In this episode, we cover:
• NASA's Juno spacecraft captures a colossal 150-mile-high volcanic plume on Io
• KRUSTY nuclear reactor test paves the way for deep space exploration
• Ancient beach deposits in Gale Crater reveal Mars' watery past
• Artemis II communication networks ready for lunar missions
• The Moon's February celestial tour featuring Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter
• Life's chemical building blocks form naturally in interstellar space
Hosted by Anna and Avery, Astronomy Daily brings you the latest space and astronomy news in an engaging, accessible format perfect for enthusiasts and curious minds alike.
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Picture this. A volcanic eruption
00:00:03 --> 00:00:06 so massive it could swallow entire
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 countries. Now, imagine witnessing it
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 from space on a moon 400
00:00:11 --> 00:00:14 million miles away. Welcome to
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 Astronomy Daily, where today we're bringing
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 you the most explosive story from
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 Jupiter's volcanic moon IO,
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 literally. I'm Anna.
00:00:23 --> 00:00:26 Avery: And I'm Avery. Anna. When NASA's Juno
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 spacecraft captured the largest volcanic
00:00:28 --> 00:00:31 eruption ever seen on IO, it reminded
00:00:31 --> 00:00:34 me why we explore these distant worlds. The
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 sheer scale of what's happening out there is
00:00:36 --> 00:00:37 mind blowing.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 Anna: Absolutely. And speaking of exploration,
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 we've also got some groundbreaking news about
00:00:43 --> 00:00:46 nuclear propulsion that could revolutionize
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 deep space travel. Plus discoveries about
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 ancient Martian beaches, the communication
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 networks keeping Artemis astronauts connected
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 around the moon. A lunar world tour
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 happening in February, and fascinating
00:01:00 --> 00:01:03 research about life's ingredients forming in
00:01:03 --> 00:01:03 space.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:04 Avery: Place.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 Anna: It's Friday, January 30,
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 2026, and you're listening to
00:01:09 --> 00:01:10 Astronomy Daily.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 Avery: Let's get into it then, Avery.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:15 Anna: Let's dive right into this spectacular
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 volcanic eruption on IO.
00:01:17 --> 00:01:20 NASA's Juno spacecraft has been giving us
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 unprecedented views of Jupiter's most
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 volcanically active moon. And this latest
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 discovery is absolutely stunning.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 Avery: It really is, Anna. Uh, during Juno's
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 71st close flyby of Jupiter on January
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 28, the spacecraft captured what scientists
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 are calling the largest volcanic eruption
00:01:40 --> 00:01:43 ever observed on I.O. we're talking about a
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 plume that's absolutely colossal in
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 scale. The plume was spotted at a volcano
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 called Kanehikili. And here's what makes this
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 so remarkable. The plume extends an estimated
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 240km, or about
00:01:57 --> 00:02:00 150 miles above IO's
00:02:00 --> 00:02:00 surface.
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 Anna: That's incredible. To put that in perspective
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 for our listeners, that's roughly the
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 distance from New York to Philadelphia. But
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 instead of a road trip, we're talking about a
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 volcanic plume shooting straight up into
00:02:13 --> 00:02:13 space.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:17 Avery: Exactly. And what makes IO such a volcanic
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 powerhouse is the immense tidal forces it
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22 experiences. Jupiter's massive gravity,
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 combined with the gravitational pulls from
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 its sister moons Europa and ganymede,
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 literally flexes IO's interior,
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 generating enormous amounts of heat. It's
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 like continuously kneading dough, but on a
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 planetary scale.
00:02:36 --> 00:02:39 Anna: The images Juno captured are fascinating,
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 too. Scientists used the spacecraft's
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 Juno Cam instrument, and what they saw was
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 this enormous umbrella shaped plume
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 extending from Kane Hakili. Scott
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 Bolton, Juno's principal investigator from
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 the Southwest Research Institute, described
00:02:54 --> 00:02:57 it as both enormous and incredibly
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 faint, which is why these observations are
00:03:00 --> 00:03:01 so valuable.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 Avery: Right. And this isn't just about impressive
00:03:03 --> 00:03:06 visuals. Understanding IO's volcanism helps
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 us learn about tidal heating processes
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 throughout the solar system. Plus, Juno has
00:03:11 --> 00:03:13 been on quite the journey the Spacecraft has
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 made 18 close flybys of IO since
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 entering Jupiter's orbit back in 2016, and
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 it's scheduled to continue observations until
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 at least 2025.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 Anna: Actually, Avery, we're now in 2026.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:29 So Juno has been extended beyond that
00:03:29 --> 00:03:32 original timeline, which is fantastic news
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 for continued observations. This
00:03:34 --> 00:03:37 discovery really highlights how active
00:03:37 --> 00:03:40 and dynamic IO remains. It's not just
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 the most volcanically active body in our
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 solar system. It's constantly surprising us
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 with the scale of its eruptions.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 Avery: Absolutely. And, um, there's something almost
00:03:50 --> 00:03:53 poetic about witnessing such raw primordial
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 forces at work on another world. While we
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 deal with our relatively tame volcanic
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 activity here on Earth, IO is experiencing
00:04:01 --> 00:04:03 eruptions that dwarf anything in our planet's
00:04:03 --> 00:04:04 history.
