Victory for dark skies as industrial plant near major observatory cancelled • NASA's Juno mission reveals Jupiter is larger and flatter than we thought • 15-Earth-wide sunspot currently facing our planet • Unusual Martian storm reveals subsurface secrets • NASA acknowledges SLS rocket sustainability challenges • How red giant stars destroy their own gas giant planets
Host Anna and Avery discuss six major space stories for Thursday, February 5th, 2026.
Episode sponsored by astronomydaily.io - Your daily source for space and astronomy news
Featured Stories:
• Dark Sky Preservation: Industrial development threatening Canary Islands observatory cancelled
• Jupiter Redefined: Juno mission measurements reveal true size and shape of gas giant
• Solar Activity: Monster sunspot 15 Earths wide faces Earth - viewing safety tips included
• Martian Meteorology: Unusual storm system reveals subsurface features of red planet
• SLS Reality Check: NASA publicly addresses Space Launch System cost sustainability
• Stellar Destruction: Red giants systematically destroy orbiting gas giant planets
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your source for
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 the latest space and astronomy news. I'm
00:00:06 --> 00:00:06 Anna.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 Avery: And I'm avery. Today's Thursday, February
00:00:09 --> 00:00:12 5, 2026, and we've got a great lineup of
00:00:12 --> 00:00:12 stories for you today.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 Anna: We certainly do. We'll be covering a major
00:00:16 --> 00:00:18 victory for dark sky preservation,
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 Groundbreaking measurements of Jupiter's true
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 size, a monster sunspot currently
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 facing Earth, mysterious Martian weather,
00:00:26 --> 00:00:29 some frank talk from NASA about the SLS
00:00:29 --> 00:00:32 rocket and how red giant star destroy
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 their own planetary systems.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 Avery: Quite the cosmic menu. But before we dive in,
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 a quick reminder that you can get more space
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 news and community discussion at
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 astronomydaily IO and you can find us on
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 social media astrodaily pod across
00:00:46 --> 00:00:47 all platforms.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 Anna: Alright, let's start with some good news for
00:00:50 --> 00:00:52 astronomy. Avery. What's happening with
00:00:52 --> 00:00:54 Earth's darkest skies?
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 Avery: This is a story that really highlights how
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 fragile our connection to the night sky has
00:00:58 --> 00:01:00 become. Anna. Uh, astronomers around the
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 world are breathing a collective sigh of
00:01:02 --> 00:01:05 relief after plans for a major industrial
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 plant near one of Earth's darkest sky
00:01:07 --> 00:01:08 locations have been canceled.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 Anna: Oh, that's wonderful news. Where was this
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 proposed plant going to be built?
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 Avery: The development was planned near the Roque de
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 los Mochacos Observatory in the Canary
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 Islands, which hosts some of the most
00:01:19 --> 00:01:20 important telescopes in the northern
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 hemisphere. This site is renowned for having
00:01:23 --> 00:01:24 some of the darkest, clearest skies
00:01:24 --> 00:01:27 accessible to modern astronomy. And the
00:01:27 --> 00:01:29 proposed industrial facility would have
00:01:29 --> 00:01:31 introduced significant light pollution to the
00:01:31 --> 00:01:31 area.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 Anna: I can imagine the astronomical community was
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 pretty concerned. These pristine observation
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 sites are becoming increasingly rare.
00:01:40 --> 00:01:42 Avery: Absolutely. What makes this particularly
00:01:42 --> 00:01:44 significant is that it represents a growing
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 recognition of the scientific value of dark
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 skies. The cancellation came after sustained
00:01:49 --> 00:01:51 advocacy from the astronomy community, who
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 emphasized not just the local impact, but the
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 global scientific importance of preserving
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 these observation sites. With light pollution
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 spreading worldwide, losing access to
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 naturally dark skies would be devastating for
00:02:04 --> 00:02:05 ground based astronomy.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:07 Anna: It's encouraging to see that science
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 preservation can still win out over
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 industrial development. These observatories
00:02:12 --> 00:02:14 represent decades of investment and
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 irreplaceable viewing conditions.
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 Avery: Exactly. And it sets an important precedent
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 for protecting other astronomical sites
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 around the world. The International Dark sky
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 association has noted that this decision
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 could strengthen arguments for dark sky
00:02:27 --> 00:02:28 preservation elsewhere.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:31 Anna: Great to hear some positive environmental
00:02:31 --> 00:02:31 news for a change.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 Now, speaking of observations from those
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 pristine sites, let's talk about what we've
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 Learned about Jupiter. NASA's Juno mission
00:02:39 --> 00:02:42 has completely redefined our understanding of
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 the gas giant's size and shape, hasn't it?
