Superflare Warnings, Binary Stars at the Galactic Core, and Lucy's Close Earth Flyby: S27E156

SpaceTime Series 27 Episode 156Superflares: A Century-Long Threat?A new study warns of the potential for our Sun to unleash superflares, with the threat estimated at once per century. These massive eruptions could engulf the Earth, challenging our understanding of solar behaviour. Evidence from other sun-like stars suggests that such violent solar events may be more common than previously thought, urging caution as we continue to study these phenomena.Binary Star Discovery Near Galactic CoreAstronomers have identified the first binary star system near Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy. This discovery, made using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, offers new insights into how stars can survive in extreme gravitational environments. The findings could pave the way for detecting planets orbiting close to this massive black hole.NASA's Lucy Mission: Onward to JupiterNASA's Lucy spacecraft has completed its second close flyby of Earth, gaining a gravity assist to propel it towards Jupiter's Trojan asteroids. This manoeuvre is part of Lucy's 12-year mission to study these ancient celestial bodies, believed to be remnants from the early solar system. The spacecraft's journey promises to unlock new secrets about the formation of our planetary neighbourhood.00:00 This is Spacetime Series 27, episode 156 for broadcast on 27th December 202400:48 New observations suggest our sun may be far more violent than previously thought05:17 Astronomers detect binary star system near supermassive black hole08:49 NASA's Lucy spacecraft makes second close flyby of the Earth10:37 NASA's Lucy mission is heading to the Jupiter Trojans12:26 Sea ice levels in the ocean surrounding Antarctica reach new record lows in 202313:52 A new study claims drinking moderate amounts of wine can ward off heart disease15:05 There are headlines saying believing in Loch Ness monster makes you less stressedwww.spacetimewithstuartgary.comwww.bitesz.com🌏 Get Our Exclusive NordVPN deal here ➼ www.bitesz.com/nordvpn. Enjoy incredible discounts and bonuses! Plus, it’s risk-free with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee! ✌Check out our newest sponsor - Old Glory - Iconic Music and Sports Merch and now with official NASA merchandise. Well worth a look...Become a supporter of this Podcast for as little as $3 per month and access commercial-free episodes plus bonuses: https://www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com/about✍️ Episode ReferencesNASA Lucy spacecrafthttps://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/lucy/overview/index.htmlMax Planck Institutehttps://www.mpg.de/enEuropean Southern Observatoryhttps://www.eso.org/public/Kepler space telescopehttps://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/kepler/main/index.htmlNature Communicationshttps://www.nature.com/ncomms/British Medical Journalhttps://www.bmj.com/European Heart Journalhttps://academic.oup.com/eurheartjAustralian Scepticshttps://www.skeptics.com.au/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/spacetime-with-stuart-gary--2458531/support.