Also in today's episode: China successfully tests the Long March 12B reusable rocket, giving us a preview of their next-gen launch capabilities. We get an exclusive look at the Xuntian space telescope set to launch in 2027, which could rival Hubble with 300x the field of view. Plus, stunning new Hubble images reveal how baby stars carve out cosmic homes in the Orion Molecular Cloud.
We'll run through this week's packed launch schedule featuring SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab, and China, and explore groundbreaking research showing how hidden magma oceans might protect rocky exoplanets from deadly radiation.
**Episode Highlights:**
• BREAKING: Severe G4 solar storm strikes Earth early - aurora forecast through Jan 20
• China's Long March 12B reusable rocket passes critical static fire test
• Xuntian telescope preview: China's answer to Hubble launches 2027
• Hubble reveals protostar jets and cavities in Orion Molecular Cloud
• 7 launches from 6 sites this week: Your complete guide
• Basal magma oceans could generate protective magnetic fields on super-Earths
**Topics Covered:**
Space Weather, Solar Flares, CMEs, Geomagnetic Storms, Auroras, Reusable Rockets, Chinese Space Program, Space Telescopes, Star Formation, Orbital Launches, Exoplanets, Planetary Magnetism, Astrobiology
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00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Anna: Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your daily dose
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 of space and astronomy news. I'm Anna.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:08 Avery: And I'm Avery. Today is Tuesday, January
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 20, 2026, and we've got a
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 fantastic lineup of stories covering
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 everything from solar storms to Chinese space
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 technology and some fascinating discoveries
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 about how young stars shape their cosmic
00:00:21 --> 00:00:22 neighborhoods.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:24 Anna: That's right. We're going to dive into some
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 breaking news about the Sun's latest
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 outburst. There's been quite a development
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 there that aurora chasers definitely need to
00:00:32 --> 00:00:32 about.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 Avery: Plus, China continues to make impressive
00:00:35 --> 00:00:37 strides in reusable rocket technology with
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 the long 3-12-B. And we'll get a sneak peek
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 at their upcoming Xuntian Space Telescope
00:00:43 --> 00:00:44 that's set to rival some of the best
00:00:44 --> 00:00:46 observatories in orbit.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:49 Anna: We'll also journey into the Orion molecular
00:00:49 --> 00:00:51 cloud to see how baby stars are literally
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 carving out their homes in space. Check out
00:00:54 --> 00:00:57 this week's busy launch schedule and explore
00:00:57 --> 00:01:00 a fascinating new theory about how some
00:01:00 --> 00:01:02 exoplanets might protect themselves from
00:01:02 --> 00:01:03 deadly radiation.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:06 Avery: So grab your coffee, settle in, and let's get
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 started with today's Astronomy Daily.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:11 Anna: Alright, Avery, let's jump right into our top
00:01:11 --> 00:01:14 story. And this one's developing even as we
00:01:14 --> 00:01:17 speak. The sun threw a massive tantrum this
00:01:17 --> 00:01:19 weekend, and Earth is already feeling the
00:01:19 --> 00:01:19 effects.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 Avery: That's right, Anna. Uh, on Sunday, January
00:01:22 --> 00:01:25 18, the sun unleashed a powerful X
00:01:25 --> 00:01:28 1.9 class solar flare from Sunspot
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 region AR4341. For our
00:01:31 --> 00:01:34 listeners who might not be familiar, X class
00:01:34 --> 00:01:36 flares are the most powerful category of
00:01:36 --> 00:01:39 solar eruptions. And this one came with a
00:01:39 --> 00:01:40 particularly energetic friend.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 Anna: A, uh, coronal mass ejection, or a cme.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:44 Right.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 Avery: Exactly. This CME was what
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 forecasters call a, uh, full halo event,
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 meaning it was aimed directly at Earth. The
00:01:52 --> 00:01:54 interesting twist here is that it arrived
00:01:54 --> 00:01:57 much sooner than predicted. Space weather
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 forecasters initially expected it to hit
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 sometime within 24 hours of the flare, but
00:02:02 --> 00:02:03 it actually slammed into Earth's
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 magnetosphere yesterday, January 19th
00:02:06 --> 00:02:09 at 2:38pm Eastern Time.
00:02:09 --> 00:02:11 Anna: And I'm guessing from the reports I've been
00:02:11 --> 00:02:13 seeing, this wasn't a gentle arrival.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 Avery: Not at all. The CME triggered severe
00:02:16 --> 00:02:19 G4 geomagnetic storms. According
00:02:19 --> 00:02:21 to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction center,
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 this is actually a pretty rare event. We're
00:02:24 --> 00:02:27 also dealing with an S IV severe solar
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 radiation storm that's ongoing.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 Anna: Now, for those wondering why this matters,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 let's talk about what makes a CME GEO
00:02:34 --> 00:02:37 effective or not. It's all about magnetic
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 field orientation, isn't it?
