Episodios

  • Solar Fireworks, Crew-12 Countdown, and Venus Hides a Secret

    Solar Fireworks, Crew-12 Countdown, and Venus Hides a Secret
    Feb 10 2026
    In today's episode of Astronomy Daily, Anna and Avery cover five major stories from across the cosmos. SpaceX Crew-12 is targeting Thursday February 12th for launch to the International Space Station, after weather pushed back the Wednesday window. Meet the international crew of four and find out why this mission will run longer than usual. Our Sun has been active overnight, with sunspot region AR4366 firing off four M-class flares including an M2.8 that triggered a radio blackout over the Pacific. We look at what this means for space weather and aurora watchers. A stunning new study from Penn State, published in PNAS, has rewritten how scientists think amino acids formed in asteroid Bennu — and the implications for where life's ingredients can arise in the universe are profound. Italian scientists have confirmed the first lava tube on Venus, using 30-year-old radar data from NASA's Magellan mission. The structure is larger than any lava tube found on Earth, the Moon, or Mars. And finally — could coal be the key to finding advanced alien civilisations? A provocative new paper in the International Journal of Astrobiology makes the case. All stories sourced from NASA, Nature Communications, PNAS, and Phys.org. Links below. Source Links • Crew-12 weather delay: nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation • NSF launch preview: nasaspaceflight.com/2026/02/launch-preview-020926 • Bennu amino acids (PNAS): doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2517723123 • Venus lava tube (Nature Communications): doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68643-6 • Aliens and coal: phys.org/news/2026-02-advanced-aliens-exoplanets-large-coal.html • Solar activity: earthsky.org/sun/sun-news-activity-solar-flare-cme-aurora-updates Chapters / Timestamps (approximate) • 00:00 — Cold Open • 01:00 — Story 1: SpaceX Crew-12 Weather Delay • 05:00 — Story 2: Solar Flare Activity AR4366 • 07:30 — Story 3: Asteroid Bennu & Amino Acid Origins • 10:30 — Story 4: Venus Lava Tube Discovery • 13:30 — Story 5: Alien Civilisations & Coal Deposits • 17:00 — Close

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    14 m
  • SpaceX Shifts to Moon: The New Lunar Space Race Begins | Astronomy Daily

    SpaceX Shifts to Moon: The New Lunar Space Race Begins | Astronomy Daily
    Feb 9 2026
    Welcome to Astronomy Daily! Today we explore the new lunar space race as SpaceX shifts focus from Mars to the Moon, Europe establishes its Moonport company, and NASA continues Artemis II preparations. Plus, scientists solve the mystery behind auroras, explain Uranus's radiation anomaly from 1986, and SpaceX returns to flight after a brief stand-down.
    Join hosts Anna and Avery for your daily dose of space and astronomy news!
    ---
    ### Featured Stories
    **[00:00] Introduction**
    Your hosts Anna and Avery preview today's Moon-focused episode
    **[01:15] SpaceX Pivots from Mars to Moon**
    - Elon Musk announces strategic shift to lunar settlement
    - Moon city achievable in under 10 years vs 20+ for Mars
    - Launch windows: Moon every 10 days vs Mars every 26 months
    - Alignment with Trump's space policy and Artemis program
    - Mars plans delayed but not abandoned (5-7 year timeline)
    - History of Musk's changing Mars predictions
    **[05:30] Europe's Moonport Ambitions**
    - German aerospace company OHB establishes European Moonport Company
    - Consolidating lunar mission activities and future infrastructure
    - Involvement in ESA's Argonaut lander and Gateway ESPRIT module
    - Moon base concept developed with Munich Airport International
    - European funding commitments at ESA Ministerial Council
    - Italy leads Moon exploration funding at €284 million
    **[09:45] NASA Artemis II Progress Report**
    - Technicians replace seals after hydrogen leak detection
    - Tail service mast umbilical repairs and testing
    - Operational changes for next wet dress rehearsal
    - Extended countdown hold times for troubleshooting
    - Crew training continues: Wiseman, Glover, Koch, Hansen
    - March launch window still under consideration
    **[13:00] Aurora Power Source Discovered**
    - International team solves decades-old mystery
    - Alfvén waves act as natural particle accelerators
    - Analysis of Van Allen Probes and THEMIS mission data
    - Universal model applicable to other planets
    - Collaboration between HKU and UCLA researchers
    - Applications for Jupiter, Saturn, and exoplanet studies
    **[15:30] Uranus Radiation Mystery Solved**
    - Voyager 2's 1986 anomaly explained after 40 years
    - Co-rotating interaction region (CIR) supercharged radiation belts
    - Comparative analysis with Earth's space weather events
    - Southwest Research Institute breakthrough
    - Implications for future Uranus orbiter missions
    - Similar applications for Neptune studies
    **[18:00] SpaceX Falcon 9 Returns to Flight**
    - Successful Starlink launch from Vandenberg after 5-day stand-down
    - 25 satellites deployed to orbit (Group 17-33)
    - Booster 1088 completes 13th flight with successful landing
    - February 2nd upper stage anomaly explained
    - Gas bubble prevented deorbit burn
    - FAA clearance after corrective actions implemented
    - Starlink constellation exceeds 9,600 active satellites
    - SpaceX's 15th launch of 2026



