Source of zodiac glow identified
New research identifies Jupiter Family comets as the primary source of the zodiacal cloud's eerie glow, contradicting previous theories that pointed to asteroid dust.
Asteroids
Articles tagged with Asteroids
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Co-orbital restricted three-body problem and its application
The study of co-orbital motion in natural bodies, including asteroids and satellites, has significant research value. The authors have developed a new method to design and optimize LISA orbit with an extended applicable region of over 1000 years.
Biggest, deepest crater exposes hidden, ancient moon
Asteroid impacts over billions of years have left the Moon with a pockmarked surface, but a new crater may expose a portion of the lower crust. The Apollo Basin, formed by a smaller asteroid impact, measures 300 miles across and is believed to reveal the lunar crust's early history.
Asteroid killed off the dinosaurs, says international scientific panel
A panel of international experts confirms that an asteroid collision caused the Cretaceous-Tertiary mass extinction, which killed off the dinosaurs and over half of Earth's species. The Chicxulub asteroid impact triggered a global winter, causing widespread destruction and paving the way for mammals to dominate the planet.
Experts reaffirm asteroid impact caused mass extinction
The asteroid impact hypothesis has gained overwhelming acceptance within the scientific community, and new evidence from ocean drilling and continental sites confirms its validity. The Chicxulub impact in Mexico is believed to have caused an abrupt and major decrease in productivity and species diversity at the K-Pg boundary.
Tiny shelled creatures shed light on extinction and recovery 65 million years ago
Nannoplankton extinction correlates with latitude, with higher rates in the Northern Hemisphere. Toxic metals from the asteroid impact likely delayed recovery due to impaired photosynthesis and reduced nannoplankton reproduction.
MIT: New research suggests that near-Earth encounters can 'shake' asteroids
Asteroids that come within a quarter of the distance between Earth and the moon experience seismic shakes strong enough to create fresh surface material. The finding helps answer decades-long questions about meteorite origins and opens a new field of asteroid seismology.
Study of first high-resolution images of Pallas confirms asteroid is actually a protoplanet
A UCLA-led study confirms Pallas, the second-largest asteroid, is a protoplanet due to its unique shape and color variation. The research reveals a dynamic surface with areas of dark and light, indicating internal changes, similar to those found on planets.
Researchers make rare meteorite find using new camera network in Australian desert
A team of researchers has found a rare meteorite in the Western Australian desert and tracked its orbit using a new camera network. The meteorite is composed of basaltic igneous rock and is believed to have formed deep in the inner Solar System, providing clues about the origins of the Solar System.
Nullarbor fireball cameras find rare meteorite
A team of scientists used cameras to capture fireballs streaking across the night sky, calculating its orbit and asteroid origin. The rare achondrite meteorite is from the inner asteroid belt, providing valuable insights into the solar system's evolution.
Primitive asteroids in the main asteroid belt may have formed far from the sun
Numerical simulations show that comet-like objects in a disk outside the solar system were scattered into the outer asteroid belt during a violent phase of planetary evolution. The models suggest that dramatic upheaval occurred in the solar system around 3.9 billion years ago, affecting nearly every nook and cranny.
Princeton geoscientist offers new evidence that meteorite did not wipe out dinosaurs
New research by Princeton University geoscientist Gerta Keller suggests that volcanoes, not an asteroid, were the likely culprits in the demise of the Earth's giant reptiles. The study found 'biotic evidence' and 'aftermath' sediments indicating a massive die-off occurred much later than previously thought.
Contrary to recent hypothesis, 'chevrons' are not evidence of megatsunamis
Contrary to recent hypothesis, geologists argue that chevrons are not evidence of megatsunamis caused by asteroids or comets. Instead, they propose that similar formations can be explained by wind-blown deposits, supported by the presence of volcanic ash in similar locations.
How to deflect asteroids and save the Earth
A North Carolina State University researcher has developed a method to deflect asteroids by attaching a long tether and ballast to the incoming object, changing its center of mass and orbit. This system shows promise in altering the motion of an asteroid to miss hitting Earth.
NASA twin spacecraft may reveal secret of Moon's origin
Stereo will use a wide-field-of-view telescope to search for asteroids orbiting the region, which could be leftovers from a Mars-sized planet that formed billions of years ago. The mission aims to provide three-dimensional views of space weather and study its effects on Earth.