00:02:39 --> 00:02:41 Avery: That's the crucial factor when a CME
00:02:41 --> 00:02:44 arrives. If its magnetic field is oriented
00:02:44 --> 00:02:47 southward, what scientists call a negative
00:02:47 --> 00:02:50 BZ component, it can connect with Earth's
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 northward pointing magnetic field. Think of
00:02:52 --> 00:02:55 it like opening a door. The southward
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 orientation essentially allows solar wind
00:02:57 --> 00:02:59 energy to pour into our magnetosphere,
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 triggering geomagnetic storms.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:04 Anna: And in this case, that door was wide open.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 Avery: Exactly. Data from the DSCOVR
00:03:07 --> 00:03:10 and a spacecraft which monitor the solar wind
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 upstream of Earth confirmed that southward
00:03:13 --> 00:03:16 BZ component. That's what made this storm so
00:03:16 --> 00:03:16 potent.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 Anna: So what does this mean for people on the
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 ground? Obviously, there's the spectacular
00:03:21 --> 00:03:24 side with Auroras, but there are practical
00:03:24 --> 00:03:25 concerns too, right?
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 Avery: The good news is that this storm could push
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 the northern lights much further south than
00:03:30 --> 00:03:33 usual. According to NOAA scales, G4
00:03:33 --> 00:03:36 storms can make auroras visible as far south
00:03:36 --> 00:03:39 as Alabama and Northern California. But there
00:03:39 --> 00:03:41 are some downsides. These storms can disrupt
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 GPS navigation, affect satellite
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 operations, increase atmospheric drag on
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 spacecraft, and potentially impact power
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 grids and high frequency radio commun.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 Anna: And the flare itself caused immediate
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 problems when it erupted, correct?
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 Avery: Yes. The X dot 1.9 flare
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01 triggered strong R3 level radio blackouts
00:04:01 --> 00:04:04 across the sunlit side of Earth, with the
00:04:04 --> 00:04:06 Americas taking the biggest hit. Radio
00:04:06 --> 00:04:09 blackouts happen because the intense X rays
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 and extreme ultraviolet radiation from the
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 flare ionized the upper atmosphere,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 disrupting radio.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 Anna: Signals for our aurora chasers out
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 there. What's the forecast looking like?
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 Avery: Well, geomagnetic storm conditions are
00:04:22 --> 00:04:24 expected to continue through at least today,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 January 20th. The best viewing times
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 are typically between 10pm and 4am
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 local time. Of course, you'll want to get
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 away from city lights and find the darkest
00:04:35 --> 00:04:38 location possible. And keep in mind you need
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 clear skies to see them.
00:04:39 --> 00:04:42 Anna: The timing is interesting too, isn't it?
00:04:42 --> 00:04:44 We're well into solar maximum.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:47 Avery: We are solar. Cycle 25 has been
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 particularly active, and we're seeing the
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 effects. The sun has been consistently active
00:04:52 --> 00:04:54 throughout late 2025 and into
00:04:54 --> 00:04:57 2026, with multiple X class
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 flares and CMEs. This is exactly
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 the kind of activity we expect during solar
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 maximum.
00:05:03 --> 00:05:06 Anna: It's yet another reminder that our star is a
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 dynamic, powerful force. What's
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 fascinating to me is how much we've learned
00:05:11 --> 00:05:13 about predicting these events. Even if this
00:05:13 --> 00:05:14 one arrived earlier than expected.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:18 Avery: Absolutely. Space weather forecasting has
00:05:18 --> 00:05:20 come a long way, but CMEs are still
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 notoriously tricky. Their speed,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 direction, and crucially, their magnetic
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 orientation all factor into how they'll
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 interact with Earth. We often don't know the
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 full picture until spacecraft like
00:05:32 --> 00:05:35 DSCOVR sample them directly when
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 they're almost at our doorstep.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 Anna: Well, if you're in the northern tier states
00:05:39 --> 00:05:42 of the US Or Canada. Keep your eyes on the
00:05:42 --> 00:05:44 sky tonight. This could be a spectacular
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 display.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 Avery: Shifting gears from solar fireworks to human
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 engineering.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:51 Let's talk about China's latest achievement
00:05:51 --> 00:05:54 in reusable rocket technology. The China
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation
00:05:57 --> 00:06:00 has successfully conducted a static fire test
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 of the Long March 12B.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 Anna: This is China's follow up to the Long March
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 12A, which we covered when it made its maiden
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 flight back in late December 2025, right?
00:06:10 --> 00:06:13 Avery: Exactly. And if you recall, that first
00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 flight was partially successful. The second
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 stage successfully delivered its payload to
00:06:18 --> 00:06:21 orbit, but the reusable first stage
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 crashed near the intended recovery area in
00:06:23 --> 00:06:26 Gansu Province. So there's definitely been
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 some lessons learned.
00:06:27 --> 00:06:29 Anna: Let's talk specs. What can you tell us about
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 the Long March 12B?
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 Avery: It's a fairly substantial vehicle. The
00:06:34 --> 00:06:37 rocket stands approximately 70 meters tall.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 That's about 230ft with a
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 diameter of 4 meters. Both stages use
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 liquid oxygen and kerosene propellants, which
00:06:45 --> 00:06:47 is interesting because it's the same
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 propellant combination that SpaceX uses in
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 their Falcon 9.
