- NASA's Lunar Nuclear Reactor Plans: Explore NASA's ambitious initiative to establish a nuclear reactor on the Moon, aimed at powering future lunar outposts. Interim chief Sean Duffy is pushing for a 100-kilowatt fission system to be launched by 2030, a critical step for the Artemis program. We discuss the strategic implications of this project amid growing competition from China.
- - Earth's Oldest Impact Crater Reassessed: Discover the surprising new findings regarding the Moralaga impact structure in Australia, once thought to be Earth's oldest impact crater. Recent research suggests it formed after 2.7 billion years ago, significantly younger and smaller than previously estimated, altering our understanding of early Earth.
- - Breakthrough in Exoplanet Discovery: Delve into the exciting detection of Kepler 725C, a potentially habitable super Earth, utilizing a new method called transit timing variation (TTV). This discovery marks a significant advancement in the search for Earth-like conditions beyond our planet.
- - Nancy Chris Roman Space Telescope's Sunshield Installation: Learn about the recent installation of crucial sunshields on the Nancy Chris Roman Space Telescope, which will allow it to explore the infrared universe. This milestone is vital for the telescope's mission to investigate distant galaxies and cosmic mysteries.
- 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 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 and Avery signing off. Until next time, keep looking up and stay curious about the wonders of our universe.
NASA Lunar Reactor Overview
[NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/)
Moralaga Impact Structure Research
[Science Advances](https://www.science.org/)
Kepler 725C Discovery Details
[Nature Astronomy](https://www.nature.com/natureastronomy/)
Nancy Chris Roman Space Telescope Updates
[NASA Goddard](https://www.nasa.gov/goddard)
Astronomy Daily
[Astronomy Daily](http://www.astronomydaily.io/)
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go to
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 podcast for the latest and greatest in space
00:00:05 --> 00:00:07 and astronomy news. I'm Anna.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:10 Avery: And I'm, um, Avery. We're so glad you could
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 join us today as we dive into some truly
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 fascinating developments from across the
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 cosmos and right here on Earth.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 Anna: That's right, Avery. Today we're going to be
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 talking about NASA's ambitious plans for a
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 nuclear reactor on the moon, a surprising new
00:00:24 --> 00:00:27 study that redates Earth's oldest impact
00:00:27 --> 00:00:30 crater, and a breakthrough discovery of a
00:00:30 --> 00:00:32 potentially habitable super Earth.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:34 Avery: We'll also cover the crucial sunshield
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 installation on the Nancy Grace Roman Space
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 Telescope, preparing it to give us an
00:00:39 --> 00:00:41 unprecedented look into the infrared
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 universe. So buckle up because we've got a
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 lot of exciting news to discuss. Let's get
00:00:46 --> 00:00:46 started.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 Anna: First up, let's talk about NASA's
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 incredibly ambitious plans to power our
00:00:52 --> 00:00:55 future lunar outposts. Its it seems the
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 agency is really kicking things into high
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 gear when it comes to getting a nuclear
00:01:00 --> 00:01:01 reactor on the Moon.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:04 Avery: That's right, Anna. For a few years now, NASA
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 has been working on a 40 kilowatt fission
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 system, aiming for a launch by the early
00:01:09 --> 00:01:12 2000-30s. But now interim NASA chief
00:01:12 --> 00:01:14 Sean Duffy is pushing for an even more
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 aggressive timeline and a more powerful
00:01:17 --> 00:01:17 system.
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 Anna: That's a significant jump. Politico
00:01:20 --> 00:01:23 reported that Duffy's new directive, which
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 was set to be released recently, orders the
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 agency to solicit industry proposals for a
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 massive 100 kilowatt nuclear reactor
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 to launch by 2030. This is seen as a
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 critical step for the Artemis program, which
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 aims to return astronauts to the lunar
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 surface and establish permanent bases there
00:01:42 --> 00:01:43 around the same time.
00:01:43 --> 00:01:46 Avery: And nuclear power is truly essential for that
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 vision. Solar energy simply isn't a great
00:01:48 --> 00:01:51 option for a crewed outpost because the moon
00:01:51 --> 00:01:53 rotates so slowly. Slowly, a lunar night can
00:01:53 --> 00:01:56 last about two Earth weeks, which means no
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 sunlight for an extended period. Nuclear
00:01:58 --> 00:02:01 power provides consistent, reliable energy,
00:02:01 --> 00:02:02 regardless of day or night.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:05 Anna: It's not just about practicality, though.
