Asteroids

On 29 September 2024, Earth briefly welcomed asteroid 2024 PT5 as a second moon. Discovered by NASA's ATLAS, this small asteroid will exit Earth's orbit by mid-November 2024. Its fleeting presence offers astronomers valuable insights into tracking mini-moons and potential asteroid threats. As scientists explore these transient companions, they unco...

Research on asteroid Bennu reveals no evidence of a potential fifth force that could explain dark matter. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission tracked Bennu’s orbit with exceptional accuracy, allowing scientists to examine for subtle deviations. This study provides insight into the unknown forces in the universe and suggests that further investigation of ...

Scientists have discovered phosphorus-rich grains in samples from the asteroid Ryugu, brought back by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission. These grains, thought to have come from the outer Solar System, may have interacted with early Earth’s water, releasing essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. This interaction could have played a role in th...

A recent study reveals that three asteroid families—the Karin, Koronis, and Massalia—are responsible for around 70% of the meteorites that land on Earth. These families, formed from past collisions in the main asteroid belt, have a higher number of fragments due to their relatively young age. The findings shed light on the origins of meteorites...

The newly discovered mini-moon, 2024 PT5, entered Earth's orbit on September 29, 2024, and will remain until November 25. This small asteroid, measuring around 10 metres, provides a unique opportunity for researchers to study near-Earth objects and explore the viability of space mining. Experts believe that asteroids contain precious metals, which ...

An international research team has revealed that 70% of known meteorite falls originate from just three young asteroid families: Karin, Koronis, and Massalia. These families were formed by collisions in the main asteroid belt approximately 5.8, 7.5, and 40 million years ago. The Massalia family alone accounts for 37% of meteorites. This significant...

A recent study led by Quanzhi Ye, an astronomer at the University of Maryland, reveals that the Taurid Meteoroid Complex, a debris stream linked to past Earth impacts, poses less danger than previously thought. Ye's team found fewer large asteroids in the stream, reducing the risk of a catastrophic collision with Earth. While these findings offer r...

The Hera spacecraft has successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, embarking on an international mission to study the asteroid Dimorphos, which was altered in course by NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) in 2022. Expected to reach its target by December 2026, Hera will examine the impact crater left by the DART mission and deploy two ...

Recent research indicates that Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, likely harboured a muddy ocean beneath its icy crust. Advanced computer simulations suggest that its surface features and gravity measurements point to a past rich in ice. With its proximity to Earth, Ceres presents a promising target for further exploration, making it t...

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) deliberately crashed into the pyramid-sized asteroid Dimorphos roughly 11 million kilometres from Earth.

. A study published in The International Journal of Astrobiology suggests that astronauts could use asteroids to meet their nutritional needs.

A recent study reveals that ant agriculture originated 66 million years ago, following the asteroid impact that led to the dinosaurs' extinction. This event allowed fungi to flourish in the aftermath, as they thrived on decaying plant matter. It was found that while the initial partnership formed post-impact, ants did not develop advanced farming t...

The massive asteroid that ended the dinosaurs 66 million years ago was not an isolated event, new research has revealed.

On Sunday, 29th September, Earth captured a new "minimoon" known as 2024 PT5. The bus-sized asteroid, measuring 33 feet wide, is temporarily orbiting Earth for 57 days. Although it's a fascinating addition, the minimoon is too small to be seen with the naked eye or typical amateur telescopes. Researchers believe the asteroid originated from the Arj...

The asteroid, named 2024 PT5, originates from the Arjuna asteroid belt, which contains rocks with orbits similar to Earth's.

On 29 September 2024, Earth briefly welcomed asteroid 2024 PT5 as a second moon. Discovered by NASA's ATLAS, this small asteroid will exit Earth's orbit by mid-November 2024. Its fleeting presence offers astronomers valuable insights into tracking mini-moons and potential asteroid threats. As scientists explore these transient companions, they unco...

Research on asteroid Bennu reveals no evidence of a potential fifth force that could explain dark matter. NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission tracked Bennu’s orbit with exceptional accuracy, allowing scientists to examine for subtle deviations. This study provides insight into the unknown forces in the universe and suggests that further investigation of ...

Scientists have discovered phosphorus-rich grains in samples from the asteroid Ryugu, brought back by Japan’s Hayabusa2 mission. These grains, thought to have come from the outer Solar System, may have interacted with early Earth’s water, releasing essential nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen. This interaction could have played a role in th...

A recent study reveals that three asteroid families—the Karin, Koronis, and Massalia—are responsible for around 70% of the meteorites that land on Earth. These families, formed from past collisions in the main asteroid belt, have a higher number of fragments due to their relatively young age. The findings shed light on the origins of meteorites...

The newly discovered mini-moon, 2024 PT5, entered Earth's orbit on September 29, 2024, and will remain until November 25. This small asteroid, measuring around 10 metres, provides a unique opportunity for researchers to study near-Earth objects and explore the viability of space mining. Experts believe that asteroids contain precious metals, which ...

An international research team has revealed that 70% of known meteorite falls originate from just three young asteroid families: Karin, Koronis, and Massalia. These families were formed by collisions in the main asteroid belt approximately 5.8, 7.5, and 40 million years ago. The Massalia family alone accounts for 37% of meteorites. This significant...

A recent study led by Quanzhi Ye, an astronomer at the University of Maryland, reveals that the Taurid Meteoroid Complex, a debris stream linked to past Earth impacts, poses less danger than previously thought. Ye's team found fewer large asteroids in the stream, reducing the risk of a catastrophic collision with Earth. While these findings offer r...

The Hera spacecraft has successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, embarking on an international mission to study the asteroid Dimorphos, which was altered in course by NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) in 2022. Expected to reach its target by December 2026, Hera will examine the impact crater left by the DART mission and deploy two ...

Recent research indicates that Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt, likely harboured a muddy ocean beneath its icy crust. Advanced computer simulations suggest that its surface features and gravity measurements point to a past rich in ice. With its proximity to Earth, Ceres presents a promising target for further exploration, making it t...

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) deliberately crashed into the pyramid-sized asteroid Dimorphos roughly 11 million kilometres from Earth.

. A study published in The International Journal of Astrobiology suggests that astronauts could use asteroids to meet their nutritional needs.

A recent study reveals that ant agriculture originated 66 million years ago, following the asteroid impact that led to the dinosaurs' extinction. This event allowed fungi to flourish in the aftermath, as they thrived on decaying plant matter. It was found that while the initial partnership formed post-impact, ants did not develop advanced farming t...

The massive asteroid that ended the dinosaurs 66 million years ago was not an isolated event, new research has revealed.

On Sunday, 29th September, Earth captured a new "minimoon" known as 2024 PT5. The bus-sized asteroid, measuring 33 feet wide, is temporarily orbiting Earth for 57 days. Although it's a fascinating addition, the minimoon is too small to be seen with the naked eye or typical amateur telescopes. Researchers believe the asteroid originated from the Arj...

The asteroid, named 2024 PT5, originates from the Arjuna asteroid belt, which contains rocks with orbits similar to Earth's.