Asteroid Study
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James Webb Telescope to Study Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2024 YR4
Asteroid 2024 YR4, identified in December 2024, has a 2.3% chance of Earth impact in December 2032. Due to uncertainties in ground-based size estimates, JWST will conduct infrared observations in March and May to determine its true dimensions. The European Space Agency estimates its width at 55 metres, but it could be as large as 90 metres. The fin...
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AI Study Finds Organic Molecules on Ceres Likely Came from Asteroid Impacts
A new AI-driven study has challenged previous assumptions about the origin of organic molecules on Ceres. Scientists have mapped organic-rich areas using data from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft and found no evidence linking these compounds to cryovolcanic activity. Instead, simulations suggest asteroid impacts from the outer belt likely delivered the ma...
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Asteroid 2024 PT5 Linked to Lunar Surface, Reveals Planetary Defense Insights
Asteroid 2024 PT5, sized like a school bus, passed Earth in January at 1.1 million miles. Research suggests it originated from the moon, ejected thousands of years ago by an impact. Spectral analysis matched it to Apollo 14 lunar rocks, ruling out artificial origins. This is the second known lunar asteroid after 469219 Kamo’oalewa. The study hint...
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Study Reveals Earth's Small Asteroid Likely Originated from the Moon
Asteroid 2024 PT5, discovered near Earth in 2024, is suspected to be a fragment from the Moon’s surface. Researchers found its composition matches lunar rock samples, specifically silicate-rich materials, unlike any known asteroid. Analysis from NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies confirmed it is a natural object, not human-made debris,...
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Space Missions of 2025: Lunar Landings, Asteroid Sampling, and More
Space exploration in 2025 will see remarkable missions from global agencies like NASA, ESA, China, and Japan. Key initiatives include lunar landings through NASA’s CLPS and Japan’s M2/Resilience, which will test new technologies and study lunar resources. China’s Tianwen-2 mission aims to collect asteroid samples and explore a comet, advancin...
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Chiron's Unique Surface and Coma: Key Insights from Recent Space Research
Recent research has provided critical insights into Chiron, a celestial body between Jupiter and Neptune. Through observations by the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists discovered volatile ices and gases such as carbon dioxide and methane on its surface. Chiron’s gaseous coma offers researchers the opportunity to study gases from below its su...
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Comets Brought Water To Earth Billions Of Years Ago, New Study Claims
The water on Earth has a unique molecular signature which has to do with specific rations of the hydrogen variant, or isotope, called deuterium.
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Researchers Propose Evidence of Primordial Black Holes in Cosmic Objects and Earthly Materials
A study led by the University at Buffalo suggests primordial black holes (PBHs), formed in the early universe, could leave traces in both cosmic and terrestrial objects. Researchers believe PBHs, which are much smaller than stellar black holes, might leave hollow structures in celestial bodies like asteroids or moons. Additionally, passing through ...
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Asteroid Ryugu Sample Was 'Rapidly Colonised' By Earth Bacteria: Study
The sample from the asteroid Ryugu was overrun with Earth-based life forms after they were brought to the planet, scientists have concluded in a study.
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Asteroid That Exploded Above Niagra Falls Confirmed to Be the Smallest Space Rock Ever Measured
In November 2022, asteroid 2022 WJ1 exploded above Niagara Falls in a green fireball, making it the smallest space rock ever measured. Detected hours before impact, the asteroid provided valuable insights into asteroid tracking and analysis. Researchers utilised telescopes and meteor cameras to determine its size and composition, setting a preceden...
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Earth Microbes Discovered in Asteroid Ryugu Sample, Raises Contamination Concerns
A study has confirmed that terrestrial microbes colonised a Ryugu asteroid sample after its return to Earth in 2020. The micro-organisms were found to proliferate upon exposure to Earth's atmosphere, raising concerns over contamination risks in planetary exploration. Published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science, the findings underline the need for ...
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Mars' Moons Might Have Been Created From Asteroids Coming Too Close to the Red Planet
A study published in Icarus explores the possibility that Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, formed from asteroid debris torn apart by the planet’s gravitational forces. Researchers ran advanced simulations to propose this scenario, which fits the moons’ circular orbits better than previous theories. Japan’s upcoming MMX mission is expected to...
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Mars’ Moons Phobos and Deimos Could Be Asteroid Debris, New Study Reveals
New research proposes that Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, could have originated from an asteroid torn apart by the planet’s gravity. Simulations show that this shredded asteroid could have formed a ring around Mars, eventually coalescing into the moons. The theory is being tested through the upcoming Mars Moons Exploration mission, which could...
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Apophis Asteroid Flyby in 2029: Earth's Gravitational May Impact Asteroid's Surface
Asteroid 99942 Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of darkness, is set to pass incredibly close to Earth in 2029, at just 32,000 km. While there is no risk of a collision, scientists are keen to study the asteroid’s interaction with Earth's gravity. Research led by planetary scientist Ronald Ballouz suggests that this flyby may cause si...
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Asteroid Apophis Could Experience Surface Changes Due to Earth’s Gravity During 2029 Flyby
The asteroid Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, is set to pass extremely close to Earth in 2029, potentially causing seismic activity and landslides on its surface due to Earth's gravity. These changes could alter Apophis’ surface, providing a rare opportunity to observe asteroid dynamics in real-time. A team from Johns Hopki...