00:04:04 --> 00:04:07 Anna: It's a powerful reminder that our solar
00:04:07 --> 00:04:10 system is far from a static, quiet
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 place. There are worlds out there where the
00:04:12 --> 00:04:15 geology is extreme, beyond our
00:04:15 --> 00:04:16 everyday comprehension.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 Alright, let's shift gears from volcanic
00:04:19 --> 00:04:21 fury to the cutting edge of space
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 propulsion technology. Anna?
00:04:24 --> 00:04:25 Avery: Uh, if we're going to send humans deeper into
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 the solar system, to Mars and beyond, we need
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 better propulsion systems than what we
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 currently have. That's where nuclear
00:04:32 --> 00:04:35 technology comes in. And NASA just achieved a
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 significant milestone.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:39 Anna: This is exciting stuff, Avery.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 NASA and the Department of Energy recently
00:04:42 --> 00:04:45 fired up crusty. And yes, that's actually
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 the acronym they went with, which stands for
00:04:47 --> 00:04:50 Kilopower Reactor using Stirling
00:04:50 --> 00:04:53 Technology. This test represents a major
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 step toward making nuclear power a reality
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 for deep space missions.
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 Avery: I love that acronym. But beyond the fun name,
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 this is serious technology. CRUSTY is a
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 small fission reactor designed to provide
00:05:05 --> 00:05:08 reliable power in the harsh environments of
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 deep space. We're talking about a system that
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 could generate around 10 kilowatts of
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 electrical power continuously for over a
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 decade.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 Anna: 10 kilowatts might not sound like much
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 compared to a power plant, but in space, it's
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 transformational. That's enough to power life
00:05:24 --> 00:05:27 support systems, scientific instruments and
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 habitats on Mars or the Moon. Traditional
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 solar panels become less effective the
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 farther you get from the Sun. But nuclear
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 reactors work anywhere.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 Avery: Exactly. And the technology behind CRUSTY is
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 elegantly simple in concept, if complex in
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 execution. It uses a solid uranium
00:05:45 --> 00:05:48 core about the size of a paper towel roll.
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 Nuclear fission in this core generates heat,
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 which is then converted to electricity using
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 Stirling engines. These are highly efficient
00:05:55 --> 00:05:58 engines that convert heat to mechanical
00:05:58 --> 00:06:00 energy and then to electricity.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:03 Anna: What I find particularly impressive is the
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 safety engineering. These systems are
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 designed to be inherently safe with passive
00:06:08 --> 00:06:11 cooling systems that don't require active
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 intervention. During the Nevada test,
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 engineers put CRUSTY through its paces,
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 simulating various failure Scenarios to prove
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 it could handle extreme conditions.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 Avery: Right. And this isn't just theoretical
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 anymore. The successful test demonstrates
00:06:26 --> 00:06:29 that the technology works. Now NASA is
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 looking at scaling this up for actual mission
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 use. Imagine a Mars base powered by one
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 or more of these reactors, Providing
00:06:36 --> 00:06:39 consistent power regardless of dust storms,
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 nighttime or seasons.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 Anna: It also opens up possibilities for missions
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 to the outer solar system. Places like Titan
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 or Europa, where solar power is
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 essentially useless, Suddenly become more
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 accessible. With relia viable nuclear power
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 sources, we could have rovers or even
00:06:57 --> 00:07:00 submarines Exploring these distant worlds.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:03 Avery: And let's not forget about nuclear thermal
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 propulsion, which is related but different.