00:02:05 --> 00:02:08 There's a strong strategic element at play
00:02:08 --> 00:02:11 here. China also has plans to set up a moon
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 base, partnering with Russia and other
00:02:13 --> 00:02:15 nations. Duffy's directive is very much
00:02:15 --> 00:02:18 geared towards beating China to the punch.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:20 Avery: The directive even highlights the
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 geopolitical implications, stating that the
00:02:23 --> 00:02:25 first nation with a moon reactor could
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 declare a keep out zone, which would
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 significantly inhibit other nations,
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 including the United States. It's clear that
00:02:32 --> 00:02:35 the race for lunar resources and presence is
00:02:35 --> 00:02:35 heating up.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:38 Anna: Absolutely. This really underscores the
00:02:38 --> 00:02:41 importance of reliable long term power
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 sources for establishing a sustainable human
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 presence beyond Earth and the strategic
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 advantages that Come with it. It's a
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 fascinating blend of science, engineering and
00:02:51 --> 00:02:52 international relations.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 Avery: Moving from the Moon to our own planet.
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 There's a fascinating new development about
00:02:57 --> 00:03:00 Earth's oldest known impact crater. It turns
00:03:00 --> 00:03:02 out our geological clocks sometimes need a
00:03:02 --> 00:03:05 recalibration. And that's exactly what
00:03:05 --> 00:03:07 happened with the Moraga impact structure in
00:03:07 --> 00:03:08 Western Australia.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:11 Anna: That's right. This site in the remote Pilbara
00:03:11 --> 00:03:14 region made headlines previously with a
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 different group claiming it was Earth's
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 oldest impact crater, formed about 3.5
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 billion years ago and incredibly over 100
00:03:22 --> 00:03:25 kilometers in diameter. If true, that
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 would have been a game changer for
00:03:27 --> 00:03:28 understanding early Earth.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:31 Avery: But as it turns out, new research published
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 in Science Advances tells a different story.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 While they agree it was an ancient meteorite
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 impact, this new study concludes the impact
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 actually happened much later, sometime after
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 2.7 billion years ago and possibly
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 even more recently. That's at least 800
00:03:47 --> 00:03:48 million years younger than the earlier
00:03:48 --> 00:03:49 estimate.
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 Anna: And the size estimate is drastically
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 different, too. The new study determined the
00:03:54 --> 00:03:57 crater was much smaller, only about 16
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 kilometers in diameter, a, uh, far cry from
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 the original 100 plus kilometers. This
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 means it was too young and too small to have
00:04:05 --> 00:04:08 influenced continent formation or early life,
00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 as was previously speculated.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 Avery: So how could two studies investigating the
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 same site come to such different
00:04:15 --> 00:04:18 conclusions? Both groups found telltale
00:04:18 --> 00:04:21 signs of meteorite impact shatter cones.
00:04:21 --> 00:04:24 These are unique conical imprints of shock
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 waves that pass through rocks, and their
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 presence confirms it's an impact site.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:32 The disagreement came down to dating.
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34 Anna: They both used a, uh, geological principle
00:04:34 --> 00:04:37 called the law of superposition,
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 which states that younger rock layers are
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 deposited on top of older ones.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 The first group found shatter cones within
00:04:45 --> 00:04:48 and below a sedimentary layer known to be
00:04:48 --> 00:04:51 3.47 billion years old, but
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 not in younger rocks above it, suggesting
00:04:54 --> 00:04:56 the impact happened during that
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 3.47 billion year period.
00:04:58 --> 00:05:01 Avery: However, the newer investigation found
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 shattering cones not only in those same
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 3.47 billion year old rocks, but
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 also in younger overlying rocks,
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 including lavas that erupted
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 2.77 billion years ago.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:16 This crucial detail meant the impact had to
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 occur after the formation of the youngest
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 rocks containing shatter cones, placing it
00:05:22 --> 00:05:25 sometime after 2.77 billion years
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 ago. The precise younger age is still
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 being worked on with isotopic methods.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 Anna: It's a, uh, fantastic example of how science
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 is a self policing sport. Initial
00:05:35 --> 00:05:38 claims are based on available data, but new
00:05:38 --> 00:05:40 observations can modify or even over.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:43 While Maralga isn't Earth's oldest crater
00:05:43 --> 00:05:46 anymore, it's still scientifically unique
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 because craters formed in basalt are quite
00:05:48 --> 00:05:51 rare. The basalts there Are the oldest
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 shocked target rocks known.
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 Avery: And here's where it gets even more
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 interesting. Prior to the impact, these
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 ancient basalts Were chemically altered by
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 seawater. And nearby sedimentary rocks
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 Contain some of Earth's earliest well
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 established fossils. These kinds of rocks
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 likely covered much of early Earth and, um,
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 even early Mars.
