Betelgeuse's Hidden Ally, Juno's Camera Comeback, and The Great Eclipse Chase of 2026

0:00 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your regular dive

0:02 into the cosmos with me, Anna. Um. In this

0:04 episode, we're uncovering a centuries old

0:07 mystery of a famous star, marvelling at how

0:10 NASA fixed a camera millions of miles away,

0:12 and getting ready for an epic total solar

0:15 eclipse. Plus a quick look at upcoming

0:16 launches from around the globe. So let's get

0:19 started.

0:21 Our first story shines a light on Betelgeuse,

0:23 the famous red supergiant that has baffled

0:25 astronomers for millennia. Now

0:28 scientists have finally spotted its hidden

0:30 stellar companion. A discovery that has

0:33 cracked a thousand year old mystery

0:35 surrounding its behaviour. For centuries,

0:37 Betelgeuse has puzzled astronomers with its

0:40 varying brightness, particularly a regular

0:42 dimming over six year periods. This is

0:45 distinct from the more dramatic great dimming

0:48 of 2019 and 2020,

0:50 which though solved in 2023 by a

0:53 giant dust cloud, sparked intense

0:56 supernova speculation. It was the

0:59 consistent millennia old six year

1:01 heartbeat that remained the profound

1:04 enigma. The breakthrough came from reviewing

1:07 archival data, leading scientists to theorise

1:10 a hidden companion. Despite challenges

1:13 with instruments like Hubble, a team led by

1:15 NASA Ames Research Centre scientist Steve

1:17 Howell persevered. They utilised the Gemini

1:20 North Telescope and its Alopiki instrument,

1:23 employing speckle imaging to cut through

1:25 atmospheric distortions with short exposures.

1:28 This advanced technique provided the high

1:30 resolution images needed to directly detect

1:32 Betelgeuse's faint companion for the first

1:34 time ever. What they found is

1:37 truly fascinating. This companion star,

1:40 believed to be a hot blue white star with

1:42 about 1.5 times the Sun's mass, orbits

1:45 Betelgeuse in an incredibly tight embrace,

1:47 roughly four times the Earth's sun distance.

1:50 This places it within Betelgeuse's extended

1:52 atmosphere, marking the first time a

1:54 companion has been detected so close to a red

1:56 supergiant. The irony lies in their life

1:59 stages. Betelgeuse rapidly nearing its end,

2:02 while its companion, though formed at the

2:04 same time, hasn't even begun to fuse hydrogen

2:07 in its core yet. Sadly, this doesn't promise

2:10 a long life for the smaller star.

2:12 Betelgeuse's intense gravity will likely drag

2:14 in and devour its companion within the next

2:17 10, 10,000 years. This

2:19 groundbreaking research not only solves a

2:21 millennia old puzzle about Betelgeuse's

2:23 brightness, but also paves the way for

2:25 similar observations of other red

2:27 supergiants. Astronomers anticipate another

2:30 look at this unique system in November 2027,

2:32 when the Companion reaches maximum

2:34 separation. The team's findings were recently

2:37 published across two papers in the

2:39 Astrophysical Journal.

2:42 Next, we turn our gaze to Jupiter, where

2:44 NASA's Juno spacecraft team recently pulled

2:47 off an incredible feat, rescuing its

2:49 radiation damaged JunoCam imager. Using an

2:52 experimental technique. This ingenious

2:55 solution not only restored the camera's

2:57 ability to capture stunning images of

2:59 Jupiter's volcanic moon, but it

3:02 also provides vital lessons for future

3:04 missions operating in the harsh radiation

3:06 environments across our solar system.

