Podcasts about space telescopes

Rogier Windhorst and David Livingston: Professor Windhorst warns that the Hubble Space Telescope's orbit will begin to decay uncontrollably by September 2033 due to solar maximum atmospheric expansion. To prevent a hazardous, uncontrolled re-entry, Windhorst advocates for a robotic servicing mission to boost Hubble's orbit. As the only remaining telescope with precise blue-ultraviolet capabilities, Hubble's data remains critical and heavily in demand. Windhorst urges NASA to fund a $100 million rescue mission and eventually construct the Habitable Worlds Observatory to search for Earth-like exoplanets starting in 2040. (3)

After decades of development, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is preparing to launch. Once in orbit, Roman will conduct the widest surveys of the universe ever attempted, probing the nature of dark energy, discovering thousands of new exoplanets, and capturing images of billions of galaxies. In this episode, we sit down with Julie McEnery, senior project scientist for Roman at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and Jason Rhodes, project scientist for Roman at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to explore what the telescope will reveal and how scientists around the world will be able to access and work with its data. Plus, in What's Up, we look at Roman's coronagraph and what it will take for the Habitable Worlds Observatory to push that technology far enough to image Earth-like worlds around Sun-like stars. Discover more at: https://www.planetary.org/planetary-radio/2026-nancy-grace-romanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rohan Naidu discusses the groundbreaking discovery of "black hole stars" at cosmic dawn using the James Webb Space Telescope. Naidu explains that these infant objects appear as mysterious "little red dots" but possess hybrid properties of both highly luminous black holes and stars. He explains how a young black hole surrounded by dense hydrogen gas absorbs blue and green light, creating a signature "Balmer break" resembling the star Vega. Naidu outlines future research, including finding atmospheric chemical fingerprints like water, and using the newly proposed Celestemission alongside ground telescopes to directly image swirling gas feeding these infant black holes. (6)

Bob Zimmerman details the robotic mission by startup Catalyst to rescue NASA's Swift Space Telescope, utilizing innovative software to maneuver a servicing craft despite thruster failures. He highlights SpaceX's massive Starshipproduction line in Boca Chica, noting that four prototypes are ready for monthly launches and upcoming orbital refueling tests. Zimmerman also discusses Lockheed Martin's strategic investments in rocket startups like Firefly to secure launch capabilities. On the international front, he reports on Poland's successful protest against Starlink roaming restrictions and Vietnam's first satellite contract with an American company, SpaceX, signaling a shift toward U.S. ties. Additionally, Zimmerman covers the State Department's efforts to pull India away from Russian space partnerships and NASA's collaboration with the Department of Energy on nuclear propulsion for Mars. He concludes with breathtaking imagery of stars orbiting the Milky Way's central black hole. (5)

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled for liftoff on Sunday morning August 30th with About Space Today News coverage beginning at 7:00 AM.   With David Denault and UCF Planetary Scientist Dr. Ryan Ogliore. 

Bob Zimmerman highlights several developments in space, starting with the startup Catalyst's daring mission to rescue the decaying Swift space telescope. Despite thruster failures, engineers are attempting to use the remaining hardware to move the telescope's orbit. Zimmerman also discusses a Falcon 9 upper stage that impacted the moon, providing valuable spectroscopic data. Good news arrives from Voyager 2, which underwent a "big bang" power reconfiguration to extend its life to at least 2027. On Pluto, new analysis of Sputnik Planitia suggests the planet is geologically active, featuring melting nitrogen underneath its frozen surface. Regarding corporate updates, Blue Origin has identified an oxygen valve failure as the cause of a recent engine explosion, while SpaceX prepares for an orbital Starship flight this month. Finally, Zimmerman reviews the struggles of commercial spaceports in New Zealand and the UK. (5)

# James Webb Space Telescope Update: New Uranus Moon, Cosmic Web Map & Dark Matter Discoveries **The Space Cowboy** rides back into the cosmic frontier with a jam-packed roundup of the James Webb Space Telescope's latest groundbreaking discoveries. In this episode, we explore how JWST continues to reshape our understanding of the universe—from our own solar system to the dawn of time itself. ## What You'll Learn in This Episode:

Host Griffin Rowe explores James Webb Space Telescope's latest discoveries: an infant galaxy from 280 million years after the Big Bang, real-time star birth in W51, sulfur dioxide in an exoplanet's atmosphere, and tentative biosignature findings on K2-18b. A wonder-filled journey through cosmic origins and the search for life beyond Earth. Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI

