JWST observes Earendel - the most distant star known - 12.8 billion ly away | Night Sky News Sep '22

[@donnakano282]

My wife, Ellen, was saddened to hear about the passing of Dr. Drake, who she worked for at the UCSC astronomy and astrophysics department. She said he was a very nice and kind person whom she admired.

[@JaSon-wc4pn]

Rest in piece 🕊🕊🕊 *Dr Drake* 🕊🕊🕊 Thought go to his family

[@christopherlewis1847]

Dr. Drake left quite the legacy. The best thing we can do to honor him is to learn more about astronomy. I think that would make him smile. Rest in peace, Dr. Drake, and thanks so much for making people think.

[@independentfreethinkeroutl2176]

SCREW THAT!! not me im using 2 tooth picks to keep my eyes as wide openly possible and start 2 hours early i wana make sure i dont miss a second!!!

[@sicfxmusic]

What about you, feel nothing? 💦

[@ypey1]

I heard he was abducted by aliens...

[@Jatheus]

I just finished your book, A Brief History of Black Holes, and laughed at the many pop culture references. You have a gift for explaining the details without losing us who are enthusiastic but definitely not scientists. Thanks for what you do!

[@realspacemodels]

I couldn't have said it better! The book is amazing...the audio version is excellent with hours of the dulcet tones of Dr. Becky's voice narrating it.

[@somguy728]

Definitely NOT scientist has become NOT corrupted, all thanks to the internet. My doctor is a burger flipper, thanks to the internet.

[@annieoops6243]

I'll have to check that out!

[@greg-op2jh]

@@somguy728 what?

[@stevecroucher9624]

Totally agree. Love that that that we're all made of Super Nova Poop!

[@bobmesser9007]

"look for about 20 meteors an hour... right about 3 a minute" - uh... you guys do maths differently in the UK than we do here in the US. Love your show Dr Becky, just had to poke a little fun.

[@johnrich6928]

I had to double check my mental maths, she is a Dr of astrophysics after all, let's assume she recorded this late at night.....after some wine.

[@luxeraph]

Was doing the math on my head as to how many minutes apart on average and she said that, made me stop the video

[@michaelsommers2356]

@@johnrich6928 Astrophysicists only have to get within an order of magnitude of the right answer. It's a special power they have.

[@grrrsoft]

Was looking for a comment like this. I was not disappointed :D

[@IAmAlgolei]

I caught that mistake right when she said it, but because it's Dr. Becky I had to stop and think. I looked at a clock, I did some calculations on some graph paper, then I came looking in the comments for confirmation. Yeah, it's 3 minutes per meteor, not 3 meteors per minute. ...right?

[@annieoops6243]

It is so amazing JW is doing its thing..It feels like yesterday I was saying "just imagine what the JW will show us" and here we are..what a beautiful accomplishment..and your channel is amazing!

[@witchdoctor6502]

I love that basically every week there are some news from JWST. For years as it was being developed, we were hearing about how it will change our knowledge and now finally when it is up there and working it is actually blowing our minds.

[@kumasenlac5504]

I don't know how the MIRI squad will keep up - genuinely new stuff in the inbox every morning...

[@terryhaines8351]

I was one of the people who ordered your new book before it was out, so when the release date came, I was expecting a box on my porch. I had forgotten that I ordered the Kindle version of the book! It took a couple of days before I realized my error, but when I looked in the Kindle folder, there it was! Hooray for Dr. Becky and her new book!

[@TheBookDoctor]

Oh! RIP Frank Drake! 😥I had the pleasure of meeting him once about 25 years ago at a SETI Institute function, in the early days of their Allen Telescope Array project. I won't say I knew him or can make any comment on him as a person, but I have enormous respect for his work and contributions to SETI.

[@delvis008]

I'm super impressed with the footage you managed to aquire Dr Becky! Now this is more like the excitement I used to feel when Sir Patrick was ace in the sky.

[@farmergiles1065]