3:08 JunoCam, a colour visible light camera,

3:12 is located outside the spacecraft's titanium

3:14 walled radiation vault, leaving it exposed to

3:17 some of the most intense planetary radiation

3:19 fields in our solar system. While it was

3:22 designed to withstand the first eight orbits,

3:24 no one knew how long it would truly last. It

3:27 performed normally through Juno's first 34

3:29 orbits, but by orbit 47, hints of

3:32 radiation damage began to appear. And by

3:35 orbit 56, nearly all images were

3:38 corrupted. Pinpointing the exact damage

3:40 from hundreds of millions of miles away was a

3:43 challenge, but clues pointed to a damaged

3:45 voltage regulator critical for JunoCam's

3:48 power. With few options left, the team

3:51 turned to a process called annealing, heating

3:53 a material for a period before slowly cooling

3:56 it. This technique can sometimes alter a

3:58 material like silicon at a microscopic level,

4:01 potentially reducing defects. They commanded

4:04 JunoCam's heater to raise the camera's

4:05 temperature to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, much

4:08 warmer than its typical operating conditions.

4:11 And to their delight, soon after the

4:13 annealing process finished, JunoCam began

4:16 cranking out crisp images for the next

4:18 several orbits. However,

4:21 Juno was flying deeper into Jupiter's

4:23 radiation fields with each pass. And by

4:25 orbit55, the imagery once again started

4:28 showing problems, full of streaks and noise.

4:31 With a close encounter with IO just days

4:33 away, it was a Hail Mary moment. The team

4:36 decided to crank junocam's heater all the way

4:38 up, hoping for a more extreme annealing to

4:40 save them. For the first week, test

4:43 images showed little improvement. Then,

4:45 dramatically just days before the IO

4:47 encounter, the images began to improve

4:49 significantly. By December 30,

4:52 2023, when Juno came within just

4:54 930 miles of IO's surface, the

4:57 images were almost as good as the day the

4:59 camera launched. They captured detailed views

5:02 of IO's north polar region, remember

5:04 revealing mountain blocks covered in sulphur

5:06 dioxide, frosts rising sharply from the

5:09 plains, and previously uncharted volcanoes

5:11 with extensive lava flow fields.

5:14 Although the image noise recently returned

5:16 during Juno's 74th orbit, the Juno

5:19 team has already applied variations of this

5:21 annealing technique to several other Juno

5:24 instruments and engineering subsystems. This

5:26 pioneering work is teaching scientists how to

5:29 create and maintain spacecraft tolerant to

5:31 radiation, offering insights that will

5:34 benefit not only defence and commercial

5:36 satellites, but also future NASA missions,

5:39 helping us push the boundaries of space

5:41 exploration even further.

5:44 Get ready to mark your calendars for August

5:46 12, 2026, when a total

5:49 solar eclipse will sweep across a select part

5:51 of the Northern hemisphere, bringing the

5:53 breathtaking spectacle of totality to

5:55 Greenland, Iceland and Spain. For those

5:58 planning to chase this incredible event, now

6:01 is the time to prepare, as a perfect eclipse

6:04 trip often requires months, if not years of

6:07 meticulous planning. To truly witness a total

6:09 solar eclipse in all its glory, you

6:12 absolutely must be within the narrow path of

6:14 totality, the precise strip of land where the

6:17 moon completely blocks the sun. Even a

6:20 99% eclipse leaves the sun's dazzling disc

6:23 exposed, meaning the ethereal beauty of the

6:25 corona, the sun's ghostly outer

6:28 atmosphere, remains hidden. So choosing your

6:31 location wisely is paramount for the

6:34 adventurous. Greenland offers pristine Arctic

6:37 landscapes, particularly in Scoresby Sund,

6:39 which lies entirely within the path of

6:41 totality. Many will experience this from

6:44 expedition style cruise ships. Here you could

6:47 witness up to 2 minutes and 17 seconds of

6:49 totality with the sun about 25

6:52 degrees above the western horizon. While

6:55 travel costs are high and the weather is a

6:57 consideration, meteorologist Jay Anderson

7:00 notes that air flowing off the ice cap often

7:03 dries out, leading to clear skies. Though

7:06 large weather systems can still pose a

7:08 challenge, this is truly a bucket list

7:10 trip, offering far more than just the eclipse

7:13 itself. Iceland presents one of the most

7:16 photogenic landscapes on Earth. Boasting the

7:18 longest totality on land at 2 minutes and

7:21 13.7 seconds, the path crosses

7:24 the most populated areas of the country,

7:26 specifically the Reykjanes Peninsula, the

7:28 Snaefelsnes Peninsula and the Westfjords.