# Space Cowboy Show: Riding the Cosmic Frontier with the James Webb Space Telescope **Episode Description:** Saddle up for an epic journey through the cosmos as the Space Cowboy explores the latest groundbreaking discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). In this episode, we ride through the newest mapping of the **cosmic web**—the hidden scaffolding of gas and dark matter connecting galaxies across the universe—and examine how these findings are challenging our understanding of dark matter and dark energy. We dive deep into JWST's discovery of a **supermassive black hole** feasting in a galaxy from just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang, raising fresh questions about how black holes grow so massive so fast. You'll also hear about the "impossible galaxies"—unexpectedly massive, mature star systems found in the early universe that are forcing scientists back to the drawing board on galaxy formation theories. Closer to home, we explore Webb's chemical analysis of the exoplanet **Beta Pictoris d**, uncovering water vapor and carbon compounds in its atmosphere, plus fascinating evidence that Neptune's moon **Triton** is actually a captured Kuiper Belt object. We also touch on Webb's role in mapping magnetic fields in distant galaxies and its contribution to solving the **Hubble constant** tension in cosmology. Whether you're fascinated by black holes, exoplanets, dark matter, or the origins of the universe, this episode breaks down complex astrophysics into accessible, engaging storytelling—perfect for space enthusiasts and curious minds alike. **Topics covered:** James Webb Space Telescope, cosmic web, supermassive black holes, early universe galaxies, exoplanet atmospheres, Triton, Neptune, dark matter, Hubble constant, astrophysics, space exploration, NASA discoveries

Rod Pyle is out this week, so Rick Jenet of the National Space Society joins Tariq Malik this week to talk about SpaceX's Starship Flight 13, which deployed new Starlink V3 satellites and stunned viewers when the ship survived reentry intact enough to float in the ocean for days afterward. They also discuss NASA's Roman Space Telescope, now just a month from launch, and an in-progress emergency effort to save the ailing Swift Space Observatory using a servicing spacecraft that is itself now experiencing technical trouble. Finally, they look into Boeing's continued Starliner delays and India's first successful private orbital launch via Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket. Tune in! Headlines: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Splashdown and Recovery Efforts Starlink V3 Satellite Deployment Updates SpaceX Wins $1.6 Billion Space Force Contract NASA's Roman Space Telescope Countdown and Origin Story Urgent Swift Space Observatory Rescue Mission Faces Technical Setbacks Boeing Starliner Faces More Delays and Uncertainty India's First Commercial Rocket Launch Enters Global Market Artemis II Astronaut Questions South Pole as Lunar Landing Target Astronomers Detect Possible First-Ever Exomoon Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Impact Experiment on the Moon Preview: August Almost Total Solar Eclipse and Night Sky Events Host: Tariq Malik Co-Host: Fredrick (Rick) Jenet Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Rod Pyle is out this week, so Rick Jenet of the National Space Society joins Tariq Malik this week to talk about SpaceX's Starship Flight 13, which deployed new Starlink V3 satellites and stunned viewers when the ship survived reentry intact enough to float in the ocean for days afterward. They also discuss NASA's Roman Space Telescope, now just a month from launch, and an in-progress emergency effort to save the ailing Swift Space Observatory using a servicing spacecraft that is itself now experiencing technical trouble. Finally, they look into Boeing's continued Starliner delays and India's first successful private orbital launch via Skyroot Aerospace's Vikram-1 rocket. Tune in! Headlines: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Splashdown and Recovery Efforts Starlink V3 Satellite Deployment Updates SpaceX Wins $1.6 Billion Space Force Contract NASA's Roman Space Telescope Countdown and Origin Story Urgent Swift Space Observatory Rescue Mission Faces Technical Setbacks Boeing Starliner Faces More Delays and Uncertainty India's First Commercial Rocket Launch Enters Global Market Artemis II Astronaut Questions South Pole as Lunar Landing Target Astronomers Detect Possible First-Ever Exomoon Upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 Impact Experiment on the Moon Preview: August Almost Total Solar Eclipse and Night Sky Events Host: Tariq Malik Co-Host: Fredrick (Rick) Jenet Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit

Host Griffin Rowe explores James Webb Space Telescope's latest discoveries: a surprisingly bright ancient galaxy, mysterious magnetic fields stalling star birth in our Milky Way's core, a misclassified stellar cluster, and the ongoing debate over possible biosignatures on K2-18b. A thoughtful journey through cosmic mysteries, competing scientific claims, and humanity's oldest question—are we alone? Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI

# The Space Cowboy: James Webb Space Telescope's Latest Cosmic Discoveries **Episode Description:** Saddle up for another journey across the cosmic frontier with The Space Cowboy! In this episode, we take a calm, thoughtful look at the latest James Webb Space Telescope headlines revealing an early universe far busier and more interconnected than scientists once imagined. We explore groundbreaking discoveries including:

