Asteroids
NASA’s Mission to Visit 8 Asteroids, Lucy, Launches on October 16th
An early morning launch is planned for the Lucy spacecraft, the first space mission to study Jupiter’s Trojan asteroids. Tomorrow,…
Images of 42 of the Biggest Asteroids in the Solar System
A huge team of astronomers have combined forces to use the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) to…
You Can Blow Up an Asteroid Just a few Months Before it Hits Earth and Prevent 99% of the Damage
So far, the battle between life on Earth and asteroids has been completely one-sided. But not for long. Soon, we'll…
This Object is Both an Asteroid and a Comet
In astronomy, comets and asteroids are defined very differently. Comets have a “nucleus,” usually made of ice and dust, and…
There are Many Metal-Rich Asteroids Nearby to Investigate
Usually, when the topic of asteroid mining comes up, thoughts turn to the riches of the asteroid belt between Mars…
3,600 Years ago, a 50-Meter-Wide Meteor Exploded in the Sky and Destroyed a City Near the Dead Sea
An archeological dig has uncovered evidence of a massive cosmic airburst event approximately 3,600 years ago that destroyed an entire…
Why are Rubble Pile Asteroids Shaped Like Diamonds?
Scientists are fortunate enough to have detailed, close-up views of the near-Earth asteroids Bennu and Ryugu. Both asteroids have a…
What Formed the Strange Troughs on Vesta?
New research suggests that the humble asteroid Vesta may have cracked open like an egg. (more…)
An Asteroid has Been Discovered That Crosses Mercury’s Orbit
Astronomers have spotted the fastest-ever asteroid orbiting Sun -- and at times, it gets closer to the Sun than the…
OSIRIS-Rex got to Know Bennu Really Well. Apparently, There’s now a 1-in-1,750 Chance That it’ll hit Earth by 2300
Asteroid Bennu is one of the two most hazardous known asteroids in our Solar System. Luckily, the OSIRIS-REx (Origins, Spectral…