Mars at Its Brightest: Don't Miss This Weekend's Celestial Show S04E10

0:00 Speaker 1: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dose of space and

0:03 Speaker 1: astronomy news. I'm Anna, and we've got a packed show

0:06 Speaker 1: for you today, filled with some incredible developments in the

0:09 Speaker 1: world of space exploration and astronomy. We'll be diving into

0:12 Speaker 1: SpaceX's latest preparations for their next Starship test flight, which

0:17 Speaker 1: promises to push the boundaries of what's possible with the

0:19 Speaker 1: world's largest rocket. We'll also check in on NASA's Jet

0:23 Speaker 1: Propulsion Laboratory as it faces challenges from the Los Angeles wildfires.

0:28 Speaker 1: And I'll tell you about a special opportunity to see

0:30 Speaker 1: Mars at its brightest this weekend. Plus, we've got fascinating

0:35 Speaker 1: stories about the world's first wooden satellite just deployed from

0:38 Speaker 1: the International Space Station and a rare double flash event

0:42 Speaker 1: observed from a super massive black hole that's got astronomers excited.

0:46 Speaker 1: Let's get started. SpaceX has just reached another milestone in

0:51 Speaker 1: their ambitious Starship program, successfully stacking their next vehicle for

0:55 Speaker 1: Flight seven at their Starbase facility in South Texas. The

0:59 Speaker 1: fully assembled Pocket now stands an impressive four hundred feet tall,

1:03 Speaker 1: maintaining its status as the largest and most powerful launch

1:07 Speaker 1: vehicle ever built. This upcoming mission, scheduled for Monday at

1:11 Speaker 1: five pm Eastern Time, isn't just another test flight. It

1:15 Speaker 1: represents a significant leap forward in Starship's development. The new

1:19 Speaker 1: vehicle features several crucial upgrades, including improvements to its flight computer,

1:24 Speaker 1: avionic systems, and heat shield design. One particularly interesting modification

1:29 Speaker 1: is the repositioning of the forward flaps, which have been

1:32 Speaker 1: moved away from the heat shield to better handle the

1:34 Speaker 1: intense temperatures during re entry. For the first time, SpaceX

1:40 Speaker 1: will attempt to deploy simulated Starlink satellites during the sixty

1:43 Speaker 1: six minute flight, marking an important step towards Starship's operational capabilities.

1:49 Speaker 1: They're also breaking new ground by reusing an engine on

1:51 Speaker 1: the Super Heavy Booster, the massive first stage powered by

1:55 Speaker 1: thirty three Raptor engines. Perhaps most exciting is the planned

1:59 Speaker 1: recovery attempt of the Super Heavy Booster. If conditions are right,

2:03 Speaker 1: SpaceX will try to catch the massive rocket using the

2:05 Speaker 1: launch tower's mechanical arms nicknamed the chopsticks. While they've demonstrated

2:11 Speaker 1: this capability before, during flight five, they're taking no chances.

2:15 Speaker 1: The catch will only proceed if all safety criteria are met. Otherwise,

2:20 Speaker 1: the booster will make a controlled splash down in the

2:22 Speaker 1: Gulf of Mexico. This mission could be the first of

2:26 Speaker 1: up to twenty five Starship launches planned for this year,

2:29 Speaker 1: showcasing SpaceX's accelerating pace of development. These tests are crucial

2:34 Speaker 1: not just for SpaceX's Mars ambitions, but also for NASA's

2:38 Speaker 1: Artemis program, as Starship has been selected to land astronauts

2:42 Speaker 1: on the lunar surface in twenty twenty seven. Next up,

2:46 Speaker 1: an update for you concerning the wildfires around Los Angeles.

2:50 Speaker 1: In some concerning news from California, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory

2:55 Speaker 1: has found itself uncomfortably close to the raging eaten fire

2:59 Speaker 1: that's been devastatdating neighborhoods north of Los Angeles. Thanks to

3:03 Speaker 1: the incredible efforts of firefighters, JPL itself remains untouched by

3:07 Speaker 1: the flames, but the impact on the JPL community has

3:10 Speaker 1: been severe. More than one hundred and fifty JPL employees

3:14 Speaker 1: have lost their homes completely in this disaster, with many

3:18 Speaker 1: more being forced to evacuate. The facility, which serves as

3:22 Speaker 1: NASA's primary center for planetary exploration and manages crucial missions

3:26 Speaker 1: like the perseverance and curiosity. Mars Rovers has had to

3:30 Speaker 1: temporarily close its doors. All but essential personnel have been

3:34 Speaker 1: ordered to work remotely through at least January seventeenth. The

3:37 Speaker 1: Eton Fire has already consumed around fourteen thousand acres of

3:41 Speaker 1: land and is currently only three percent contained. It's just

3:45 Speaker 1: one of several fires causing havoc in the Los Angeles area,

3:49 Speaker 1: with the Palisades Fire on the western side of the

3:51 Speaker 1: city having burned through more than twenty thousand acres and

3:55 Speaker 1: showing similar resistance to containment efforts. This situation highlights a