# The Space Cowboy: Riding the Cosmic Frontier – Latest James Webb Space Telescope Discoveries Saddle up for an out-of-this-world journey through the newest **James Webb Space Telescope discoveries**! In this episode, The Space Cowboy takes listeners on a deep-space trail ride through groundbreaking findings that are reshaping our understanding of the universe. **What's covered in this episode:**

Host Griffin Rowe explores James Webb Space Telescope's dark matter map of the cosmic web across 800,000 galaxies. Discover mysteriously bright early galaxies, ancient galactic collisions, and confirmed methane on exoplanet TOI-1199b. A journey into cosmic origins. Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is scheduled for an early launch at the end of August. It will rest about a million miles from Earth at Lagrange point 2, where forces of gravity and motion balance out, allowing it to orbit the sun in sync with the Earth. The Roman Telescope is designed to collect masses of data that could inform questions about dark energy, dark matter, and exoplanets. Jackie Townsend, project manager for the mission, joins Host Flora Lichtman to discuss the telescope's backstory, and what scientists hope it will do. Then, turning from deep space to deep oceans, Anthony Tarantino of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution joins Flora to describe the recent maintenance and recertification process for the famous Alvin deep-sea submersible. It's more than an oil change: The process involves disassembling the vehicle down to the bare frame.  Guests: Jackie Townsend is project manager for the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope mission. She's based at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.  Anthony Tarantino is program manager for the Alvin Group at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Other episodes you may enjoy: Mars Rover, Move Over: Making A Rover To Explore The Deep Sea Listening for the cosmic ‘dark ages,' from the lunar far side Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Follow our show on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Bluesky @scifri and sign up for our newsletters. Got a science question that's keeping you up at night? Call us: 877-472-4374 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Host Griffin Rowe explores the James Webb Space Telescope's breakthrough observations: 16.5 million stars in galaxy M82, sub-Neptune atmospheres across dozens of worlds, frameworks for detecting biosignatures on rocky exoplanets, and how ultra-massive early galaxies challenge standard cosmology through methodological refinement. Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI

# SEO-Friendly Podcast Episode Description ## James Webb Space Telescope's Latest Discoveries: Galaxy Mergers, Black Holes & Cosmic Mysteries | The Space Cowboy Podcast Saddle up for an exciting journey through the cosmos with The Space Cowboy as we explore the groundbreaking discoveries from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). In this episode, we unpack the latest astronomical breakthroughs that are reshaping our understanding of the universe. **Featured Discoveries:**

Griffin Rowe examines Webb's infrared observations of Messier 82's star-birth core, the Butterfly Nebula's dusty torus, and unexpected dust in primitive galaxies. The episode explores how these discoveries reshape our understanding of cosmic chemistry, planet formation, and the universe's complexity. Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI

Using the infrared cameras on the Webb Space Telescope, scientists have peered through the yellowish, smoggy haze that shrouds Titan.

Griffin Rowe examines recent James Webb Space Telescope findings that challenge cosmic evolution models: 300 unexplained bright objects from just 700 million years post-Big Bang, hidden star formation in W51, disappointing exoplanet atmosphere searches, contested biosignature claims on K2-18b, and supermassive black holes that dwarf their host galaxies—revealing a universe far stranger than expected. Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI

A landmark episode packed with discoveries at the cutting edge of space and astronomy. Webb and Hubble redefine a category of stellar object, JWST delivers unprecedented chemistry data from an extreme exoplanet, a 21-year-old NASA observatory faces a daring robotic rescue, a multi-telescope image reveals an ancient galactic supernova, China's Tianwen-2 zeroes in on a possible fragment of our own Moon, and astronomers detect the chemical fingerprint of a planet swallowed by its star.   Story 1: Webb & Hubble Rewrite History: Terzan 5 Is a 'Bulge Fossil Fragment' Using the James Webb Space Telescope and archival data from Hubble spanning 12 years, researchers have definitively reclassified Terzan 5 — a stellar system 22,000 light-years away in Sagittarius — from a globular cluster to an entirely new class of object: a 'bulge fossil fragment.' Four distinct generations of stars have been identified within Terzan 5, formed 12.5 billion, 4.7 billion, 3.8 billion, and 2.5 billion years ago. Unlike a typical globular cluster with a single ancient stellar population, Terzan 5 repeatedly formed new stars by retaining the gas and heavy elements expelled by its own supernovae. Astronomers believe Terzan 5 is a surviving relic of the primordial clumps that merged to form the Milky Way's central bulge billions of years ago — a living fossil of galaxy formation. Results were presented at the 248th American Astronomical Society meeting and published in Astronomy & Astrophysics. Source: NASA / ESA / STScI press release, 16–17 June 2026   Story 2: JWST Catches the 'Roasted Exoplanet' HD 80606 b in the Act Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope's MIRI instrument have observed the extreme exoplanet HD 80606 b experiencing a temperature increase of 1,100°F (600°C) during its close approach to its host star. HD 80606 b is a gas giant four times the mass of Jupiter on a highly elliptical 111-day orbit. The JWST study — led by Tiffany Kataria of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory — also detected specific atmospheric chemical signatures including methane and carbon dioxide, enabling detailed study of how the planet's chemistry shifts under extreme heating. This is the most detailed look yet at an atmospheric response to a rapid, intense heating event. Results were presented at the 248th AAS meeting in Pasadena, California. Source: NASA / JPL press release, 16–17 June 2026   Story 3: Swift's Rescue Mission Cleared for Launch: LINK on the Pad NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which has studied gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy cosmic events since 2004, is facing re-entry as its orbit decays under increased solar activity. NASA contracted Katalyst Space Technologies in September 2025 to build and launch a robotic servicing spacecraft — called LINK — to boost Swift to a higher orbit. LINK is now encapsulated inside a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket, which has been attached to the Stargazer L-1011 carrier aircraft and is en route to Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands for launch later in June 2026. This will be the final flight of the Pegasus XL — the world's first privately developed orbital launch vehicle, which first flew in 1990. Its air-launch capability is uniquely suited to reaching Swift's unusual low-inclination orbit. Source: NASA press release and media teleconference, 17 June 2026   Story 4: Possible Supernova Remnant at the Galactic Centre A striking multi-telescope composite image released as NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day on 18 June 2026 reveals a possible supernova remnant near the galactic centre — a blue X-ray-emitting structure whose light is estimated to have reached Earth approximately 1,700 years ago, in the third century CE. The image combines X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA's XMM-Newton (the blue structure), radio data from the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa (the large red cloud), and optical background star data from the PanSTARRS telescopes in Hawaii. Source: NASA APOD, 18 June 2026. Image credit: NASA/CXC/UCLA/Z. Zhu et al.; ESA/XMM-Newton; MeerKAT; PanSTARRS   Story 5: China's Tianwen-2 Closes In on Earth's 'Quasi-Moon' China's Tianwen-2 spacecraft — launched in May 2025 — performed its primary orbit insertion burn at asteroid 469219 Kamoʻoalewa on June 7, 2026, and has since been performing fine adjustment burns tracked by amateur radio astronomers in Germany and the Netherlands. China's space agency has released no official updates. Kamoʻoalewa is a 40–100 metre quasi-satellite of Earth, orbiting the Sun in a path that keeps it perpetually near our planet. Its reflectance spectrum resembles weathered lunar rock, fuelling a theory that it is a fragment blasted from the Moon by an ancient impact — though a competing theory holds that it is an ordinary inner asteroid belt migrant. Sample collection is scheduled to begin July 4, 2026. Tianwen-2 will depart Kamoʻoalewa in April 2027, with the sample return capsule landing in Inner Mongolia in late November 2027. A new paper in Nature Communications (June 2026) challenges the lunar-origin theory, suggesting Kamoʻoalewa may instead originate from the Flora asteroid family. Source: SpaceNews, Scientific American, Nature Communications, June 2026   Story 6: A Star That Ate a Planet: TOI-5882's Chemical Fingerprint Astronomers led by Brooke Kotten of the University of Michigan have identified a chemical imbalance between the two stars of binary system TOI-5882, located approximately 1,300 light-years away. One star is enriched in elements characteristic of rocky planetary material — including iron, silicon, and magnesium — while its companion is not. Because binary stars form from the same gas cloud and should have identical initial compositions, this difference is interpreted as evidence that one star subsequently ingested at least one planet. The amount of enrichment suggests the equivalent of several Earth masses of rocky material was consumed. Source: Phys.org / University of Michigan, June 15, 2026       Connect With Us Website: astronomydaily.io Social: @AstroDailyPod (X / Instagram / TikTok / Tumblr) Network: Bitesz.com Podcast NetworkBecome 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.

Geoff Clayton is an astronomer at the Maria Mitchell Association. This week Geoff talks about JWST and how it works.