A bit of (related?) lore: I'm guessing that some JRR Tolkien fan is responsible for nicknaming the star Earendel. It's rather poetic, though involved, and quite fitting. Tolkien, expert philologist and linguist, brought his love for language and names into his Middle Earth mythology. He created several language types, including that of the High Elves, along with their writing glyphs (letters) and quite detailed pronunciation guides. He spelled Earendil with an "umlaut" on the "a", separating the two vowels into two syllables, and specifying the stress on the third syllable: ay - ah - ren' - dill. Earendil's story is told in the 24th and last chapter of the Silmarillion, which chronicles the High Elves in Middle Earth, in Beleriand, which was destroyed at the end of the first age. This was thousands of years before the Lord of the Rings. Earendil was a High Elf (the great grandson of Fingolfin), who had married Elwing half-Elven (that is half Elf and half human), the granddaughter of Luthien and Beren. Their sons were Elrond (half-Elven) and Elros (who chose to be human/mortal). This is the Elrond of the third age (for elves do not die except through battle or accident), some 5000 years or so later by Tolkien's chronology. Elros founded the dynasties of the Kings of Westerness in Middle Earth, of whom Aragorn was the last such king. Earendil sought to leave Middle Earth and sail to Elvenhome, the High Elves' first dwelling place. His wife, heiress to the great Silmaril (brightest of all jewels) which had been recaptured from Morgoth the great enemy, gave him the Silmaril to attach to the bow of his ship, a light to banish all darkness. And thus Earendil returned. But his life was now cemented to the place of the elves, for barriers had been placed to bar such travel by humans or elves. Yet he dreamt of sailing the oceans again, built a new boat, and fixed the Silmaril to its bow. And so, passing out of Elvenhome, he was borne upon the mists and upward to sail the heavens, and the Silmaril shone as a star. So it was that Earendil became the evening star of Middle Earth, celebrated by the elves in song and legend. And so it was that Galadriel, queen in Lothlorien, came to capture Earendil's light in a Phial, the star-glass that she gave to Frodo as he departed Lothlorien on his quest. And it was the light of Earendil that guided Sam and Frodo through their trials, and saved them from Shelob, the light to banish all darkness. And now we have Earendel, a star shining from the deep darkness of time itself, and shedding light on the history of our universe. Appropriate name, is it not?

[@squidkiller5263]

Was hoping someone other than me caught that!

[@dlevi67]

Tolkien took the name Earendel from Anglo-saxon mythology, where (lo and behold!) it was the name of a star - the morning star (i.e. the planet Venus); occasionally the name is taken as a synonym for sunrise. I suspect this was more influential on the naming than Tolkien's history (beautiful as it is). See e.g. the poem _Crist I_ in the Exeter Manuscript (late 8th century CE), which contains: "Eala Earendel, engla beorhtast, ofer middangeard monnum sended, ond soðfæsta sunnan leoma, torht ofer tunglas, - þu tida gehwane of sylfum þe symle inlihtes." "Eala earendel, brightest of angels, sent over the earth to mankind, and truest light of the sun, bright above the stars, all spans of time you, of yourself, enlighten always." (where not only one gets the name of Earendel, but also a mention of "Middle Earth" - middangeard, with the meaning of "the part of the universe inhabited by humans"). Tolkien specifically mentions this as one of his sources of inspiration for his whole fantastic universe.

[@Lasselucidora]

Dont understand what you all talk about. This just proves Silmarillion is a true story. Nothing more, nothing less.

[@dlevi67]

​@@Lasselucidora You may be interested to know that there is an asteroid named Sauron. I suppose you'll take this as proof that the Lord of the Rings is true. And the hillocks on Titan named Gandalf and Bilbo do the same for The Hobbit

[@Lasselucidora]

@@dlevi67 Wow. Thanks. I am so happy. So Sauron is in space now? Locked in a stone? They should have put that in the book. I have been a little nervous. He has been taken care of before - and has come back.

[@Jdcrouch1972]

How have I never seen this channel. Have a nice break, I have a chance to binge catch up a bit

[@wesleydonnelly2141]

What an amazing time for astronomy and related sciences! I just cannot wait for all the new discoveries by JWST in particular! Thank You as always for a great vid Dr. becky! Wes, Liverpool UK.

Please ask one of the planet/star seekers to carry a telescope or at least a camera to prove their success, thanks.

[@wesleydonnelly2141]

@ I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean Shon ? Prove their success with what ? I was referring to the NASA James Webb Space Telescope, and absolutely every bit of data they capture with it is available online for anyone in the world to download, study, research etc for free. You will find a wealth of new data there if you wish to research any of it my friend ? Did you think I was referring to private individual with their own Telescope and camera equipment? Wes.

[@wesleydonnelly2141]

@ Shon I have viewed planets, galaxies, nebulae, stars, everything, with my own bare eyes through my own telescope from my own back garden! I highly recommend you buy a good telescope and start looking up yourself, then you will never doubt JWST and other Billion dollar telescopes again!

[@Demane69]

I actually left a reply pointing out the inaccuracy of the information on that KZbin channel. I didn't return, but clearly my reply was deleted too. Thanks for the space news Dr. Becky!

[@benketteridge9150]

The Orion nebula comparison between Hubble and JWST is so jaw-dropping! I'm just a software engineer with no astronomical education, but even I'm left open-mouthed in awe.

[@kshmyarox7]

dude just wanted to flex he’s a software engineer

[@independentfreethinkeroutl2176]

SCREW THAT!! not me im using 2 tooth picks to keep my eyes as wide openly possible and start 2 hours early i wana make sure i dont miss a second!!!

[@DJRonnieG]

I always loved the little dark cloud in near the center. Caught it in poo-resolutuon on my C8.

[@somguy728]

NASA sucks, try " SuspiciousObservers', wakey wakey!

