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Space Nuts: Fast-Moving Planets, Photon Pressure, and the Nature of Moons

In this engaging Q&A episode of Space Nuts , hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson tackle a series of intriguing listener questions. Kicking off with Ron's query about the implications of living on a super fast-moving planet orbiting Sagittarius A*, they delve into the fascinating world of time dilation and its effects on scientific observations. Next, Jeff from Colorado poses a thought-provoking question regarding photon pressure and its potential influence on the universe's expansion, leading to a discussion on dark energy and cosmic mysteries. Brian from the Gold Coast wonders about the visibility of cosmic microwave background radiation behind black holes, while Bob rounds off the episode with a query on the characteristics that define a moon. Join Andrew and Fred Watson as they navigate these cosmic curiosities with their trademark wit and insight.

Key topics

- The effects of high-speed planetary motion near a black hole on time and observational science.

- Exploring photon pressure and its relationship to the universe's expansion and dark energy.

- The cosmic microwave background radiation and its interaction with black holes.

- Defining moons: How small and irregular can they be while still being classified as moons?

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction and overview of listener questions

01:20 - Ron’s question about living on a fast-moving planet and time dilation effects

15:30 - Jeff’s inquiry into photon pressure and its impact on cosmic expansion

25:00 - Brian’s question regarding cosmic microwave background radiation and black holes

35:15 - Bob’s exploration of what constitutes a moon

45:00 - Closing thoughts and listener engagement

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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/35724789?utm_source=youtube

The coldest brown dwarf we know has weather. JWST watched water clouds thicken and thin on WISE 0855, a sunless world seven and a half light-years away — plus a star slowly eating a brown dwarf, ten minutes of X-rays after a half-second burst, a Soviet satellite breaking up over Western Australia, NASA's lunar cave hunt, and Mercury's best evening show of the year for the south. Stories Weather on a World Without a Sun Miles et al. used JWST NIRSpec to take a spectrum of WISE 0855 every 15 minutes for 11 hours. Carbon monoxide and phosphine rise and fall together as convection dredges deep gas upward, while patchy water clouds thicken and thin higher up — the first variable water clouds seen outside the Solar System. Source: University of Arizona release, 9 Oct 2026; arXiv:2609.20664 The Star That Eats Slowly ZTF J0440+2325: a red dwarf drawing gas from a 25-Jupiter-mass brown dwarf on an 87-minute orbit — the first confirmed stable mass transfer from a substellar object onto a star. Householder, Burdge et al., Nature Astronomy, 5 Oct 2026. Source: Nature Astronomy (2026); arXiv:2603.17039 Ten Minutes After Half a Second Einstein Probe caught ~560 s of soft X-rays after the 0.37 s GRB 250704B, at redshift 0.661 with no supernova — pointing to a compact-object merger and possibly a newborn magnetar. Science Bulletin, 2026. Source: DOI 10.1016/j.scib.2026.08.021; arXiv:2601.14137 A Dead Satellite Comes Apart Soviet weather satellite Meteor 2-7 (launched 1981) fragmented on 5 Oct at ~850 km, detected by LeoLabs' Western Australian radar. Cause unknown. Source: EarthSky, 9 Oct 2026; Space.com Quick hit: NASA Goes Caving on the Moon NASA's PRISM picks for the Moon Base program include GIMLI, which will probe the Marius Hills Pit for a lava tube, plus LEMS-SP and DISCO. Source: NASA RELEASE26-080, 30 Sept 2026 Skywatch Mercury at greatest eastern elongation — 24° up at sunset from Sydney vs 10° LA, 7.5° NY, 3° London. Crescent Moon near Venus and Mercury, Venus heading to inferior conjunction on the 24th, pre-dawn Mars and Jupiter for the north (Mars through the Beehive), Orionids 21–22 Oct. Source: Computed with PyEphem Sources · https://astrobiology.com/2026/10/09/first-detection-of-variable-water-clouds-outside-of-our-solar-system/ · https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.20664 · https://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/175765 · https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.17039 · https://www.arxiv.org/abs/2601.14137 · https://earthsky.org/?p=560313 · https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/a-dead-soviet-satellite-just-broke-apart-in-orbit-again-experts-say-its-part-of-a-worrying-trend · https://nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-adds-new-science-investigations-for-moon-base

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Monday SpaceTime 20261012 Series 29 Episode 122