# SEO-Friendly Podcast Episode Description ## James Webb Space Telescope: Latest Discoveries from the Cosmic Frontier | The Space Cowboy Podcast Join The Space Cowboy for an exciting journey through the latest groundbreaking discoveries from the **James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)**. This episode explores cutting-edge astronomy news, from ancient galaxies to exoplanet atmospheres. ### What You'll Discover: **Early Universe Mysteries:** - Unexpectedly massive galaxies appearing just hundreds of millions of years after the Big Bang - The mysterious "little red dots" – compact, distant galaxies challenging our understanding of cosmic evolution - Supermassive black holes that grew faster than theoretical models predicted **Stellar Birth & Star Formation:** - Stunning infrared views inside dust-shrouded stellar nurseries - The iconic "Penguin and Egg" interacting galaxies revealed in unprecedented detail - How Webb pierces cosmic dust to witness the birth of new solar systems **Exoplanet & Solar System Research:** - Detailed atmospheric analysis of hot gas giant exoplanets - Water vapor, methane, and carbon dioxide detected in alien skies - Europa and Enceladus ice moon observations revealing potential for life **Cosmic Measurements:** - Refined Cepheid variable observations improving universe expansion rate calculations - New insights into the Hubble constant tension - Brown dwarf weather patterns and atmospheric dynamics Perfect for space enthusiasts, astronomy fans, and anyone curious about **NASA discoveries**, **deep space exploration**, and the **origins of the universe**. **Keywords:** James Webb Space Telescope, JWST discoveries, NASA news, early universe galaxies, exoplanet atmospheres, supermassive black holes, astrobiology, Europa ocean, space exploration podcast

Griffin Rowe explores how NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is revealing cosmic mysteries: massive primordial stars seeding black holes, failed brown dwarfs, rapidly growing supermassive black holes, possible biosignatures on exoplanet K2-18b, and spiral galaxies showing inside-out growth patterns. Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI

Andrea Ferrara proposes building a 40-meter telescope on the lunar surface to succeed the James Webb Space Telescope. This moon-based facility would avoid atmospheric interference, allowing scientists to directly detect the universe's first stars and resolve long-standing mysteries regarding the aftermath of the Big Bang. (8)1919

Andrea Ferrara describes using the James Webb Space Telescope to investigate a mysterious red light source initially thought to be the most distant galaxy. By observing luminosity changes over two years, he determined it is likely a rare pair-instability supernova, resulting from the explosion of a massive primordial star. (7)1919

Bob Zimmerman highlights discoveries by the James Webb Space Telescope, including a black hole 6 billion times the mass of the sun located 10 billion light-years away. He also describes a "flickering" quasar from the early universe that challenges current Big Bang theories. Finally, Zimmerman provides an update on the Curiosity rover as it travels through the "Grand" valley on its ascent of Mars. (16)1913

NASA Scientist Dominic Benford takes a behind the scenes look at NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope before it launches in September. Learn how this first-of-its-kind observatory will map the universe one panoramic frame at a time.

# SEO-Friendly Podcast Episode Description ## James Webb Space Telescope: New Sonifications, Uranus Discoveries & Black Hole Breakthroughs Discover how NASA's James Webb Space Telescope continues revolutionizing space science with groundbreaking infrared observations and innovative accessibility features. In this episode, the Space Cowboy explores Webb's latest achievements, from turning cosmic images into sound to revealing stunning details about Uranus's rings. **Episode Highlights:**

Griffin Rowe explores groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope discoveries: a supermassive black hole forming before its galaxy, chaotic stellar deaths, a potential moon-forming disk around an exoplanet, elongated early galaxies hinting at dark matter's wave nature, and observations reshaping our understanding of cosmic expansion. Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI

(8) Bob Zimmerman highlights Curiosity rover data confirming Gale Crater's shifting climate, which once supported warm water. The James Webb Space Telescope detected high methane levels on the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas, suggesting a unique chemical composition. Webb also captured a spectacular infrared image of the galaxy M77.

