Precious 'golden asteroid' might be rusting as scientists probe rock before 2029 Nasa visit
Technology
Scientists discover unique trait on metal-rich asteroid
(Web Desk) - Researchers identified a water component on the mysterious – and priceless – asteroid 16 Psyche, suggesting that hydration exists in the form of rust.
In 2017, researchers discovered traces of water on Psyche's surface.
"Spectra from the infrared region, at long wavelengths that we perceive as heat but can't see," showed signs of the OH molecule, or hydroxyl units, which form part of water, as reported by Live Science.
Those findings, while inconclusive, suggest that Psyche's surface may contain small amounts of water, either as ice or hydrated minerals.
Data from the James Webb Space Telescope suggests the hydroxyl unit groups are bound to metal on Psyche's surface, which causes it to "rust."
Scientists hypothesizing about the asteroid's composition led to Nasa's ongoing Psyche mission.
The Nasa mission to visit the asteroid 16 Psyche launched on October 13, 2023.
Nasa's Psyche spacecraft took off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket.
The spacecraft is expected to reach the asteroid by 2029, allowing scientists to study the rock in-depth.
The mission "aims to find crucial clues about the formation of our solar system's planets," as reported by Live Science.
Scientists are particularly interested in learning more about the asteroid Psyche because of its mysterious composition.
Researchers believe its outer metal layers and exposed iron core show signs of being a "failed planet."
Some hypotheses show that the asteroid could have been the core of a large planet, like Mars, if it hadn't violently collided with other bodies during the solar system's formation.
Psyche was first discovered by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis on March 17, 1852.
He named the asteroid after the Greek goddess of the soul.
Psyche is also often referred to as "16 Psyche," as it was the 16th asteroid to be discovered.
Psyche "lives" in the main asteroid belt, about three times further away from the Sun than Earth.
It has an irregular, potato-like shape, and at its widest and longest points, measures 173 miles wide and 144 miles long.
Despite a surface area of 64,000 square miles, scientists are still learning more about the mysterious asteroid.
Researchers initially believed that the asteroid Psyche consisted mostly of metal.
Recent data, however, indicates that the asteroid is a mix of metal and silicate, a material found in sand and glass.
Researchers believe the asteroid is composed of rock and metal, with metal responsible for 30% to 60% of its volume, as reported by Nasa.
Plus, with the asteroid's rare metal components valued at over $100,000 quadrillion, many researchers have nicknamed Psyche as a "goldmine" in space.
The number is based on metal value alone, as there is not enough money in the world to reach that estimated sum.