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 Avery: It really has, Anna. Um, this is one of those
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 discoveries that makes you realize how much
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 we still don't know about even our most
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 familiar planetary neighbors. Juno's
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 precise measurements have revealed that
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 Jupiter is both larger and more oblate than
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 we previously thought.
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 Anna: When you say oblate, you mean it's flattened
00:03:02 --> 00:03:03 at the poles, right?
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 Avery: Exactly. All rotating bodies experience this
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 to some degree. Even Earth bulges slightly at
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 the equator. But Jupiter's rapid rotation
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 makes this effect much more pronounced.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 What's new is just how pronounced it actually
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 is. Juno's gravity measurements have shown
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 that Jupiter's equatorial diameter is
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 slightly larger than our previous estimates,
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 While the distance between the poles is
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 actually smaller. The planet is basically
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 wider and flatter than we realized.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 Anna: So what caused this miscalculation? I mean,
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 we've been observing Jupiter for centuries.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 Avery: Well, measuring the size of a gas giant with
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 no solid surface is trickier than it
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 sounds. Earlier measurements relied primarily
00:03:43 --> 00:03:45 on optical observations, essentially looking
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 at where Jupiter's atmosphere becomes opaque.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 But Juno uses extremely precise
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 gravity measurements as it orbits the planet.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 By measuring tiny variations in how Jupiter's
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 gravity affects the spacecraft's trajectory,
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 scientists can determine the planet's mass
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 distribution with unprecedented accuracy.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 Anna: And I assume Jupiter's rotation plays a big
00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 role in this shape.
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 Avery: Absolutely. Jupiter rotates once every
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 10 hours. That's incredibly fast for
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 something so massive. This rapid spin
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 creates enormous centrifugal forces that push
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 material outward at the equator. What Juno
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 has revealed is that this effect penetrates
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 much deeper into the planet than we thought.
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 The measurements suggest that Jupiter's
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 interior structure, including how its
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 metallic hydrogen layer behaves, is more
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 complex than our models predicted.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 Anna: This probably has implications for
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 understanding other gas giants, too, both in
00:04:41 --> 00:04:44 our solar system and around other stars.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 Avery: Definitely. Understanding Jupiter's interior
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 helps us refine our models of how gas giants
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 form and evolve. And since we can't
00:04:52 --> 00:04:55 exactly drill into Jupiter to see what's
00:04:55 --> 00:04:57 inside, these gravity measurements are the
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 next best thing. Every new piece of data from
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 Juno helps us understand not just Jupiter,
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 but the entire class of giant planets.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 Anna: Fascinating stuff. It's amazing that after
00:05:08 --> 00:05:11 all this time studying Jupiter, we're still
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 discovering fundamental things about its
00:05:13 --> 00:05:14 basic structure.
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 Now let's shift from distant Jupiter to our
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 very own sun, which is putting on quite a
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 show right now. Avery, there's a massive
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 sunspot facing Earth at the moment.
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 Avery: There certainly is, Anna, and it's a monster.
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 The sunspot currently facing earth spans
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 about 15 earth diameters across. That's
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 roughly 120 miles. To put that
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 in perspective, you could fit 15 earths side
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 by side across a single sunspot.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 Anna: That's genuinely hard to wrap your head
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 around. And I Understand, people can actually
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 see this with the right equipment, yes.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 Avery: But this comes with a crucial safety warning.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52 Never look directly at the sun without proper
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54 solar filters. This can cause permanent eye
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 damage or blindness. However, with proper
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 eclipse glasses or solar filters designed
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 specifically for solar observation, amateur
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 astronomers can spot this sunspot fairly
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 easily. It's large enough to be visible even
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 with modest magnification.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 Anna: What exactly is a sunspot for? Uh, our
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 listeners who might not know.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 Avery: Sunspots are regions on the Sun's surface
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17 where powerful magnetic fields break through,
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 temporarily suppressing the hot convective
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 currents that normally transport heat from
00:06:21 --> 00:06:24 the Sun's interior. This makes these regions
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 cooler than their surroundings, around
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 6 degrees Fahrenheit, compared
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 to the normal surface temperature of about
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 10 degrees. That temperature difference
00:06:33 --> 00:06:35 is why they appear dark against the brighter
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 background.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 Anna: And these magnetic fields, they're what cause
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 solar flares and coronal mass ejections,
00:06:41 --> 00:06:41 right?
