- Locating the Universe's Missing Matter: In this episode, we unveil a groundbreaking discovery where astronomers have successfully mapped the universe's missing ordinary matter using fast radio bursts. These cosmic flashlights have revealed that a significant portion of matter is lurking in the vast spaces between galaxies, forming an invisible cosmic web, enhancing our understanding of the universe's structure.
- New Theory on the Big Bang: Delve into a thought-provoking theory suggesting that the Big Bang may not be the beginning of everything, but rather a result of gravitational collapse within a massive black hole. This model offers testable predictions and could reshape our understanding of cosmic inflation and dark energy.
- Artificial Solar Eclipses: Discover how the European Space Agency's Proba 3 mission is creating artificial solar eclipses with two satellites, allowing scientists to study the sun's corona for extended periods without complex image processing. This innovation could revolutionise our understanding of solar dynamics.
- Axiom Mission Update: We provide the latest on the Axiom Space AX-4 mission, which could launch as soon as June 19th, following a resolution to an air leak issue in the ISS's Russian segment. Stay tuned for updates on this private astronaut mission.
- Project Kuiper Launch Delay: Learn about the postponement of Amazon's second Project Kuiper launch due to engineering observations, delaying the deployment of satellites intended to enhance global internet connectivity.
- Launch Roundup: Join us for an exciting roundup of upcoming launches, including multiple SpaceX Falcon 9 missions, the final flight of Japan's H2A rocket, and much more from around the globe, making for a busy week in space exploration.
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.
Chapters:
00:00 - Welcome to Astronomy Daily
01:10 - Locating the universe's missing matter
10:00 - New theory on the Big Bang
20:00 - Artificial solar eclipses
25:00 - Axiom mission update
30:00 - Project Kuiper launch delay
35:00 - Launch roundup
✍️ Episode References
Fast Radio Bursts Research
[Astronomy Journal](https://www.astronomy.com/)
Big Bang Theory Insights
[Cosmology Review](https://www.cosmologyreview.com/)
ESA Proba 3 Mission
[European Space Agency](https://www.esa.int/)
Axiom Space Updates
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Project Kuiper Information
[Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 Anna: Hello, and welcome to Astronomy Daily. I'm
00:00:02 --> 00:00:04 your host, Anna. Uh, get ready to dive into
00:00:04 --> 00:00:07 the latest cosmic happenings. Today we're
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 exploring how astronomers have located the
00:00:09 --> 00:00:11 universe's missing matter. We'll also discuss
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 an intriguing theory about the Big Bang
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 originating from a black hole and how
00:00:16 --> 00:00:17 artificial solar eclipses are helping
00:00:17 --> 00:00:20 scientists study the sun. Plus, we've got
00:00:20 --> 00:00:23 updates on the Axiom mission delay, the
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 Project Kuiper launch, and a roundup of
00:00:25 --> 00:00:27 upcoming launches from around the globe. So
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 buckle up. It's going to be an exciting
00:00:29 --> 00:00:30 journey through space news.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 let's get started with a big story. One of
00:00:33 --> 00:00:34 the universe's biggest mysteries seems to
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 have been solved. That is, where's all the
00:00:37 --> 00:00:39 missing ordinary matter? Astronomers using
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 fast radio bursts, those brief intense
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 flashes of radio waves from distant galaxies
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 have managed to map out where about three
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 quarters of the universe's normal matter has
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 been hiding. And guess what? It's
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 floating in the vast spaces between galaxies,
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 forming like an invisible cosmic web.