00:07:05 --> 00:07:08 That's where nuclear reactors heat propellant
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 to generate thrust, potentially cutting Mars
00:07:10 --> 00:07:13 transit times in half between power
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 generation and propulsion. Nuclear technology
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 could be the key to humanity becoming a truly
00:07:18 --> 00:07:20 space faring civilization.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 Anna: It's one of those technologies that sounds
00:07:22 --> 00:07:25 like science fiction, but is rapidly becoming
00:07:25 --> 00:07:28 science fact. The crusty test proves we
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 have the engineering capability. Now it's
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33 about implementation and integration into
00:07:33 --> 00:07:35 actual mission architectures.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 Speaking of missions, let's head to Mars,
00:07:38 --> 00:07:40 where scientists have discovered intriguing
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 evidence of ancient water.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 Avery: Anna, uh, one of the biggest questions about
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 Mars Is whether it ever had conditions
00:07:46 --> 00:07:49 suitable for life. Every time we find
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 evidence of ancient water, we get closer to
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 answering that question. And this latest
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 discovery is particularly compelling.
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 Anna: It really is. Avery researchers have
00:07:58 --> 00:08:01 identified what they believe to be ancient
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 beach deposits in Mars Gale Crater, where the
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 Curiosity rover has been exploring. These
00:08:06 --> 00:08:09 aren't just random rocks. They're sedimentary
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 layers that tell a story of water
00:08:11 --> 00:08:14 lapping at ancient shorelines but billions of
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 years ago.
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17 Avery: The evidence comes from detailed analysis of
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 rock formations that show characteristics
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 consistent with beach environments. We're
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 talking about specific grain sizes, Layering
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 patterns, and chemical signatures that match
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 what we see in coastal deposits here on
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 Earth. The team identified features like
00:08:31 --> 00:08:34 ripple marks and cross bedding that form when
00:08:34 --> 00:08:36 waves and currents move sediment.
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 Anna: What makes this discovery particularly
00:08:38 --> 00:08:41 significant for habitability Is that beach
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 environments on Earth Are incredibly
00:08:44 --> 00:08:47 productive ecosystems. The interface between
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 water and land, where you have tides,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 nutrients washing in, and varying
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 conditions, Creates opportunities for diverse
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 life forms.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:59 Avery: Exactly. If Mars had stable shorelines
00:08:59 --> 00:09:02 billions of years ago, those would have been
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04 prime locations for any potential Martian
00:09:04 --> 00:09:07 life to emerge and thrive. You've got water,
00:09:07 --> 00:09:09 you've got minerals being concentrated,
00:09:09 --> 00:09:12 you've got energy from the sun, all the
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 ingredients that life needs.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 Anna: The research also helps us understand
00:09:16 --> 00:09:19 Mars's climate history. For beaches to
00:09:19 --> 00:09:22 exist, you need a stable body of water
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 over extended periods, not just brief
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 flooding events. This suggests that ancient
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 Mars had a more Earth like hydrological
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 cycle Than we might have thought with lakes
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 or seas that persisted long enough to create
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 these coastal features.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 Avery: And the location in Gale Crater is
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 significant too. Curiosity has been slowly
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 climbing Mount Sharp in the center of the
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 crater. And as it climbs, it's essentially
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 reading through Mars's geological history.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 Like pages in a book, these beach deposits
00:09:51 --> 00:09:54 fit into a broader narrative of a wetter,
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 warmer, ancient Mars.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:58 Anna: The implications for future missions are
00:09:58 --> 00:10:01 huge. If we can identify ancient beaches
00:10:01 --> 00:10:04 and shorelines, those become high priority
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 targets for searching for biosignatures,
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10 chemical or physical evidence that life once
00:10:10 --> 00:10:13 existed. We might want to send future rovers
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 or even sample return missions to these
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 locations.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 Avery: It's also worth noting how far we've come in
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 our understanding of Mars From a planet we
00:10:21 --> 00:10:24 once thought was completely dry and dead. We
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 now know Mars had rivers, lakes, possibly
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 oceans, beaches and deltas. Each
00:10:29 --> 00:10:32 discovery adds another piece to the puzzle of
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 what ancient Mars was really like.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 Anna: And who knows, maybe one day humans will
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 walk on those ancient beaches 4 billion
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 years after waves last touched them. But
00:10:43 --> 00:10:45 before we send humans to Mars, we need to
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 perfect operations around the moon.
