Idaho Skies Transcript for May 25th, 26th, and 27th

RACHEL
Welcome to Idaho Skies for May 25th, 26th, and 27th. We’re your hosts, Rachel…

PAUL
…and Paul.

RACHEL
The moon appears above a white spark of a star on the 25th.

PAUL
That stellar spark is Spica, the brightest star of Virgo the Maiden.

RACHEL
And it represents a spike of wheat in her hand.

PAUL
Even more interesting is the solar system that astronomers discovered in Virgo in 1992.

RACHEL
This was the first solar system astronomers ever discovered, but surprisingly, the planets orbited a pulsar.

PAUL
A pulsar is neutron star, or a star that has died in a horrific supernova explosion.

RACHEL
So just how could a solar system of three planets survive the explosion of their parent star, astronomers wondered?

PAUL
Perhaps the pulsar was originally two small white dwarf stars that spiraled into each other.

RACHEL
Their merger could have resulted in a neutron star and a thick ring of dust and gas.

PAUL
And that ring could later collapse to form planets.

RACHEL
Unfortunately, these planets have no chance of being habitable.

PAUL
That’s because the radiation emitted by their neutron star scours the surface of the planets free of water and atmosphere.

RACHEL
The result is three baked and burnt worlds orbiting the dim light of their deadly sun.

PAUL
Astronomers have named the pulsar Lich…

RACHEL
…which is an old English word for an undead creature able to control other undead creatures with magic.

PAUL
And the planets are named Draugr, Poltergeist, and Phobetor.

RACHEL
All names associated with the undead, the ghostly, or with nightmares.

PAUL
That’s Idaho Skies for the 25th, 26th, and 27th of May.

RACHEL
Be sure to follow us on Twitter @IdahoSkies for this week’s event reminders and sky maps.

For Idaho Skies this is Rachel…

PAUL
…and Paul.

RACHEL
Dark skies and bright stars.