7:31 Eclipse chaser Saevar Helgi Bragason

7:34 warns of heavy traffic, especially since the

7:36 eclipse falls on a Wednesday and many locals

7:39 will be heading into the path. Icelandic

7:41 weather is famously unpredictable, often

7:43 changing completely in just five minutes.

7:46 However, it's rarely entirely overcast in

7:49 August, with always a hole somewhere,

7:52 so staying mobile and relying on excellent

7:55 forecasts from the Icelandic Met Office will

7:57 be key. Getting close to the water on one of

8:00 the peninsulas could also offer better

8:01 conditions due to onshore flow. Most

8:04 travellers, however, are expected to flock to

8:06 Spain, which will experience its first total

8:09 solar eclipse since since 1905. The

8:12 path of totality cuts a diagonal track across

8:14 the northeast from Galicia to Catalonia,

8:17 with the longest duration about 1 minute and

8:19 44 seconds, occurring just before

8:22 sunset. Spain's mountainous terrain,

8:25 particularly the Cantabrian Mountains, the

8:27 Meseda Plateau and the Iberian System,

8:30 means that choosing a spot with an open view

8:33 is essential. The new eclipse viewing map

8:35 from M. Spain's Geographic Institute can help

8:37 observers avoid blocked sight lines.

8:40 While August cloud cover averages less than

8:42 50%, late day storms are common.

8:45 Travel around Spain will be relatively easy,

8:48 but be prepared for significant traffic, as

8:50 many locals from Madrid and Barcelona will be

8:52 heading into the path. Accommodation could

8:55 also be tricky due to peak vacation season.

8:58 Experts strongly advise against attempting to

9:00 drive back to major cities immediately after

9:02 the eclipse to avoid potentially millions of

9:05 people on the roads. Instead,

9:08 consider staying overnight in the path. This

9:11 offers another astronomical treat, the

9:13 Perseid meteor shower, which peaks just a few

9:15 hours after the eclipse on August 12th to

9:18 13th. Rural skies will also provide a

9:20 stunning view of the Milky Way arching across

9:22 the southern sky. Whether you choose the

9:25 icy fjords of Greenland, the dramatic

9:27 landscapes of Iceland or the plains of Spain,

9:30 the experts agree on three key strategies for

9:33 chasing this event. Plan ahead, check weather

9:36 forecasts diligently and stay mobile.

9:39 Witnessing the 2026 total solar

9:41 eclipse will undoubtedly be a moment you

9:43 carry for life, and if you happen to miss

9:46 this one, don't worry. Spain will host

9:48 another total solar eclipse exactly one lunar

9:51 year later, on August 2,

9:53 2027.

9:55 Now let's shift our gaze from distant stars

9:58 to the rockets preparing for launch or right

10:00 here from Earth as we bring you our Global

10:02 Launch Watch. This week promises to be an

10:05 exceptionally busy one in space, with eight

10:07 launches on the docket highlighting the

10:10 incredible pace of global space endeavours.

10:13 Leading the charge are multiple SpaceX

10:16 Falcon 9 missions. From

10:19 Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, a

10:21 Falcon 9 is set to launch NASA's Tracers

10:24 mission, consisting of two satellites

10:26 designed to study magnetic reconnection and

10:28 its effects on Earth's atmosphere. This

10:31 mission, scheduled for Tuesday, July 22,

10:34 will also carry at least three other

10:36 rideshare payloads. The booster is expected

10:39 to return to land at landing zone 4.

