 From the cutting edge of cosmic discovery, 323 00:13:29.830 --> 00:13:31.830 let's take a quick look back at, ah, one of 324 00:13:31.830 --> 00:13:34.590 the most iconic moments in space. The 325 00:13:34.590 --> 00:13:37.534 Apollo 11 moon landing on July 326 00:13:37.646 --> 00:13:40.430 20, 1969. Neil Armstrong's famous 327 00:13:40.430 --> 00:13:43.110 words Houston Tranquilly Base here, 328 00:13:43.190 --> 00:13:46.030 the Eagle has landed, marked humanity's first 329 00:13:46.030 --> 00:13:48.390 steps on another world. But what if those 330 00:13:48.390 --> 00:13:49.870 words had been uttered from a different 331 00:13:49.870 --> 00:13:52.250 location on the lunar surface? It's a 332 00:13:52.250 --> 00:13:54.730 fascinating thought, isn't it? The truth is 333 00:13:54.810 --> 00:13:57.170 that historic phrase could very easily have 334 00:13:57.170 --> 00:13:59.010 come from a completely different part of the 335 00:13:59.010 --> 00:14:01.850 moon. In February 1968, 336 00:14:02.090 --> 00:14:04.570 NASA's Apollo Site Selection board had 337 00:14:04.570 --> 00:14:06.730 narrowed down a list of 30 potential landing 338 00:14:06.730 --> 00:14:09.530 sites for Apollo 11 to just five. Among these 339 00:14:09.530 --> 00:14:11.410 were two sites on the opposite side of the 340 00:14:11.410 --> 00:14:14.130 lunar disc from Tranquilly Base, specifically 341 00:14:14.130 --> 00:14:17.010 in Oceanus Procellarum, also known as the 342 00:14:17.010 --> 00:14:19.950 Ocean of Storms. Each of these prospective 343 00:14:19.950 --> 00:14:22.110 landing zones, which were roughly 3 by 5 344 00:14:22.110 --> 00:14:24.710 miles in size, underwent intensive orbital 345 00:14:24.710 --> 00:14:27.630 imaging and a rigorous selection process. The 346 00:14:27.630 --> 00:14:30.270 criteria were incredibly strict. Each site 347 00:14:30.270 --> 00:14:32.350 needed to be within 5 degrees of the lunar 348 00:14:32.350 --> 00:14:35.110 equator to minimise fuel consumption. There 349 00:14:35.110 --> 00:14:37.390 could be no large hills or deep craters along 350 00:14:37.390 --> 00:14:39.830 the lander's approach path, as these could 351 00:14:39.830 --> 00:14:42.830 confuse its landing radar. Furthermore, each 352 00:14:42.830 --> 00:14:45.030 site had to have a slope of less than 2 353 00:14:45.030 --> 00:14:47.980 degrees, with relatively few craters and 354 00:14:47.980 --> 00:14:49.780 excellent lighting conditions during the 355 00:14:49.780 --> 00:14:52.780 chosen landing windows. Ultimately, 356 00:14:52.860 --> 00:14:54.980 Site two in the Sea of Tranquilly was 357 00:14:54.980 --> 00:14:57.020 selected as the prime landing location. 358 00:14:57.980 --> 00:15:00.340 However, two of the other shortlisted zones 359 00:15:00.340 --> 00:15:02.860 were designated as contingency landing sites, 360 00:15:03.020 --> 00:15:05.220 ready to be targeted if the launch of Apollo 361 00:15:05.220 --> 00:15:07.900 11's mighty Saturn V rocket had been delayed. 362 00:15:08.700 --> 00:15:10.820 Imagine if the mission's launch had slipped 363 00:15:10.820 --> 00:15:13.700 by just two days from July 16 364 00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:16.300 to July 18, 1969. 365 00:15:17.020 --> 00:15:19.780 In that scenario, humanity's first steps on 366 00:15:19.780 --> 00:15:21.700 the moon would have taken place in the Sinus 367 00:15:21.700 --> 00:15:24.100 Medii region, right in the centre of the 368 00:15:24.100 --> 00:15:26.620 Earth facing lunar surface. And if the launch 369 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:28.940 had been pushed back even further to July 370 00:15:28.940 --> 00:15:31.580 21, 1969, 371 00:15:31.900 --> 00:15:33.700 then the footprints would have been left in 372 00:15:33.700 --> 00:15:36.300 the regolith of Oceanus Procellarum. 373 00:15:36.700 --> 00:15:39.260 While Tranquilly Base has certainly become a 374 00:15:39.260 --> 00:15:42.140 legendary name, Procellarum Base just doesn't 375 00:15:42.140 --> 00:15:44.500 quite have the same ring to it, does it? It's 376 00:15:44.500 --> 00:15:46.620 a compelling reminder of the meticulous 377 00:15:46.620 --> 00:15:48.860 planning and the precise conditions that led 378 00:15:48.860 --> 00:15:51.020 to one of history's most defining moments. 379 00:15:52.380 --> 00:15:54.140 And that brings us to the end of another 380 00:15:54.220 --> 00:15:56.980 fascinating journey through the cosmos on 381 00:15:56.980 --> 00:15:59.900 Astronomy Daily. I hope you've enjoyed 382 00:15:59.900 --> 00:16:02.020 exploring these stories as much as I have 383 00:16:02.020 --> 00:16:04.660 enjoyed sharing them with you. Thank you for 384 00:16:04.660 --> 00:16:07.140 tuning in and being a part of our cosmic 385 00:16:07.140 --> 00:16:10.070 conversation. This has been Anna, your host, 386 00:16:10.150 --> 00:16:12.270 and I invite you to keep exploring the 387 00:16:12.270 --> 00:16:14.830 wonders of the universe with us. You can 388 00:16:14.830 --> 00:16:16.910 become a completionist and listen to all our 389 00:16:16.910 --> 00:16:19.470 back episodes and even get a shout out on the 390 00:16:19.470 --> 00:16:21.350 show by visiting our website at 391 00:16:21.350 --> 00:16:23.550 astronomydaily IO. That's 392 00:16:23.550 --> 00:16:26.430 astronomydaily IO. And don't forget 393 00:16:26.430 --> 00:16:28.790 to subscribe to Astronomy Daily on Apple 394 00:16:28.790 --> 00:16:31.790 podcasts, Spotify and YouTube or wherever you 395 00:16:31.790 --> 00:16:33.790 get your podcasts so you never miss an 396 00:16:33.790 --> 00:16:36.440 update. Until tomorrow when I'll be back to 397 00:16:36.440 --> 00:16:38.160 do it all again. Keep looking up.