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    16 m
  • Cleared for Launch: Crew-12, Mars Organics, and an Interstellar Farewell

    Cleared for Launch: Crew-12, Mars Organics, and an Interstellar Farewell
    Feb 7 2026
    ## In Today's Episode:
    - **FAA clears Falcon 9 — Crew-12 launch set for February 11** — The four-day grounding ends after SpaceX identifies and addresses the upper stage engine ignition failure. Fourth upper stage issue in 19 months.
    - **NASA study: Non-biological sources can't fully explain Mars organics** — Researchers find that known non-biological processes don't account for the abundance of organic compounds discovered by Curiosity in Gale Crater. The team modelled 80 million years of cosmic radiation exposure.
    - **Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS flares while exiting the solar system** — NASA's SPHEREx captures the comet dramatically brightening, releasing water vapour, CO₂, methane, methanol, and organic compounds from beneath its cosmic-ray-hardened crust.
    - **UK proposes 30% cut to astronomy and physics research** — The deepest funding cut in a generation threatens early-career researchers and the UK's role in major international projects including the Square Kilometre Array and ESO.
    - **New Glenn second stage reuse debate reignites** — Blue Origin's Project Jarvis faces the question: can a reusable upper stage beat expendable manufacturing costs? Bezos calls it a "horse race."
    - **Fraggles land at Kennedy Space Center** — Jim Henson's beloved characters star in "Fraggle Rock: A Space-y Adventure," a new live show blending comedy, music, and NASA science.
    ---
    ## Links & Sources:
    - space.com — FAA clears Falcon 9, Crew-12 launch confirmed
    - science.nasa.gov — NASA study on Mars organics
    - space.com — SPHEREx observations of comet 3I/ATLAS
    - space.com — UK astronomy funding cuts
    - arstechnica.com — New Glenn second stage reuse debate
    - arstechnica.com / kennedyspacecenter.com — Fraggle Rock: A Space-y Adventure
    ---
    ## Connect With Us:
    🌐 Website: https://astronomydaily.io
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    ⭐ Subscribe and leave a review to help other space fans find us!

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    10 m
  • Lunar Smartphones, Daytime Comet, and Jetty McJetface's Cosmic Show

    Lunar Smartphones, Daytime Comet, and Jetty McJetface's Cosmic Show
    Feb 6 2026
    Episode S05E32 - Friday, February 6, 2026
    Welcome to Astronomy Daily! Join hosts Anna and Avery as they bring you the latest space and astronomy news from across the cosmos.
    Episode Highlights
    Lunar Smartphones: NASA Approves Modern Tech for Space
    NASA astronauts will finally be allowed to bring their smartphones on missions, starting with Crew-12 to the ISS next week and the Artemis II lunar flyby in March. After years of using decade-old cameras, astronauts can now spontaneously capture and share moments with iPhones and Android devices, promising unprecedented behind-the-scenes documentation of historic missions.
    Comet MAPS: A Potential Daylight Spectacle
    Newly discovered Comet C/2026 A1 (MAPS) could become visible to the naked eye—possibly even in broad daylight—when it passes within 120,000 km of the sun in early April. This Kreutz sungrazer was spotted farther from the sun than any previous sungrazer, suggesting it might survive its close solar encounter and put on a spectacular show.
    Mercury's Best Evening Show of 2026
    The elusive planet Mercury is currently offering its best evening viewing opportunity of the year! Shining brightly at magnitude -1.1, Mercury will reach greatest elongation on February 19th, appearing 17 degrees above the western horizon after sunset. Don't miss the stunning pairing with a crescent moon on February 18th!
    China Joins Space Data Center Race
    China's state-owned aerospace corporation announced ambitious plans for space-based data centers as part of their five-year expansion program. This puts China in competition with SpaceX, Axiom Space, and Google in the race to build orbital computing infrastructure powered by abundant solar energy.
    Dark Matter vs Black Hole: What Powers the Milky Way?
    Groundbreaking research suggests the Milky Way's core might be powered by a dense clump of fermionic dark matter rather than the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. This controversial model explains both central star orbits and the galaxy's rotation curve while mimicking the black hole "shadow" captured by the Event Horizon Telescope.
    Jetty McJetface: The Star-Shredding Phenomenon
    A supermassive black hole nicknamed "Jetty McJetface" continues to astound scientists four years after shredding a star. The black hole's relativistic jet has grown 50 times brighter since 2019 and is predicted to peak in 2027, making it one of the most energetic events ever observed in the universe—over 100 trillion times more powerful than Star Wars' Death Star!
    Resources & Links
    NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman on X (social media)
    Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society journal
    Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration
    Astrophysical Journal
    Star Walk 2 app for comet tracking
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    Credits
    Hosted by Anna & Avery
    Produced by the Astronomy Daily team
    Season 5, Episode 32
    Keep looking up!