[@DJRonnieG]

@@somguy728 I like SuspiciousObserverw but I am skeptical to an extent. I still like some of his work, especially when he takes NASA to task regarding the more "politically-charged" stuff when it comes to meteorology. Still, I am dubious of the more hard-core "electric universe" hardliners. I beleive that electromagnetic factors are important and S.O. strikes a good balance while others seem to think that the current models and E.U. are mutually exclusive. Well in any case, keep your eyes up!

[@JahLuvzU]

Thanks for the News! I must note, at 2:23 or there about, You say "20 meteors an hour" and "that`s 3 a minute". We both see what has happened, everybody does it, it is OK. This is my main source of information on things I might spot in the late nights or early mornings, thanks again!

[@flix6470]

Fun fact: Earendel was also the name of a character in the lord of the rings universe (Eärendil). He is the father of elrond and steers a ship through the skies, carrying with him the star of Eärendil, a silmaril stone shining bright in the night sky.

[@RealLodoss]

Don’t forget Elros 😊

[@jppcasey]

I'm not sure what I like most about this channel; The subject information she gives or her passion for it. I think it's an even split.

[@herblapp6134]

Yes

[@cicad2007]

Um... small corredtion. 20 meteors per hour is not 3 per minute, it is one every 3 minutes.

[@josh032687]

I was hoping to see the brand new pictures JWST took of Neptune. Just stunning! Hopefully next month!

[@Dragrath1]

Note that the assumption that redshift corresponds to a distance directly depends on the assumption that the rare of expansion is constant and or isotropic. If its not then you would have corrections based on how the expansion has varied in space and time.

[@johntaylor2683]

It's certainly should be isotropic at the largest scales, as the big bang happenened 'everywhere' even though everywhere was truely tiny at the start of inflation, and was pretty large at the end of inflation (postulated that quantum fluctuations prior to the start of inflation is the variablity in the cosmic microwave background radiation), that is why space was flat until "dark energy" became noticeable a few billion years ago, chaning the geometry to hyperbolic. I take your point if c or G (for instance) have changed but noticably over the last - upto 150 years. That would require mods to GR.

[@Dragrath1]

