Saturday Dec 28, 2024

Solar Probe’s Record Run, Blue Origin’s Milestone, and the Enigmatic Black Moon: S03E244

Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E244

Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your go-to source for the latest in space exploration and astronomy news. I'm Anna, and today we're diving into some groundbreaking stories, from the Parker Solar Probe's historic solar approach to a rare astronomical event to wrap up the year.

Highlights:

- Parker Solar Probe's Record-Breaking Pass : NASA's Parker Solar Probe has achieved a remarkable feat by completing its closest ever pass to the Sun, breaking its own record. On December 24, the spacecraft flew just 3.8 million miles from the solar surface at an astonishing speed of 430,000 miles per hour, making it the fastest human-made object in history. This mission marks humanity's first direct investigation of a star, offering unprecedented insights into the Sun's behavior.

- Blue Origin's New Glenn Milestones : Blue Origin has reached two significant milestones with its New Glenn rocket. The company completed a successful integrated hot fire test of the launch vehicle, and the FAA granted a commercial launch license. New Glenn's first flight will carry the Blue Ring Pathfinder, paving the way for national security space launch missions and potential government contracts.

- Rare Astronomical Event : Black Moon: As December comes to a close, stargazers can look forward to a rare Black Moon on December 30th. This second New Moon of the month offers perfect conditions for observing celestial objects, with Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter visible in the night sky alongside the winter constellations.

- Sun's Christmas Light Show: On December 25, the Sun unleashed four powerful solar flares in a synchronized event known as sympathetic solar flares. While the resulting coronal mass ejection is expected to pass north of Earth, scientists remain hopeful for future aurora displays as solar activity continues.

- Mars Sample Return Mission Redesign: NASA is set to announce a major redesign of the Mars Sample Return Mission in early January. This decision aims to address timeline and budget concerns, with the goal of returning Martian samples to Earth before human missions to the Red Planet begin.

For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. (https://www.astronomydaily.io) Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, Tumblr, YouTube, YouTubeMusic, and TikTok . Share your thoughts and connect with fellow space enthusiasts.

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.

00:00 - NASA's Parker Solar Probe just made its closest ever pass to the sun

02:30 - Blue Origin has just hit two major milestones in their journey towards launching Glenn rocket

06:23 - The sun unleashed four powerful solar flares on December 25th

08:21 - NASA to make major announcement about Mars Sample Return Mission in early January

✍️ Episode References

NASA Parker Solar Probe

https://www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/parker-solar-probe

Blue Origin

https://www.blueorigin.com/

Federal Aviation Administration

https://www.faa.gov/