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    24 m
  • Dark Sky Victory, Jupiter Redefined, and Monster Sunspot Faces Earth

    Dark Sky Victory, Jupiter Redefined, and Monster Sunspot Faces Earth
    Feb 5 2026
    Astronomy Daily - S05E31: Dark Sky Victory, Jupiter Redefined, Monster Sunspot
    Victory for dark skies as industrial plant near major observatory cancelled • NASA's Juno mission reveals Jupiter is larger and flatter than we thought • 15-Earth-wide sunspot currently facing our planet • Unusual Martian storm reveals subsurface secrets • NASA acknowledges SLS rocket sustainability challenges • How red giant stars destroy their own gas giant planets
    Host Anna and Avery discuss six major space stories for Thursday, February 5th, 2026.
    Episode sponsored by astronomydaily.io - Your daily source for space and astronomy news
    Featured Stories:
    • Dark Sky Preservation: Industrial development threatening Canary Islands observatory cancelled
    • Jupiter Redefined: Juno mission measurements reveal true size and shape of gas giant
    • Solar Activity: Monster sunspot 15 Earths wide faces Earth - viewing safety tips included
    • Martian Meteorology: Unusual storm system reveals subsurface features of red planet
    • SLS Reality Check: NASA publicly addresses Space Launch System cost sustainability
    • Stellar Destruction: Red giants systematically destroy orbiting gas giant planets
    Follow us:
    Website: astronomydaily.io
    Social: @AstroDailyPod (all platforms)


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    19 m
  • Artemis 2 Delayed, SpaceX Unveils Stargaze Safety System

    Artemis 2 Delayed, SpaceX Unveils Stargaze Safety System
    Feb 4 2026
    Welcome to Astronomy Daily, bringing you the latest space and astronomy news. I'm Anna, joined by my co-host Avery, with today's cosmic headlines for Wednesday, February 4th, 2026.
    Episode Highlights:
    🚀 ARTEMIS 2 DELAYED - NASA's historic moon mission pushed to March after hydrogen leak during wet dress rehearsal. Four astronauts await their journey around the Moon as teams address familiar technical challenges.
    🛰️ SPACEX UNVEILS STARGAZE - Revolutionary space traffic management system uses 30,000 star trackers to detect 30 million orbital transits daily. Free conjunction data offered to all satellite operators starting this spring.
    ⚠️ FALCON 9 GROUNDED - SpaceX temporarily halts launches after upper stage deorbit issue. Critical Crew-12 astronaut mission scheduled for February 11th hangs in the balance.
    🌌 JWST'S RARE DISCOVERY - Five-way galaxy merger spotted in early universe challenges cosmic evolution models. System formed just 800 million years after Big Bang shows unexpected complexity.
    🌠 LOCAL VOID MYSTERY SOLVED - 50-year puzzle resolved as scientists map flat sheet of matter beyond Local Group. Milky Way fleeing massive cosmic void at 600,000 mph.
    ⭐ RUNAWAY STARS MAPPED - Largest study reveals dual mechanisms ejecting massive stars from the galaxy. 214 O-type stellar speedsters analyzed, some exceeding 700 km/s.
    For more space news, visit astronomydaily.io and follow us @AstroDailyPod on all major platforms.



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    21 m
  • Artemis 2 Setback, SpaceX's Trillion-Dollar Orbital Vision & X8.3 Solar Flare