00:06:51 --> 00:06:53 Anna: And in terms of capability, in its.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:56 Avery: Baseline configuration, the long March 12B
00:06:56 --> 00:06:59 can lift about 20 metric tons to low Earth
00:06:59 --> 00:07:02 orbit. That puts it firmly in the heavy
00:07:02 --> 00:07:05 medium lift category. When fully fueled, the
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 entire vehicle has a liftoff mass of around
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 700 tons.
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 Anna: So what exactly did this static fire test
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 accomplish?
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 Avery: The test, which took place Friday at the
00:07:15 --> 00:07:18 Jiuquan Satellite Launch center in northwest
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 China, was all about validation. Ground
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 teams ignited the first stage engines and
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 sustained combustion for a period while
00:07:25 --> 00:07:27 monitoring performance and control
00:07:27 --> 00:07:29 parameters. They were verifying fueling
00:07:29 --> 00:07:32 procedures, ignition sequences, and making
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 sure all the propulsion and support systems
00:07:34 --> 00:07:36 worked smoothly under planned conditions.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 Anna: And the reusability aspect, how does that
00:07:40 --> 00:07:40 work?
00:07:40 --> 00:07:43 Avery: This is where it gets really interesting. The
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 first stage is designed to separate from the
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 second stage during flight, then flip itself
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 around for re entry, using aerodynamic grid
00:07:51 --> 00:07:53 fins for guidance. Picture those waffle like
00:07:53 --> 00:07:56 fins you see on Falcon 9 boosters. Then
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59 it uses deployable landing legs to touch down
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 vertically at a designated landing zone.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:04 Anna: So it's very much following the SpaceX
00:08:04 --> 00:08:04 playbook.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 Avery: It is. Though China has been developing this
00:08:07 --> 00:08:10 technology independently, the goal is the
00:08:10 --> 00:08:13 same reusability to cut mission costs and
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 increase launch cadence. This is especially
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 important for China's commercial space sector
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 and their growing Satellite Constellation
00:08:20 --> 00:08:20 projects.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 Anna: And you mentioned The Long March 12A's
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 landing attempt failed. Are they
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 incorporating what they learned from that
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 into the 12B?
00:08:28 --> 00:08:31 Avery: Absolutely. Engineering teams are still
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 investigating what went wrong with that
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 December landing attempt. And the lessons
00:08:35 --> 00:08:38 from that mission are being fed directly into
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 refinements for the long March 12th B's
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 reentry and landing systems. That's actually
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 a really important part of the development
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 process.
00:08:46 --> 00:08:48 Anna: Uh, so when might we see an actual
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 launch of the long March 12b.
00:08:51 --> 00:08:54 Avery: Based on this successful static fire test?
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 We're probably looking at flight tests in the
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 near future. They still need to do more
00:08:59 --> 00:09:01 ground testing and verification, but
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 successful engine testing is a major
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 milestone on the path to orbital flight.
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 Anna: It's interesting to watch multiple countries
00:09:08 --> 00:09:11 and companies working on reusable rocket
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 technology. It really does seem to be the
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 future of spaceflight.
00:09:15 --> 00:09:18 Avery: No question. When you can land and reuse your
00:09:18 --> 00:09:20 first stage, which is the most expensive part
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 of the rocket, the economics of space access
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 change dramatically. China positioning
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 themselves with both the 12A and 12B
00:09:28 --> 00:09:31 shows they're committed to competing in this
00:09:31 --> 00:09:31 arena.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 Anna: Staying with China's space program, let's
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 look ahead to what could be one of the most
00:09:36 --> 00:09:39 capable space telescopes ever launched.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:42 The Chinese space station telescope known as
00:09:42 --> 00:09:44 Xuntian is gearing up for launch as soon
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 as early 2027.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 Avery: And scientists just completed something
00:09:49 --> 00:09:52 pretty important. A, uh, full end to end
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 observation simulation to test how the
00:09:54 --> 00:09:57 telescope will perform once it's in orbit.
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 Anna: Let's start with the basics. How big is this
00:10:00 --> 00:10:00 thing?
00:10:00 --> 00:10:03 Avery: Xuntian features a 2 meter primary
00:10:03 --> 00:10:06 mirror that's about 6.6ft across.
00:10:07 --> 00:10:09 For comparison, that's slightly smaller than
00:10:09 --> 00:10:12 Hubble's 2.4 meter mirror. But here's
00:10:12 --> 00:10:15 where it gets interesting. Juntian is
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 designed specifically as a survey instrument.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:20 And in that role, it's going to be far more
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 capable than Hubble.
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 Anna: How so?
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 Avery: It's all about field of view. Juntian's
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 field of view is about 300 times larger than
00:10:28 --> 00:10:31 Hubble's. That means it can survey the sky
00:10:31 --> 00:10:34 much more efficiently. Combine that with a
00:10:34 --> 00:10:37 2.5 billion pixel camera and the
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 ability to observe from near ultraviolet to
00:10:39 --> 00:10:42 near infrared wavelengths, and you've got
00:10:42 --> 00:10:45 yourself an extremely powerful sky surveying
00:10:45 --> 00:10:45 machine.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:48 Anna: That's impressive. What will it be looking
00:10:48 --> 00:10:48 for?
