Space
Halloween Asteroid Photos Reveal Its Strange Surface Features
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Nov 04, 2015 10:21 AM EST
Scientists have captured the highest-resolution radar images yet of an asteroid that flew by Earth on Halloween. The new images reveal a bit more information about the surface features of the asteroid.
The asteroid itself is called 2015 TB145. This particular object was snapped as it flew past Earth on Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. EDT. It was about 1.3 lunar distances-or 300,000 miles-away from Earth. It's spherical in shape and about 2,000 feet in diameter.
In order to actually snap these radar images, the researchers used the 230-foot DSS-14 antenna at Goldstone, California. They transmitted high-power microwaves toward the asteroid; the signal bounced off the asteroid, and its radar echoes were received by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).
"The radar images of asteroid 2015 TB145 show portions of the surface not seen previously and reveal pronounced concavities, bright spots that might be boulders, and other complex features that could be ridges," said Lance Benner, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The images look distinctly different from the Arecibo radar images obtained on October 30 and are probably the result of seeing the asteroid from a different perspective in its three-hour rotation period."
The new images reveal a bit more about the close flyby of the asteroid. This could tell scientists a bit more about asteroids in general and show them the differences between asteroids.
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First Posted: Nov 04, 2015 10:21 AM EST
Scientists have captured the highest-resolution radar images yet of an asteroid that flew by Earth on Halloween. The new images reveal a bit more information about the surface features of the asteroid.
The asteroid itself is called 2015 TB145. This particular object was snapped as it flew past Earth on Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. EDT. It was about 1.3 lunar distances-or 300,000 miles-away from Earth. It's spherical in shape and about 2,000 feet in diameter.
In order to actually snap these radar images, the researchers used the 230-foot DSS-14 antenna at Goldstone, California. They transmitted high-power microwaves toward the asteroid; the signal bounced off the asteroid, and its radar echoes were received by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO).
"The radar images of asteroid 2015 TB145 show portions of the surface not seen previously and reveal pronounced concavities, bright spots that might be boulders, and other complex features that could be ridges," said Lance Benner, one of the researchers, in a news release. "The images look distinctly different from the Arecibo radar images obtained on October 30 and are probably the result of seeing the asteroid from a different perspective in its three-hour rotation period."
The new images reveal a bit more about the close flyby of the asteroid. This could tell scientists a bit more about asteroids in general and show them the differences between asteroids.
Related Stories
Mystery of Apollo Mission Moon Rock Samples Finally Solved
Mission to Mars: Wall-less Hall Thruster May be the Future of Deep Space Travel
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone