Jamie Carter is an award-winning reporter and experienced stargazer who covers the night sky, astro-tourism, the northern lights and space exploration. He received the 2023 Popular Media Award from the American Astronomical Society's Solar Physics Division and is the author of A Stargazing Program for Beginners. Writing for Forbes.
NASA ’s James Webb Space Telescope has detected hydrated minerals on the surface of asteroid 16 Psyche . The asteroid is one of the most intriguing and potentiallyThe discovery of hydroxyl molecules on one of the brightest objects in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter suggests a complex history different from what scientists expected.
Hydroxyl molecules contain one hydrogen and one oxygen atom., the global economy was worth about $105 trillion by the end of 2023, though neither NASA nor any other space agency is currently exploring how to mine 16 Psyche.The discovery could mean that instead of being the exposed metallic core of a proto-planet that experienced a catastrophic collision before it became a planet—as scientists thought—16 Psyche could be an asteroid from beyond the solar system's"snow line" that migrated to the asteroid belt. The snow line is the minimum distance from the sun where temperatures are low enough for water to turn to ice. The findings have implications for what NASA will find at 16 Psyche from 2029 onwards—when its spacecraft arrives—as well as how water is distributed around the solar system and thus for the search for life off-Earth.to confirm the presence of hydrated minerals on the surface of Psyche, a massive and heavily metallic body in the main asteroid belt. These findings suggest a complex history for this interesting asteroid, which many scientists think could be the remnant core of a protoplanet, including impacts with hydrated asteroids.Oprah Endorses Kamala Harris At DNC: Her Political History—And Rare Endorsements—Explained This research, which used the James Webb Space Telescope's infrared capabilities, challenges what asteroids like 16 Psyche—called M-class asteroids—are like. “Our understanding of solar system evolution is closely tied to interpretations of asteroid composition, particularly the M-class asteroids that contain higher concentrations of metal,”Dr. Stephanie Jarmak at the Center for Astrophysics, Harvard & Smithsonian in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She's the lead author of a paperthis week. “These asteroids were initially thought to be the exposed cores of differentiated planetesimals, a hypothesis based on their spectral similarity to iron meteorites.”Whether 16 Psyche has always contained water or whether it was delivered by other asteroids colliding with it remains a mystery. “Asteroids are leftovers from the planetary formation process, so their compositions vary depending on where they formed in the solar nebula,” said Dr. Anicia Arredondo, co-author from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas. She explained that if the water has always been on Psyche 16, then it's unlikely to be the remnant core of a protoplanet., the solar nebula is the swirling cloud of dust and gas that collapsed upon itself to give birth to the sun.NASA launched the Psyche spacecraft on Oct. 13, 2023, on a 2.2 billion-mile journey to arrive at the asteroid in August 2029. It will then take at least 21 months to map orbit and study the asteroid’s properties. Since 16 Psyche is so bright and dense, it's thought to be metallic. At about 140 miles in diameter, it is also one of the most massive objects in the main asteroid belt. It's about 230 million miles from Earth.Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kindContinuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejectedAttempts or tactics that put the site security at riskProtect your community.
Webb Telescope Psyche Solar System Metal Asteroid Water On Psyche NASA NASA Psyche Mission To Psyche 16 Psyche
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