Iran's Space Leap, Cosmic Civilizations, and Jupiter's Nightly Dance: S03E226

0:00 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily source for the most

0:03 Speaker 1: fascinating developments in space and astronomy. I'm excited to bring

0:08 Speaker 1: you today's lineup of incredible stories from across the Cosmos.

0:12 Speaker 1: We'll be diving into Iran's latest achievement in space exploration,

0:16 Speaker 1: exploring some mind bending new theories about advanced civilizations, and

0:20 Speaker 1: sharing a groundbreaking discovery about a star that's remarkably similar

0:24 Speaker 1: to our Sun. We'll also check in on jupiter spectacular

0:28 Speaker 1: show in our night sky, investigate a mysterious comet hiding

0:31 Speaker 1: in plain sight, and get the latest updates from the

0:34 Speaker 1: International Space Station. Let's get started. Iran's space program has

0:39 Speaker 1: marked a significant milestone with their latest launch successfully placing

0:43 Speaker 1: their largest payload yet into orbit. The launch took place

0:47 Speaker 1: on Friday, using one of their two stage Simorg rockets,

0:50 Speaker 1: carrying a combined weight of six hundred and sixty pounds

0:53 Speaker 1: of space technology into the heavens. The mission deployed three

0:57 Speaker 1: distinct payloads into an elliptical orbit ranging from one hundred

1:01 Speaker 1: and eighty four to two hundred and fifty five miles

1:04 Speaker 1: above Earth. Among these payloads is the Salman One, an

1:08 Speaker 1: innovative space HUG designed to boost satellites to higher orbits,

1:12 Speaker 1: and the Fokker one Cube SAT alongside an undisclosed research payload.

1:16 Speaker 1: The salman I space TUG represents a particularly notable advancement,

1:20 Speaker 1: as it would enable Iran to move satellites from low

1:23 Speaker 1: Earth orbit up to geosynchronous orbit, where spacecraft maintained position

1:27 Speaker 1: over the same area of Earth. This capability could significantly

1:31 Speaker 1: reduce the need for larger launch vehicles and cut fuel

1:34 Speaker 1: costs for future missions. However, this achievement has been met

1:37 Speaker 1: with mixed reactions from the international community. While Iranian state

1:42 Speaker 1: media celebrates it as a milestone for their space sector,

1:45 Speaker 1: western nations have expressed serious concerns. The United States and

1:49 Speaker 1: its allies view these developments through a more critical lens,

1:53 Speaker 1: suggesting these launches might advance Iran's ballistic missile capabilities. A

1:59 Speaker 1: US intelligence report from July highlighted that the cymorg rocket

2:03 Speaker 1: technology could potentially accelerate the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles,

2:09 Speaker 1: should Iran choose to pursue that path. These concerns stem

2:13 Speaker 1: from the parallel technologies used in both space rockets and

2:17 Speaker 1: missile systems. This latest launch follows Iran's earlier success in January,

2:23 Speaker 1: when they achieved their first orbital launch of the Cymorg rocket.

2:27 Speaker 1: Prior to that, they conducted a test flight with what

2:29 Speaker 1: they described as an indigenous biocapsule, part of their stated

2:33 Speaker 1: ambition to eventually put Iranian astronauts into space. A groundbreaking

2:38 Speaker 1: new perspective on the Fermi paradox is challenging our fundamental

2:42 Speaker 1: assumptions about how advanced civilizations might appear to us. Researchers

2:48 Speaker 1: are suggesting that we might be looking for the wrong

2:50 Speaker 1: signs when searching for intelligent life in the cosmos. The

2:54 Speaker 1: traditional view of the Fermi paradox points to a striking contradiction.

2:59 Speaker 1: Given the vast number of stars and planets in our galaxy,

3:02 Speaker 1: there should be abundant intelligent life out there, yet we

3:05 Speaker 1: see no evidence of it. This new research proposes an

3:09 Speaker 1: intriguing solution. Perhaps advanced civilizations become so integrated with their

3:14 Speaker 1: planet's natural systems that they become virtually indistinguishable from nature itself.