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 Avery: Exactly. Large, complex sunspot groups like
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 this one have tangled magnetic field lines
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 that can suddenly reconnect and release
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 enormous amounts of energy. This particular
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 sunspot is being closely monitored because of
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 its size and complexity. When these magnetic
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 structures become unstable, they can unleash
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 powerful solar flares and potentially hurl
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 billions of tons of charged particles toward
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 Earth in what's called a coronal mass
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 ejection, or cme.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 Anna: Should we be concerned about potential
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 impacts on Earth?
00:07:12 --> 00:07:14 Avery: Base weather forecasters are definitely
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 keeping a close eye on it. A large CME
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 directed at Earth could affect satellites,
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 power grids, and radio communications and
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 could produce aurora displays at lower
00:07:23 --> 00:07:26 latitudes than usual. However, our sun
00:07:26 --> 00:07:29 monitoring satellites like SoHo and SDO
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 give us advance warning, typically several
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 days before CME arrives. So while this
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 sunspot certainly has the potential to be
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 active, we have the monitoring infrastructure
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 in place to track any eruptions and issue
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 warnings if necessary.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 Anna: It's one of those reminders that we live
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 inside the Sun's atmosphere. In a sense,
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 we're constantly bathed in the solar wind.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:53 Avery: That's a great way to think about it. Earth's
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 magnetic field shields us from most of the
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 effects, but we're definitely connected to
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 our star's activity. And for amateur
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 astronomers, it's a rare chance to see solar
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 activity on this scale with safe solar
00:08:04 --> 00:08:05 viewing equipment.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 Anna: All right. From solar weather to Martian
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 weather. Avery, there's been an unusual
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 storm on Mars. That's revealing something new
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 about the Red Planet.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 Avery: Yes, and this is a particularly intriguing
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 discovery because it challenges some of our
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 assumptions about Martian meteorology.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 Researchers have observed an unusual storm
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 system on Mars that's providing new insights
00:08:27 --> 00:08:30 into the planet's atmospheric dynamics and
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 what lies beneath its dusty surface.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36 Anna: What made this storm unusual? I mean, Mars
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 is famous for its dust storms.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 Avery: True. But this storm exhibited behavior that
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 didn't fit our standard models of Martian
00:08:42 --> 00:08:45 weather patterns. The storm's movement and
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 structure suggested it was being influenced
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 by subsurface features. Essentially, the
00:08:49 --> 00:08:52 topology and composition beneath Mars
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 surface was affecting how the storm developed
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 and moved across the planet.
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 Anna: So, uh, the ground itself is influencing the
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 weather. How does that work?
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 Avery: It's similar to how mountains on Earth affect
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 weather patterns. But Mars has some unique
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 factors. The thin Martian atmosphere, um,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 less than 1% of Earth's atmospheric pressure,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 Means that surface features have a
00:09:13 --> 00:09:16 proportionately larger impact on atmospheric
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 circulation. Additionally, variations in
00:09:18 --> 00:09:21 surface temperature Due to different rock and
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 soil composition can create localized heating
00:09:24 --> 00:09:26 patterns that drive atmospheric motion.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 Anna: And what did the storm reveal about what's
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 underground?
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 Avery: The storm's behavior suggested there are
00:09:31 --> 00:09:34 variations in subsurface composition that
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 weren't previously mapped. By tracking how
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 the storm responded to these hidden features,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 Scientists could essentially use the storm as
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 a probe to detect what's below the surface.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 It's a bit like how doctors use ultrasound.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:49 You're using one thing to indirectly sense
00:09:49 --> 00:09:49 another.
00:09:49 --> 00:09:51 Anna: That's a clever way to gather geological
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 information. Are there implications for
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 future Mars missions?
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 Avery: Definitely. Understanding these subsurface,
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 um, features is important for several
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 reasons. First, they could indicate locations
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 where subsurface water ice might be present.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 Second, um, they help us understand Mars's
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 geological history and how the planet
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 evolved. And third, for future crewed
00:10:12 --> 00:10:14 missions, knowing what's underground is
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 essential for landing site selection and
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 resource utilization. You want to land
00:10:18 --> 00:10:21 somewhere with access to useful materials.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 Anna: It's fascinating how atmospheric science and
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26 geology intersect like this one storm
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 can tell you so much about an entire planet.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 Avery: Exactly. And it's another example of how
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 every Mars observation opens new questions.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 And the more we learn, the more complex and
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 interesting Mars becomes.
