Is a very rare metal Asteroids Hiding between Mars and Jupiter, and it is more valuable than the entire global economy. Now, the Hubble Space Telescope has given us a closer look at the budget, which is estimated at 10,000 quartillion.
A new study this week in the Journal of Eclipse Science explores the mysteries of one of the largest objects in the solar system’s main planetary belt, orbiting Mars and Jupiter about 230 million miles from Earth, more deeply than ever before. It measures about 140 miles in diameter – about the size of Massachusetts.
Most asteroids are made up of rocks or ice. But the 16 minds are gens and mostly made of metal, probably the remaining core of a planet that has never been able to form – the so-called “protoplanet”, which has come out of the hit-and-hit collisions pushing its core out of its body. doing. Cover
The study marks the first ultraviolet (UV) observations of the celestial body. New data suggests that asteroids could be made entirely of iron and nickel – found in the planet’s ganse cores.
“We’ve seen meteors that are mostly metal, but the mindset may be unique, as it could be asteroids that are made entirely of iron and nickel,” said lead author Dr. Tracy Baker said in a statement. “Earth has a metal core, a mantle, and a crust. It is possible that when a cyc protoplanet formed, it was struck by something else in our solar system and lost its mantle and crust.”
Mixer / ASU / P. Rubin / NASA / JPL-Caltech
Scientists studied asteroids at two points in their rotation to fully see the details on both sides at the UV wavelength. They found that the surface could be mostly iron, but warned that even small amounts of iron would dominate UV observations.
“We were able to identify for the first time on any planet what we think iron oxide ultraviolet absorption bands are,” Baker said. “This is an indication that oxidation is taking place on the asteroid, which could be the result of the solar wind hitting the surface.”
Solar wind is the flow of charged particles from the atmosphere above the Sun, called corona in the solar system. It is responsible for the tails of comets as they grow in the sky, a possible “space weather” of Ross’s creations and psyche.
The researchers also said that the asteroid became more and more reflective in the deep UV wavelength, which may give some indication of its age.
“This is something we need to study further,” Baker said. This type of UV illumination is often attributed to the weather of the space. “
Metal asteroids are rare, so Manas provides researchers with an exciting opportunity to study the interior of the planet. In 2022, NASA plans to launch an unmanned spacecraft PK on the SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket to study planets in an effort to understand its history and similar objects – the first time a mission will visit a body made entirely of metal.
The orbiter will reach the asteroid in January 2026 to study it for about two years. The leader of the Arizona State University mission estimates that the price of iron alone in today’s market will be $ 10,000 quadrillion – 19 zeros one after the other.
“What makes Saiche and other asteroids so interesting is that they are considered the building blocks of the solar system,” Baker said. “It’s really interesting to understand what a planet is made of and to see the potential inside a planet. Once we reach Saiche, we’ll really understand that this is the case, even if it doesn’t turn out as we expected.” Surprisingly, it’s always exciting. “
Said the researchers CBS News In 2017, when the mission is confirmed, they do not plan to take advantage of the value of the planet’s formation.
“We’re going to learn about the formation of planets, but we’re not going to try to bring back any of this material and use it for industry,” said Carol Polanski, project scientist at Psych Mission.
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