- A Massive Ancient Impact and Life on Earth: Discover how a colossal impact shaped Earth's ability to support life, with insights from new research on carbonaceous chondrites and the role of Theia in delivering essential materials to our planet.
- - The Hidden Structure of Space Ice: Prepare to have your perceptions of ice in space transformed! We delve into a groundbreaking study revealing that space ice contains tiny crystal structures, challenging long-held beliefs and impacting theories about the origins of life.
- - Ambitious Space Missions Ahead: Get the latest on exciting space missions, including China's proposed ice giant mission to Neptune and SpaceX's remarkable 500th Falcon 9 launch, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
- - Observing the Buck Moon: Learn about July's Buck Moon, its unique characteristics, and how to best observe this stunning celestial event, which coincides with the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
- For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.
- Thank you for tuning in. This is Anna signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
Earth's Habitability Research
[Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences](https://www.iastro.pt/)
Space Ice Study
[University College London](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/)
Falcon 9 Milestone
[SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/)
Buck Moon Information
[Time and Date](https://www.timeanddate.com/)
Apollo 11 Anniversary
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your regular dose
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 of cosmic insights with your host, Anna.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 Today, we're diving into how a massive
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 ancient impact shaped our planet for life,
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 uncovering new secrets about ice and space,
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 and getting the latest on exciting space
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 missions and rocket launches. Plus, we'll
00:00:16 --> 00:00:17 guide you through observing, uh, July's
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 beautiful Buck Moon and commemorating a
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 historic lunar anniversary. Let's get started
00:00:23 --> 00:00:24 with a story about our home planet.
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 Earth, alone among the rocky planets in our
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 solar system, is a vibrant home for life.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 It's warm, hospitable and teeming with
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 activity, a stark contrast to the frigid
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 lifelessness of its neighbours. How did our
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 planet become so uniquely suited for life?
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 The answer is incredibly complex. But a
00:00:45 --> 00:00:46 significant part of it lies in the
00:00:46 --> 00:00:48 fascinating field of cosmochemistry, which
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 explores how chemical elements are
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 distributed across the cosmos. Imagine
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 our solar system. 4.5 billion years ago,
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 it was a far more chaotic place than it is
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 today, with planets still in their infancy
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 and countless planetesimals and planetary
00:01:03 --> 00:01:05 embryos whizzing around constantly crashing
00:01:05 --> 00:01:08 into each other. Amidst this
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 cosmic demolition derby, something
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 extraordinary happened. Earth somehow
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 received an exceptionally generous delivery
00:01:15 --> 00:01:18 of carbonaceous chondrites. These
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 aren't just any space rocks. They're packed
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 with amino acids and other essential
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 chemicals, the very building blocks that
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 enable life. Cosmochemistry studies have
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 revealed that between 5 and 10% of Earth's
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 entire mass originated from these
00:01:33 --> 00:01:35 carbonaceous chondrites that collided with
00:01:35 --> 00:01:38 our young planet. What's even more astounding
00:01:38 --> 00:01:40 is that a substantial portion of this life
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 enabling material is believed to have arrived
00:01:43 --> 00:01:45 during the colossal impact, eventually that
00:01:45 --> 00:01:47 formed our moon. The THEIA impact.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 To rigorously test this profound idea, a
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 team of researchers led by Duarte Branco
00:01:54 --> 00:01:56 from the Institute of Astrophysics and Space
00:01:56 --> 00:01:59 Sciences in Portugal, utilised sophisticated
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 dynamical simulations of the solar
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 system's formation. Their groundbreaking
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 work, titled Dynamical Origin of Theia uh,
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 the Last Giant Impactor on Earth, is set to
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 be published in the journal IT icarus.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 In cosmochemistry, a critical distinction is
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 made between carbonaceous chondrites, or ccs,
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 and non carbonaceous meteorites.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 This effectively divides the solar system's
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 meteorite population into two distinct
00:02:25 --> 00:02:28 material reservoirs. Ccs formed much
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 farther from the sun, likely beyond Jupiter,
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 and are rich in volatiles like water and
00:02:33 --> 00:02:36 organic compounds. Ncs, on the other
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 hand, include things like iron meteorites and
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 contain far fewer volatile elements. The
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 core question for the researchers was whether
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 Theia uh, could have delivered these crucial
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 CCS and volatiles to early Earth.