10:42 Meanwhile, on the east coast, the Cape

10:44 Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida is

10:46 bustling with activity. SpaceX's Falcon

10:49 9 was initially scheduled to launch the

10:51 O3BM M Power 9 and 10

10:53 satellites for SES owned

10:55 O3B Networks on Monday, July 21,

10:58 though that launch was scrubbed due to

11:00 unspecified reasons, with a new attempt

11:02 possible on Tuesday. If successful, this

11:05 would mark the 90th Falcon 9 mission of

11:07 2025, utilising booster

11:10 B1090 for its sixth flight

11:13 shortly after. On, um, Thursday, July 24,

11:16 another Falcon 9 will launch the Starlink

11:18 Group 10 26th batch of V2 mini

11:20 satellites into low Earth orbit, further

11:23 expanding the Starlink constellation. The

11:26 efficiency of pad turnarounds at SLC 40

11:28 continues to be remarkable. Looking

11:30 internationally, China's Hyperbola 1 rocket

11:33 is expected to launch on Friday, July 25 from

11:36 the Juquan Satellite Launch Centre. The

11:39 mission's payload remains unknown and this

11:41 will be its first flight since a previous

11:43 launch failure in July 2024.

11:46 Russia is also preparing for action with a

11:49 Soyuz 2.1B rocket set to launch a pair of

11:52 Ionosphera UM M satellites from the Vostochny

11:54 Cosmodrome on Friday, July 25. These

11:57 satellites will complete the four satellite

11:59 Ionosphera constellation which aims to

12:02 observe Earth's ionosphere and enhance our

12:04 understanding of geomagnetic and solar

12:06 storms. This mission will also deploy

12:08 17 CubeSats. Europe's space

12:11 ambitions are on display with Vega C's second

12:14 mission of 2025 launching from the

12:17 Guiana Space Centre in French guiana on

12:20 Saturday, July 26. This mission

12:23 will deliver five payloads to sun synchronous

12:25 orbit, including Microcarb a UH

12:27 microsatellite designed to measure

12:29 atmospheric carbon dioxide levels with high

12:31 precision alongside four Airbus built

12:34 satellites for Earth stereo imagery back

12:37 in the U.S. another Falcon 9 launch for

12:39 Starlink Group 172 is

12:42 scheduled for Friday, July 25 from

12:45 Vandenberg, adding to the Constellation's

12:47 polar shell. Finally, a highly anticipated

12:50 launch comes from Australia where Gilmour

12:52 Space will make its third attempt at

12:54 launching its Eris rocket on Saturday, July

12:56 27. After previous delays due to operational

12:59 issues and unfavourable weather, this test

13:02 flight one mission from the Bowen Orbital

13:04 Spaceport is poised to be a historic moment

13:07 as it aims to be the first orbital launch

13:09 from Australian soil performed by a sovereign

13:11 built vehicle and if successful, the first

13:14 for a hybrid rocket design. The 25

13:17 metre tall Eris rocket featuring proprietary

13:20 Sirius hybrid engines represents a

13:23 significant step forward for Australia's

13:25 burgeoning space industry.

13:28 Finally today in a late breaking story, we

13:30 bring you news from Iran which yesterday

13:32 conducted a suborbital test of its KAAS

13:35 satellite launch vehicle. According to the

13:37 semi official TASNIM news agency, this test

13:40 was aimed at evaluating new technologies

13:42 developed by the country's domestic space

13:44 industry. While specific details about the

13:47 technologies being evaluated were not

13:49 provided, the report stated that the test's

13:52 primary goal is to gather data that will be

13:54 used to enhance the performance of Iran's

13:57 future satellites and space systems. We'll be

13:59 sure to update you as more details come to

14:01 hand. And that's all for this episode

14:04 of Astronomy Daily. I'm Anna, your host

14:07 and it's been a pleasure sharing these cosmic

14:09 updates with you. For all the latest space

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14:14 updating news feed and to catch up on all our

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