Articles tagged with Asteroids
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An international team has identified the sources of 70% of all known meteorite falls, revealing that 37% come from the Massalia family. The discovery was made possible by a telescopic survey and computer simulations of asteroid families' composition and evolution.
Astronomers have reduced concerns about a potentially hazardous asteroid swarm near Earth after discovering fewer large space rocks than previously thought. The study found only a handful of asteroids, likely less than 14, that fit the large size class, suggesting a smaller parent object and reducing the risk of extinction-level events.
Researchers at LSU and Smithsonian Institution found that ants began farming fungi after an asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago. This behavior is still exhibited by some ant species today.
Researchers at Heriot-Watt University have captured high-resolution images of a five-mile asteroid impact crater buried deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean. The data reveals minute-by-minute chaos after collision, including rocks flowing upwards to the crater floor and an 800-metre-plus high tsunami. The findings confirm the Nadir Crater w...
Researchers discover that asteroid Ryugu, a carbon-rich meteorite, shares a rare ingredient with material formed at the outer edge of the Solar System. The findings challenge previous ideas about the formation of asteroids and require a rethinking of the origin of the CI chondrites group.
Researchers suggest that if most dark matter is composed of microscopic primordial black holes, they should pass through the solar system at least once per decade, introducing a wobble into Mars' orbit. This detection could lend support to the idea that primordial black holes are a primary source of dark matter.
The ESA Hera mission is set to launch in just under a month, with representatives discussing the mission's expectations and current status. The BepiColombo Mission to Mercury is also being updated following its successful flyby, with insights into previous flybys and plans for the remainder of the mission.
A Kobe University researcher found that the massive impact on Ganymede was around 20 times larger than the one that ended the dinosaurs, causing a 1,400km crater and reorienting its axis, according to a new study published in Scientific Reports. The asteroid's diameter was estimated at around 300 kilometers.
A new study by the University of Maryland reveals that NASA's DART spacecraft collision with asteroid moon Dimorphos created a large crater and reshaped it, causing the moon to derail from its original evolutionary progression. The impact also changed Dimorphos' orbit around its parent asteroid Didymos.
A team of geoscientists has identified the origin of the massive asteroid that wiped out 70% of Earth's species 66 million years ago. The study found the asteroid was a carbonaceous-type asteroid that formed outside Jupiter's orbit.
The DART mission provided a unique opportunity for studying the geology of a near-Earth asteroid binary system, shedding light on its origin and evolution. Researchers found that Dimorphos likely spun off from Didymos in a large mass shedding event, with Dimorphos having a surface age 40-130 times older than Didymos.
Researchers studied Chang'e-5 samples to understand how solar wind irradiation and micrometeorite impacts form metallic iron nanoparticles, revealing distinct effects on size and optical properties. The study provides insights into lunar surface color variations and remote sensing measurements.
Researchers uncover dark particles and lighter components with stones, suggesting asteroids played a key role in delivering water and life to Earth. The samples also contain unexpected minerals, offering insights into Bennu's evolution and the early solar system.
The OSIRIS-REx Sample Analysis Team found that Bennu contains essential components for life, including carbon and nitrogen, as well as organic compounds. The presence of magnesium-sodium phosphate in the sample suggests a possible history of interaction with water, but also reveals a chemically primitive asteroid.
New research suggests that our infant solar system resembled a doughnut-shaped protoplanetary disk, where asteroids with metal grains rich in iridium and platinum migrated to the outer disk as it rapidly expanded. This explanation contradicts previous findings of concentric ring structures around other stars.
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured evidence of a cataclysmic asteroid collision in the Beta Pictoris star system, which is thought to be similar to our own solar system's early stages. The collision is believed to have occurred about 20 years ago and pulverized the asteroids into fine dust particles.
During its flyby, the Lucy spacecraft discovered a trough and ridge structure on Dinkinesh, revealing a complex history of sudden breakups and transformation. The asteroid's internal strength and dynamic evolution were also revealed, suggesting that it has significant cohesion, unlike some other asteroids.
Researchers found that the dual moons, named Selam, are a contact binary, with one quarter of the asteroid breaking off to form a trough. The team theorized that Dinky's fast spinning motion caused it to shed debris into orbit, which aggregated to form Selam.
A UCF researcher is developing algorithms to track space objects and predict their orbits, which will also aid in maritime domain awareness. The computational framework will enable spacecraft to operate autonomously without intervention from Earth.
A UCF student's study of 25 members of the Erigone family of primitive asteroids has provided context for further research into the solar system's history. The data analysis suggests that these asteroids carry traces of their origins and may have delivered water to Earth, with implications for future NASA missions.