00:02:48 --> 00:02:51 To investigate this, the team ran detailed N
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 body simulations focusing on the later stages
00:02:53 --> 00:02:56 of terrestrial planet growth, specifically
00:02:56 --> 00:02:58 after the solar system's gaseous disc had
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 dissipated. These simulations included
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 CCs that were scattered inward as gas giants
00:03:03 --> 00:03:05 like Jupiter and Saturn were still growing.
00:03:06 --> 00:03:07 The researchers explored three main
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 scenarios, one with only small CC
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 objects or planetesimals, another with only
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 large CC objects or planetary embryos, and
00:03:16 --> 00:03:18 a mixed scenario that included both.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 A subset of these simulations also factored
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 in the giant planet dynamical instability,
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 better known as the NICE model in astronomy.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 This model describes how the giant planets
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 shifted their orbits from their initial
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 formation positions. The goal was
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 multifaceted to understand how ccs and
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 ncs were distributed, why Earth ended up with
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 significantly more ccs than other rocky
00:03:42 --> 00:03:45 planets, particularly Mars, and whether the
00:03:45 --> 00:03:47 Theia impact was indeed responsible for
00:03:47 --> 00:03:49 delivering a large amount of Earth's C C
00:03:49 --> 00:03:52 material. One of the most striking results
00:03:52 --> 00:03:55 showed that the giant planet instability,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 especially Jupiter's orbital shift, had a
00:03:57 --> 00:04:00 profound effect on Earth's accretion of C C
00:04:00 --> 00:04:03 material. As the giant planets moved,
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 they caused a strong pulse of eccentricity
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 excitement, leading to a wave of collisions
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 and ejections, effectively flinging CC rich
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 material into the inner solar system.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 Crucially, the simulations strongly supported
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 the idea that THEIA itself was a carbonaceous
00:04:17 --> 00:04:20 object. In the mixed scenario simulations
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 without giant planet instability, Earth's
00:04:23 --> 00:04:25 final impactor, Theia, included a
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 carbonaceous component in more than half of
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 all simulations. In 38.5%
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 of cases, Theia was a pure carbonaceous
00:04:33 --> 00:04:36 embryo, and in another 13.5%,
00:04:36 --> 00:04:38 it was an NC embryo that had previously
00:04:38 --> 00:04:41 accreted a C C embryo. This paints a
00:04:41 --> 00:04:43 vivid picture of the early solar system. Two
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 distinct rings of planetesimals, an inner
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 ring of rocky material and an outer ring of
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 carbonaceous chondrites. As uh, the ice
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 giants migrated inward, they propelled this
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 CC material into the inner solar system, with
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 more massive ones preferentially scattered
00:04:59 --> 00:05:02 into the orbits of rocky planets. This
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 explains not only the masses and orbits of
00:05:04 --> 00:05:07 the terrestrial planets and the distribution
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 of asteroids, but also why Earth has a higher
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 CC mass fraction compared to Mars. The work
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 strongly suggests that Earth's final giant
00:05:14 --> 00:05:17 impact was indeed with Theia, and that this
00:05:17 --> 00:05:19 object had a higher concentration of
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 carbonaceous material directly contributing
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 to our planet's habitability. The
00:05:24 --> 00:05:26 simulations indicate this last impact
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 occurred between 5 and 150-million years
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 after the gas disc dispersed, with a large
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 fraction happening within 20 to 70 million
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 years, timings consistent with current
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 understanding of the Theia impact. Moreover,
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 the research emphasises Jupiter's pivotal
00:05:43 --> 00:05:44 role in shaping the solar system's
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47 Architecture not just by truncating the
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49 asteroid belt, but also by scattering crucial
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 carbonaceous material from the outer solar
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 system into the path of the rocky planets,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 especially Earth. Ultimately, the
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 formation of a life sustaining world like
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 Earth required an astonishing number of
00:06:01 --> 00:06:04 variables to align perfectly. This research
