NASA and other space agencies keep an eye on all near-Earth asteroids for potential threats to our planet. However, these asteroids are more than just dangerous space objects! Now, a team of astronomers has discovered a new type of asteroid that could provide insights into the composition of the early solar system. Even more intriguing is the fact that these rocky objects, located in the outer asteroid belt, are porous and rich in water, have undergone significant evolution from their original locations.
NASA Astromaterials tweeted, “How can experts decipher the origin and evolution of large/dark material small planet considered rich Water & carbon, an essential element to life on Earth?” The study was published in the journal Nature Astronomy by Takir et al. (2023), who provided insight using near-infrared observations and comparisons with Ceres, the dwarf planet. The only one in the inner solar system known for its abundance of water.
With the help of NASA’s Infrared Telescope Facility in Hawaii, the space agency found evidence of main-belt asteroids traveling there from a frigid region. According to the study, these large and dark asteroids, more than 100 kilometers in diameter, exhibit features similar to the mineral composition of the icy dwarf planet Ceres. With an equatorial diameter of about 900 km, Ceres holds the title of being the largest entity in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.
Scientists believe these asteroids may have transported water to developing planets, especially Earth, during a time when the inner solar system and its components were generally dry . The recently discovered group of Ceres-like asteroids, which are rich in water and carbon, contain the same key ingredients needed for life to exist on Earth.
