Bedtime Astronomy

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter has identified a huge impact crater on the Moon created by a collision in early 2024.

About 728 feet wide, it is the largest modern impact observed in the solar system and offers new clues about how space debris reshapes the lunar surface.

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Astronomers studying nine nearby galaxies have found evidence that active supermassive black holes may sometimes trigger star formation rather than suppress it.

Powerful outflows from these black holes can generate shock waves that compress surrounding gas, creating conditions where new stars can form. The discovery reveals a complex feedback process in which black holes may help shape the evolution of their host galaxies.

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This episode includes AI-generated content.

VT J1906+0849 is a mysterious radio source in the Milky Way that has remained active for more than 20 years, repeatedly brightening while producing no detectable X-rays.

Astronomers believe it may involve a black hole or neutron star feeding on surrounding matter, with a dense disk wind hiding its central engine while powering powerful radio jets. The object could represent a previously unknown class of stellar remnants.

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This episode includes AI-generated content.

The Moon could support permanent human settlements, but its resources may place strict limits on how large they can become. Near-constant sunlight at the lunar poles could provide abundant energy, yet limited water ice could prevent the growth of large cities and heavy industry.

Future lunar civilizations may need hidden water reserves, imported resources, or radically better recycling to expand beyond small settlements.

Thank you for listening to Bedtime Astronomy — your guide to the cosmos. New episodes on space exploration, NASA missions & the latest astronomy breakthroughs.

This episode includes AI-generated content.

Could the James Webb Space Telescope finally detect small moons orbiting distant planets? New research shows that combining observations from multiple planetary transits can reduce noise and reveal much weaker signals.

Although no exomoon was found around LP 890-9 c, the study suggests that the search for the first confirmed exomoon may be more promising than previously thought.

Thank you for listening to Bedtime Astronomy — your guide to the cosmos. New episodes on space exploration, NASA missions & the latest astronomy breakthroughs.

This episode includes AI-generated content.