@@johntaylor2683 That is the argument many physicists have made and continue to make in theoretical simplifications. Its thus down to some subtle and nuanced reasons that that doesn't work. In this case its not a problem with the initial state it can effectively be homogenous and isotropic the problem however is that it turns out that no valid solution can exist which permits an expanding of contracting universe to remain isotropic at any scale. This comes down ultimately to the implications of the No big Crunch theorem which effectively evaluates the phase space of all possible solutions to the Einstein field equations in the limit where the size of the universe goes towards infinity. What they show is quite profound namely that for a sufficiently large universe that was initially expanding/contracting it will always expand/contract forever else one results in an inescapable logical paradox where two mutually incompatible outcomes must be true at the same time everywhere. iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1475-7516/2016/10/022/meta The logical reasoning behind what this mathematical proof means wasn't covered in the linked paper by Matthew Kleban and Leonardo Senatore however if you take a deeper look there is a shockingly simple although easy to miss reason that it can't be isotropic which will require us to consider things from the context of information theory and the implications for the set of all possible solutions to the Einstein field equations which are initially expanding. If you aren't familiar with information theory remember that information is defined as what is needed to fully describe the state of a system. In this case we are interested in the set of all possible initial conditions of the unconstrained Einstein field equations. This is an uncountable set so analysis can't be done conventionally but metamathematics still allows us to surprisingly still get information about the system mainly by showing what is *not* allowed within this set which is the approach Matthew Kleban and Leonardo Senatore took to derive the No big crunch theorem. But importantly it shows that for the Einstein field equations to be internally consistent there will always be a directional inequality between the volume of the universe in any time slice of spacetime with the volume in any other time slice and these will always has the same sign as the differential in space i.e. space always gets bigger forwards in time or smaller backwards in time. In other words we automatically get the arrow of time as a consequence of enforcing internal consistency within the solutions to the Einstein field equations. Note that expansion causes the 1st and 3rd laws of thermodynamics to become automatic as well in effect for any system of differential equations to be internally self consistent for any and all possible initial conditions the laws of thermodynamics must always apply everywhere. Here thermodynamics appears but it is not statistical but rather an inviolable universal state variable of spacetime, can you say hello hawking radiation! Specifically the implications of this proof show us that the isotropic and homogenous solution to the Einstein field equations the Friedmann Lemaitre Robertson Walker solution is dynamically unstable under perturbation because for the Einstein field equations to be internally self consistent all terms of the metric tensor must always be nonzero and unique everywhere in spacetime meaning the the off diagonal elements can never cancel out, else we have by definition erased information from the universe regarding the Einstein field equations meaning that it is no longer possible to reconstruct the past state of the universe anywhere in spacetime. In effect the assumption of isotropy is equivalent to saying the past does not exist and information is not conserved i.e. the two sides of the Einstein field equations are no longer equal. This is a problem as if the past state doesn't exist then the current state can't exist either so we have effectively reproduced a variation of the grandfather paradox as spacetime is a 4 dimensional object which must be continuous over both space and time but we just showed that it can't be continuous and thus this assumption violates the definition for all systems of partial differential equations. Importantly this assumption also makes the theory incompatible with the foundational axiom of both quantum field theory and thermodynamics which may naturally explain why we have failed to unify general relativity with the other fields of physics. Note that from the perspective of information propagation the nonlocal link between the increase in total volume of the universe as time goes forwards for an expanding universe allows us to naturally define both a local and a cosmological entropy to any volume of space in any timeslice or rather we can see that the No big crunch theorem for an initially expanding universe is identical to the second law of thermodynamics where in this case entropy is a absolute constraint to the metric tensor for any set of manifolds which obey the Einstein field equations. Thus the assumption that cancelation of terms within the metric tensor is allowed in were allowed this would be equivalent to forcing logical discontinuities in time breaking causality. The only way for such a universe to stay isotropic without breaking causality is if and only if that universe is conformally invariant over all possible transformations. In the context of information theory however this naturally is identical to saying the system contains no information and thus entropy is undefined. Here all arbitrary choices of metric scaling's of space and time are by definition conformally invariant, causality is thus preserved only because there is no information of past events to propagate which could break causality as nothing can ever happen by definition. However what happens if we allow fluctuations away from this perfect vacuum state? In these conditions that fluctuation will slightly perturb the local energy stress tensor distribution and thus also causing a nonzero anisotropy within the metric tensor. Because of the No big crunch theorem we know that terms within the metric tensor must always be nonzero and unique thus this means even if the fluctuation vanishes soon after we have broken conformal invariance and thus non linear gravitational effects will begin to dominate the systems behavior. Also based on the work of unconstrained simulations any nonzero information causes the system to rapidly diverge from the Homogenous and isotropic state a divergence which may in fact potentially provide a compelling mechanism for inflation at least in principal and thus allowing information on the Universes initial conditions to propagate well beyond the bounds of the observable universe at any one place. If one looks at the consequences of conservation of information and causality it isn't hard to show that there is no logically self consistent way to keep such a universe isotropic at any distance scale because as the no big crunch theorem proves the assumption that the off diagonal terms of the metric tensor can cancel out is logically forbidden (i.e. no solution can exist that also obeys causality and information conservation) on any system of partial differential equations. Ultimately you have to pick do you want causality and or logical continuity to hold or do you want to preserve isotropy at some scale? You can't have both because there is no internally self consistent way for isotropy to be maintained even within a universe that began as perfectly homogenous and isotropic at least not within the bounds of any theories based on the mathematics of general relativity. TDLR according to the unconstrained Einstein field equations a universe can start as homogenous and isotropic but it can never stay homogenous and isotropic unless it is empty of information. We also get the arrow of time and all the laws of thermodynamics for free without any input which also naturally leads us to hawking radiation.

[@chrism7541]

One thing I learned from witnessing the 2017 total solar eclipse in Paducah, KY is that during the crescent phase, EVERY shadow has a crescent shape. Even the light passing through the leaves in a tree casts little crescents all over the ground. Fascinating simple observation!

[@paulmichaelfreedman8334]

They are not shadows but pinhole projections. If you look closer you'll see the crescents have been rotated 180 degrees in relation to the sun's crescent. Now you probably won't have another eclipse for a while but you can test this with a crescent moon and a magnifying glass, and project it onto a piece of paper. At night of course.

[@maverick627uk]

Love your style, so straight to the point. The subject of astronomy will always be dear to me and to hear it in a fellow northerers accect is just a bonus. I actually have a very old book showing Halleys comet and was lucky enough to see its last appearance. Keep up the great work Dr Becky 🔭🪐 - Mav

[@independentfreethinkeroutl2176]

SCREW THAT!! not me im using 2 tooth picks to keep my eyes as wide openly possible and start 2 hours early i wana make sure i dont miss a second!!!

[@EnzymeGuy]

I love this content, but not to be TOO critical - the point (from my reading of the title) finally starts at 9:42.

[@maverick627uk]

@@EnzymeGuy The sentiment was global, I meant in general across her videos....

[@kumasenlac5504]

Most recent ?

[@stevengill1736]

I've always wanted to put the sun through a collander.... cheers!

[@chrisl3447]

Thank you for calling out these channels that spread misinformation! I get so frustrated when I see that channel specifically recommended to me because their videos all have click bait titles but the information in the actual video is all things we've already knows or speculation! You are the best

[@1hikari26]

Thank you Dr. Becky for sharing your knowledge and passion with us. You are such a role model to me, as a student whose goal is to one day be a real scientist. A true rock star! :)⭐

[@christopherlewis1847]

Dr. Becky's enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge make her channel wonderful. Best wishes to all!

