Very varied asteroids

NASA’s space telescope Spitzer has begun an observation campaign of Near-Earth asteroids (those that cross the Earth’s orbit): to date, about one hundred of the 700 or so targeted have consequently been examined using infrared light as this wavelength that the human eye cannot see provides more information about the composition of these small objects than visible light. The initial results show that these “wandering stones” greatly vary in composition and that they could have equally varied origins, some coming from the main asteroid belt situated between Mars and Jupiter whereas others could have come from areas that are farther afield in the solar system.

Spitzer press release

Published on 7 September 2010

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