4:00 Speaker 1: growing challenge for major scientific facilities in areas prone to

4:03 Speaker 1: natural disasters. JPL's location at the foot of the San

4:07 Speaker 1: Gabriel Mountains, while ideal for many aspects of its operations,

4:11 Speaker 1: places it in a vulnerable position during California's increasingly severe

4:15 Speaker 1: fire seasons. Despite these challenges, the laboratory's essential operations continue

4:21 Speaker 1: demonstrating the resilience of our space exploration infrastructure even in

4:25 Speaker 1: the face of natural disasters. The dedication of first responders

4:30 Speaker 1: has been crucial in protecting this vital facility, which plays

4:34 Speaker 1: such an important role in our ongoing exploration of the

4:37 Speaker 1: solar system. While the laboratory itself remains safe, the human

4:42 Speaker 1: impact on the JPL community serves as a sobering reminder

4:45 Speaker 1: of the increasing challenges posed by natural disasters to our

4:49 Speaker 1: scientific institutions. Stargazers, you're in for a treat this weekend,

4:54 Speaker 1: as Mars is about to put on its most spectacular

4:57 Speaker 1: show of the year. This Sunday, January twelfth, the red

5:01 Speaker 1: planet will make its closest approach to Earth, and event

5:04 Speaker 1: astronomers call perigy. During this cosmic close up, Mars will

5:08 Speaker 1: appear larger and brighter in our night sky than at

5:11 Speaker 1: any other time in twenty twenty four. If you're planning

5:14 Speaker 1: to catch this celestial spectacle, the best viewing time will

5:17 Speaker 1: be around midnight, when Mars reaches its highest point in

5:20 Speaker 1: the southern sky. The planet will be visible for most

5:23 Speaker 1: of the night, first appearing in the northeastern sky during

5:27 Speaker 1: early evening and remaining observable until dawn begins to break

5:30 Speaker 1: the next morning. During this close approach, Mars will come

5:34 Speaker 1: within just zero point sixty four astronomical units of Earth

5:38 Speaker 1: that's about fifty nine point five million miles. While this

5:41 Speaker 1: might sound like quite a distance, it's actually quite close

5:44 Speaker 1: in astronomical terms. For perspective, Mars usually orbits at an

5:49 Speaker 1: average distance of one point five astronomical units from the

5:52 Speaker 1: Sun and can be as far as two point six

5:54 Speaker 1: units from Earth at its most distant point. This weekend's

5:58 Speaker 1: close encounter is particularly special as it coincides with Mars's

6:02 Speaker 1: opposition on January sixteenth, when Earth will be directly between

6:06 Speaker 1: Mars and the Sun. This alignment means the Sun's full

6:10 Speaker 1: glare will illuminate the Martian surface as seen from Earth,

6:14 Speaker 1: making it an ideal time for observation. While Mars will

6:18 Speaker 1: be noticeably brighter than usual with a magnitude of dash

6:21 Speaker 1: one dot four comma, don't expect to see any surface

6:24 Speaker 1: details with your naked eye. It will still appear as

6:27 Speaker 1: a bright, reddish point of light in the sky. However,

6:31 Speaker 1: if you have access to binoculars or a telescope, this

6:34 Speaker 1: is an excellent opportunity to try spotting some of the

6:36 Speaker 1: red planet's famous surface features. This is the closest Mars

6:40 Speaker 1: has been to Earth since twenty twenty two, so make

6:43 Speaker 1: sure to take advantage of this rare viewing opportunity the

6:47 Speaker 1: next time Mars will appear this large and brighten our

6:49 Speaker 1: skies won't be for quite some time, making this weekend

6:52 Speaker 1: a must watch event for astronomy enthusiasts. In a groundbreaking

6:57 Speaker 1: development for sustainable space technology, the world's first wooden satellite

7:01 Speaker 1: has been successfully deployed from the International Space Station. This

7:06 Speaker 1: innovative spacecraft, named Lignosat, represents a fascinating experiment in using

7:11 Speaker 1: renewable materials for space exploration. Developed through a collaboration between

7:17 Speaker 1: Kyoto University and Japanese wood processing company Sumitomo Forestry, this

7:21 Speaker 1: tiny cube satellite measures just four inches on each side

7:25 Speaker 1: and is constructed primarily from magnolia wood. Over the next

7:29 Speaker 1: six months, it will put this natural material to the

7:32 Speaker 1: ultimate test in the harsh conditions of Earth orbit. The

7:36 Speaker 1: extreme environment of space presents some remarkable challenges for any material.

7:42 Speaker 1: During each ninety minute orbit, the satellite will experience dramatic

7:45 Speaker 1: temperature swings from a scorching two hundred and fifty degrees

7:48 Speaker 1: fahrenheit when facing the Sun to a frigid minus two

7:52 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty degrees in Earth's shadow. Add to that

7:55 Speaker 1: the constant bombardment of charged particles from solar wind, and

7:59 Speaker 1: you've got quite the endureance test for our wooden pioneer.