00:00:58 --> 00:00:59 This is a pretty big deal because it's the
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 first time scientists have actually created a
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 detailed census of where all the universe's
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 ordinary matter is located. These fast
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 radio bursts act kinda like cosmic
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 flashlights. You see, different wavelengths
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 of radio waves travel at slightly different
00:01:14 --> 00:01:16 speeds through ionised gas. So by measuring
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 how much each burst slowed down, scientists
00:01:19 --> 00:01:21 could calculate the total amount of matter
00:01:21 --> 00:01:24 the signal encountered. One cool finding
00:01:24 --> 00:01:26 is this cosmic thermostat effect, where
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 supermassive black holes and exploding stars
00:01:29 --> 00:01:32 blast gas out of galaxies, preventing them
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 from accumulating too much matter. This
00:01:35 --> 00:01:37 research also gives us an independent
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 measurement of the universe's ordinary matter
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 content, which agrees with predictions from
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 the cosmic microwave background and Big Bang
00:01:45 --> 00:01:48 nucleosynthesis. All in all, it's a
00:01:48 --> 00:01:49 major step forward in understanding the
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 structure and composition of the universe.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 Okay, next up, we're diving into some mind
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 bending stuff about the Big Bang. There's
00:01:58 --> 00:02:00 a new theory floating around that suggests
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 the Big Bang wasn't actually the beginning of
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 everything, but rather the result of a
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 gravitational collapse inside a massive black
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 hole. Get your head around that one. Now,
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 the standard model of cosmology, which is
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 based on the Big Bang and cosmic inflation,
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 has been pretty successful. But it does leave
00:02:18 --> 00:02:21 some questions unanswered. For example, the
00:02:21 --> 00:02:23 Big Bang model starts with a singularity,
00:02:23 --> 00:02:26 which is basically a point of infinite
00:02:26 --> 00:02:28 density where the laws of physics break down.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:31 And to explain the universe's large scale
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 structure, physicists came up with cosmic
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 inflation, which is this idea that the early
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 universe rapidly expanded. And let's not
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 forget dark energy, which is Supposed to
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 explain the accelerating expansion we see
00:02:42 --> 00:02:45 today. So this new model, it kind
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 of looks inward instead of outward. Instead
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 of starting with an expanding universe, it
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 considers what happens when a really dense
00:02:51 --> 00:02:54 collection of matter collapses under gravity.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 Think about stars collapsing into black
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 holes. The math shows that as we approach
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 a potential singularity, the size of the
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 universe changes. And this collapsing cloud
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 of matter can actually bounce, Rebounding
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 outward into a new expanse expanding phase.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 And get this, this bounce naturally produces
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 those two phases of accelerated expansion,
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 inflation and dark energy. One of the
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 cool things about this model is that it makes
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 testable predictions. It predicts a
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 small but non zero amount of positive
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 spatial curvature, Meaning the universe isn't
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 exactly flat, but slightly curved. So if
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 future observations confirm this, it could be
00:03:35 --> 00:03:38 a hint that our universe really did emerge
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 from a bounce inside a black hole. Spooky,
00:03:41 --> 00:03:41 right?
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 And now let's talk about artificial solar
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 eclipses. The European Space Agency, or
00:03:47 --> 00:03:50 esa, has been pulling off some pretty cool
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 stuff with its Proba 3 mission. They've
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 managed to create the first artificial solar
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 eclipses Using two satellites flying in
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 really precise formation. We're talking about
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 satellites that are flying just 492ft
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 apart from with their positioning accurate to
00:04:05 --> 00:04:06 within a millimetre. That's like the
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 thickness of your fingernail. One satellite
00:04:09 --> 00:04:12 blocks the sun just like the moon does during
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 a natural solar eclipse, While the other one
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 aims its telescope at the corona, which is
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 the sun's outer atmosphere. This is a
00:04:19 --> 00:04:22 total game changer for scientists because it
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 lets them study the corona for hours on end.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 The longest eclipse they've managed so far
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 lasted five hours, and they're hoping to get
00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 up to six hours Once they start doing
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 scientific observations in July. What's super
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 cool is that these artificial eclipses give
00:04:36 --> 00:04:39 scientists a much better view of the corona
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 without needing any special image processing.