[@DenizenoftheAges]

Hype for the review I've been waiting for

[@plark7323]

My friend recently found a meteor a little smaller then a football. Currently being examined at UCLA

[@patrickwalsh2361]

Wow! How cool. That’s got to be worth a lot but it’s good that you put it in the right hands.

[@Jolielegal]

A correction, at 15:40, the brightness of a planet is correlated to its mass not because more massive planets reflect more light, but because more massive planets are hotter. The light we detect is thermal radiation from the planet, not reflected light from the star. This is why all direct imaging surveys focus on young stars, because planets cool down with time and therefore are brighter when young.

[@patrickwalsh2361]

I’ve been waiting sooo long for these redshifted photons! RIP Dr Drake 🙏

[@MrFLUIZZLE]

Good one. 😄

[@jerelull9629]

Dear Doctor Becky: I'm never quite convinced about new astrophysics announcements until I hear it from your lovely visage. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm and beauty.

[@2secondslater]

Hi Dr Becky, just want to say I love you, not in that way, but I love you for doing what you do and making science accessible and fun.

[@jeffersonott4357]

Half a million subs by Halloween ! Well deserved. One of the most skilled science communicators on the planet. Digging through these dry Science papers and synthesizing them for us (general average types). Is MUCH appreciated! I would love it if Dr Becky branched out a bit, and, if she doesn't feel a expert on chemistry, or biology, she at least has the knowledge and skill to interview those with those special skills.

[@yrobtsvt]

So many great examples of that in this video especially! She explained how we are scientifically confirming new exoplanets and black holes in such an intuitive way.

[@fademusic1980]

Dr Becky is always so enthusiastic about space

[@Jimmyinvictus]

"Earendil was a mariner..." (That's no star, it's a silmaril!)

[@tcumming123]

It kinda says something when people don't know if it's a meteor, space-junk, SpaceX launch, or whatever. I remember back in the day the only thing it could be was a meteor.

[@Valdagast]

It's almost like scientist get new data when a new instrument is unveiled. And change their theories accordingly. Is there still a discussion about the two ways to measure the Hubble constant? Will JWST help us with that?

[@TheZestyBerry]

Hi Dr Becky, I've recently subbed to your channel, and I just wanted to say how nice and refreshing it is to see content like this on KZbin, I hope your work and effort promotes more representation and inspiration for Women in STEM subjects.

[@RoissyAngel]

We also learnt that Becky has odd-shaped toe nails. This channel is so informative and revealing. I keep mistaking Jupiter for Venus due to how bright it is at the moment.

[@ShivamKumar99217]

I am from India and I love your videos on universe...Your videos has increased my intelligence and knowledge...And my quest for knowing the ultimate reality or secrets of universe are amply supported by you... ❤️

[@johnevans6399]

If only JWST had a colander those distant planets would be so easy to observe.

[@CortisaBackup]

I'm writing about you in my personal essay for early admission to boulder for an astronomy major, I hope you know how much you inspire the youth!!

[@Valdagast]

Earendel is so remote and difficult to interact with that astronomers has named it "Dad".

[@Jantsenpr777]

Not my dad for sure. Mine was loving, warm, affectionate, and approachable.

[@lastborn11]

Its so distant it should be known as “ Farther” … haha dad jokes!

[@darthvirgin7157]

that’s a bit morose, dude.

[@MCsCreations]

Sometimes I would like if my father was that distant. He talks too much, all the time... Specially when I'm trying to watch videos. 🙄

[@Valdagast]

@@Jantsenpr777 Mine was as well. But I heard the joke on SNL and liked it.

[@neoanderson7]

Always great to have a small update regarding space events. 😉👏🏻 Have a great time off!

[@42ZaphodB42]

No, your're not all first. Be creative, people?

[@RootVegetabIe]

Got'em

[@williamking632]

Love your content Dr. Becky.. will miss next weeks video, but have a great vacation.. see you next time..

[@Ti-nf4fq]

Prettiest astrophysicist in the world. Love your channel.😁

[@davidmacphee3549]

She looks remarkable. Yes, But She looks so much like own Wife did when we were a lot younger in a strait on view. She did a reaction video and I saw Dr. Becky from a different angle. They actually do look quite different I guess in person. Her eyes reflect a Brilliant Mind! My Wife, not so much .. Oh well ..

[@eda703]

@@davidmacphee3549 that’s so savage 💀

[@EnglishMike]

@@davidmacphee3549 What kind of asshole disparages his own wife in public?

[@Ti-nf4fq]

@@davidmacphee3549 all I know is her mate is very lucky!

[@Nt1fthrntc]

Just found you a couple weeks ago while trying to avoid JWST clickbait and quickly fell in love with your channel! Very much looking forward to your Oct’ Night Sky News!

[@DrBecky]

Amazing! Welcome

[@stephenrichards5386]

There are some 'science ' youtubers that are nothing but click bait.

