Articles tagged with Asteroids
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
Researchers suggest a similar eruption under the Indian Ocean before the dinosaurs' extinction had a devastating impact on the environment. The eruptions were caused by mantle plumes, which can last between one and two million years and eject over 1 million cubic kilometers of lava.
Researchers predict fewer asteroids with diameters over 200 meters will hit the surface, approximately once every 160,000 years, and many more will explode in the atmosphere, lowering the hazard posed by impact-generated tidal waves or tsunamis.
A massive tsunami is predicted to hit the Atlantic Coast on March 16, 2880, as a result of an asteroid impact. The simulation models a 2-mile diameter asteroid striking the ocean at 38,000 mph, generating waves up to 400 feet high and affecting coastal areas from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras.
Researchers discovered a 100-fold increase in meteorite activity after an ancient asteroid breakup, revealing a 'lithographic time capsule' of fossilized meteorites. The study found matching concentrations of extraterrestrial chromite grains across five quarries in southern Sweden.
Researchers discovered six grains of stardust outside our solar system, including crystalline grains that contradict established theories. The study found that stardust is surprisingly common in interplanetary dust particles, suggesting it comes from primitive bodies.
Expert Clarke emphasizes the importance of communication, infrastructure development, and international cooperation in preparing for asteroid impacts. He highlights the need for countries to have comprehensive civil defense plans and to prioritize population relocation and geographical redevelopment.
The Stardust spacecraft is using a flyby of asteroid Annefrank to prepare for its primary mission to capture particles from Wild 2. The asteroid's small size and distance from the spacecraft mean images won't be detailed, but it provides a crucial test for the spacecraft's systems.
Researchers found that the Chicxulub crater in Mexico had about 18,000 cubic kilometers of impact melt, while the Sudbury crater in Canada had approximately 31,000 cubic kilometers. The significant difference in melt volume could be explained by an asteroid striking Chicxulub and a comet impacting Sudbury.
Astronomers found that most comets disappear after their first pass through the solar system, but recent modelling suggests the number of dormant comets is far too low to accommodate predicted numbers. Dr Foot proposes mirror matter as a possible explanation for the missing comets.
Researchers analyzed iridium levels and magnetic fields to correlate with plant and animal life, suggesting a comet or asteroid impact led to the rise of dinosaurs in the Jurassic period. This impact is thought to have cleared the way for other species to adapt, ultimately paving the way for dinosaur dominance.
Researchers estimate that about 16 percent of near-Earth asteroids are likely to be binary systems, with some featuring a three-to-one size ratio. Five such binary systems have been identified by radar, offering insights into their formation and potential for collision with Earth.
Richard Monastersky and Diane Tennant have won the American Geophysical Union's 2002 David Perlman and Walter Sullivan Awards for Excellence in Science Journalism. Monastersky won for his news article on the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous mission, while Tennant won for her seven-part series on a local meteor impact story that spans 35 ...
A geophysicist proposes that life on Earth may have originated from microorganisms that could survive in high-temperature environments, such as deep beneath the surface. This theory is supported by evidence of ancient organisms thriving in extreme conditions and laboratory experiments showing that microbes can survive in space.
Astronomers discover that asteroid 1929 Kollaa was once part of the larger asteroid 4 Vesta, which is believed to be the source of meteorites found on Earth. This finding helps scientists build a geologic map of the asteroid belt and understand forces that have acted on asteroids in the past.
A global map of asteroid 433 Eros reveals that nearly half of the largest rocks were ejected from a single crater, Shoemaker. The rocks were likely created by a meteorite collision about a billion years ago.
Researchers use reflectance spectroscopy to determine the meteorite's composition, providing clues about early solar chemical evolution and differing from any seen in meteorites so far. The findings were published by NASA's Johnson Space Center and Brown University, funded by grants from NASA.
A new movie from NASA's Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission showcases the final moments of the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft's yearlong orbit at asteroid 433 Eros. The minute-long video, produced by imaging team member Mark Robinson, offers a close-up view of the asteroid's varied terrain and features.
The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission will attempt a controlled descent to the surface of asteroid 433 Eros on February 12, gathering close-up pictures of its boulder-strewn surface. The primary goal is to study the asteroid's composition and behavior, with a secondary aim of practicing maneuvers for future landing missions.