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 Avery: The science goals are pretty ambitious.
00:10:51 --> 00:10:53 According to the National Astronomical
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 Observatories under the Chinese Academy of
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 Sciences, Chuntian should make major
00:10:58 --> 00:11:00 contributions across multiple
00:11:01 --> 00:11:04 cosmology, galaxy formation and evolution,
00:11:04 --> 00:11:07 the structure and evolution of our own Milky
00:11:07 --> 00:11:09 Way, and studies of stars and planets.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12 Anna: I've also heard it might help us understand
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 dark matter and dark energy.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 Avery: Exactly. Those are two of the biggest
00:11:17 --> 00:11:20 mysteries in astrophysics. And a wide Field
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 survey telescope like Shuntian is perfectly
00:11:22 --> 00:11:25 suited to contribute to that research by
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 mapping large areas of the sky and observing
00:11:27 --> 00:11:30 how galaxies cluster and move, Scientists
00:11:30 --> 00:11:32 can gather evidence about the nature of dark
00:11:32 --> 00:11:34 matter and dark energy.
00:11:34 --> 00:11:37 Anna: Now what makes Xuntian really unique is how
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 it will operate in relation to China's
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 Tiangong Space Station. Right.
00:11:42 --> 00:11:45 Avery: That's one of the coolest aspects. Chun Tian
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 will fly independently in low Earth orbit, co
00:11:48 --> 00:11:50 orbiting with Tiangong, but doing its own
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 thing. However. And um, this is the really
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 neat part. It's designed to dock with the
00:11:55 --> 00:11:55 space.
00:11:55 --> 00:11:58 Anna: Station when needed dough astronauts can
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 service it exactly.
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02 Avery: Just like NASA astronauts serviced Hubble
00:12:02 --> 00:12:05 five times between 1993 and
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07 2009. According to recent video from
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 China Central Television astronauts will be
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 able to conduct spacewalks to maintain,
00:12:12 --> 00:12:15 repair or even upgrade the observatory.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:18 This is a huge advantage because it extends
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 the operational life of the telescope and
00:12:20 --> 00:12:22 allows for technology upgrades over time.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 Anna: That's actually brilliant. Hubble's servicing
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 missions turned it from a disappointment into
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 one of the most productive scientific
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 instruments ever built.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:35 Avery: Absolutely. And China clearly learned from
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 that example. Being able to service a space
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 telescope in orbit is enormously valuable.
00:12:41 --> 00:12:43 Anna: Tell us about these simulations they just
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 completed.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:46 Avery: The research team built what they call an end
00:12:46 --> 00:12:49 to end simulation suite. Basically they
00:12:49 --> 00:12:51 created mock observations that replicate the
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 expected instrumental and observational
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56 conditions. They tested both the optical
00:12:56 --> 00:12:59 systems and other observation systems to
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 evaluate the telescope's overall performance
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 before it ever leaves the ground.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:06 Anna: That makes sense. Better to find problems in
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 simulation than after launch.
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 Avery: The results were published in the journal
00:13:10 --> 00:13:13 Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics in
00:13:13 --> 00:13:16 early January. This kind of validation work
00:13:16 --> 00:13:19 is crucial for a mission of this scale and
00:13:19 --> 00:13:19 complexity.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:23 Anna: When you say early 2027, how
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 firm is that timeline?
00:13:24 --> 00:13:27 Avery: It's a no earlier than timeline. These
00:13:27 --> 00:13:30 large space telescopes are complex beasts and
00:13:30 --> 00:13:33 schedules can slip. But if everything stays
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 on track, we could see Xuntian launching on a
00:13:35 --> 00:13:38 long March 5th B rocket sometime in the
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 first half of 2027.
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 Anna: It's going to be really interesting to see
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44 what Chuntian discovers once it's
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 operational. Having another major space
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 telescope conducting surveys will be
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 fantastic for astronomy.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 Avery: Next, let's head out to one of the most
00:13:52 --> 00:13:55 famous star forming regions in our cosmic
00:13:55 --> 00:13:57 neighborhood. The Orion Molecular Cloud
00:13:57 --> 00:14:00 complex. The Hubble Space Telescope has
00:14:00 --> 00:14:02 captured some stunning new images that reveal
00:14:02 --> 00:14:05 how baby stars are literally carving out
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07 space for themselves in the surrounding gas
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 and dust.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 Anna: This is such a beautiful topic. These are
00:14:11 --> 00:14:14 protostars, right? Stars that haven't quite
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 grown up yet?
00:14:15 --> 00:14:18 Avery: That's right. Protostars are young stellar
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 objects that are still in the process of
00:14:20 --> 00:14:22 accumulating mass from the molecular clouds.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 They're Forming in. They haven't started
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 fusing hydrogen into helium yet, which is
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29 what defines a main sequence star like our
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 Sun. But even though they're not doing
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 fusion, they're far from quiet.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 Anna: They're quite energetic, actually,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 incredibly so.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:39 Avery: Protostars generate powerful winds and jets
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 that shape their surroundings in dramatic
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 ways. These jets and winds carve out bubbles
00:14:44 --> 00:14:47 and caverns in the surrounding gas. And
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 astrophysicists have been trying to better
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 understand this feedback process.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:53 Anna: What's driving these jets?
