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The Japanese space probe Hayabusa 2 captured the best images of a strange dart-shaped asteroid millions of kilometers from the Earth.
Hayabusa arrived at the Ryugu asteroid on June 27 and observed it about 12 miles (20 km above, before descending to an altitude less than 6 km from the surface.
new images released by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) show in an astonishing way the speckled surface of the asteroid,
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The Japanese space probe Hayabusa 2 captured the best images of a strange asteroid-shaped millet far from the Earth.
A massive crater can be seen near the center of Image According to JAXA, this is the largest crater on the surface of the asteroid, Ryugu
The space agency is now working to determine the best site for the project. landing for the probe, using these close-up views to explore the terrain.
Hayabusa 2 took its very first close-up view of the dice-shaped asteroid in 1945, 175 million miles (280 million km) from Earth.
distance of only 25 miles (40 km), showed for the first time the intricate details of surface features like bumps, craters and rocks.
Hayabusa 2 will study the soil and rock content of the 2,854-foot (870-m) asteroid with the goal of bringing back samples to Earth in 2020.
Scientists hope to use their discoveries to break through a number of secret origins of the universe
The probe carries a number of experiments including four surface rovers and an explosive device designed to dig 'fresh' rock samples.
The first close-up view of a dice-shaped asteroid doubled Ryugu has been broken 175 million miles (280 million km) from the Earth. The superb photograph, taken at a distance of only 25 miles (40km), showed for the first time the intricate details of the surface features
His Ryugu images reveal a strange shape that could make landing on the surface. Asteroid more difficult than the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (Jaxa) had anticipated.
"From a distance, Ryugu appeared at first round, then gradually transformed into a square before becoming a beautiful form similar to fluorite – known as" firefly "in Japanese. said Dr. Yuichi Tsuda, project director Hayabusa Two
– Now craters are visible, rocks are visible and geographical features vary from one place to another.
& # 39; This form of Ryugu is scientifically surprising and also poses
WHY DOES JAXA STUDY THE RYUGU ASTEROID?
Hayabusa Two (artist impression) performs a number of different types of rock. experiments involving four surface rovers and an explosive device designed to dig "fresh" rock samples
surface landing gear, a series of cameras and even an explosive device that will dig underground rock samples.
Ryugu, a type C asteroid, contains traces of water and organic matter. The analysis of this material will reveal what the initial conditions looked like at the time the solar system was formed about 4.6 billion years ago.
Hayabusa Two is expected to return to Earth by the end of 2020, carrying samples for further analysis. The photos taken by Hayabusa Two ONC-W1 (Wide Angle Navigation Camera) on June 24 show that the Ryugu has roughly the shape of an eight-sided die
The images describe surface features as craters and rocks.
The approach of Hayabusa Two also allowed Jaxa to determine that the orbit of the asteroid is retrograde, that is, that it turns into the opposite direction to the Sun and the Earth
& # 39 ;. "This asteroid is perpendicular to the orbit," says Dr. Tsuda.
"This fact increases the degrees of freedom of landing and the decent operations of the rover
Photos taken by Hayabusa Two ONC-W1 (Optical Navigation Camera – Wide Angle) on June 24, including the image above , show Ryugu is roughly formed as an eight-sided die. Hayabusa Two will study the soil and rock content of the asteroid
"On the other hand, there is a peak in the vicinity of the equator and a number of large craters, which makes the selection of landing points both interesting and challenging.
Hayabusa Two was launched in December 2014 with the aim of bringing back rock samples from Ryugu to help scientists better understand the origins of the universe.
Ryugu, a C-type asteroid, contains traces of water and organic matter and it is hoped that the analysis of this material will reveal what the initial conditions looked like at the time the solar system s & # 39; 39; is formed about 4.6 billion years ago.
Older images taken from 100 to 200 km from Ryugu suggest that the asteroid had a complex evolutionary history, according to Jaxa.
Asteroids in the size range of the space rock can actually be fragments of a larger body.
The Japanese probe Hayabusa Two is now on final approach to the Ryugu, the & ugu,,,,,. gear is expected to arrive Wednesday on the space rock. This composite image shows that the asteroid grows in the images taken by the probe between June 18 and June 20
"When we approached Ryugu and were able to distinguish the individual characteristics of the topology of the Asteroid, it became clear that Ryugu ground, "said Professor Seiji Sugita in a statement on June 21.
"Many clusters of rocks roll on the surface. Of these, a large rock mass (about 150 meters [490 feet]) stands out on the upper part of Ryugu because of its brighter color (higher reflectivity).
"Ring-shaped ring of vertices surrounding the equator"
Color difference may reveal a difference in the material composition and size of the particles that form the rock said Professor Sugita.
He adds, "We can also see many areas engulfed. that look like craters.
These depressions may have been made in collisions with other celestial bodies. A structure that looks like a grove is also visible.