00:06:04 --> 00:06:06 highlights that it may take more than simply
00:06:06 --> 00:06:09 being in a habitable zone for an exoplanet to
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 support life. The complex dance of outer
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 giant planets migrating and delivering carbon
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 to inner rocky worlds might be another
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 critical, often overlooked ingredient in the
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 recipe for life in the universe.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 Alright, moving on. Prepare to have your
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 perceptions of space ice completely
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 shattered. For decades, scientists have
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 largely viewed water frozen in the depths of
00:06:30 --> 00:06:33 space as a shapeless, amorphous fog. Too
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36 cold and still to ever form orderly crystals,
00:06:36 --> 00:06:38 it was believed to simply freeze straight
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40 from vapour onto cold surfaces like dust
00:06:40 --> 00:06:43 grains and comets or icy moons without any
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 structured shape whatsoever. But a
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 groundbreaking new study by researchers from
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 University College London and the University
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 of Cambridge is challenging that long held
00:06:51 --> 00:06:54 belief. By combining incredibly detailed
00:06:54 --> 00:06:56 computer simulations with carefully
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 controlled lab experiments, this team has
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 discovered that space ice is not entirely
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 amorphous after all. Instead, it holds
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 tiny hidden crystal structures within its
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 disordered form. These small organised
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 patterns could fundamentally shift what we
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 know about ice, water and even the very
00:07:13 --> 00:07:16 origins of life in the universe. On Earth,
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 ice typically forms a neat crystalline
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 pattern visible in the intricate symmetry of
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 a snowflake. But in the extreme cold and
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 vacuum of interstellar space, we where
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28 temperatures plummet far below freezing. It
00:07:28 --> 00:07:30 was thought that ice formed without any
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 order. This form of water was known as low
00:07:33 --> 00:07:36 density amorphous ice, and the prevailing
00:07:36 --> 00:07:38 view was that it lacked any internal
00:07:38 --> 00:07:41 structure. However, that view is now
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 rapidly changing. The researchers began
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 by freezing virtual boxes of water molecules
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 down to an incredibly chilly negative
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 120 degrees Celsius. This allowed them
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 to simulate how ice forms at various rates.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 Some simulations indeed produced nearly
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 perfect disordered ice. But others revealed
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 something fascinating. Tiny crystals
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04 roughly 3 nanometers wide that's just
00:08:04 --> 00:08:07 slightly larger than a strand of DNA, began
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 to form within the chaos. The result that
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 most accurately matched existing X ray
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 diffraction data wasn't fully disordered ice.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:17 Instead, it was found to be approximately 20%
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 crystalline and 80% amorphous.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 Dr. Michael B. Davies, the lead author of
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 this pivotal study, noted, we now have a
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 good idea of what the most common form of ice
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 in the universe looks like at an atomic
00:08:29 --> 00:08:32 level. He emphasised the importance of this
00:08:32 --> 00:08:35 finding, explaining that ice is involved in
00:08:35 --> 00:08:37 many cosmological processes, for instance, in
00:08:37 --> 00:08:40 how planets form, how galaxies evolve,
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42 and how Matter moves around the universe.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:46 The team didn't stop at simulations. They
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 meticulously created real samples of
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50 amorphous ice in their lab using several
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 methods. One method directly mimicked how
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 ice forms in space by depositing water
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 vapour onto a surface chilled far below
00:08:57 --> 00:09:00 freezing. Another involved crushing normal
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 ice at very low temperatures to produce high
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 density amorphous ice. After creating
00:09:05 --> 00:09:08 both types, the researchers carefully warmed
00:09:08 --> 00:09:10 the samples, allowing crystals to develop.
