Collaborate Disseminate
The Minor Planet Center has announced that Earth now has two moons. But don’t bother running outside to check – this second satellite is tiny and temporary.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTags: Earth, Moon, Asteroid Continue reading Earth has picked up a tiny second moon
Astronomers have taken the clearest-ever shots of asteroid Pallas, a large rock orbiting out beyond Mars. The new images revealed the surface of this tiny world to be heavily dotted with craters, to the point where it’s been dubbed the “golf ball aster… Continue reading New images reveal “golf ball asteroid” has seen its share of hits
Of all the things you don’t want to lose, an asteroid with a chance of striking Earth is pretty high up the list. A space rock called 2006 QV89 has been missing in action for 13 years, after it was discovered to be on an orbit that regularly brought it too close to Earth for comfort. Now astronomers have finally found it again, and ruled out an impact within the next century.
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Continue Reading Long-missing, potentially dangerous asteroid finally rediscovered – and it won’t hit Earth
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If you plan to visit asteroid (101955) Bennu, you’ll need a new map. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (WGPSN) and NASA have decided that features of the asteroid currently being orbite… Continue reading Asteroid Bennu to be covered in mythical birds
The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has released a video showing the climactic moments of the Hayabusa 2 spacecraft’s second descent to the surface of asteroid Ryugu. The goal of the risky operation was to capture newly exposed material from the asteroid’s interior, which had been forcefully ejected during the creation of an artificial crater on Ryugu’s surface in early April.
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Continue Reading JAXA releases footage of Hayabusa 2 spacecraft’s second asteroid touchdown
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Continue reading JAXA releases footage of Hayabusa 2 spacecraft's second asteroid touchdown
A few months ago, the asteroid 2006 QV89 grabbed headlines thanks to it having a slim chance of striking Earth this September. But now it seems that the potentially-hazardous space rock has missed its appointment. ESA has confirmed that the a… Continue reading Asteroid that had a chance to hit Earth in September is a no-show
The Japanese spacecraft Hayabusa 2 has successfully pulled off a second touchdown on the surface of the distant asteroid Ryugu. The risky maneuver saw the probe dive down to collect material that had been exposed during the creation of an art… Continue reading Hayabusa 2 spacecraft survives second touchdown on asteroid Ryugu
The Earth is the only place we know for sure harbors life, but given how big the observable universe is, the odds that we’re completely alone are astronomical. It’s been suggested in the past that life could hitch a ride on asteroids or comet… Continue reading Harvard study suggests asteroids are likely seeding life throughout the galaxy
A few years ago, astronomers noticed a star that was dimming in a strange pattern, leading to speculation that an “alien megastructure” might be orbiting it. More plausible explanations were later put forward, with the most likely culprit being a cluster of comets. But now scientists have discovered an even weirder star system that appears to be dimming completely at random, and none of the usual explanations seem to fit.
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Continue Reading Randomly dimming star can’t be explained by usual theories
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Continue reading Randomly dimming star can't be explained by usual theories
In a neat bit of fast-paced detective work, NASA recently backtracked from an image of a meteor that exploded over the Caribbean Sea and was able to confirm that it marked the demise of an asteroid that had only been detected 12 hours earlier. Estimated to be only 16 ft (5 m) in size, it was too small to pose any danger, but it did demonstrate the space agency’s growing ability to monitor potentially hazardous asteroids.
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Continue Reading Explosion over the Caribbean highlights NASA’s asteroid tracking credentials
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Continue reading Explosion over the Caribbean highlights NASA's asteroid tracking credentials