-
James Webb Telescope to Study Potentially Hazardous Asteroid 2024 YR4
Asteroid 2024 YR4, identified in December 2024, has a 2.3% chance of Earth impact in December 2032. Due to uncertainties in ground-based size estimates, JWST will conduct infrared observations in March and May to determine its true dimensions. The European Space Agency estimates its width at 55 metres, but it could be as large as 90 metres. The fin...
-
AI Study Finds Organic Molecules on Ceres Likely Came from Asteroid Impacts
A new AI-driven study has challenged previous assumptions about the origin of organic molecules on Ceres. Scientists have mapped organic-rich areas using data from NASA’s Dawn spacecraft and found no evidence linking these compounds to cryovolcanic activity. Instead, simulations suggest asteroid impacts from the outer belt likely delivered the ma...
-
Asteroid 2024 PT5 Linked to Lunar Surface, Reveals Planetary Defense Insights
Asteroid 2024 PT5, sized like a school bus, passed Earth in January at 1.1 million miles. Research suggests it originated from the moon, ejected thousands of years ago by an impact. Spectral analysis matched it to Apollo 14 lunar rocks, ruling out artificial origins. This is the second known lunar asteroid after 469219 Kamo’oalewa. The study hint...
-
Study Reveals Earth's Small Asteroid Likely Originated from the Moon
Asteroid 2024 PT5, discovered near Earth in 2024, is suspected to be a fragment from the Moon’s surface. Researchers found its composition matches lunar rock samples, specifically silicate-rich materials, unlike any known asteroid. Analysis from NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies confirmed it is a natural object, not human-made debris,...
-
Space Missions of 2025: Lunar Landings, Asteroid Sampling, and More
Space exploration in 2025 will see remarkable missions from global agencies like NASA, ESA, China, and Japan. Key initiatives include lunar landings through NASA’s CLPS and Japan’s M2/Resilience, which will test new technologies and study lunar resources. China’s Tianwen-2 mission aims to collect asteroid samples and explore a comet, advancin...
-
Chiron's Unique Surface and Coma: Key Insights from Recent Space Research
Recent research has provided critical insights into Chiron, a celestial body between Jupiter and Neptune. Through observations by the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists discovered volatile ices and gases such as carbon dioxide and methane on its surface. Chiron’s gaseous coma offers researchers the opportunity to study gases from below its su...
-
Comets Brought Water To Earth Billions Of Years Ago, New Study Claims
The water on Earth has a unique molecular signature which has to do with specific rations of the hydrogen variant, or isotope, called deuterium.
-
Researchers Propose Evidence of Primordial Black Holes in Cosmic Objects and Earthly Materials
A study led by the University at Buffalo suggests primordial black holes (PBHs), formed in the early universe, could leave traces in both cosmic and terrestrial objects. Researchers believe PBHs, which are much smaller than stellar black holes, might leave hollow structures in celestial bodies like asteroids or moons. Additionally, passing through ...
-
Asteroid Ryugu Sample Was 'Rapidly Colonised' By Earth Bacteria: Study
The sample from the asteroid Ryugu was overrun with Earth-based life forms after they were brought to the planet, scientists have concluded in a study.
-
Asteroid That Exploded Above Niagra Falls Confirmed to Be the Smallest Space Rock Ever Measured
In November 2022, asteroid 2022 WJ1 exploded above Niagara Falls in a green fireball, making it the smallest space rock ever measured. Detected hours before impact, the asteroid provided valuable insights into asteroid tracking and analysis. Researchers utilised telescopes and meteor cameras to determine its size and composition, setting a preceden...
-
Earth Microbes Discovered in Asteroid Ryugu Sample, Raises Contamination Concerns
A study has confirmed that terrestrial microbes colonised a Ryugu asteroid sample after its return to Earth in 2020. The micro-organisms were found to proliferate upon exposure to Earth's atmosphere, raising concerns over contamination risks in planetary exploration. Published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science, the findings underline the need for ...
-
Mars' Moons Might Have Been Created From Asteroids Coming Too Close to the Red Planet
A study published in Icarus explores the possibility that Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, formed from asteroid debris torn apart by the planet’s gravitational forces. Researchers ran advanced simulations to propose this scenario, which fits the moons’ circular orbits better than previous theories. Japan’s upcoming MMX mission is expected to...
-
Mars’ Moons Phobos and Deimos Could Be Asteroid Debris, New Study Reveals
New research proposes that Mars’ moons, Phobos and Deimos, could have originated from an asteroid torn apart by the planet’s gravity. Simulations show that this shredded asteroid could have formed a ring around Mars, eventually coalescing into the moons. The theory is being tested through the upcoming Mars Moons Exploration mission, which could...
-
Apophis Asteroid Flyby in 2029: Earth's Gravitational May Impact Asteroid's Surface
Asteroid 99942 Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of darkness, is set to pass incredibly close to Earth in 2029, at just 32,000 km. While there is no risk of a collision, scientists are keen to study the asteroid’s interaction with Earth's gravity. Research led by planetary scientist Ronald Ballouz suggests that this flyby may cause si...
-
Asteroid Apophis Could Experience Surface Changes Due to Earth’s Gravity During 2029 Flyby
The asteroid Apophis, named after the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, is set to pass extremely close to Earth in 2029, potentially causing seismic activity and landslides on its surface due to Earth's gravity. These changes could alter Apophis’ surface, providing a rare opportunity to observe asteroid dynamics in real-time. A team from Johns Hopki...