3:19 Speaker 1: The key lies in understanding sustainability on a cosmic scale,

3:24 Speaker 1: rather than pursuing endless expansion and energy consumption, as suggested

3:28 Speaker 1: by the Kardashev scale. Successful civilizations might actually fold back

3:33 Speaker 1: into their planet's biosphere. This means that instead of building

3:36 Speaker 1: massive structures like dice in spheres or colonizing entire galaxies,

3:41 Speaker 1: advanced species might develop in ways that harmonize completely with

3:45 Speaker 1: their home worlds. This perspective suggests that our current technological

3:49 Speaker 1: trajectory focused on constant growth and expansion, might not be

3:54 Speaker 1: the universal path we assumed it to be. Instead, truly

3:58 Speaker 1: advanced civilizations might develop in ways that strengthen and enhance

4:02 Speaker 1: their planet's natural systems, rather than replacing them. What's particularly

4:06 Speaker 1: fascinating is how this could affect our search for extraterrestrial intelligence.

4:11 Speaker 1: If this theory holds true, we might need to completely

4:14 Speaker 1: rethink our search methods. Rather than looking for artificial structures

4:18 Speaker 1: or radio signals, we might need to look for subtler signs,

4:22 Speaker 1: perhaps planets with unusually stable and complex ecosystems. This also

4:26 Speaker 1: raises profound questions about our own future. Perhaps the mark

4:30 Speaker 1: of an advanced civilization is in its ability to conquer

4:33 Speaker 1: nature or spread across the stars, but rather its capacity

4:37 Speaker 1: to achieve perfect harmony with its home world. It suggests

4:40 Speaker 1: that our ultimate destiny might not be to reach for

4:42 Speaker 1: the stars, but to become one with the very planet

4:45 Speaker 1: that gave us life. Next up today, in an exciting first,

4:50 Speaker 1: astronomers have detected an astrosphere around a star remarkably similar

4:54 Speaker 1: to our Sun. This discovery was made while observing a

4:57 Speaker 1: star nicknamed the Moth, and it's giving us unp precedented

5:00 Speaker 1: insights into how stars like our Sun protect their planetary systems.

5:05 Speaker 1: For those wondering what an astrosphere is, think of it

5:08 Speaker 1: as a star's protective bubble. Just as our Sun creates

5:11 Speaker 1: the heliosphere that shields our Solar system from harsh cosmic rays,

5:15 Speaker 1: other stars create their own protective bubbles through their stellar winds.

5:20 Speaker 1: While we've seen these bubbles around various types of stars before,

5:23 Speaker 1: this is the first time we've observed one around a

5:26 Speaker 1: star so similar to our Sun. The star in question,

5:29 Speaker 1: officially known as HD six one zero zero five, earned

5:33 Speaker 1: its nickname the Moth because it's surrounded by a debris

5:36 Speaker 1: disc that looks like wings when viewed from Earth. What

5:40 Speaker 1: makes this discovery particularly interesting is that this star is

5:43 Speaker 1: only about one hundred million years old, practically a teenager

5:47 Speaker 1: compared to our four billion year old son. This younger

5:50 Speaker 1: age means it's more active and has stronger stellar winds

5:53 Speaker 1: than our Sun currently does. Using the Chandra X ray observatory,

5:58 Speaker 1: researchers detected a hay of X ray light extending outward

6:02 Speaker 1: from the star to a distance equivalent to one hundred

6:05 Speaker 1: times the Earth Sun distance. This glowing bubble is actually

6:09 Speaker 1: the star's astrosphere, and its circular shape tells us something fascinating.

6:14 Speaker 1: The stellar wind is so powerful that it maintains its

6:16 Speaker 1: shape even as the star plows through dense interstellar gas.