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 Anna: This makes the Moralga impact structure A
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 fantastic outdoor laboratory for planetary
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 scientists. It's an easily accessible proving
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 ground for instruments and imagery Intended
00:06:20 --> 00:06:23 for Mars exploration, Helping us understand
00:06:23 --> 00:06:25 the cratered surface and perhaps even early
00:06:25 --> 00:06:28 life on the red planet, all without leaving
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 Earth.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 Avery: From ancient Earth, let's turn our gaze
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 outwards To a truly exciting breakthrough in
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 the search for life beyond our planet. A new
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 detection method has just revealed A
00:06:39 --> 00:06:41 potentially habitable super Earth.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:44 Anna: This is huge. The enduring question of
00:06:44 --> 00:06:47 are we alone? Has driven astronomy for
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 generations. And discoveries like this bring
00:06:49 --> 00:06:52 us closer to an answer. Since the first
00:06:52 --> 00:06:54 exoplanet Orbiting a sun like star was found
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 in 1995, the hunt for Earth like
00:06:57 --> 00:06:59 conditions in habitable zones has been a
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 primary focus.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 Avery: And this latest discovery is significant.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:06 An international team led by the Yunnan
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 Observatories of the Chinese Academy of
00:07:08 --> 00:07:11 Sciences has made a major breakthrough Using
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 a method called transit timing variation,
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 or TTV.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:19 Anna: For the very first time, TTV enabled
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21 the detection of a super Earth named
00:07:21 --> 00:07:24 Kepler 725C.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:27 It's truly a monumental find because
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 this planet is about 10 times the mass of
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 Earth and orbits within the habitable zone of
00:07:32 --> 00:07:35 its size. Sun like star Kepler's
00:07:35 --> 00:07:37 725. Their findings were just
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 published in Nature Astronomy.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 Avery: Additionally, astronomers have relied on the
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 transit method or radial velocity
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 measurements to detect low mass planets,
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48 those 10 Earth masses or less,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 Especially in habitable zones. But these
00:07:51 --> 00:07:54 smaller planets usually have long orbits and
00:07:54 --> 00:07:57 produce very weak radial velocity
00:07:57 --> 00:08:00 signals, Making them incredibly difficult
00:08:00 --> 00:08:00 to spot.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 Anna: The transit method also has its challenges.
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 It only works if the planet's orbit uh,
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 aligns perfectly with our line of sight,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:11 which is uncommon for planets with long
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 orbital periods. Even if they do align,
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 the light changes can be too dim and brief to
00:08:16 --> 00:08:19 be confidently identified, Meaning many
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 potential discoveries are missed.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 Avery: This is where TTV comes in as a game
00:08:23 --> 00:08:26 changer. Kepler725C is
00:08:26 --> 00:08:29 a non transiting planet, Meaning it doesn't
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 pass directly in front of its star. From our
00:08:31 --> 00:08:34 perspective, the team successfully inferred
00:08:34 --> 00:08:37 its mass and orbital parameters by analyzing
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 the TTV signals of Kepler
00:08:39 --> 00:08:42 725B, a gas giant in the
00:08:42 --> 00:08:44 same system that does transit.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 Anna: Kepler's 725C orbits a AH
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 G9V host star with a period of
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53 207.5 days. It
00:08:53 --> 00:08:56 receives roughly 1.4 times the
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 solar radiation that Earth does, Placing it
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 within the host star's habitable zone for
00:09:00 --> 00:09:03 part of its orbit, which definitely makes it
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 a strong candidate for habitability.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:07 Avery: What's so revolutionary about the TTV
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 technique Is that it doesn't require a dead
00:09:10 --> 00:09:13 on orbit or rely on those super high
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 precision radial velocity measurements. This
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 makes it uniquely suited for detecting those
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 small, long period, non transiting
00:09:20 --> 00:09:22 habitable planets that are otherwise
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 extremely difficult to discover.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:27 Anna: It fills a critical gap in our current
00:09:27 --> 00:09:30 exoplanet detection methods. Based on this
00:09:30 --> 00:09:33 study, missions like the European Plato
00:09:33 --> 00:09:36 and Chinese ET or Earth 2.0
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 missions, once operational, are expected
00:09:38 --> 00:09:41 to greatly enhance our ability to
00:09:41 --> 00:09:44 detect a second Earth. It's a huge
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 leap forward in the search for another
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 habitable world.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 Avery: Speaking of advanced technology Pushing the
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 boundaries of discovery, let's talk about the
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 Technicians at NASA Goddard Space Flight
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 center have been busy installing crucial
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 components like the solar array, uh,
00:10:02 --> 00:10:02 sunshield.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 Anna: That's right. This shield, made up of six
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 panels covered in solar cells, is essential.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 It's designed to provide the observatory with
00:10:11 --> 00:10:14 power while simultaneously keeping its
00:10:14 --> 00:10:16 sensitive instruments cool throughout its
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 mission. This marked a major milestone,
00:10:19 --> 00:10:22 Completing the telescope's outer section.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 Avery: And just recently, NASA announced they
00:10:24 --> 00:10:27 finished installing the two panels of the
00:10:27 --> 00:10:29 lower instrument sunshade on Roman's inner
00:10:29 --> 00:10:32 inner segment, along with the solar array sun
00:10:32 --> 00:10:34 shield and the deployable aperture cover,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 which is essentially its visor. These shields
00:10:37 --> 00:10:40 are absolutely critical for Roman's mission
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 to explore the infrared universe.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 Anna: It's very similar to Webb's sunshield.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:48 Roman's sunshades and aperture cover will
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 protect its instruments from the heat and
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 light from the sun, which would otherwise
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 interfere with its ability to detect those
00:10:54 --> 00:10:57 incredibly faint signals from deep space.
