Cleaning's all done!
Okay, let's go, Miracchi, Makki!
Yeah.
Oh, I forgot my phone. You two go on ahead.
Okay, okay.
Oh, Ino-senpai.
Morning!
Good morning! I'm glad it's sunny!
All thanks to your teruteru bouzu dolls!
We're all rooting for you!
Ao!
Good morning!
Good morning, Mira.
It's sunny today, huh?
Yeah!
We might get to realize our dream today!
Let's find your star, Ao!
12. Connected Cosmos
After observing until morning, we entered day two of the Shiny Challenge.
Today starts with our study session.
Okay, read the next page, Konohata-san.
Okay.
"Asteroids are small solar system bodies that form when rocks smash into planetoids.
On the other hand, trans-Neptunian objects are said to be
Mira, you can do it!
ice leftover from the creation of the solar sausage..."
Sausage?
Let's take a break, shall we?
"An asteroid's reflectance spectrum
is derived from ordinary chondrite in S-types and"
carbonaceous chondrite in C-types.
What's that?
When you analyze an asteroid's light,
you can identify its general composition.
Wow. So there are different types of asteroids, too?
For example, the asteroid Hayabusa launched at was the stony S-type, Itokawa.
The one that Hayabusa 2 was launched at was a carbonaceous C-type.
Unlike planetoids, most asteroids haven't gone through thermal evolution.
Meaning they're the same as they were long ago?
Like cookies before they're baked?
That's right.
By studying asteroid rocks,
we can trace the history of our solar system.
I see...
Going to space and bringing back rocks, huh?
Sounds like a joint project between the astronomy and geology groups.
You're in the earth sciences club, right?
Why was it split into groups?
Uh...
Because it was formed by merging two different clubs.
Huh.
I guess it's true that there are a lot of fields lumped into earth sciences.
It's literally "the science of Earth," right?
Some call it geological sciences, too.
Geoscience for short.
Geoscience...
Geoscience club...
This should be all the reading we need to do for tomorrow's presentation.
Right!
All that's left now is to hope tonight's observation goes well!
Looks like the weather will be okay tonight.
Yeah.
Observation Control Room
Hanashima-san, Horiguchi-san, please take care of them.
Sure.
Well, good luck.
And have fun!
Okay!
We'll begin photographing now.
This will take a little time,
so why don't you all go out and look at the stars while it's running?
Can we?!
Of course.
There aren't many clouds out today, so you should have a great view.
We still have some of last night's candy left!
There's a lot.
Let's bring drinks, too.
I need my camera...
Wow! It's the Milky Way!
It's my first time seeing it so clearly.
Oh, Mars is incredible!
It's in close approach this year, too.
I think it's about -2, maybe -5 right now?
Oh, a shooting star!
Ao!
Yeah!
I see.
So after the Shiny Challenge is over, it's straight to entrance exams for you.
I am taking them this year, so I have summer courses.
What about you, Miracchi and Aocchi?
Huh?
What are you going to do after you discover an asteroid?
Are you going to try to become researchers like Hanashima-san?
Our senpai asked us the same thing once,
but I don't know yet.
I want to discover an asteroid and name it Ao.
If we're able to make that dream come true,
then maybe I'll come up with a new dream.
I see.
You're taking it one day at a time!
You both do seem to live in the present.
Yeah.
Let's do our best to find one!
It'd feel great to help you two achieve your dream, after all.
Yeah, let's do our best.
We've finally made it this far.
The first round of photographs is done.
Let's do our best to cover yesterday's share, too.
Right!
There are more stars than last night.
Yeah.
Doesn't look like there are any new ones.
Send me the data, too!
I'll double-check it!
How about this region?
Nope, nothing.
Nothing but known ones here.
Conditions aren't bad tonight,
so it's up to your luck and tenacity.
Luck, huh?
Asteroids are rotating, and many are misshapen,
so they can suddenly seem brighter, depending on the angle.
Mira! Look here!
It's moving!
Which one?
Right here.
You're right.
The image is unclear, so the auto-discovery isn't reading it...
There's a chance it could just be noise, too.
Hanashima-san, just to be sure, can you try updating our database
of known astronomical objects?
Right.
Ao...
Well, what shall we do?
Shall we photograph the same region once more to confirm,
or try aiming for another region?
It takes 30 minutes to photograph one region.
Keeping in mind the time we need to create our presentation materials for tomorrow...
We can only photograph one more region tonight.
Let's photograph the same region again.
We should place our bets on the highest probability.
Right.
Tomorin, Makki...
Please!
All right.
Okay, we're done running the initial processing on the photograph data.
It's the moment of truth.
Hey, let's all push it together.
Of course!
Kinda feels like we're a sports team.
What's wrong with that? Let's get our spirits up!
One, two...
It's a known object...
That's a shame.
Still, now I know it's actually within reach.
Finding a real asteroid is within our reach.
Yeah.
Presenting our results when we haven't found anything feels kind of...
You still need to do the work.
It's still important to write your reports,
even if you didn't produce the results you hoped for.
It will become precious information
for the others observing after you.
Case in point,
you made your observations while referencing past research data and documentation.
That's right! Thank you, all who came before us!
Let's do our best, Ao!
Yeah.
Murikabushi Telescope
I think this works for our explanation of the telescope.
Yeah, I think so.
Oh, I have a picture of the Murikabushi.
Oh, right. It'll be easier to understand with pictures!
Aocchi, lend me your camera!