[@TheCosmicGuy0111]

Sadly

[@stephenrichards5386]

@@TheCosmicGuy0111 I have to say I'm sick of them. Anyone who follows Becky will know who they are

[@MAGA_Extremist]

I know what you mean you watch them and you learn nothing. With titles like James Webb's new terrifying discovery of such and such! And when you watch it there's nothing terrifying at all.

[@stephenrichards5386]

@@MAGA_Extremist you got it. Scientists are never terrified, scared, worried. We are curious, sceptical inquisitive

[@alwaysdisputin9930]

@@MAGA_Extremist Yeah like "The reason why mass causes spacetime to curve" It's clickbait because nobody knows why. It could've been Merlin the wizard for all we know.

[@charlesbright6510]

It’s amazing the engineering of the tools involved in viewing the cosmos!

[@AAbattery444]

Hello Dr. Becky! I know this is random and maybe inappropriate. But I had a random science theory that I can't get out of my head ever since I came up with it. I know this isn't the appropriate video to comment on but this is the only way I thought of sending this message to you so that you actually might see it. And I don't really have the knowledge of math it takes to test or see if this theory is a legit thing or if nobody else has come up with it. And you were one of the the first people I thought of when I thought of who might have enough knowledge/reach to take this information and do anything potentially useful with it, if it has any use to it at all. I'll try my best to summarize it here. Basically, it's a theory about light/gravity wave propagation and spiral galaxy formation. In essence, it comes down to this: Imagine light tavelling around galaxies as if individual light particles/waves were track runners on a racetrack. If all track runners were to run the same speed, their relative positions to each other would still diverge in a spiral-like pattern over time because they run in different lanes. This results in each runner having to run a separate distance relative to one another even though they run at the same speed. This is why track runners have to start at different positions so that the inner runners don't have an innate advantage. What if Galaxies spiral because light and gravity, despite traveling/interacting at the same speed locally (the speed of light) at all reference frames, warps space itself because of the difference in the distances that it has to travel in each galactic "lane". Wouldn't the galaxies spiraling simply just be a consequence of the difference in spatial geometry similarly to how track runners diverge from each other on a race track despite running at the same speeds but in different lanes? I came up with this idea based on a thought experiment thinking about how cars travel different distances in a roundabout despite traveling at the same speed due the the inherent geometry of the paths they're driving on. So I thought to myself "what if the same were true of light traveling through space? What if that's how gravity also influences galaxy formation? My idea itself is a little more complex than the analogy I'm using to explain it. I just can't think of a proper way to explain it without actually knowing complex math. Originally, I was thinking how light curves around stars and I was imagining light traveling around the curvature of spacetime kind of like how cars curve along different lanes in a roundabout. Light traveling closer to an area of high gravity still travels at the same "speed" but has to travel a greater distance due to the increased curvature of space relative to an observer farther away, where light would still travel at the same speed but less distance due to flatter spacetime curvature. I was thinking of how this might be relevant to galaxy spiral formation. I don't know if somebody else came up with that idea. Somebody probably did. But I can't sleep until I at least make an attempt to get this thought out somewhere. And it bothers me that I don't understand complex math enough to even test if my theory has any merit. If you manage to see this message, that would be awesome! And I'd appreciate any insight you have in the matter. If not, and somebody else sees this, can somebody help me get this message to Dr. Becky somehow? Or somebody who has the brain and the math skills to test if this is a legit theory. Even if it's already a known theory. It would be cool if somebody let me know it was a real thing. And that I was able to intuitively come to this conclusion on my own. Also, love your content. It always inspires me to think about random stuff like this. You make astronomy so interesting with your unique enthusiasm and energy. Thank you got such a great content!

[@xcergy9482]

Got my shrit in th mail today. Love it! the quality/wt of the material will keep me warm all winter!

[@chrisnotaperson8127]

A simple box pinhole projector is also very easy to make. you put a tiny hole in the box on one side and then cut a viewing hole in the box perpendicular to the line of the pin hole to the far side of the box. You look through the viewing hole not at the tiny hole you poke in the box but the far side of the box from the pinhole and you see an image of the eclipse. It is very much like a Camera obscura built out of any old cardboard box you have at home.

[@vmpgsc]

LOVE the note "Not to Scale!" LOL!

[@battlechef7323]

Brillant and informative as always; Have a great Holiday; looking forward to what comes after you return

[@paulkinzer7661]

I was out at our local public observatory with my son last night, so this video today is timely. Thanks for your constant thrill with science! (and I wish my son wasn't 21 years old yet, because, boy, those MEL kits look tempting.)

[@michaelsommers2356]

You could still get some. Not for yourself, of course, but to test them to see if they're suitable for your future grandkids.

[@paulkinzer7661]

@@michaelsommers2356 True, but unfortunately, I'm on a fixed retirement income. But my son, the potential future parent, is soon to become an electrical engineer. I'll send him a link!

