A New Era for NASA, Tracing Comet 3I Atlas’ Origins, and DART’s Asteroid Deflection Lessons

NASA's New Interim Administrator: In a surprising turn of events, President Trump has appointed Sean Duffy as NASA’s interim administrator. With a background in transportation and a stint on reality television, Duffy's unconventional path raises questions about the future direction of the agency amidst significant budget cuts proposed by the administration.

- Discovery of Comet 3i Atlas: Astronomers have traced the origin of the newly discovered interstellar comet 3i Atlas back to the Milky Way's thick disc, revealing it to be between 7.6 and 14 billion years old. This groundbreaking finding offers invaluable insights into the history of our galaxy and the processes of planetesimal formation.

- Insights from NASA's DART Mission: We delve into the complexities revealed by NASA’s DART mission, which successfully altered the orbit of the asteroid Dimorphos. The aftermath of the impact has unveiled new physics regarding asteroid composition and debris movement, crucial for future planetary defence strategies.

- Saturn's Return to the Night Sky: Stargazers rejoice! Saturn is making its return to the late night sky, providing an excellent opportunity for observation. With tips on timing and viewing conditions, we encourage listeners to grab their telescopes and enjoy the stunning sight of this magnificent gas giant.

For more cosmic updates, visit our website at astronomydaily.io (http://www.astronomydaily.io/). Join our community on social media by searching for #AstroDailyPod on Facebook, X, YouTube Music, TikTok, and our new Instagram account! Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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.

✍️ Episode References

NASA Interim Administrator

[NASA]( https://www.nasa.gov/ (https://www.nasa.gov/) )

Comet 3i Atlas Discovery

[University of Oxford]( https://www.ox.ac.uk/ (https://www.ox.ac.uk/) )

DART Mission Insights

[NASA DART]( https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/dart/main/index.html (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/dart/main/index.html) )

Saturn Viewing Tips

[In The Sky]( https://www.inthesky.org/ (https://www.inthesky.org/) )

Astronomy Daily

[Astronomy Daily]( http://www.astronomydaily.io/ (http://www.astronomydaily.io/) )

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Episode link: https://play.headliner.app/episode/28030192?utm_source=youtube