Asteroid Apophis is expected to come extremely close to Earth on April 13, 2029, offering a rare opportunity for research. The NEAlight project aims to investigate three concepts for German small satellite missions to study the asteroid's trajectory and structure.
Researchers at Cornell University used novel statistical calculations to estimate the age of asteroid Selam, finding it to be 2-3 million years old. The method complements traditional crater counting and has advantages in accuracy and applicability to other binary systems.
Researchers analyzed asteroid Ryugu samples to study magnetic and physical bombardment environment in interplanetary space. The investigation revealed changes likely caused by micrometeoroid bombardment, providing insights into the solar system's early stages.
The study used a trove of archived Hubble images to identify the asteroids, working with citizen scientists and machine learning algorithms. The discovery provides insights into the formation and evolution of the asteroid belt, suggesting that smaller fragments may be remnants of larger asteroids that have collided.
A University of Leicester-led study suggests that the orbital instability of the giant planets in our Solar System occurred between 60-100 million years after its beginning, based on analysis of enstatite meteorites. This instability is believed to have led to the formation of the Moon and may have impacted the habitability of Earth.
A team of UCF scientists used the James Webb Space Telescope to analyze the elemental composition of a binary duo in the Kuiper Belt, revealing clues about Neptune's formation. The study provides valuable insights into the dynamical history of Neptune and its neighboring objects.
Scientists detected water molecules on two asteroids, Iris and Massalia, indicating a distribution of water in our solar system that can inform searches for life beyond Earth. The discovery was made possible by using the FORCAST instrument to isolate mid-infrared spectral signatures indicative of molecular water.
Researchers have discovered melt splashes on Ryugu samples containing silicate glasses with voids and small inclusions of spherical iron sulfides. The chemical compositions suggest that Ryugu's hydrous silicates mixed with cometary dust, indicating the transport of primitive organic matter from space to Earth.
Researchers from Curtin University analyze polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons extracted from Ryugu and Murchison meteorites, revealing that certain PAHs likely formed in the cold areas of space between stars. This discovery offers valuable insights into the history and chemistry of celestial bodies like asteroids and meteorites.
Researchers have discovered the oldest known fossils of the Frankincense and Myrrh family in Indian chert, dating back to the Cretaceous period. The fossils were preserved in pyrenes, which are woody dispersal pods that protect seeds from digestion.
A groundbreaking study on Ryugu samples has revealed the impact of terrestrial weathering on primitive meteorite spectra. The findings suggest that actual CI chondrite parent bodies likely exhibit darker and flatter reflectance spectra than previously thought.
Researchers analyzed dolomite rocks and found a high proportion of C-13, indicating strong methane formation by microorganisms in water with low sulphate content. The sediment's chemical development is controlled by crater floor cooling and water supply, not climatic changes.
Researchers from the University of Helsinki found that asteroid Phaethon is composed of olivine, carbonates, iron sulfides, and oxide minerals, matching the spectra of rare CY carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. This discovery explains the formation of gas near the Sun and the subsequent release of dust and gravel into space.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that comets can deliver intact prebiotic molecules to planets in 'peas in a pod' systems, which are promising places to search for life outside our Solar System.
The study found that Ryugu and CIs share a common genetic heritage, but the asteroid's Cr isotopes exhibit anomalies that could be caused by water-driven processes. These anomalies are thought to have arisen from the physicochemical fractionation of presolar nanoparticles and secondary minerals.
New studies show that giant gas planets in nearby star systems can prevent life on smaller, rocky planet neighbors by kicking them out of orbit and wreaking havoc on their climates. Researchers found that four giant planets in the HD 141399 system are likely to destroy the chances for life on Earth-like planets.
Texas A&M University is collaborating on a research project to track objects in high Earth orbits, expanding space domain awareness capabilities. The Space University Research Initiative aims to develop new technology and systems to monitor objects influenced by the moon's gravity.
Researchers found a rare pathway allowing a moon fragment to reach Earth's quasi-satellite orbit. The study suggests that many more lunar fragments remain to be discovered among the near-Earth asteroid population.
A new SwRI study posits that the large mounds on Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth are similar in size and shape, suggesting a common origin. This finding supports the streaming instability model of planetesimal formation, where gentle collision speeds allowed objects to accumulate and form Arrokoth.
A new modeling method powered by interconnected processors removed human bias from the debate over dinosaurs' demise. The study suggests that the outpouring of climate-altering gases from the Deccan Traps alone could have been sufficient to trigger global extinction, consistent with volcanic eruptions contributing to the mass extinction.