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 Here's where it got even more interesting.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:15 They observed that each sample produced a
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 different crystal pattern once it warmed.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:20 This was a critical observation. If the ice
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 had truly been fully amorphous, completely
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25 without any order, it shouldn't have retained
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28 any memory of its earlier form. But
00:09:28 --> 00:09:30 because it did, the scientists concluded that
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 even space ice, despite its seemingly
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 shapeless appearance, retains some hidden
00:09:35 --> 00:09:38 structure within. As Professor Christoph
00:09:38 --> 00:09:40 Salzman, a co author of the study, put it,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43 ice can remember its previous structure. The
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45 order of hydrogen atoms in a crystalline
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47 state can be preserved even as conditions
00:09:47 --> 00:09:50 change. This suggests that space ice is far
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 more complex than previously thought,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 carrying clues about its origin and the
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 environment in which it formed. These
00:09:56 --> 00:09:58 findings have significant implications,
00:09:58 --> 00:10:00 particularly for theories regarding the
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 origin of life beyond Earth. One prominent
00:10:03 --> 00:10:05 theory, known as panspermia, suggests that
00:10:05 --> 00:10:08 life's essential ingredients, such as amino
00:10:08 --> 00:10:10 acids, may have arrived on Earth from space,
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 perhaps carried by comets. This idea
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 relies on space ice being able to effectively
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 trap and protect complex molecules during
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 their long journeys across the cosmos.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 However, this new discovery complicates that
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 idea slightly. As Dr. Davies
00:10:26 --> 00:10:29 explained, our, uh, findings suggest this ice
00:10:29 --> 00:10:31 would be a less good transport material for
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 these origin of life molecules. That is
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 because a partly crystalline structure has
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 less space space in which these ingredients
00:10:38 --> 00:10:40 could become embedded. While this might
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 weaken the panspermia argument slightly, it
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 doesn't rule it out entirely. Davies added
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 that the theory could still hold true, as
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 there are amorphous regions in the ice where
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 life's building blocks could be trapped and
00:10:51 --> 00:10:54 stored. Ultimately, these
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56 results provide a more realistic picture of
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 the conditions life's precursors might
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 encounter while travelling through the vast
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 emptiness of space. The implications of this
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 research extend far beyond just the origin of
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 life. Amorphous materials are incredibly
00:11:08 --> 00:11:11 common in modern technology. For example, the
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 glass used in fibre optic cables, which
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 transmit data across the globe, must remain
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 in a disordered state for optimal
00:11:18 --> 00:11:21 performance. If these materials contain tiny
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 hidden crystals that could affect their
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 performance, understanding how to remove them
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 could lead to significant advancements and
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 better technology. Professor Saltzman
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 also highlighted this, stating,
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 our results also raise questions about
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 amorphous materials. In general, these
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 materials have important uses in much
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 advanced technology. If they do contain tiny
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 crystals and we can remove them, this will
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 improve their performance. Furthermore,
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 this knowledge could help space agencies
00:11:50 --> 00:11:53 design more effective spacecraft. Ice in
00:11:53 --> 00:11:55 space isn't just a passive substance. It has
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 the potential to serve as radiation shielding
00:11:57 --> 00:12:00 or even as a source of fuel. If broken down
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 into hydrogen and oxygen. Knowing more about
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 its various forms and structural properties
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 could lead to smarter and more efficient uses
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 for this vital cosmic resource. As Dr.
00:12:09 --> 00:12:12 Davies noted, ice is potentially a high
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 performance material in space. It could
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 shield spacecraft from radiation or provide
00:12:17 --> 00:12:20 fuel in the form of hydrogen and oxygen. So
00:12:20 --> 00:12:23 we need to know about its various forms and
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 properties.
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 Next up today, let's take a look at launch
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 plans. As you well know, we're
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 constantly looking to the future in space,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 and some truly ambitious plans are on the
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 horizon. Chinese scientists have put forward
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 a fascinating proposal for the country's very
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 first ice giant mission. Their goal is to
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 launch a radioisotope powered spacecraft by
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 2033, destined to orbit
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 Neptune and conduct an in depth study of its