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 Anna: Indeed.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 Now, speaking of complex and interesting, uh,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:44 let's talk about NASA's Space Launch System.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 There's been some remarkably frank discussion
00:10:47 --> 00:10:50 from NASA about this rocket's future, hasn't
00:10:50 --> 00:10:50 there?
00:10:50 --> 00:10:53 Avery: Yes, and it's notable precisely because
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 NASA officials are rarely this candid about
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 program challenges. Anna, for the first time,
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 NASA is publicly acknowledging what many
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 industry analysts have been saying for years.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 The Space Launch System has fundamental cost
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 and sustainability issues that need to be
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 addressed.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 Anna: This is the rocket that's supposed to take
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 astronauts back to the moon. Part of the
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 Artemis program, right?
00:11:16 --> 00:11:19 Avery: That's correct. The SLS is the most
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 powerful rocket NASA has ever built, Designed
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 specifically For deep space missions. It
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 successfully launched Artemis 1 in late
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 2022, sending an uncrewed Orion
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 spacecraft around the moon. And it's
00:11:32 --> 00:11:35 scheduled to launch Artemis 2, the first
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 crewed lunar mission in over 50 years. Though
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 that timeline keeps shifting.
00:11:39 --> 00:11:42 Anna: So, uh, what's the issue? The rocket works,
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 doesn't it?
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 Avery: The rocket does work. When it flies, it
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 performs beautifully. The problem is the
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 economics. Each SLS Launch costs
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 roughly $4 billion, and the system can
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 only fly about once a year with current
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 infrastructure. For comparison,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:02 SpaceX's Starship, which is also designed for
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 deep space missions and has greater payload
00:12:04 --> 00:12:07 capacity, is projected to cost a tiny
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 fraction of that per launch and could
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 potentially fly dozens of times per year.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 Anna: 4 billion per launch. That's hard
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 to justify, especially when alternatives
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 exist.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:21 Avery: Exactly. And that's what makes these recent
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 NASA statements so significant.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 Administrators are openly discussing the
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 elephant in the room that maintaining SLS in
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 its current form may not be sustainable for a
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 long term lunar or Mars exploration program.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 They're acknowledging that the program needs
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 to either dramatically reduce costs or
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 potentially transition to commercial
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 alternatives.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 Anna: This must be a difficult position for NASA.
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 The SLS represents decades of development
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 and enormous investment.
00:12:49 --> 00:12:52 Avery: It absolutely is. There are also political
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 considerations. The SLS program supports
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 jobs across multiple states and has strong
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 congressional backing. But NASA is facing
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 budgetary pressure and needs to make
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 realistic plans for sustainable exploration.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 The acknowledgment that SLS's costs are
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 problematic is a significant shift towards
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 having honest conversations about the future
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 of deep space exploration.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:17 Anna: What are the alternatives? Would NASA switch
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20 to something like Starship entirely?
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22 Avery: That's one option being discussed, though
00:13:22 --> 00:13:25 it's complicated. NASA has already
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 contracted with SpaceX to provide a lunar
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 lander version of Starship for Artemis
00:13:29 --> 00:13:31 missions. So there's already commercial
00:13:31 --> 00:13:34 partnership in place. Some proposals suggest
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 using commercial heavy lift rockets for cargo
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 and potentially even crew, while others
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 advocate for a hybrid approach. The challenge
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 is that any major change would require
00:13:45 --> 00:13:47 congressional approval and significant
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 replanning of Artemis architecture.
00:13:49 --> 00:13:52 Anna: It sounds like we're at an inflection point
00:13:52 --> 00:13:54 for NASA's deep space ambitions.
00:13:54 --> 00:13:57 Avery: We really are. This is one of those moments
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 where honesty about challenges is the first
00:13:59 --> 00:14:02 step towards finding solutions. The fact that
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 NASA is willing to have this conversation
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 publicly suggests they're serious about
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 finding a sustainable path forward, even if
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 it means difficult decisions about programs
00:14:12 --> 00:14:14 that have tremendous legacy and political
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 support.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 Anna: Well, we'll certainly be watching how this
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 develops.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 Now for our final story, let's venture into
00:14:20 --> 00:14:23 the realm of stellar evolution. Avery
00:14:23 --> 00:14:26 red giant stars are apparently destroying
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 their own planetary systems.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 Avery: They are Anna. And this research gives us a
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 rather apocalyptic preview of what will
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35 happen to our own solar system in about 5
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 billion years. Astronomers have observed how
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 red giant stars, stars in their late
00:14:40 --> 00:14:43 evolutionary stages, systematically destroy
00:14:43 --> 00:14:46 gas giant planets that orbit too close to
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 them.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:48 Anna: This is what our sun will eventually become,
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 right? A red giant.