6:20 Speaker 1: This discovery is more than just a cosmic curiosity. By

6:24 Speaker 1: studying the astrosphere of this younger sunlike star, we're essentially

6:28 Speaker 1: looking at a snapshot of what our own solar system

6:31 Speaker 1: might have been like in its youth. It's like finding

6:34 Speaker 1: a baby picture of our solar system's protective shield, giving

6:38 Speaker 1: us valuable insights into how our cosmic neighborhood has evolved

6:41 Speaker 1: over billions of years. As I like to remind you,

6:45 Speaker 1: keep looking up, and this weekend is the perfect time

6:48 Speaker 1: to do just that. Stargazers and astronomy enthusiasts are in

6:52 Speaker 1: for a treat this weekend as Jupiter reaches opposition, creating

6:56 Speaker 1: the best viewing opportunity of twenty twenty four for the

6:59 Speaker 1: Soul System's largest planet, the gas giant, will appear at

7:04 Speaker 1: its biggest and brightest in our night sky as it

7:07 Speaker 1: positions itself directly opposite the Sun when viewed from Earth.

7:11 Speaker 1: This special alignment occurs on Saturday at three point fifty

7:14 Speaker 1: pm Eastern Time, with Jupiter rising in the east just

7:18 Speaker 1: as the sun sets in the west. You'll find it

7:21 Speaker 1: shining brilliantly in the constellation Taurus, reaching its highest point

7:25 Speaker 1: in the night sky around midnight local time. What makes

7:28 Speaker 1: this event particularly special is that Jupiter will also make

7:31 Speaker 1: its closest approach to Earth, coming within just three hundred

7:35 Speaker 1: eighty million miles of our planet. While that might sound

7:38 Speaker 1: like an enormous distance, it's actually quite close in astronomical terms,

7:42 Speaker 1: and it's this proximity that gives us such excellent viewing conditions.

7:47 Speaker 1: Even though Jupiter will appear as a bright point of

7:49 Speaker 1: light to the naked eye, you don't need professional equipment

7:53 Speaker 1: to make the most of this opportunity. A decent pair

7:56 Speaker 1: of binoculars will reveal Jupiter's disc and even allow you

7:59 Speaker 1: to spot its largest moons, known as the Galilean moons.

8:03 Speaker 1: If you have access to a telescope, you'll be able

8:05 Speaker 1: to see even more detail, including some of Jupiter's distinctive

8:08 Speaker 1: cloud bands. Look for Jupiter in the eastern sky after sunset.

8:13 Speaker 1: It will be one of the brightest objects in the

8:15 Speaker 1: night sky, making it easy to spot even from light

8:18 Speaker 1: polluted areas. The planet will remain visible for most of

8:22 Speaker 1: the night, giving everyone plenty of time to catch a

8:24 Speaker 1: glimpse of this spectacular celestial show. In an exciting new

8:30 Speaker 1: discovery that's making astronomers rethink the boundaries between cosmic objects,

8:34 Speaker 1: scientists have identified another Main Belt comet hiding in plain

8:38 Speaker 1: sight within the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. This

8:43 Speaker 1: fascinating object, designated as four hundred and fifty six p

8:46 Speaker 1: slash pan Stars, has become the fourteenth confirmed Main Belt comet,

8:51 Speaker 1: adding to a rare class of celestial bodies that challenge

8:53 Speaker 1: our traditional classifications. These enigmatic objects belong to a broader

8:58 Speaker 1: category known as active asteroisroids, sharing characteristics of both rocky

9:02 Speaker 1: asteroids and icy comets. What makes them particularly intriguing is

9:06 Speaker 1: their ability to display comet like behavior while maintaining asteroid

9:11 Speaker 1: like orbits along with their mysterious cousins, the dark comets,

9:16 Speaker 1: which scientists believe make up about sixty percent of near

9:19 Speaker 1: Earth objects, they're helping us better understand the complexity of

9:23 Speaker 1: our solar system. The newly discovered object caught scientists attention

9:28 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty one when pan Star's telescopes in Hawaii

9:32 Speaker 1: observed its sporting a small dusty tail, but determining its

9:35 Speaker 1: true nature required patience and careful observation. After all, sometimes

9:40 Speaker 1: asteroids can appear active simply due to collisions with other

9:42 Speaker 1: space rocks, creating temporary dust clouds that might be mistaken

9:46 Speaker 1: for cometary activity. Following years of monitoring by a dedicated

9:50 Speaker 1: team of astronomers, the object revealed its true identity through

9:54 Speaker 1: a pattern of repeated activity. When observed at different distances