[@UhrwerkKlockwerx]

The power of the JWST is absolutely incredible. I love how far technology has come!

[@PitboyHarmony1]

It is Earendel (old English for morning star), but more precisely, its actually also Eärendil, of Tolkien Middle Earth lore. Either way, the pronounciation should be the same. Earendel is old English from Proto-Germanic origins, so it would not be pronounced as modern English would see the letters. The pronunciation is Earendil : air-⟨r⟩en-deel (the ⟨r⟩ is a rolled R) ... not: ear-in-dell For those interested in the literary history of the character, we are talking Middle Earth, First Age, about 10,000 years before Frodo. Its a long story, but: Eärendil travelled in his ship Vingilot, to the home of the Valar in Valinor (Angel like spirits that ran stuff). He became the first of all mortal men to set foot on Valinor. Eärendil then went before the Valar, and asked them to assist the Men and Elves in Middle-earth, to fight against Morgoth (the OG bad guy), which they agreed to do. For making this trip, his ship Vingilot was placed in the heavens, and he sailed it "even into the starless voids", but he returned at sunrise or sunset ... the only surviving Silmaril (important shiny gem) ... glimmering in the sky. Theres a lot more to the story, but theres the gist.

[@hankseda]

These night sky news shows are sooo soothing !

[@jameswack1823]

Having been an avid Science Geek (1st grade Science Fair) and long-time Space Enthusiast since JFK, the Apollo 11 landing I watched live, the early 1980's and the L-5 Society, a personal friend of Carl Sagan, and 40+ years of I.T. career (now retired), the JWST launch and deployment, the recent DART mission I watched live (woohoo!)... may I offer my kudos to you and your work as an advocate for Science. Whew. I admire your enthusiasm and your clarity of explanation. Thank you! Also enjoyed seeing Jupiter brightly in the early morning sky. And I am STILL frustrated by the Artemis launch delays.

[@IsmaelNxala]

Been waiting so long for this episode!

[@shawnstrode3825]

Your enthusiasm is amazing. That smile and glint in corner of your eye. I truly enjoy your videos .

[@freefall9832]

Really? I was wishing she would tone it down a little.

[@davidwoods7720]

Sticker on my telescope:- "Do not look at the sun thru the telescope with your remaining eye"

[@saeedafyouni619]

Dr Becky is awesome love her content, I will admit though some stuff is hard to understand completely, I have to rewatch her videos over and over to get everything.......but thank you for making these videos Doc

[@sallyscrive]

Can wait for your video about DART mission! I'm so excited!

[@thirstfast1025]

Enjoy your time off, Dr. Becky! You've definitely earned it! Can't wait (but obviously understand for now, I'm gonna have to!) to see your next video! Cheers!

[@trumpthevizsla]

Loved the book. I ordered the audio book. Great stuff. I most appreciated the effort you put into helping the reader (or listener in my case) what a "black hole" actually is. It is neither black or a hole. Knowing a thing is a lot different than being able to conceptualize a thing in actual existence. Thanks for teaching us.

[@josephc3276]

Another incredible episode Dr. Becky!!!! 🤯👍 RIP Dr. Drake 🙏

[@timrichesson3264]

Also one can punch a small hole in a piece of paper to see partial eclipses, use a back ground to best see the image Ty Becky

[@Jadetchii]

Just found my new favourite channel… you just gained a new subscriber!! 🎉

[@markmongan]

Wow! The possibilities are endless! We are so lucky to have brains like yours working towards our future :)

[@BradGryphonn]

When I was a kid in the late 60s we had a near total eclipse. We were at school s the teacher taught us how to make a pinhole shadow device. However, a bunch of us kids found a tree that was casting multiple eclipse images through the leaves onto the ground.

[@joshroolf1966]

That's a magical scene to imagine..:::💛

[@joyl7842]

The directly imaged exoplanet is something many people, who understand the distances involved, probably thought wouldn't happen in our lifetimes - including me. It is truly amazing data collected by JWST this early already managed to do this. Astonishing!

[@donford4369]

P0pppp9

[@foymanatee]

Excellent cosmo-science-news youtube channel. Very well explained and ... documented. (From a french follower)

[@GrooveFederation]

thank you for sharing! your fresh outlook on life is really refreshing!

[@deep_space_dave]

Thanks Dr.Becky! Another awesome update!

[@tonytaskforce3465]

Hail Earendel, Son of the Morning!

[@Dan4rescue]

With regards to those weird conspiracy videos you mention at 8:50, I've seen them around before in various spaceflight circles, where people are equally frustrated about them. The most popular theory I've seen (and have no proof of) is that the vast majority of the views simply come from bots, and the comments there are from the few humans who actually clicked on it. Commenting on them probably isn't the best idea because regardless of the message, KZbin will see that as engagement and cause the algorithm to recommend the videos to even more people. I think the best thing to do is report the videos as misinformation and avoid giving them any unnecessary engagement or exposure.