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 Let's talk about the communication networks
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 being prepared for Artemis 2.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 Avery: Anna. When the Artemis 2 crew ventures around
00:10:55 --> 00:10:58 the moon next year, they'll be farther from
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 Earth than any humans have Traveled since
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 Apollo 17 in 1972.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 Keeping them connected requires an incredibly
00:11:05 --> 00:11:08 sophisticated network of ground stations and
00:11:08 --> 00:11:08 satellites.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11 Anna: That's right, Avery. NASA has been building
00:11:11 --> 00:11:14 out what's essentially a cosmic communication
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17 infrastructure. And the latest updates show
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 that the networks are ready to support the
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 mission. We're talking about the Deep Space
00:11:21 --> 00:11:24 Network, the Near Space Network, and even
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 partnerships with commercial satellite
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 operators.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 Avery: Let's break down what makes this so
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 challenging. When the Orient craft carrying
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 the Artemis 2 crew swings around the far side
00:11:34 --> 00:11:36 of Moon, there's a period where they're
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 completely out of direct line of sight with
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 Earth. No radio signals can reach them
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 directly because the moon itself is in the
00:11:43 --> 00:11:43 way.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 Anna: That's where the tracking and data relay
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49 satellites come in. NASA has been upgrading
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52 the Deep Space Network, those massive dish
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 antennas in California, Spain and Australia
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 that communicate with distant spacecraft.
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 These dishes can pick up incredibly faint
00:12:00 --> 00:12:03 signals from the Orion capsule even when it's
00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 280 miles away.
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 Avery: The redundancy built into the system is
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 impressive, too. Multiple ground stations can
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 track Orion simultaneously, ensuring that if
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 one station loses signal due to weather or
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 other issues, others can maintain contact.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 The crew will never be more than a few
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 minutes without a communication link.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 Anna: What's particularly interesting is how much
00:12:26 --> 00:12:29 bandwidth they'll have. Unlike the Apollo
00:12:29 --> 00:12:31 missions, which had relatively limited voice
00:12:31 --> 00:12:34 communications, they Artemis 2 will have high
00:12:34 --> 00:12:36 definition video capabilities, allowing
00:12:36 --> 00:12:39 mission control and the public to see what
00:12:39 --> 00:12:42 the crew sees in real time. Imagine
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45 watching HD footage of Earth rising over
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47 the lunar horizon as it happens.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 Avery: That's going to be spectacular. And it's
00:12:50 --> 00:12:53 not just about keeping the crew connected for
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 safety, though that's obviously paramount.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:58 These communications enable real time science
00:12:58 --> 00:13:01 operations, medical monitoring, and the kind
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 of public engagement that makes these
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 missions so inspiring.
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 Anna: The testing that's been done is extensive
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 too. NASA has run countless
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 simulations putting the network through every
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 conceivable scenario, from normal operations
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 to emergency situations. They've
00:13:18 --> 00:13:20 verified that commands can be sent and
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 received quickly enough to respond to any
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 issues that might arise.
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 Avery: And this network infrastructure they're
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 building for Artemis will surf missions for
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 decades to come. When we establish a
00:13:32 --> 00:13:34 permanent lunar base, when we send astronauts
00:13:34 --> 00:13:37 to Mars, these same communication principles
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 and much of the same hardware will be the
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 backbone keeping everyone connected.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:45 Anna: It's a reminder that space exploration
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48 isn't just about rockets and spacecraft. It's
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 about building the infrastructure to support
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 human presence beyond Earth.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 Speaking of the Moon, there's a beautiful
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 celestial show coming up in February that
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 everyone can enjoy from Earth.
00:13:59 --> 00:14:01 Avery: Anna I, uh, love these monthly lunar
00:14:01 --> 00:14:04 highlights. February is shaping up to be a
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 great month for lunar watchers, with some
00:14:06 --> 00:14:08 beautiful planetary conjunctions and
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10 interesting phases to observe.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:13 Anna: Absolutely, Avery. Let's walk our listeners
00:14:13 --> 00:14:16 through what they can expect. The month kicks
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 off with the Moon in a waxing crescent phase,
00:14:18 --> 00:14:21 and on February 1st and 2nd, we'll see a
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 lovely conjunction with Venus. If you look to
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 the western sky just after sunset, you'll see
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 the bright crescent Moon paired with the
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 brilliant evening star.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 Avery: Venus is always stunning, and when you add
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 the Moon to the picture, it creates one of
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 those scenes that makes even non astronomers
00:14:38 --> 00:14:41 stop and look up. A few days later, on
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 February 4, the moon will pass near Saturn,
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 giving us another beautiful evening pairing.