9:59 Speaker 1: from the Sun, it showed a fascinating cycle of activation

10:02 Speaker 1: and dormancy. As it approached about four hundred twenty eight

10:05 Speaker 1: million kilometers from the Sun, the object began displaying a

10:08 Speaker 1: distinct tail pointing away from our star, classic cometary behavior

10:12 Speaker 1: caused by ice sublimating beneath its surface. With a nucleus

10:16 Speaker 1: measuring roughly one kilometer across, this celestial hybrid raises intriguing

10:21 Speaker 1: questions about the early Solar System. Its existence suggests that

10:25 Speaker 1: the boundary between where ice could and couldn't exist during

10:29 Speaker 1: our Solar System's formation wasn't as clear cut as previously thought.

10:34 Speaker 1: These Main Belt comets might actually be preserved remnants from

10:37 Speaker 1: our cosmic past, offering valuable clues about how our solar

10:41 Speaker 1: neighborhood came to be. This discovery not only adds another

10:45 Speaker 1: member to an exclusive club of celestial objects, but also

10:48 Speaker 1: reminds us that the distinction between asteroids and comets isn't

10:52 Speaker 1: always black and white. Sometimes the most interesting discoveries lie

10:56 Speaker 1: in these gray areas, challenging our understanding of what's possible

11:00 Speaker 1: in our cosmic backyard. Finally, today, an update on the ISS.

11:05 Speaker 1: Life aboard the International Space Station has settled into a

11:08 Speaker 1: more routine rhythm lately, though that doesn't mean it's been

11:11 Speaker 1: without its share of excitement. The Expedition seventy two crew

11:15 Speaker 1: has been handling several unexpected challenges with their usual professional expertise.

11:21 Speaker 1: Just last month, they faced an unusual situation during the

11:24 Speaker 1: arrival of the Progress MS twenty nine resupply spacecraft. Upon

11:29 Speaker 1: opening the hatch, crew members detected what they described as

11:32 Speaker 1: a smell similar to spray paint, along with some concerning

11:36 Speaker 1: droplets near the connection point. Taking no chances, the Russian

11:40 Speaker 1: cosmonauts donned protective gear and sealed off the area while

11:43 Speaker 1: they activated air scrubbers to deal with the situation. Fortunately,

11:48 Speaker 1: further investigation revealed the source to be harmless outgassing from

11:52 Speaker 1: materials in the Progress vehicle's pressurized section, not any dangerous

11:56 Speaker 1: propellant leaks. After confirming air quality had returned to nor

12:00 Speaker 1: the crew was able to resume their crucial cargo transfer operations.

12:04 Speaker 1: The station also had to perform some fancy flying to

12:07 Speaker 1: avoid a piece of space debris, specifically a fragment from

12:11 Speaker 1: a Defense meteorological satellite that broke up back in twenty fifteen.

12:16 Speaker 1: Using the Progress MS twenty eight spacecraft's thrusters, they executed

12:21 Speaker 1: a precise five and a half minute maneuver to ensure

12:24 Speaker 1: safe distance from the potential hazard. It marked the thirty

12:27 Speaker 1: ninth time the ISS has had to dodge orbital debris,

12:31 Speaker 1: highlighting one of the ongoing challenges of operating in Earth orbit.

12:35 Speaker 1: Despite these occasional hurdles, the crew still found time to

12:38 Speaker 1: celebrate Thanksgiving together, enjoying a special meal of freeze dried

12:42 Speaker 1: turkey and all the traditional fixings. It was a welcome

12:45 Speaker 1: break in their busy schedule of maintaining the station, conducting

12:49 Speaker 1: scientific research, and preparing for upcoming vehicle arrivals and departures

12:54 Speaker 1: as they continue their vital work two hundred and fifty

12:56 Speaker 1: miles above Earth. And that wraps up today's episode of

13:01 Speaker 1: Astronomy Daily. Thank you for joining me on this journey

13:03 Speaker 1: through the latest developments in space and astronomy. This is

13:06 Speaker 1: Anna and I hope you've enjoyed exploring these fascinating stories

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13:45 Speaker 1: weekend and stay curious about our incredible universe, so stories

14:07 Speaker 1: to tell. H