UK astronomers observe asteroid before it crashes into Earth
UK astronomers successfully observed the asteroid 2008 TC3 using the William Herschel Telescope on La Palma, collecting data that helped predict its impact and study its rare F-class composition. The results demonstrate the importance of asteroid research in mitigating potential impacts.
Asteroid monitored from outer space to ground impact
Researchers successfully identified an asteroid in space before it entered Earth's atmosphere, predicting its area of origin and arrival time. The event tested the society's response to a predicted impact, showcasing the ability to quickly evacuate danger zones and take cover.
Asteroid impact helps trace meteorite origins
Researchers calibrated laboratory analyses of a meteorite with telescopic observations of its precursor asteroid, providing new insights into asteroid compositions and origins. The study identified the asteroid as a ureilite, potentially originating from the same parent body.
American Institute of Physics announces awards for best science writing
The American Institute of Physics has announced the winners of its 2008 Science Writing Awards, honoring four individuals who have improved the public's understanding of physics and related sciences through their creative endeavors. The award recipients include two scientists, a journalist, and a children's book author.
Half-baked asteroids have Earth-like crust
Two newly discovered meteorites from Antarctica have feldspar-rich rock called andesite, similar to those found on Earth. The rocks' age and chemical signature suggest they formed on an undifferentiated asteroid with a diameter over 100 kilometers, providing insights into the early stages of planetary formation.
Scientists publish first ever evidence of asteroids with Earth-like crust
Two rare meteorites from Antarctica reveal the presence of an ancient asteroid with a crust similar to Earth's continents. The discovery provides new insights into the formation of andesite crust in our Solar System, challenging traditional plate tectonics theories.
Cosmic connections: Imperial scientist locates the origin of cosmic dust
Research reveals cosmic dust originates from Koronis asteroids, with analysis matching mineralogy and chemistry to chondrite meteorite samples. The study provides new insights into the earliest history of our solar system.
September Geology and GSA Today media highlights
Researchers explore climate change through corals and bat guano, as well as the Mississippi Delta's complex history of uplift and subsidence. Additionally, a study reveals that mantle upwelling controls the depth of fast-spreading ridges, while asteroid dust found in Antarctic ice provides insight into the Koronis asteroids.
Study puts solar spin on asteroid moon formation
Scientists propose that sunlight increases or decreases the spin rate of asteroids, leading to moon formation through material slung off at the equator. This process exposes fresh material at the poles and coalesces into a satellite orbiting its parent.
Evidence of massive asteroid impact on Mars supported by computer simulations
Computer simulations support massive asteroid impact as explanation for Mars' hemispheric differences. The models suggest that an impactor about one-half to two-thirds the size of the Moon could have created the observed differences.
65-million-year-old asteroid impact triggered a global hail of carbon beads
Scientists found tiny airborne carbon cenospheres near an asteroid impact site, formed when carbon deep in the Earth's crust was vaporized and created new structures in the atmosphere. The discovery suggests environmental circumstances were less dramatic than previously thought, challenging the long-held fire-on-Earth hypothesis.
UMd-led team finds ancient asteroids formed at solar system's start
Asteroid researchers used telescopes to identify three ancient asteroids that date back to the Solar System's formation. These 'prime candidates' contain calcium and aluminum-rich inclusions, providing insights into the earliest stages of the Solar System.
Arecibo astronomers prepare to obtain close images of a near-Earth asteroid
Arecibo Observatory will observe near-Earth asteroid TU24 on January 27-28 and February 1-4, using its powerful radar to gauge size, speed, and spin. The mission aims to map the object's surface in detail, providing valuable information about potentially hazardous near-Earth objects.
Caribbean frogs started with a single, ancient voyage on a raft from South America
A study by Penn State researchers found that nearly all Caribbean land-breeding frog species, including coqui frogs, originated from a single ancient species that rafted on a sea voyage from South America. The discovery challenges previous theories of their arrival and reveals the surprising common ancestry of these species.
