20 Billion Stars and Counting - NASA's Quest to Map Our Entire Galaxy

Get ready for the most ambitious mapping project in human history. NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is preparing to revolutionize our understanding of the Milky Way by cataloging an unprecedented 20 billion stars—dwarfing every previous galactic survey. In this episode, we explore how this cutting-edge infrared observatory will peer through the cosmic dust and gas that shrouds our galaxy, using the way starlight bends and dims to create the most detailed 3D map of the Milky Way ever assembled.

Through the massive Galactic Plane Survey program, Roman will unlock secrets that have puzzled astronomers for generations: How do stars actually form? What drives the mysterious recycling of galactic material? And what gives our galaxy its distinctive spiral structure? Launching no later than May 2027, this mission promises to transform astronomy by making its treasure trove of data freely available to researchers worldwide. We'll discuss how this open-access approach will fuel discoveries for decades to come and help us finally understand our place in the cosmic neighborhood.

Join us as we preview the telescope that will rewrite the story of our galaxy and reveal the intricate dance of 20 billion stars that call the Milky Way home.

Thank you for listening to Bedtime Astronomy — your guide to the cosmos. New episodes on space exploration, NASA missions & the latest astronomy breakthroughs.