round three of the Earth to the Moon: So far extends the findings of American scientists tail of Asteroid P/2010 A2. Researchers from various U.S. universities and institutes have studied the heavenly bodies with a telescope in Arizona and found a length of the tail of about one million kilometers. The magnitude is so much greater than previously thought, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory announced on Monday.
tail length of a one million kilometer is not necessarily unusual for asteroids. It already comets were discovered, their train was 300 times longer.
P/2010 A2 scientists had discovered more than three years ago. The information pursuant He has an unusual for asteroids X shape with a long tail. As this form is made, is controversial among scientists. While one theory states that the shape is created by the rotation of the celestial body’s own, is another of a collision of P/2010 A2 with another asteroid. This is to be created from pieces of debris tail.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research in an earlier investigation came to the conclusion that this crash had occurred in early 2009. Thus, the asteroid was originally 120 feet thick, as he rebounded with a speed of 17,700 kilometers per hour on a much smaller asteroid. Location of the collision was, according to the scientists of the asteroid belt located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.
Asteroids, also called planetoids, are considered to be remnants from the early days of our solar system. They are leftover building materials of planets and moons. Their exact composition is therefore of particular interest to astronomers. Do you expect from these celestial bodies insights into the origin of our planetary system. Asteroids have – unlike comet -. Usually no tail
track of the news
Help Get hold of free news services:
| everything from the category Science | | | everything from the category Space | everything about asteroids |
div © SPIEGEL ONLINE 2013
All rights reserved Reproduction only with permission of SPIEGELnet GmbH
No comments:
Post a Comment