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 Anna: The full moon arrives on February 12, and
00:14:49 --> 00:14:52 this one has a particularly evocative
00:14:52 --> 00:14:55 traditional name, the Snow Moon. Various
00:14:55 --> 00:14:57 cultures have called it the Hunger Moon or
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59 the Storm Moon, reflecting the harsh
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01 conditions of late winter in the northern
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 hemisphere. Of course, the Moon doesn't know
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 what season it is down here, so the name is
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 purely a human cultural addition.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:12 Avery: After full phase, the Moon starts waning, and
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14 this is when morning observers get their
00:15:14 --> 00:15:17 treats. On February 17, early
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 risers can catch the waning gibbous Moon near
00:15:19 --> 00:15:22 the star Spica in the constellation Virgo.
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 Then on February 20, the moon makes a
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 close approach to Jupiter, which will still
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 be prominent in the pre dawn sky.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 Anna: One of my favorite things to watch is how the
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 Moon appears to march across the sky from
00:15:35 --> 00:15:38 night to night, visiting different stars and
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 planets. It's like a natural cosmic
00:15:40 --> 00:15:43 clock, and you don't need any equipment
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45 beyond your eyes to enjoy it, though
00:15:45 --> 00:15:47 binoculars definitely enhance the view.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:50 Avery: Speaking of binoculars, the waxing crescent
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 phases early in the month are perfect for
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 observing what astronomers call Earthshine.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 That's when you can see the dark portion of
00:15:57 --> 00:16:00 the Moon faintly illuminated by sunlight
00:16:00 --> 00:16:02 reflecting off Earth. It's this beautiful
00:16:02 --> 00:16:05 ghostly glow that reveals the entire disc.
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 Anna: And for anyone interested in lunar
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 photography, those conjunctions with Venus
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 and Jupiter offer fantastic opportunities.
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 You don't need expensive equipment. Even a
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 smartphone can capture these scenes if you
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20 have steady hands or a simple tripod.
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 Avery: The Moon's February tour also serves as a
00:16:23 --> 00:16:26 nice reminder of celestial mechanics. Every
00:16:26 --> 00:16:29 conjunction, every phase we see is the result
00:16:29 --> 00:16:32 of the precise dance between the Earth, Moon,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 and Sun. The fact that we can predict
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 exactly when these events will occur
00:16:36 --> 00:16:39 centuries in advance is a testament to our
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42 understanding of orbital dynamics, though.
00:16:42 --> 00:16:45 Anna: Mark your calendars, folks. February 1st and
00:16:45 --> 00:16:48 2nd for Venus, February 4th for Saturn.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51 February 12th for the full snow moon, and
00:16:51 --> 00:16:54 February 20th for Jupiter. The Moon is
00:16:54 --> 00:16:56 putting on a world tour, and admission is
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 absolutely free.
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 Now let's wrap up with some fascinating
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 research about the chemistry of life itself.
00:17:03 --> 00:17:06 Avery: Anna? Uh, one of the most profound questions
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 in science is how life began. And new
00:17:08 --> 00:17:10 research is revealing that some of the key
00:17:10 --> 00:17:13 ingredients for life might form spontaneously
00:17:13 --> 00:17:16 in space without any need for planets or
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 special conditions.
00:17:17 --> 00:17:20 Anna: This is absolutely fascinating research,
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 Avery. Scientists have discovered that
00:17:22 --> 00:17:25 complex organic molecules, the building
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 blocks of proteins and other biological
00:17:27 --> 00:17:30 molecules, can form in the harsh environment
00:17:30 --> 00:17:33 of interstellar space. We're not talking
00:17:33 --> 00:17:35 about life itself, but the chemical
00:17:35 --> 00:17:38 precursors that life needs, right?
00:17:38 --> 00:17:41 Avery: The study focus on amino acids, which are the
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 fundamental components of proteins on Earth.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 We know amino acids can form through
00:17:45 --> 00:17:48 biological processes, but this research
00:17:48 --> 00:17:51 shows they can also arise through purely
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 chemical reactions in space in molecular
00:17:53 --> 00:17:56 clouds, where stars and planets eventually
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 form.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 Anna: What makes this possible is the chemistry
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 happening on the surfaces of dust grains in
00:18:01 --> 00:18:04 these molecular clouds. These grains are
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 coated with ices, frozen water,
00:18:06 --> 00:18:09 methane, ammonia, and other simple
00:18:09 --> 00:18:12 molecules. When cosmic rays or ultraviolet
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 light hits these ices, it triggers
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 chemical reactions that can build up more
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 complex molecules.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 Avery: The researchers used laboratory simulations
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 that recreate the conditions in space.