Nancy Grace Roman. Ariel. The next generation of space telescopes are here. Astrophysicist Dr Becky Smethurst and science journalist Izzie Clarke explore how they work, what they can tell us and why they might unravel our current understanding of the universe. Plus Dr Robert has your stargazing tips for June. Thank you to Dr Tom Barclay from NASA's Roman telescope and Dr Chris Pearson from RAL Space. The Supermassive Podcast is a Boffin Media production. The producers are Izzie Clarke and Richard Hollingham. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would happen to Earth if Jupiter stopped rotating? Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice answer a grab bag of fan questions about the challenges with space telescopes, the nature of AI, and whether aliens are funny.  NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:  https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-from-wine-to-wormholes/ Thanks to our Patrons Vail Stein, Aylin Anik, Neil Graham, EZChamp OSU, M Warth, Tanner Chiplis, SeeLive, Atlas, Ajamu, Frank Rizzo, Antoinette Watson, Beautiful Nightmare, David Vi…Vail Stein, Aylin Anik, Neil Graham, EZChamp OSU, M Warth, Tanner Chiplis, SeeLive, Atlas, Ajamu, Frank Rizzo, Antoinette Watson, Beautiful Nightmare, David Villegas, Juan Molina, Sean M. Garzee, Thiru, Madeleine Hewitt, Shanleigh McStay, Tony, Patrick, Honour, Arthur Rits, Charles Harston, Maciej Palicki, Lisa Battersby, David Trotter, Reggie B, Loren Loose, Kbobabob, Michelle Barr, Garreth Walker, Frklox, Jesse, Dankslippers, Heather Adams, Max Savage, Sara Vienna, Lorrin Suzawa, William Cooney, Hector, Daniel Durling, Mark McDonald, Brian Hartman, Sir Harold, Frank Sarcia, Barbara Mathews, Salem Geddings, Harry Powell, Green Go OG22, Henry Vestgård Pettersson, Osemoka, ADK_Astro, Stephen Chapman, Koji Shimada, Kerry NC, Adam Wiley, Justin Ash, Gregory K, Martin, Tyler Reinthaler, Nameria ✨, Mantas Gervinas, Lilsprite, Devou Patel, Decath1111, Danny Rectenwald, Grey Elerson, Fawaz Al-Daihani, Robert Santee, Isabel McCaffrey, Harvey Mushman, Felix, Waffle Head, Vikk, Kiara, Brian Yambao, Alex Cook, Ayeshrin, Jalun Armenta, M Frank, Steven Groves, Matthew Isen, Abdulrahman, Jessica Hewitt, Fabricio, Emcy Tech, Terence Garrod, George Straubing, Dan Leidal, Matthew Christophers, Nocte, Anthony Fenner, Tina Gallagher, Abe Massry, Paul Kulessa, Léo B, Fenyx, Kevin, Adam Jones, and Brett Ray for supporting us this week. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of StarTalk Radio ad-free and a whole week early.Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode: S05E112 — Tuesday, 26 May 2026 Hosts: Anna & Avery Network: Bitesz.com Podcast Network Website: astronomydaily.io  |  Social: @AstroDailyPod   Story Summaries 1. NASA Unveils Ambitious Moon Base Plan As this episode was recorded, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman was preparing to announce a landmark plan for a permanent human outpost at the lunar south pole by 2036. The programme carries a price tag of approximately $30 billion across a seven-year foundational phase, relies on nuclear power systems, leverages lunar water ice for fuel and life support, and effectively retires the Gateway orbital station concept. Commercial partners will supply rovers and habitat modules. Phase one targets around two dozen lunar launches, including Artemis IV, by 2028. Full details will be covered in tomorrow's episode. 2. Starship V3 Flight 12 — Engine Drama, Historic Debut SpaceX launched the first Starship V3 rocket on Friday, 22 May 2026, from brand-new Pad 2 at Starbase, Texas. Ship 39 reached space and completed a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean despite losing one of its six vacuum Raptor engines during ascent. The flight computer compensated by extending burns on the remaining five. The Super Heavy booster was lost in the Gulf of Mexico after a failed boostback burn. The FAA has opened a review. SpaceX declared most pre-planned test objectives met. 3. JWST Maps First Daily Weather Cycle on a Distant World Published in Science on 21 May 2026. Researchers from Johns Hopkins and Arizona State Universities used Webb's NIRISS instrument to observe WASP-94Ab — a hot Jupiter 690 light-years away — and detected the first daily cloud cycle ever recorded on another planet. Thick magnesium silicate clouds form each morning, then completely clear by evening. The finding also corrected a decade of skewed atmospheric composition data. 4. NASA's Fermi Telescope Solves 20-Year Supernova Mystery An international team led by Fabio Acero used NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to confirm the first definitive gamma-ray detection from a superluminous supernova — SN 2017egm. The data confirms a newly formed magnetar as the power source behind these extraordinarily bright explosions. Published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2026. 5. Most Rocky Exoplanets May Lack Earth-Like Metallic Cores A new paper submitted to the Astrophysical Journal challenges the long-held assumption that dense metallic cores are standard features of rocky planets. Researchers argue that most rocky exoplanets may have formed without Earth-style metallic cores — meaning no global magnetic field, with significant implications for atmospheric retention and habitability. 6. The Soviet Rover That Went Silent — and Came Back Lunokhod 1 was the world's first remote-controlled rover on another world (1970). After traversing 10.5 km of Mare Imbrium, contact was lost in 1971. For nearly 40 years its exact position was unknown — until NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter identified it in 2010. The APOLLO project then fired laser pulses and received ~2,000 photons back from its French-built retroreflector — four times stronger than expected. It remains an active contributor to lunar science today.   Sources & Further Reading •       NASA Moon Base announcement: nasa.gov/2026-news-releases •       Starship Flight 12 updates: space.com •       WASP-94Ab paper: Science, 21 May 2026 — DOI via Johns Hopkins Hub •       Fermi supernova paper: Astronomy & Astrophysics, 2026 — DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202558547 •       Exoplanet cores paper: submitted to Astrophysical Journal, May 2026Become 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.