00:14:50 --> 00:14:53 Avery: Exactly. When stars like our sun exhaust the
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 hydrogen fuel in their cores, they begin
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 fusing helium and expand dramatically.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 Our sun will eventually swell to perhaps a
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 hundred times its current diameter, likely
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 engulfing Mercury, Venus, and possibly
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 Earth. But this research focuses on what
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 happens to planets that, uh, survive the
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 initial expansion, particularly gas giants,
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 uh, at distances similar to Jupiter and
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 Saturn's current orbits.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 Anna: Though these planets survive the star's
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 expansion, but not what comes after.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25 Avery: Precisely. As the star becomes a red
00:15:25 --> 00:15:28 giant, several destructive processes occur.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:32 First, the star becomes much more luminous.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 Our sun will eventually be about 2
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 times brighter than it is now. This
00:15:37 --> 00:15:40 intense radiation heats the atmospheres of
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 gas giant planets, causing them to expand
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 and potentially evaporate. Second,
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 red giant stars have powerful stellar
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 winds that can strip away planetary
00:15:51 --> 00:15:54 atmospheres. And third, the star's
00:15:54 --> 00:15:57 expansion causes tidal forces that can
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 alter planetary orbits.
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 Anna: That sounds like a recipe for planetary
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 destruction. What exactly did the researchers
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 observe?
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 Avery: They studied multiple red giant star systems
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 and found evidence of gas giant planets in
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 the process of being destroyed. In some
00:16:12 --> 00:16:15 cases, they detected the spectral signatures
00:16:15 --> 00:16:18 of planetary material being stripped away
00:16:18 --> 00:16:21 and falling into their host star. In others,
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 they found gas giants with highly eroded
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 atmospheres, clearly showing the effects of
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 their star's evolution. It's like watching
00:16:28 --> 00:16:31 different stages of the same destructive
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 process.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 Anna: This presumably has implications for our
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 understanding of how planetary systems evolve
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 over time.
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 Avery: Absolutely. One of the key findings is
00:16:40 --> 00:16:42 that the habitable zone, the region where
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 liquid water could exist, moves outward
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 as a star becomes a red giant. Moons
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 of Jupiter or Saturn, currently frozen ice
00:16:51 --> 00:16:54 worlds, might temporarily become habitable
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 as our sun swells. But this research
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59 shows that even if these worlds briefly enter
00:16:59 --> 00:17:02 the habitable zone, the gas giants they orbit
00:17:02 --> 00:17:05 are being actively destroyed by the dying
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 star. It's a very dynamic and
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 ultimately doomed situation.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 Anna: It really puts our solar system's long term
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 future in perspective.
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 Avery: It does, Though I should emphasize we have
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 about 5 billion years before any of this
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 happens, so there's no immediate cause for
00:17:21 --> 00:17:23 concern. But it does remind us that solar
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 systems, like everything else in the
00:17:25 --> 00:17:28 universe, have life cycles. Understanding
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 these cycles helps us interpret what we see
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 around other stars and appreciate that the
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 stable, long lived solar system we enjoy
00:17:36 --> 00:17:38 is a temporary phase in cosmic terms.
00:17:38 --> 00:17:41 Anna: A sobering but fascinating look at stellar
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 evolution. It's one thing to know
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 intellectually that the sun will eventually
00:17:45 --> 00:17:48 die, but quite another to see the detailed
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 process of what happens to the planets.
00:17:50 --> 00:17:53 Avery: Exactly. And who knows, in 5 billion
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 years, humanity's descendants, if they exist,
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 will likely have long since relocated to
00:17:58 --> 00:18:01 other star systems. Understanding how stars
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 age and die is actually crucial for picking
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 good long term neighborhoods out in the
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 galaxy.
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 Anna: That's a nice optimistic note to end on.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 Well, that's all we have for you today on
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 Astronomy Daily.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:13 Avery: And remember to check out our website at, uh,
00:18:13 --> 00:18:16 astronomydaily IO for more space
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 news and to join our community discussions.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 You can also find us on social
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 media@astrodaily.pod.
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 Anna: Thanks for listening and keep looking up.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 Avery: The stories.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 We told.