Scientists warn that living near active volcanic systems poses a significant risk due to unpredictability. Researchers are working to develop predictive models to mitigate the threat of volcanic eruptions, with some areas like Yellowstone and Long Valley Caldera still considered active systems.
The NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft will swoop in for a record-breaking view of asteroid Eros, collecting data and images from just 5.3 kilometers above the surface. The low-altitude flyover will provide detailed information on the asteroid's shape and surface features.
The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission has successfully executed the first of three orbital correction maneuvers to bring its spacecraft closer to asteroid Eros. The spacecraft will make a gradual pass within 4 miles of the asteroid's surface, gathering high-resolution images and data on the asteroid's structure.
The NEAR mission has provided definitive mass and density measurements of asteroid 433 Eros, confirming it is an undifferentiated, homogeneous structure. The asteroid's surface features spectacular images and movies showing ridges, pits, troughs, and grooves that provide fascinating clues about its history.
Astronomer Joseph Veverka's team observed a 'saturated' surface with tiny craters and abundant blocks of ejected debris on asteroid 433 Eros. The low gravity is puzzling, as most ejecta would be expected to escape into space.
A study reveals that nearly 900 potentially hazardous asteroids are hurtling towards Earth, with some passing within a few moon distances every year. The researchers estimate that only 40% of kilometer-or-larger asteroids have been discovered, leaving the remaining 60% potentially difficult to find.
The NEAR Shoemaker mission suggests asteroid Eros is a primordial relic from the solar system's formation, with an elemental composition similar to chondritic meteorites. Studying Eros could help scientists understand how rocky planets evolved.
The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft has captured the chemical composition of asteroid Eros, indicating it is a primitive relic from the solar system's emergence from a cloud of gas and dust. The data suggest that Eros has remained largely unchanged since its initial formation.
Astronomers have obtained radar images of a giant, dog bone-shaped asteroid called 216 Kleopatra, located in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid is about 217 kilometers long and 94 kilometers wide, with a shape that resembles a distorted dumbbell or dog bone.
The NEAR spacecraft has obtained the first ever laser range returns from an asteroid and the first ever X-ray detection of an asteroid. High-resolution images show chains of craters, numerous boulders, and long ridges on the surface of asteroid Eros.
An asteroid impact would cause catastrophic destruction and an impact winter, but a subsequent 'ultraviolet spring' could be even more devastating due to ozone depletion and acid rain. This period of intense UV radiation could lead to widespread DNA damage, mutations, cancer, and plant death.
The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft has captured a striking image of an asteroid featuring a heart-shaped depression. The feature, located below a large ridge on the potato-shaped asteroid, is approximately 3 miles wide and was visible from 1,609 miles away.
The NEAR spacecraft is set to embark on a historic asteroid rendezvous with Eros, the largest near-Earth asteroid discovered so far. Using its instruments, scientists will study the asteroid's chemical and physical features, evolutionary history, and magnetic field to gain insights into asteroids' origins.
A Yale researcher has recalculated the number of near-Earth asteroids, estimating fewer than initially thought, with a smaller potential impact risk. The study found that only 500 to 1,000 such asteroids exist, each carrying a 0.5% chance of colliding with Earth in the next million years.
A team of Cornell University mission engineers created a last-minute fix to send commands to the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft, allowing it to capture hundreds of new images of asteroid 433 Eros. The fix was completed in just 12 hours and was tested for errors before being sent to the craft.
The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft is preparing for a January 3, 1999, engine burn to rendezvous with asteroid 433 Eros. The spacecraft will increase its speed by 2,100 mph and enter orbit around Eros after catching up with the asteroid in mid-February 2000.
The NEAR mission will orbit and study asteroid Eros for a year, taking millions of measurements and images to determine its physical and geological properties. The spacecraft will face significant engineering challenges in maneuvering within 9 miles of the asteroid's surface.
Deep Space 1, a miniaturized space probe powered by solar-electric propulsion, will navigate through space and analyze charged particles and magnetic fields surrounding an asteroid and two comets. The mission, led by CU-Boulder Professor Fran Bagenal, tests innovative technologies and aims to explore the outer solar system.