This week on Kalam Astro, host Alya Al-Nuaimi takes you on a thrilling tour of the cosmos — from a daring Japanese mission heading to the moons of Mars, to a call for YOUR help in one of astronomy's greatest hunts, to gemstones hiding in an alien sky, and a star so strange it could only be described as a cosmic zombie!
First up — Japan is doing something no space agency has ever attempted before. The MMX mission (Martian Moons eXploration), led by JAXA, is on its way to Phobos — one of Mars' two tiny, mysterious moons. But this isn't just a flyby. Japan plans to actually land on Phobos, collect samples from its surface, and bring them back to Earth. Why does this matter? Because scientists believe Phobos may hold ancient material from the very formation of Mars itself — and possibly even traces of life that were blasted off the Martian surface by asteroid impacts billions of years ago. Returning those samples to Earth could answer one of humanity's greatest questions: was there ever life on Mars?
Then — astronomers need YOUR help! Scientists believe our Milky Way galaxy should contain hundreds of millions of black holes, yet we've only found a tiny fraction of them. Where are all the missing black holes hiding? Researchers have launched a citizen science project, inviting people from around the world — including YOU — to help scan telescope data and track down these invisible cosmic giants. No telescope required. No PhD needed. Just curiosity and a screen!
Next, a jaw-dropping discovery: scientists have found what can only be described as gemstones floating in the atmosphere of one of the strangest planets ever found. This exoplanet — nicknamed the "marshmallow planet" because it is incredibly puffy and low-density despite being scorching hot — has an atmosphere filled with tiny crystalline particles that resemble precious gemstones. It is a world unlike anything in our solar system, and it is rewriting the rules of planetary science.
And finally — just in time for Halloween — astronomers have discovered the first ever GREEN star. Stars come in red, orange, yellow, white and blue — but green? Never, until now. This bizarre object is being called a cosmic zombie: a star that should be dead, yet somehow keeps shining in an eerie, otherworldly green glow. Scientists are baffled — and honestly, a little spooked!
Tune in, look up, and keep exploring with Kalam Astro!