00:14:53 --> 00:14:56 Avery: It's a fascinating process. Material from the
00:14:56 --> 00:14:58 molecular cloud first forms a disk around the
00:14:58 --> 00:15:01 protostar. Not all of that material makes it
00:15:01 --> 00:15:04 onto the star itself. Some gets accelerated
00:15:04 --> 00:15:06 to high speeds along the star's magnetic
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 field lines and shot out from the poles as
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11 focus beams of mostly hydrogen.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:14 Anna: So they're like cosmic fire hoses.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:17 Avery: That's a good analogy. And in addition to
00:15:17 --> 00:15:19 these focused jets, protostars also produce
00:15:19 --> 00:15:22 wide angle stellar winds that flow in all
00:15:22 --> 00:15:25 directions. These winds from young stars are
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27 actually far more powerful than the solar
00:15:27 --> 00:15:29 wind from our sun or other main sequence
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 stars.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 Anna: What did the Hubble images reveal?
00:15:32 --> 00:15:35 Avery: The three new images show protostars at
00:15:35 --> 00:15:37 different stages, all in the Orion molecular
00:15:37 --> 00:15:40 complex. You can actually see the cavernous
00:15:40 --> 00:15:42 shapes these young stars have carved out from
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 the surrounding gas. It's quite striking
00:15:44 --> 00:15:47 visually, these dark, sometimes intricate
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 structures against the glowing background of
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 the nebula.
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 Anna: But there was a surprising finding in the
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 research, wasn't there?
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 Avery: Yes, and it challenges some assumptions.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:58 Researchers found that the cavities carved by
00:15:58 --> 00:16:01 these jetson winds didn't grow larger as the
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03 stars moved through their later formation
00:16:03 --> 00:16:06 stages. You might expect the cavities to keep
00:16:06 --> 00:16:08 expanding over time, but that's not what they
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 observed.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 Anna: So what does that tell us?
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 Avery: Well, the Orion molecular cloud has been
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 experiencing a declining star formation rate.
00:16:15 --> 00:16:18 And these protostars also have lower rates of
00:16:18 --> 00:16:21 mass accretion over time. Scientists
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 initially thought maybe this could be
00:16:22 --> 00:16:25 attributed to the jets and winds carving out
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27 all the available gas. But the new findings
00:16:27 --> 00:16:30 suggest that's not the case. The cavity sizes
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 weren't the limiting factor.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:34 Anna: So something else is controlling the star
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 formation rate.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:37 Avery: Exactly. There must be other factors at play
00:16:37 --> 00:16:40 in regulating how quickly stars form and grow
00:16:40 --> 00:16:43 in this region. It's a reminder that even in
00:16:43 --> 00:16:45 well studied regions like Orion, we're still
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 learning the details of how star formation
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 works.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:50 Anna: I love that these images aren't just pretty
00:16:50 --> 00:16:53 pictures. They're revealing actual physics.
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55 Avery: That's what makes astronomy so exciting.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:58 Every observation adds a piece of the puzzle.
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 In this case, we're learning that the
00:17:00 --> 00:17:02 feedback from young stars through their jets
00:17:02 --> 00:17:04 and winds. While dramatic and visually
00:17:04 --> 00:17:07 spectacular, might not be the main factor
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 controlling star formation in the region.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 Anna: It's also interesting to think about our own
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 sun going through this phase billions of
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 years ago.
00:17:14 --> 00:17:17 Avery: Absolutely. When the sun was young, it was in
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 a cluster with its siblings, probably in a
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21 molecular cloud, much like Orion. It would
00:17:21 --> 00:17:24 have had these same powerful jets and winds
00:17:24 --> 00:17:26 shaping the gas and dust around it.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:29 Eventually the molecular cloud dispersed, the
00:17:29 --> 00:17:32 star cluster broke up and the sun ended up as
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 the solitary star we know today.
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 Anna: Orion is close enough that we can study these
00:17:36 --> 00:17:38 processes in detail, which is really lucky
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 for astronomers.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:42 Avery: Very lucky. At about 1350
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 light years away, it's one of the nearest
00:17:44 --> 00:17:47 large star forming regions. We can resolve
00:17:47 --> 00:17:49 individual protostars and their surrounding
00:17:49 --> 00:17:52 structures, which gives us insights we can
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54 apply to understanding star formation
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 throughout the galaxy and beyond.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 Anna: Alright, let's shift from natural cosmic
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 phenomena to human made space activities.
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 We've got a busy week of launches coming up.
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 Avery.
00:18:03 --> 00:18:06 Avery: We do indeed. Seven launches from six
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08 different sites across the globe. Let's run
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 through them.
00:18:09 --> 00:18:11 Anna: The week actually started this morning with a
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 Chinese launch, correct?