How ancient black holes and a hidden fifth dimension could explain dark matter A new study claims an ancient hypothetical type of black hole and a hidden fifth dimension of spacetime may help explain the mysterious substance known as dark matter as well as a strange type of ultra-high-energy neutrino detected three years ago. Australia’s new lunar rover revealed The Australian Space Agency ASA has formally unveiled the latest version of its new Roo-ver lunar rover which will travel to the Moon in 2030 aboard an Intuitive Machines lander as part of NASA’s Artemis program. Evidence of activity from the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole Astronomers have discovered a powerful wind blowing from Sagittarius A* the Milky Way’s supermassive black hole. The Science Report The 2026 Nobel Prizes have been awarded in Sweeden. A Russian Bioweapon based on the Plague escapes the lab in Siberia. Scientists in Israel develop an artificial intelligence program that can quite literally read minds. Skeptics guide to diphtheria dangers.

Our Guests This Week Professor Richard de Grijs from Macquarie University NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine Director of NASA’s Planetary Science Division Lori Glaze Dragonfly Principal Investigator Elizabeth Turtle Associate Administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate Thomas Zurbuchen US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy NASA Associate Administrator Nicky Fox Mars Perseverance Project Scientist Katie Stack-Morgan Mars Perseverance PIXL Instrument Principal Investigator Joel Hurowitz from Stony Brook University Our regular guests: Alex Zaharov-Reutt from techadvice.life Tim Mendham from Australian Skeptics 🌏 Get Our Exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.bitesz.com/nordvpn (http://www.bitesz.com/nordvpn) . The discounts and bonuses are incredible! And it’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌ If you’d like to support the podcast and gain access to bonus content by becoming a SpaceTime crew member, you can do just that through The Big Bang editions on Patreon, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Details on the Support page on our website https://www.bitesz.com/show/spacetime/support/ (https://www.bitesz.com/show/spacetime/support/)

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Space Nuts: Unraveling the Mysteries of NGC 4698 and Chariklo's Rings

In this exciting episode of Space Nuts , hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson explore some truly peculiar cosmic phenomena. They kick off with a deep dive into the strange behaviour of the galaxy NGC 4698, known for its unusual rotational patterns and mysterious bulge, leading to discussions about possible galactic mergers. Next, the duo ventures into the intriguing world of Chariklo, a centaur object with changing rings, as they discuss the latest observations from the James Webb Space Telescope and the implications of its unique ring structure. Join Andrew and Fred Watson as they navigate these captivating astronomical tales with their signature blend of humour and insight.

Key topics

- The peculiar characteristics of NGC 4698: What makes this galaxy behave strangely?

- Insights into the dynamics of galaxy mergers and their effects on structure.

- Chariklo's rings: How have they changed since their discovery, and what does this mean for our understanding of ring systems?

- The potential existence of a hidden moon influencing the structure of Chariklo's rings.

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction and overview of today's topics

01:20 - Discussion on the peculiar galaxy NGC 4698 and its unusual features

15:30 - Exploring Chariklo and the changes in its ring system

25:00 - Insights from the James Webb Space Telescope and the hidden moon hypothesis

35:15 - Final thoughts and listener engagement

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Space Nuts: Time Travel, Orbiting Telescopes, and Gold Origins

In this Q&A episode of Space Nuts , hosts Andrew Dunkley and Professor Fred Watson tackle a range of thought-provoking listener questions. They begin with a fascinating inquiry from Andy, a train driver in the UK, about the implications of time travel at relativistic speeds. What does it mean to age differently when travelling close to the speed of light? The duo then dives into the mechanics of orbiting telescopes, addressing Nick's questions about how these instruments manage their observations while minimising interruptions from Earth. Finally, Ash from Brisbane poses an intriguing question about the origins of gold, prompting a discussion on neutron star collisions and the cosmic processes that create heavy elements.

Key topics

- Time travel and the effects of relativistic speeds on aging: Can we really travel through time?

- The scheduling and operational strategies of orbiting telescopes like Hubble: How do they maximise observation time?

- The origins of gold in the universe: What role do neutron star collisions play in the creation of heavy elements?

Timestamps

00:00 - Introduction and overview of listener questions

01:20 - Andy’s question on time travel and relativistic speeds

15:30 - Nick’s inquiry about orbiting telescopes and their observation strategies

25:00 - Ash’s question regarding the origins of gold and neutron star collisions

35:15 - Final thoughts and listener engagement

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