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 mysterious moon Triton. This
00:12:52 --> 00:12:55 mission promises to shed new light on one of
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 the most distant and least understood worlds
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00 in our solar system. Closer to home, it's
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 been a bustling period for rocket launches.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:04 Even in what was described as a quiet week
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 for orbital flights, SpaceX
00:13:06 --> 00:13:09 recently achieved a monumental milestone,
00:13:09 --> 00:13:12 completing the 500th orbital flight of its
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14 workhorse Falcon 9 rocket launchers. This
00:13:14 --> 00:13:16 incredible feat was part of their Starlink
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 Group 1028 mission, which lifted off from
00:13:19 --> 00:13:22 Cape Canaveral Space force station. The
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 Falcon 9 has certainly earned its reputation,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 celebrating over 15 years since its
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 inaugural flight in June 2010.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 This 500th launch saw Booster
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 B1077 make its 22nd
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 flight, a testament to the reusability
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 pioneered by SpaceX. With the Booster aiming
00:13:39 --> 00:13:42 for its 490th recovery attempt on the drone
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 ship, a shortfall of gravitas in late
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 June, SpaceX also set new records with back
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 to back launches from Florida and California,
00:13:50 --> 00:13:53 marking their 80th and 81st Falcon missions
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 of the year. They even achieved a new pad
00:13:55 --> 00:13:58 turnaround record of just over 56 hours at
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 Space Launch Complex 40. This
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 relentless pace has contributed to a
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 significant increase in global launch
00:14:04 --> 00:14:07 cadence, with 142 orbital launches
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 worldwide in the first half of the year, a
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 16% jump compared to 2024.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15 Keep an eye out as another Falcon 9 launch is
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17 anticipated soon, possibly carrying the
00:14:17 --> 00:14:20 Israeli Dror 1 communications satellite into
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 geostationary transfer orbit.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 Meanwhile, on the other side of the world,
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 Australia is gearing up for a historic moment
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 in its space programme. Gilmour Space
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 is preparing for the highly anticipated
00:14:31 --> 00:14:34 maiden launch of its Eris small satellite
00:14:34 --> 00:14:37 rocket. This will be their second attempt
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 after the previous one in May was postponed
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42 due to a power surge that prematurely
00:14:42 --> 00:14:45 triggered the fairing separation system, an
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 issue that has since been successfully
00:14:47 --> 00:14:50 mitigated. The Eris rocket is set
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52 to lift off from the Bowen Orbital Spaceport
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 at Abbott Point, making it the first orbital
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 launch from Australian soil performed by a
00:14:57 --> 00:15:00 sovereign built vehicle. Standing at 25
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 metres tall and boasting a payload capacity
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05 of up to 215 kilogrammes to a 500
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08 kilometre sun synchron orbit, Eris is
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10 comparable in size and capability to Rocket
00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 Lab's Electron. Its first stage is propelled
00:15:13 --> 00:15:16 by four proprietary Sirius Hybrid engines
00:15:16 --> 00:15:19 which use a unique 3D printed solid fuel
00:15:19 --> 00:15:21 grain and hydrogen peroxide as the
00:15:21 --> 00:15:24 oxidizer. A successful orbital launch would
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 also mark a significant first for a hybrid
00:15:26 --> 00:15:29 rocket design showcasing a new frontier in
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 propulsion technology.
00:15:31 --> 00:15:33 Now let's turn our gaze to the night sky,
00:15:34 --> 00:15:37 because July 2025 promises a spectacular
00:15:37 --> 00:15:39 lunar event. The Full Moon, affectionately
00:15:39 --> 00:15:42 known as the Buck Moon, is set to rise on
00:15:42 --> 00:15:45 Wednesday, July 10. This celestial display is
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 perfect for both seasoned stargazers and
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 budding astrophotographers. A full
00:15:49 --> 00:15:52 moon occurs when our moon is perfectly
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54 positioned opposite the sun in the sky,
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 allowing it to appear completely
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 illuminated from our perspective here on
00:15:59 --> 00:16:02 Earth. The Buck Moon gets its
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 evocative name from the time of year in North
00:16:04 --> 00:16:07 America when male deer or bucks
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 are actively growing out their impressive
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 antlers. It's also sometimes referred to as
00:16:12 --> 00:16:14 the Thunder Moon, a nod to the frequent
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16 summer storms that rumble across parts of the
00:16:16 --> 00:16:19 US In July this year. The Buck
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 Moon holds another distinction. It arrives
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 less than a week after Earth reaches
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 aphelion, its farthest point from the sun in
00:16:26 --> 00:16:28 its orbit, making it the most distant Full
00:16:28 --> 00:16:31 Moon from the sun in 2025. While the
00:16:31 --> 00:16:33 Moon technically reaches its fullest phase at
00:16:33 --> 00:16:36 4:36pm Eastern Daylight Time
00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 or 20:36 GMT on July 10,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 it won't be visible to us until it rises
00:16:41 --> 00:16:44 above the southern horizon at sunset in your
00:16:44 --> 00:16:47 local time zone. For instance, if
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 you're in New York City, you can expect
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 moonrise around 8:53pm local time.