00:18:23 --> 00:18:26 Extreme cold, vacuum, and radiation.
00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 They found that even without any biological
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 input, amino acids and other organic
00:18:31 --> 00:18:34 molecules form readily. It's like space is
00:18:34 --> 00:18:37 running a giant chemistry experiment, and the
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 products are the ingredients for life.
00:18:39 --> 00:18:42 Anna: This has Huge implications for astrobiology.
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 And if life's building blocks form naturally
00:18:44 --> 00:18:47 in space, then they're probably common
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49 throughout the galaxy. When new star systems
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 form from these molecular clouds, they
00:18:51 --> 00:18:54 inherit these organic molecules. Young
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 planets get seeded with the chemistry they
00:18:56 --> 00:18:58 need for life to potentially emerge.
00:18:58 --> 00:19:01 Avery: We've actually found evidence supporting this
00:19:01 --> 00:19:04 on Earth. Some meteorites, particularly
00:19:04 --> 00:19:07 carbonaceous chondrites, contain amino acids
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 and other organic compounds that formed in
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11 space before. Before the solar system even
00:19:11 --> 00:19:14 existed. When these meteorites fall to Earth,
00:19:14 --> 00:19:17 they deliver this prebiotic chemistry.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19 Anna: It raises an interesting question about the
00:19:19 --> 00:19:22 origin of life on Earth. Did life arise
00:19:22 --> 00:19:25 entirely from scratch using molecules made
00:19:25 --> 00:19:27 here? Or did it get a head start from
00:19:27 --> 00:19:30 organic compounds delivered by comets and
00:19:30 --> 00:19:33 asteroids? The answer might be both. A
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 combination of homegrown chemistry and
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 cosmic delivery.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 Avery: And when we search for life on other worlds.
00:19:39 --> 00:19:41 Mars, Europa, Enceladus,
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 exoplanets. Knowing that the basic
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 ingredients are probably already there makes
00:19:46 --> 00:19:49 the question shift from could light's
00:19:49 --> 00:19:52 chemistry exist there? To did conditions
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 allow that chemistry to become biology?
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 Anna: The research also highlights how
00:19:56 --> 00:19:59 interconnected everything in the universe is
00:19:59 --> 00:20:02 the same. Processes that create stars and
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04 planets also create the molecules
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 necessary for life. We're literally made of
00:20:07 --> 00:20:10 stardust, but we're also made of chemistry
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 that happens between the stars.
00:20:12 --> 00:20:15 Avery: It's humbling and inspiring at the same time.
00:20:15 --> 00:20:17 The universe isn't just capable of creating
00:20:17 --> 00:20:20 stars and galaxies. It's also a place where
00:20:20 --> 00:20:23 the precursors to life form naturally,
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 waiting for the right conditions to spark
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 something extraordinary.
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 Anna: Which brings us full circle to why we
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31 explore. Every mission, every
00:20:31 --> 00:20:34 observation, every discovery adds to our
00:20:34 --> 00:20:36 understanding not just of the universe, but
00:20:36 --> 00:20:39 our place in it and the processes that made
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 us possible.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 Avery: What a journey we've taken today. Anna. From
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45 explosive volcanism on IO to the chemistry
00:20:45 --> 00:20:48 of life forming in the depths of space, it's
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 been a packed episode.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:51 Anna: It really has. Avery. We've covered
00:20:51 --> 00:20:54 groundbreaking propulsion technology, ancient
00:20:54 --> 00:20:57 Martian beaches, cutting edge communications
00:20:57 --> 00:21:00 for Artemis, and a beautiful lunar tour to
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02 look forward to. If today's episode shows us
00:21:02 --> 00:21:05 anything, it's that the universe never stops
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 surprising us.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08 Avery: Before we sign off, a quick reminder that you
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 can find all the links to the stories we
00:21:10 --> 00:21:13 discussed today in our show notes. And if you
00:21:13 --> 00:21:15 enjoyed this episode, please share it with
00:21:15 --> 00:21:17 someone who loves space as much as you do.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:20 Anna: You can find us on all major podcast
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 platforms, and we're also on YouTubeMusic if
00:21:22 --> 00:21:24 you prefer to watch. We're
00:21:24 --> 00:21:27 AstroDaily Pod on social media,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 and you can visit our website at
00:21:29 --> 00:21:32 astronomydaily IO for
00:21:32 --> 00:21:34 articles, transcripts and more.