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 They're anticipating producing about two
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 solar eclipses per week, which will give them
00:04:46 --> 00:04:49 over a thousand hours of totality during the
00:04:49 --> 00:04:51 mission. That's way more than what you get
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 from natural solar eclipses. And
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 because the sun blocking disc and the
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 telescope are on two different satellites, it
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 gives scientists a better look at the part of
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 the corona that's closest to the sun.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 Alright, next up, a quick update regarding
00:05:05 --> 00:05:07 the Axiom Space Axe 4 mission to the
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 International Space Station. NASA says the
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 private astronaut mission could launch to the
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 ISS as soon as June 19th as it works
00:05:15 --> 00:05:17 to understand an air leak on M, the Russian
00:05:17 --> 00:05:20 segment of the station. Though Roscosmos has
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 claimed the leak is fixed, Fingers crossed,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 they finally get going. This time. I'LL keep
00:05:25 --> 00:05:25 you informed.
00:05:26 --> 00:05:29 Now, turning our attention back to Earth, or
00:05:29 --> 00:05:32 rather low Earth orbit. Amazon's second
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 Project Kuiper launch has been delayed again.
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 Yeah, the launch, which was set to happen
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 from the Florida coast, had to be postponed
00:05:39 --> 00:05:41 because of an engineering observation of an
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 elevated purge temperature within the booster
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 engine. So the Atlas V rocket
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 was supposed to carry 27 satellites into
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 orbit, which would bring Amazon's total
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 constellation size to 54 satellites.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 The goal of the mission is to provide fast,
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 reliable Internet to customers all around the
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 world. So it looks like we'll have to wait a
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 little bit longer to see these satellites
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 join the Kuiper constellation.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 Okay, next up, let's dive into this massive
00:06:09 --> 00:06:12 Launch Roundup from NASASpaceflight.com
00:06:12 --> 00:06:14 We've got a whole bunch of launches scheduled
00:06:14 --> 00:06:16 from all over the globe this week. First up,
00:06:16 --> 00:06:19 SpaceX is planning five Falcon 9 missions.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:22 Yes, five, that includes a rideshare. And the
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 Axiom Mission 4 crewed mission, hopefully,
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 which has, as I reported earlier, been
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 delayed a few times. Now, there's Also the
00:06:29 --> 00:06:32 Angara A5 rocket launch from Russia. And
00:06:32 --> 00:06:35 get this, the last ever flight of Japan's H2A
00:06:35 --> 00:06:37 rocket is also on the schedule. I know. End
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 of an era, right? Plus, we have a Chinese
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 launch and a Blue Origin crewed suborbital
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 launch to look forward to. In a June
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 14 statement, NASA said it is working with
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50 axiom space and SpaceX on reviewing launch
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 opportunities for the AXE 4 mission, with the
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 earliest such opportunity on June 19th.
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58 So let's break it down a bit. A couple of the
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 Falcon 9 launches are set to take off from
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 Vandenberg Space Force Base in California,
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 while the other three are launching from
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 Florida. The New Shepard launch, which is,
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 you know, the one with the crew, is going to
00:07:09 --> 00:07:12 be flying from West Texas. And that
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 Angara launch, well, it's carrying an
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 unknown payload from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19 in Russia. Super Mysterious
00:07:20 --> 00:07:22 Rocket Lab also announced an electron launch
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 from New Zealand. And the ULA
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 K02 mission is scheduled as well. It's going
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 to be a Busy week. The H2A
00:07:30 --> 00:07:32 that's launching the GOSAT GW Earth
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 Observation Satellite. It's designed to
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 monitor greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 and methane and. And to measure the total
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 amount of Earth's water, too. It's kind of
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 sad to see it go, but the H3 family is taking
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 over. So onward and upward, right M.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:50 And that's a wrap for today's Space News on
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 Astronomy Daily. Thanks so much for tuning
00:07:52 --> 00:07:55 in. I'm Anna and it's been a blast, bringing
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 you all the latest space and astronomy news.
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 If you want to keep up with everything that's
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 happening beyond our world, make sure to
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 visit our website at astronomydaily IO.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 There you can sign up for our free daily
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 newsletter and catch up on all the breaking
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 stories with our constantly updating
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 newsfeed. And don't forget to subscribe to
00:08:13 --> 00:08:16 the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19 YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:22 That way you'll never miss an episode. Clear
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 skies, everyone. And remember to keep looking
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 up. I'm out of here. See you next time.