00:18:12 --> 00:18:15 Avery: That's right. A uh, Chang Zhang 12 rocket,
00:18:15 --> 00:18:18 also known as Long March 12, lifted off
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21 from Commercial Launch Complex 2 at Wenchang
00:18:21 --> 00:18:24 Space Launch Site in Hainan, China. This was
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26 at 7:48 UTC. Carrying nine
00:18:26 --> 00:18:29 SatNet satellites to low Earth orbit. The
00:18:29 --> 00:18:32 CZ12 can lift about 12
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 kilograms to LEO. And this was a
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 demonstration of China's commercial launch
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 capabilities.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 Anna: Moving on to tomorrow.
00:18:38 --> 00:18:41 Avery: What do we have tomorrow? January 21st
00:18:41 --> 00:18:43 we have Rocket Lab launching from New
00:18:43 --> 00:18:46 Zealand. Their Electron rocket will be
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 carrying two satellites for open Cosmos as
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 part of a secure broadband constellation
00:18:51 --> 00:18:54 being built in the uk. The mission is called
00:18:54 --> 00:18:57 the Cosmos will see you now. And liftoff is
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 scheduled for 11:09 UTC. From their
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01 facility on the Mahia Peninsula.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:04 Anna: Rocket Lab has really established a solid
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 cadence with Electron.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:08 Avery: They have. This will be Electron's 80th
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 mission. That's a remarkable achievement for
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 a small rocket. The vehicle has proven itself
00:19:13 --> 00:19:16 reliable and capable, especially for these
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 small satellite constellation deployments.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 Anna: It's Wednesday. That gets particularly
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23 interesting with the Isar Aerospace launch.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:26 Avery: Yes, this is Isar's second attempt to launch
00:19:26 --> 00:19:29 their Spectrum rocket from the Andoya rocket
00:19:29 --> 00:19:32 range in Norway. The mission is called Onward
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 and Upward, which is fitting given that their
00:19:34 --> 00:19:37 first attempt in March 2025 failed
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 shortly after liftoff due to an engine issue.
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 Anna: What's different this time?
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 Avery: Well, they've been investigating what went
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 wrong on that first flight and making
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 refinements. Spectrum is a two stage
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49 rocket Powered by Aquila engines using
00:19:49 --> 00:19:52 propane and liquid oxygen, it's designed for
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 the satellite Constellation market and can
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 lift about a thousand kilograms to leo.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 They're carrying several cubesats for the
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 European Space Agency's Boost program.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:03 Anna: So fingers crossed for ISAR on Wednesday.
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 What else?
00:20:04 --> 00:20:07 Avery: Wednesday is also when SpaceX has their first
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 Falcon 9 launch of the week. They're
00:20:09 --> 00:20:11 launching 24 Starlink satellites from
00:20:11 --> 00:20:14 Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
00:20:14 --> 00:20:17 Liftoff is currently targeted for 2:43
00:20:17 --> 00:20:20 UTC on January 22, which
00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 is 6:43pm Pacific Time on the
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 21st.
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 Anna: Vandenberg has been busy lately.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28 Avery: Very busy. This mission will use booster
00:20:28 --> 00:20:30 B1093 on its 10th flight.
00:20:31 --> 00:20:33 Landing on the drone ship Of Course I Still
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35 Love youe in the Pacific. It's another
00:20:35 --> 00:20:38 example of SpaceX's routine reuse.
00:20:38 --> 00:20:41 This particular booster has previously flown
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 seven Starlink missions and two military
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 missions.
00:20:43 --> 00:20:46 Anna: Do we have a New Shepard launch from Blue
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 Origin this week?
00:20:47 --> 00:20:50 Avery: Correct. Blue Origin is targeting Thursday,
00:20:50 --> 00:20:53 January 22nd at 1430
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 UTC. That's 9:30am Eastern
00:20:55 --> 00:20:58 for New Shepard's 17th crewed mission,
00:20:58 --> 00:21:01 designated NS38. This will
00:21:01 --> 00:21:04 be a suborbital flight from Launch Site 1 in
00:21:04 --> 00:21:07 West Texas, carrying six people past the
00:21:07 --> 00:21:09 Karman Line and into space for a few minutes
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 of weightlessness.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 Anna: New Shepard has really become a regular
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 operation for them.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:16 Avery: It has. The capsule will separate from the
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 booster, which will return for a propulsive
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 landing while the capsule lands under
00:21:20 --> 00:21:23 parachutes with retro thrusters firing just
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 before touchdown to soften the landing for
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 the crew.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 Anna: And we round out the week with.
00:21:28 --> 00:21:31 Avery: Two more launches on Sunday, January 25.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:35 First, China will conduct the sea launch of a
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 Geelong 3 rocket from the South China Sea.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 Details on the payload are still under wraps.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 They'll likely release that information after
00:21:42 --> 00:21:45 the launch. Liftoff is scheduled for 6:30
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 UTC.