A team of researchers has successfully tested a new asteroid detection algorithm, HelioLinc3D, which identified its first 'potentially hazardous' asteroid, 2022 SF289. The discovery confirms the algorithm's effectiveness in finding near-Earth asteroids with fewer and more dispersed observations than traditional methods.
Princeton researchers used data from NASA's Parker Solar Probe to determine that a catastrophic event, such as a high-speed collision or gaseous explosion, likely created the Geminids meteoroid stream. This is in contrast to most meteor showers, which originate from comets emitting tails of ice and dust.
Researchers found tiny salt crystals in an asteroid sample, indicating the presence of liquid water. The discovery challenges previous assumptions that ordinary chondrite asteroids lack hydrated minerals.
A new study reveals that asteroid Dinkinesh is remarkably small, making it the smallest asteroid to be approached by Lucy. It is a stony, S-type asteroid composed mainly of silicates and some metal.
The telescope has imaged three nested belts extending up to 14 billion miles from the star, with inner belts revealed for the first time. The discovery provides insights into the structure of exoplanetary systems and the formation of planets.
NASA solar observatories have discovered that asteroid Phaethon's comet-like tail is not composed of dust, but rather sodium gas. The findings contradict previous theories and suggest a new explanation for Phaethon's behavior, which is the source of the annual Geminid meteor shower.
Scientists measured and compared amino acid abundances with rocky components of Ryugu particles, demonstrating water's role in their formation. The results suggest more ice was present in the precursor of one particle than the other, which may have contributed to the high abundance of a specific amino acid.
A team of astronomers discovered a population of reddish Neptunian asteroids, which are thought to have formed beyond the transition boundary between neutral-colored and redder objects. The red coloration suggests these asteroids contain more volatile ices, providing insight into the early Solar System's conditions.
Researchers attribute unusual radar properties to coherent backscatter opposition effect (CBOE) and ice surface irregularities. The CBOE model, improved by Hofgartner and Hand, can explain all icy satellite radar properties.
Researchers Jennifer Bergner and Darryl Seligman suggest that 'Oumuamua's acceleration can be explained by the outgassing of hydrogen gas as the comet warmed up in the sunlight. The comet's small size allowed for a significant effect, with the tiny push from hydrogen spurted out of ice altering its gravitational deflection around the sun.
Researchers suggest studying well-preserved grains of space dust for potential signs of life, as they could contain fossils of microorganisms. The idea estimates that around 100,000 such grains could land on Earth every year.
Scientists have detected uracil and nicotinic acid in asteroid Ryugu samples collected by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. The discovery suggests that important building blocks for life were created in space and delivered to Earth via meteorites, supporting current theories on the source of nucleobases.
The ESO VLT observed the aftermath of the DART impact, showing that the ejected cloud was bluer than the asteroid itself, indicating fine particles. The team found no signs of ice or DART spacecraft propellant, but detected changes in light polarization suggesting altered surface composition.
The DART mission observed a 33-minute change in the orbit of Dimorphos, indicating that ejecta escaped the system and contributed to the orbital changes. The team will use this data to understand how the entire system's orbit changes over time.
The DART mission successfully deflected the orbit of asteroid Dimorphos by 33 minutes. The team's calculations showed that the momentum transferred to Dimorphos was significantly enhanced by the recoil created from streams of particles produced by the impact, exceeding initial expectations.
The DART mission successfully demonstrates the feasibility of redirecting near-Earth objects like asteroids to prevent large-scale destruction. The spacecraft's impact on Dimorphos, a small asteroid moon, resulted in an orbital change that confirms the viability of asteroid deflection as a planetary defense strategy.
Citizen scientists from Unistellar network observe and analyze NASA's DART impact, supporting the efficiency of kinetic impactor technique to deflect asteroids. The study confirms the success of planetary defense methods, making significant contributions to humanity's quest to understand the universe.
The Politecnico di Milano has successfully contributed to the DART mission, a historic planetary defense test that deflected an asteroid's trajectory. The mission's scientific results reveal the effectiveness of kinetic impact technology in planetary defense and provide insights into the structure and evolution of binary asteroids.
The Hubble movie reveals surprising hour-by-hour changes as dust and chunks of debris were flung into space. The dynamic interaction within the binary system starts to distort the ejecta pattern, forming rotating pinwheel-shaped features tied to the gravitational pull of Didymos.
Researchers at Tohoku University analyzed samples from Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft and identified what they believe may be the oldest solids from the solar system. The grains were likely transported outward from the inner regions of the early solar system to their current location in the outer reaches.