Sure.
Let's make the pages on the observation procedure
while she does that, Mira-chan.
Roger that!
Let's use pictures of the stars, too.
Good idea!
The summary pages are done.
It's already morning...
All the memos and photos you took were a big help, Ao. Thank you.
No, I should apologize for butting in so much when I'm just an observer.
I had a lot of fun, though!
Let's have a private discussion about your personality, then.
We give our presentation in a few hours.
Go to sleep.
In the end, neither the optical group nor the electromagnetic group
were able to discover any new astronomical objects.
I don't think this experience was a waste, though.
As Hanashima-san told us,
"This will become precious information for the others observing after you."
We'll make use of our results this time around, and one day,
I'm sure we'll discover a new astronomical object.
Thank you very much!
Thank you very much for allowing me to sit in and watch.
Thank you very much!
How was the Shiny Challenge for you?
I'm glad I came!
It's made me want to study even more.
I plan to use what I learned here to discover an asteroid someday!
I'm looking forward to that.
Please come visit again.
We will!
Ishigaki Youth Center
If I get into a university near you all,
I'll come pay you a visit.
Okay.
Me, too!
I'll come visit when I save up enough to come down for Neon's tour!
Please let me stay with you girls when I do!
Of course!
Oh, right! I want to take a commemorative photo!
Great idea! Where should we take it?
A photo? In that case...
There's only one place.
Yeah.
Ready whenever you are.
One, two...
That concluded our participation in the Shining Star Challenge.
It went by so quickly.
Yeah. I had fun, though.
I'm glad we got to meet Tomorin and Makki.
It was fun getting to work in a team with people
from completely different fields.
Yeah.
In that sense, it's the same as the earth sciences club.
Astronomy and geology, and now meteorology, too...
How did it go on Ishigaki Island?
It was really fun!
I see.
That's great to hear.
I got to chat with new friends under the starry sky.
Oh, and we even stayed up all night preparing our presentation material!
Sounds like it was a great experience for you, Mira.
When do you think you'll be coming home next?
Welcome back, Senpai!
Welcome back!
Thanks!
Thanks.
Now, you two...
I'm thinking of a running a special feature
on the Shining Star Challenge in our new issue after summer break.
A special feature?!
So please let us interview you soon.
Interview...
Hello!
Hello.
Suzu-chan, Megu-chan!
Wow, long time no see!
It really has been a long time!
I brought some of Suzuya's delicious bread and sweets...
Wait, huh? There's a bunch of sweets here.
They're souvenirs from Mira-chan and Ao-san.
Looks like we're overlapping with them, Onee.
Suzuya's bread is more than welcome!
I've been wanting to eat some forever.
Senpai!
Hey!
Thanks for the snacks!
Onee, I'm heading back to my club now.
Okay, thanks.
Oh, Megu-san, here.
Star sand?
How cute.
Stars and sand... Reminds you of the earth sciences club.
Those are actually the shells of a creature called Foraminifera.
Yeah. The older ones are known as index fossils or facies fossils.
They're used to determine the geological period and the environment of the time.
Megu, this is going to take a while, so you can go.
Thank you for the souvenir. See you later!
This is still incredible.
I can't believe you collected this much in just three days.
It was a bit challenging, but we had Ao helping us, too.
Um...
Ao?
Thank you so much!
I couldn't have made it to Ishigaki Island without all of your help.
I never could have gone on my own.
We wanted you both to go, together.
Yeah.
Everyone was cheering you on during our entire summer camp.
Oh, thank you for the teruteru bouzu dolls, too!
That was Nana-chan's idea.
Huh? Really?!
Nana-chan, thank you!
They really helped!
I didn't do anything...
Um, I've loaded the photo data.
Wow, I want to see!
Me, too!
So pretty!
I wish I could have seen this in person.
It looks like fun...
These two are Tomorin and Makki.
They were in our group.
Tell me more!
Oh, it's from Tomorin!
Yoo-hoo!
Guess what?! I got to meet Neon in person at the Star Festival!
Wow! Good for you, Tomorin!
I was so happy, my memory's missing in places.
What?!
Sounds like temporary amnesia caused by extreme stress.
Hey, why don't we all go stargazing for the first time in a while?
I already got permission for you.
Sensei!
How long have you been there?
Here.
Thank you so much!
So she wasn't just the barbecue magistrate.
I am your advisor, you know.
We can see better on the roof!
Yeah.
All done lining up Jupiter!
You've gotten quite used to doing that, Mira-chan.
Can I?
Go ahead.
It's striped.
Yeah. Tonight, you can see four of its moons.
Nana-chan, I want to see, too.
Sure.
It's striped.
Mira-senpai, Ao-senpai.
U-Um, I'm sorry you couldn't discover an asteroid this time...
but please keep trying!
Yeah, we will!
Thank you.
Looks like Nana-chan's smiling more than she used to.
Now that you mention it...
That's great.
It sounds like Chikage's taken an interest in astronomy lately, too.
She has?!
It was the same for us.
Being around Sakura-senpai and Ino-senpai
made us grow interested in geology, as well.
You're right. So much has happened.
Everyone has their own things they love and their own special talents,
their own unique world.
If you're all by yourself, you only have your own world,
but when it connects to others,
the possibilities spread out endlessly before you.
Just like the vast, unknown
cosmos.
Let's discover one someday.
Yeah.
Let's discover one.
And let's fulfill...
...our...
...promise together.