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 Anna: Sea launches are always interesting.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:51 Avery: They are. The Jialong 3 is a four stage
00:21:51 --> 00:21:53 solid fueled rocket that launches from a
00:21:53 --> 00:21:55 maritime platform. It's an interesting
00:21:55 --> 00:21:58 capability that gives China flexibility in
00:21:58 --> 00:22:01 launch azimuth and location. And finally,
00:22:01 --> 00:22:04 Sunday also brings SpaceX's second Falcon
00:22:04 --> 00:22:06 9 launch of the week. Also from Vandenberg,
00:22:07 --> 00:22:09 another batch of 24 Starlink satellites
00:22:09 --> 00:22:12 heading to orbit at 1517 UTC.
00:22:12 --> 00:22:14 This one will use booster
00:22:15 --> 00:22:17 B0088 on its 13th flight,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:19 another testament to booster reusability.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:22 Anna: That's quite a week. Seven launches from
00:22:22 --> 00:22:25 six sites. It really shows how routine space
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 it does.
00:22:27 --> 00:22:29 Avery: And it's only going to get busier as more
00:22:29 --> 00:22:32 commercial Constellations come online and
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 more providers enter the launch market.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:37 Anna: And May we wish them all successful launches.
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 Avery: Indeed.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:41 Moving along for our final story, let's
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43 journey to distant worlds and explore a
00:22:43 --> 00:22:45 fascinating new theory about how some rocky
00:22:45 --> 00:22:48 exoplanets might protect themselves from
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 deadly cosmic radiation.
00:22:49 --> 00:22:52 Anna: This involves super Earths. Right? Those
00:22:52 --> 00:22:55 planets that are larger than our Earth but
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 smaller than ice giants like Neptune.
00:22:57 --> 00:23:00 Avery: Exactly. Super Earths are actually the most
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 common type of exoplanet we've found in our
00:23:02 --> 00:23:04 galaxy, which makes understanding them really
00:23:04 --> 00:23:07 important. But here's an interesting
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10 Many of these worlds might not be able to
00:23:10 --> 00:23:12 generate magnetic fields the way Earth does.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:15 Anna: And magnetic fields are crucial for
00:23:15 --> 00:23:17 protecting a planet's surface from harmful
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 radiation.
00:23:18 --> 00:23:20 Avery: Right. Earth's magnetic field is generated by
00:23:20 --> 00:23:23 movement in our liquid iron outer core
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 Through a process called a dynamo. But
00:23:25 --> 00:23:28 larger, rocky worlds like super Earths Might
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 have cores that are completely solid or
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 completely liquid, Neither of which can
00:23:32 --> 00:23:34 produce a magnetic field through the same
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 mechanism.
00:23:35 --> 00:23:37 Anna: So how do they protect themselves?
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39 Avery: That's where this new research from the
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41 University of Rochester comes in. They
00:23:41 --> 00:23:44 propose an alternate source. Deep layers of
00:23:44 --> 00:23:47 molten rock called basal Magma Oceans,
00:23:47 --> 00:23:50 or BMOs, which exist at the boundary
00:23:50 --> 00:23:52 between a planet's mantle and.
00:23:52 --> 00:23:54 Anna: Core molten rock generating a
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 magnetic field.
00:23:55 --> 00:23:58 Avery: It sounds surprising, but the key is what
00:23:58 --> 00:24:00 happens to rock under the extreme pressures
00:24:00 --> 00:24:03 inside super Earths. The research team, led
00:24:03 --> 00:24:05 by Associate Professor Miki Nakajima,
00:24:05 --> 00:24:08 Conducted laser shock experiments and quantum
00:24:08 --> 00:24:11 simulations to recreate the conditions deep
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 inside these massive planets.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 Anna: What did they find?
00:24:14 --> 00:24:16 Avery: Under the crushing pressures found in super
00:24:16 --> 00:24:19 Earths? We're talking planets three to six
00:24:19 --> 00:24:22 times the mass of Earth. Molten rock becomes
00:24:22 --> 00:24:24 electrically conductive. And if you have
00:24:24 --> 00:24:27 electrically conductive material in motion,
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 you can generate a magnetic field.
00:24:29 --> 00:24:32 Anna: So these basal magma oceans could act like
00:24:32 --> 00:24:35 liquid metal cores, Just using rock
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 instead?
00:24:35 --> 00:24:38 Avery: Essentially, yes. The movement of this
00:24:38 --> 00:24:40 electrically conductive molten rock could
00:24:40 --> 00:24:43 drive what they call a BMO dynamo. And
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 according to their models, these dynamos
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 could generate magnetic fields that are
00:24:47 --> 00:24:49 actually stronger and longer lasting than
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 those produced by core dynamos like Earth's.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54 Anna: That's remarkable. How long could these
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 fields last?
00:24:55 --> 00:24:58 Avery: Billions of years, potentially. That's
00:24:58 --> 00:25:00 important because for a planet to develop and
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 sustain life, you need stable protection from
00:25:02 --> 00:25:05 radiation over very long timescales.
00:25:05 --> 00:25:08 Anna: Now, Earth probably had a basal magma
00:25:08 --> 00:25:10 ocean early in its history, right?