8:02 Speaker 1: But why would well, it turns out this isn't just

8:05 Speaker 1: about proving we can build satellites from trees. There's a

8:09 Speaker 1: serious environmental concern driving this innovation. Traditional satellites built primarily

8:14 Speaker 1: from aluminum alloys create potentially harmful metallic dust when they

8:18 Speaker 1: burn up during re entry. This debris can linger in

8:21 Speaker 1: our upper atmosphere, potentially affecting our climate. Wood being a

8:25 Speaker 1: natural material, could offer a more environmentally friendly alternative that

8:29 Speaker 1: simply burns away cleanly. The mission will carefully monitor how

8:33 Speaker 1: the wooden structure holds up against these space hazards, including

8:37 Speaker 1: whether Earth's magnetic field can penetrate the wooden body and

8:41 Speaker 1: interfere with its operations. If successful, this experiment could pave

8:45 Speaker 1: the way for a new generation of environmentally conscious satellites,

8:49 Speaker 1: potentially transforming how we approach spacecraft construction in an era

8:54 Speaker 1: of increasing orbital traffic. The timing couldn't be more crucial,

8:58 Speaker 1: as research suggests that the growing number of satellites in

9:01 Speaker 1: orbit could lead to concerning levels of aluminum oxide and

9:05 Speaker 1: other potentially harmful compounds in our upper atmosphere. This wooden

9:09 Speaker 1: satellite might just represent our first step toward a more

9:12 Speaker 1: sustainable future in space. Seems like a day doesn't go

9:16 Speaker 1: by without a black hole story, and today is no exception.

9:20 Speaker 1: Astronomers have recently witnessed a fascinating cosmic spectacle, a supermassive

9:25 Speaker 1: black hole that appears to be having seconds of its

9:27 Speaker 1: stellar meal. This rare event, known as ss N twenty

9:31 Speaker 1: two CI, has displayed two distinct flares of light as

9:34 Speaker 1: it consumes its unfortunate victim, located about four hundred eight

9:38 Speaker 1: million light years away from Earth. What makes this double

9:41 Speaker 1: flash event particularly intriguing is how normal it appears compared

9:45 Speaker 1: to other similar phenomena. The black hole at the center

9:49 Speaker 1: of this cosmic feast weighs in at around three million

9:53 Speaker 1: times the mass of our Sun, making it comparable to

9:56 Speaker 1: our own galaxies central black hole, Sagittarius Ace star, the

10:01 Speaker 1: unfortunate star being consumed, appears to be similar in size

10:04 Speaker 1: to our Sun. The current theory suggests this unusual double

10:08 Speaker 1: flare might be the result of what astronomers call a

10:10 Speaker 1: Hill's capture picture. This a pair of binary stars wandering

10:15 Speaker 1: too close to the black hole as they approach the

10:18 Speaker 1: immense gravitational forces separate the pair, flinging one star away

10:22 Speaker 1: to freedom, while the other becomes trapped in an elliptical

10:25 Speaker 1: orbit around the black hole like a cosmic dance partner

10:28 Speaker 1: it can escape. Each time this trap star swings close

10:32 Speaker 1: to the black hole, it undergoes partial destruction in a

10:35 Speaker 1: process colorfully known as spaghettification. The star gets stretched and squeezed,

10:40 Speaker 1: losing some of its material to the black hole's accretion disk,

10:44 Speaker 1: creating these brilliant flares we observe. The consistency between the

10:48 Speaker 1: two flares, separated by seven hundred and twenty days, suggests

10:52 Speaker 1: we're watching the same star being repeatedly torn apart. The

10:55 Speaker 1: best part, astronomers believe they know when the next act

10:58 Speaker 1: of this cosmic drama might have. If their calculations are correct,

11:02 Speaker 1: we should see a third flare in early twenty twenty six.

11:06 Speaker 1: This predictability is incredibly rare and valuable, giving scientists an

11:10 Speaker 1: unprecedented opportunity to prepare their observations in advance, rather than

11:14 Speaker 1: catching these events by chance. This celestial performance isn't just spectacular.

11:19 Speaker 1: It's helping us understand how super massive black holes interact

11:23 Speaker 1: with stars, and providing new insights into these mysterious cosmic giants,

11:28 Speaker 1: and who knows when twenty twenty six rolls around, this

11:31 Speaker 1: persistent Stellar survivor might have even more surprises in store

11:34 Speaker 1: for us. Well, that's all for today's episode of Astronomy Daily.

11:40 Speaker 1: I'm Anna, and I want to thank you for joining

11:42 Speaker 1: me on this journey through the latest developments in space

11:45 Speaker 1: and astronomy news. Whether it's massive rockets being stacked, wooden

11:49 Speaker 1: satellites orbiting Earth, or black holes putting on light shows,

11:53 Speaker 1: there's never a dull moment in space exploration, and we're

11:57 Speaker 1: here every day to bring you these fascinating stories. If

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12:27 Speaker 1: I'll see you Monday with more amazing stories from the Cosmos.

12:31 Speaker 1: Sunday Star Star s