    Artemis 2 Setback, SpaceX's Trillion-Dollar Orbital Vision & X8.3 Solar Flare
    Feb 3 2026
    Welcome to Astronomy Daily! Join hosts Anna and Avery for Tuesday, February 3rd's space news roundup. Today we're covering a critical setback in NASA's Artemis 2 wet dress rehearsal, Elon Musk's controversial vision for orbital AI data centers following SpaceX's acquisition of xAI, NASA's announcement of Axiom Mission 5 to the ISS, extraordinary solar flare activity from a volatile new sunspot, the start of NASA's IMAP mission to map our heliosphere, and exciting opportunities through ESA's Graduate Trainee Programme.Episode Highlights: - https://jobs.esa.int/• Artemis 2 wet dress rehearsal terminated at T-5:15 due to hydrogen leak• SpaceX acquires xAI with plans for million-satellite orbital data center constellation• NASA books fifth Axiom private astronaut mission for January 2027 launch• Sun unleashes 18 M-class and 3 X-class flares including X8.3 eruption• NASA's IMAP begins mapping boundaries of our solar system• ESA opens applications for 2026 Graduate Trainee Programme https://jobs.esa.int/Featured Stories:ARTEMIS 2 SETBACKNASA's critical wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis 2 mission was terminated at the T-5 minute 15 second mark due to a liquid hydrogen leak at the tail service mast umbilical interface. The launch control team worked to safe the Space Launch System rocket and drain its tanks. This rehearsal represents one of the final major tests before the historic mission that will send the first crew around the Moon in over 50 years.SPACEX ORBITAL DATA CENTERSElon Musk announced SpaceX's acquisition of xAI and unveiled plans for up to one million satellites serving as orbital data centers. The proposal addresses ground-based data center challenges including electricity demands and water cooling needs by harnessing continuous solar power in space. Industry experts express skepticism about technical feasibility and suggest the timing may relate to SpaceX's potential IPO.AXIOM MISSION 5NASA ordered a fifth private astronaut mission from Axiom Space targeting launch no earlier than January 2027. The 14-day mission continues NASA's commercial space strategy, with Axiom proposing four crew members for approval. The mission includes service exchanges with NASA acquiring cold-return capability for scientific samples while Axiom purchases consumables and cargo services.SOLAR FLARE BARRAGESunspot region 4366 produced at least 18 M-class and three X-class solar flares in 24 hours, including the year's strongest X8.3 eruption. The February 1st flare triggered R3 radio blackouts across eastern Australia and New Zealand. Scientists monitor for coronal mass ejections with possible glancing Earth impact around February 5th that could produce high-latitude auroras.IMAP MISSION STARTNASA's Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe officially began its two-year primary science mission on February 1st. The spacecraft's 10 instruments will map heliosphere boundaries and study particle energization and solar wind interactions. IMAP data feeds the I-ALiRT system providing near-real-time space weather observations to protect spacecraft and astronauts.ESA OPPORTUNITIESThe European Space Agency opened applications for its 2026 Graduate Trainee Programme for recent graduates in engineering, science, IT, and business. The one-year positions with possible second-year extension offer monthly tax-exempt salaries, travel reimbursement, installation allowances, and comprehensive benefits. Candidates can submit up to three applications through jobs.esa.int.Connect With Us:Website: astronomydaily.ioSocial Media: @AstroDailyPod on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, TumblrBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-space-news-updates--5648921/support.Sponsor Details:Ensure your online privacy by using NordVPN. To get our special listener deal and save a lot of money, visit www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Become a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click HereThis episode includes AI-generated content.
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    16 m
  • SpaceX's Million-Satellite Vision, Ancient Star Maps, and China's Solar Mission

    SpaceX's Million-Satellite Vision, Ancient Star Maps, and China's Solar Mission
    Feb 2 2026
    Welcome to Astronomy Daily! Join hosts Anna and Avery for today's cosmic journey through space news, featuring SpaceX's audacious plan for one million solar-powered satellites, an ancient star catalog recovered from layers of medieval text, and China's groundbreaking solar mission to the L5 point.
    **Episode Highlights:**
    🛰️ **SpaceX's Million-Satellite Vision** - SpaceX files with the FCC to launch up to one million solar-powered satellite data centers for AI, framing it as a step toward becoming a Kardashev Type II civilization
    ⭐ **Ancient Star Map Revealed** - Scientists use X-ray technology to uncover Hipparchus's 2,000-year-old star catalog hidden under six layers of ink in a medieval manuscript
    ☀️ **China's Solar Observatory** - The Xihe-2 probe will become the first mission to monitor solar activity from the Sun-Earth L5 point, offering five-day advance warnings of space weather events
    🔭 **Stellar Detective Story** - Astronomers discover WOH G64 isn't dying after all—a hidden companion star was fooling scientists about the red supergiant's fate
    🚀 **Time Honors Artemis 2** - Time magazine releases special commemorative cover celebrating the Artemis 2 crew ahead of humanity's return to lunar orbit
    🌍 **Remembering Gladys West** - Honoring the GPS pioneer and "Hidden Figure" whose mathematical work shaped navigation technology used by billions worldwide
    **Episode Length:** 18-20 minutes
    **Hosts:** Anna & Avery
    **Production:** Astronomy Daily Podcast, Season 5
    ---
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    ## Story Sources
    - TechCrunch
    - Daily Galaxy
    - Space.com
    - Journal for the History of Astronomy
    - CGTN News
    - Keele University
    - U.S. Department of Defense

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    21 m