[@antonvikaeus1993]

Hi Dr Becky! Nice work with your astronomically wondrous videos! But please, do correct the distance to Earendel - which is not 12.8 Gly. The light is estimated to originate from a location in spacetime which is currently at a comoving coordinate distance of about 28 Gly, while the light has been traveling across the expanding space for about 12.8 billion years. These estimates are all based on the redshift, which is itself an estimate based on photometry alone which will indeed be checked with spectroscopy - probably before the turn of the year. I write as I'm currently on a cosmic mission to battle the misunderstandings of an expanding universe - a very important topic indeed. All the best, Anton Vikaeus

[@maxmac7845]

I used to read the the Beno when i was a kid and pronounced the word Gnasher with the "G" pronounced. My mother didn't correct me for a while and used to have me read it in front of her friends. I was wondering what they were laughing at. Dennis was cool also. Another informative episode Becky. Congratulations on producing the best cosmology channel on KZbin.

[@vernonspady555]

This is the most interesting stuff there is, period! Brilliant presentation, excellent explanations. I appreciate your eloquence.

[@tycannah4271]

Love that you offer some comfort that we are still safe when you reference any black hole that is "close" to us. Just don't mention high energy solar flares, asteroid impacts, gamma ray bursts, errant mobile stars or nearby supernovas.

[@paranoidmarty]

Thanks Dr.Becky keep looking up ✨. Martin from the Emerald Isle ☘️🇬🇧👍

[@topquarkbln]

Thanks for sharing, like always a pleasure to watch and understand a bit more over time 👍

[@harcorepokernetwork5468]

I love the show.. you really put it all into the realm of understanding for novice enthusiasts to deep thinkers who may not know the math... I am Canadian and I was walking home heading due north with the Big Dipper in the sky before me... and I thought I would love to see Dr. Becky do a show where she showed actually how full of the universe the scoop part of the dipper is... " How full is the Big Dipper"

[@jerelull9629]

It's great to find someone geekier than I am.And my wife who isn't a STEM person likes watching you too, so I can watch without guilt. Watching you wax poetic about black holes: Another treat, since I'm not certain what exactly they are. I'm leaning toward them no longer being part of our universe other than their gravitational influences.

[@mannequinskywalker]

Your channel is a bright spot on KZbin & your knowledge of Rapper's Delight made me smile 😎

[@Iwashereathestart]

"Earendel (Earendil) Our most beloved star" - Galadriel

[@deborahcoyle7612]

Another great episode! Thank you! Enjoy your break.

[@JMDinOKC]

Dr. B, I'd like to see a video where you describe where you think the boundary is between what is known and what is unknown in astrophysics - in other words, where experiment, data and established theory leave off and uncertainty and speculative hypotheses begin. Because I'M CONFUSED!

[@IgorEngelen1974]

ok, the book in the background was too tempting. It's in my list now :-)

[@sarawatlism18]

I've got so much to say, but to sum it up - Girl u r really smart. Keep up the good work

[@diniaadil6154]

This is my new favorite channel 😊😊

[@recumbentrocks2929]

Great update as always and enjoy your break.

[@Dobviews]

I went and took pics of Jupiter last night. Got some great pics.

[@Darwinwasright167]

Dr. Becky, I recently finished you’re latest book and wanted to say it’s awesome.

[@pparr052971]

the wine glass analogy was really good. Helps me explain to my son. Thank you.

[@russkie69]

I'm so glad that I've discovered your channel! You don't dumb down the science, you just explain it very well. I actually have a question. Why do we call them black holes? Aren't they actually objects that are just amazingly dense?

[@npcx-mq6cr]

She has a great video about this (of course!) kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKbKk5tpn96VrMU

[@johncaputo5538]

Simple definition: It's an object that is so dense it attracts objects like falling into a hole, and, also, light can't escape, so it is assumed that it is black, although that's not exactly true.

[@npcx-mq6cr]

Yes but. She explains how they ended up with the name, and why it drives her bananas

[@CandidDate]

I noticed something strange...light from the setting sun was passing through a small hole at the top of my blinds and casting a perfectly focussed shadow of the the leaves on the tree outside my apartment...I googled "pinhole astronomy" and that got me thinking that if you look through a pinhole, you could see the star and planet in perfect focus?

[@philipginn6179]

I'm reading that chapter about Planet 9 right now! Loving your book!

[@glenchapman3899]

I have reached the point where unless the video is from Dr Becky mentioning JWST I dont even bother clicking on them anymore.

[@txmike1945]

Me too, except if it is on a PBS site or BBC then I'll watch it because it likely has good science behind it.

[@Micetticat]

The colander trick is fantastic! You get to see not only one image of the Sun but a lot of them!

[@graemep.1316]

Dr Becky's New Book: 20:22 *plug away you should be proud 👏