PREVIEW for Later Today: The Mission to Rescue the Swift Space Telescope. Guest: Bob Zimmerman. Astronomers are organizing a rescue for the Swift telescope, currently in a degrading orbit. Its unique ability to quickly capture multi-wavelength data on gamma-ray bursts remains essential for studying black hole formation.JANUARY 1956

Following a smooth ride to orbit, the NASA crew began the thirteen-day flight that marked the fifth and final servicing mission for Hubble.

Today, we are taking a journey through the evolution of space telescopes and observatories. They are continuing to drive our understanding of the Universe, and the latest iterations - the Vera Rubin Observatory and the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope - are hoping to go even further. But what are these ambitious eyes on the sky revealing? Like this podcast? Please help us by supporting the Naked Scientists

Join AI host Griffin Rowe as the James Webb Space Telescope unveils the universe's earliest galaxy, MoM z14, existing just 280 million years after the Big Bang. We explore chaotic young galaxies, examine potential biosignatures on exoplanet K2-18b, investigate how galaxy shapes reveal dark matter's nature, and witness Webb's groundbreaking direct imaging of a Saturn-mass planet around TWA 7.Loved this episode? Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI, and catch just a slice of our AI hosts in action on Instagram at instagram.com/claredelish and YouTube at youtube.com/@DIYHOMEGARDENTVThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AIThis episode includes AI-generated content.

Nicknamed the people's telescope, Hubble has provided iconic deep-field images of the universe, including galaxies billions of light-years away.

Griffin Rowe examines groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope discoveries: supermassive black holes in the infant universe, chaotic early galaxies, atmospheric biosignatures on exoplanet K2-18b suggesting possible extraterrestrial life, and elongated galaxy shapes challenging dark matter models.Loved this episode? Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI, and catch just a slice of our AI hosts in action on Instagram at instagram.com/claredelish and YouTube at youtube.com/@DIYHOMEGARDENTVThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

15. Ken Croswell describes the landmark discovery of a lone black hole in the Milky Way. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers identified this massive object by its gravitational effect on light.1705

15. Ken Croswell describes the landmark discovery of a lone black hole in the Milky Way. Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers identified this massive object by its gravitational effect on light.1707

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBHzV4y7G5A Hosted by Tony Darnell. From May 23, 2025. The COSMOS-Web dataset represents the deepest look into our universe done by #JWST.     We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs.  Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too!  Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations.  Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.

Host Griffin Rowe explores Webb telescope discoveries: a supermassive black hole 570 million years post-Big Bang, chaotic early galaxies, potential biosignatures on exoplanet K2-18b, elongated galaxy shapes suggesting wave dark matter, and 1,700 newly cataloged galaxy groups reshaping our cosmic understanding.Loved this episode? Discover more original shows from the Quiet Please Network at QuietPlease.ai, explore our curated favorites here amzn.to/42YoQGI, and catch just a slice of our AI hosts in action on Instagram at instagram.com/claredelish and YouTube at youtube.com/@DIYHOMEGARDENTVThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

