Starry Nights, AstroBee Returns, and Mount Wilson's Legacy | S02E48

**Show Notes: Astronomy Daily Podcast, Series 2 Episode 48 - October 9, 2023***Hosted by Steve Dunkley, live from Australia, with AI Newsreader Hallie.*1. **Introduction:**- Steve welcomes listeners and introduces Hallie, his digital counterpart.- Hallie shares a story about the AstroBee robots on the International Space Station (ISS). One of them, the yellow AstroBee, has returned to work.- Steve expresses his fondness for the AstroBee robots and their utility on the ISS.2. **Upcoming Space Missions:**- A mission to examine asteroid Syke is set to launch on October 12. The mission will utilize data from the retired observatory, Sophia.- NASA's Syke Mission, launching on October 12, aims to research asteroid 16 Syke, believed to be metal-rich and one of the largest asteroids in the asteroid belt. The mission will use data from the retired Sophia Telescope and NASA's Ames Research Center.3. **SpaceX Launch:**- SpaceX is set to launch 22 Starlink Broadband satellites on October 9 from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. The launch can be viewed live on SpaceX's account on X (formerly Twitter).4. **AstroBee Robots on ISS:**- The yellow AstroBee robot, named Honey, has returned to the ISS after maintenance. It can perform tasks autonomously, aiding astronauts and serving as a platform for research and STEM outreach.5. **Mount Wilson Observatory:**- The observatory, once a prime location for astronomical discoveries, faces challenges due to light pollution from Los Angeles.- Despite its historical significance, funding challenges persist. The observatory relies heavily on volunteers for maintenance and operations.- The observatory marks the hundredth anniversary of a significant discovery, shedding light on its rich history and contributions to astronomy.6. **Closing Remarks:**- Steve encourages listeners to visit the Mount Wilson Observatory website (mtwilson.edu) for more information.- He also promotes the Space Nuts podcast and the Astronomy Daily podcast, available at spacenuts.io and bitesz.com.- Steve invites listeners to join the Space Nuts Facebook group and sign up for the Astronomy Daily newsletter.*End of episode. Thank you for tuning in!*Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/astronomy-daily-latest-space-news--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.astronomydaily.io/nordvpn. You'll be glad you did!Get the best secure and private email on the planet. Stop your Government, google and who knows who else spying on every email you write. Do what we did and use ProtonMail. They beleive in privacy and there are no ads in their business model...yet they still provide a free forever service. Check them out and get out special deal at www.astronomydaily.io/protonmailBecome a supporter of Astronomy Daily by joining our Supporters Club. Commercial free episodes daily are only a click way... Click Here