00:16:51 --> 00:16:54 Remember that exact timings for moon phases
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 can vary depending on your location, so it's
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 always a good idea to check a trusted website
00:16:58 --> 00:17:01 like in the sky.org or timeanddate.com for
00:17:01 --> 00:17:04 precise local timings. You might notice
00:17:04 --> 00:17:06 something particularly striking about July's
00:17:06 --> 00:17:09 Full moon. It will appear exceptionally low
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 in the sky after sunset. This phenomenon is
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 largely due to its proximity to the summer
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 solstice, the time when the sun is at its
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 highest point in the daytime sky.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 Consequently, the Moon tracks a
00:17:20 --> 00:17:23 correspondingly low path through the night.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:26 This effect is even more pronounced in 2025
00:17:26 --> 00:17:28 thanks to a fascinating occurrence known as a
00:17:28 --> 00:17:31 major lunar standstill. This happens
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34 approximately every 18.6 years when the
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 Sun's gravity influences the Moon's tilted
00:17:36 --> 00:17:38 orbit, pushing it to its most extreme
00:17:38 --> 00:17:41 inclination relative to Earth's celestial
00:17:41 --> 00:17:44 equator. This orbital dance causes the Moon
00:17:44 --> 00:17:46 to appear either exceptionally high or, as in
00:17:46 --> 00:17:49 this case, notably low in our sky, depending
00:17:49 --> 00:17:51 on the time of year. As you observe the
00:17:51 --> 00:17:54 Buck Moon, especially in the hours following
00:17:54 --> 00:17:57 moonrise on July 10, you might experience a
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 common optical illusion, the Moon
00:17:59 --> 00:18:02 illusion. This is when the lunar disc
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 appears larger than it actually is when it's
00:18:04 --> 00:18:07 positioned close to the horizon. Our
00:18:07 --> 00:18:09 brains, for reasons still debated by
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 scientists, trick us into thinking it's
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 bigger than it appears when directly
00:18:13 --> 00:18:16 overhead, even though its actual size in the
00:18:16 --> 00:18:19 night sky remains constant. You might also
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21 notice the Buck Moon take on a beautiful
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 golden or reddish hue shortly after it rises.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 This warm coloration is caused by Rayleigh
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 scattering, the very same atmospheric effect
00:18:28 --> 00:18:31 that paints our sunsets and sunrises with
00:18:31 --> 00:18:33 vibrant colours. When the moonlight reflected
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 off the Moon's surface travels through more
00:18:35 --> 00:18:37 of Earth's atmosphere to reach us at the
00:18:37 --> 00:18:40 horizon, the shorter, bluer wavelengths
00:18:40 --> 00:18:42 of light are scattered away, allowing the
00:18:42 --> 00:18:45 longer, redder wavelengths to pass through
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 more directly beyond the enchanting
00:18:47 --> 00:18:50 display of the Buck Moon. The this month also
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 marks a significant anniversary in human
00:18:52 --> 00:18:55 spaceflight history. The 56th
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.
00:18:58 --> 00:19:01 On July 20, 1969, Neil
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first
00:19:03 --> 00:19:06 humans to walk on the Moon, while Michael
00:19:06 --> 00:19:08 Collins expertly orbited above. To
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 commemorate this incredible achievement, we
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 invite you to try and locate the six historic
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 Apollo era landing sites on on the lunar
00:19:15 --> 00:19:18 surface. With the naked eye, you can
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 often spot the general region visited by each
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 Apollo mission, but if you have access to a 6
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 inch telescope, it will greatly enhance your
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 viewing experience, helping to reveal finer
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 details in the rugged moonscapes and smooth
00:19:31 --> 00:19:34 lunar seas surrounding each of these historic
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36 zones. It's a wonderful way to connect with a
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38 pivotal moment in our shared human journey of
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 exploration.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:43 That's all for this episode of Astronomy
00:19:43 --> 00:19:45 Daily. We hope you enjoyed our journey
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 through cosmic origins, the secrets of space
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 ice, and the latest in space exploration and
00:19:50 --> 00:19:53 sky watching. A quick reminder before I log
00:19:53 --> 00:19:56 off Visit Astronomy Daily IO to sign
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 up for our free daily newsletter and explore
00:19:58 --> 00:20:01 all our back episodes. Remember to subscribe
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 to Astronomy Daily on Apple Podcasts,
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your
00:20:05 --> 00:20:08 podcasts. Until tomorrow, this is Anna
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10 reminding you to keep looking up and
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 marvelling at our wonderful universe.