Astronomy Daily - The Podcast: S03E240
Welcome to Astronomy Daily, your ultimate source for the latest in space exploration and astronomical wonders. I'm your host, Anna, and today we're diving into a festive episode as we explore how astronauts celebrate holidays in space and uncover some astounding cosmic discoveries.
Highlights:
- Holiday Traditions in Space: Journey through time from the Apollo 8 crew's historic Christmas broadcast from lunar orbit to modern-day celebrations aboard the International Space Station. Discover how astronauts maintain holiday spirit, from makeshift trees to creative Hanukkah traditions, even in zero gravity.
- Cosmic Water Reservoir Discovery: Learn about an extraordinary find near a distant quasar, revealing a water reservoir vast enough to fill Earth's oceans 140 trillion times, offering insights into the early universe's composition.
- Lunar Dust Challenges: Delve into NASA's ongoing battle with lunar dust as they prepare for the Artemis missions. Explore innovative solutions like the Clothbot and electrostatic experiments crucial for future lunar exploration.
- James Webb's Chiron Discovery: Discover the unique characteristics of Chiron, a centaur with comet-like activity and a mix of ices and gases, as observed by the James Webb Space Telescope.
- December's Launch Schedule: Get updates on a bustling month of space launches, including SpaceX's ambitious Starlink missions, Russia's historic Soyuz launch, and India's private sector breakthrough with the Spadex mission.
- Tracking Santa from Space: Delight in the heartwarming tradition of NORAD's Santa tracking, a festive blend of aerospace technology and holiday magic, tracing its origins to a simple wrong number.
For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io. Sign up for our free Daily newsletter to stay informed on all things space. Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, Tumblr, 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. Have a very happy Christmas wherever you are.
00:00 - In this episode we'll look at how astronauts celebrate Christmas far from Earth
01:07 - The tradition of celebrating holidays in space dates back to 1968
03:47 - December has been an exceptionally busy month for space launches with 24 attempted
05:59 - Astronomers have identified an enormous water reservoir 12 billion light years away
10:42 - The James Webb Space Telescope has made another groundbreaking discovery on Chiron
12:38 - NORAD helps children follow Santa's journey around the globe each Christmas Eve

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