00:25:10 --> 00:25:13 Avery: Yes, shortly after formation. But Earth is
00:25:13 --> 00:25:16 relatively small, so as it cooled, that magma
00:25:16 --> 00:25:19 ocean eventually solidified. Super Earths,
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 though, with their higher internal pressures
00:25:21 --> 00:25:23 and temperatures, could maintain these basal
00:25:23 --> 00:25:26 magma oceans for much, much longer,
00:25:26 --> 00:25:28 Potentially throughout their entire lifetime.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:31 Anna: This has pretty significant implications for
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 the search for habitable worlds.
00:25:33 --> 00:25:36 Avery: Absolutely. One of the Factors in determining
00:25:36 --> 00:25:38 whether a planet might be habitable is
00:25:38 --> 00:25:40 whether it has magnetic protection. Without a
00:25:40 --> 00:25:43 magnetic field, a planet's atmosphere can be
00:25:43 --> 00:25:45 stripped away by stellar wind, making it hard
00:25:45 --> 00:25:48 for life to survive on the surface. If super
00:25:48 --> 00:25:50 Earths can generate magnetic fields through
00:25:50 --> 00:25:53 basal magma oceans, that potentially
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 increases the number of worlds that could
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 harbor life.
00:25:55 --> 00:25:57 Anna: How do we test this theory?
00:25:57 --> 00:26:00 Avery: That's the exciting next step. We need to
00:26:00 --> 00:26:02 actually detect and measure magnetic fields
00:26:02 --> 00:26:05 around exoplanets, which is extremely
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 challenging with current technology. But next
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 generation telescopes and instruments might
00:26:09 --> 00:26:12 be able to do it. Professor Nakajima
00:26:12 --> 00:26:14 mentioned she can't wait for future magnetic
00:26:14 --> 00:26:16 field observations of exoplanets to test
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 their hypothesis.
00:26:17 --> 00:26:19 Anna: It's fascinating how interdisciplinary this
00:26:19 --> 00:26:22 research is, combining experimental physics,
00:26:22 --> 00:26:25 quantum simulations, and planetary evolution
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 models.
00:26:26 --> 00:26:28 Avery: That's what makes it so robust. They weren't
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 just working on theory. They actually
00:26:30 --> 00:26:33 recreated the conditions inside super Earths
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 with laser shock experiments at the
00:26:35 --> 00:26:37 Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the
00:26:37 --> 00:26:39 University of Rochester. Then they combined
00:26:39 --> 00:26:41 that with computational modeling to
00:26:41 --> 00:26:43 understand how these conditions would evolve
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 over billions of years.
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46 Anna: And this was challenging work for the team,
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 wasn't it?
00:26:47 --> 00:26:50 Avery: Very much so. Professor Nakajima mentioned
00:26:50 --> 00:26:52 this was her first experimental work. Her
00:26:52 --> 00:26:55 background is primarily computational. She
00:26:55 --> 00:26:57 credited support from collaborators across
00:26:57 --> 00:26:59 various research fields for making this
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 interdisciplinary work possible.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 Anna: It's a great reminder that some of the
00:27:02 --> 00:27:05 biggest scientific questions require bringing
00:27:05 --> 00:27:07 together expertise from multiple disciplines.
00:27:07 --> 00:27:10 Avery: Absolutely. Understanding planetary
00:27:10 --> 00:27:13 interiors, magnetic field generation and
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 habitability requires geophysics,
00:27:15 --> 00:27:18 astrophysics, planetary science, and
00:27:18 --> 00:27:20 material science all working together.
00:27:20 --> 00:27:23 Anna: So the bottom line is super Earths might
00:27:23 --> 00:27:25 have, ah, a built in radiation shield that we
00:27:25 --> 00:27:28 didn't know about, Potentially making more of
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 them candidates for harboring life.
00:27:30 --> 00:27:32 Avery: That's exactly right. It expands our
00:27:32 --> 00:27:34 understanding of what makes a planet
00:27:34 --> 00:27:36 potentially habitable and gives us new things
00:27:36 --> 00:27:38 to look for when we're evaluating exoplanets
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40 as possible homes for life.
00:27:40 --> 00:27:42 Anna: Well, that wraps up today's edition of
00:27:42 --> 00:27:45 Astronomy Daily. From solar storms to
00:27:45 --> 00:27:48 baby stars, Chinese space technology to
00:27:48 --> 00:27:51 hidden magma oceans on distant worlds, it's
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 been quite a journey through the cosmos.
00:27:52 --> 00:27:55 Avery: It really has. And remember, if you're in the
00:27:55 --> 00:27:58 northern tier states of the USA or Canada
00:27:58 --> 00:28:00 tonight, keep an eye on the sky for those
00:28:00 --> 00:28:02 auroras from that solar storm. Could be quite
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 a show.
00:28:02 --> 00:28:05 Anna: Thanks for joining us for the latest space
00:28:05 --> 00:28:07 and astronomy news delivered fresh every day.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:10 Be sure to subscribe to Astronomy Daily. You
00:28:10 --> 00:28:13 can find us on our website@astronomydaily,IO
00:28:13 --> 00:28:15 or search for us on your favorite podcast
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 platform. Until next time, keep looking up
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 Clear skies, everyone.