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 Avery: Conrad Mason, an aerospace engineer at NASA
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 Goddard, Described them as basically giant
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 aluminum sandwiches. They're made with metal
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 sheets as thin as a credit card on the top
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 and bottom with the honeycomb structure in
00:11:10 --> 00:11:13 the middle. This design makes them stiff, yet
00:11:13 --> 00:11:16 lightweight. And specialized polymer film
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 blankets Help temper heat transfer from the
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 sun Facing side to the back.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 Anna: Matthew Stevens, another aerospace engineer
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25 at NASA Goddard, Was perfectly summed it up,
00:11:26 --> 00:11:29 saying this shield is like an extremely
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 strong sunblock For Roman's sensitive
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33 instruments. He also mentioned that the
00:11:33 --> 00:11:36 deploying mechanisms have dampers Similar to
00:11:36 --> 00:11:39 soft close hinges, so the panels won't
00:11:39 --> 00:11:42 slam open. They take about two minutes to
00:11:42 --> 00:11:44 move into their final positions. And this
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 will be the very first system Roman deploys
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 in space.
00:11:48 --> 00:11:51 Avery: After launch, with the inner segment fully
00:11:51 --> 00:11:53 assembled, it's now undergoing a 70 day
00:11:53 --> 00:11:56 thermal vacuum test to ensure full
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 functionality under simulated space
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 conditions. After that, the inner and outer
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 segments will be integrated by November, with
00:12:03 --> 00:12:06 a launch expected between fall 2026 and
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 May 2027.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:11 Anna: The Roman Space Telescope, named after Nancy
00:12:11 --> 00:12:14 Grace Roman, NASA's first chief of astronomy,
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 is often called the mother of the Hubble
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 Space Telescope as its direct successor.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:22 Once operational, it will use its thermal
00:12:22 --> 00:12:25 optics to investigate exoplanets, planet
00:12:25 --> 00:12:28 forming disks, red dwarfs, brown dwarfs
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 and other unseen objects.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 Avery: It's also going to observe distant galaxies
00:12:32 --> 00:12:35 to measure the universe's expansion rate, the
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 Hubble constant, which we've talked about
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 before. The hope is that it will shed light
00:12:39 --> 00:12:41 on some of the most pressing mysteries in
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 astronomy and cosmology, including dark
00:12:44 --> 00:12:47 matter, dark energy, and the Hubble tension.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:50 Truly a telescope poised to redefine our
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 understanding of the cosmos.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 Anna: And that brings us to the end of another
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 fascinating episode of Astronomy Daily.
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 What a journey through the cosmos we've had
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 today.
00:13:00 --> 00:13:03 Avery: Absolutely, anna. Uh, from NASA's
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05 ambitious plans to build a nuclear reactor on
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08 the Moon and the strategic race with China
00:13:08 --> 00:13:11 to unraveling the true age of Earth's
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 ancient Maralga impact crater.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:15 Anna: And let's not forget the exciting discovery
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18 of Kepler 725c, a potentially
00:13:18 --> 00:13:21 habitable super Earth found using that
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 innovative transit timing variation method.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:26 Method it really boosts our search for Earth
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 2.0.
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 Avery: And of course, the progress on the Nancy
00:13:29 --> 00:13:32 Grace Roman Space Telescope with its crucial
00:13:32 --> 00:13:35 sun shields getting installed, preparing it
00:13:35 --> 00:13:37 to peer into the infrared universe and help
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 solve mysteries like dark matter and dark
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 energy.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:44 Anna: It's been an incredible day of space news and
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 we hope you enjoyed joining us for all the
00:13:46 --> 00:13:49 updates. Thank you for tuning in to ASTRONOMY
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 Daily.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 Avery: We love sharing these cosmic stories with
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 you. Until tomorrow, stay curious and
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 keep looking up.