Amateurs and professionals combine observations to produce detailed picture of double asteroid
A team of astronomers has assembled the most complete picture yet of a pair of asteroids orbiting each other, thanks to combined observations from professionals and amateurs. The asteroid 90 Antiope is depicted as two slightly egg-shaped rubble piles locked in orbit, with uncertainties remaining from previous studies.
The impossible siblings
Astronomers have described the double asteroid Antiope in unprecedented detail, revealing its unique orbit and shape. The asteroid consists of two rubble-pile chunks of material, tidally locked and rotating around each other at the same speed as they orbit.
Scientists find a solar-powered asteroid
A team of international researchers has found an asteroid whose rotation speed increases due to re-radiation of solar energy from its surface. The study confirms that non-gravitational forces play a crucial role in asteroid evolution and could potentially affect asteroid collisions with Earth.
Solar power at play
A team of scientists observed the speeding up of an asteroid's rotation, showing it is due to the heating of its surface by the Sun. The YORP effect, a theoretical prediction, was directly detected in action on a small near-Earth asteroid.
When washed in sunlight, asteroids hit the spin cycle, Cornell researchers find
Cornell astronomers have confirmed that solar radiation and an asteroid's shape determine its rotation rate, a phenomenon known as the Yarkovsky-O'Keefe-Radzievskii-Paddack Effect. This effect can help explain the formation of binary asteroids by creating strong centrifugal forces.
First detailed pictures of asteroid reveal bizarre system
Researchers have discovered a binary asteroid system where two asteroids orbit around each other, creating a unique and fascinating phenomenon. The larger object is spinning so fast that it has been flattened into a flying saucer shape, with the lowest points on the surface actually forming the highest ridges.
Asteroids and meteorites reveal family resemblance
A recent study confirms that asteroids can be the source of Earth's meteorites due to space weathering. The process of high-energy ion bombardment and particle vaporization changes an asteroid's optical properties, making them similar to common meteorite samples.
Three new 'Trojan' asteroids found sharing Neptune's orbit
Astronomers have found four stable groups of asteroids around the Sun: Kuiper Belt, Jupiter Trojans, main asteroid belt, and now Neptune Trojans. The new discoveries suggest a large population of high-inclination Neptune Trojans, which may have formed after giant planets settled into their orbits.
Mysterious carbon excess found in infant solar system
Researchers have discovered a surprising amount of carbon in the gas surrounding a young star, Beta Pictoris. The findings may indicate that asteroids and comets in this system could contain large amounts of organic material, which could have delivered building blocks of life to early Earth.
A sea otter-shaped rubble pile in space
Scientists have discovered a rubble-pile asteroid, Itokawa, with a sea otter-like shape, consisting of loosely packed and porous rubble. The asteroid's structure provides critical information on its early evolution and potential threats to Earth.
Floating pile of rubble a pristine record of solar system's history
Asteroid Itokawa is found to be a rubble pile, providing valuable clues on how the planets were formed. The confirmation has significant implications for theories of asteroid evolution and will lead to a better understanding of the early solar system.
Science team determines composition of asteroid Itokawa
Asteroid Itokawa's surface composition was determined by Brown University researcher Takahiro Hiroi, who linked it to LL chondrites, a common class of stony meteorites. The team also described the asteroid's diverse terrain, suggesting it may be an earlier stage of asteroid evolution and formation.
Climate blamed for mass extictions
A palaeontologist proposes that gradual climate change caused most mass extinctions, including the Permian and Triassic events. This theory challenges the widely accepted asteroid impact hypothesis.
Binary asteroid in Jupiter's orbit may be icy comets from solar system's infancy
Astronomers have calculated the density of binary asteroid Patroclus, suggesting it is composed mostly of water ice covered by a patina of dirt. The team proposes that Patroclus and other Trojan asteroids may be dirty snowballs formed in the outer reaches of the solar system.
Study highlights role of hit-and-run collisions in planet formation
Researchers found that half of planetary collisions result in impactors bouncing off, leaving them significantly altered. These collisions can strip away atmospheres, crusts, and mantles, producing diverse asteroid populations.
Nature paper: Burning asteroids may play 'more important climate role than previously recognized'
Scientists have found evidence that dust from burning asteroids can influence local weather in Antarctica, forming clouds of micron-sized particles that reflect sunlight and cause cooling. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about asteroid dust's impact on the environment.