How do stars die? And what happens when they do? To find out, Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu welcome Dr. Ashley Villar, who teaches astronomy at Harvard and whose team studies supernovas as they happen. As always, though, we start off with the day's joyfully cool cosmic thing, the release of a set of new Hubble Space Telescope images of the Crab Nebula and the pulsar at its center. Needless to say, it's a great start to an episode about a team of scientists who actually study the moment a star explodes and the immediate aftermath. Ashley explains how they have been able to use LIGO, the gravitational wave detector, as a sort of early warning detector that twice gave them enough time to set up their instruments to observe the explosion over the next few hours and days as it unfolds. Professor Villar talks about how neutron star mergers and magnetars may be the source of heavy elements like gold and uranium. Or, as Chuck says, “A gold-filled smoke ring puffing off of a highly spinning, highly magnetic neutron star - what a great picture that would be.” Ashley is looking forward to how the Vera Rubin Observatory is going to change the observation of these events. In the process of explaining, Professor Villar answers an audience question from Jamison, who asks how often stars explode in space. It turns out, in our observable universe, there's a supernova every 2 seconds! We currently detect about 10,000 of these explosions every year - Vera Rubin will be able to detect 10,000 of these explosions in just two weeks. In order to get a handle on this flood of data, Dr. Villar and her team will be looking for these exotic physics needles in a haystack using machine learning models to look for patterns and abnormalities and “go fishing.” Charles asks Ashley for her take on AI and whether we should be afraid of it or not.(And yes, take the opportunity to plug co-host Allen Liu's forthcoming book, “The Handy Artificial Intelligence Answer Book.”) Allen and Ashley discuss the difference between how a chatbot like ChatGPT operates and how she trains her models. There was a second part to Jamison's question about exploding stars: Are we in any danger. Dr. Villar explains that when we just look at our Milky Way, supernovas occur only once a century, so we're not in any danger. Next, Jessie asks, “How do we know the universe is infinite?” Our answer is, we don't. That doesn't stop us from discussing it, though, and the conversation takes us to, among other places, the Nazca lines in Peru and the quantum effect that creates iridescent blue butterfly wings. (You can read the scientific research mentioned in the episode here: https://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms8959) We end with a discussion about supernovas, neutrinos, space dust, gamma ray bursts, and what kind of event it would take to interrupt the normal activities of space telescopes like the James Webb Space Telescope or the Vera Rubin and hijack them for a disruptive observation. And we get a book recommendation from Ashley, “Katabasis” by R. F. Kuang, about a grad student who journeys to hell to get a letter of reference from her deceased advisor. If you'd like to know more about what Professor Villar is up to, you can check out her lab's website at http://astrotimelab.com/. We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon. Credits for Images Used in this Episode: New Hubble mosaic of the Crab Nebula. – Credit: William P. Blair et al 2026 ApJ 997 81 Previous Hubble photo of the Crab Nebula. – Credit: NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University) The Vera Rubin Observatory. – Credit: RubinObs/NOIRLab/SLAC/NSF/DOE/AURA/P. Horálek (Institute of Physics in Opava), CC BY 4.0 Nazca line “The Condor”. – Credit: Photo by Roger Canals Blue butterfly wings in an electron microscope. – Credit: Radislav A. Potyrailo et al. Aragonite plates in a shell. – Credit:  Fabian Heinemann SN 1987A (Bright central “star”). – Credit: European Southern Observatory Artist's illustration of Gamma Ray Burst jets. – Credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/J. da Silva; Image processing: M. Zamani (NSF's NOIRLab) CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Welcome to The LIUniverse 02:14 - Joyfully Cool Cosmic Thing of the Day - Hubble Crab Nebula Images 07:06 - Neutron Star Mergers, Magnetars, and Space Gold 09:18 - How Often Do Stars Explode? 12:35 - Can AI Help Us Find Supernovas? 17:11 - Are We In Danger From Exploding Stars? 19:48 - How Do We Know the Universe Is Infinite? 24:01 - How Does Quantum Physics Impact Color in Butterflies and Supernovas? 31:16 - How to Hijack a Space Telescope

HEADLINE: The Rise of Private Space Telescopes GUEST: Bob Zimmerman A startup called Blue Sky Space is launching nano-satellite telescopes into orbit to provide research data to universities. Using SpaceX rockets, the company deploys modest telescopes—some with mirrors as small as five inches—that allow institutions to purchase observation time for teaching and spectroscopy. This model represents a return to pre-World War II practices where private investors, rather than government agencies, funded major astronomical research. (12)1958

Go to https://www.squarespace.com/BOBANDSHERI to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code BOBANDSHERI.   Goodbye! Morons in the News. Pet Cameras.   Everyone Needs a Laugh. Heartbreak Hotel. Terrible Tuesdays.   Talkback Callers. Can You Believe This? Space Telescopes.   From the Vault. Talkback Callers.

Cosmological Mysteries: The Little Red Dots. Guest: DINESH NANDAL. The James Webb Space Telescopediscovered "little red dots"—compact, bright objects in the early universe that are not easily explained as galaxies or accreting black holes. These findings challenge the standard model of cosmology, suggesting the universe matured much earlier than previously thought by 21st-century scientists.2009 BULLET CLUSTER

As we age, our vision gets blurrier, we form cataracts, and we have a higher risk of glaucoma. But Greenland sharks live for hundreds of years and still maintain healthy, functional eyeballs. So what gives?Host Ira Flatow talks with molecular biologist Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk, who studies the mechanisms of aging, about what we can learn from these fishy eyeballs and how it could help us.Plus, listener Leon called us with a question: Is it true that the James Webb Space Telescope's gold-plated mirror is so perfectly flat that if it were the size of the United States, the highest bump would be the size of a baseball? Not quite. Host Flora Lichtman discusses this feat of engineering with JWST project scientist Macarena Garcia Marin.Guests:Dr. Dorota Skowronska-Krawczyk is a molecular biologist and associate professor at the University of California, Irvine. She studies the mechanisms of aging.Dr. Macarena Garcia Marin is a project scientist for the James Webb Space Telescope at the Space Telescope and Science Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.