Rubble-pile minor planet Sylvia and her twins
Astronomers have discovered a triple asteroid system, with minor planet 87 Sylvia and its twin moons Romulus and Remus. The asteroids were found using the NACO instrument at ESO's Very Large Telescope Array in Chile, revealing details about their orbits and composition.
First triple asteroid system found
Astronomers have discovered the first triple asteroid system, 87 Sylvia, consisting of a large asteroid and two smaller moons, Romulus and Remus. The discovery reveals that the asteroids may be formed from debris left over from collisions between larger asteroids.
Dust-enshrouded star looks similar to our sun
Astronomers discover a young star with unprecedented amounts of warm dust near its orbit, where Earth-like planets are most likely to exist. The team believes this could be the result of a massive collision between planet-size objects, potentially forming conditions similar to our own solar system.
Five giant impact basins reveal the ancient equator of Mars
Researchers have discovered five giant impact basins on Mars that lie along a great circle, indicating that asteroids collided with the planet's equator. The finds suggest that running water likely existed in the region before surface water diminished, which is crucial for future manned missions to Mars.
Mystery minerals formed in fireball from colliding asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs
Researchers propose that spinels, rich in magnesium and iron, condensed from the cooling vapor cloud after a massive asteroid impact. The study strengthens the link between the Chicxulub impact and the mass extinction event that ended the Age of Dinosaurs.
New evidence indicates biggest extinction wasn't caused by asteroid or comet
Researchers found no evidence of an asteroid impact during the Great Dying, a mass extinction event that occurred 250 million years ago. Instead, they suggest that atmospheric warming due to greenhouse gases from volcanic eruptions led to the extinction of 90% of marine life and nearly three-quarters of land-based plant and animal life.
Dinosaur extinction occurred at peak of diversity
Research refutes old idea that dinosaurs were declining in diversity during their time on Earth. Early dinosaur diversity increased dramatically throughout the Cretaceous period, reaching 245 genera.
Honeybees defy dino-killing 'nuclear winter'
Paleontology graduate student Jacqueline M. Kozisek's research challenges the nuclear winter theory by citing the survival of tropical honeybees. Modern tropical honeybees require temperatures between 88-93°F to survive, which is unlikely given predicted post-impact temperature drops of 13-22°F.
UK astronomers scan the skies for threat from space
A team of British astronomers is tracking Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) using the Faulkes Telescope North and South in Hawaii and Australia. The UK Astrometry and Photometry Programme (UKAPP) provides crucial information to protect the Earth from potential asteroid impacts.
ET, don't phone home; drop a line instead
Physicist Rose suggests that inscribing information on a physical medium can be more energy-efficient than sending messages through radio waves. He proposes this method as a solution for communicating with extraterrestrial civilizations, potentially leading to millions of messages being discovered on Earth or other celestial bodies.
Well-preserved layer of material ejected from Chesapeake Bay meteor-strike discovered
Researchers have found a well-preserved layer of tiny grains at a kaolin mine in Warren County, Georgia, indicating that the grains and surrounding rocks were formed during a recent meteor strike beneath the Chesapeake Bay. The discovery provides valuable information about the massive impact event and its effects on the environment.
Tau Ceti system, Asteroid Alley - an inhospitable neighbour
The discovery of a disk of dust and comets around Tau Ceti suggests that this star is likely to experience constant bombardment from asteroids, making it difficult for life to evolve. Scientists will have to rethink where they look for civilisations outside our Solar System.
Scientists size-up, classify meteorite that nearly landed in their backyards
A team of researchers classifies the Park Forest meteorite as an L5 chondrite, a type of stony meteorite. The meteorite showed signs of being highly shocked due to its origin from a large asteroid collision.
Astronomers take near-earth asteroid search to southern hemisphere
Astronomers have successfully detected their first two near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) using a refurbished telescope at the Australian National University's Siding Spring Observatory. The discoveries, made on March 29, include an 100-meter and 300-meter asteroid that pose no direct threat to Earth.
A world ruled by fungi
Researchers have reconstructed the event month by month, finding that fungi and saprophytes took over within a few months to couple of years. The layer of fossil fungi is followed by a recovery flora, which re-established relatively quickly.